Ogunquit Museum of American Art Invitational

The OMAA invitational was a fun and BUSY weekend. Such a gorgeous spot and there was a wonderful and varied group of exhibitors. LOTS of attendees came through and were very receptive to my work :) It was great to see some dear friends who made the trek and I must say a special thank you to my friend who crazily volunteered to help with the set up!!

magical place

I just finished up a little pastel series based upon a magical place in Denmark, Maine.

steamy opening!

The ETA8 opening at Nahcotta was hopping. It was crowded and steamy! Kind of like and opening and a spa treatment all in one! As always, it was great to see such diversity in one show. I had the pleasure of chatting with Virginia Fitzgerald who is new to the gallery. Love her work. Check out her blog! Am crazy about the beach installations which are part of her dress project.

art is essential

There is a prevailing train of thought that when times gets financially challenging, one of the first areas to be cut from the budget are those relating to the arts……which are deemed “non-essential”. I would like to offer a different perspective. Art elevates the quality of our lives. Whether sitting in a theater immersed in a play, listening to musicians in a club or relaxing at home enjoying a painting, art can provide exhilaration, solace or a place for contemplation. It’s a place to clear our brains and breathe again. Pretty important, I would say.

2011 calendar

My 2011 calendar is in the works!! We are keeping the same size and format, but making some subtle shifts in the design. I'm excited to see it printed...probably in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned!!

working away

Lula and I have been working away on some new acrylic paintings. Actually mostly, I am working and she is napping, but we all have our jobs. I am very interested in creating both a beautiful image which speaks to the spiritual quality of nature .....AND a beautiful surface. It's kind of a tall order, but I am making my way.

portsmouth en plein air

I recently stopped into the Kennedy Gallery and frame shop here in Portsmouth. I had read about the show for which the artist, Erin Murray, had committed to painting plein air throughout the city for one month. The results are lovely; beautifully composed paintings capturing the charm of our historical seaside community. The color and light are wonderful. Erin happened to be there, so I had the pleasure of talking with her. I learned that 50% of her proceeds are being donated to A Safe Place, an organization founded in 1976 to prevent and eliminate domestic abuse. And there were LOTS of red dots!! (sales) Luckily there are still some works available and the show is up through June 28th, so check it out!!

Go, Nan, go!!!!

I spent Memorial Day weekend in the very cool city of Burlington, VT. My sister was running in the KeyBank Vermont City Marathon as a fundraiser for Konbit Sante. My niece, Rory and I went to cheer her on. It was a really fun event. Lots of good energy. Nancy ran a great race, one of her best times ever. When she finished, instead of heading for the nearest bubble bath, she was completely euphoric and energetic. My incredible sister. Go, Nan, go!!

immersion

Today I stood in front of a large white canvas which I primed some time ago. At that time, I had a vague idea about the painting I wanted to make. But other studio commitments and unexpected occurrences put two months between my original thought and this moment. (Thankfully, my loyal assistant, Lula was there to offer support.) Hmmm……..where to start??? I believe the best way to start a painting….is to start it. I cannot execute the entire process first in my head. I need to put something down on the surface and respond to that…..and then respond to that, etc… And so I began putting down color and then layering it………not exactly sure about where I was headed. There is something about that unknown that pulls me forward. At some point I realized I was smiling. I was fully engaged in the creative process. It brought to mind that feeling of taking a deep breath and diving into the ocean. At once one is immersed, exhilarated, happy.

hot off the easel

I just finished a commission consisting of ten small pastels. Next week I will begin another commission which is for one large pastel. Took advantage of a brief interim to complete several pastels which have been close for awhile. I just needed to spend some time with them to make any final adjustments.

AD 20/21

Diana Levine Fine Art, a gallery I have had the pleasure of working with for many years, will be exhibiting at the AD 20/21 show at The Cyclorama in Boston this weekend. With forty exhibitors, the show features a vast array of contemporary art, furniture, crafts, jewelry and more. Yesterday she and her crew worked very hard moving the work over to the Cyclorama and setting up the display. She will be including a number of my pastels and giclees in the mix. I hope it is a wonderful event for all of us!

the quality of a line / the quality of life

As a junior in college, ALL those many years ago, I was completely immersed in studio work. I loved it!! At the same time, my sister was in nursing school. This struck me as a much more noble profession. BUT………I am a big time fainter when it comes to things medical, so I concluded it probably was not the career path for me. Once I poked my head in the office door of my favorite professor and out of the blue, asked, “When there are people out there researching a cure for cancer, is it right for me to be spending my days struggling with the quality of a line?” Without missing a beat, he said, “Scientists are working to prolong life. Art elevates the quality of life.” Is this a question he had pondered himself? Did he just blurt out the first thing that came into his mind?? I guess I’ll never know. But with that quick response, he gave me permission to be who I am. I have been revisiting that conversation lately while working in my studio. Probably because of all of the strife I am hearing about in Haiti and elsewhere. Sure hope he was right……….

tiny art for a BIG cause

It's that time again! Tiny art has made its way from all over the country for Nahcotta's ETA Show 7!!! As always, the show promises to be a visual feast. It's amazing to see such diversity in one place. I am pleased to be exhibiting with so many fine artists. Show dates are Feb 4 - March 1. The opening is Friday, Feb 5th from 5-8PM. It promises to be a fun, energized event.
For the month of February, Nahcotta and I will donate 50% of the proceeds of the sale of my paintings to Konbit Sante's earthquake relief fund. Founded in 2000, the mission of Konbit Sante is to work in partnership with Haitians toward improving the quality of healthcare. This organization is particularly close to my heart as my brother-in-law is the executive director and is hard at work in Haiti assisting earthquake victims.

romantic reds

I'm just heading out to deliver some small pastels to the Powers Gallery! Hopefully there are some romantics out there who would like to surprise their special someone with a truly unique valentine :)

north / south artist retreats

I recently heard from a long time friend of my sister and her husband, Scott Stoll. Scott is an amazing sculptor. I find his work to be stunning: fluid and graceful. He even did a series in homage to the stiletto! You have to love that! He was writing primarily to tell me about his role in managing North / South Artist Retreats. In January, the retreat is held in Antigua, Guatemala. In September the retreat is held on Georgetown Island, near Bath, ME. Both locations have their own unique magic. In addition to working in a beautiful setting, interaction with other artists will further enhance one’s creative growth. Take a look at the website. Sounds pretty amazing!

two journeys

Tomorrow my niece and brother-in-law are heading out on two very different trips. My niece, a junior in college is departing on a semester at sea. She will be taking classes while experiencing the cultures of ten different countries. What an amazingly exciting and expansive experience. I am so happy for her ......and proud of her! (always)
My brother-in-law is heading to Haiti. He works with an organization called Konbit Sante at the Justinian Hospital in Cap Haitien. They will be setting up emergency response units for the countless earthquake victims. It’s impossible to imagine the situation he will be stepping into. I am in awe of his compassion and courage.
I’m sure both will have experiences that will forever stay with them. They are both very much in my heart.

interesting juxtaposition

I recently said to a friend that although I was enjoying the holidays, I was looking forward to getting back to work in the studio. I realize that just being able to make that statement makes me very lucky. I have been moving back and forth between twelve 6” x 6” paintings for the ETA7 show and two 48” x 48” canvases which are somewhat related to my recent pastel series. The larger canvases barely fit on my easel! And as acrylic dries fairly quickly, I need to really move the paint across the surface with a great deal of energy. (This could be a new workout!) Only then can I stand back and evaluate the whole. LOTS more layers to go, but I am enjoying the process and the feeling of expansiveness. After a few days of that, I went back to working on the little guys. These feel very intimate. I am right up against them, working with very fine brushes. It has been an interesting juxtaposition!