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!