Workshops

Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Heart of the Matter


Last night was the opening of Guardino Gallery's annual group show: The Heart of the Matter. The opening receptions at Guardino are always fun. Lots of friends and family show up to support the artists and the work they've created. Here's the evening . . . and most likely some familiar faces.









My heart gang that was part of the show.


Some individual shots just because they're kinda pretty to look at.







Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Winter Wax


I spent a rainy winter Monday playing with wax at Deanna White's country studio. There were just four of us, so it was intimate and cozy. I wasn't feeling overly ambitious or productive, so I just allowed myself to putter -- paint on wax, scrape it off, add a bit more, carve out a door, fill it with wax. Relaxing and meditative. Just what I needed.






Monday, January 23, 2012

100 Artists Show: Fragments


I'm filled with wonder. I am one of the participants in Mary Lou Zeek's annual (and final) 100 Artists Show: The Art of Communication, running February 1 - March 3.


Mary Lou paired two artists with the assignment to write each other a letter (paper and envelopes provided). Then, using the letter received as inspiration, we had to create a piece of art in response (the finished pieces could be no larger than 12 x 12). Mary Lou wrote a longer and more detailed explanation of the process, so if you're interested in the nitty gritty, just click right here. You can also see photos of all of the art donated (the whole thing is a fundraiser and all of the artists donate their art) and read the artist's statements about the creation of their piece. So here's my journey in words and photos.

I received my letter from the artist I was paired with: Kim Robertson of Pennsylvania, back in October.



About the same time, I sat down to write my letter to Kim.



After reading her letter, a page full of rich imagery and juicy words, I decided I would create a mixed media piece. I set out to glue strips of worn linen and gauze and planned to build up layers using plaster and paint, but somewhere along the way, I totally switched gears. At the time I was working on my piece, I was at the beach with Stephanie and Tory and we were all working on various art projects. One of the other things I was working on was some guerilla art (here's a little blip about that). Well, a comment from Tory, a comment from Steph, and before long, the guerilla project was put on hold, but the cardboard tiles I thought would be guerilla art pieces became the focal point of my piece for the 100 Artists Show. Words were chosen and circled from Kim's letter and eventually the chosen words were stamped onto the little cardboard tiles . . . . Fragments was created.





The finished piece.


The individual tiles.








Post Script: I made a cardboard tile for Kim as a memento of our project and sent it to her with a note.


Post Post Script: Two years ago I bought a piece of art from Mary Lou's 100 Artists Show. I didn't think anything about it until I saw some of the art that Kim created. It got me to thinking, so I went to my studio and looked at the art I had purchased in 2010 - yep, Kim was the artist! We were already connected and we didn't even know it.


Post Post Post Script: Kim sent me a beautiful three-page handwritten letter this week with an original piece of her art! I feel so honored. And the best part is we're now officially pen pals - the real deal kind. Handwritten letters on real paper. Tag, I'm it.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

A Monkey, A Shovel, A Gun*


I had the privilege to facilitate a Vision Board class at my studio on Saturday. The ladies all knew each other as they are all members of a book group they belong to and they wanted to get together to create Vision Boards. I knew a couple of the women and they asked if I would be the one to lead them through the process. Why, of course! I told them I would be honored.



The morning was a riotous jumble of flying hands, whirring scissors, and lively chatter.







After lunch, the gluing commenced.





The women created some wonderful intentions for the new year.









What a cheerful, fun, intelligent group of women I got to spend the day with!


*The title for this blog post came from things falling off the walls of my studio. My little studio is so crammed with stuff, that the women kept bumping into things I had hanging here and there. The first to go was a metal monkey, then a metal shovel, and finally a kid's cap gun. Fortunately, no one was maimed by the falling objects!