Art and Soul: In the Beginning

I guess the best place to start is with the beginning. I just returned from six days of making art, well, six days and one night. Art and Soul hit Portland with a whirlwind of artists, trades, classes, demonstrations, and art-making; and I was part of it all. I think the best way to approach the daunting task of sharing what classes I took and what I created is by doing a post for each class. But I'm going to break this rule right off the bat as I took two classes from Katie Kendrick and I'm only going to do one post.

First, a word about Katie. I've taken a couple of classes from Katie in the past so I already knew what was in store: safe, creative, fun, challenging art making. Katie is a sweet and kind woman who encourages and cheers everyone on, no matter what their art background or experience. My first class was on Wednesday, Tales from the Land of Odd. There was nothing odd about it, just the challenge to use art and images from other artists as inspiration for our own pieces.

Ready, set, go!










I then had Katie again on Friday, this time for The Enchanting Place. True confessions: Howard cut out of work and was in Portland for the day, so I got to Katie's class, splashed some paint, then during lunch, I packed up and took off. I met up with Howard and we played our way around some of our favorite places in Portland: Laughing Planet, Rebuilding Center, SCRAP, Rerun on Fremont, and lattes from Blue Gardenia (forgive me, but I'm feeling too lazy to do links to any of these places. If you are interested, just search my blog for Portland favorites - I've written about them all on several occasions).

Back to the art. Here is what I got onto my paper before I skedaddled:





Tips I learned: I learned how to use a spray bottle of alcohol to get some amazing effects with acrylic paint. I also learned some new tricks with a simple razor blade.

Another confession: I didn't finish anything in any class.

Exhibits/History/Stories - Oh My!

I recently had the opportunity to tour a portion of the Oregon State Hospital that is undergoing renovation, officially called the Oregon State Hospital Replacement Project. I had been talking with a friend and former neighbor, Hazel Patton, and learned that Hazel is one of the key organizers of a mental health museum that will be housed in the Kirkbride U Building at the State Hospital. When Hazel learned how much I am interested in medical and mental health history, she invited me on a tour of the building. She also invited me to become a member of a museum committee. Given my past experience with putting together a museum (Canby Grove Conference Center, oh so many years ago), my interest in the Oregon State Hospital, and my creativity, I was placed on the Exhibits/History/Stories committee.

The tour. I put on the required orange vest and hard hat and entered the building.


As I entered, I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I have wanted to go inside the State Hospital for a very long time - this was a dream come true. The tears? Maybe in part because my grandmother had been involuntarily committed in the 1960s and I remember visiting her. Maybe in part because I loved the Jack Nicholson movie, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. But mostly, I am fascinated with medical and mental health history.

Here's the space that will house the new Mental Health Museum:












After the tour, it was mentioned that we should be taken to the Gold Room. The Gold Room? Oh yes. The Gold Room is one of several major storage areas of hospital artifacts. If I thought my heart was twitterpated with going into the building, you should have felt what it did as I entered the Gold Room!

To learn more about the OSH mental health museum, click here for a link to the museum blog.



Stay tuned.

Recovering a Sense of Integrity: The Artist's Way Week Four

Last night was an emotional night for the ladies, which sometimes happens when exploring our lives more deeply. Our creative activity was drawing a Life Map, an activity I first experienced with my Artist's Way mentor, Gretchin Lair of Scarlet Star Studios. Along with Gretchin's process, I also share examples from a book entitled You Are Here: Personal Geographies. The work the ladies produced was far too personal to include photos on my blog, but their energy and honesty was amazing. To create their maps, they experimented with water soluble wax crayons and watercolor pencils; with both, you draw, then apply water with a brush and presto! you have a watercolor.

One of the things I have the ladies do each week is take something from the centerpiece. I encourage the women to create an altar space at home made up of the pieces they take each week from our session. So far they have taken a pretty rock, a rusty bottle cap and word dice, a dream card, and now a piece of vintage jewelry. Their Artist's Way altars are growing.

F A M I L Y: Launch Pad Gallery

Launch Pad Gallery presents The Family Show, with work by over 100 artists. October 2-November 1, 2009. The gallery is located at 534 S.E. Oak Street in Portland. Gallery hours are Wednesday - Saturday 12:00-4:00 pm and by appointment.

Last Friday night was the opening reception (make that party) at the Launch Pad Gallery. In addition to my piece of Art, Never Enough Time, two friends had art in the show, Destree and Shelby. Destree and her husband Champ (and their two adorable kiddos, Olivia and Deven) made the drive from Salem for the opening. Here's a little of how the evening went, beginning with a cute photo of Destree bending down to get closer to me (that's Shelby's piece in the upper left hand corner).

What a great evening!