NON-REALISTIC PAINTING

URN
acrylic on yup

I will be teaching a new class at The Eliot School this fall.  Below is the class description and note a slight spelling error of my name - the f & i missing.  I am excited to be an instructor at the Eliot School and I'm honored that the new program director Claudia Fiks invited me.  In the past I too have been a student there taking the exceptional life drawing intensive with Bob Siegelman. I look forward to meeting new students this October and supporting them on their artistic  journey of non-realistic painting.  

Here is the class description from The Eliot School Fall 2018 catalog: 


Non-Realistic Painting AC1012

Paint with an artist who investigates making images in
non-realistic ways. Master light, shade, perspective and composition. Using acrylics, explore graphic language through a series of exercises and demos and studying the works of master artists. Work from a still life each week, honing skills to strengthen your own work and enhance your unique voice—all in a supportive, creative environment. Good for beginners as well as experienced artists. Limit 10 students.

Section 1: 8 Wednesdays, 1–4pm (Martha Wake eld)1F: Oct 3–Nov 28 (no class Nov 21)1W: Jan 9–Feb 27 (snow day make-up Mar 6) $365. Materials list online.

If interested you can download a PDF of the course catalog and register online.  

FRANCE BOUND

Preserving Memories
oil & cold wax on paper

I just mailed this painting to a new collector in France via the USPS.  FYI: They are an excellent source for shipping small works overseas at a reasonable price.  

This work was actually created in France while attending an artist residency in the countryside of Orquevaux, a small town 3 hours due east of Paris.  I was fortunate to spend two weeks at this residency experimenting with a new media for me: cold wax with oil.

In April I took a cold wax medium workshop given by my friend Pamela Caughey.  Pam and I met a few years ago at a workshop with Nicholas Wilton.  She is a very talented multi-discipline artist and an exceptional teacher.  This is a media I have wanted to take up for some time and Pam is the one I wanted to study with.

I will post the new work created at this residency as well as write about my time there in these summer days to come.  If you want to see the work now please visit my Instagram account.

In January I shipped a landscape painting done in 2017 to Tasmania. Its an honor to have international collectors!

NEW HOME

Fragments of March: Chance of Snow
mixed media/paper
22" x 30"

When I arrive home from France last Monday a letter was waiting for me with the exciting news of a  home for this painting.  I am grateful to Powers Gallery for making this happen.  This was shown in their exhibit Contemporary Vision 2018 and is the second of my paintings to sell in this show.  They did a magnificent job framing it too I must add.

I did a series of these paintings last year in March of 2017 (it seems so long ago) when winter was dicey as it was this past March with 4 blizzards.  Each painting is mixed media consisting of acrylics, India ink, acrylic ink, graphite, and crayon on 300 lb cold press Waterford Saunders paper.  If interested in seeing more from this series please visit Powers Gallery.  

BOSTON VOYAGER PART II

The White Rabbit
Image from Google

I feel like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland as I was very late in responding to Boston Voyager's interview.  And I am not a fast writer.  Instead I need to write a few drafts to develop a voice.  To complete the interview I had sign on to their link and get the questions from there with boxes to fill with my reply.  I copied the 3 questions and worked on my answers separately.  Little did I know a question might change when I revisited  the site.  So I was stumped by the last "new" question and under the gun with my lateness. 

This was the last question:  

The sterotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?

And my answer rushed and overall disappointing:

There are many challenges facing artists today as well as many more platforms to promote their work. Think about multiple streams to get paid one’s art or expertise and/or promote one’s work: teaching, blogging, social media, YouTube videos and galleries, etsy, online galleries, local art organizations, alumni events, college galleries, open studio, house party, licensing, meet-ups/networking, pop up shows. alternative spaces, interior designers, Kickstarter campaigns, mentoring etc. Also find a small supportive group of peers to help get through those challenging times.

Today I came across my draft with the answer to the original last question.  To  redeem myself I am posting part II here:   

Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?

I don’t think the role of artists has changed per se as artists have always seen the world through a different lens and been inventive it in sharing their vision with the world. If any thing what has changed is the ability to access art and artists on an international scale.  With our phones and social media we can travel the globe engaging with artists in different time zones.  And these platforms offer artists the world.  As the talented Pamela Zagarenski magnificently illustrated this culture on her Instragam site #sacredbee (post on May 21st),  “We are all One, each person – their own story - but together we create the whole…” 

These are challenging times and we are all affected by the national and international events.  I try not to let any of that enter the studio with me.  When I am there my phone is off and music is on.  

Another part of my job that I love is teaching painting.  I have been doing this since 2012 teaching to all ages and I am constantly inspired by the innate desire to create and be creative. Knowing this about the human spirit I don’t understand why the arts are always marginalized when it comes to financial cutbacks. I do worry about the lack of funding for art and artists locally, nationally and internationally.  School programs, artist housing, exhibition spaces and art institutions need financial aid to encourage the vitality and community the arts offer. I would love to see the Sunday talk shows inundated with painters, sculptures, photographers, printmakers etc. talking about the state of union instead of our ineffective politicians. How refreshing it would be to hear them because we know these are leaders who know how to take action, promote and revitalize communities. 

At least I get to mention that i am a huge fan of the artist Pamela Zagarenski and her inspiring work! Please check it out.

BOSTON VOYAGER

at my studio

photo credit: Pip Shepley

I am very excited to be included in Boston Voyager's section on The Thought Provokers: Celebrating Artists and Creatives.  Of course this article ran on June 4th and I am just getting to blog about it now.  Still a month later the excitement continues.  You can read the full article by clicking here. 

The editor, Ed Clark, contacted me about one of my daily studio warm-ups he saw on Instagram.  It is always rewarding to know one's work even a warm-up of mark making can resonate with an audience.  These are an important part of my studio  practice.

The top photo was shot in my studio by photographer Pip Shepley, also my husband.  I am not comfortable having to "pose" but pose I did and having the company of a painting in process helped.

Since this article was posted online I have been to France, spending a week in Paris, then two weeks at an artist residency in the countryside and a few more days back in Paris.  We just returned Monday, July 2nd.  Jet lag and culture shock are slowly dissipating.

I will be posting about my trip in the days to come.  France is a very inspiring country and will feed my creative soul in the weeks ahead.

In the meantime I am grateful to Boston Voyager and the editor Edward Clark.  Check out their informative, hip online magazine and meet other thought provokers in the Boston area.