Magical Moments and Simple Joys: Happy Halloween!

Cherishing children and Creating Art,mixed with lots of Love and Passion are the key ingredients for remaining young at heart. It's unavoidable:) Pure MAGIC! Happy Halloween!

Sketch:Field of Gold

I don't typically create color sketches or preliminary concept paintings of my work but am working toward merging my representational figurative work with abstractions of color and mixed media. Eventually this will become a 7 ft.painting on wood which will include figures. For now, it is an intimate small scale exercise in color. In process, this will also include waxed linen and embroidery thread.

In Process

Blackbird

Jacob Matthew

Yesterday morning,in Virginia Beach, I became Godmother to Jacob Matthew,the youngest of my brother Robert's three sons. I hesitated before making this commitment and discussed it with Robert because I am not a practicing Catholic nor was I married in the Catholic Church. I am spiritual and seriously reflect upon what that means for me as an individual. I respect the choices and religious paths that others follow.After discussion and consideration, I realized that becoming Jake's Godparent is ultimately more about nurturing,protecting and loving this little person. It is about being there to guide him in whatever manner I am able. It is about witnessing his life.

Knowing and believing that there are people that genuinely love you, beyond the boundaries of one's immediate family,is a gift.So in a way, I feel as though I made a spiritual commitment to this beautiful baby (who has an exceptional abundance of hair thanks to his Mommy, Jackie:),to love him,encourage him and remind him of his unique greatness and importance in this world....And now of course, I have to create a painting of my Godson:)I took lots of photos for inspiration!As an artist, I always "see" beauty,but especially in the faces and hearts of children!


Love is a choice you make from moment to moment...
Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.~Barbara De Angelis

What Dreams May Come

I remember watching the movie, "What Dreams May Come," about 10 years ago. "An overtly sentimental and romanticized film", you say?....Absolutely, but beautiful all the same. It is one of my favorite movies...a fantasy perhaps but I viewed this years before I ever imagined that I would resume painting again. I'm still painting my dreams. For me it is how I can best speak to those I love whether or not they hear or see me. I always see beauty in the world around me, even when it seems difficult to find:) Actually, it's not all that hard. My mind usually takes me where I wish to be. DREAM BIG!!!!It's all beautiful....the pain, the joy, the love and hope.It means you are awake, aware and alive! What an incredible gift it is to be an artist!I am fully awake and dreaming:)!

Happy Birthday Guggenheim Museum in NYC!

If you happen to be in NYC today, stop by the Guggenheim Museum in celebration of it's 50th Anniversary! Admission is FREE!!To read 50 fun facts about the Guggenheim,located at 1071 5th Ave & E 89th St.,Manhattan, New York and designed by genius architect Frank Lloyd Wright, click on the following link:
New York Daily News

For more information about Frank Lloyd Wright,Solomon Guggenheim,and his trusted advisor and visionary,Baroness Hilla Rebay von Ehrenwiesen click on the sites below.Behind every great man and great idea,there is usually a great woman, or several:)Shared passions inspire genius. Go Hilla!
The Guggenheim Museum
Frank Lloyd Wright
Solomon R. Guggenheim
Hilla Rebay

One fun fact from the Daily News article:
"Wednesday night, the Empire State Building will be lit "Guggenheim red" in celebration of the museum's anniversary. Early on, Wright wanted the museum to be crimson, which he described as "the color of creation." Rebay wrote back, "Red is a color which displeases [founder Solomon Guggenheim] as much as it does me." I love it! Red is the color of life, passion and love! How appropriate it would have been for this structure!

Essential Music and Art Exhibit Chelsea, NYC

Jude and Ellie Colon (and yes she is young and drop dead gorgeous!)

Jude, Tyler, Seth and Jennifer
The Essential Music and Art Exhibit in Chelsea, NYC,hosted Saturday,October 17,2009 by curator Ellie Colon,was a great success. It was a pleasure exhibiting again with fellow SVA summer resident artists from this past summer: Seth Kitzmiller of West Virginia, Jennifer Shepard of Texas and Tyler Vipond of Canada,among others.It was a truly memorable experience and was an honor to be invited to partcipate as an exhibiting artist. Shhh!!!My next venture takes me out west. From city slickers to cowboys:)Arttruly is everywhere!
To view more images from this event,click on the link below.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38526&id=1483745280&l=b723f21d83

TheJourney:Art 21

"I am not me.The horse was not mine."

How We See

"How we see is by continually redefining normality." Beau Lotto

As an artist who has always been interested in science, I am fascinated by the science of color and vision. As an educator,it is necessary that I comprehend the basics to share with my students. Vision and our perception of color are both complex and dynamic processes.Beau Lotto is the founder of Lottolab,an England based art and science laboratory. View Lotto's TED talk to learn more about the plasticity of our visual perception. More valuable and interesting information,presented in a very accessible manner, is available on his website.I have shared this information with my colleagues and students. Great stuff:)http://www.lottolab.org/

"There's no inherent meaning in information.It's what we do with that information that matters."~ Beau Lotto

Allentown Art Guild Group Show at Laurita Winery

Please join me and my fellow guild members !

"Since the formation of the Allentown Art Guild in 2006, we have hosted our annual group show during the weekend of the Harvest Festival at the barn studio of Jeff Martin Photography. While we truly enjoyed this space and the success of the shows there, it was a lot of work to do up front to only have the show up for 2 days.

We hope that you will come out and join us for our first Group Exhibit at Laurita Winery in New Egypt New Jersey.
The show is up for exhibit from October 12th 2009 — through January 7th, 2010.
We will host an opening reception on Sunday November 15th from 2pm-5pm.
Admission is FREE! Works on display will be available for purchase direct from Lauria. For more information and directions to Laurita, please visit their website here." www.lauritawinery.com/

Less Like Scars

Years ago,my beautiful friend Jessica took me to a Sara Groves concert in Baltimore. Her voice and talent were inspiring. She is an artist who has the gift of manifesting others feelings and thoughts through her song writing and voice.
When I painted this summer, I created a large version of my "Fly" paintings which incorporate a child blowing a breath of inspiration and a painted "quilt"motif. A typical comment was that my paintings have a haunting quality but in one of my critiques someone observed that the stitching around the "fabric" panels, looked more like scars.That was somehow perfect as much of my work alludes to my past and to childhood memories and experiences.Listening to Sara's music this morning made me think of my own work.
I haven't painted much since this summer and I have not returned to my "Fly" series.
I think over time, the past,the errors, the misjudgements,the regrets, the hurt, the pain,the neglect,the sorrow.....seem "less like scars and more like character." I think it's called healing:)I love you Jessica:)

You Are Invited!

My fellowship this summer at the School of Visual Arts in NYC, has resulted in some amazing experiences and opportunities!I was invited, along with some of my colleagues, by curator Ellie Colon,to exhibit in a group show, The Essential Music and Art Show on October 17th. The lineup of artists,musicians and entertainers is impressive! The space has expanded to a 15,000 square ft. gallery and 10,ooo square ft.rooftop area. It will be a worthwhile event!Hope to see you there!
Essential Music and Art Show with Kate Simko
Date / Saturday, 17 October 2009
Time / 2pm - 6am
Venue / Chelsea,NYC
Cost / $20 / $15 presale

Line-up /
Special guests:

Kate Simko - Ghostly International, Kupei Musika, Traum
Derek Plaslaiko - Spectral, The Bunker
Mikael Stavöstrand - Adjunct, Auralism, Sunset Diskos
Shadi Megallaa - Leftroom, Kalimari, Tic Tac Toe, Igloo
Eddie Krilov - Musique Risquée, Less
Steven Letigre - Autobrennt, Subtropical
Thomas Hildebrand - Microcosm, Anticipate, Backseat Buzz
eVa - Fine Diving, Backseat Buzz
Borne - Microcosm, Anticipate, Image Node
Burchan Acar - Temple Records
Bruce Tantum - Time Out New York
Junior White - Vinyl Care Records
Silva - Japan
Science vs Nature - Live Act

More TBA

Promoter /
LESS Events, Essential

Visual arts exhibition will feature over 70 artists including photographers, painters, sculptors, body painters, VJs, performers and designers.

Art show curated by Ellie Colon
Hair by Sakura
Hosted by Gazelle

Admission: $25 / $20 reduced with rsvp@essentialshow.com. Limited number of $15 pre-sale tickets will be made available.

For more information and photos from previous events, please visit our website:
http://www.essentialshow.com/

Promotional links /
Essential

YES I CAN!

Join me on Wednesday,October 14th in New York City! Meet world renowned artist,art educator,activist and advocate Faith Ringgold! Great Art! Great Food! Great Music! Great Fun! Hope to see you there!I Don't Want To Be Gavin DeGraw

Have No Fear

FEAR False Expectations Appearing Real
FEAR Face Everything And Recover
FEAR False Emotions Appearing Real
FEAR Failure Expected And Received
FEAR Future Events Appearing Real
FEAR Finding Excuses and Reasons
FEAR False Expectations About Reality
FEAR Frantic Effort to Avoid Reality

“Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of every fear is freedom.”
Marilyn Ferguson
“Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.”
Dorothy Thompson

www.acronymfinder.com

Let It Flow

I have lots to do to prepare for a conference, several upcoming trips,2 exhibits in Chelsea, NYC, and NJ, new lessons for school and of course life in general, BUT, it was an "art flow" kind of day and I had to choose....paint or prepare. Yikes! I had to choose paint! I tell my students stories about Vincent Van Gogh and how his brother Theo would assist in caring for him by sending him funds for food so that he would not starve. Van Gogh only sold one of his works while alive and had little money .Vincent would have to choose between taking the money from Theo to purchase food or pigments. Often he chose the latter and subsisted on meager portions of bread and tea! Today, given my choices, he would have opted to paint:)

So in this beautiful process of flow, while researching for my presentation on Indian mandalas, I created several images that I will post. They are "in process" of course. During the summer, one professor who critiqued my art suggested that I be more "mindful" of what I create and not to confuse speed and quantity with producing quality art. Again, the discussion was about choices. Another professor surmised that I have a whole lot of pent up thoughts, ideas, feelings and fantasies, (20 years worth), locked in my mind and imagination. She suggested that I "not think", open the floodgates, and create unabashedly for 10 years without apology or criticism, to clear my head and heart. I like how she thinks:) So today, I simply painted, working on several compositions simultaneously.

“The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls.”
Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Inner Peace:In Process

The Real Life 3 Doors Down
Painted Evans Blue

Further Progress

I actually forgot how much I like to draw. I love the immediacy and the richness of the charcoal. I am drawing on recycled, gessoed canvas. The drag of the charcoal against the tooth of the fabric demands that I physically work the "pigment" into the surface. It seems a more dynamic process than my recent painting technique. Oh but there's nothing to me quite like working, smelling and feeling the oils. Because I vary my substrate material....canvas, wood, paper or cloth, I must adapt my painting process accordingly. It feels "new" every time I begin.