Love: The Exhibit

Fully Armored  Jude Harzer 2008

I received an inquiry about the exhibit that I plan to curate, inspired by the very powerful and universal experience , we refer to as “Love.” The show is planned to debut in 2011. It is a collaborative effort . My art and the art of others will be enhanced by the writings of a very talented emerging author and compositions by an equally gifted musician. The three are inextricably connected and are necessary in order to fully convey the essence of this exhibit. Art, like love, is multi- sensory and multi faceted.

The idea for this show became clear as I sat outside the home of friend and fellow artist, Carol Saylor this past December. Anyone that dares to spend time with me, knows that the conversation is rarely “light.” .Carol endures my persistent questionings, musings, and pleas for answers regarding life, love, purpose and passion. Carol “knows” life and love. She has suffered great tragedy and pain. Despite premature blindness and deafness during mid life, the loss of a daughter , ( Alice a mother of 3 , in her 30’s) ,to cancer, the death of her husband and so much more, Carol radiates energy, strength and beauty. How and why does anyone navigate this life with persistence and purpose in the face of great pain,loss and failure ? There have been many people who have graced my life who I have witnessed do just that….move forward despite the hard knocks and obstacles, with unusual persistence and vigor. Again I ask "How and why? "

….Always, always, the answer makes a resounding reference to LOVE! Love, passion, hope and a belief in something greater than ourselves, is a powerful motivation that reveals in us strength and greatness beyond our wildest imaginations. And yet, “love”, misunderstood, unexpressed, rejected or absent , has the potential to consume, destroy and diminish. Perhaps this is not love at all, but personal perception is not a tidy and universal process to be defined.

I’m not simply talking about the hearts and roses of romantic love, although that certainly provides a wealth of inspiration. I am referring to the entire spectrum of the experience….the good, the bad, the pure…young love, true love, first love ,mature love, unrequited love….the love of a parent, a friend, a lover, a child. We are often motivated by the love of country, the love of learning, the love of freedom, the love of God , nature and life itself. Is it possible to genuinely and fully love many, or do we reserve our love for a chosen few? Why do we crave , live, die , and pray for it? Unconditional love…does that even exist? And why do we fade in the absence of it? All I know is that love matters and sustains us in times of need. It exposes beauty where there appears to be none . Love makes the seemingly mundane appear extraordinary and unites us in ways that give meaning to our brief moments here in this life.

Another exceptional friend, fellow artist, art historian and educator Trish Maunder, once told me that love is the “stuff’ that inspires all great art .I believe she is right! So as I journey to make sense of it, I have become an observer of this phenomenon and have learned to embrace rather than resist it.Yes, when we expose our hearts, we are left unguarded and more susceptible to pain, tears and potential hurt. But comfortably numb is not living and over time, the pain of regret, is far greater than any love, lost or found.

So this isn’t a Valentine’s exhibition. It is about life, love and inspiration and I am blessed to have plenty of it all! Live and love HUGE!

PS… Dino… the one you love! This one is for you Pork Chop:) See image above for reference. All rights reserved Hanna Barbera.
Check Carol Saylor out on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TcJ0KZHIR8&feature=related

The Child Within

I have managed to spend more time working on my painting, "The Child Within."As I was driving last weekend, to spend the day with my friend, Carol Saylor, a Pa. based sculptor and fine artist, I was thinking seriously about my work and my motivations for creating it. I had spoken earlier with another friend.We extensively discussed my recent work. What motivates anyone to do anything? The recurring answer for me is always love and passion. In its absence, I cannot create well. I fall in and out of love on a daily basis with ideas,images,great minds,literature and art ,positive sensations and memories. I asked Carol, who has had greater life experience, some incredibly tragic, "What is it that you have learned from this life? " Her response was that she "understands" nothing and knows little:) I told her that I shared something similar with my children... that the "key" to living freely is in the understanding and appreciation that,simultaneously, none of it matters...and yet all of it matters:) We talked about how love and loss,despite education, "knowledge", and material success, guide our thoughts,actions and interests. It is what reminds us that we are alive and connected to others in a deeply emotional sense. And then I had a realization about my work that I cannot at present fully share. I called my best friend excitedly as I sat in my parked car outside of Carol's home. I explained the concept for my next project. She listened and loved it because for once, it genuinely reflects who  I am and what I believe. After the completion of the initial phase of my work, it will include and culminate with work of nearly 1000 pieces by an array of artists.I will curate this project. I am confident that I can. My inspiration is love.Theirs will be as well."The Child Within" is a tribute to love lost, found and unrequited. It is about the absence of care and kindness when it is most needed. This painting  is about the struggle to heal, forgive and recover...about self acceptance, self discovery and self love. It is about the beauty of experiencing love as a mother, father, sister, brother, lover, friend or child.The following adapted text was written by Betrand Russell. Bertrand Arthur William Russell, (May 18,1872 –February 2, 1970) was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, socialist, and pacifist.In the early 1900's, he led the British "revolt against idealism". Considered one of the founders of analytic philosophy, Russell recieved a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950  "in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought."

Three passions have governed my life:

The longings for love, the search for knowledge,
And unbearable pity for the suffering of [humankind].
Love brings ecstasy and relieves loneliness.
In the union of love I have seen
In a mystic miniature the prefiguring vision
Of the heavens that saints and poets have imagined.
With equal passion I have sought knowledge.
I have wished to understand the hearts of [people].
I have wished to know why the stars shine.
Love and knowledge led upwards to the heavens,
But always pity brought me back to earth;
Cries of pain reverberated in my heart
Of children in famine, of victims tortured
And of old people left helpless.
I long to alleviate the evil, but I cannot,
And I too suffer.
This has been my life; I found it worth living.

Through Her Mind's Eye:The Art and Inspiration of Carol Saylor

My Kindergarten students were very fortunate to have my friend and fellow artist, Carol Saylor, spend the day with them, sharing her stories and her art. Carol is a mother of five children, grandmother of ten, great-grandmother of one. She is an artist, a renowned sculptor and a computer programmer. Carol's "story" is made more extraordinary and inspirational than one would imagine. She is both deaf and blind due to two very distinctive genetic conditions. She gradually lost her sight and hearing beginning in her late 30's. To read more about her art and life, check out her website at : http://www.carolsaylor.com
She shared her passion for art and her love for life with us today.

Kindergarten Art: Life lessons 101

Art is not a thing; it is a way.
E. Hubbard

As our school year draws to a close, I want to leave my students with something more valuable than a few aesthetically pleasing attempts at painting an oversized O'Keeffe inspired floral, papier-macheing a "talking drum" or knowledge of color mixing and identifying master works of art...which by the way most can do.My five and six year old students, all 700 of them are more savvy then one might expect. In Miss Judy's art studio (that's me), the key lessons that I share are about life. Yesterday I asked one class what they thought I wanted them to learn this past year. The responses were as amusing and diverse as these young learners but left me feeling confident that maybe they would remember and hopefully share these ideas.
Miss Judy's Lessons:
1. Be nice :) respect and empathy in life are key.Treat others as you would like to be treated.Kindness is contagious and offering a "please", "thank you" or a smile are simple ways to spread the sunshine:)
2. Seek beauty even when it seems most difficult to find. Beauty, like Art, is everywhere.
3. There are no mistakes. It is all about practice and process.It is about discovering new opportunities and the simple joy of learning.
4. Copying is a form of flattery but art is about using ideas,(even someone else's) to create something new. Think for yourself.
5. Don't sweat the small stuff. Tears are often wasted on things that simply don't matter.
6. Different is good. Do not compare yourself to others. There is only one you.
7. The best artists are not the ones that draw, paint or sculpt well, although these are wonderful skills. The artistic mind is about problem solving and thinking creatively.
8. Art is a universal language that can touch people's hearts and open people's minds.
9. Be a leader not a follower and discover what it is you love to do most, not what others expect you to do.Find a passion and pursue it with all your might.
10. "Art is not a thing; it is a way." E. Hubbard
Anything done well, with love,intention and joy, could potentially be considered as Art. Mastery of living, loving and learning is Art. A baseball perfectly pitched, a complex formula solved, a structure designed, words written,all with excellence ...although seemingly effortless, can be experienced as Art.

Wow!!! Kindergarten Art has changed since I was a kid!Great ideas should be shared. I only learned some of these things in recent years...obviously I'm a slow learner but a very good and attentive student. I love my students and I practice what I teach!
Class dismissed!

May you always see beauty in the world around you....I promise you, it is there:)
Miss Judy

Stay tuned! School's not out for summer yet. My friend Carol Saylor is visiting my school art studio next week to spend the day with my Kindergartners. She is an artist in every sense of the word. Blind and deaf, she creates and tells stories that move, inspire and excite! To read more about her, click here:
http://www.carolsaylor.com

Carol Saylor

Every year, the Art Educators of New Jersey celebrate "Youth Art Month" and have held a particularly special event at the State House in Trenton, to recognize young artists throughout the state for the past several years. Organized by AENJ executive board member, Carrie Davey, the YAM ceremony is both organized and impressive.A special feature, included to inspire talented NJ high school artists, is a presentation by a practicing professional artist. This year, Pa. sculptor, Carol Saylor, succeeded in inspiring an audience of students, their families and teachers as she shared her story and her work.

Carol Saylor's life and art are especially moving because she has managed to create a stunning body of work as both a blind and deaf artist. A mother of five children, Carol had to put her work aside many times throughout her life because of her own physical challenges and because of other tragic personal events which included the deaths of both her youngest child Alice at the age of 33 and her husband who both suffered from cancer. Carol also shared the responsibility of raising Alice's three surviving young daughters.The audience was captivated as Ms. Saylor spoke in a rich and self assured tone, matter of factly relating the unfortunate events of her experience and how they influenced her art.

Following her presentation many audience members approached Carol and myself with words of gratitude and awe. Carol's story is truly one of determination,persistence and passion. She sees "obstacles" as mere challenges to be overcome. She did emphasize that an incredible sense of humor is necessary as well. She is sharp, honest and wildly talented.

As we sat at her kitchen table late yesterday afternoon,discussing life and art over tea,I realized how fortunate I am to know this dynamic and strong woman, my dear friend, Carol Saylor. To read more about her art and her life, please visit her website at : http://www.carolsaylor.com/

A Summer of Inspiration

John D. Ressler photographer Santa Fe, NM

Joseph Standing Dancing Rock Taos, NM

I am a painter and a public school art educator.

While in the classroom, I am surrounded by my

most treasured subject matter…children. The purity of their

spirits and their natural beauty, inspires my work. I am

fascinated by their enthusiasm and their honesty.And while

I am being honest, another "joy" of teaching is the summer

hiatus. That extended period of time is a gift. Of course my

intention as an artist was to fervently create images during

this time. I envisioned sleepless nights devoted solely to

painting in solace, producing new and incredible work. As I

plan to return to the classroom in just a few days, I realize

that there was actually very little art making that occurred

this summer.

Instead I allowed myself to pause and reflect upon my recent

rediscovery of my art during these past two years. I thought

about my life, my goals and my values. Were they my own?

Were they meaningful and am I “brave” enough to continue

on this path, making a commitment to creating art? Socrates

said,” the unexamined life is not worth living.” Upon endless

examination, I know that my life is so worth living. Never before

have I been so certain of my purpose and so passionate about

my goals. I have learned to make decisions based upon my

“strengths”, rather than upon my “weaknesses” and to include

like minded people in my life who do the same.

I had the rare opportunity this summer to spend time and

correspond with artists who have devoted their lives to their

work. It became a “quest” of sorts to speak with them and

learn from them. Perhaps I was looking for guidance and

affirmation. I received that and so much more. Each encounter

was as different as the individual artist with whom I met, but

all yielded a very similar message: that Art in some respects,

"chooses you", that it has the power to "heal", to feed your

soul, to build community and that success is inevitable when

one is doing and becoming what they are meant to be...

(obviously success is relative and warrants an entirely separate

conversation). Funny, that none of this was a surprise, but

“seeing” it manifested through the lives of others, made it more

“believable.” The life of an artist is truly a life of abundance.

The inspiration, the process, the possibilities, the far reaching

connections, are endless. It is the right choice for me.

Some of the artists who graced my life this past year and

particularly this summer, were sculptor, Carol Saylor,

illustrator, Rich Harrington, painter, Joseph Breza,

photographer, John D. Ressler (who also happens to be my uncle),

illustrator, Marcella Moreaux, encaustic artist, Jim Inzero,

artist, Jody Kendall, artist, Dr. Barry Altmann ,graphic artist,

Terry Novatin, sculptor, Joseph Standing Dancing Rock,

artist/educator, Trish Maunder, artist/professor, Dr. Slavko Milekic,

from AENJ and so many

other valued friends and artists. I want to thank each of them for

enriching my life and my art...and a special "I love you" to my

sister Beth Anne.

The simplest guidance of all came to me from Joseph Breza as

he quoted lyrics from the famed Beatle's song: “Hey Jude,

don’t be afraid…” Soon after, I found a sketch book from

nearly 2 years ago when I first resumed painting, and I

discovered a message scribbled from my daughter who left

just yesterday to begin her college career. It said “Mommy,

don’t be afraid.” She is a wise, with an artist’s soul. And so

to Christina (our Tia) and my son Robert, I am no longer afraid

and I will recognize and make choices based on my strengths

and hope that you will do the same. The joy is in the journey.

Be fearless.

Art Connections: "Women in the Sun" at Grounds For Sculpture

While gallery sitting at Ellarslie mansion one
Sunday afternoon, I had the pleasure of meeting a soft spoken woman, delicate in stature, named Jody Kendall. We had a brief conversation about the exhibited work and quickly discovered that we shared a unique connection and obviously, a passion for art. Also we had both created works entitled, "Fly". Jody's was a 3-dimensional metal mesh torso with wings and mine, a series of paintings each featuring a child, blowing a "breath of inspiration." Somehow even our art, seemed related in concept and spirit.

Jody, a fellow member of TAWA and an artist herself, volunteers as a docent at the Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ. She generously invited me to visit and offered to personally escort me about the magical 35 acre sculpture gardens. I accepted and had the opportunity to see her on August 27th. Both the weather and the tour were perfect! Jody's knowledge about the sculptors and their work, was astounding. She is agifted storyteller. She spoke of each artist as though they were a dear friend with words that were poetic and meaningful.

If you haven't had the opportunity to visit GFS, you are in for a treat. GFS was "founded in 1992 on the site of the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds by J. Seward Johnson to promote an understanding of and appreciation for contemporary sculpture for all people." The landscape is breathtaking and the art work superb. Each season offers a unique visual experience of this sculptural wonderland. Visitors are encouraged to touch many of the pieces with respect and care.

As I ran my hand along the surface of many of the works, feeling the smoothness of stone or the warmth of cast bronze, heated by the radiant sun, I thought of Carol Saylor. As a blind artist, she relies on the sense of touch, to create and experience her world and her art. She would love it here. I think she would particularly appreciate Leonda Finke's two cast bronzes, Standing Figure and Seated Figure from her "Women in the Sun Series". The surface texture is sensual, almost crude, but there is strength and raw feminity within these figures. Jody explained that Leonda Finke's "women" were symbolic of gratitude. Looking upward, "posed in self reflection",their faces bask in sunlight, greeting a new day, a new season, giving thanks. Simply beautiful!

There was an abundance of art to which I would like to refer but the joy really comes from

discovering the work on your own. The art is monumental, rich and diverse. The stories behind the career of many of these sculptors, seem to have been inspired by personal epiphanic moments that led them to choose the creation of art as their life's "work." For most artists, there is no other option. It is an expression of who and what they are. For me, it is no longer an option, It is an incredible blessing for which I am grateful. I am thankful for those who guided me toward this path.

Jody introduced me to several people throughout the day at GFS as an artist who

believes that we can all "fly." I sincerely do believe that! I hope that everyone has the opportunity to discover what makes them soar. To Jody, a genuine "thank you" and wishes always for self growth, healing and liberation! May we all fly!

"The Art of Living": Infinite Hope and Strength

Carol Saylor is an artist. She used to paint and draw but has focused her efforts, as of late, on sculpting. Her work is exquisite and is meant to be touched, gently handled and "experienced." Some of her recent works resemble organic vessels that conceal delicately sculpted figures, faces, tear drops and other hidden objects. Unlike most art, Carol's work is intended to be caressed and explored. When you reach inside the clay forms, your hands discover unexpected treasures.

Carol painstakingly and lovingly creates figures that evoke a sense of sorrow, intense joy and beauty. Several of her pieces were inspired by Carol's youngest child, Alice, who succumbed to cancer in her early thirties, leaving behind three young daughters and a husband. Her absence is evident and still greatly felt.

I had the opportunity to spend some time with Carol Saylor this past week.It was marked by incessant conversation and laughter. Her home and her art are reflective of her energy and spirit. I believe Carol is uncomfortable continuously hearing that she providesincredible inspiration to others. For Carol, being blind and deaf, is "inconvenient" and "annoying." She is very matter of fact about the "choice" to live fully in the face of such obstacles.

Carol's "story" may seem tragic in some ways but it is incredibly wonderful as well. The "tragedy" is more a result of the loss of two children and her husband, than the loss of her vision and hearing. Carol seems to have drawn unimaginable strength from her art and her desire to live not only for herself but for her surviving and beloved children and grandchildren.

I hope that you will take time to view Carol Saylor's website: http://www.carolsaylor.com/ and watch her two part "youtube" video where she talks about her art, life and family. Carol generates most of her income from speaking engagements. She is eloquent and powerful in her thoughts and words. Technology enables her to "hear" and to effectively communicate. Carol was sighted and able to hear for some forty years. Her experience and perspective, having lived in "both" worlds, is manifested in more than just her impressive body of art work.

Carol Saylor is talented and inspiring and has chosen to embrace life and its "possibilities".

My visit with her was a gift.

"May you always "see" beauty in the world around you."

"Seeing" is a matter of perception.

Carol Saylor has never lost "sight" of what is most valuable.

Enjoy! -Jude