April: Art All Around Join Me!

April is a very busy month for art exhibits and cultural events. Besides, "First Saturday" in Asbury Park, the Garden State Film Festival will host it's 7th annual 4 day event, Thursday April 2nd- Sunday, April 5th. Join me and Renee Geller at the Open Talent Casting Call at 3rd Ave Pavillion in Asbury Park on Sunday 9:30am - 1:00. Be sure to check out the film festival website for schedules,directions and other event information http://www.gsff.org.

If you are in NYC on Saturday, stop by the Pen and Brush for the opening of the group exhibit entitled,In Your Dreams,Reveries, Fantasies, and Impossible Wishes, curated by Edward J. Sullivan. I will be at the opening reception on Saturday, April 4th, 3-5 PM . The show runs until April 26th. Gallery Hours: Thursday - Friday 4-7 PM, Saturday - Sunday 1-5 PM.
http://www.penandbrush.org/

Stay tuned for a posting of other upcoming exhibits.If you are attending the National Art Educators Association conference in Minnesota, I'll see you there. This is the world's largest gathering of art educators and the "creative community" includes more than 20,000 art educators, college professors, researchers, administrators, and museum educators. I have had the pleasure of meeting and "hearing" notable and innovative creative thinkers such as Daniel Pink,Audrey Flack and Faith Ringgold among others. This year, I am excited to attend a lecture by one of the keynote speakers, artist Judy Chicago.
http://www.memberconnections.com/olc/pub/NAEA/home/

My goal this month is to return to creating my own work after a much needed winter break. Art in April...Enjoy!

Painting Inspiration: Red Ribbons and Fields of Gold

Tiger Woods

Perhaps you might not think this is related to Art, but it absolutely is. Tiger Woods is the ultimate artist because in essence there is an "Art" to any discipline. It is the perpetual aspiration for excellence...anything done well is an art. His life, his drive, his focus...pure masterpieces. And what is key, is that he continues to progress and improve.
"Tiger's Birdie Caps Thrilling Comeback" (although the use of the term "comeback" is questionable:)
Deified maybe?...but well deserved.
Tiger is as inspiring as an master work of art hanging in any major museum. He reminds me that it is about the process...the doing and working. And it truly is like viewing a master work of art, when you witness,desire,passion,talent and discipline at it's best. Awesome!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/sports/golf/30golf.html?_r=1&ref=sports

Chance Encounters: Diane Raver and the Garden State Film Festival

I have been very fortunate to have had some very amazing and talented people "appear" and "reappear" in my life.When my son Robert was just 3, I enrolled him,against my better judgment, in a pre-school program. I was prompted to make this decision based on my past experience with his older sister, whose first academic experience was Kindergarten. She found it torturous, not because of the school itself but because it was too much fun being with Mommy all day (that would be me). When it came time to separate, Christina resisted. And so in order to avoid a similar experience with Robert, I found an "appropriate" pre school program. Robert was not happy with my decision. Actually he was down right miserable. I quickly removed him from the first school but found a very nurturing and "intimate" program that he grew to like:)...I dare not exaggerate by saying "love!"

So what is the point of this post?...Well, on the first day at this small Jersey shore school, while all of the other parents were departing after exchanging hugs and kisses and assuring their children that they would pick them up after snack, I stayed behind.I promised Robert that I would remain if he would genuinely make the effort and give the school a try. I sat, tears streaming down my face, painfully watching Robert with tears streaming down his face, as he reluctantly particpated in circle time.This went on for days! Yikes! It seems like yesterday. One other mother sat beside me, her eyes, tear filled as well.She comforted me and offered sincere empathy and sympathy.

That is how I met, the very beautiful and talented Diane Raver 13 years ago!(This is the point of my post:)At the time, I was not an art educator or a practicing artist and Diane had not yet lost her husband to a tragic illness or become the director of the Garden State Film Festival. We were mothers and two very passionate and creative women,connected by similar outlooks on life and love of our children.
Diane recently attended two of my major art exhibits. She is a wonderful source of support. And now, I get to support this dynamic woman as a volunteer for her 7th annual film festival. I will serve as one of the "czarinas" at her weekend event,April 2-5 in Asbury Park, NJ.

So let me introduce to you, Diane Raver, a 25 year film industry veteran(aka preschool class mom)."Her Garden State Film Festival was born in 2002 after her chance encounter in a Sea Girt, NJ Grocery store with the well known Hollywood actor Robert Pastorelli. Through his deep ties to Hollywood, Mr. Pastorelli and Ms. Raver were able to bring the State of New Jersey an all encompassing event. It premiered in 2003 and was immediately deemed a huge success. Since that time, such industry notables such as Glenn Close, Frank Vincent, Batman producer Michael Uslan, Austin Pendleton, Kurtwood Smith, James Gandolfini, Budd Schulberg and others have lent their support."

"GSFF is an all volunteer non-profit organization. Our event is held on an annual basis in the spring of each year at the Paramount Theater/Convention Hall complex as well as other venues in Asbury Park, New Jersey and surrounding area."

Check out the GSFF website for a schedule of events. This year's festival is certain to be bigger and better than ever.
http://www.gsff.org
I am so proud of Diane. We are both chasing our dreams!
Chance encounters are wonderful things.You never know who you will meet and how they will change your life.

Art With A Purpose

I recently joined two very worthwhile Art groups called : Art for Cancer and Healing Art on the Imagekind site, an online community for creating,purchasing and selling Art. 15 % of all the proceeds from the purchases of my art will go to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
I would like to recognize two very generous and dedicated Imagekind members, who are overseeing these groups: Win Charles and Cid Palacio. Click on their names to check out their profiles. Thank you Win and Cid for your thoughtfulness and hard work!



So please consider purchasing a print! If you are interested in an image that does not appear within the group galleries, email me at judiharz@aol.com and we will make it happen:) Click here:
Imagekind.com

Audacious Plans, Kid Toys and Huge Dreams!

Jude in NYC: You Are Invited!

In Your Dreams,Reveries, Fantasies, and Impossible Wishes
Curated by Edward J. Sullivan
Opening Reception, Saturday, April 4th, 3-5 PM
April 2nd - 26th
Gallery Hours: Thursday - Friday 4-7 PM, Saturday - Sunday 1-5 PM

The Pen & Brush proudly presents In Your Dreams: Reveries, Fantasies, and Impossible Wishes, an international multi-media group exhibition curated by Edward J. Sullivan. In Your Dreams was conceived to showcase the work of artists in tune with their inner lives and fantasies. It responds to a widespread taste for surrealist-related, fantastical art that seems to have developed recently in a surprisingly strong way in a wide variety of art worlds across the country and across the world.
We thought of the theme for this show some eighteen months ago, at a time of relative social and economic stability. Given the universal crisis in the areas of the economy and world social morale, a retreat into the unknown, the little-explored, or the worlds of fantasy on the part of artists expresses a more poignant and urgent sensibility. These works manifest a sense of unease or a desire to create alternate realities. The results are thought-provoking and intriguing for the community of artists and the public in general.

Edward J. Sullivan is professor of art history at New York University (Institute of Fine Arts and Department of Art History). He also serves as Dean for the Humanities. Sullivan received his PhD from NYU and is the author of over twenty-five books and exhibition catalogues. His research interests center around the Iberian world in its largest extension Spain, Latin America and the Philippines. He has also curated many exhibitions for such institutions as The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Guggenheim Museum (New York and Bilbao) and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Monterrey, Mexico. The world history of the Surrealist movement is of particular interest to him and when asked by The Pen and Brush to formulate a theme for an exhibition, In Your Dreams came to him, as he says, "in an almost unconscious way!"

Founded over 115 years ago, The Pen & Brush, Inc., is an international non-profit organization open to women in the visual, literary and performing arts. Our rich history is a chronicle of persistence, passion, dedication, and a commitment to equal opportunity. Some of the countless inspirational women in our number include Eleanor Roosevelt, Pearl S. Buck, Ida M. Tarbell and Jessie Tarbox Beals. While honoring the ideals and contributions of the women from our vibrant past, The Pen and Brush serves as an open, diverse, global forum, and cultural resource for its members, non-member participants, the professional arts community, and the general public. Our exhibitions, competitions and programs are open to women artists internationally. www.penandbrush.org