Sunset at Memorial Stadium

This piece of illustration board had “a pour” of pink, teal, and gold (watered down acrylic) and was waiting patiently for direction.   Cue the window salesmen, hopefully knocking on our door, leaving estimates and advertising magnets after hail damage.  One magnet was a very useful schedule of the Cornhusker’s football season, but I really didn’t want all the advertising and photo taking up fridge real estate.  So, it was chopped off.  The remains were on my painting table when I set out to tackle the next postcard collage.  The colors of the pour jumped out at me as they echoed the colors of the magnet photo.  I sliced the magnet and peeled off the photo strips...can you see the upper press box of the stadium?  Also, notice the shadowy silhouette of the Nebraska State Capitol inspired by graphics on UNL admissions papers from my son’s impending flight from the nest.   Once the jewel-toned image became all about Lincoln, it couldn’t exist without some red, so the corrugated strip from an old American Girl doll box was included—even split and sliced to underline the stadium images.  I really never know what the end result will be when I start painting, but it is a joy to realize the influence of a higher power.  

This little gem and 29 of my other paintings can be seen at the Meadowlark Gallery in Grant, Nebraska throughout the month of September.  Gallery hours are 6-8 every Friday and Saturday, and there will be an open house on Sunday, September 11th.  Also in this show will be over 30 pieces of art created by Imperial's Cancer Survivor's Art Therapy class.  It's a great show!  Hope you can get there to see it!

National Collage Society Juried Exhibit

Cleaning out my inbox, I found a reminder to enter the National Collage Society 25th Annual Juried Exhibit. In all the busyness, I had not entered the date on my calendar and the deadline is TODAY! So, I set up a paypal account to take care of the fee, filled out the entry form, and attached my photos. The show will be displayed at Mason Murer Fine Art, Atlanta, Georgia from November 6, 2009 to December 31st, 2009. Cross your fingers and say some prayers that one of my two entries pictured here is accepted.

Our first football game will be played at the new home field tonight. As long as you are saying prayers, include the safety of all high school football players, and especially my son. This is a nerve wracking situation for mothers...all the benefits of competition, camaraderie, and leadership, with all the potential for injuries. Maybe the fabulous weather will ease the stress...and, here's to all the time and effort from coaches and players. (Thanks Danny!)

This week I was honored to be able to play the piano, and accompany my brother's singing for the first of two services in memory of my dear cousin, Susan. She fought a courageous battle with cancer, and leaves a grieving husband and two grown children.

Since the last blog post, I finished reading Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth. First published 20 years ago, it's now on Oprah's Book Club list. It's historical fiction (I know--wierd favorite genre!) about building cathedrals in the middle ages. I get sort of lost in the age...can you even imagine living without electricity, toilets, and cars (let alone cell phones!) all while designing and constructing massive stone cathedrals, fighting rogue lords, and playing the politics of the catholic church and the monarchy system?

Back to art...(!)...last week my father-in-law helped me cut some masonite for backing on two large paintings, and we cut channels into frame moulding allowing glass to be held away from the texture of the artwork. It is sort of an experimental framing style. I'll report on the details when I get it all put together. Does anyone out there have any great solutions to framing heavily textured collage works...short of the ready-made shadow-box options at art supply stores?