My Hiding Place

Life has been happening a lot lately.  In two months this Spring, I made two trips to Kansas (Dad's birthday, then he broke his hip), two trips to Aspen (daughter's health, then surgery), three trips to Lincoln (son's award ceremony, and gallery work twice), and one trip to Omaha (nephew's graduation)!  I am excited to stay put for a while, but after all that travel, it's hard to figure out how to just be home.

This painting happened quickly.  Earlier, I'd been practicing piano...trying to perfect "You Are My Hiding Place" for an upcoming worship service.  So, the song was stuck in my mind.  In frustration over a social situation, I escaped to the studio.  After playing with a portrait idea, the flowers (like I used to doodle in the margins while taking notes in high school) started growing ...I guess as a fallback to mindlessness.  The song started taking over and became the theme of the painting...as if I realized that I tend to hide behind my art, rather than communicate.  This sounds like a sad commentary on my psyche, but I'm okay with the metaphor.  Sometimes, I hide behind art, sometimes it speaks for me, sometimes I use it to escape, sometimes I deliberately create statements, but artmaking is intrinsic to who I am.  The circles, flowers, grids, and music keep me grounded.  I like how they are working in harmony with  the layers of this piece.

HOPE

Hope is the latest collage.  This was created for use in the Imperial United Methodist Church Advent Devotional which should be printed and ready for distribution by next week!  It is a great little booklet with one page daily devotions for Thanksgiving through Christmas written by members of the local church.  In addition, our pastor wrote descriptions of each of the 5 candles on the traditional advent wreath, and four church members created nine original works of art for this publication.

The first candle of the advent season is to remind us of the HOPE of the coming of a savior as prophesied in the book of Isaiah.  My collage includes some hand-painted tissues, Citrasolv papers, rice papers, cardstock, acrylic paint, part of some jewelry from the collection of Margaret Uden (a dear friend taken last month by invasive cancer), and some musical notations from the hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

Show Up!

A big series of "postcard" collages has me excited and making art every day.  I Have Decided is the latest. Inspired by a person who loves God, water, and music, this image includes the melody and words to the hymn, "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus". The song is not related to this person, but is there because I played it for church two weeks ago!  It was stuck in my mind and sitting in front of me. The black circular edge on the left is there because of experimenting with cardstock to use for framing the mandalas from our cancer therapy class for the September show in the Meadowlark Gallery. The scraps were sitting on my worktable and it was the first application to this collage. The "bubbles" on the right half of the image make me smile. The last addition to the image, those little circles were started to symbolize this person and her family. Then more circles were added for extended family and friends, which turned into floating bubbles and became notes on the musical staff lines. Many of the papers used here were painted nearly five years ago. Also included are some rice papers and a  lightbulb wrapper, pieces of which have been used in other paintings from over ten years ago! This creative process never ceases to amaze me...the evolving and layering of thoughts, scraps, papers, and history into a balanced and pleasing work of art. There is a magical, wondrous, awesome power in charge. The more I show up to do the work, the greater the power. And, that thought can be applied to every relationship and task in life.  Show up. Be there.

Opening at The Most Unlikely Place--GWR Band

 Saturday was an awesome evening at The Most Unlikely Place in Lewellen, Nebraska.  The left photo shows some of my art on the south wall.  Notice the cornice.  They have painted wonderful words all around the large room in a shadow style that looks like carved stone!  The other photo shows the George William Ray Band warming up in the music area at the east end of the gallery/cafe.  They were wonderful...a top-notch performance after spending all day in the sun and winning medals at the Ogallala track meet.  Thanks guys!  The place was full for the evening, with lots of people traveling over 80 miles for this artist reception/concert/gourmet meal.  I am humbled and grateful.

Here, on the left is the latest postcard collage, titled Moonlight Sonata.  The music in it is a gel transfer from a line in Beethoven's fourteenth Sonata.  I am amazed at how beautifully this turned out.  It sat for several weeks in the confusing, unfinished state shown on the right.  I couldn't decide what to do next...that's the miracle of art...and especially of collage...it appears and evolves.  I wonder how and why I make the brushstrokes and additions of ephemera that I do.  There is definitely a Spirit leading the process. Patience and flexibility are essential.

Make your reservations (308-778-9557) at The Most Unlikely Place for dinner Saturday night.  If you can't make dinner, the George WIlliam Ray Band will play from 6:30-8:30.  You will love this great venue for art, music, food and fun.  Moonlight Sonata will be a part of my show there through the month of April.  They are open 8-2 Wednesday-Saturday.

Update: Artist Reception in Lewellen April 2nd

Fast planning happening here.  I told you last week my art will be in Lewellen, NE for the month of April.  Today, we decided the artist reception at The Most Unlikely Place will be NEXT SATURDAY!  They will serve an evening dinner that night.  AND, besides seeing me there, you will have the privilege of hearing the awesome sounds of the George William Ray Band!!!  This group includes three of the greatest boys in the world...my son, Lucas and two of his best friends, Tyler and Paul.  Check out the MUP website HERE...its a great day trip for breakfast or lunch Wed-Sat if you can't make it on the 2nd.

Thanks for voting on the postcard collages...one is way ahead of the others!  But I can't tell you which collage will be going to the NCS competition until Monday. The collage here is one of the six you can view on my website, where I'm asking viewers to help me decide which to enter.  It's title: A Rose Is. The rose image is a gel transfer.  It includes hand-painted papers and Zentangle-type doodling.  There's still time to vote. Be sure to let me know which one you think I should enter...either on the contact the artist link there, in a comment here, at my email, or on facebook.  You will be able to see the five pieces that don't enter the competition at the Most Unlikely Place!

What's the best part of your day?

My daughter is starting a nanny job and called to ask how I  worded the question that always annoyed her to pieces every day when she came home from school.  "What was the best part of your day?"  It works because I always require an answer...not, "I don't know", or "nothing".  Even on a terrible day, there is always one thing better than something else and for which we can be grateful, even though the scale may be low.  Their answers provide insight that helps my relationship with my children. It's good to know that she values that attitude after so many years of frustration.  It's also good  to ask myself this question for a check on my own attitude of gratitude.

Last night's Oscars show was the best part of my Sunday.  I loved sharing it with my son, and a major part of the world!  It's fun joining in the comeraderie of the acting community, laughing with 94-year-old Kirk Douglas presenting Best Supporting Actress, rooting for the movies we've seen, hearing great music (we loved the closing medly).  I adore the dresses.  One of my favorites was Cate Blanchett's architectural creation from Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci.  The Washington Post put her in the worst dressed category.  The Today Show said that men hated it and women loved this dress.  I thought it was extremely creative design, although not terribly flattering...and I would not have included the strange yellow at the shoulders!  But, I can see it inspiring some paintings....  The colors of the stage set and lighting were amazing...lots of quinacridone gold!  I loved Christian Bale saying, “[Thanks to] my wonderful wife and our little girl, who’s taught me so much more than I’ll ever be able to teach her.”  Isn't that the essence of what it means to be a parent?

It's sort of the same with teaching art classes.  My students teach me so much more than I'll ever be able to teach them.  They make me want to be a better artist, a better person, and to be more purposeful in using the time in my days.  Last week we created some 4 x 6 inch "postcard" collages inspired by the National Collage Society postcard contest held every year.  Small, quick, and inexpensive, it's a great format that lowers the intimidation level, making it easy to get started.  Here is one of my students' results...all the beading is reminiscent of Cate's dress!  More student work will be posted soon.

Willingness

WILLINGNESS is the focus word here for 2010.  From smARTist Career Blog, an article by Barbara Bowen says, "in a state of willingness, your tensions loosen and your creative joy increases."  That's what I want--increased creative JOY!  What a magical, positive way to start a new year.  I see the relatedness of intention, commitment, work ethic, business planning, giving, sharing, organizing, prioritizing.

After a stressful, end of semester week of substituting as a music teacher, I learned a lot about my willingness to commit to full time public school teaching!  I am also reminded that knowledge of music, beyond just listening, is an incredible gift.  It's like learning a foreign language, which adds so many layers of understanding, enjoyment, and connections.  It is part of the collage of my life, and I am thankful that my parents were willing to put the time, money, and effort into piano lessons and school music activities.  So, today, the painting to the right, titled "Merci" is my way of thanking the world for music!  Maybe I should work on some paintings about music....  Resolve to know what is important, what makes you happy...and be willing to focus time where it belongs!

Merry Christmas. Wishing joy and blessings to all who visit here.