Sunday, September 14, 2014

400 Paintings at Bridgette Mayer Gallery

Bridgette Mayer Gallery Benefit for Ballet X opening reception 


 I traveled to Philly last weekend and attended the opening reception of the Ballet X exhibition at Bridgette Mayer Gallery.  It was a vibrant and diverse show and invigorating to look at so many different kinds of painting all in one space.

While it was crowded, I did manage to snap some images of my favorite pieces from the over 200 artists that created 400 paintings.  Hope you enjoy browsing; all works are 10x10" and the sale of the works will help fund the Philadelphia ballet company Ballet X!  I have one painting in the show, which is pictured near the bottom of this thread.


Clara Fialho

Katia Sotzer

Rebecca Saylor Sack


Janell Olah and Emily Ost

Michael Perrone

Tim McFarlane

Charles Burwell

Dorothy Frey

Jenny Brown 
Bryce Hammond



Julie Kahn

Heather Ramsdale and Ani Rosskam


...and there's my little painting, second from the left on the top row!



Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Art Around Athens + First Open Studio Event!

Paper Covers Rock: Graphic Arts and Athens Music at the Lyndon House Arts Center
Recently I visited the Lyndon House Art Center and was excited by all the activity happening in our local Athens art center.  If you are a fan of R.E.M. or the B-52's you will want to check out this exhibition for sure.  Curated by Sean Bourne, this exhibition of graphic and fine arts explores the "unique relationship of art and music in Athens during the flourishing decade 1975-1985.  Check out www.artrocksathens.com for more information.  Hurry though, it's only on view through July 26th.



And fortunately for all you color theory buffs, you will have more time to see interactive exhibition Roy G. Biv 8.2 also on view at the Lyndon House.


detail of exhibition, Roy G. Biv 8.2

  The viewers are in control of this interactive exhibition which tells the story of color theory, allowing visitors to be active participants in creating the visuals of the space.  Touch screen monitors line the gallery wall inviting your participation with an array of vivid blocks of color.  The colors selected on each monitor corresponds to a different part of the Alber-esque compositions, projected on mirroring sides of the gallery walls. 


detail of exhibition, Roy G. Biv 8.2
detail of exhibition, Roy G. Biv 8.2
detail of exhibition, Roy G. Biv 8.2

Lyndon House Art Center 2-floor gallery space


this space is beautiful and I highly recommend a visit if you are in Athens, its walkable from downtown


They also offer a wonderful children's art program as you can see from these temporary exhibitions from their summer camp programs


Can you guess what the theme for this week's camp was?

If you are visiting Athens this summer, also of interest is ATHICA (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art) which is our own alternative, non-profit, art space.  This summer's exhibition is ripe with multi-media modest-scaled installations of up and coming local talent.  On view through August 24, Emerges 7, features the work of artists Addison Adams, Gabriel Cymerman-Bird, Jordana Dale, Jason Matherly, Christopher Nelms, and Jason Sokolic.  Curated by Ted Kuhn and Tatiana Veneruso, this show is raw and energizes the space with potential and possibilities.





This weekend (Friday & Saturday) I am opening my studio doors to visitors in my first open studio event in the Chase Street Park Warehouses.  As you may know, my studio used to be located in the Big City Bread building and it is hard to believe I have occupied my current space (studio #4 of Mercury AIR) for over two years now!! ...about time to have an open studio, right?  

this is the view just outside my studio and is where I photograph new paintings


a few worn-out brushes and worn-in easel


Should not be telling you this but while I do own a palette knife, two in fact, I rarely use them for mixing color.  This is one reason my brushes don't last as long as they should, I get them in a tangled mess mixing gobs of heavy body paint. In case you wanted to know.


new studio shelf #missionorganization

While I think I have chosen perhaps the worst weekend of summer to hold an open studio (a weekend of final summer get-a-ways it seems) I do hope if you are in town you will stop by and say hi!  I've been on a studio clean-up, re-organizing binge and have even painted one of my walls a light aqua minty teal (Pantone "Bay") which I am very eager to show off and I also recently purchased a Snake plant...better indoor air quality anyone?  Not to mention there are 20 new paintings to preview before they are off to Atlanta!

Thanks for reading.  Hope your day is a good one.








Monday, July 7, 2014

The Blank Page: Starting Again


Strategies. Comparisons.  

After a painting break, I use various strategies to get back into painting again since the previous work flow has been interrupted and I need a new place to begin.  I had a really lovely week-long beach vacation and am feeling refreshed and ready to go (back to work)!

sometimes I start with just a color and an image of a previous painting

And it is in these times that I remember how hard it can be to start; the feeling of "stuck-ness" that can come from approaching the blank page.  In these times, I think to the words of John Cage that the paralysis can be broken by "beginning anywhere."  To pick something and start (easier said than done, right?).  It's a good practice to find a limitation, to select something whether that be a certain color, a line, a found image, or a piece of fabric.  By simply selecting something you rule out many other possibilities and narrow your focus.  Or, in the words of Joan Didion:

"What's so hard about that first sentence is that you're stuck with it.  Everything else is going to flow out of that sentence. And by the time you've laid down the first two sentences, your options are all gone." 
(this quote is from American aurthor Joan Didion as quoted in Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles & Ted Orland)


or sometimes to start I need to get out a lot of different supplies and just "play" (and make a mess)


or sometimes I take an old abandoned painting, like this one, and start over...

...and that painting became this painting!

Another approach I like to use is to go back and look at older work because after a long laps of time since seeing an image it feels fresh and new again.  Then I also look for patterns in the work, and notice tendencies I had not noticed before (what are the items in my "visual vocabulary"?)  For example, this painting I made in 2006....

Blush 24x24 inches acrylic and fabric on canvas 2006


...and this painting I made in 2012 and while the mark making has become more tame, the colors and way value was used is similar, like in those "stripes."  It can be illuminating to make those comparisons, and there will be things I notice in common between the two which can give me a starting place for today.

Minty Shore 20x20 acrylic on canvas 2012

Do you have strategies you use to start painting after a break?  Or in whatever creative realm you work in, like song writing or sewing?

I would love to hear what you do.  I'll share more later on in the blog, so stay tuned.

Happy Monday!  ( I actually kind of love Mondays since there is so much possibility for the week ahead)  Here's to starting!

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Instagram Inspired

I am completely addicted to instagram.  The short & sweet, tiny bites of loveliness are the concise doses of inspiration I need to perk me up like a good shot of espresso!  I've culled these images from the past few weeks from the instagram feeds I follow.  I hope you enjoy these images as much as I do.

photo credit: Kate Davison

Kate Davison's instgram feed is drool worthy!  I was doing an "explore" search and this coral and blue wall image immediately grabbed my attention.  Well, all of her images were found to be attention grabbers which led me to seek out more about her.  I then found her freshly minted San Fransisco home featured on SF Girl by Bay blog.  Man is this home awesome.  Light and airy, cozy and comfortable; you can read more about Kate and her interests here



photo credit: Rachel Cannon Lewis rclinteriors
Her blog here

Pretty interiors are always images I want to see everyday.  Rachel Cannon Lewis of RCL Interiors posts beautiful details for the home such as this pillow with its elegant design and coral color.  On her blog you can see great before and after shots as well as rooms to inspire your designer heart.  

photo via architizer

Don't you just love good architecture?  I sure do!  Images like this make me swoon and daydream of one day owning a home of my own.  I love the simplicity of this structure, and all the windows!  A home filled with lots of natural light is so dreamy.  A small space that is thoughtful in its details is one for me.  See more architecture here on Architizer.

photo credit: Krista Colman-Silvers
Krista is a dear friend with whom I've shared Italian coffees and gelatos and a little of the good life in Tuscany when we taught together on a study abroad program.  She is a jeweler and makes exquisite work, and she is exquisite herself.  I've always loved her sense of style, and I love seeing what her eye notices through her instagram pics!




photo credit: Sarah Sherman Samual
more about Sarah and her studio project here



Its been a fun eye opening journey, Instagram that is.  I have found that I enjoy following people, like  Sarah, who present beautiful images in a thoughtful way. They surround themselves with beauty in a way that is not over the top or flashy but with subtlety and elegance.  These, to me, virtual worlds inspire my physical world with how they direct my eye to things I might have otherwise missed.  I think surrounding oneself with beauty is important.  One's physical surroundings affect one's overall sense of well being.  A space makes you feel...


photo credit: Lulu and Georgia

After coming across an image on Lulu and Georgia's instagram feed, I knew I had to keep seeing more.  Here you can find elegant and visually top notch finds for the home.  I am personally really into the rugs they carry.  Follow the link here to see more. It's a great place to get inspired if you are decorating (or daydreaming about decorating) your home.



photo credit: Emily Quinton

Emily Quinton is a photographer, blogger, mother, and maker.  Her daily photographs, often of gorgeous flowers and other botanicals are always a delight to see throughout the day.  She also teaches workshops for bloggers to help them create beautiful images to share using the tools they already have.  Her feed is daily doses of lovely.



photo credit: Marte Marie Forsberg

Marte Marie Forsberg is a Norweigen photographer and home cook from Dorset, England whom I've enjoyed following because of her subjects and the care-filled, beautiful way she depicts them.  Take a look at her site, Food For Thought, and see how she celebrates the journey of food.



photo credit: Christina Baker

Christina Baker is a prolific artist from Tennessee who is represented by Gregg Irby Fine Art in Atlanta.   Instagram has kindled our friendship and what a sweet soul she is!  I always feel light and airy when I view her images; her soft yet vivid palettes are the colors I wish to surround myself with, and so I look, every day.




photo credit: Michelle Armas

Michelle Armas is a Gregg Irby artist also and I am also so grateful for the friendships I've formed through the gallery (can I just mention here that the GIFA gallery is made up of damn good people and I couldn't be more thankful for that).  While all of Michelle's energy-fused works are stunning, one of Michelle's latest painting has me drooling.  Here is a detail of her painting titled: They Don't Have any Proof...

Michelle Armas, They Don't Have any Proof, 48x60, acrylic on gallery wrap canvas



Thanks for looking and reading.  Until next time...


Sunday, May 25, 2014

Venetian Life on the Water

Its a tough life on the water...


Could you imagine living here and hopping in your boat rather than your car?


"Just going up the street, honey, to get a loaf of bread!"


While I did not ride on a gondola I did have fun watching other people do so.


Just got off the clock.




The view from the water taxi is pretty spectacular!

How heavenly is this to be in a city with no cars!

Good parking job.


Even when it rains its a-o-k.


Need a lift?

Gondola repair shop?


If I had it boat it would definitely be this color blue.


Fun to play with abstract compositions.


I sat for an hour here and made a painting of this scene, realizing my fantasy of painting "plein air" in Venice...see....

...getting inspired by John Singer Sargent

Sargent watercolors article here

Had to take a selfie on the water.


Even the blurry photos are okay.


Goodnight Venice, until we meet again....
All of the photos were taken on my most recent trip to Venice this past April.  I spent three wonderful days in this magical city.  Will tell more about my Italy trip soon, but thought Venice would be a nice place to start since its warm out and water is on my mind.

Speaking of, I went to the swimming pool for the first time yesterday, and left, season pass in hand.  Can't wait to get back into lap swimming this summer.  Do you have any special summer routines you are starting again?

Thanks for stopping by!

(all photos courtesy of me)