STUDIO SCENES & FIREFLIES IN THE ATTIC

It is hard for me to realize that over 2 months have passed since I last posted. For those of you who continue to revisit to see what's new, thank you for coming back.

Life can throw us challenges and when it does we simply step up and do what needs to be done with love and grace, we would hope. My plate is quite filled up these days caring for my elderly mother, looking after my dog who has a crippling neurological disorder, while trying to find balance all on the verge of turning 60! Oh yeah. So the act of creating artworks and studio time is limited to say the least, though I will do what I can, when I can and post when possible.

As you see in the photo at the top, my studio work table can get a bit overloaded and crowded with various materials and elements, but somehow this seems to be the way I work best. Not too long ago I purchased a box of gouache paints to see if I wanted to go for the big tubes...They are still sitting there partially used while I am still contemplating their further use as I seem to gravitate to acrylics, so we will see where they take me, if anywhere.

Presently, I am in a group show at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts Gallery in Winslow on Bainbridge Island. The theme is The Play Of Light. With that idea, the play of light, the wheels in my head got in motion to come up with a piece that might arouse one's curiosity. Which brings us to this featured piece. As I was working through the creative motions it came to mind I might like to show the progress/process of the piece as I worked. So this 2nd photo illustrates how I lay out the parts to see how I'll construct it, what material I will use to cover it and what elements to apply. To bring light to it was a task, but I had numerous minds to help me get the right lights, wiring, battery, etc. My husband's electrician mind came to the aid, ultimately getting it all wired and powered up, while he gave me a refresher course in soldering, though he really did most of it.

Eventually this was the end result (below). At the back of the base there is a switch that turns on 5 very small, and I do mean small, lights that you can see only if you get up close and peek through the round hole near the top of the structure that lets you look into the attic. Being that the lights are so close and our eyes do not focus well at that distance, or at least in the case of my eyes, halos surround the lights simulating the look of fireflies. Hence we have FIREFLIES IN THE ATTIC.

This show run from Dec. 3rd through Jan 3rd. Stop by if you are in the area.

MID-NIGHT THIEF

With all the thievery we see in the behavior of crows and ravens, keeping an eye on all our shiny objects, such as keys, would be diligent on our part, lest we lose them to these clever Corvidaes. I revel in watching these savvy feathered critters. This particular species of birds is one of my favorite subjects, as you may have seen from my previous posts. I am entranced by their intelligence and impressed with their genius and mastery of tasks. MID-NIGHT THIEF suggests this mischievous act, when, in the night, the objects become lit by the moon's bright light, enhancing their chances of further, irresistible appropriations.

For this piece I used a wonderful block of wood with diminishing red paint. I have a fetish, of sorts, for weathered remnants of painted wood I pick up on our beaches. They possess so much character and bring interesting qualities when used in various applications and seem to have revealing stories within them.

MID-NIGHT THIEF is another fairly small piece. It is a wall piece, though this photo was taken as it sat on it's base. I like the shadows it cast on the backdrop. It now resides with friends Kate and Ned Schuman who are big supporters of the arts on the Olympic Peninsula. Thank you both for your continued interest in my work!

STARLIT GAZES

This piece, STARLIT GAZES, is a much smaller 2D piece and unusual for me to render, but I had fun bringing it about. It is a simple piece, yet still has depth to it as I put spacers between the glass and the matte with additional spacers between the matte and the art itself (not shown-the photo of this image was taken before I nestled it into the frame) I enjoyed working in this smaller format (once framed it measured 9" X 9") and hope to do more. The next piece I will be posting is small in nature also, but in an assemblage composition.

This was the first piece to sell at the BIRDS OF A FEATHER exhibit at Northwinds, a recent show mentioned in previous posts. I am happy to say it now resides with a friend and fellow local artist, painter and illustrator, Max Grover, along with his cats in his very fun and artful home. I can understand why he was drawn to this piece since his paintings are so whimsically fun, colorful and playful. You can see more of Max's work at his web-site. His motto is Fun Art for the Serious Mind. I like that.
Thanks Max. I am delighted and flattered you connected with STARLIT GAZES.

FENCE PROOF RABBIT

Here is another wordplay as I venture to twist the original expression, Rabbit Proof Fence, into my own, in FENCE PROOF RABBIT. It seems that what we try to do to control nature or other situations we think we have control over, nature ultimately, in most cases, wins and possibly with catastrophic results. Basically, in this piece, I just like the notion that the rabbit is not confined or restricted by a man-made obstacle.

Thanks again to friend, Ned Schumann for taking the photo of this piece during the BIRDS OF A FEATHER exhibit. I like the shadowy quality as it shows it's depth.
Remember clicking on the image will enlarge it.

BEEFRIENDING AGAIN

This is a wonderful shot of BEEFRIENDING against the vibrant wall at Northwinds Art Center taken during the BIRDS OF A FEATHER exhibit, photographed by Ned Schumann, a friend and the founder of OlympusNet.
I love how the chair pops out off the vivid red wall and the shadows it creates from the gallery lights illuminating it. This is the piece that is on the pedestal that Ellen and I flank in the previous post's photo, also taken by Ned during our Artist Talk.

MORE BIRDS OF A FEATHER

In this photo I am shown sitting with the three fellow accomplished artist-friends I exhibited with in BIRDS OF A FEATHER as we shared our artistic backgrounds, approaches and techniques. The Artist Talk, which took place on a Sunday afternoon, was part of the education process Northwind Art Center provides the community. We each expressed our artistic experiences with some of our insights and methodology on one or more of the pieces we were displaying. I expounded on the piece in a previous post, DREAMS OF FLIGHT, as well as the other previously pieces you can see if you scroll down. During the presentation there were inquisitive questions from the attendees which allowed for more revelation of our work. One of the participants was Ned Schumann, founder of one of our oldest local Internet Service Providers on the Olympic Peninsula, OlympusNet, which started in 1993. He was filming the event and also took this photo (above) of us while we spoke. We are, from left to right: Kate Snow, Ellen Reichart, me and Rae Belkin. I will be posting other shots he captured of my work from this exhibit at a later date. Stay tuned. Remember to enlarge the image, click on the photo.

DREAMS OF FLIGHT

Layering has always been an intricate part of my work. I like the idea of creating depth. Then within the story that unfolds comes the creation of intrigue. This piece is a bit unusual for me as I do not typically do people. But I was wanting to do a piece that depicted a person wearing a bird mask, but once I had this female image complete I did not want to cover up her dreamlike gaze. So, where do I move with it? I then thought a kite with a bird placed on it might be fun way to add some movement to the contemplative stillness of the woman. I have been using the matte as an extension of the working format and I am really liking the results and how it plays into the whole of the concept. The idea of the wings on the woman came at the end and with the dreamy trance she took on, then, of course, the title was birthed . . . DREAMS OF FLIGHT. Haven't we all, at some time or other, thought of being able to fly? I know I have. I so often imagine what it might be like to sore high on the winds, travel where and as I wish, seeing the Earth below and distances far off. Perhaps the next life has this in store for me.

This photo was actually taken before I got the piece settled into a frame, as you can see the shadow at the top of the matte is a little distorted. This was also part of BIRDS OF A FEATHER show at Northwind Art Center, Port Townsend, that is still on exhibit through Aug. 1. Remember to click on the image for a larger view of it.

MASQUERADE GONE A-FOWL

Like most of my pieces, this piece metamorphosed and evolved as I created it. The mallard hen is painted on heavy vellum then cut out and set off the background. I was going to put the mask over the mallards head, but thought why cover her up after giving her life. So I decided to suspend the raven mask from string and add more dimension that made it look more 3D in it's form . . . it hangs over the matte. Ultimately, this title came to me after it had been completed. I was riding as passenger in the car with my husband when it hit me. I said out loud, "Oh! I think I've got it! Of course!". It rang a bell in my head so clear, it could be nothing other than MASQUERADE GONE A-FOWL. Playing with words creating a visual pun can be a lot of fun. Attempting to achieve that play on words successfully can only be known when I see the reaction in the viewers eyes, on their face or in their laughter. Therein showing me that the imagining effort and ultimate outcome was worth it. This is part of the BIRDS OF A FEATHER exhibit with Rae Blekin, Ellen Reichart and Kate Snow (see post below) at The NorthWind Art Center that hangs through July.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

From July 2nd through August 1st our local art center, Northwind Arts Center, will host an invitational show: BIRDS OF A FEATHER. Myself, (Linda Jarvis) Rae Belkin, Ellen Reichart and Kathleen Snow are presenting works in a variety a media. All four of us share an affinity for using imagery and themes related to animals and the natural world exploring various ideas often conveying a sense of mystery and humor. I am looking forward to my work hanging out, so to speak, with these other wonderful artist's work.

If you live near or around the Olympic Peninsula area I hope you can join us for the BIRDS OF A FEATHER Walk-Through, Friday, July 2 at 10 a.m. and the Opening Reception, Saturday, July 3, 5:30 - 8 p.m., at the Northwind Arts Center - 2904 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend.

The image of the piece above the map is titled IDENTITY THEFT. It has always intrigued me how blue jays can mimic various bird's songs and/or calls in the attempt to fool the other birds and scare them from their nests. It stirred up in my mind this image of a blue jay trying to steal the identity of a crow. It always puts a smile on my face when I hear a blue jay mocking other birds and I think to myself, how clever is that! But, then again, how deceiving. That being said, crows are very clever and intelligent in their own right. Seeing this piece in person will give you the full monty and energy of what it is depicting and the embellishments on the frame. Perhaps you will have the opportunity to get by the gallery during the shows duration through July. Remember to click on the image for a larger view and don't forget to stop back to find new posts now and then. Thank you for your interest.

POST BARN SALE

This is the complete crew from our 2010 Artist Studio Barns Sale. From left to right:

Shirley Moss, Kristi Templeton, Shane Miller, Beverly Saito, Carrie Eckhart (our cookie maker), me (Linda Jarvis), kneeling in front of me, my dear sister Wendy (who helps out wearing many different hats-we couldn't do it without her!), and Diane Gale. We had a blast all weekend, made new friends and visited with our previous visitors and loyal patrons. Thanks to all for making it a wonderful 2nd Annual,

2nd ANNUAL STUDIO SALE AT GREYBIRD BARN

SAVE THE DATE!!! June 26th and 27th

Mark your calendar for our 2nd ANNUAL STUDIO SALE AT GREYBIRD BARN in Port Townsend, WA. Five wonderful artists: Diane Gale....Linda Jarvis...Shane Miller...Shirley Moss....and Beverly Saito will be featured in a variety of mediums.



Our good friends at Diana Cronin's Egg & I Pottery Studio in Chimacum, WA will be celebrating their 5th Annual Open Studio & Pottery Sale. Once again GreyBird Barn Studio Sale will coincide with the Egg & I Pottery Sale. Read more info about Egg & I Pottery Sale here.

Bring your friends and family and come for a delicious day of art and fun.....Port Townsend is beautiful in June.

(remember that you can click on any image to see it larger)

Have questions?...Or would you like to be added to our email list?...
Contact Shane Miller

CHAIR AFFAIR 2010

It is time again for the Chair Affair.
The ArtScape web-site is not currently updated when I last looked today, but you can read about ArtScape's vision and mission.

My chair this year is a retro piece I did back in '94. It was a time when I was emerging myself with a spiritual affinity for the Native Americans and the reverence they share for nature and Earth. I titled it Strong Heart.

I hope those of you who live on the Olympic Peninsula can come by to see all the wonderful chairs and tables donated by our local artists Saturday, May 1st in the Mt. Baker Building,
2nd floor, 5:30-8pm. Live music and refreshments...
Don't forget to bring your wallets...this is a great cause...
Thank you

STRAIT ART 2010

This is my first year to jury for Strait Art at the Port Angeles Fine Art Center.

Above is my self promotional email announcement that I sent out to my e-list. The show is diversified and encompasses 29 artists from the Straits of Juan de Fuca area. This year the exhibition merged with the new PUB (Pirate Union Building) Gallery at the Peninsula College campus which expands the exhibition space considerably, giving each artist the opportunity to show four pieces each. The opening reception was yesterday afternoon with generous attendance. There were delectable delights for nibbling on while mingling with guests and other artists.

It was an opportune time to meet new artists and reconnect with others I had not seen in a lengthy time. The local PA paper, the Daily Peninsula News, did a cover story in their Spotlight section last Friday, 3-12-10, if you have access to this publication you can learn about the participating artists.

RETROSPECT REFLECTION

From time to time, as with writers, artists get blocked, too. We lose our voice, so to speak. Those inspirational juices just don't flow through our blood as per usual. I have had one of these dry spells of late. You may have noticed if you have visited these pages within the last five months or so, I haven't had much to share. For a while I was in a period of experimentation, shifting my direction. I was really enjoying the creative process, but I didn't feel grounded in it, thus a bit off balance for a time. I wasn't sure of my expression which in turn silenced me in that uncertainty. I was groping, but grasping nothing. This empty phase gave me pause to review how and where my creative endeavors have assisted me.

This piece shown above was something I drew 35 years ago. I have to say it struck a chord in me when I came across it while I was thumbing through my old portfolios, struggling with this lack of inspiration. I've always felt close to this piece because it speaks with a whisper and offers a moment of tranquility, indicative of where I was in my life, living on the Big Island, Hawai'i. In that way it slowed me down by offering me quiet time to breathe and infuse intention into how I want to begin again as I move forward in my newest work and meditation.

During this retrospective ritual I saw with remembrance where I have been with my work and a small glimmer of light appeared guiding me to move forward. This meant it was time to call on my muse again and hope she would oblige with an appearance. Thankfully she did show up and with grace and calmness to help move my brushes and pencils and stir ideas and visions around in my head.

Though heavy moods and doubts accompanied this creative drought, I learned that patience was key - to be with what may be keeping me without expression and journey through it by reflecting on where I have come from.

This insightful journey was of immense support to help carry me forward to explore new creative horizons. It is good to be back, to have my voice again and I am most grateful for this quiet, yet stimulating piece...and my muse, of course. I close in gratitude.

Stay tuned.

This illustration was done in graphite pencil, colored pencil and acrylic paint back in 1975.

All rights reserved by the artist.

CVG 2010

Once again I have been caught up in a capsule of time that kept me from tending to positing. I have finally broken out and have returned to these pages to catch you up on recent goings-on. Two of the 3 pieces I entered for jury, BeeFriending and King of the Towed, were selected as part of the CVG show (Collective Visions Gallery) in Bremerton, WA. Only 128 entries were selected from nearly 800. The juror was Jake Seniuk of Port Angeles. He is director and curator of the Port Angeles Fine Art Center. Numerous artists from the Port Townsend area also have pieces chosen for inclusion in this show, two of which are friends, Shane Miller and Diane Gale. This 3rd annual juried show will run through February 26th. If you are in or near the area stop by the gallery to see this show of talented Washington artists.

Click on the piece titles above to view my accepted images.

The Collective Visions Gallery is located at 331 Pacific Avenue, in the heart of downtown Bremerton, on the corner of 4th and Pacific and are open Tuesday through Saturday 10am-5pm, and other times by appointment.