I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone, particularly artists, as an insight into the convoluted ways of the NYC art world in the 40's-80's as well as the struggles, compromise, and uncompromising passion that it takes to survive as an artist. It is an extreme example of dedication, and also an extreme example of success: exciting, terrifying and illuminating.
Connie Reeves
What a great metaphor for self-determination.
Connie Reeves, riding instructor since 1936, taught more than 36,000
girls to ride and at 101 years old was still riding every day.
This was just sent to me by a friend. I found it moving, inspiring and wonderful.
Dedication and hard work... a life well lived... who could ask for more?
but their inward significance, and this,
not the external manner and detail, is true reality.
- Aristotle
And to suspend the disbelief that such odd, and interesting things actually might truly be in the same place at the same time.
It's not quite finished, but close...
Bent Bowls were ceremonial Haida bowls used for honored guests at potlatches.
I LOVE painting the stones and shells. Creating the illusion of shadow and depth, researching to be sure that the shells are accurate for the region...
A blending of mystery and science and love of those special places in the wild...
The Anna's Hummingbird is on a poured, luminescent background, using a photo of Pete's for reference, A challenge to integrate the background with the imagery but I think it works well, especially with the hydrangea
Just sent 8 new paintings off with Tad Merrick, friend and photographer for the record keeping process: slides, transparencies and digital. Later today I pick them up, Jim & I will pack them and they will be shipped to Washington State for the Bellevue Art Museum Artsfair.
You have to be an egomaniac.
You have to have a little bit of talent.
You have to have a massive amount of luck.
-Leonard Baskin
It's not so much egomania as intense focus- self absorbtion is not really the same as egomania.. I have no social life right now, but that's ok because I am excited and fulfilled by the work....
I am painting very, very intensely still getting work done for the Bellevue Artsfair show. which has to be shipped out to the west coast in three days. Success is about hard work and being in the right place at the right time. Andrew Russell Towl says that you make your own luck.
This painting of a black oyster catcher nest on a stony beach with remnants from a Haida sculpture is for the show. I've been immersing myself in north western Native imagery- reference material that I have had since writing This is Our Forest- the children's musical about ancient forests. Sigh. Another lifetime!
I did just take time to read an editorial by Nicholas Kristof about Three Cups of Tea.
It is of course, brilliant: both the editorial and the book. Kristof speaks to the success of Greg Mortenson's school building diplomacy, as contrasted with the Bush administration's policy of giving immense sums of money to governments. I had assumed fearfully that Mortenson's schools were being demolished by the Taliban along with other schools, but apparently they are not.
Did we learn nothing from our decades of continual tragic errors in Latin America?
Here is a link to the Kristof article.
Meanwhile, it is wonderful for me to be immersed in my imagery. Intensely on task.
It has been beyond busy.
I can't believe it's been more than a month since I blogged. Better to quickly post up a quick update than to lapse for so very long.
After mailing my work off to the Gopalan Gallery show in Terre Haute IN, I started Summer Aartz 2008 in my studio, working with kids making art of all sorts: paste paper journals; "thinking outside the box" costumes for Brandon's
Fourth of July parade
In the middle of Summer Aartz I was part of this year's Brandon WCAX tv ad. I'll post the url as soon as they are done the editing. Here is last year's: http://brandon.org/images/I_Do/convert/i_do.html
That's Warren Kimble's voice telling us about all about his beloved Brandon.
July 5th was a banner day: marching in Vermont's largest 4rth of July parade; going to my opening at the Dorset Theater, and being a girl dog/dog diva for the band- the Sleeping Dogs- for a retirement party at Spring Lake Ranch.
Also my websites
NOT TO MENTION that I've been fiendishly working on new work for the Bellevue Artsfair in Washington State.
I don't know if I'll bring Dawn Nest with me. It's pretty large for cross country shipping: 12" x 60" but I made it with either Dorset or Bellevue in mind. It has changed already since this photo... scrawled patterns on the eggs and darker shadows in the blossoms. It's so pretty that it doesn't work yet. Not enough mystery and challenge.
http://artaccess.com/galleries.cgi?m=1&g=136
