Being in New Mexico

Late Tuesday night I returned from a much needed ten day vacation in New Mexico with my sister, Jan. For years I’ve wanted to go there, so months before the trip I was excited when we put together the itinerary for Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos. Before I left, everyone I spoke to who had been there told me how much they loved it. Still, I was amazed by the magic in the air. What a place! If you’ve never been to the southwestern state, think about going. For artists and art lovers it’s heaven. I never experienced anything like it before except maybe in Florence, Italy. Art, art galleries, and museums are everywhere.

On the Turquoise Trail, the scenic drive from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, we stopped in a small town called Madrid, which was filled with beautiful art galleries. There I discovered Joyce Dant a New Mexican landscape artist whose work I adored. If I could have afforded one of her oils I would have bought one on the spot. She is someone I will follow. Madrid was the taste of what was yet to come in Santa Fe.

The museums in Santa Fe were a pleasure. Highlights were the American Indian Museum of Art and Culture and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, and perhaps the most unusual was the International Folklore Museum. In the Indian Museum I discovered Tony Da, an amazing potter and painter who is actually quite well known but new to me. Indian art is everywhere in New Mexico. Jan suggested it may be the energy emanating from the many pueblos up and down the Rio Grande that has created the artistic scene and may explain Canyon Road.

Though Santa Fe has hundreds of galleries, the largest concentration is on Canyon Road which runs for blocks and is lined on either side of the street with one fabulous gallery after another. There are no shops or boutiques and very few restaurants, just paintings and sculpture. We spent hours exploring the galleries and taking photos of the street. Between the museums, fine art galleries, and abundant Indian art sold on the streets and in shops and studios, I don’t know when I have seen so much art in one place. It was inspiring. In fact, when we visited Georgia O’Keeffe’s home, studio, and Ghost Ranch and a few days later visited the Taos pueblo, home of the Tiwa tribe, I took many pictures that I may have to paint.

I have been working on a manuscript for over a year called The Fabulous Art Scene, A Guide to Fine Art in Florida’s Palm Beach County. I am really excited about the book and the art in Palm Beach County and on the Treasure Coast, but we have a long way to go to match the art community in New Mexico. Still I will remain in Florida and continue to publicize our art and artists with hopes that someday our region will be as impressive.

The photo above right is an adobe in the Taos pueblo. I can’t wait to paint the turquoise door and the bright blue sky against the light brown structure. The photo on the left is of a flower that reminded me of Georgia O’Keeffe. I think I will paint a collage style oil in homage to her.

Photography is Hot

It’s been a month since I “quit” my job. Of course I didn’t really quit. I’ve been painting, writing articles, and attending openings as much as usual, but since I published my desire to quit, I have been feeling much better. When I was a psychotherapist I encouraged people to express and explore their emotions to work out conflicts, depression or anxiety. The acknowledgement to myself and out loud to others of how overwhelmed I was feeling was a form of therapy. I’m still working but not nearly as hard as I was before, and that feels right.

Besides it’s summer, the season to sit back and enjoy the long, hot days and the light until night. Things definitely slow down in the summer including the art scene, which is affected by the end of “Season.” In spite of that, a lot has actually been happening in the art community. Photography particularly has been sprouting up all over the place.

The Palm Beach County Photo Salon opened an excellent new show, Florida In and Out of View, on June 25^th in the Kimbell Center in Hobe Sound’s Jonathan Dickinson State Park, which runs until August 15. The day before InFocus opened at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre on Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach. I didn’t get to the InFocus reception, but I was happy to hear that Melinda Moore received the award for Best in Show. She opened a solo show of her art photography, Creative Focus, in Palm Beach Gardens City Hall on Wednesday, June 29th. InFocus is on until August 20^th and Melinda’s solo show runs through August 25^th.

Meantime, the Artists Association of Jupiter (I’m a member) has put out a Call for Artists for a juried photography exhibition, The Gray Area: Black, White and Somewhere In Between. The exhibit, which award winning fine art photographer Barry Seidman agreed to judge, will take place from August 5 to September 1, 2011 in Jupiter’s A Unique Art Gallery. Photographers are asked to submit black and white works no larger than 11” x 14.” Go to www.artistsassociationofjupiter.com, click on Events, and scroll down for submission information.

Our winter show, Small Works: Big Ideas was a huge success. Not only did we have a substantial number of submissions, but the show attracted many people into the gallery, and quite a few pieces sold. As a result, we are excited about the upcoming photography exhibit. Susan Lorenti, David Willison, and I put together the Call for Artists; so we have an investment in its success and are hoping for similar achievement. For the Gray Area, artists must submit their photographic work by July 16, 2011. I’m glad that the gallery decided not to have a Second Wednesday open house in July so we can devote our time to the task of dealing with submissions and preparing for the show in August.

Members of the Association are excluded from submitting work which suits me fine. I’m not a photographer, but I do use my photographs as inspiration for my paintings. Right now I’m working on a large canvas (36” x 48”), a collage style oil painting of Australia. I am completely excited about this piece. It naturally has kangaroos and koalas, but also a didgeridoo player, the Sydney Opera House and my own aboriginal painting within the painting. When I paint landscapes I transport myself back into the place and how I felt at the time. So far working on this painting is pure joy. I loved Australia and would return in a second if I could afford to go. Right now I have my photographs, and soon I will have a painting too.

Above photos I took in Australia. On right a black and white pic of a koala and center in Ayers Rock Resort.

I Quit?

This past month I have found myself wanting to quit my job. Of course I don’t really have a job in the true sense of the word. No one is paying my salary, and I am my own boss. Though I do sell my artwork now and then, I would literally starve to death if I depended on sales to remain alive. And the monies I earn for my writing, a more reliable steady income, would virtually leave me destitute if it were my only source of revenue. Still this low paying position of artist/writer takes up an inordinate amount of my time. For the thirty years that I practiced as a mental health professional, making a fairly decent income, I never worked as hard.

So truth be told I am just plain tired, exhausted really, burned out. I want to quit. Quit painting? Or writing? I don’t think so. What I want to quit is the business of being an artist – the marketing, networking, dealing with exhibits and galleries, going to openings, writing query letters, “building a platform.” Too much of my time is spent outside my studio dealing with other people and negotiating with the art/writing community, knowing and getting known, developing a reputation, tooting my horn so to speak. God, I’m sick of it.

The recluse, hermit, monk within is going insane. I want to stop complaining and being a grouch. Like Greta Garbo, “I want to be alone.” I want to retreat to my cave and paint pictures just because painting gives me pleasure. Or writing novels because I love the characters and stories I have created even if no one else ever reads the work. I want to stop thinking about what might sell, or how much I should charge, or about being more “cutting edge.” I’m tired of feeling competitive and of being self-critical when I spend too much thought on comparing myself to others. I want the time and space to express myself creatively, just because that’s what I want to do, without the pressure of earning a living, of having a job. And since I’m earning so little money anyway, why not quit?

I am officially giving notice to the world that I resign. For now, I am without a job – no more covering the gallery, running workshops, writing articles, or attending meetings, art openings, or writing groups unless I want to, and right now I don’t…

Who am I kidding? Next Friday night, June 3, 2011, is the opening reception for “The Art of Association.” It’s a collaborative exhibition of three local art groups: the Artists Association of Jupiter (AAoJ), Artists of Palm Beach County (APBC), and North County Art Association (NCAA) at the Lighthouse ArtCenter in Tequesta. I’m in AAoJ and APBC, so five of my paintings are in the show and two of my Dad’s. I wouldn’t miss the opening for anything. And there is a fabulous 3D photographer, Art Siegel, whose work I got to know at the “Vivid Art” exhibition in 110 East Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach. I just have to write an Examiner article about him.

Let’s face it, being an artist/writer is not a job. It’s my life. I can’t quit. I’ll just have to find more balance, meditate more, find time to relax, listen to what my unconscious is telling me. Above left is a photograph I took of a Buddha at the Morikami encircled by a wire fence. My painting of him “Buddha at the Morikami” on the right, free of the fence, is more than halfway done.

Altered States

“Season” has come to an end. Today Sunfest begins in downtown West Palm Beach, a celebration of the “Season” being over, a time to party because the snowbirds have returned to the north. In recent years the mobs of people have made it feel less celebratory for me. I imagine many of them are in fact out-of-towners. And unfortunately, I’ve finally reached the age where most of the musical groups are foreign to me. The only group I’m eager to see is Earth, Wind, and Fire, and they won’t be performing until Sunday evening.

In truth, this past month I have been enjoying guests visiting from around the country – family and friends from New York, Chicago, Boston, and California. When my friend Ronna was here a couple of weeks ago, I took her to the Norton Museum of Art. She’s heard me talk about it a great deal in the past and was curious to see the museum I have proudly espoused. Not having been to the Norton in a few weeks, Ronna’s visit offered me the opportunity to see the latest exhibits, but first I showed her the Dale Chihuly room. Ronna was excited by the current exhibit of his fabulous glasswork and paintings in the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, and his ocean themed ceiling installation at the Norton was a treat for her.

Though she was impressed with the permanent collection and the Fabulous Fakes exhibit of jewelry designed by Kenneth Jay Lane, she had no desire to see the Egyptian Treasures. Instead we concentrated on exploring Altered States: Jose Alvarez, Yayoi Kusama, Fred Tomaselli and Leo Villareal which began on April 2 and runs through July 17, 2011. Made up of collages, paintings, and installations by this select group of artists, the exhibit offers a transformative experience. The psychedelic colors and peacock feathers used by Alvarez, the detailed works by Kusama, and the intriguing drug filled collages by Tomaselli transport the viewer to an altered perception of reality.

Two years ago when I was in Sydney, Australia I had the good fortune to see an exhibit of Kusama’s work. At the time I found her paintings interesting, but her installations were unforgettable. Mirrored rooms filled with tiny lights created a feeling of being in outer space and witnessing infinity. I hoped to someday see an exhibit of her work in Florida. The Norton show includes several of her paintings, but perhaps the most impressive piece is her sculpture of a standing, nude, Barbie doll-like figure with a brown wig and covered with polka dots.

The installation at the Norton is by Leo Villareal. “Firmament II” welcomes the viewer’s participation, and the Norton has helped by providing wide comfortable chaise lounges to recline on while one views the changing lights above. Fred Tomaselli is quoted as believing that “art is obligated to transport the viewer… to the sublime.” Villareal’s piece has the power to do just that. Ronna and I must have remained on the chaise for at least a half hour where together we were transported to the heavens.

Later we took a long walk at MacArthurs Beach State Park where I showed off the natural beauty of my chosen state, and Ronna took a picture of the two of us on the boardwalk leading to the beach.

Capturing the Light

The light, the light, capturing the light eludes me. Paintings that do catch the light are the most effective. Or at least that’s what I learned in school. It’s the reason why Kinkade, whose work I find saccharine, is so successful. It’s why Rembrandt is considered one of the greatest painters who ever lived. I never cared for his work either, which I find much too dark, and his subject matter, primarily portraits and biblical scenes, doesn’t grab me. Yet Vermeer mostly painted portraits, and he’s one of my all time favorites. Vermeer really knew how to paint the light. His studies of women in domestic scenes take my breath away.

Yesterday, I showed my painter friend, Han, a photo I took of orchids at the recent Hatsume Fair at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Garden. I was excited about the photograph not for its photographic value, but because I thought the orchid would make a good watercolor. Han shook his head when he saw it. “Not enough light,” he said. “I could paint the light,” I replied knowing that I just have to paint that orchid.

My paintings often have too much light. It’s the shadows I ignore. Nancy Jones, a photographer and the wife of Bill Jones who is an exhibiting woodturner at A Unique Art Gallery, stopped by last week when I was covering the gallery. We talked about artworks, and she said the shadows interest her the most. So perhaps it’s the shadows I need to concentrate on. By focusing on the shadows, the light will emerge and will be more striking in contrast to the dark. Sounds awfully philosophical to me.

Above is the picture of the orchid I hope to paint and also a photo of my recent work, “Wakodahatchee November.” It was the colors that inspired me to paint the scene on a 30” x 40” canvas, one of my larger pieces. I’m exhibiting it in Vivid Art, a show in Delray Beach, which begins next week, April 4 and runs through June 3, 2011 at 110 East Atlantic Avenue. 110 is a commercial office building on four floors with a lot of wall space and an open atrium that can accommodate paintings up to 72 inches high and 60 inches wide. The building nestled between Café de France and Blue Fish restaurants is an exciting new venue for local art groups. Talking about light, the open atrium is bright and inviting. Here’s hoping it will draw affluent viewers eager to buy art.

Taking Flight

The very talented artist known as Han has been teaching Photo Reference Watercolor, Oil, or Acrylic Painting at A Unique Art Gallery in Jupiter for the past few months. I met Han in July when he joined the art collective, and the two of us became friends. He began teaching his class on Saturday mornings, which is the day I mostly cover the gallery.

Originally on the first Saturday but more recently on the third Saturday of the month, I run an Unleashing Creativity workshop. Han took part in a couple of workshops, so I decided to take his class. We figured that way neither one of us would have to pay. We would just exchange services. My sister, Jan, was studying watercolor with him, and I decided to try it myself.

A hundred years ago when I was in college, watercolor was a medium I did not enjoy. I’ve been oil painting since my early twenties, and I’ve always thought that oils are much easier to use than watercolors. After all, you can correct mistakes in oils but with watercolor you have to get it right from the start. So I was nervous when I started taking Han’s class.

I teach in my creativity workshops not to worry about the product and instead to enjoy the process of creating. If the process (the creative experience) is good, it will more likely result in a meaningful, worthwhile finished product. Though I try to practice what I preach, I’m not immune from an internal judge, who can be very critical of my work. Still I didn’t allow my self-criticism to inhibit me from trying to paint with watercolor, and the result has been a new love.

Next Wednesday, March 9, 2011, A Unique Art Gallery and our neighbor Unique Glass Art, are benefiting the Audubon Society of the Everglades on our Second Wednesday open house from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. The theme is “Taking Flight,” which is the feeling I get working with watercolors.

Jan and I have been bird lovers our entire lives. Our mother was not a dog or cat lover, so our

childhood pet was a brilliant parakeet. We are convinced that Skippy, who had a huge vocabulary and spoke in sentences, was a reincarnated human. He was a bird who flew away from home and found his way back.

Ten years ago when I started painting again after not painting for nearly twenty years, I began with a painting of Baby, my parakeet at that time, in a hibiscus tree. So I suppose it’s not surprising that the Audubon fundraiser inspired me to spend the last month using watercolors to paint birds. I’m hoping that the fundraiser is a huge success and that people will want to buy my new watercolors.

A Unique Art Gallery and Unique Glass Art are located at 226 Center St., one block west of Alt A1A, next to the Jupiter Ale House. Learn more about the organization, its artists and programs on the Association’s website, www.artistsassociationofjupiter.com. For more information on this event call Susan Lorenti at (954) 588-7275 or Carolyn Austin at (561) 747-2024.

Time is passing

Season is here, and life is busy. Too busy sometimes. Last week the Women in the Visual Arts exhibit opened at 110 East Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. The office complex on four floors with a lot of wall space and an open atrium that can accommodate paintings up to 72 inches high and 60 inches wide is an exciting new venue for WITVA. This exhibition was open to non-members, all Florida artists, both males and females over the age of 18. I was thrilled to receive an Invitational Award to show six of my oil paintings in another exhibition in the building. I’ll have to decide which pieces to put in.

Meantime, I’ve been so preoccupied with A Unique Art Gallery and the Small Spaces: Big Ideas, Small Works Show that I haven’t been painting as much as I like. The show is opening on February 3rd, and though it was time consuming, it’s amazing how easy it went. A lot is involved putting on an exhibition. We had to put out a call for artists, organize the submissions, get them to JB Berkow, the juror, then notify the artists, receive the accepted works, and finally hang the forty-four wall pieces and set up pedestals for the six 3-dimensional works. The opening is next week 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 9, 2011. Everyone is invited to 226 Center Street just west of Alternate A1A in Jupiter for wine, refreshments, socializing, and viewing and purchasing art.

Next week will be especially busy since Wednesday is the gallery open house and Thursday night is the Pink Cocktail Party and Fashion Show at the Lighthouse Art Center, 373 Tequesta Drive in Tequesta where the ArtyBras will be auctioned. Last year $5,000 was raised for breast cancer research, and this year the art bras will benefit the Ella Milbank Foshay Cancer Center at the Jupiter Medical Center and the Lighthouse ArtCenter. I have AlgeBra in the show, which I will be modeling.

Saturday, February 12 is Everglades Day. I volunteered to sell T-shirts at the annual event that begins in the morning, but I will have to leave early because Rare Earth Gallery, 41 S.W. Flagler Avenue in Stuart is having its 2^nd annual fundraising event to benefit Treasure Coast Hospice. They entitled this special day: "HEARTS for HOSPICE." I donated an item for the auction and also volunteered to participate at the event. So I will have to leave Everglades Day by noon and head up to Stuart. On the way home, I plan to stop at my friend David Willison’s solo exhibit opening in the Art on Park Gallery, 800 Park Avenue in Lake Park. The exhibit began on February 6th and runs until March 3^rd, but the 12^th is the big night from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. I imagine I’ll be exhausted by the time I get home, but it should be fun.