Boob Brigade

Pencil on paper with encaustic and oil

Winter Ash House

9x12
Oil and Charcoal on Canvas

Cover Story!

I was recently interviewed for the cover story of Regional Report, The New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce's quarterly news magazine.

In "Nontraditional Becomes The Norm: Higher Education and the Adult Student", staff writer Kelly Granger discusses the educational pursuits of a number of community members and what their goals mean to them.

You can check out the article by clicking here or visiting http://issuu.com/chronogram/docs/rr_spring_2010_web.

38 House, 18 Mushroom Cloud. Friends Don't Know You.

36"x36"
Charcoal and oil on gessoed paper

Art All Year: An Intimate Discussion on Inception

March 20, 2010.  The Vernal Equinox.  The sun passes over the equator.  Buds are popping.  Birds are singing.  The sun is shining.  There are people in the streets.  Shoppers.  Demonstrators.  Tourists.  Dog lovers. 

March 20, 2010.  Third Saturday Art Loop in New Paltz.  At 6:15, Eileen Quinn began her talk at Van Buren Gallery about her experiences in a recent visit to Kenya, and resulting photographs.  Giraffes and zebras and elephants... oh my!

At 7:15, it was my turn to deliver a talk about "Art All Year".  If you've been following this blog, then I won't bore you with the details of the talk - you've pretty much already read it here.  If you're a new follower, then please feel free to catch up on previous posts.

The big news that was delivered is that I will have a solo show at the Van Buren Gallery in November as a sort of wrap-up of the year in art.  I can't wait to see what I come up with and hope that you'll join me then for another talk!

P.S. -  I once had a design boss tell me I should wear more black - that I'd be taken more seriously as an artist that way, and that he hired me partially due to the fact that he liked the amount of black I was wearing during my interview.  Hahaha!

A Bit of Press

I was recently interviewed regarding my "Art All Year" endeavor for an article about adults changing careers or continuing their education, whether it be in an existing or new field for them.  The article will appear in the Spring edition of the New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce's Regional Report.  If you are a Chamber member, it should be in your mailbox on April 1 (no foolin').  I'll also be posting a link to their online version here, so stay tuned!

Gallery Talk at Van Buren Gallery

I will be giving a gallery talk on my "Art All Year" project at the Van Buren Gallery in New Paltz, NY on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 7 PM.

Are you on facebook?  If so, please RSVP to the event here:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=348774742799&ref=mf

If not, then here's the info - I hope to see you there!

"Local Woman Artists Working in Paint, Pencil and Photography" a group show is featured at the Van Buren Gallery, Inc. 215 Main St. New Paltz, NY 12561 for the month of March. The show includes the art of Helen Gutfreund and Maureen Rogers of New Paltz, Eileen Quinn and Yong Sook Kim of Gardiner, Polly Reina of Wallkill and Patti Hokanson-Murphy of Walden.

A reception will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2010 from 4-8PM. At 6PM Eileen Quinn will provide a free travel lecture on her trip to Africa, which is the subject of her photography in this show. This will be followed, at 7PM, by Helen Gutfreund speaking on her year long commitment to art, which is the subject of her Blog entitled "Art All Year" and can be read at http://artallyear.blogspot.com/

March 20th is part of the New Paltz Third Saturday Art Loop. 13 Art and Cultural Venues in New Paltz are open for visitors to "Loop" through each third Saturday from 4-7PM.

Receptions are free and open to the public, light refreshments will be served. For further information visit http://vanburengallery.com or call 845-256-8558. The gallery is open at least 12-6 daily.

Tying a Bow on Your Finger. ASK Opening.

Last night was the opening of Abstract Art at the Arts Society of Kingston, as well as Ric Dragon's, Bifurcations.  Ric's paintings were particularly beautiful, transporting the viewer into a dream world when viewed from up close.  These rich and creamy large scale paintings had a similar effect on me as did Imi Knoebel's  paintings at Dia a couple of months back.  I felt different about them up close than I did from farther away, getting to a "sweet spot" a foot or two away where my entire field of vision was engulfed by the painting.  It gives me the feeling of being totally within a painting, almost that I am part of the painting itself.  It certainly becomes part of me.  I want to start working on a larger scale again.  The larger works seem to envelop the viewer,  engaging their bodies by their sheer size alone, and the engagement of the body gives the viewer a feeling experience, not just a thinking experience, which is not to say that art shouldn't be a thinking experience, but I want it to be a feeling experience too.  Maybe that comes from my experience in the field of bodywork, or maybe it comes from my art appreciation experience, or maybe a little of both. 

My piece in the show was a little 9x12 encaustic and charcoal drawing transfer.   Described by Mr. Dragon as "poetic", Another Eleven is a drawing I did about the loss of my sister - one of a series of similar pieces focused on this theme.  Some have said they look like trees,  jail bars, tubes and pipes.  They are an accounting of the numbers 11, 111 and 1,111 in a form that attempts to organize or make sense of some nonsensical life events with an energy that is derived from the emotions associated with them.  Carol had a thing about the number eleven, so I am using it as my muse for a number of pieces.  I don't believe 11:11 is "happy minute" or  that the world is going to end at 11:11:11 on 11/11/11 or any stupid shit like that, although I do seem to catch 11:11 on the clock at least once daily.  Its almost like tying a bow around your finger so as not to forget something.

This was my first time showing at ASK, and I look forward to many more opportunities.  Would like to meet and network with some of the other artists there too, so if you are an artist in the Mid-Hudson Valley or anywhere, for that matter, be sure to leave me a comment and say hello!

Docent Training at Storm King Arts Center

I began my training as a Docent at Storm King Arts Center today.  What a trip.  It was a basic introductory session.  We were presented with an overview of the Docent program and of the art center, and then we did an "around the room".  People were there for all sorts of reasons -  retirees looking for productive ways to spend their time, art-lovers, horticulture enthusiasts, teachers - all with a passion for the arts and with some emotional connection to Storm King.  One person had never been there but felt drawn to be there now, while another had been a regular visitor for forty years.

The first time I went there was with my friend Laini with whom I worked at the Koenig Art Emporium, an art supply and framing shop in the Nanuet Mall when I was in High School.  I was 17.  That was 21 years ago.  Oh, my.  I've been there only once or twice since, but pass by it frequently on the New York State Thruway between exits 16 and 17.  I always try to crane my neck to see something new or to see Andy Goldsworthy's Storm King Wall (pictured - and thieved from Storm King's facebook page, so go there now and become a fan) for just a little longer (while driving very carefully, of course).

The session was led by four knowledgeable and wonderfully accessible experts in their fields:  David Collens - Director and Curator, Ron Romary - Director of Education, Helen Hydos - Education Coordinator and Lisa Stern - Trustee.  Each presented themselves as extremely knowledgeable about art, art history and the art center, while remaining friendly, pleasant and clearly in love with Storm King.  I hope to be able to emulate their enthusiasm and confidence while helping to make the art and the experience enjoyable for my "students".  The initial training lasts for nine weeks and will be followed by a self-directed portion with study and observation, all leading to composing my own tour, hopefully by early to mid summer. 

Founded in 1960, 2010 represents Storm King's 50th year.  I am excited about all the events surrounding this occasion and look forward to becoming a part of the landscape.