Mark and I made it to the opening  of the “Reigning Cats & Dogs” exhibit at the Wayne Art Center last weekend. After spending the day at Valley Forge and eating at a local diner, we went to the art show- tired but excited. As soon as I walked into the main gallery, I saw Sophie perched on Mom’s big blue chair on one of the main walls. Much to my surprise, next to my piece was one by none other than Leslie Sheils. Ok, it’s a little more than ironic that the person I told you about in an earlier post (Get out of town initiative) was in this show. If  it weren’t for her advice I would never have found this show, let alone entered and gotten in. So, it seems I was in great company for the show and that just made the night for me. I met a few fun and talented people. I met an artist from Delaware who picked up an award and I also met Garth Herrick, the  juror for the show. He was most kind to take the time to talk about my work and also mention that he liked the other piece I submitted which did not get in the show. He said that size limitations kept both pieces from being accepted. I’m not sure if he was just being nice or really meant it, but, it was very nice of him to comment on the other piece-Greta. She feels much better about not being included.

I mentioned that we ate breakfast Friday morning at a local hangout- a diner. We sat at the counter and met a nice man whose wife is a professor at Villanova. I asked him what he would do on Saturday if he was a first time visitor to the city. He said most definitely he would take the train to the city and see the tourist sights and also visit the Barnes Foundation to see art. Well, you can’t beat the advice of locals, so that is what we did. The train was great although it was a bit daunting to find the right place to get on and exit. We found a cab that took us to the Constitution Center and we saw a movie that made you so proud to be an American. We are so lucky to live in this country and so blessed by our forefathers. We went to the Masonic Temple, a Quaker meeting place and then walked to the Liberty Bell and Freedom Hall. Unfortunately, we did not have tickets, so were turned away. That was a disappointment, but, secretly I was not too sad. I knew that would allow us to have more art museum time. So, we got a cab to the Barnes Foundation.

When we arrived, after a lengthy cab ride and conversation with a very nice man who was so proud of his city, we went to the front desk. There we were asked if we had ordered tickets online to enter the museum. No, “we did not know they were necessary,” we replied. So, we were informed that if we paid double the ticket price, we could enter. So, I readily agreed. The ticket price of $40 each was more than worth it- and I had no idea how worth it at that time. The foundation building is new and the rooms are made to look as the original rooms of the home of Mr. Barnes, the collector. His story is very interesting and I encourage you to google him and read about his love of art and art education. There was a lot of controversy when the collection was moved to this location. We really did not want to get into that… just wanted to see the art that was inside. When we entered the first room, I was totally unprepared for what was there. Bang- right off the bat- Cezannes, Renoirs and Matisses- all just hanging there with no fuss or  fanfare. The walls were filled. Many of the pieces were paintings I have never seen in books. After walking around with a small crowd and few restrictions, I found myself standing in front of the most beautiful Van Gogh I have ever seen. I have always favored Van Gogh and am a huge fan of the painting “Two Figures in an Undergrowth” which resides in the Cincinnati Art Museum. I even wrote about it in last summer’s issue of AEQAI.  I was not prepared for the colors in the portrait of the Postman that hangs at the Barnes Foundation. The colors are everything in this painting. The love he had for this man is flowing off the canvas. The spring green and pink floral background is extraordinary to say the least. I have never seen a painting I was so immediately in love with. I sneaked a photo… I just could not help it. I had to take it with me to look at for the next several days. (I appeased my guilty conscience by spending plenty of $$ in the gift shop and buying a larger than life poster  to put in my studio as well as a book of the collection.) The Matisse paintings were also so different and gorgeous. If it weren’t for the Van Gogh, they would have been the stars of my day. But that Van Gogh will be with me forever. I am so blessed to have seen it in person. The fact that it is in such an intimate setting;  you can literally stand 10″ from it, is so special.

I am very grateful that Mark and I took this little get away. It was so perfect on so many levels. What a blessing to clear your head and go do something fun and spontaneous. Best advice- meet locals when you travel so you can get the best information on what to see. Had we opted for Panera for breakfast instead of the local diner, we never would have met the man who encouraged us to venture out of our comfort zone and go downtown on the train. Thank you and I will think of you when I hear of Villanova in the future.

Enjoy the photos and hopefully no one from the Barnes Foundation will view my surreptitiously photographed shot of the Van Gogh that changed my point of view forever. More about that later…

The show’s jurors are: a very accomplished portrait artist named Garth Harrick and a sculptor named Jennifer Frudakis.100 pieces were selected from the 300+ entries.  The opening promises to be exciting. It’s pricey ticket predicts it is going to be a bit more  than a hunk of cheese and a box of wine. Mark and I plan to attend the opening on a much anticipated long weekend! We are very much looking forward to a get away with a chance to see the sights. High on my list is a visit to Chadd’s Ford to once again look at the work of NC and Andrew Wyeth in person.

I am also fortunate again to be represented in “The 46th Juried Art Exhibition” at The Fitton Center in Hamilton. Both pieces I submitted were accepted. You may notice that parakeet Petie makes another appearance. The opening is this Saturday from 2-4 with awards at 3. I am happy for my friend Kent Krugh as he won an Honorable Mention for one of his gorgeous photographs. I did not win an award but feel very grateful to be represented. Pictured below are the pieces you can view until May 31. If you have not yet visited The Fitton Center, you should. It is on the river in Hamilton and a beautiful facility that sponsors exciting shows for the entire family. They also offer a wide variety of classes.

I have always admired the work of Leslie Shiels. Her paintings of dogs are so magical it is hard to describe them. I first met her when I was visiting Cincinnati Art Galleries to show my mentor Pam Kirchener some new work. Leslie dropped in that day and we talked briefly. I googled her when I got home and found her work to be amazing. The layers of rich colors just compel you to look deeply into the paintings. It’s not about the dogs, which are wonderful. It is about the positive/negative space balance and the patterns and colors-rich and beautiful. Anyway, I was happy to see she was again displaying her work at Indian Hill this year. She doesn’t normally show her work outside of galleries but Indian Hill is her home.

I overcame my initial reluctance to approach her and went over to re-introduce myself to her. We discussed various things and I finally told her that Pam had become a mentor to me and I miss having her advice to guide me. I mentioned that I was feeling a bit stifled and restless in terms of my work. My paintings have been shown in all of my favorite venues and I have pushed it about as far as I feel I can in this market. I very much appreciate what I have achieved but I think it’s time to do more. I think it’s time to make some kind of move, but, I feel unsure what to do. Leslie replied very quickly, “Get out of town. That’s what Pam would tell you- get out of town.” I asked her to expand and she just said it’s time to move your work to a larger market.  ”Do what you want-it’s your work.”

I mulled that over for a while and started to work the internet for places I could explore. I am a google addict so that was actually kind of fun. Instead of finding galleries to form alliances with I looked for nationally juried shows with themes that seemed appropriate for my style.  I applied to a few shows and the first results are in. I have not been turned down yet! Here are the first results of my 2013 “get out of town” initiative:

“Pop! Goes the Art”- a nationally juried show of contemporary POP art in the Sacramento, CA. area. I have one piece that is featured in this show. It is called “Stella updated her status from ‘in a relationship’ to ‘engaged’.”  It is pictured below. (The tablecloth is made of photos of diamond ring ads) The call for entries asked for commentaries on consumerism and popular culture after the work of Warhol and other 60′s greats.

“EcoCreations” – a nationally juried show in Longmont, Colorado. This is a show featuring work made of repurposed materials at the Longmont Council for the Arts. Longmont is near Boulder and also near where my brother and nephew live with their families. I hope to visit this show before it is over. The piece entitled “Sunday Best” pays homage to my grandmother. It is made of vintage lace and cloth napkins of hers (they were stained) as well as paper from books and catalogues. Pink was her favorite color and the expression “Sunday Best” was one she used when she set the table with the good china. It is pictured below:

There are several other competitions on my list and I hope to attend some of the openings and get a chance to travel a little. I think Pam would be proud of me and I am very grateful to Leslie for the advice to “get out of town.”  Thanks, I needed that.

18" x 36" mixed media

The new year is a time for reflection. It’s a time to organize and set goals. It’s a time to assess the successes and failures of the past year.

Weight loss, fitness and money management are often goals for personal development. Increased marketing, higher production and personnel management might be goals for a small business. Perhaps time for spiritual growth and reflection is an appropriate goal. I don’t know about you, but I have made all of these goals a priority. I work on “small victories” for a month or so, and then drift back into old bad habits. Weight loss slows, shopping increases and a murder mystery takes the place of reading the Bible. What is it about human nature that makes old habits “die hard?”

This year I have but one goal. I want to BE PRESENT. That sounds simple, but, I think it may be the most daunting yet. What makes this a priority for me? I think it has to do with many bad habits I have accumulated.

1. Multi Tasking- In the rush to meet deadlines I usually have several paintings going at the same time. It is an efficient way to work. Sometimes, though, I get an assembly line mentality and don’t focus on one painting from start to finish. I want to change that.

2. Goal setting- It never fails, when there is a special event on the horizon, I feel that I have to lose weight to meet a deadline and wear a specific outfit to the event. It’s usually a wedding, a trip, or family gathering…. never fails. It puts me on the diet roller coaster that causes me to lose for the event and then celebrate when it is over. I am the proverbial diet yo yo. I want to change that.

3. Burn out- Whether it is an exercise regime or art production- I tend to overdo until near collapse, and then burn out and quit for a while. I want to change that… and learn the meaning of moderation.

4. Social media- The need to communicate through artificial media causes me to sometimes reject actual interaction with real people. It is far easier to text someone than call… to view photos on  Facebook is like being there, right? How long will it be before people don’t attend museums any more in favor of viewing paintings on the internet? (I fear that already happens…)

Two stories illustrate these observations.

Once, while on a field trip at the Cincinnati Art Museum, a student saw a Degas sculpture of a ballet dancer. It was small but breathtaking. She was drawn to it by her love of dance. I asked her what she liked about it and she said it was better than things she had seen at the “mall museum.” Upon further conversation I learned she was talking about the store at Kenwood Mall called “The Museum Company.” I explained to her that the items in the mall were imitations and these were actually items made by the REAL ARTISTS. Her reaction was to burst into tears. “You mean that Degas actually TOUCHED this?” was her response.

Last week I was watching TV and happened to land on the station showing the concert for Hurricane Sandy relief. Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones are two of my favorites. I tuned in just in time to see Mick Jagger take the stage. Whether your taste in music includes this iconic band or not, you have to admit that Mick still has “IT.” You cannot deny that he puts on a show and dances like he did when he was much younger. There is even a current hit song titled “Dance Like Jagger.”  He is a testament to forever young.  I guess he is well preserved; who knows how. Anyway, the venue of the concert allowed him to be very very close to the edge of the stage. He could almost touch and be touched by the adoring fans in the front row. Fans had no doubt paid a hefty ticket price for the ability to be that close to him. He tried to make it a night to remember for them. He outstretched his hands in an effort to engage them to dance with him. He moved back and forth along the edge of the stage looking right at the fans and singing directly to them. “Jumpin Jack Flash” never sounded-or looked-so good. What amazed me, and probably Mick, was that NOT ONE PERSON danced with him. They were all so busy with their phones shooting videos and taking pictures of Mick that the moment slipped away. Sure, they have some great photos, photos they could have SEEN ON THE INTERNET, but, THEY COULD HAVE DANCED WITH MICK JAGGER.

I have noticed that sometimes I use a camera to shield myself from actually experiencing events. It is a good/bad thing. It’s nice to have photos… but sometimes your senses are not called into use because you rely on the camera. I WANT TO CHANGE THAT.

So, there you have it, my take on New Year’s Resolutions. I will be present. I will talk to people. I will answer the phone instead of  ”screening.” I will take a break from Facebook and Twitter and focus on my real live friends and not my “friend list.” I will work on one painting from start to finish. I will turn off my email while painting. When I go for a walk I will leave the phone/camera at home. I will use moderation at the gym and enjoy the treadmill… yes, I actually do like exercise. I will refrain from getting into competitive situations with myself that lead me to burn out. And finally, I will try to be present every day when I interact with people, eat and exercise. No more unrealistic goal setting. Just breathe and live…

Sounds good to me. Happy 2013 and may your year be blessed.

Yesterday’s sermon by Dr. Kent focused on looking at this holiday season through the eyes of a child.  He impressed on us the importance of sincerity, honesty and kindness. We were asked to open our hearts like the hearts of children. As often happens, the sermon struck a chord with me.

Again, like last year, I have been struggling to get into the “holiday” spirit. This year has been a particularly difficult one in our home. The continuation of our business is dependent on the economy. The economy has not been kind to us lately. Clients who would normally sign on to projects are much more reluctant than in year’s past. My business is also struggling to survive. Hard times strike  non-essential items from  lists of “must haves.” Much as I hate to admit it, art is not essential to many households. The defeat of our candidate in the presidential election is still fresh in our minds. It remains a very harsh reality to accept. Even the abrupt end of the Red’s season seemed to hit us harder than usual. The lack of a bowl game for my undefeated Buckeye team threatens to ruin my New Year’s Day. Our trip to visit family for Thanksgiving is a wonderful but distant memory.

The passing of my parents has dimmed the holidays for me. Their ever present optimism is missing from my life. When things would seem dark I could always count on my father to shed his light on the subject and help me to see things more clearly. He would help me find a solution to whatever seemed to have me in a corner. His sense of humor carried me through my worries and always brought a smile to my face. They say that time heals all wounds, but, I doubt the hole in my heart left from the passing of my father will ever heal completely. It is due to that wound that I constantly look to the other constants in my family for strength and encouragement. My husband and brother never fail to step up when called upon. That being said, a lovely little child stepped up without even knowing it this holiday and I will forever be grateful.  Here is the “rest of the story.”

As I said, it is now my responsibility to make the cookies. They are pretty good if I do say so. My friends love them not only for their sweetness and almond flavor but the painstaking care I take to decorate them as I would a painting. My biggest fans, however, are my nephews,their wives, and their children. They live in Colorado and Chicago, so, are unable to stop by and enjoy them  in our home. Every year I find a new tin and send a package of cookies to each household. I love to receive texts and photos of the kids, big and small, enjoying the cookies. They rave about the cookies, fight over the cookies, pay attention to the cookies. All the attention ensures that there will be a bigger tin and more cookies next year. This year, however, it is the brief text from Marisa that really made me pause. We had been discussing my gifts to her kids in Chicago. I texted her to let her know what to expect and when it may be delivered. Her reply was short but oh so welcome. She said “You know, you have ruined my kids for the UPS guy. Any delivery, any time of year, my kids think it’s cookies from Aunt Susie. You have made a lasting impression on my kids!”

Wow. The eyes of a child. Talk about a perfect example of the glass half full. Every time you see a brown truck pull up the driveway-it must be cookies. Now there is my family’s optimism LOUD & CLEAR. I needed to be reminded by the youngest members of the family to view the season from the proper vantage point. Thank you Brad and Mia (and Dr. Kent) for reminding Aunt Susie that even the smallest act of kindness has impact, even if it is far away and not immediately visible. Again I am humbled by my blessings and I welcome the new year with all its challenges and gifts. Happy New Year and the very merriest of Christmases to you and yours.

My “green” work is inspired by my love of color and pattern, and, my appreciation of the beautiful catalogs that arrive daily in my mailbox. I love to pour through the paper images and hate to throw them away. About a year ago it occurred to me to incorporate them in my work as additional sources of repeated patterns and levels of color that would be impossible to recreate using only paint. The addition of occasional text is a random bonus. Once in a while a word or phrase finds its way into a painting and that  reinforces the message that I am trying to convey. Sometimes it will inspire a title. The use of these papers serves the purpose of adding color and texture to a painting and supports the composition being developed in a spontaneous way. The flurry of activity that results is a final piece that is active, vibrant and unexpected. I love the fact that I additionally pay homage to the designer who created the patterns of the fashions being advertised and the graphic designers who spend hours putting the images on the pages together. It’s my way of recognizing their work as well as complimenting my own. It is recycling in the best possible way.

Here is my latest piece that will be available Thursday night.