“Beneath the Surface” is the theme of next series of paintings that I will create for the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. Here is the narrative  that I submitted for the committee:

Robert Wilson Lynd said, “There are two sorts of curiosity- the momentary and the permanent. The momentary is concerned with the odd appearance on the surface of things. The permanent is attracted by the amazing and consecutive life that flows beneath the surface of things.”

Beneath the surface of the Ohio River, as with the human body, there is a life force that is not apparent to the casual viewer. When you skim along the river in a boat, it is hard to imagine the beauty and complexity that is under the water. It is only upon closer examination, after seeing hints of what is below, that you become aware of the ecosystems just beneath you. When you look at the beauty of a water lily you don’t easily imagine the complex and beautiful root system that continues under the water. The lines that intertwine and parallel each other form beautiful compositions. The water pools and moves, creating rhythmic patterns. The fish swim along their way, leaving bubbles and currents that move the water and change the colors. Plant life sways with the movement of the water. Rocks and shells accumulate on the bottom leaving hints of their history.

My series of paintings for the theme “Beneath the Surface” explore what lies under the water- just out of view. It is my hope that beauty is celebrated and captured. I will use fluid paint to recreate the beautiful water effects and hint at the ebb and flow of the water. The lines formed by the root systems of the water lilies will tie the composition together and create visual interest, while letting an occasional flower show above the surface. The rocks and shells will ground the composition with interesting patterns and texture. The occasional fish and wildlife will surprise and engage the viewer.

Here is a snapshot of part of the mural I envision.

mixed media sample

2′ x 6′
mixed media

The mural is finished and ready for the August 9th unveiling! The party is from 4:30-6:30. You are encouraged to attend. The mural consists of: paint,recycled paper and a lot of love. The staff chose the following criteria: more cats than dogs, a prominent cat with a tipped ear, a pit bull, mixed breed dogs, and animals that look like they are smiling. I chose the fence and landscape scene. It suggests home and family as well as the “great outdoors” where many of their animals are found. Hopefully you can come and see the real thing live and in person. The address of the new facility is: 2830 Colerain Avenue. There will be tours and refreshments the day of the unveiling!

Here is a photo of the final piece at the “Unveiling” party

mixed media
16 x 20 

mixed media
18 x 24

 Here is your sneak peek of the two pieces I created for the 2014 Zoofari. I love the theme this year- “Flight of Fancy.”

The theme conjured up  images of creatures I love: parakeets, butterflies, birds of all kinds. This year I decided to keep it close to home rather than go with the exotic. After African flamingos & parrots, and Indian elephants & peacocks the past two years,  I focused on my own garden this year. Cardinals and butterflies are recurrent themes in my work. I love parakeets. My parakeet Petie and my grandmother’s parakeet Pretty Boy were given free reign in their respective households (much to the dismay of my beagle Sophie).  And there’s that fuchsia, trailing down from a hanging basket… I have tried so many times to keep fuchsia alive in my yard. I just don’t have the right place for them to thrive. Maybe it gets too hot here in Cincinnati. Anyway, fuchsia are great subjects and their exotic colors are fun to paint.

Be sure to get your tickets to Zoofari on the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden website. This event sells out fast. You can bid on these new paintings as well as many other items in the Silent Auction the night of the event! Enjoy!

The UCAN mural unveiling and dedication isn’t until August, but, here is a preview of the final work. It will be photographed professionally but I couldn’t resist some shots of different sections. It is 6 feet long and 3 feet high. I can’t tell you how happy I am that it has turned out so well. I think my best word to describe it is joyful. Details will follow for the unveiling party. Until then, here are some of the images  you will see within the mural. And, don’t forget that representatives of UCAN will attend the June Final Friday to sell tiles commemorating a beloved pet as well as auction off my mini mural to raise funds for their important work.

It was such a treat to travel to Chicago to see “Stella” displayed beautifully in the Self Portrait show at Tall Grass. We had a wonderful evening and were happily surprised to see my nephew Andy and his beautiful family at the opening. The next day Cathy and I traveled to the city to explore the Art Institute and view the new wing. Inspiration abounded…I came home filled with motivation and new ideas. The Georgia O’Keeffe pieces were especially moving- the huge piece with clouds really spoke to me. I love “American Gothic” and it’s always fun to see it in person. For a person who doesn’t travel outside my studio much, it was a very special weekend. My “get out of town initiative” was confirmed and reinforced. My horizons are expanding… where will I travel next? Well, that is an easy answer- in 2 weeks I travel to upper Wisconsin to study with Robert Burridge for another of his workshops. After that- who can say? I may surprise you (and myself!) Stay tuned….

Here is a peek at the new work recently delivered for the NICU unit of CCHMC!

It was my pleasure to add 6 new pieces to the 11 works already in the NICU collection of my work. Notice the “critters”-small insects that denote various areas of the unit. They and the spaces are color coded to aid in navigating the rooms and hallways of this large area of the hospital. I hope that my images are uplifting to parents and staff and especially the children who spend time in this caring place.

The United Coalition of Animals (UCAN) has a new facility in Cincinnati on Colerain Avenue. They have hired me to create a mural for the new reception area. Here is a sneak peek of the mural design. This creation is 12″ x 24″- a mini version of the full scale mural, which will be 36″ x 72″. The mural will be installed by August 1st. UCAN representatives will be present at Pendleton Art Center on June 27th for Final Friday on the third floor for a fundraiser. They will be selling small tiles to raise funds for the mural and also to raise awareness of their mission. The tiles can be personalized to memorialize a favorite pet. This mini version of the mural will also be auctioned off to help raise funds. Stay tuned for updates as well as  more views of the mural as it is created.

I am pleased to announce that “Stella by Starlight” has been accepted to a show of self portraits at the Tall Grass Arts Association in Park Forest, IL. The nationally juried show is called “Identity Interpreted and Assumed: Self Portrait.”  It was juried by Ruth Crnkovich, an independent curator. The call for entries stated:

“An all-media juried exhibit exploring the nature of the self portrait as an exploration of identity, whether through direct representation or expressive interpretation. Identity is a fundamental aspect of the human experience, and the self portrait has been a persistent theme in art throughout history. As technology allows for the proliferation of social media profiles, and the creation of “selfies” becomes more common, the tradition of an artist’s self portrait is shifting. This exhibit seeks to explore the psychological, as well as the physical self portrait. The juror will choose works that best represent the ever widening definition of the self portrait.”

When asked to comment on my entry, to further explain it, I simply put, “As I see myself… ” No more needs to be said. I am still the vulnerable and quirky girl in orange, with my sidekick Sophie under the apple tree at all hours, with a bird on my head.

 I am eager to attend the opening and visit to the Chicago Art Museum. I am still working on that “Get out of town initiative.”

24 x 96
4 canvases
each 24 x 24

Teachers are “planners” by nature. I am a teacher as well as an artist. Spending my entire life in one school or another has left an indelible footprint on my daily life. I am a creature of habit. I go to bed at the same time. I wake up at the same time. I eat at the same time. I watch the same TV shows at the same time. I even need to take a break from work at the same time that school used to let out for the day. Living on a rigid schedule for so many years is part of my life. That can be a good thing. My work habits are amazingly disciplined given the fact that I am now the master of my own schedule. I no longer live by a bell schedule or must work on certain days. My summers are no longer “off” and my January is no longer the dreaded long haul of exams and dreary days waiting for spring vacation. Any day can be a snow day and any day can be a day off. However, I still think of my life as a series of short term goals. I plan for art deadlines and shows as if they are assignments and tests that need to be addressed. I’m not sure that’s all bad. I have been told by various gallery owners and curators that I am the most organized artist with whom they have ever dealt. I meet deadlines early and submit lists of my work complete with photos and the proper labels. I dutifully attend openings and wear the appropriate outfit.

Currently I am working on a proposal for a Cancer Care Center. The guidelines request a theme that is uplifting and inspirational for a medical facility that treats cancer patients. I have completed work for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. My work is described as “uplifting” so, no problem, right? You would think this would not be a huge challenge for me. So, why am I having a hard time coming up with a theme? What message would I like to convey in this art? It came to me in an unexpected way.

My latest project is a series of four canvases that are meant to be viewed together. They can either be a large square or a long rectangle. Each is 24 x 24. Each is a season. Spring, summer, fall and winter. Each has a stylized tree as the main focus and the colors are chosen according to my interpretation of the colors of the season. Yesterday when I was applying the cut paper for the fall canvas, the words on a piece of lovely orange and yellow just screamed at me. The words are: “No day but today.” They literally jumped off the paper at me.There’s your sign, as the comedian Bill Engvall would say. That is the theme. It is also the message that a cancer patient would probably like to convey to anyone willing to listen. Live each day. Don’t go overboard planning because you never know what you will be facing tomorrow. Don’t forget to enjoy the snow today because you yearn for the tulips of spring. Make every day count. We hear that a lot, but, do we really internalize it? I know I don’t. I am so busy planning for the show in a month or a trip in the spring that I forget to enjoy each and every day along the way.

January is my new favorite month. I used to dread it. I don’t like driving in snow. I am not too fond of being cold… but, it’s better than being too hot. I love that the pressure of the holidays is past and the constant holiday shows are over. I like the holidays, don’t get me wrong. But, the quiet of a January day when the snow is falling outside is so calming and wonderful. I love to watch the snow and warm myself by the wood stove and curl up on the couch with a book. My dog Greta is also a fan of January. Her bed is back where it belongs, where the Christmas tree was for three weeks. She likes to run in the snow and roll in it and eat it. I have heard that we would all be better off if we could be like our dogs-delighting in small pleasures and making the most of every day.

So, my resolution this year is to refrain from over-planning. I need to add spontaneity to my life. (I almost said, add spontaneity to my list!) I need to follow Greta’s lead and enjoy the day as if there will be no other. As Carmen Ohio, the alma mater of Ohio State, says, “The seasons pass. The years will roll.” Yes, the seasons will pass. Time moves on and so will we. Just take the time to enjoy every moment, friends. I will try if you will. Now that I have my theme, I will keep you posted on the proposal for the Cancer Care Center. I suspect that even if mine is not their final choice, I will have learned a lot from the application process. It has put me on the right track. Now, I think I will go out and walk the dog. Happy New Year!

Last night was the opening of the nationally juried show “Multicultural Expressions of Faith” at the Xavier University Art Gallery. This piece, “and also with you,” was given an Award of Excellence. I was honored to accept the award from XU president, Father Graham. It was a wonderful night and well attended opening. I was pleased to share it with friends. The show displays a wide range of faith-based art incorporating many media and points of view. I was asked to be interviewed for a video documenting the show and several artists represented in the show. The interviewer asked me if most of my art is faith-based. The question made me halt for a minute. While I don’t normally use subjects that are obvious references to religious subject matter, I realized that my art always displays the fact that I live a faith-based life. I told the young videographer (who turned out to be a former student,)  that my work is always faith-based because it demonstrates my belief that life is good. It was a new way of describing my work. He asked me what I would like for people to take away from my work.  I responded that I believe that we live in a world that is abundant. Our world is filled with good people and places of great beauty. I want to display my optimism for all to see.

Our pastor, Dr. Larry Kent,  sums it up best in his Charge & Benediction every week, “Go with Joy, Live in Faith, Believe that Life is Good, and if you find it not, help to make it so, To the Glory of God who made us.” Amen.

Words to live by…