UAG Goodtime Revival Show - An Artistic Resurrection

So this is fun! I got an email three weeks ago from the Upstate Artists Guild (UAG) saying they were looking to past members for a pop up art exhibit for the month of October. Always a last minute kind of gal, I thought. "Heck yeah". I'm pretty excited to be part of this show. I always found the UAG members to be such an interesting group of artists creating really interesting and often unusual art. And I miss these folks! 

So the UAG is holding The Goodtime Revival Show! held at the Art Associates Gallery, 21 Railroad Avenue, Albany. I dropped these two paintings off yesterday for the show. Both mixed media pieces were created this year and vary quite a bit from what I usually do.

 1) How My Garden Grows  2) Summer Burst 

COVID-19 restrictions are in place for everyone's safety. So there will be a limited number of people (25) n the gallery at any one time, face masks are required and the opening reception will not include food and drink. It will still be a great time because any time you can look at art and be inspired is, IMO a great time. 

The 100 Day Project 2020

This year when #the100dayproject came around in the beginning of April, I was struggling like everyone else trying to learn how to navigate life in the midst of a pandemic. My home state of New York was the epicenter...not an honor one would flaunt. The last thing I felt like was beginning a creative endeavor. However, I also saw this as an opportunity and named my project #100daysofserenity. Absurd I know.

So for 100 days I really tried to create something that felt serene to me. What I learned (again) is that it's the process, the practice that gives us moments of serenity. These are some screen shots from Instagram where I posted my project. It's a great global community I have to say. If you are on Instagram, give it a look. There were so many amazing people posting for this challenge.

#the100dayproject

In the Introduction, Mary Gabriel states wherever there is art, there is hope ...and that our own troubled world is sorely lacking in the nutrients that art provides. She quotes Albert Camus, “In the world of condemnation to death which is ours, artists bear witness to that in man which refuses to die.” 

Written long before we were all dealing with the pandemic but screaming back at me now from these pages, I hear the call. Each of us will answer it differently. Doing whatever we can for each other, being generous and kind, caring hugely so that the majority of us come through this and work together to rebuild our lives. I pray for those suffering, I mourn for those lives already lost (especially dear Diana) and I’m grateful to all those working so continually for the common good. 

My offering to you is art to feed your soul, soothe your aching heart and give you a moment of respite amidst all you are dealing with right now. Even better, I encourage you to make your own art, to create from your inner most place something that helps you deal with the challenges. Something that reminds you of all the love and goodness that exists in the world and how strong the human spirit is. 

Surprise More River Rocks!

Or not so surprised...Just when I thought I'd take a break from painting river rocks, I decided to finish this large one I started quite a while ago. This is the largest river rock painting I've created at 30"x 22" - a full sized sheet of watercolor paper. It was a very meditative kind of painting to work on and I enjoyed it fully. Here is the progression through photographs. 

The final painting awaiting a snappy title. 

A New Year, A New Decade

2020 is here and I welcome the new year! I'm wondering what kind of new adventures await us. My New Year's Day Tarot reading didn't provide any immediate clues this year, but sometimes one just has to sit with a reading and contemplate. All in good time, right? I'm thinking specifically about what direction I want to take with my art this year.

I've been dreaming about mystical landscapes lately and that might be something to explore. I'm not usually a landscape painter, but hey you never know where the muse will lead you. The one thing I know for sure is that my inspiration is still very heavily tied to nature and all the beauty to be seen in our natural world.

May your new year be filled with joy and wonder, new adventures and beauty to discover wherever you wander.