Art Trek: Open Studio June 28-29

'Sometimes, you need the ocean light,
and colors you've never seen before
painted through an evening sky." ~David Whyte, excerpt from Second Sight

Open Studio Tour this month is getting closer; area artist studios will be on tour June 28-29, with a preview party/exhibit on June 27 from 5-8 p.m. at Upstairs Artspace (upstairsartspace.org). I'm still hard at work creating new paintings and sculpture for the event (see post below for more info)and haven't taken a break! With gold, peach, tangerine, aqua, green-golds, pink, lavender and delicate hues, this small oil painting is one that speaks to my heart and soul: it's the essence of the "Esto Perpetua" series I've worked on for over 12 years now: depicting how I see nature: her ethereal, changing spirit. Is it morning or evening? There is no answer, for somewhere it is morning, somewhere it is evening. I painted this one outside, on the front porch, June morning all around.

Art Trek: Open Studio Month

"There is a small opening into the new day which closes the moment you begin your plans. What you can plan is too small for you to live." ~ David Whyte

June arrives dressed in jewel greens, bright flowers. Every day, I'm working on new paintings, this one is 6" x 6" on cradled wood panel: I absolutely love the colors, the captured feel of June herself. On fresh sweet mornings, I paint outside on the front porch of this old house, fish pond trickling nearby, wisteria leaves cascading along the porch eaves, a red geranium attracting hummingbirds...my little brown bat friend roosting up above, the porch swing softly swaying in summer whispers. Later this month I'll open up house/studio for Art Trek: our area open studio tour featuring many artists and craftsmen. Mark your calendar for June 28-29, maps available at Upstairs Artspace. The opening reception is June 27 from 5-8 p.m. All participating artists will have work in the gallery, and most will be on hand that evening.

Art Trek: Open Studio Event!

On April 27-28, I'll also be in the Art Trek Tryon open studio tour: over 35 area artists will be opening studios up and showing art! A gallery show at the Upstairs Artspace featuring participating artists will open with a preview party on April 26 from 5-8 and run through May 25. I'd love to see you!

April: Open Studio & Art Trek

"I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes." ~e.e. cummings ...Spring whispers on April breezes here in the mountains: ready to shuck the vestiges of winter off, I paint outside on those precious sunny afternoons. Soon, it'll be warm enough to work on clay/sculpture projects again. Hyacinths peek out, and of course, I have to bring one or two inside to the kitchen window. I cannot tell you how much those little gifts of nature mean. For the month of April, I'll have open studio Saturdays here at the Art House from 1-3 p.m. Other times by appointment. On April 27-28, I'll also be in the Art Trek Tryon open studio tour: over 35 area artists will be participating. A gallery show at the Upstairs Artspace featuring us will open with a preview party on April 26, from 5-8. Please come!

New Work: The Landscape

"You are standing at the edge of the woods at twilight when something begins to sing, like a waterfall" ~ excerpt from Mary Oliver's poem "You Are Standing At The Edge of the Woods" This painting is a larger piece I've worked on and off with for the past year...letting it sit awhile, then returning. With open studios coming up this weekend, I had hoped to finish it, but realize it's impossible to do everything! Let alone mow, clean, rearrange, and get the house ready for the public. Still, I took a picture of it, and really love the ethereal feel, something that has stayed in the piece all along. Looks very simple, but there are delicate layers upon layers.

The Landscape

This painting is one of a pair just completed. Other paintings, all large works on linen, just returned home from the Theatre Art Galleries High Point exhibit: it's nice to enjoy them all together once again. Hauling such large work is a task! Luckily, artist friends Bill and Anne Jameson of Saluda gave them a ride home--nothing like other artists to help out!

During May, I'll be on the Art Trek Tryon 2012 open studio tour on May 5 and 6 with about 35 other area artists: work from all artists will be on display at the Upstairs Artspace as well, until May 19. Please plan on enjoying this fun-filled weekend of art, artists, and studios! You'll also be able to see my sculpture and paintings at the Tryon Fine Arts Center garden/art event. Several gardens will be on tour as well as an indoor/outdoor art display at TFAC. A most lovely event and a fund-raiser to support a worthy arts organization.

Open Studio Tour: In The Life of an Artist

These photographs are by dear friend and wonderful photographer Elaine Pearsons, from last summer's open studio event with Art Trek. Over 40 artists were on the tour, and it was one of the hottest weekends of the year. Yet, people came out, enjoyed art and visited! I'll be doing it all over again this summer; although my little helper Pooh won't be with me this summer. That silly Shar-Pei boy greeted each and every person who came through the door, and he will be missed by his adoring public! Thank you, Elaine, for sharing your photographs: they capture an essence that is both magical and a Faulkner-esque Southern Gothic feeling!

Art Trek 2010: open studios and gallery exhibit

A successful Art Trek open studio event! Thanks all who came out in the summer heat. The gallery exhibit of all 41 artists who participated will be on display through mid August at Upstairs Artspace. I truly appreciate those who came in my house/studio and loved my work.

“Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.” ~Chinese proverb

New Work

July finds me painting as hard as I can for the second annual Art Trek event: an open studio tour featuring 41 area artists: myself included! Starting with a preview party at the Upstairs Artspace on July 23 from 5-8 p.m., the open studios are Saturday and Sunday. All artists will have work featured at the gallery for six weeks, so if you miss the tour, you'll be able to stop in to see the show! Here's a sample of new work in progress...enjoy.