Skip to main content

That One Tree

      So here we are at the end of summer and I'm ramping up for the upcoming fall shows. This year I'm grateful to have spent the better part of winter and spring in the studio. I had the privilege of having my first gallery show ever, followed by a succession of juried art fairs all over the Midwest. This put me in production mode like I've never seen before! 

     And now? Now that its late summer? And all the mowing, gardening and home maintenance has been the bigger priority? Not to mention the "pole shed project" and the "garden cottage project" (More on both those later). The studio and my art have been, sadly, neglected. 

       It's still there, and it calls to me. Every time I pass it on my way to water the garden or climb on the lawnmower, it calls to me. And yes, sometimes I listen, and turn in to put in some studio time. I mean, a girl can only go so long.

      Besides, it is my work. And no, I haven't retired yet. Far from it.  So I go out and paint. Or draw, or make linocut designs. And in my mind, I go back to that one tree. 


       Here are some different versions of my latest linocut design, entitled "That One Tree"


      What I love about linocut printing is that each print is one of a kind, and can be embellished however I choose. It's all about "what's next?" 




    It's that one tree, where I used to go when I was a child and we lived next to the woods. It was actually just a vacant lot, but to my 8 year old mind it was the vast woods. And in the back of that woods there was that one tree, where I would go to play, pretend, think and pray. I still remember the absolute invincible wonder and peace I felt when I was there. 

   So now as an adult, when I paint, or carve, or draw, I'm going back to that one tree. 

That One Tree is available in my shop, and also at my upcoming shows. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Paint and Palettes

          I’ve always been a lover of paint and paint palettes. I vividly remember the excitement I felt opening that rectangular tin filled with round cakes of watercolor paint in elementary school. I was hooked! From that point on, I have wanted to explore and express within the inviting purity of paint.          In 1988 I had a beach side shop where I hand painted women's clothing. I was using acrylic paint in abundance. One morning I had cleaned my palette off, and had peeled a large colorful piece of variegated and textured acrylic paint from it.  Some friends of mine came into the shop (actually it was my minister and his wife). During our brief conversation, I showed them the peeled up paint and said, “This is too pretty to throw away, but I don’t know what to do with it.” The husband said, “Oh, you should cut it up and make it into jewelry!” We all laughed about it. It was like "Yeah right, I should try ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Winter Work

        Now that my show season is over, it's time for what I lovingly call winter work. Winter work is studio time. It's when I light the fire in the wood stove and sit down at the drawing table and/or easel, both of which are pulled close to the wood stove. It's winter work because when the weather cools off and the leaves fall, the studio is the most inviting place in my life. The warmth of the fire and the smell of the wood and the blank slate on the easel are what inspire and motivate me to work.        At one of my shows I bought this glorious coffee mug from Paige @rockbottomceramics. It sits on top of the woodstove and keeps the coffee warm for hours.  It's a studio staple.     There is purposely a blank canvas on the easel, or in this case, a smooth panel which will eventually be gessoed and painted with an expression of light through leaves. The blank canvas is self care. It's a sign of hope for my future. What will go on ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Up and Running

 Show season is up and running! Next up: One of my favorites, the Crosby Festival of the Arts. It will be held in the beautiful Toledo Botanical Garden June 28-30. I'll be in booth 178 - the Purple Zone- which is where I've been located before.       One thing I love about this event is the location. M y booth is situated close to the herb garden, which is laid out on an inviting pathway, full of life and color. I look forward to taking photos of the gardens, which will eventually find their way into my art. Here's some from last year:      I'm excited to return to the event with my mixed media collage paintings. I've been at work on some new pieces, which will also be available.  Here's a sneak peek at the latest work:        I'm still aiming to capture that path of light through leaves.  I combine paint, papers, ink, wax resist, linocut printing, colored pencils and canvas. My aim is to combine these various ma...
Post a Comment
Read more