Art Is Truth

Karen Appleton's Beautiful Oil Painting

You can see more of Karen’s work at www.karenappleton.blogspot.com Thanks to Pia at blog.piajanebijkerk.com/WordPress/ for turning me on to her work!

We (my family & I) were given the gift of good news today. The first screening of the lymph nodes from my mom’s lumpectomy showed no signs of cancer! The doctor thought the margins looked adequate, but wants to consult with the radiologist before she says for sure. We still have to wait for one more screening on the lymph nodes before we know for sure, but it looks like this cancer is slow growing and non-agressive so far.

I’ve also been thinking about gifts as I read a column by Kira Higgs called “The Ultimate Gift in a Time of Crisis” in Monday’s Oregonian . See the full article Here. Kira is a board member of the Northwest Business Council for the Arts and she writes about art and the financial meltdown:

“Through millennia, humans have faced crises. Artists of the time responded by painting, composing, dancing, writing and sculpting works of profound wisdom and beauty. They gave form to qualities reserved in the depths of one’s being. Their resulting bodies of work illuminate ageless truths, not the least of which is the unique role we each play in the story of humankind.”

I just got off the phone with an artist friend who is struggling with getting paid for work sold through a Portland gallery. During this time of strained finances for everyone, why must the artists always be the last ones compensated, especially when art can be our most comforting and healing medium?

I was also thinking about gifts after viewing this YouTube video about Advent… It is a sobering thought which really changes your perspective on what’s important. Enjoy! Then go out & make a gift to someone… your time, your company, your talent…

Whew! I started a post last week about my workshop in Bend at the Arts Station… Somehow amidst the updating of my server I think it vanished into the ether. Weird, as I saw it up for a while, but now it has disappeared!

So…. here we go again! I had a great time! Thank you to those who took the class, and a special shout out to Jacqueline ( my assistant) and Cindy (my generous hostess). It was so nice, after the treacherous drive over the mountains, to be welcomed into Cindy & her husband Vaughan’s beautiful home. I had the most plush accomodations and we discovered that we had a lot in common! Here is a snapshot of the view from my balcony (I felt like Juliet!)

My students worked so diligently, they got through 5 days of material in just 3 (THREE!) days. I was so proud of their accomplishments… I just have to share:

Sarah & her Golfing Series

Golfers taking on new Shapes!

Jacqueline & her Cool Chicks

Gayle & her Tahitian Bather

Cindy Painted such beautiful images of her Daughter

Gail came all the way from Vancouver, WA & did this great Line Painting

Helen Found out she is in Love with Pattern!

I don’t know what happened to my images of Jennifer’s work! She was the best example in the class…. a person who had not painted more than 3 times, and she came up with some fabulous paintings! I hope she will continue… I think she made some good contacts for local classes. And I didn’t seem to get any of Lisa’s work It is always so rushed at the end of class… I should work on taking more pictures through the week.

If you were in the class, I would love it if you could post a review on Teach Street (Please?)…. here

On a more personal note: My mom is doing well after her lumpectomy on Thursday. She came home that day, and didn’t even need to take any pain medication. I spent the night with her that night, changing ice packs, etc. Now we just have to wait for the pathology reports to come back on whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. I was shocked at how large the mass was that they removed!

Our son Tim came home from college this weekend… It was fun to see him, and very helpful to have him home. He cleaned the gutters, raked leaves, etc. Marc has been out of commission all weekend with his disc problem in his neck. He had a steroid injection on Friday (I’ve spent a lot of time in Dr’s offices lately!) He was to stay quiet all weekend, which was difficult with the side effects from the steroids… hot flashes, irritability, restlessness. Poor guy. At least we got to watch a great Football game with the Beavers playing Cal! Go Beavers! I’m getting excited for the OSU/UofO game coming up! We have tickets & can’t wait!

Today I’m framing work to take to Riversea Gallery in Astoria. I started this project before I left… but got held up with preparations for the work I have at MirrorPond Gallery in Bend. Sadly this will be one of their last months of operation as a gallery… something about tax status… So if you are in the area, check out the National Watercolor & Pastel show that I juried and my work hanging there!

OK… I think that just about sums up my last couple of weeks! I’ll be trying to update more regularly in the next couple of weeks….

Ruth

Erin & Amelia aka Vegas Girl & Bo Peep

This was taken last weekend at my sister’s ‘Braun-Fire’ party… Aren’t they adorable? And doesn’t Lola make a great little lamb? I know the eyes are a little scary…. I’m looking forward to seeing all the neighborhood ghouls and goblins tonight…

The funniest thing happened getting ready for this party… I was getting myself up in the most outrageous gypsy garb I could find, makeup etc.  I really get into dressing up! Amelia marvelled that I was so unconcerned with what people would think and she then came to the funniest Ameliaesque conclusion:

“Well I guess” she says “Once you are married, people don’t judge you.”

Can you fathom? Are you howling with laughter? I told my sister and we have been using it as our motto ever since. This week when we went to the surgeon’s appt. for mom I was complaining about something or worrying, etc. and without cracking a smile she says to me… “Don’t worry, you’re married! People won’t judge you!”

I guess the only judgements I really worry about are the ones I trust… my mom, God, my husband, my sisters, my bffs. I wish I had a picture of my outfit… I was the one taking them all! 

My mom says she thinks I enjoy Halloween so much because of all the fun my sisters & I had playing dress up as kids. We did spend hours dressing up, putting on shows, our house even had a built in type of stage. Mom saved everything (that’s probably where I got it!) including lots of fabulous old gowns, petticoats, jackets (so one of us could be the boy) shoes… and we kept it all in an attic with a short troll-sized door. 

One year she outfitted the attic with a carpet and a trunk for all our accoutrements. To this day, a light-bulb powered by a pull-string takes me to that wonderful, musty, dim and creative playground.

I hope you have a chance to dress up this year, if only for yourself or the trick-or-treaters! It’s wonderful, creative fun!

I spent today visiting my mother & going to an appointment with her to consult with a surgeon about her recent diagnosis of breast cancer. It seems so unreal to write that.

We learned that although the tumor appears to be small, the type of cancer she has is invasive and her case may be complicated. We will know more after she has surgery and her lymph nodes are tested to see if the cancer cells have spread. She will have to choose between a lumpectomy with 6-8 weeks of radiation therapy or a total mastectomy.  At this point she is leaning towards the lumpectomy & radiation.

I liked her surgeon very much, and she encouraged my sisters & I to join the Army of Women, led by Dr. Susan Love. I joined tonight, and hope that if you are a woman, you will look at the site: www.armyofwomen.org Their goal is to get one million women to volunteer.  Doing research using real women, regardless of their cancer status, to try to find a way to prevent breast cancer, move beyond the cure.

wishing you good health…

Ruth

Working in Watercolor

I spent the better part of the day today at Mary Lou Zeek’s Gallery in Salem.  My part of Edward Hopper’s “Cape Cod Morning” is now complete. It was nice to see a few patrons come by and to enjoy the company of the great gallery girls It was a good day to focus on art given the state of the stock market… ugh. Especially being surrounded by all the inspiring art In the background of the above image is a painting by Mark Clarke.  Love his work!

 It was nice and sunny by the time I left, and we had opened the door of the gallery, letting in the crisp, cool air. I also had a chance to connect with my daughter for lunch. She is a freshman at Willamette University, and had all kinds of fun college stories to relate I’m looking forward to Parent’s weekend in a couple of weeks!  Here’s a pic of me with my pup Lola and the finished section: mine is on the top 1/3 of the painting on the left… I painted in watercolor on paper, mounted the paper on the panel and sealed it with Cold Wax Medium.  I will post a pic of the completed work, but if you’d like more frequent updates, you can check the gallery website above.

Me, Lola and the Collaboration

Heidi, originally uploaded by Artistruth.

I am getting geared up for my next project for the Mary Lou Zeek gallery… another 100 Artists show. This time we are altering books. My book, shown above, is Heidi! I have been mulling over what I’d like to do… so many ideas and only one project. I like the process of brainstorming… coming up with many many wilde ideas, then sorting through to find which suits best. Linus Pauling said, “to have a good idea, have lots of ideas.” A wise motto for science or for creativity!

Here are a couple of other shots of the book… as it was mailed to me!

This year’s show benefits Friends of Pimpollo, a non-profit organization that works to educate disenfranchised youth in Mexico and the Willamette Valley.  I like the subtitle: “Inside Out”. May do something along that line… or I may go with something about my book: Heidi.

I’ve survived a whole week of post-surgical recuperation… I seem to be feeling better every day.  Yesterday I went for a walk for the first time.  It was a beautiful fall morning… warm, breezy, fluffy black clouds scuttling by :)  Fall is one of my most energized times and it has been really tough to stay indoors, stay home, rest and recuperate.

Thanks to everyone who has sent messages, flowers, cards, gifties etc. I have been really touched by how many people have reached out with a phone call or an offer to help.  I’ll leave you with a great pic of my newest treasure, sent by a friend who paints walls for a living and makes great music as an avocation, Brad.

I washed it up and spent a few nostalgic minutes dialing all the numbers I still have memorized from growing up… my mom’s, our neighbors, my grandmother’s….

One of the only nice things about being laid up after surgery is the chance to do more reading. While I was in the hospital I had a chance to finish Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson. It was the type of book that rarely comes along for me. Usually I find myself racig through a plot, immersed in the characters, anxious to reach the climax of the story.

This book, however, started out with the climax. It was the type of book that made me want to limit myself to two or three pages per sitting, so that it would last longer. I wanted it to be an everlasting gobstopper.  The language was so beautiful, and so thought provoking. I have a passage marked to share, but of course I immediately loaned it to my sister, so I can’t look it up right now. A short but very good read, with a fascinating ending.

2005's Face the Public Completed: Grant Wood's "American Gothic"

I delivered a painting to Mary Lou Zeek’s gallery in Salem today in preparation for the fourth “Face the Public” event coming up next month.  Twelve Oregon artists will each spend a day in the gallery painting a section of a canvas to recreate Edward Hopper’s famous “Cape Cod Morning” painting. The finished piece will be sold and the proceeds put in an Artists-in-Need-Fund. Each artist will paint in their own style and with their own medium. In addition, the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery will feature a collaborative showing of paintings by each of the twelve artists during the month of October.

ARTISTS: Ruth Armitage, Jane Aukshunas, Christopher Bibby, Mark Clarke, Deborah DeWit-Marchant, John Kime, Kristin Kuhns, Jeanne Levaseur, Tracy MacEwan, Sue-Del McCulloch, Robert Schlegel & Jed Thomas

The goals of this show are to shed new light on a familiar piece of art, to build a collaboration between twelve extremely talented artists and to have those artists “Face the Public”.

Last year we re-created Magritte’s “Son of Man” and the year before we did “Mona Lisa”.  Each year the finished painting is sold and the proceeds are put into a fund for artists in need because of health or other emergencies.  I’m always excited to contribute to something that benefits artists!

I’m also excited to be working on an Edward Hopper painting… he’s one of my favorites.  AND, my research into family history has shown that I am related to him!  He was my sixth cousin twice removed.  I was so excited when I found the button on Ancestry.com that said “find famous relatives”.  It is like a giant puzzle, only more meaningful.

This year I’m a bit worried about the schedule.  I may have to switch my day with my friend Jane Aukshunas… I am going in for back surgery on Monday morning. :(  I have been putting it off, but it is not getting better on its own, and I cannot feel my feet.  I don’t want to walk like an old lady (which I am currently) so I’m off to get it fixed.  Hopefully my recuperation will be short and I’ll be able to make it in to the gallery on October 10. 

Click here for a schedule of the month on Mary Lou’s website.   I will post a message after my surgery as we get closer to tell you if I have to postpone my date or not.  Hopefully not!  But be sure to stop in the gallery and see the work as it progresses!  Each artist has a painting exhibited as well. Mine is from the “Bluebird” series.

 

2006 "There's Our Mona"

 

 

 

 

 

2007 Magritte's "Son of Man"

bluebird, originally uploaded by Artistruth.

First, the good news: Bluebird was accepted into the Northwest Watercolor Society’s “Waterworks” show, coming up in October/November in Bellevue, Washington. I’m honored to be one of 10 artists from Oregon that were accepted! The juror was Betsy Dillard Stroud. It is nice because my neighbor, Chris Stubbs, and I will be able to drive our paintings, rather than ship them, which can be expensive.

The show will be held at New Dimensions Gallery October 28 through the first week of December.  Stop in if you are in the area! There is an opening reception on October 30 from 6-8 p.m.

The bad news is, my entry for the Watercolor Society of Oregon was not accepted. Oh well… I guess you can’t be greedy! Image of my WSO entry is below:

P9060029, originally uploaded by Artistruth.

I love this little face! I’ve been busy this past weekend watching my little godson.. Such a joy! He is 18 months of pure happiness. Learning to talk, curious about everything and nearly always happy.

We hosted Christian while his mom & dad took a much needed trip to rejuvenate. I knew it would be intense, but I had forgotten how tiring it is. How did I ever add twins to the equation?

We took long walks, played with the dogs, watered the garden:

Getting Wet!

Lying around on Tim’s bearskin rug:

He learned my son’s name & would wander around the house calling “Tim”!

He loved hanging out in the teenage disaster zone of Tim’s room!

Christian with "Auntie Ruth" & Lola in the background

After the 3 day weekend I felt like saying “Hiii YA!” (Christian’s favorite phrase)… I did it!

But I really should say WE did it… I had so much help from Tim, my husband Marc & even my oldest, Erin, who came home to help & share the fun.  Why did I need so much help?  Well… I foolishly started stripping wallpaper in Amelia’s bedroom… even though I’ve been having back trouble all summer.  That was the straw that broke the camel’s back I guess.

Now I have a herniated disc in my lower back, and I couldn’t risk making it worse.  As it is I am probably going to need surgery on it in the next couple of weeks.  Does anyone have experience with going through this?  Did you do surgery or not?  What was the result?  Just an informal poll. “All part of Life’s Rich Pageantry” as my friend Michele would say.  Thank goodness she is coming today to help finish the wallpaper stripping or my patience would really be frayed.  Once I start a project, I really want to see forward progress until it is finished.  OK… better go get ready for the day!

I have my trade day with Odette: She gets a painting lesson & I get a massage! I am so proud of her progress with her art!