Utah Sunset

 Last week I  returned from a great trip to Utah for the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Exhibition. My friend, and fellow past WSO President, Jayne and I had a great time viewing the terrific art and meeting old an new friends among the delegates and artists in attendance. The Utah Watercolor Society did a great job of hosting the exhibition, and really made all of us feel welcome and honored.  The above photo was taken from the deck of a beautiful home overlooking Salt Lake City where we had a wonderful welcoming dinner.

As you can see, the view was great!

 Some highlights of the trip…..

The Delegates & Alternates from all Eleven Groups

Dave & Debbie Cook, New Mexico Hosts next year

Jayne & I at the exhibition reception

Salt Lake City Hall

Jamie Wyeth Exhibit - Seven Deadly Sins

Touring Temple Square

The Texas Contingent: Gale Webb, Jim-Bob Swinney, Jonesy McConnell and Bonnie's daughter Dawn

Jim-Bob and his daughter Dawn were there for the presentation of the Bonnie Swinney Memorial Award. Bonnie was the delegate from Lubbock for years, and this is the first time I’ve attended a meeting without her smiling face. She was terribly missed, but I know she was looking down on the whole thing with pride & joy.

I stayed a couple of extra days in Salt Lake with my cousin Lucy & her husband Drew. They were the perfect hosts… and it was fun to see their construction project… a new addition for kitchen and master suite! Lucy & I shared gardening ideas and I got to see first-hand the dedication that goes into her fabulous racing success. Read more about the Intermountain cup and all their biking adventures on their blog.

While in Salt Lake City, I took the opportunity to do some genaology research at the Family History Library. What a fabulous place! Unfortunately, I found answers to some questions… but they only raised other questions. I ruled out some clues that I had found, but didn’t really locate any information on my great-grandparents, who emigrated from Germany. The search continues!

Of course, the best part of any trip is coming home. While I was away, my sweet husband put together my new Greenhouse! The weekend and yesterday we spent time laying weed-block and installing raised beds. The next phase will be building the deer fence, then I can finally plant my garden!

Nice & Dry inside!

Soil for 4 raised beds = BACKACHE!

Curly, Larry & Moe Welcomed me Home

I’m ALMOST glad it’s raining today so I can spend some time getting caught up with paperwork and get into my studio! I hope you can see how rich and wonderful our soil is for the raised beds. It came from the composted manure pile near the barn…. thanks to the first owners of this home who had horses! I hope everyone has a special Memorial Day weekend planned. I will be spending it in the garden

I’ll also include here a sweet picture of the newest member of our flock: Bobbie

Ready to pounce out at the dogs!

Whew! I’m thankful that the end is in sight. We have professional movers scheduled for this Saturday to come haul the heavy stuff over to the new house. I’m so excited to be moving in! We feel very lucky to have sold ourold  home so quickly, and I’m sure  the new owners will be a good fit for the neighborhood and will love raising their family here. They have a 10 yr. old, a 2 yr. old and a 2 month old. Nineteen years ago this December, we moved into this house with a 2 yr. old and 9 mo. old twins. There is still a small mountain of clutter in the garage, but I’m feeling pretty good about the state of the house. I took all the artwork down yesterday and it looks so bare! Just a subtle hint that you need more original art in your home!

Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving! We are full of thanks for all the bounty and looking forward to sharing with family and friends.

Michele, Jeanie and 'Walter' at Cascade Head

The edge of the earth

Scent of the fir trees

My outdoor experiences this month have been tempting me to become a landscape painter. I have been in a bit of a holding pattern with my artwork. Not doing anything in the studio has its frustrations, but it also gives one time for reflection about what really moves you. This month, I have been totally moved by the beauty of the landscapes I’ve been immersed in. They inspire feelings of peace, energy, curiosity, appreciation and so much more. Writing about these inspirations is frustrating… I’d so much rather try to paint them.

I am looking forward to experiments with some of these ideas when I can finally reclaim my studio. Only a week or two left of sharing with my college-aged daughter. I can hardly walk in there right now. Grr. And hopefully by next summer we will be settled in a place where we can each have plenty of room. Thinking about moving to acreage has also fed my hunger for the land. I grew up on a farm in the Willamette Valley, and I am so nostalgic and lonesome for views like this:

I enjoyed the coast trip so much…. had a chance to visit a great gallery in Pacific City where I saw inspiring work by Michael Schlicting, William Park, and Deborah DeWit-Marchant. Today I will get more inspiration… I’m heading to my critique group, Splash. Nothing new to show, but I’m always fed by communing with other artists.

This morning I missed my dental appointment (I totally forgot!) but I did get to snag my first Etsy Treasury! Take a look and let me know what you think! I called it “Very Cherry” and included some of my favorite finds.

Oregon Poet Laureate Lawson Inada

I got an email tonight about the opening reception of the “Perceptions of the Past” exhibit. Apparently we made the local news. Here is a link to the video about the exhibit on The Daily Courier’s Website.  My painting is the first image shown in the video The exhibit is set to travel to Central Oregon Community College in Bend for October & November.

I loved visiting Grants Pass… the curators made us (the artists & writers) feel so special. And it was inspiring to hear the readings of Lawson Inada and Carlos Reyes. I also enjoyed meeting JS Bird and Bruce Bayard. I had been hoping to meet Sherry Wolf or my author, Lauren Kessler, but they weren’t able to make the opening reception.

Melinda Thorsnes and her Painting

 Melinda and I had a great time ‘pillaging’ Grants Pass. She is not only a terrific artist, but has a wicked sense of humor and makes a great roomate/travel companion!

Some of the many beautiful shorebirds

I had a wonderful weekend in Newport Oregon last weekend. My husband and I along with my sister & her husband went for the Seafood & Wine Festival. We ended up just having our own little food & wine fest at the house, cooking and tasting and watching movies, which was much better than standing in line and paying for small tastes. The weather cooperated for walks on the beach every day, which were so soothing and inspiring!

Our first night we had the most glorious sunset

My sister & I did a bit of shopping, including stopping in for an opening along with wine tasting and live music at 9th Street Gallery. Such fun! I love Katie & David’s whimsical taste. And the wines by Lumos wine company were delicious… I especially liked the dry Gewurztraminer.

The show is called Perceptions of the Past and is sponsored by Rogue Community College’s Firehouse Gallery. It sounded so interesting that I thought I should do it. The premise is, 13 professional writers were given historic photographs and asked to write descriptions.  Then 13 artists were mailed the written descriptions and asked to paint an image inspired by the written description (without access to the actual photo).

This sounded fascinating and challenging. I love to work from imagination, and I like things relating to the past. The fact that this exhibit is meant to help celebrate Oregon’s Sesquicentennial also attracted me. I’m a third generation Oregonian. But, faced with a description by talented author Lauren Kessler, I found myself wondering what in the world I was going to do!

I find that the work I’ve come up with doesn’t really look to me like my work. I want to tell people who see the exhibit, “I’m better than this, really!” Couple that with the fact that many of the other artists participating are heros of mine and it all adds up to a big feeling of inadequacy. Maybe I should try to do another one. It is due March 6. But I have a daughter home from college with the flu, a friend coming from Seattle on Wednesday night, and a Japanese exchange student coming on Friday for the weekend. Yikes!

The exhibit runs May 20 and through June 27.

Participating artists are Melinda Thorsnes, Phyllis Yes, Royal Nebeker, J.S.Bird, Frederick James, Bruce Bayard, Judy Hoiness, Annette Gurdjian, Sherrie Wolf, Ruth Armitage, Kirk Lybecker, Ellen Dittebrandt and Lorna Nakell.

Participating writers were Walt Curtis, Carlos Reyes, Lawson Inada, Kim Stafford, Vern Rutsala, David Snell, Floyd Skloot, F.A. Nettelbeck, Monica Drake, Marc Acito, Robert McDowell, Lauren Kessler and Alison Clement.

Although Michele Joseph is not my most prolific collector (she owns three of my paintings), I wanted to profile her in order to break the stereotype that only attorneys and doctors and those with lots of disposable income have the ability to collect art.

I met Michele through my sister, Jeanie, and she has become a close friend. After I finished painting today, I visited her at her home in Lake Oswego to photograph some of her beautiful decor and interview her. Michele does Floral, Interior and Garden Design, supplementing these with a house-cleaning business and painting (walls).  When I had my back surgery this fall, it was lucky for me that Michele had found a recent painting that she needed for her collection. She was able to finish up a lot of the painting upstairs, and I hate to admit how much of my holiday decorating resulted from her handiwork and ideas.

'Forest Edge' framed without glass and floated

When Michele first viewed my art, I noticed the passionate, determined way that she admired it, and set about looking for a way that she could acquire it. Her enthusiasm and desire were contagious, and she found a way that worked for both of us. Our first transaction involved both cash and trade. In exchange for a downpayment plus several weeks of house-cleaning (which was desperately needed here) plus some furniture refinishing, Michele acquired “Two Together”.

Michele with "Two Together" in her Living Room

Today, I asked Michele: “When did you first become interested in art?”

Michele: I’ve always been interested in art, since I was a teen. I’ve always had friends that have been creative people and artists. I had a friend when I lived at the coast who did scrimshaw and painted. His mother was a big influence on me and taught me about different types of art; she was a collector.  After High School I traded with quite a few different artists, doing macrame. In that era I think people had more time and were more willing to help each other. In my early 20′s I worked at Thelma Pearson’s art gallery at the coast. I’ve also worked at a frame shop and I’ve volunteered at the Portland Art Museum Rental Sales Gallery more recently.

Question: As a Designer, what do you think original art does for a home?

Michele: Art is the best way to express someone’s personal style. Because art appreciation is such an individual thing… those who purchase it really love it, so it is a way to express yourself in your home. For instance, I like to travel. I’ve collected art in Italy, Warsaw, Mexico…. small paintings, weavings, carvings, things that were easy to bring home. I’m discriminating. I don’t just love or buy everything. But when I really love something, I try to find a way to have it. But I believe in the law of attraction, too. Visualization is a powerful tool. I’m a networker. I will find a way to get it or find someone to help me get it if I really want it. I’ve bartered for hair services, gym membership, acupuncture, massage, furniture, housing… you name it.

To illustrate what a special person Michele is, let’s just say she is one of the handful of people that Lola (studio dog) just adores! Lola was so excited to visit Michele today

Lola & Michele, One of my earlier still life paintings in the background

If you’re one of my collectors who would like to be profiled on this blog, just leave me a comment! I think it could be a fun series of posts. And if you are looking for some help with floral design, decor or just household cleaning or maintenance, drop Michele a line: mlj (underscore) designconsultant (@) yahoo.com (remove spaces & parenthesis for email) Most of all, if you see a piece of art you love, feel free to talk to the artist or gallery about ways that you might acquire it. Most artists are happy to work with collectors to arrange payment plans, barter or find other ways to help you get their work in your hands. After all, connecting with the viewer is what it’s all about.

She was beautiful... Even with a Tear

One would think that I wouldn’t have had any trouble staying in a positive frame of mind today. The sun was out, and it felt positively spring-like! My crocus popped their heads up this morning on the east side of the house. Such a wonderful harbinger of the coming warmth.  I took a few minutes this morning to watch ‘The Red Balloon’ on Netflix. I have vivid memories of watching this beautiful film in high school. Our French teacher, Madame Tellvik, thought it would be a good introduction to the life of a french school-boy. The color in this film is a palpable memory, but the ending was a pleasant surprise. I had forgotten how uplifting the message was.

The hard part of the day was dealing with the negative thoughts that creep in… when someone dissappointed me, when things didn’t go my way… when I wished someone had considered how I felt,  I tried very purposefully to remember the end of the movie this morning…. that even when the joy of the red balloon was gone, there was even more joy in store for the hero of the tale. I have been thinking of this mostly because I deal with a few people who are not positive, and it can become annoying, reminding them to keep it in perspective, listening to their constant saga. All I needed was a red balloon, following me

Another bright note was the opening of the 100 artists show at Mary Lou Zeek Gallery. My husband & I had been pouring over the images of the altered books all weekend…. picking our favorites. Last year I was one of the first to bid on a piece… one of my favorite artists, Jed Thomas. I have enjoyed that painting so much…. And I’ve been debating back and forth if I needed a piece from this year’s show. I held off calling until almost 12:30…. but finally gave in. When I found out my favorite (Chris Giffin) was still available, I caved My husband & I decided to give it to each other for Valentine’s Day.

I don’t want anyone to think that I can just go around buying art whenever I feel like it. This is always a significant investment for me. We don’t take annual expensive vacations, etc. While we are not suffering financial hardships, we also still have to prioritize our spending. For me, art is a valuable investment. I feel so lucky to be able to afford it!

I had lots of little errands/busy work to do today. But I also finished my assemblage… or if you will, my found object collage. I used an image of my grandmother from the 20′s, an old brownie camera, an old seed/fertilizer spreader, handkerchief, a light bulb, feathers, lights, bits of slide film and paint. The piece lights up from inside, illuminating a tear in her eye when lit. Also, I added fibers of light inside the bulb which can be switched on seperately. It was difficult to photograph… wish I was better at that.

I dropped off my print rack in Beaverton for the Arts Commission Showcase this weekend…. made flight reservations for the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies show in San Diego coming up in May…. picked up the keys to my husband’s truck (he got the brakes redone)…etc. Lots of running around.

A Closer View... It's hard to see that the light is on

I really enjoyed my book club meeting tonight… great discussion of the book Dirt Music by Tim Winton. Maybe I was a little hard on it…. His writing was beautiful, I just thought the characters were all so flawed. And the male perspective of a male dominated society…. well. I may have a few prejudices about Aussie males, let’s just say.

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…