continuing the dialog

As I mentioned earlier, Fran has sent me some of her exquisite stitched masterpieces, most on cloth and some on paper or without a material support. I've been puzzling over them, turning them over, examining both sides. Even the reverse sides of her samples are fascinating.

A friend of mine, "Scottye" Cohen and her husband, Larry, make wonderful art boxes in wood. A few months ago, I commissioned a box from them, with an inner window. I had been drawn to this concept by the art of another friend and accomplished artist, Audrey Phillips. But, unlike Audrey who seemingly whips out creations from highly imaginative worlds, I've been puzzling for months about what to put in the window of the Cohens' box. Since that time, I had ordered some unusual acrylics from a heretofore respected oil paint manufacturer venturing into a new medium. Well, when I spied two of Fran's stitched samples, I found my answer and incorporated the unique acrylic colors.

Here is what I've assembled. I think that this piece is getting close if it isn't already done. As I was painting the box (the overall dimensions of which are about 16" X 40"), I focused on the texture and line evident in two of Fran's stitched works. I kept touching Fran's stitches and glancing over at them from afar as I painted on an easel. I found the "reverse" side of one of Fran's little tapestries far more interesting than the "right" side and have decided to show the "wrong" side instead. For this Gardner-Zalisko collaboration, I was thinking of titling it Tree of Life.

throwing the ball (or fabric) into my court

After seeing Fran's marvelous collaborative pieces, I was prompted to ask her for some of her stitchery, much as she did with my huge linen sketch some months ago. I have the kernel of an idea, and can't shake it! Thanks, Fran, for mailing me those marvelous swatches while I was away and for giving me permission to take these down another road. I will be incorporating her sewn fabrics into my paintings for yet another spin on these mixed media pieces. I can't wait to try this out when I'm next in the studio....

color in different media

An artist colleague, Donne Bitner, recently introduced me to a new surface medium. It is apparently used by sculptors, but Donne recommended applying it to board. It appears to be extremely hard, tougher and less delicate than molding paste, gesso or joint compound. The resulting texture is fascinating. I created a few pieces using this technique, applying layers of acrylic, pencil and graphite atop the hardened surfaces. Here are two examples.















After doodling into these small pieces (they measure no larger than 12" in any one direction), I yearned to return to painting large. Working rapidly, I produced this large acrylic piece: again the jury is still out on whether it is completed, but I think that I'll let it rest for a bit.

Matter(s)

I love interesting words like palindrome (words or phrases that read the same backwards and forwards), or pangram (sentences that use every letter of the alphabet). So, like Pat, I'm being a bit influenced by an odd little book titled, Ella Minnow Pea, by Mark Dunn. I've been using titles for this series of pieces that refer to the ways people communicate, especially through spoken language and my interest has gone further into language itself. If you'll scroll back through the blog, you'll see some works in progress from around mid-summer. Here are these two pieces completed, they are:

Palindrome

and Pangram

In Palindrome, I couldn't decide which way the piece read the best and kept flipping the various parts around to see different views, and with Pangram, it appears that I used every material and technique available, each piece suggests the meaning of each of these quirky little words.

And finally, at long last, here is a piece that originally started with Pat (a large acrylic sketch on linen), I cut it up and stitched on a smaller piece, then I embedded it between two oil panels. A true visual conversation between the two of us. The stitchery is so delicate that it is difficult to see in this picture. Join our blog and send me a message and I'll send you an image that is easier to see in detail. (Not titled yet, but it has something to do with either long distance communication or two-way communication.)

Water

I have been spending some time in, on and near the water this past summer. My colleague Fran and her fellow professor, Lisa, introduced me to an author while in South Carolina. Carol Goodman captures the magic and allure of the sea and large bodies of water. Having completed The Lake of Dead Languages, which Fran loaned to me in June, I wanted to read more of Goodman's work and am now savoring The Seduction of Water. If you enjoy folklore or fairy tales, writing and have some familiarity with NYC and upstate New York (or want to visit there some day), you'll enjoy these novels.



In The Seduction of Water, Goodman weaves a tale about an author and part-time teacher, whose own mother (also an author) told her a bewitching tale about selkies before leaving her when she was ten-years-old. These "seal women" were credited with captivating men with their beauty and voices, transforming themselves between seals and women. So enchanted by her childhood fairytale, I painted To Lure A Selkie yesterday in our studio, but haven't yet decided what more needs to be done. Suggestions, anyone?

Person with a Braid--Cheryl Bogdanowitsch

Here I am once again putting a clay head on a log or branch, this one really seems to go with the log, the face with a singing mouth and the opening in the log. The braid was a lucky find, wish I had more pieces of wood like that.

expanding horizons

I'm newly returned from a workshop (i.e., session with my art coach, Steve Aimone) at New Smyrna Beach, FL's hidden gem: Atlantic Center for the Arts. This workshop focused on moving us yet another step forward in our process. I and eight other artists ventured forward and accepted challenges given us, absorbing the critiques of our colleagues and coach, pushing the envelope.

A few photos of different images from this workshop are attached. Once again, my work is in progress: these pieces may not look like this tomorrow. At one point, midweek and when I was nursing a bad sinus headache, an unknown child whose image had been haunting my dreams for more than two weeks was rendered into a large piece (about 50"). I don't know who she is, but she now exists on canvas...and my dreams of her stopped. After this day, I resumed a more playful method that I most enjoy in painting, incorporating language and iconography that are significant to us, to me and to our common history. A photo of me with the illusive toddler and other symbolic pieces is included here.

I have embraced a new road for myself in creating art. There is something very exciting about positive change.