"Ponder the visions that have directed your life." - from 'Trust the Process" book by Shaun McNiff

I invite you to ponder with me...

I hope you are happy and fulfilled with your direction in life, too!

No, it isn't always a perfect, well-paved path believe me, but usually the 'ruts' aren't so big that you can't keep cruisin' on.
I have been thankful to fill my days with studio time and therefore have created a nice little artistic career.  As I ponder on that I am grateful to all that got me to this point...you know who you are and there are many!
It has been a busy week here as I prep for two openings this weekend...yes, both in the same weekend.  This Friday evening is the annual open house at my studio from 5-8 pm.  I have cleaned up my studio space and invited the following local artists to share their amazing art with you.  They are  Lauri Beldo, Alysa Diebolt, Jennifer Larrabee, Nancy Neumann, Susan Perrine, Kathy Vincent and Candace Zebell.  The art is hung and placed and the space looks wonderful.
THEN on Saturday night is my opening reception at the beautiful Edgewood Orchard Galleries in Door County, WI.  I have been working all year on pieces specifically for this show and I am just so excited to see it!  Along with my work will be 3 other artists - one being the fun, colorful painter Susan Hale from Cedarburg, WI.  The reception for this show is Saturday evening from 4-7 at Edgewood.
I invite you to join me - what a wonderful art-filled weekend!

"Artists strive to get to the heart of life, to the core of matter, and they are known as much for what they omit from their interpretation of nature as for what they include.  In the creative process, "Seeing" is as important as "doing". - Shaun McNiff - "Trust the Process"

As I prepare and put the finishing touches on a body of work for my upcoming show at Edgewood Orchard Galleries, in Door County, WI  (opening reception is Saturday, August 31 from 5-7pm), I am giving some thought to what I want to 'say' briefly about my art during the artist introductions.

I love the minimalist feel to this body of work.  I love that I can look and study the 'land' (sky, water, fields, forest) for hours or days and then bring those images in my head into my work in a very simplified version.  I don't wish to paint the trees, the sky the water as I see them, I wish to just share an overall feeling of what 'my vision' was.

There!  I think that's it!

                                         

"There is a force within that gives you life.  Seek that" - Rumi

I don't know where I saw this quote, but I LOVE it and I wanted to share it with you today!  My summer has been quite hectic, but all good AND I am sure yours has been busy as well!   Why do we try to 'cram' so much fun into such a short time?
I have spent much of the summer days in my studio this year, and that is just fine!  I have been able to keep the momentum going as long as I took a couple little 'breaks' or 'play days'.  I know as an artist, we need to be very dedicated to our work, but it sometimes is the simple little moments when we aren't painting (like laying in the hammock watching the clouds, hiking or horseback riding through the rugged wilderness that surrounds us, sitting at the beach)....all these moments eventually go full circle and tend to show up in my work usually as color or textural influences.
This weekend I am a featured artist at Bell St. Gallery on Madeline Island and I look forward to the reception on Saturday evening to meet the many collectors that I have in that area, but also, I look forward to taking some time to just 'be' - to 'enjoy that force that gives me life'!
Have a great weekend!
                                                  Drifting   30"x24"

                                              Silence 46"x42"
                                    (both of these available at Bell St. Gallery, Madeline Island, WI)