My OH my, how time flies.  I cannot believe it has been two years since my last post on my Blog.
So much has happened and I never seemed to have enough time to record the art related events, successes etc.

I have finally just retired and am committed to focusing on my art making and art learning and reconnecting with my creativity.

So I will begin by saying that I really am committed to making art that can be used to support a cause that I am passionate about.  In particular, I support the  Greater Illinois Chapter of Alzheimers Association.  Every year for the last 5 years I have participated in Unforgettable ART, live paint event with 40 other artists with a live auction aat the end of 7 hours of painting.

Whenever an opportunity comes up to create art for causes such as this or food pantry fundraisers, I participate.

I continue to be a member (and Vice President) of the Midwest Collage Society and exhibit with the group whenever possible.

This piece called RADIANCE is currently on exhibit at the Wasco Nursery and Garden Center in St Charles, Illinois.

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Snowed in at my mother's home in Philadelphia

I am snowed in.  Mother and I will keep warm and hope that the power  does not go out.

Year 3 for painting live with Unforgettable ART

This is the third year I was one of 50 artists painting from 12 - 7:30 pm on  May 3 to complete a painting for the auction.  It is an event that is exciting, frightening, challenging and in the end gratifying when your art is sold and you are instrumental in helping raise money  for Alzheimers research.

My painting was starting off very poorly in several shades of green, then flora was added. However, my heart wasn't in painting a floral. I felt depressed briefly.  How was I to transform the hideous green monster to something that would be pleasing to the eye.  I really wanted to paint  an abstract.

The deciding moment came when I opted to white wash the whole thing using a rectangular sponge (not a paint brush) and some Titanium Buff.  It allowed me to use physical energy to obliterate the green mess.  The wash allowed some of the base to come through and suddently I could feel that there was potential in the painting.  I risked a little but using some gold paint and before I knew it, the composition was coming along and was much more pleasing to me and even ro some observers who were walking around.  There is nothing like a compliment to give you courage to keep at it.

The end result was a piece I could feel at least somewhat proud of.

Works on small substrates

Lately I have been working small. The bottom piece is currently in a show at the Union Street Gallery.  The whole show is works on small scale, less than 12 X 12.  Small works can make a big impact.  It surprised me.  I keep trying to push myself to painting larger and larger and yet my focus has always been working small.  Perhaps it is because I thing it is risky to work large?? Time to rethink that limiting idea.

So, in addition to my art cards I am building a series of small pieces and am thinking of my next show in 2015.

Several Shows Coming Up

I am in the process of getting my work into some local shows.  Each year I exhibit at the Addison Art Guild shows and all of the Midwest Collage Society Shows.  I currently have 2 collage paintings at Orchard Church on display.  Next month I hope to  participate in the  Earth Day Artifacts Show at the Culturestock book store in Aurora, Illinois.  It takes quite a bit of coordinating, documenting and photographing to be ready when the opportunity presents itself.  My collage painting, Mystery Mandala won an award last fall and is currently at the Orchard Community Church.

Working with scraps.

Shades of Green

I have been sorting through my large stash of papers in search of some good greens.  I am also staining some papers to create unique shades of green.  I will be putting together some art cards for St Patricks Day.  It is always a challenge to come up with a new design.  Yet, it is a meditation.  I focus on the task of combining, sorting  and forget everything else.

Making small compositions

I sometimes have just a few minutes to compose a card.  Looking through the stash of hand made papers and other ephemera I delight in  placing afew together.  When I am pleased with an arrangement, I glue it together and voila, I have a card.  One of a kind. Original and made in USA.
I am most grateful for my facebook friends who saw my work and loved it enough to purchase a few. Thank you and wishing all a Happy Valentine's Day.  Be blessed with LOVE.

Having fun with papers.

I have a large stash of painted papers.  Sorting, selecting, combining, arranging, revising, and gluing when it seems to feel perfect.
I have created 21 cards this week so far.  10 have sold.

Love

I am working in the studio these days creating some art cards suitable for Valentine's Day.  Of course a card with a heart could be sent at any time of the year.  I can think of many: birthdays of special people in your life, anniversaries, weddings, sympathy, etc. or

just because you wish to express your love for anyone.

Solar Power

This is a recent collage painting on canvas. Love working with the many shades of red.

Nature Mandala

This mixed media collage was created from an assortment of items included in a brown bag during the annual Midwest Collage Society retreat in Milford, Indiana ( Sept 19-23,20120).  One of our traditions is to provide each participant with a brown bag of miscellaneous items and they create a work of collage art.  The items I chose from my brown bag were: a variety of papers, bamboo sticks, a gingko leaf ( a favorite of mine), some gold foil paper and a I added a little seed I had found on the beach in Florida several years ago.  I am always amazed how unique and different each artist's project turns out. The rules for this challenge are: use what you like and add anything of your own.

Bits and Pieces

Every collage artist hoards bits and pieces of paper, scraps, findings with the hope that some day the moment will reveal itself when it can be used in a collage. During a recent retreat of 18 collage artists I sorted through mounds of bits and pieces and completed 30 individual art cards such as this one. Sometimes it could take weeks before the right assortment of these pieces come together for a pleasing composition. There lies the challenge and the passion.

Freeport Museum Live Paint Event

It was my pleasure to participate in a live paint charity event to help raise funds for the charming Freeport Art Museum, in Freeport, Illinois last October. My good friend Maureen Gasek encouraged me to participate. I am glad I did. I needed a challenge like that. My painting was auctioned off for the highest amount. It was a mandala inspired mixed media and collage painting. While creating this piece there were some moments of angst. Would the painting be successful by the time the cocktail party began? I was pleased with the result.

Almost A Year since a posting entered.

Wow, it is almost a year since I last posted. Time has truly been passing quickly. So what have I been doing? I have been making greeting cards mostly and taking some classes. I took a great class from Mary Beth Shaw on new mixed media ideas. The result was a diptych. Having recently returned from Florida my palette reflected the blues of the ocean and the circles reflect the moving waves.

13th Annual St Thomas the Apostle Fine Art Fair

Once again I co-chaired the event and participated. How lucky can I get? I got the best spot of the main room with perfect lighting. Sales were moderate but I got to see lots of my old friends and neighbors who stopped by and some repeat patrons came by to shop for cards. The weather was fantastic this weekend.

Milwaukee Art Museum

Yesterday we travelled to Milwaukee to visit friends. Dave and Mary were fantastic hosts. They took us to the art museum where we saw an historic quilt, then we viewed more than 100 of the most incredible prints of Warriington Colescott. He is a Wisconsin based printmaker, who has trained his brilliant artist eye on the fashions and foibles of human behavior since the 1940's. Using multiple ways of creating prints he absolutely blew me away with his skill as a printmaker. Having briefly studied printmaking (etching, dry point and screenprinting) I could really appreciate his skill.

My Canadian Art Friends

Abstract Play

Recently I took a vacation to Lake Winnipeg to stay with our dear friends Karen and Gord. It was a much needed rest but the best part was that we dedicated a whole day to art making. Mary, Karen and I visited Karen's sister a retired art teacher and we spent the day in her studio being artists. I just played with my acrylic paints. The first was done on canvas the second was done on acrylic paper. As I Iook at these little vignettes I feel pure joy. No specific intentions or goals with these two playful pieces. I am still thinking that more will be added to them to become a more complex piece. But at the moment I have them in my studio to remind me of the great vacation week in Manitoba Canada.

The Latest Exhibit of the Midwest Collage Society

This weekend The Midwest Collage Society hosted a reception at the Paper, Process and Perception Exhibit at the Norris Cultural Center in St. Charles Illinois. The turnout was good and we had a spectacular table of refreshments. This is an especially wonderful venue with two floors of wall space to hang art on. I have four collages and am honored to have my piece, Remembering Mandala on the postcard that went out to patrons and friends. I was delighted to see my friends, the Craigheads, Julia Thomas ( a patron), fellow art tribe members, Maureen and Cheryl.

This weekend I also attended a memorial service for a dear fellow artist and friend, Nancy Ahlstrom who passed away at 79 from cancer. She was a stylish, friendly, remarkably likable and talented artist and will be sorely missed by many. May she rest in peace.

And now I venture back into the studio to test out some new acrylic painting techniques that I will incorporate with my collage work. I am also working on some art journaling just for fun.