CHANNELING REMBRANDT

So I am sitting here in my Rembrandt t-shirt (purchased at the Metropolitan Museum of Art some years ago) and thinking about my most recent trip where I got to “hang” with Rembrandt at his home in Amsterdam…

Rembrandt lived in this house for almost 20 years. It was in this house that he painted The Night Watch.

What an incredible experience to walk into his printmaking studio, arranged as though he were still hard at work and then to walk up to the third floor where he kept his painting studio. How thrilling to imagine the great artist receiving guests and patrons in his first floor entry. What fun it was to examine his large collection of artifacts in his “curiosity” room.

I was transported to Amsterdam in the 17^th century in the “company” of one of art history’s greatest. 

Belgium, Art, Medieval Writers, Marsha and the Internet

Belgium, Netherlands, Christine de Pizan, New friends, and Art, art, art! And the Internet, did I mention the Internet?

Wow, what a summer I have had! So many new experiences, so many new friends from all over the world, and world class museums! Where do I start? In small bites I think.

To begin, about two years ago, a medieval scholar from Chicago, Julia Nephew, discovered my artwork on the internet. She was writing an article on the 15^th century writer Christine de Pizan for an academic journal. I just happened to have used Christine in a series of collages I created between 2003 and 2007.

Julia asked permission to use some of my images in her article. We negotiated a contract and some months later a book arrived from Florence, Italy containing Julia’s article and my images. Because of this I was invited to speak at the North American Conference of Medieval Scholars at Western Michigan University. Because of that, Julia and I were invited to co-present at the International Colloquium Christine de Pizan in Belgium!

So, off I go to Belgium, by way of the Netherlands. I will expand on that in a future post, but this time I want to give a shout out to the organizers of the conference, Oliver and Tanya of the Catholic University Louvain la Neuve in Belgium. They were the ultimate hosts! 

Olivier and Tanya were each given framed prints of the Christine de Pizan collages that were part of my series. This was a "Thank You" from all the presenters. 

AN INVITATION FOR SUNDAY, MAY 3

THIS IS AN INVITATION TO JOIN ME IN A COLLAGE CREATIVITY SESSION, NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED, ON SUNDAY, MAY 3 FROM 1 - 3 PM AT PEACE ON FIFTH, 234 South Dutoit St, (behind Stivers). I will facilitate your collage experience. All supplies are provided, plus some delicious eats! Yum. 

The cost is $25, which is a real bargain for a three hour session with food and supplies.  Think of me as your creative spirit guide and go to Giftstudio.eventbrite.com to sign up. I would LOVE to see you there!

AND, I please feel free to forward this your friends, family and any other interested parties. The more the merrier!

I so hope to see you there!

MONTGOMERY COUNTY WORKS FOR ARTISTS!

One of my favorite art collectors approached me a couple of weeks ago and asked me: “Do you know that Montgomery County’s Office of Community and Economic Development has a special section for artists?  He showed me on his phone and by gosh, there it was!

Montgomery County, Ohio for many years has been a leader in supporting the arts, providing grants for artists in many disciplines. Due to budget issues, these grants are on hiatus, but this new app could be very helpful.

Take a look: http://www.businessfirstdaytonregion.com/. Go to Tools For Your Business-top left, then select on bottom right "See more" and you will see The Business of Art. 

Take a look, because, as my husband noted in this image he sent to me: 

Yes it is!

I’ve been an absentee blogger…

When I started writing this blog my intention was to write once a week and post on Monday. Now, I have to confess that I have not done so well with that, and any of you who read me already know this.  While I enjoy writing very much, when I am really consumed with art making the writing takes a back seat, and my writing pen has been languishing there since the second of February. Oops. Can’t keep to a schedule? Sometimes, I can’t. It’s not possible to do it all, all the time.

Since February’s posting I have hung a new exhibit of my work in the office of the Dayton mayor, participated in an evening of art in Centerville, hosted an art party, submitted several proposals, completed one very large tapestry collage and several other collages, tweaked my new studio, given a workshop, delighted in the newly revised Montgomery County Business of Art website (more about that in a later post), and begun the planning of an art trip to Belgium and the Netherlands, all this while continuing my usual teaching and studio work schedule. Odd, all of a sudden I am feeling slightly breathless….!

It’s been a satisfying and productive last two months. I have made new art and met new friends. I have been lucky to spend time with old friends. Life has been good.

I am planning now for the summer and fall, and scheduling work on several series of collages, in addition to working on some other new non-collage possibilities. I have lots of ideas; more ideas than hours in the day!

I also don’t like to write posts that are too long, so I am going to close now with some pictures. Keep it creative! 

Here is a (not great) photo I shot of one of my new tapestry collages from the Paper Lives series. This is the second one I have done and plans are under way for number three. The title is Sea Change.

My grand puppies, Olive on the left, Guyute on the right. They are good buddies. 

Teaching and Making

I am sure you have heard the saying, “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach”. Well, I do not believe that at all. In order to teach, you have to be able to “do”. How can you instruct in a subject if you are not proficient in that subject? It is true that some artists are also great teachers, able to translate the manual into verbal instructions as well as demonstrating the how, and that others are not able to translate what they do into understandable, teachable modes. But I digress just a little.

I have been thinking about the struggle many artists have with juggling teaching art and making art, the whole time management thing as well as the mental gymnastics that can ensue when one does both. Some of that is self-imposed: does teaching art make me less of a “real” artist? Am I a failure as a working artist if I teach too? I know I struggled with this at one time, and I know of others who did as well.

My feelings today are different. I have learned just how much teaching art informs the making of my own art. I learn from my students. I learn by preparing lessons for my students. I try new things in my own work because I am teaching new things to my students.

I also teach art history which is a good thing for me. Having some knowledge of the history of my field increases the pride I feel in being a part of that history. I am proud and honored to have a place on the continuum of history that brought us Michelangelo and Rembrandt, Bernini and Gentileschi, Krasner and Pollock.

It all comes together because to teach is also to learn. To make art is also to learn. We are here, in large part, to learn.

Speaking of students, I gave my current 3D class a homework assignment to make a “pop” sculpture, using plastic water or soda bottles. I honestly thought I would get eighteen water bottles with arms. Did they surprise me! Mind you these are not art students either, they are all in health care. The variety of creations and creativity was astounding. I am so proud of them! Here is one example, created from a plastic root beer bottle:

Artists can collaborate too.

Lately it seems I have been having lots of conversations with artist friends about the need to support one another. Share ideas. Show work together. Cheer each other’s’ successes. Hang out more often.

We often note that while the performing arts are by nature, collaborative, visual artists tend to be lone wolves working in isolation. Yet when we come together we have such a good time and thoughts practically bounce off the walls. Inevitably we ask one another why we don’t come together more often.

So, in view of the desire of many of us to mutually support each other I have been toying with a name for our endeavor. Artists Rallying Together? Artists Collaborating Together? (Redundant I know, but maybe that’s okay). Artists Supporting Each Other? Creative Collaborative Arts Collective? Greater Dayton Artists’ Collaborative?

Help me! Send me your suggestions for a group name that defines artists in support of each other. I will list them in my blog!

And, I am happily noting one artist’s accomplishment. Doug McLarty, scanographer extraordinaire, is currently featured in the Ohio Governor’s Mansion! Check out his work: doug@signaturefocus.com, or check http://www.ohiochannel.org/MediaLibrary/Media.aspx?fileId=145673.

ART SPEAKS FOR PEACE

On this Martin Luther King Jr. holiday we think not only of the great man’s work on behalf of justice, but also of the fact that pursuit of justice and peace is an ongoing process. Recent events only emphasize the truth that there is still much work to be done.

Today I am thinking of artists across the centuries who used their artmaking skills to call attention to injustices of many kinds. Picasso was incensed at the unprovoked bombing of Guernica in 1937; this led to his creation of the great painting of the same name.

Pablo Picasso, Guernica, 1937

Goya used his printmaking skills to document the Inquisition; Turner made paintings about the atrocities of the slave trade in Britain, as did William Blake. Benny Andrews, Elizabeth Catlett, Edward Kienholz, David Hammons, Jacob Lawrence, Robert Indiana, Norman Rockwell and many others all made work having to do with civil rights.

     Benny Andrews, Education Quest #1 (Migrant Series), 2004

My point is that art can speak for peace. Art can speak for justice. Art can direct our attention to wrongs that need to be made right.

Art is image. Images can be seen. Images have voice. Images have sound. Images have IMPACT. Art. Image. Impact. Peace. Justice. Right. Martin Luther King, Jr.

NEW YEAR, NEW STUDIO!

Starting 2015 in a beautiful new studio with great north light and lots of storage. This is a  panoramic view. Is there a better way for an artist to start the new year? I think not.