Artist Karen's Art Blog

I've Moved!!!!

2010-11-17T17:44:00.003-05:00

Hi All--

Just want you to know that I've started a new blog in a new location.

Come visit the new blog "Broke(n) Artist" at

www.karenfriedland.wordpress.com

See you there--

Karen

WALKING THE WIRE

2010-06-07T01:45:00.009-04:00

I have recently been doing research on one of the greatest artist/sculptors of our time, Alexander Calder. Not only did he create a whole new form of art--MOBILES, he also was responsible for making us understand that art did not always have to succomb to the pull of gravity, that sculpture could be "light," it could take flight. (I put light in quotes because many of his monumental mobiles weighed tons.)

One of the things I love most about Calder is his joy. He delighted life with a vibrancy frequently seen in children but that gets lost when we reach adulthood. But not Sandy because he played all his life. He made things, out of wire or tin cans and bits of cloth. He created a circus that he performed hundreds of times. You can click the link and see him perform it, or go to the Whitney Museum and see the actual circus. He was the original performance artist.

He also created wonderful wire sculptures that were "space drawings," using wire to create a "drawing" in the air, but one that could expand the limits of the two dimensional surface and take it into 3D. I have been fascinated by these for a long time and decided to try my own. Here you see Zebra Drinking and Lizard. They each respond with wiggly jiggling when touched, a ripple that makes them feel more alive.

These are joyful sculptures. They are not profound. But they are unique, ingeniously crafted and original.

I don't understand why the art world is so reluctant to find value in play, joy and humor. I feel any way I can bring more laughter into this life, it is a good thing? What do you think?

INTENTIONS

2010-05-19T23:14:00.008-04:00

We all know that what we intend directly impacts what we achieve. Sometimes knowing the intention behind an act or creation can help us understand the whole thing better. Sometimes what we intended and what we end up doing, (like when I say hurtful things that I didn't realize would hurt) are two very different things. It helps for the other person to know where you were coming from.

In my artist coaching group, we plan our goals and try to make ourselves aware of our own intentions. Uncannily, it is frequently the case that what you put out to the universe, the universe will deliver to you. "When one is fully committed, then providence moves too." So, I decided to put a message out to the universe.

I decided to put my intentions into tangible form. But first, I wanted to follow the admonition of the founder of the Artists Conference Network, Beverly Cassell, and "go shopping for possibilites."

So I made a shopping bag from my own personal Possibilities Shop!

I then went about creating my intentions--literally! Firstly, I wanted to have public recognition for my work--seen here with the crowds cheering and applauding. Next, I would like to have critical acclaim, seen right there in my "revue" written on that cute classic typewriter and last, but definitely not least, I created the intention of financial success. Note those are one thousand dollar bills; anything less seemed unfit.

Now I know just saying it, doesn't make it happen. But speaking up and recognizing your own intentions, is the first step to making them a reality.

What are your intentions?

2010-05-16T01:24:00.002-04:00

We saw a really lovely movie last night called TiMER. A romantic comedy with a sci-fi twist. Funny & sweet & compelling questions rolled together in a film that both Gary, Ari & us chicks enjoyed. Plus it's an independent film, directed & produced by women. It's starring Emma Caulfield of Buffy fame. The story asks "what if a clock could count down to the moment you meet your soul mate? In this alternate version of present day Los Angeles, a revolutionary device called the TiMER fulfills this very fantasy." Really good movie--try to see it!

Would you want to know when you would meet "the one," your lifelong soulmate?

WIRE WILDLIFE

2010-05-13T23:52:00.006-04:00

As I may have mentioned, I am in school completing prerequisites toward my MFA that I hope to start next year. Along with a variety of studio classes, I am taking a course in the history of modern sculpture. Since I was eligible to take this course with honors if I did some extra work, I decided to do so, figuring that it will look good to graduate schools. It was a pretty easy decision as I reviewed the work of modern sculptors I admired. The work of Giacometti is cool and I love Miro and Matisse in any medium. Lots of others appeal to me but not one can match the joyfulness of Alexander Calder.
I love his mobiles, some recently on exhibit at the Gagosian gallery here in NY. But what first drew me to him was his Circus at the Whitney Museum. It is on permenant display there but he used to perform it and you can watch him perform it on youtube, much as he did in Paris in 1929.

Anyhow, his wire sculptures have always enchanted me and I have made them in the past and taught them to my young students. Here you see my most recent effort, Drinking Zebra (3 views)that is part of my honors project. I wish you could see how he jiggles and shakes!

New York Gallery Week

2010-05-05T23:37:00.002-04:00

While it's not quite a week long, the first New York Gallery Week will be held this weekend from May 7-10th. It's a series of art events held in galleries across the city, celebrating the most vital gallery community in the world. You can take a look at their website: newyorkgalleryweek.com to find out which galleries are participating and what special events are planned. Also take a look at the video interview on Artlog's website, as well as more info there: artlog.com.

Maybe they got the idea from the Flatbush Artists Studio Tour, yes?

Jersey Barriers

2010-04-22T00:00:00.005-04:00

It's a funny thing that a competition for jersey barriers is conducted in New York. But that's what the NYC Department of Transportation offered and I went for it. A jersey barrier is a concrete divider that is 15 feet long and 30 inches high. They are used to reroute traffic when road construction is being done.

So New York wants to beautify their jersey barriers. If one wins the competition, you will paint it with the help of volunteers. Seemed like a fun way to get good visibility and make some cash. Unfortunately, my entries did not win the competition but I had a good time creating them. The top one is called "New York Footsteps" and the lower is "New York Blocks." They are both painted to scale.

I still think they should have picked mine and that my shoes would have been especially charming on a jersey barrier. What do you think?

Back Again

2010-03-11T12:00:00.005-05:00

February has flown by & I've gone month without writing to you. My very deep apologies for this lapse. I was exceptionally busy working on my drawing with my cool teacher, Gregory Paquette. If you are at Kingsborough and seeking a powerful teacher, he's your man. I'm trying to incorporate drawing as a regular part of my practice. Discipline is not my strong suit. But I am working at it. Our model was clothed one day and these are the pictures from that day.

On a more personal note, my birthday was this week and my wonderful, darling daughter, Shayna, known to the blogging & knitting worlds as Knits McGee wrote me a beautiful tribute. Take a look at it.

CAPTURING THE ESSENCE

2010-01-31T21:48:00.003-05:00

It's a really interesting thing about drawing, and I guess it's true of other art forms also, but sometimes it takes only a few lines and moments to capture the true essence of something. What is the essence? Is it a movement, a moment in action? Or is it perhaps a look, the position of a foot or hand, the gesture? I think it is not a portrayal but rather a moment of truth. It is holding onto something that is fleeting, that for one moment, or even a nanosecond, was the absolute reality of your subject. I find that I frequently capture the essence quickly, as I did in these drawing that took less than two minutes. The model struck a pose and I was able to see into the very core of it. It is not about drawing; it is about seeing. I saw it as soon as I looked. Had I spent longer on these drawings it might well have been lost. The drawings might have been more fully developed, would certainly have had more detail. But the centrality of these drawings might have been lost in all the additional labor.

AT THE METROPOLITAN

2010-01-26T00:35:00.003-05:00

While my sister, Davina, was visiting from California, we visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She really wanted to see classical European art, much of which left me dry. But after we had a bite of lunch, I went in search of something 3 dimensional that I wanted to draw for my drawing class homework. He said to do a minimum 10 minute drawing. (No problem for me, they always take much longer.)

We went to the Egyptian section (really great collection, I'd certainly recommend it.) and to the Temple of Dendur. Decided to draw the Sphinx. Here is my homework drawing.

MORE DRAWING

2010-01-26T00:29:00.004-05:00

I am trying to make drawing a part of my regular practice of my art. Here is a drawing of a cloth bag atop a book. This drawing took me about 1-1/2 hours to complete. Does this little guy have personality or what?

DRAWING VASES & VOLUME

2010-01-25T23:55:00.007-05:00

Drawing has always been the bane of my existence, artistically that is. Art teachers in school threw me out of their classes, saying I had no talent, basically because I couldn't draw. In recent times, mentors and teachers have consistently critiqued that I needed to work on my drawing. I bought books to work on it myself, but there is just so much you can get while trying to draw with your right brain from a book. So last semester I took a drawing 1 class with a great teacher, Irina Danilova, who delivered the basics in a way that no one could mess up. Now I am taking the next drawing class with another excellent teacher, Gregory Paquette.

He had us working with ellipses to be able to draw rounded objects in perpsective.

We drew rubber bands placed around vases and even invisible vase, made only of wire. It is amazing to feel the roundness and volume of something when it is merely a drawing on paper.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!! VISIONS

2010-01-05T20:45:00.002-05:00

Hope all of you had a fun-filled holiday and that 2010 brings great adventures, happiness & health to all!

I've been thinking about what I'd like to accomplish in this coming year, as well as this dynamic decade. Having returned to school this past Fall, it has stimulated some feelings of opportunity that had lain dormant for a while. One of the conclusions that I've come to is that I'd like to get my MFA. The courses I've been taking have been directed at fulfilling prerequisites for admission. A number of people have asked why I want it, saying that in this job market it may not be a ticket to good employment, or that I'll just have to unlearn in order to keep my own style. But I realize I am serious about wanting to expand my work and working in a vacuum, as studio artists do, is not conducive to that. I am really excited about this prospect.

This will be the year of representation for my work. I have stated this goal for a while but have not really pursued it with seriousness. I will take the intimidation I feel at contacting some galleries and put it away, to reflect on in private. I will not let it have my power. This is the year my work will find either a literal or metaphoric home.

I also want to continue teaching. I have strong art skills and I am an interesting and effective teacher. Being in an academic environment let's me see how others communicate and educate about art. I can do that well and will find ways to reach out to students.

So those are some of my goals for this year. From here, I will form an action plan.

What are yours?

REMINDER - HOLIDAY ART SHOW & SALE THIS SATURDAY

2009-12-11T10:37:00.002-05:00

Artist Karen Friedland will be showing her work at her annual Holiday Art Show and Sale, this Saturday, 12 noon – 5 PM at 190 Marlborough Road, Brooklyn. Original paintings in acrylic, pastel and oil, as well as prints, notecards and jewelry will be offered.

“This is an opportunity for people to give one of a kind art gifts for amazing prices. I’ve slashed my pricing to make it easier for my customers during these tough economic times, “ stated Friedland. “By giving a work of art, you are showing loved ones your own creativity and giving them something truly unique.”

The Prospect Park South sale is located near the Q train, Beverly Road station. Refreshments will be served. For directions or more information, go to the website: www.ArtistKaren.com or telephone: 718-826-1261.

BCAT Interviewed Me About FAST

2009-12-09T17:48:00.002-05:00

As founder and executive director of FAST (Flatbush Artists Studio Tour), I was one of the artists interviewed by independent videographer, Djenny Passey for Brooklyn cable television, BCAT. It took a while for them to broadcast, then post & for me to make it through my technological foibles to share it with you. Here it is: BCAT interview. I'm ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille...and my 1 minute 42 seconds of fame. What do you think?

Color and Music

2009-12-02T22:28:00.012-05:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I just love color. I love it bright and pure, active and energetic. I've discovered another artist who loves color, it would seem, as much as I. Here is a blast of red that just makes me want to stand up and cheer.

I discovered him quite by accident as I cruised youtube. There he was -- painting to music, or rather, painting music itself, to a lively beat that corresponded to the creation of his painting. I investigated further and discovered that he paints best in performance and creates ma

ny of his paintings on demand, in front of an audience. Even his representational pictures are

painted with the same fervor and improvisational skill.

I also love that he paints big and even in circles. You can take a look at his website:www.jonasgerard.com or his video; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXODxFzn9mU&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Is he painting color or music?

A Weather Woman

2009-11-30T17:21:00.004-05:00

Going through a local blog recently, I found the work of a fascinating artist, Maggie Tobin. While we have never met (a condition I hope to remedy one day) we live rather close to one another. Her website http://www.maggietobin.com/prints/calm.html demonstrates a sensitivity to nature, and the effects of weather in nature that is quite distinctive. She works in a variety of media and her paintings and prints have the same etherial quality.Her tornado print "Calm Again; The Beaufort Scale Revised 10" http://www.maggietobin.com/prints/calm/10.html just blows me away. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) But my favorite thing on her website is her flipbook "Tornado by Maggie Tobin" http://www.maggietobin.com/flip.html--really cool. Take a look & tell me what you think. Should all artists make flipbooks?

Holiday Art Show & Sale Dec.12th

2009-11-30T09:11:00.003-05:00

Saturday, December 12th, 12 noon - 5 PM

where: 190 Marlborough Road

Prospect Park So., Brooklyn

Q train, Beverly Rd. station

GIVE AN AFFORDABLE ORIGINAL -- One of a Kind Art Gifts at Bargain Prices

Show your loved one’s your creativity and good taste with a give of art this holiday season at prices that are almost too good to believe! Paintings and prints by Artist Karen Friedland, beautifully framed and ready to hang, will make your gift truly unique. Pick handmade jewelry or notecards that will thrill those special people on your list.

Enjoy a glass of wine and some refreshments as you peruse the colorful artwork. Bring a friend & come on over!

Studio Tour Partners

2009-11-11T23:54:00.005-05:00

During the Studio Tour, I shared my space with two wonderfully accomplished artists, Nancy Beranbaum and Selma Cooper. Nancy makes paintings that are filled with unique and energized patterns. Selma produces soft, evocative paintings that portray her travels. I wanted to share their work with you here. The patterned piece in the photo is by Nancy, the other, by Selma. You can see more of their work on the FAST website; www.flatbushartists.org.

Flatbush Artists Studio Tour--A Great Success!

2009-11-11T23:39:00.006-05:00

The Flatbush Artists Studio Tour was this past weekend and it was a great success! The weather cooperated with us and I believe all our visitors enjoyed strolling our leaf-strewn neighborhood in the balmy sunshine. All of us have different styles and it made for an interesting visit. I was interviewed by Brooklyn cable television , which will run in about 2 weeks. I'll let you know.

Now that Flatbush Artists Studio Tour is over, I would like to thank our many visitors who made our 2nd tour a grand success! I am grateful to the numerous volunteers who worked so hard on this event.

The businesses and individuals who lent their financial support to FAST made it possible for hundreds of visitors to enjoy the arts in our neighborhood. These supporters and sponsors demonstrated their commitment to the flourishing arts community in Victorian Flatbush. Please patronize these builders of our community.

Supporters:

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz

Brooklyn Hearth Realty

State Assembly Member Jim Brennan

Kestyn Real Estate

Midwood Martial Arts and Family Fitness

Midwood Wellness

Brooklyn Premier Orthopedics

Sponsors:

Almac True Value Hardware

Andrew G. Oliphant, DDS

Beranbaum Menken LLP

Connecticut Muffin

Cortelyou Road Pediatrics

Natural Frontier Market

Grace Eyecare

Greenfield Pharmacy

It's a Dog's World

Johns Bakery

Lindeman Florist

Mary Kay Gallagher Real Estate

Met Food

Namaste Yoga of Kensington

Newkirk Liquors

Nina Talbot Art Studio

Pomme de Terre

Sacred Vibes

San Remo Pizza

Sycamore

The Farm on Adderly

VoxPop.

See the artists work at: www.flatbushartists.org

FAST Celebration

2009-11-06T10:46:00.003-05:00

Last night was the Gala Opening of Flatbush Artists Studio Tour Group Show. What a success & what a great party! Lots of food & wine complements of show supporters, Drs. Winoarsky and Lewin. Beautiful artwork artfully hung by Paul Catalanatto, Ernst Mohammed & Ana Hagan. Great crowd, somewhere around 150 attending, would be my guess. A great precursor for a wonderful weekend. (Picture of me by one of my paintings at the show.)

I am opening my home studio this weekend, 190 Marlborough Road (between Beverly & Albemarle, Beverly Rd. station on Q train) as part of the Flatbush Artists Studio Tour. Saturday & Sunday, 11AM-4PM, come have a glass of wine & some nosh & see my work. I am unveiling a new jewelry line as well. Then you can stroll the leafy streets of this beautiful Victorian neighborhood, in what is predicted to be perfect fall weather, and see the rest of the artists' work. Looking forward to seeing you then.

Flatbush Artists Gala Group Show Tonight

2009-11-05T09:08:00.004-05:00

Tonight is the Gala Opening of the FAST Group Show, 7-10PM at Newkirk Medical Center, 1414 Newkirk Av. (Newkirk station, Q train). Preview the artists' work, wonderful food & wine, music & some of the most beautiful people in Brooklyn! The picture is by my friend, Paul Cattalanato, who hung the group show.

I will be opening my home/studio for theFlatbush Artists Studio Tour, Saturday and Sunday, November 7-8, 11AM - 4PM. My studio is at 190 Marlborough Road (#7 on the map) where I will be joined by two of the artists that make up the 23 participating. I am the founder and executive director of the tour, so I have done the utmost to make it a great success!

Come walk our beautiful leafy streets and see the artistry that flourishes here. For the map and more info, go to:www.flatbushartists.org.

THROUGH THE GATE - MOROCCO

2009-10-23T00:00:00.004-04:00

Part of my continuing series on Morocco, THROUGH THE GATE-MOROCCO, is acrylic on paper, 21" x 16" with special pricing for the Flatbush Artists Studio Tour of $645. You can see it on the tour on Nov. 7-8, Saturday and Sunday, 11AM - 4PM. I am #7 on the map, available at many businesses in the area and online at www.flatbushartists.org. Also join our facebook group & see some more work there at

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=41620&id=100000234205171.

Flatbush Artists Studio Tour the weekend of November 7 – 8, 2009

2009-10-19T00:26:00.003-04:00

Flatbush Artists Studio Tour the weekend of November 7 – 8, 2009

The second annual Flatbush Artists Studio Tour (FAST) will take place Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and 8, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Our Opening Reception will be held on Thursday, November 5, 2009, 7-10 pm at Newkirk Medical Center at 1414 Newkirk Avenue, Brooklyn. 23 visual artists of ‘Victorian Flatbush’ will open their studios to the public in a weekend-long, self-guided tour throughout the park-like, historic districts of Prospect Park South and Ditmas Park. Admission to the tour is free. Tour maps, artists’ profiles and additional event information is available at www.flatbushartists.org.

L'SHANA TOVA

2009-09-20T02:20:00.001-04:00

BEST WISHES TO ALL FOR A HAPPY, HEALTHY 5770!

Goodbye Mary Travers

2009-09-20T01:58:00.002-04:00

I was so saddened to learn today that Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary died this week. She had been ill with leukemia but ended up succumbing to the deadly side effects of the treatment.

Peter, Paul and Mary were there throughout most of my life. They were on the mall in Washington singing out for racial equality in 1963. Their music reached people of all ages & beliefs; the child in each of us played in Honolee with Puff, the magic dragon. Mary's distinctive voice made the trio unique and her warmth, humor and commitment to what she believed was right came through in concerts and recordings.

I was lucky enough to see her in one of the last concerts the trio would ever play, in May in Wilkes-Barre, PA. She was in a wheelchair and on oxygen but undaunted as she sang throughout the concert. Her voice was a bit reedy at times and her discourse hindered some by her breathing challenge. Yet when she was singing, it was with strength and melody, letting us hear the Mary we all loved. At the intermission, the conversation was filled with concern for Mary. It was a dedicated audience filled with long time fans. Mary with partners, Peter Yarrow & Noel "Paul" Stokke were met with rousing response to their performance; it was truly a love fest.

Mary was so well loved and I was one who loved her. She will be missed.

Read Paul & Noel's tributes to her on their website: www.peterpaulandmary.com.

LAST DAY FOR SAN REMO SHOW

2009-09-07T00:56:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow, Labor Day, I will be taking down my show, "The Women" at San Remo Restaurant on Cortelyou Rd. Here's your last chance to take a look. Or did you see it?

FINDING FRACTALS

2009-08-27T01:04:00.005-04:00

In 1976, a mathematician named Benoit Mandelbrot invented an new kind of geometry called FRACTALS. Mandelbrot looked at things that appear to have endless complexity like mountains, trees, plants, veins and arteries, the clouds in the sky. He looked at them and realized that each form, when looked at from a distance, has the same structure when you zoom in and look at a small section. Each time you look at a smaller section, it will again have the same structure. Each form is endless repetition.

I watched a show on NOVA on PBS about this and have realized that art is even more related to mathematics than I thought. Artists have always emulated nature and without being conscious of creating fractals, have included this natural phenomenon in their artwork.

You can see the NOVA show and learn more yourself at: http://video.pbs.org/video/1050932219 or on my Facebook page.

Paradise By Another Name

2009-08-13T01:41:00.002-04:00

As I sit in the palaba, a kind of gazebo roofed in sugar cane thatch, near the top of a mountain in Nicaragua, I can hear birds and monkeys, insects and frogs compete to have their voices heard in the night sky. Night falls early here in Central America, about 5:30 and the sun doesn't linger on the horizon--within moments of its descent, the colors disappear and darkness ensues.

We enjoy our last day here in San Juan del Sur tomorrow, celebrating my daughter's 17th birthday. We will have a handmade pinata and her host family as guests.

I haven't done much artwork on this trip, even though the intent was there, but I have taken many photos and breathed in the beauty of this land & its people. I have visited ancient places where Mother Nature continues to demonstrate her supremacy. I look forward to returning home & sharing the lessons I have absorded through my art.

Archway- Morocco

2009-08-02T00:42:00.002-04:00

Crazy summer -- hot and cold, the rain seems to persist. I've been traveling - to Seattle, Victoria, Canada and Laguna Beach, Calif. and now I'm off to Nicaragua. There the rain visits daily and heat is constant, as temperature and humidity combine to make "real feel" temps as high as 112! Yikes! Not sure how I'll survive this one but it is bound to be an adventure.

The art adventure continues with this painting of Morocco "ARCHWAY - MOROCCO". Gazing through the Moorish gateway, we see a father and child make their way through the old city, the medina. I witnessed this scene but the color and creation are all my own. 24" high x 20 " wide. Acrylic on paper. $1050.

"THE WOMEN"

2009-07-03T16:20:00.004-04:00

An exhibit of my work will be shown at San Remo Restaurant on Cortelyou Road (By Rugby). The opening reception will be held Thursday, July 9th, 6 -9PM. "The Women" will consist of some brand new work, never before shown, as well as some older favorites. "I love painting women, each time I get to tell another story of a woman's life. Each story is fascinating, mysterious."

The painting, STARLIGHT, above, is a new creation. It is 26" x 20", watermedia on yupo synthetic paper. A foray into a new support, yupo, is like painting on a flexible sheet of plastic. Nothing absorbs into the paper, therefore all colors sit on top, making them even more vibrant.
Part of the STAR series, I am exploring using words in my artwork.

"THE WOMEN" EXHIBIT AT SAN REMO RESTAURANT OPENS THURSDAY, JULY 9TH

2009-07-03T16:17:00.001-04:00

More Springmaid

2009-05-17T22:16:00.003-04:00

Just a few more pics from Springmaid. The busy shot gives those of you not there some sense of our work environment. Good light, lots of tables & people diligently engaged in creating. The Atlantic Ocean just beyond.

The other pictures are from gallery night. Here's a good shot of the whole group. The grey haired gentleman surrounded by all the women is our teacher extraordinaire, George James.

MODELS IN OUR MIDSTS

2009-05-12T00:51:00.006-04:00

The art never stopped the week we were in Springmaid for George James' workshop. Even at night, we were diligently at work at our art.

On Wednesday evening, a group of us negotiated with the models to return so we could do

some more drawing. Unfortunately, the regular models never showed up. But never fear...our ever resourceful artists took the situation in hand! Cathy and JoAnn stepped up (literally) and had a go. They really got into it, striking some rather fetching poses. It was hard to get much drawing in with all the laughing. But it was a very productive night, nonetheless. Great friendships forged and solidified--and a lot of fun!

Do we think there's a career opportunity here? Don't give up the day jobs just yet, girls!

GALLERY NIGHT

2009-05-12T00:08:00.004-04:00

Our final night of the workshop is always Gallery Night. Each class displays selections of the work completed during the week. It was really a fabulous group that we had this time and the work reflected it. I only captured a few of my friends here with their work that night, everyone was so busy during the cocktail hour showing. (That's me up top with my work.)

We ate and drank all too well that week but tried to burn it up a bit with nighttime forays to the gym with Kathleen & Cathy and walking the beach with Nancy Bilbro .
Had a chance to be with my buddy, Nancy Beard and had a ball with new friends, Cheryl & Susie, pictured here with their work.

I tried to get a picture of my whole class with George but whoever took it must have been having way too good a time, as two versions of the picture were out of focus. Hard to do with a point and shoot.

We had a wonderful party that evening and made plans to get together this summer in NY and the Poconos. I'm still working out dates.

I really miss the people and working in a studio setting. All I learned from those around me, especially my great new friend, Cathy Hegman, was truly a gift. Being with dear friend Kathleen Conover is always an uplifting experience. I love the intensity of it all, the ever stimulating environment. I cherish sharing the work, the accomplishment and frustrations, the energy. It's a synergistic experience. Coming back is always difficult, this year it seems harder than ever. In many ways, I feel closer to my painting buddies than to my friends at home. There's a bond.

Models Start The Process

2009-05-11T23:52:00.003-04:00

We were fortunate to have models come in to our workshop at Springmaid. It is fairly unusual and we were lucky enough to have two terrific models. This was not their primary livelihood, but rather just a side interest. They came with fun clothing in different silhouettes, filled with pattern and color. I just love drawing clothed models, something that's very hard to find, especially in New York. They provided lots of material to work from for the paintings.

More George James Lessons

2009-05-11T23:41:00.003-04:00

George spent another lesson working with scale. He drew the two front figures in a way that you saw their totality and so they related to one another. He then added the head and neck of a woman, quite large behind them. To the left, he added a large hand. Since the picture plane is 2 dimensional, one need not be constrained by the precepts of reality. The large head and hand add a lot of interest to the design, filling the space with something unexpected that makes the viewer puzzled and pondering about the picture. George used the opportunity to demonstrate how he sculpted the features of the face.

George And The Women

2009-05-11T23:20:00.002-04:00

As we were lucky enough to have models, George was able to do his demo with subjects we had all shared. He drew to the figures with water soluble pencil and proceeded to lay in grey tones to develop the value pattern and design. I loved watching him do this as it is so different from the way I work. I constantly find myself lost in Mid-value Land, where the colors bright and intense, mostly seem to live. I know value is probably a better way to design and I am willing to learn intellectually but my artistic self is reluctant.

George established the values with greys and then went back and added color based on that pattern. I have not tried the grey thing; perhaps that is a means for me to learn this lesson.

BACK IN SPRINGMAID

2009-03-16T21:55:00.006-04:00

After an uneventful flight down to Myrtle Beach, I arrived back in a special place that has enriched my life with numerous workshops. This year, I am studying with George James, a wonderful artist and teacher from southern California.

George is an expert at working on Yupo paper. More like a sheet of plastic than paper. George did several demonstrations of technique. First he showed a flat wash and a graded wash.

He then showed lots of ways to manipulate the paint: lifting, painting over, squeegeeing. He made it look easy but the practice is not easy. I am struggling to get a handle on all of this but not being too successful. I spent the day playing with it.

George also talked about the most important parts if the picture, the diagram shown here with the numbers reversed (it was taken in the mirror.)

REFILLING THE WELL

2009-03-11T21:44:00.006-04:00

Right now I am busy helping my students finish up their projects. The work is fun and challenging, both for me and, hopefully, my students. But as I give so much creative energy to them, it is sometimes difficult to stay on track with my own artwork.

It is time to refill the well. That's what I'm planning on as I get ready to go to Springmaid for a week's workshop with George James. That is where this blog began and it is interesting to see its and my journey this year.

The painting above is another in the Magical Minis series. She was there at the beginning, launching the series and she's close to my heart.

"BUTTERFLY BABY" 8" x 5" watercolor. Matted and framed to 14" x 11". $100.

Busy Time

2009-03-11T00:24:00.003-04:00

While February is the shortest month, it was also one of my busiest. Took a week on the road to do the Pennsylvania tour of colleges + Delaware with my daughter who is junior in high school. No art got done on the road; the car does not make a serviceable mobile studio.

However, art has still been happening. Another one of Magical Minis seen above.

"Sunshine" watercolor, 5" x 8", professionally matted and framed to 11" x 14". $100. Regardless of the weather, each day should be filled with sunshine.

Seventh Graders Celebrate Their Creations

2009-01-29T22:05:00.003-05:00

Seventh graders at MS 223 in South Bronx really took it to heart when I challenged them to let their creativity shine through into their mask creations.

Inspired by the masks of Africa tribes as well as sculpture from Native Americans in Alaska created a tour de force in 3 dimensional masks. Made from found materials and paper clay, they depicted scarification and other design elements to enhance their masks. The artists celebrated with guests, family, teachers and visitors as they shared their inspiration for their achievement.

Karen Friedland Artwork Featured At Connecticut Muffin In Clinton Hill

2009-01-18T01:43:00.005-05:00

My artwork is being featured at one the most popular cafes in Clinton Hill, Connecticut Muffin. Located at 423 Myrtle Avenue (corner of Clinton), the show, entitled "STOPS ALONG THE WAY", is comprised of paintings based on the artist's travels. The heat and colorful personality of Morocco is clear in the paintings, "Delivery," "Tourists" and "Waterseller". A large acrylic painting called "Waiting For A Fare" the Moroccan way - by camel - injects humor into the show. Other pieces were inspired by travels to Hawaii, Italy, Turkey and Ireland.

All work is for sale and has been specially priced to make it affordable to my neighbors, especially during these tight times. So, go in, have a cup of coffee and enjoy the artwork. If you are interested in buying, even if you can't afford it now, contact me (karenart99@yahoo.com). I'm sure we can work it out.

"GLAM" -- New Addition To "Magical Minis"

2009-01-18T01:28:00.003-05:00

"GLAM" is the newest addition to my new series called "Magical Minis." This piece is a composite of ink, collage and painting. It's size is 8" high x 5" wide, elegantly framed to 14" x 11". Special Price $100.

It is executed on watercolor paper with additions of rice paper, acrylic, watercolor, ink & metallics. A trendy beauty, this young sophisticate knows that brains are even more beautiful than what you see on the outside. But a pop of color & some bling never hurt.

Sixth Grade Makes Grecian Artifacts

2009-01-12T12:30:00.005-05:00

MS 223's students from 601 & 606 took an artistic journey into the past as they portrayed Greek vases called amphora, during art sessions with me in the Fall. Giving a contemporary twist to four different styles of the urns, students drew inspiration from this past summer's Olympic Games in Beijing. The Olympics began in Greece.

Students drew pictures of olympians playing sports and competing in the games, oon their vases. Some put them in arenas with spectators in the background. Then they added embellishments to their vases, many in the forms of Greek design. After all the design & color were added, students covered their entire piece in black paint. Scratching through the paint to magically reveal the colors was like making a find in an ancient archaeological dig.Guests came to our art showing and celebration, including several of the students' parents.

2009-01-01T21:39:00.003-05:00

HAPPY 2009!

Wishing you a creative new year!

Thanx to all of you for reading and commenting on this blog. It is an exciting endeavor and I hope to continue showing you my work and that of my students in the coming year. I will look forward to hearing from more of you in this coming year.

Eighth Grade Celebrations At MS 223

2009-01-01T20:47:00.012-05:00

Eighth graders at MS 223 in the Bronx, celebrated the completion of their visual arts rotation with me as their Resident Teaching Artist. Students from 803. 804, 805 & 877 spent the Oct. - Dec. working on personal identity collages and learning how to draw. They made contour drawings and learned about portraiture as they drew their own self portraits. They learned about self portraits created by Vincent Van Gogh and Schmidt Rutluff and Picasso's portrait of Dora Marr. They worked as "modern artists" to create stylized and abstracted portraits of themselves. Their teachers, Ms. Flood, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Trust & Ms. Concepcion were highly supportive of all their efforts. During the celebrations of completion, visitors including principal, Mr. Gonzalez, as well as teachers & other school personnel, came to view the artwork and leave comments for the artists. All the students felt a great sense of accomplishment.

Merry Holidays!

2008-12-25T01:48:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to wish all of you a wonderful holiday.

May your Chanukah candles burn bright,

your Christmas tree twinkle and

may you not explode from eating too many latkes!

Holiday Show Filled With Delights

2008-12-18T16:23:00.006-05:00

Visitors at the holiday show and sale were able to enjoy an array of delights. There was handmade jewelry made with "millefiore" beads and hand coiled wire, as well as handpainted pins. Sharing the table with the jewelry are notecards with my most favorite images and unique, original collages made with hand painted papers.

There was lots of new artwork to see, all beautifully framed and displayed in my home setting. Guests came from as far as Maryland to see the work. Plus it was an opportunity to see the new series "Magical Minis." One of the pieces purchased from that series appears here: EXOTIC.

MAGICAL MINIS -- NEW SERIES

2008-12-11T00:05:00.003-05:00

A new series, entitled MAGICAL MINIS is being launched at Artist Karen Friedland's Art Show & Sale this weekend. The series, glamorous and edgy, is created from a mix of media: watercolor, acrylic, ink, marker and rice papers collaged together for fascinating results. The work has been tastefully framed in silver and black to produce a stunning package, ready to enhance any space. Most appealling is the price: under $100! See these new works, including "ENTICE" above, Saturday and Sunday, 1-5PM at 190 Marlborough Road, Brooklyn, NY.

ART SHOW & SALE THIS WEEKEND

2008-12-08T19:14:00.006-05:00

You are cordially invited to an

ART SHOW & SALE

at the home studio of

Artist Karen Friedland

190 Marlborough Road, Brooklyn
(Q train, Beverly Road station)

on this
Saturday and Sunday,
December 13th & 14th 1-5 PM

Special Holiday Pricing
Original paintings, prints, collages, giclee prints, notecards, jewelry ---

all at greatly reduced prices up to 60% off!

Refreshments Bring Your Friends

Can't make it? Chesk out the website at www.ArtistKaren.com or
telephone: 718-826-1261

Artist Karen Friedland Exhibit At Connecticut Muffin ---- Meet The Artist Friday, 7 - 9PM

2008-10-07T19:05:00.004-04:00

An exhibit of my art work has been installed at Connecticut Muffin. The show, entitled "The Moroccan Way" consists of work inspired by my travels through Morocco. The colors and designs of this rich and ancient culture provided stimulus for the imagery.

Several of the pieces depict the Jardin Majorelle, a lush garden environment built by designer, Yves St. Laurant, in Marrakesh. Other imagery includes a tannery where hides were "processed", a rug shop and a water seller, whose colorful attire and brass cups might entice you, but with dire consequences if you drank. Paintings are rendered in pastel and mixed media and two transfer prints.

There will be a "Meet The Artist" reception this Friday, October 10th, 2008 from 7 to 9PM. The show will run through October 27th. Connecticut Muffin is located on Cortelyou Road, by Stratford Road.

Painting at right: "Musicians - Morocco" one of the pieces at the Connecticut Muffin exhibit.

Hope to see you there on Friday. What do you think of this theme?

LIZARD

2008-09-30T09:01:00.007-04:00

LIZARD

14" high x 10" wide
acrylic on canvas

It was a pitch black night as the clouds furrowed the sky, concealing any stars or moon that was above, even though it was supposed to be a full moon tonight. I sat a the edge of my porch, on the top step, letting the dark envelop me, trying to calm myself and understand what had happened today.

It started like any other day, my going to work and sitting down behind my computer. But when I went to boot up, I got a message that I was not authorized on this computer. I tried to reach technical support but my phone was not working. As I sat there trying to figure out what was going on, two uniformed men, mammoth humans really, with muscles straining against their shirts, entered my cubicle and fairly picked me up by both arms and "escorted" me out of the building. They deposited me soundly on the sidewalk, never saying a word nor responding to my shouted questions or giving any explanation, bruising my hip when they dropped me. Of course, my ego was even more bruised. I was mortified as onlookers shook their heads or whispered behind cupped hands. I spent the day wandering the streets, dazed.

So the dark felt good as it wrapped its ghostly arms around me. Then, out of nowhere, appeared on my railing, a lizard. It was big, tremendous, the size of a house cat. And it was of the most remarkable colors---green, yes, but an electric green that vibrated next to red and blue, and so many colors. But most compelling was its eyes as he engaged me, I couldn't look away. As I gazed at him, a voice said "Come." I looked around then, as the lizard had not moved and my mind could not fathom that this creature could speak. But no one was there except us two. My voice squeaked "What?". I heard the word "Come" again but this time I realized it had not been spoken out loud, but rather in my mind. The lizard jumped down. I followed.

GROWTH by Karen Friedland

2008-09-22T11:44:00.002-04:00

"GROWTH " 10" high x 8" wide

acrylic on canvas

The world was depicted in shades of grey now. My eyes can see nuances, lighter and darker but nothing resembling what colors I see in my memory. I remember gazing at a blue sky, so beautiful and clear, an umbrella above me that was so often there, I didn't need to give it much thought. The white clouds light and fluffy looking, ephemeral like illusive fibers that would dissipate between my fingers if I ever had the opportunity to try to grasp them. The earth that I lay on was a soft cushion of green blades padding me from the hard, red clay earth in the layer below. Gentle breezes caressed my skin and brought fresh, mild fragrances of plants and flowers, creatures and earth. My home was a verdant place, alive with growth and decomposition, making room for new life coming.

Now there is mostly decay. Charred ruins and decimated landscape fill my vision. Debris is the new terrain, making it treacherous to walk, no street, no earth, no color...

But wait, through the blackness below my feet, I spy an anomaly. Something that doesn't fit in is peeking up from under a piece of jagged cement. I can hardly believe and I bend low to see because it is quite small. It staggers me with it's intensity and brightness. I put my face very close to it because it is quite small, tiny even. I let it fill my vision until it is all I see. This is it...GROWTH.

Flatbush Frolic

2008-09-13T00:00:00.002-04:00

This Sunday (day after tomorrow) I will be participating in the Flatbush Frolic, a street fair that is held on Cortelyou Road from Coney Island Avenue to E. 16th St. I'll have some artwork, framed prints, notecards and jewelry for sale. I'll also be making appointments for people to visit my studio. Hope to see you there.

9/11 and the future

2008-09-11T10:11:00.004-04:00

Today we remember a day that tore a hole in the hearts of New Yorkers and put a massive fissure in all Americans' sense of security. While I thankfully knew no one who is gone as a result of that attack, it will live within me forever. I didn't want to watch the memorial ceremonies, but I am compelled to hear the names, look at their pictures and try to imagine their lives. It is to honor their lives; I do the same with our fallen soldiers. In both cases, the deaths are senseless. I am surprised that I am still weeping at the memories of these people. My love and empathy go out to their families who have bravely gone on and rebuilt their lives.

I only wish the powers that be would let us go on by rebuilding in the site of the towers. We need to have something concrete that speaks to the future rather than a literal hole to remind us of the emptiness. And we need a proper memorial for all the families and all the citizens of the world to remember, pay tribute and heal. Let's hope they make it happen soon.

Planned WTC 2012.

ART IN FREE FALL

2008-09-10T23:17:00.004-04:00

Come and visit my work this weekend at the opening of BWAC's Art In Free Fall Show at the Beard Street Pier in Red Hook, Brooklyn, 499 Van Brunt St. Art In Free Fall is open weekends, Spetember 13th - October 26th. I will be there later Saturday afternoon (I have to work in the Bronx earlier). Come visit me at panel #254 on the second floor. If I'm not there when you come, please say hi by signing my guestbook, hung to the side of the panel, so I'll know you've been there. Tell me what you think of the work.

A Parisienne Cafe

2008-08-28T11:37:00.005-04:00

CAFE 2
acrylic on paper
14" x 10"
$525-

Who wouldn't like to be sitting at a Cafe in Paris, perhaps on the Champs Elysees, Paris' most famous boulevard, by the Arc de Triomphe, having an expresso while watching the Paris parade go by? My elegant lady here, comes from another era, when women dressed regardless of where they were going, because you never knew who you were going to see, or more importantly, who was going to see you. The etched glass behind her and the small tables and wicker chairs tell you definitively that you are in Paris.

This painting happily pairs with CAFE 1 (three entries earlier) and together will add Parisienne charm to any room.

In A Red, Red Room

2008-08-27T23:46:00.002-04:00

RED WALL
monotype
11" x 14"

This piece was the product of an off press printmaking technique. I drew out the design beforehand and used my drawing as a template to paint the whole image, in printmaking ink, directly onto the plexiglass plate. When this was done, I let it dry completely. In the meantime, I soaked a sheet of paper in water. I placed the paper over the painted plate and put the whole sandwich between two sheets of plywood.

Now it was time for me to put on the music and get on my feet---on top of the print and wood! I danced and rocked out for a while until I felt sure the print had transfered. It took a number of tries to get it to work right, but finally I was able to pull this lively, one of a kind print.

This piece is obviously part of my Chair Series and this charming interior is found nowhere but in my imagination and on this monotype print.

2008-08-16T13:31:00.002-04:00

Just a reminder for those of you in the New York area, this weekend is your last chance to see the BWAC show, HOT! I have three pieces on display, look for my panel on the second floor, that are landscapes from New Mexico. This may be the last time this work is seen as it was damaged when there was fire in the building right before the show opened. When I get the work back, I'll be better able to ascertain if the damage is reparable. Meanwhile, this may be their last presentation ever. The show is Saturday & Sunday, 12-6PM, at the Beard Street Pier in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

Cafe Sitting

2008-08-16T13:00:00.003-04:00

Sitting in a cafe and wiling away the hours, is a skill most Americans don't have but has been practiced by Europeans for ages. This, of course, makes us all the more interested. How do they have time to take from their everyday lives to just sit and watch the passing parade? When would a New Yorker ever fit that in between running for the subway and getting to the gym? So I portrayed my fascination in a pair of paintings, the first of which is here, Cafe 1, watercolor, 14"h x 10"w, $525-.

My lady friend is deep in thought as she sips her glass of wine in a Paris cafe. Her elegant apparel tells us she is from a different time when women dressed for their afternoon outings, prepared to be seen by the world.

Spanish Street Scenes

2008-08-07T10:41:00.004-04:00

One of the great features of walking Las Ramblas in Barcelona are the street performers. More often than not, their performance is their costume and their presence---they make an artform out of living statuary. The costumes and make up may be charming or outrageous. They stand stock still until you make a monetary deposit and then the character comes to life, striking a pose with the generous tourist.

2008-08-07T10:22:00.005-04:00

While I always try to introduce a new work of art here, my photography has been my artform for the last several days.

After spending all night and part of a day to get here, we received the hospitality of our good friend, Rene, and, in absentia, his lovely wife, Sylvia. Having their well located home as our base of operations has made getting around this personable city even easier.

Strolling down Las Ramblas, the main walking thoroughfare, you pass fabulous and decorative architecture like this. Las Ramblas is lined with cafes, flower and pet markets, as well as a food marketplace where the displays are feasts in themselves.You find art everywhere you look in Barcelona, in the achitecture and on the architecture. A work of art that is filled with works of art everywhere.

New Mexico Dreaming

2008-07-20T11:51:00.002-04:00

Right now the heat in New Mexico is blistering. The long road I drove with my friend, Alice, from southern New Mexico to Albuqueque and on to check out the art meccas of Santa Fe and Taos, is now baked as you drive so fast your tires won't melt onto the macadum. The rising heat vibrates as your long view takes in the narrow stripe that leads you across the state, interrupted only by tossing tumbleweed.

We saw a lot of beauty that trip both in the stark, red vista of the desert and in the galleries and marketplaces filled with the creativity of artists from across the country. But for natural beauty, the place we started out, Alamagordo, trumps them all. The mountains easily reached heights only imagined back East and we had two glorious days painting the mountain forests on location.

This painting, New Mexican Landscape I, is on exhibit at the BWAC show HOT! which opens this Saturday, at the Red Hook Pier, Brooklyn, NY. Pastel, 14" x 11" (20" x 16" framed), $525.

Golden Pine

2008-07-17T00:01:00.003-04:00

It conjures up cool, mountain breezes, the refreshing air of Autumn, a great relief from the stifling New York humidity. The painting, "Golden Pine" was painted on location in southern New Mexico, near a town called Alamagordo (I love to say that name.) I worked at an easel with pastels, gazing at a mountainside filled with trees that had already kissed summer good bye, their predominantly yellow leaves encompassing my view. While I invented the colors in my painting, they were all there under the surface, if you just looked a little closer. But I had to give tribute to their golden color, hence my solitary yellow pine. Because it is alone, it draws your eye, contrasting with the violet-hued hillside.

This piece is on display at the BWAC Summer Show - HOT! -at the Red Hook Pier in Brooklyn, weekends from July 26 - August 17 (see previous post). It won an award at the Pastel Society of Oregon 10th National Juried Show. Pastel, 25" x 19"unframed, $1,350, matted and framed.

Jul 26 - Aug 17 Summer Show - Hot! - Red Hook Pier

2008-07-15T14:24:00.002-04:00

If you haven't had the pleasure of taking a trip to Red Hook, Brooklyn, or even if you have, weekends between July 26th and August 17th will be the place to be to see what's happening in the New York art world. Over 200 artists from around the city will be showing their work in the historic pier space. While you're enjoying views of the Statue of Liberty & NY harbor, you can have lunch at Fairways, visit the new Ikea or explore this fun neighborhood. Look for 2 panels from me, one featuring pastel landscapes and the other my original collages. What do you think of Red Hook?

Art Show Closing Party Tonight

2008-06-28T14:06:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends--

Please join me this evening
Saturday, June 28th
for the closing party of my group show,
BWAC @ Clinton Hill Art Gallery

The gallery is located at
154a Vanderbilt Avenue
Brooklyn
718-852-0227

7 - 10 PM

Hope to see you there,
Karen

Diligent Work

2008-06-28T00:01:00.003-04:00

Just about the time FAST went into high gear, I received the opportunity to go into a middle school and teach a residency. The school, MS 223, is in the South Bronx. I had 8 sessions to give 3 sixth grade classes a grounding in art skills and the focus to make some great art.

Being a teaching artist is always an adventure. I deal with the unknown: the students, classes and administration in each site, have their own special take on things. In this school, they were all responsive and we took the adventure together. Many of the students had little or no art in their background, so I began with basics. Since our time was so compressed, we quickly progressed & got to work on our major project.

Having studied ancient civilizations during the year, I decided we would use Greek vases as the format. With the Olympics coming up this summer, the project became Olympic Amphora.

I will tell more about it in the next entry, but here are some photos of diligent workers and their creations.

WOMAN ENTWINED

2008-06-25T21:21:00.002-04:00

"Woman Entwined" Acrylic on hardboard 24"high x 36"wide

This piece is part of my "Nude" series. What started out as a straight nude painting, evolved with greater complexity as she began to sprout branches and leaves. Her body and the tree forms merged as they wove in and out of one another. This painting is a commentary on the conditions of women's lives, rooted and tangled in the many branches of our lives.

Studio Tour Weekend Finally Arrives

2008-06-25T11:18:00.004-04:00

June 7 & 8

It took a while to get my house all ready for the tour. Because I was sharing with 3 other artists, I had a lot of work to do to accommodate them. Selma Cooper was on the porch with pastels, Keren Moskovitch was in the front parlor with her c-print photos, Brenda Becker in the dining room with handmade books & I was in the livingroom. Lots of cleaning, hanging, moving furniture and taking down artwork (to make room for others’ work) to turn this into four galleries. It looked fabulous (if I do say so myself)!

The weekend was blistering hot – 96 degrees & humid—breaking all records (who said there’s no global warming?). We were afraid no one would come. But art lovers seem to be a stalwart group and shortly after noon on Satuday, people started trickling in. By the end of the day, about 80 people had signed our book.

Sunday was even hotter & Selma came inside, off the porch, into the a/c. The Victorian House Tour ran simultaneously but it was hard to tell if we got any people from there. But come they did! Individuals and groups—at times, we were mobbed! People loved the art & seeing it in this home environment. But many did not seem to realize that it was for sale, so sales were light.

It was wonderful to have all these people share our work and by the end of Sunday, apx. 200 had come through to look. We all agreed it was a great success and we’re already making plans for next year. Thank you to all my guests for sharing your weekend with us. What did you think of the tour and how can we improve for next year?

Photos: large at top: Karen, Brenda, Selma, Keren--the four artists at my house. Smaller photos: guests looking at artwork during studio tour.

FAST Group Show

2008-06-18T23:47:00.006-04:00

June 5, 2008

Tonight was the opening reception for the Flastbush Artists Studio Tour Group Show. Housed at two local cafes- Connecticut Muffin and Vox Pop- the beautifully hung Group Show debuted to a responsive crowd. Neighbors, friends and family members joined the artists to revel in the beauty of their collective work. Each of
the artists
participating in the tour this weekend has a representative piece in the show, allowing visitors the chance to preview the artists' work and determine whose studio they wanted to make sure they didn't miss.

A highlight of the evening was the arrival of Jamila Josephs, from Borough President Marty Markowitz's office, who came as Marty's representative. She brought a proclamation from Marty proclaiming the day for Flatbush Artists Studio Tour and presented it to me at Vox Pop.

Flatbush Artists

2008-06-18T23:23:00.005-04:00

Press Release

Contact: Karen Friedland Brenda L. Becker
brendabecker@optonline.net
ArtistKaren@mac.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Flatbush Artists Studio Tour Debuts June 7-8, 2008

First major open-studio event in ‘Victorian Flatbush’ neighborhood;
Public to be welcomed by 27 artists on self-guided tour

Brooklyn, NY, May 20, 2008 -- The visual artists of Flatbush will open their
studios to the public in a weekend-long self-guided art tour throughout the
historic Victorian neighborhood. The first annual Flatbush Artists Studio Tour
(FAST) will take place Saturday and Sunday, June 7 and 8, from 12 to 5 p.m.
Tour maps may be downloaded and printed at www.flatbushartists.org, or picked
up at many local merchants. Admission to the tour is free.

The artists represented on the tour include painters, sculptors, printmakers,
jewelry makers, mosaic artists, and book artists. “We’re all familiar with the
creative life of areas like Williamsburg and Gowanus,” said tour organizer and
painter Karen Friedland. “Now art lovers can add the beautiful streets of Victorian
Flatbush to the vibrant artistic map of Brooklyn, and meet the artists who work in
one of the city’s most diverse communities.”

In addition, a group show of local artists will take place from June 5 - July 2 at
two lively cafés in the heart of the area: Vox Pop and Connecticut Muffin (1022
and 1106 Cortelyou Road), giving tour-goers an opportunity to preview the works
of all the participating artists on the tour. An opening reception for the group
show will take place on June 5, from 7 to 10 p.m.

The Flatbush Artists Studio Tour, presented in cooperation with the Brooklyn
Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC), will take place the same weekend as the
popular Victorian Flatbush House Tour. The studio tour is a separate and
unrelated event with free admission, and will offer both old-house fanciers and art
lovers yet another reason to explore the leafy streets of the area, with its broad
lawns, spacious front porches, and fanciful architecture, on the weekend of June
7-8.

“This event has prompted an outpouring of community support, for which we’re
very grateful,” said Ms. Friedland. Studio tour sponsors include Brooklyn Borough
President Marty Markowitz and two dozen local businesses.

Getting to Victorian Flatbush
The “Victorian Flatbush” area includes the landmarked historic districts of
Prospect Park South and Ditmas Park along with Midwood, Beverley Square
West and East, and Fiske Terrace-Midwood Park.
Visitors may start the free tour anywhere on the self-guided neighborhood map
available at www.flatbushartists.org or at local shops. The closest subway stops
to the tour area are the Q train to the Beverly Road, Cortelyou Road, or Newkirk
Avenue stations (see the map for station locations). In addition, the neighborhood
is served by the B68, B16, B35, and several other buses. Details and driving
directions are also available on the FAST website.

Go West, Young Woman

2008-06-10T03:26:00.006-04:00

9 June 2008

Last weekend, we went out West to attend the annual booksellers convention, Book Expo America, held this year in Los Angeles. My husband, Gary, is a book publisher. You can see him here with his latest book, The Merck Manual for Pet Health. A great book, it is invaluable for anyone who loves a pet.

Before going to LA, we visited the ranch of his spokesperson, Joan Embrey and her husband, Dwayne, in San Diego. It’s a fabulous ranch with horses, chickens, stables and barns. But there’s an African twist here. Joan & Dwayne have exotic animals—it’s like they have the beginnings of their own zoo! She has wonderful birds and snakes, frogs, hedgehogs & an armadillo. Fearsome cheetahs made it clear they are wild animals, while the sloth hung out beside the kinetic lemur. But my favorite was the aardvark! He didn’t look one bit like Arthur of book fame and is so benign that they sometimes take him for a walk on a leash. I think having this close experience with the animals will help them find a way into my artwork.

I already paint a lot of elephants. My most recent is here, entitled “Two For The Road”. I was going to call it two tushies, but decided that didn’t sound professional enough. I just loved this backview and the companionship, parent and child.

Waiting For A Fare

2008-05-27T00:13:00.003-04:00

I traveled to Morocco a couple of years ago. This trip made a tremendous impression on me. The sites and smells, the land, the people and their animals were unique and new and drew me into their embrace. But, as an artist what held me in its grasp, were the colors and patterns of the country.

Shortly after we arrived in Marrekkesh, we attended an event called Fantasia. We went with our fellow visitors on a long bus ride out of the city, into a dark countryside we were unable to see in the pitch of the moonless night. We knew we had arrived when we pulled into a brilliantly illuminated courtyard with a majestically tented entrance. We entered through a maze of walkways lined with riches intended to dazzle us, and they did. The inner courtyard was grander still. All around were elegant buildings and brightly colored tents.

Along the curb in that courtyard stood a camel hitched to a post. On the camel's hump was a draped seat, enclosed by a canopy and sumptuous draperies. The camel's owner leaned against its back, waiting to be hired for transport. When I looked at him, I knew he had been together with the camel a long time, as the resemblance was clear.

Why is it people look so much like their animals?

The painting "Waiting For A Fare" 30' x 24" acrylic on canvas. Available June 7 & 8th at Flatbush Artists Studio Tour, on the web at: www.flatbushartists.org for map. I am location #1.

Floral Hill

2008-05-21T21:49:00.003-04:00

As life gets to be more and more hectic, the need to carve time into my relentless schedule becomes even more pressing. It's times like these that I frequently work on my small collages. these works are comprised almost entirely of papers that I handpainted. Using mostly torn pieces gives the work an organic feel, to both edges and shape.

This piece at left is part of my Environment series. The pieces in this series come in small size (usually 9" x 6"). The works in this series are not representational but rather gives an impression of land and sky, the water and shore, as do all the pieces in this series.

Most of the collage is done on white paper as the base but this piece includes a unique paper that is gouache on a teal base paper.

Floral Hill depicts the sky, hills and sea. The media are gouache, watercolor, paste paper and oriental paper. It is signed with my chop which is my name in Chinese. The price is $75. It can be purchased at my studio during the Flatbush Artists Studio Tour, June 7 & 8, www.FlatbushArtists.org.

Teaching Artist

2008-05-14T18:09:00.004-04:00

Every artist is a teacher. By creating works of art, we are teaching others new ways to see, the way we see the world. But not all artists are Teaching Artists.

Teaching Artists go into schools, senior centers, after school programs, etc. for a limited period of time and create a learning and creative experience for their students. These workshops, or residencies as they’re called, give the students just a taste of the art making experience in their short time. It may relate to the school curriculum or it may be a pure studio experience.

The residency I’ve just started teaching is in a wonderful school in the Bronx. A public middle school, it is housed in a building it shares with Bronx Prepatory High School. I need to tell you how impressed I am with this school. The teachers are mostly young, friendly and very committed to the educational process. Frequently, when I’ve been in the office, I overhear colleagues having strategy discussions on how to approach teaching a particular unit. I’ve been in many schools and take my word for it, that’s pretty unusual.

I’m teaching 6th graders, sometimes a tricky age. These children are (mostly) well behaved, interested and responsive. I already love teaching at this school.

My one snag is that the trip to South Bronx from Brooklyn takes well over an hour. To get there before 8AM classes begin is a real stretch for me. To while away my travel time, I sketch my fellow subway riders. One page you see here. What do you do to while away the time while you're traveling?

On The Road

2008-05-04T21:15:00.002-04:00

It’s nice to visualize going to new places, setting up an easel and immortalizing the new setting before me. Nice to imagine but, to date, I have never had it happen. Whenever I travel, there are demands on my time. Just getting there—wherever there may be—is time consuming & almost always, a hassle. Even in the car when I’m not driving, it’s a good time to have conversations with family members that I might not have had, had we not been strapped into a metal box together for hours on end. Such was the case recently when we went to Cleveland to celebrate Passover.

However, this time I was determined. As you can see by the painting, I was successful. My “Eclectic Electric Water Man” was done on travels from the Poconos to Cleveland. The painting is 10”h x 7” w and done in watercolor.

Studio Tour

2008-04-30T08:47:00.006-04:00

Sometimes, you just have to take things in hand and make them happen. That’s what I decided to do when I wanted my community to hold an artist studio tour. My idea was that I would reach out to other artists, who I didn’t know, and create a group of people who would work together harmoniously, sharing the effort, to make it happen.

Luckily, my friend (and very talented book artist and writer), Brenda, consented to jump into this endeavor with me (if a little reluctantly). We held meetings to get a group together & make things happen. But for a while there, the only things that happened were dissension. After a screaming match in my own living room (where I was the one being screamed at), I almost bagged the whole thing.

We had, then lost, support of the Flatbush Development Corp.- our community org, and gained support from Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition.

With all the talent I had reached out to, we still didn’t have a useable logo for the event . So, even though I have no graphic arts training, I decided to come up with a logo. You see here what I came up with. Since our acronym is FAST – Flatbush Artist Studio Tour, I really wanted to convey something art-like moving swiftly, hence the
spinning color wheels. But because we are a Victorian neighborhood, and are running the tour the same weekend as the house tour, everyone seemed to like the house best. (The easel guy was no contender.) And that’s what we went with. Which do you think works best?

Flatbush Artists Studio Tour (FAST) June 7 & 8, 1-5PM www.FlatbushArtists.org

FAST Group Show June 1-15 at Voxpop and Connecticutt Muffin, 1022 & 1106 Cortelyou Rd, Brooklyn, NY

My studio: 190 Marlborough Road., Brooklyn

Plan On It!

Solitary Pursuit

2008-04-28T00:33:00.002-04:00

Returning to New York was a disorienting experience. Of course, I was glad to see my husband and daughter after two weeks away. It was fun going that evening to the 50th Birthday party of my dear friend, Marilyn Davidson. My energy was waning but her husband, Steve, spoke so tenderly about her that I got a second wind. Dancing almost pushed me over the top.
So those were the good parts. But coming back to everyday life, the responsibilities in home, family, friends, FAST and food, had been shed while I was away and I only resumed them reluctantly. It is amazing how quickly we can get used to changes, especially those that make our lives easier. For two weeks, I only had to care for myself and my painting. In that time, the two were synonomous.

I was anxious to continue what I had started and to apply what I learned. It is always helpful to work in a group setting—there is feedback and comments throughout the painting process. One may even have the opportunity to talk out a problem and solution, with the only input being the listening of another artist.

But talking it out with yourself is a more difficult and solitary pursuit. The critical, problemsolving dialog exists only within yourself and, with new tools gain in the workshops, it is difficult to implement them effectively.

The painting above was begun at the workshop and finished at home. It has a brief beginning in acrylic and the rest is watercolor on synthetic yupo paper. Painted of a model to whom the face, clothing and setting bear no resemblance. What is she gazing at through the black opening? (Your comments are welcome.)

What a Party!

2008-04-23T22:05:00.006-04:00

Friday, March14, 2008

Struggling with this painting seems to be the order of the day. While one can get a layer of paint to stick to Yupo (synthetic paper), frequently, putting on a subsequent layer, as is demanded for a “painterly effect”, will just pick up the first layer, leaving you with nothing. At the same time, take this approach to design is so outside my normal perview, it is hard to evaluate when it is working or not. Also, with abstraction, there is no object to compare your picture to detect its “correctness”. Coping with all these new challenges simultaneously is sometimes frustrating and confusing.

Finally deemed that painting finished & gave it over to the picture hanging elves who make the 3rd floor studios into a very large gallery. I need to pack up and make the box of canvases and boards that I didn’t use, to be Fedexed back to NY.

The South Carolina weather was enticing me to never leave, so I took my last long walk down on the beach from the Springmaid pier down to the next.

Returning with just enough time to get into my glad rags & make my appearance for cocktails. Similar to last week, the work is wonderful. This time, however, there is a greater diversity of style as there are more open studios. Because we are all heading back home shortly (this is the last of 3 consecutive sessions), I made a point to photograph several of my friends with their work. It is quite accomplished and all seemed to feel they had gained from this intense learning experience.

After dinner, we returned for dancing but there was a different DJ from the week before. We swore we couldn’t imagine where he dug up some of the music he was playing. Most of it was from the 1940’s & 50’s. Old, old old! But he did get some of the couples up for some (really) old standards. My friends, Kathleen & Dennis, looked romantically sweet on the dance floor, especially when Dennis swooped Candy in those deep dips.

Photos: me at the top at our gala, more friends and their art work, at the bottom, the romantic dancers of Michigan.

Getting "Painterly"

2008-04-17T23:29:00.006-04:00

Thursday, March 13, 2008

This point in the workshop, everyone starts to see the end of the week coming and with that comes a sense of regret and anxiety. While I am really enjoying myself, it has been a long time away and I am very tired. With completion also comes our show finale, so all of us focus on finishing and getting work ready to show. I continued to work on my third figure painting but I was anxious to try a non-objective painting.

This was to be a workshop about working on alternative surfaces. However, the only techniques George has taught have been about Yupo. I feel a bit disappointed as this was not as advertised and I know George has a great deal of knowledge about many technical areas of painting.

George and I had private conference for him to review and critique my body of work. He was quite supportive and, as a direction to explore, suggested I work on integrating a more “painterly effect” with my “decorative” imagery. Having his feedback was very helpful and I appreciated it.

I proceeded to create a “painterly” (layered) underpainting and then placed a chair on top of it. Now my challenge is to turn it into a painting.

Photos top to bottom: underpainting with chair outline, Springmaid Pier, finished painting.

Into The Experience

2008-04-11T14:27:00.004-04:00

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

The week is moving on quickly and I am onto my third painting. Not that both of the others were completed, they weren’t, I just have other things I want to try.

I have finally given in and will try a painting on yupo in watercolor. This is what George is teaching, principally. He spends a lot of time demonstrating these techniques, I guess because he has spent a long time developing them. These are his primary medium and surface. So I won’t buck the trend; I’ll give it a try.

Photos: my acrylic painting completed, "Diana's Daughter", sunrise over Springmaid Pier.

The Five Fundamentals of Design

2008-04-09T22:25:00.006-04:00

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Having drawn and redrawn yesterday’s effort, by last night, I had had enough. I brought a sketch book and drawing materials back to my room and set about making several drawing that could be the basis of a painting. Captivated by my teacher’s wonderful paintings of people, I drew several figures, one of which became the basis for today’s painting.

I am working on canvas board, which I have textured, with acrylics. I had planned to work in acrylics all week but all the instruction and demonstration by instructors, has been with watercolor.

George talked about the most dynamic part of the picture plane. He diagrammed it for us but not too surprisingly, it is the center rectangular half of the picture, slightly above the midpoint.He also explained the difference between form – a 3 dimensional experience and shape, a 2D experience. Shapes relate better to the grid because they are both 2 dimensional.

Design, he noted, is the organization of visual materials. Dark shapes define light shapes; light shapes define dark. The human eye is drawn to light. James explained the Five Fundamentals of Design. They are: light shape on dark ground, dark shape on light, exchange-the alternating of light and dark ,which he applies, light shapes on light ground and ark shapes on dark.

A lot to take in for one day, and to apply it to one’s work.

Photos at top: George demonstrates a vertical seascape. At right: the 5 fundamentals.
Center: my painting in progress.

Art On The Grid

2008-04-08T11:07:00.006-04:00

Monday, March 10, 2008

The first day of the workshop, instructor George James began with a lecture on design. This is just what I came for and I enjoy his intellectual approach. He talks about how your eyes’ perception takes in the three dimensional world. We artists then take that 3D perception and make is two dimensions when we put it on a “grid.” Grid is a metaphore for the 2D nature of the paper, the flatness of it. Many things in our in our environment, such as televisions, computers and even the projections in Times Square, are the “grid.”

While admonishing us to find the emotional connection to color, George notes that the human eye needs contrast—dark vs. light. Dark explains light; lights explain dark. This concept of exchange is key to the day.

I began a painting on Yupo paper with acrylic. The new surface gives lots of unexpected effects, some desirable, others less so. The image is from my trip to Beijing two years ago, when I visited the hudong, the old neighborhood of walled paths, behind which courtyards and residences were hidden. Here you see my start. Also, photos of George James' demonstration of "12 Angry Men" painting that he did in response to having seen the play several times recently. An example of art inspiring art.

Birthday Celebration

2008-03-31T21:04:00.003-04:00

Sunday, March 9, 2008

IT’S MY BIRTHDAY! My family sent me a package with cards that I opened first thing in the morning but I saved my present for later. Kathleen called and asked if I wanted to go with them to Conway, SC for a river cruise at noon. When I reminded her that was in 15 minutes, she realized they had forgotten to reset their clock for daylight saving.

Scurried into clothes and met them straight away. Conway was about 45 minutes away. We met Captain Jim who ran the river tour with his 10 person electric boat. A veritable encyclopedia of information about the history of Conway, we spent a pleasant and informative hour and a half.

Got back to Springmaid only a few minutes after the workshop introduction was under way. My instructor this week is George James from Costa Mesa, California. Most of his career was spent as a professor at UC Fullerton. While he works primarily in watercolor on a synthetic paper called YUPO, he makes it clear that he is open to
any way that a student wants to work. Obviously, many students work with Yupo, as indicated by their questions. I’m hoping that this doesn’t dominate throughout.
(Photos top to bottom: on the river in Conway, Kathleen on the boat, more Conway river, George James about to demonstrate.)

First Week's Culmination

2008-03-30T23:24:00.007-04:00

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Fridays, the last day of a workshop, are always busy. Everyone is working with determination to finish what they’re working on, while, at the same time, I felt weary with the intensity of the week.

Salminen gave his final lesson on landscape painting and making a surface reflection. In one lesson, he demonstrated perspective, shadows, reflections and wet pavement. It was a skill packed lesson that would have been tried by much of the class if he had offered it earlier in the week. The artist at the next table tried it with good results.

My conference with my instructor was helpful in determining some small adjustments that made the painting a much more effective statement.

The painting was hung with those of my class and the other five classes. Got all gussied up for our big “opening” and cocktail party. Followed by the white tablecloth dinner, we ended the evening with DJ Larry and dancing.

Saturday morning was filled with good byes to friends who were departing. I was anxious to get off the Springmaid property after a week here and started asking around who had a car. Asked a new acquaintance, Kathleen Conover about her plans. She told me that she & Dennis were going to Charleston and invited me to join them. I was thrilled!

As the sun broke through the day’s rainy start, we got to know each other on the two hour drive. Kathleen and Dennis spend the winter in Pine Island, Florida where Dennis has several boats that he loves to take out in the Gulf of Mexico. Kathleen is an artist (see her website at www.michstudio.com) who paints wherever she is, in Florida or in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan by Lake Superior, homebase for the pair.

On arrival in Charleston, we set out by trolley to see the historic district. We marveled at the beautiful architecture that is distinctive in this southern city. After visiting the Slave Mart Museum, we agreed that just being in that place left you feeling the evil of the acts committed there. Galleries are a big part of the city’s vibrancy and we visited several. To add to the authenticity of the experience, we had dinner at Gullah Cuisine, sampling dishes indigenous to the African American community.
(Photos-top to bottom: my painting that I exhibited at our gala show, classmates Joseph & Sue with their abstractions, Charleston.)

Beach Beauty & A Perspective Lesson

2008-03-27T10:48:00.007-04:00

Thursday, March 6, 2008

The day dawned with a crystal, clear blue sky and a calm ocean. By midday it warmed to the low 70’s, making lunch break an outdoor event. There wasn’t much time for sunbathing for the painters but a few other brave souls were taking el sol by the pool. Warmer weather makes the beach a busy place with walkers, pets and surfers taking advantage of the balmy day. (Springmaid pier, above)

I, however, spent the bulk of the hours in the day indoors in the studio. Just a few pieces of collage completed the abstract project on which our class has been working for the last three days. Salminen said he thought I could keep working on the painting indefinitely which would change it but would not necessarily improve it. He confirmed my decision that this painting was done.

We got to see more of what our instructor does when he showed slides of his paintings. He creates urban street scenes, filled with amazing detail and complexity. Working primarily in a neutral palette, his depictions of New York, San Francisco, Paris and other major cities are studies in value.

Perspective drawing was his lesson today. His descriptions and diagrams made a subject that I’ve studied before but never quite got, straight forward and clear.Today I made a new painting in acrylic on paper. After many layers of color, I painted a figure and applied some of the approach I have just learned to the background. Tomorrow I will have an opportunity to conference with John and get his feedback.

Adding Collage

2008-03-25T23:22:00.003-04:00

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

My conference was delayed as class had a slow start and I met with my instructor more than an hour late. We were friendly enough, shared stories and some jokes and eventually got talking about my painting. He suggested I use washes to unify it. I told him where I would put them and he agreed. (at right: trying out collage; before adding black)

Unity is a good thing in a painting; one that’s sometimes hard to achieve while you still keep the excitement. This is my goal and it is a tricky balancing act. He then wants us to add collage and then a block of neutral color in the white area, at least one black section and line work. I am not so enthusiastic about the collage and use it sparingly. But BLACK! That’s another story. Coming out of a traditional watercolor experience, I was taught to create dark colors through mixing of colors, never to use black. Here I am—not only being given permission to use black, but being virtually compelled to do so!

I placed it in a large section that was already quite dark, That felt so good, I found two more prominent places for it in varying sizes and shapes. It felt terrific! But then I got nervous about it and scraped out most of one section. We’re just about finished, I mean myself and most of the 24 other students in the class. Their work is interesting and well executed although few in the class truly like their work, pledging to change it when they get home,

Tonight, after dinner, was the walk around. All the studios are open for touring, What strikes me repeatedly as I walk through the studios, is the exceptional high quality of these artists’ work. Creativity, talent, hard work account for it.

Laying In Color

2008-03-16T18:17:00.004-04:00

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Here we are at super Tuesday again, I am listening to Hillary Clinton in her victory speech. It is probably one of the best things about today. The worst was when the heavy plate glass and metal door closed on my fingers, pushed by a gust of wind. Not controlling my language as the pain was pretty severe, prompted my teacher to speculate that I had past life as a sailor.

Tonight it is storming. The wind whips up the ocean, making it roar through the rain. The sky is masked and the lightening strikes are a burst of flame inside a sky of grey cotton.

My paintings are both frustrating and not resolving well. We have now gotten most of the project but the pacing has been frustrating to me. I have realized that the premise of this project, breaking the space into small shapes, is contrary to what my painting goals are. Having those small shapes feeds difficulties that I am working to overcome. I will meet with my instructor first thing in the morning to see what he has to say.

The Abstract Project

2008-03-11T23:29:00.002-04:00

Monday, March 3, 2008

The day is beautiful and sunny and I am energized for my work. Our instructor gives us five minutes to draw each of four objects: a shopping bag, the trigger sprayer from a Windex bottle, a piece of plastic with a bullnose clip and a tape dispenser. We then transfer our drawings on top of one another, to tracing paper & subsequently to the painting support.

John wants everyone to use watercolor on d’Arches paper. Not my thing. I only want to work in acrylic. We reach a compromise; I will do a painting on paper PLUS another on canvas with acrylic. It was my offer but I fear I have bitten off more than I thought.

All day I bounced back and forth between the two pictures. While they both started with the same drawings, each will be unique. After lunch, the teacher demonstrated the next step, after discoursing on it for quite a long time. After a while, I just wanted to jump up, shake him and yell “OKAY, PAINT ALREADY”. Which he eventually did. I stayed late to be up to speed on both pieces. (picture at right - overlaid drawings on tracing paper, folded to be transfered to paper and canvas.)

Salminen, a nice guy with a friendly wife who serves as a teacher assistant, is rather rigid in his approach and inflexible in dealing with students. Thirty three years of teaching art in public school may inform his approach; not only may you use only the materials he specifies, but he doesn’t tell you where he’s going with the lesson, only teaching one aspect at a time rather than teaching the entire project and allowing artists to pace themselves. We’ll see where this will take us,

Taking Off For Springmaid

2008-03-11T23:05:00.003-04:00

Sunday, March 2, 2008

After sitting in a line of small planes on the runway at LaGuardia, we begin to slowly taxi to our spot at the front, in position for take off. There is a sound that fills the cabin, sort of like the rhythmic “wheh, wha” of a saw on a tree, I look around. No neighbors are very close as I’ve been able to snag a row to myself, but no one else is looking dismayed or even conscious of what I’m hearing. I then overhear the woman behind me say that she heard the same sound on her last Spirit flight. I am slightly reassured seeing her as proof that it did not cause disaster on that flight. However, I write about the sound and my anxiety in my notebook, just in case this could be the end, there might be some evidence of what happened. It’s not like me to be a nervous traveler but here I was, jetting off alone, to two weeks of painting workshops in Myrtle Beach.

I’ve been to Springmaid before and I’m looking forward to renewing acquaintances and deepening friendships. These workshops are unique because they run six studios simultaneously. Close to 200 artists, who lead solitary work lives, come together for the networking, camaraderie and collegial atmosphere that exist hardly anywhere else. Being an artist is lonely work and working with others is almost as strong a draw as what I can learn,

4:30 it’s off to the studio to hear an introduction from my instructor, John Salminen. Sporting a silver beard and bright yellow windbreaker, the Minnesotan explains his approach as focused on design, based on the teaching of Edgar Whitney. I’m excited about his design approach to abstraction—it is just what I came here for! Unfortunately, he wants us all to work in watercolor on paper. We’ve reached a compromise: I will work on two pieces, one watercolor on paper, and the other acrylic on canvas. We’ll see how this works out. (picture at right - John Salminen, instructor, giving introduction talk to class.)