Spoiler alert

I'm going to go a little out of order here because I have a lot to say and a lot that I'm working on. So I'm just going to post about each thing as it pops into my mind. That's just how I roll right now.

For my solo exhibit, Working Through at Monkitree, I've been making new paintings and also reinventing some old paintings by completely painting over them. It's quite liberating and I highly recommend it! It all ties in with my artist statement and I'll get to that in the next post.

I dug through my cabinets of old paintings (yes, cabinets) and found four that I just wasn't feeling the love for anymore. Here they are in all of their non-glory:

Now, let's focus on the one on the bottom left. That was called "Green Apples" and I painted it a few years ago for a group show at Monkitree. It seemed fitting to start with that one since I feel I owe it to the gallery to make a nice painting out of that one.

Green Crapples-- I mean, Apples

At the time I painted it, I sort of liked it and thought it might grow on me. It didn't.

The original painting was casein & wax pastels on paper mounted on board. So I immediately thought of using some cadmium green sketching oil paint and my oil sticks on top of it. The color choice was a reminder to me of what was underneath. Moving forward is important but remembering how you got there is key.

first new layer

After covering it completely, I started drawing into it with my oil bars.

starting some marks

Then I kept drawing and painting, drawing and painting, and I guess I got caught up in the moment (that is the best part, isn't it?) because I didn't take any more photos of the steps in between. Well, like I said, how you get there is key...but enjoying the ride is the goal.

finished!

When I look at this I think about piles. Piles of crap: worry, exhaustion, feeling like a pile. In thinking of a new title, one that is nicer than Piles of Crap (but that would be fun, too) and references the old title, I think I'm settling on Compost Pile. It's gritty enough. It's also about how you can take a pile of crap and turn it into something useful.


Come see my first solo exhibit Working Through at Monkitree, 263 Water St, Gardiner, Maine
Opening Reception: Friday, April 4, 2014  5:30-9pm
Exhibit runs April 4 - June 7, 2014
Facebook Event page here

I don't know where I'd be without the help of my husband-- in general and in framing support, too!  He's cut mats and framed all of the work for the CSA show and I am so happy that he loves doing the technical work because it's just too fussy for me.  Give him things to measure and cut and he's a happy fella.  But don't worry- I help him plenty with the photography for his Etsy shop.  So let's call it sort-of-even!  (I still think I've made out on this deal)


I'm still chugging along on creating new paintings for the upcoming shows and I think I'll just keep making work beyond any exhibition dates.  I've purchased many panels to paint on and have gessoed a whole bunch of them.  I love painting on a freshly gessoed board!

Our cabbage paintings side-by-side

I love how in-sync we were this month! Working on new paintings at our own homes without talking about them at all, we wound up using the same subject matter!  Kim and I had looked at the cabbage growing on the farm in October but hadn't painted them until this week.

Kim and I have been working non-stop on the CSA project-- we have our 3 final shows coming up in January!  With the addition of those new exhibits to the 2 already on display, we'll be showing in 5 places at the same time (!!!).  Hectic, but a nice problem to have as an artist.  It's really made me be very productive so that I have a fresh supply of new work not only to give to the venues, but to be excited about and share via the blog and Facebook.  It would be boring to me to ask people to come out to a new venue to see the same old work no matter how cool I think it is :)

So, here's the newest work so far-- they can be found at the following venues on the following dates -- think of it like an Easter egg hunt:
Savory Maine Dining and Provisions, Damariscotta, ME through February 5, 2013
Crosstrax Neighborhood Deli, Unity, ME through January 26, 2013Maine Farmland Trust, Belfast, ME January 4-February 27, 2013 (opening 1/4 5-8pm)
University of Maine Hutchinson Center, Fernald Gallery, Belfast, ME January 4-February 27, 2013 (opening 1/4 5-8pm)
Frontier, Brunswick, ME January 11-February 24, 2013 (opening 1/11 5-8pm)

My newest paintings:

It Was Always Waiting There, Casein and Wax Pastel, 18" x 18", November 2012

Do Over, Casein and Sharpie, 18" x 18", November 2012

End of the Day, Acrylic, 18" x 24", October 2012

On Display, Casein and Graphite, 18" x 24", October 2012

Cabbage Patch, Casein and Wax Pastel, 18" x 18", December 2012

Cabbage in the Grass, Acrylic and Sharpie, 12" x 14"

Vegetables in the Barn, Watercolor and Graphite on Canvas, 11" x 14"

Barn House, Acrylic, 11" x 14"

SOLD! - Guard Dog, Acrylic and Wax Pastel, 6" x 6"

THREE ARTISTS COLLABORATE IN CUSHING SHOW

A wood-carver, a painter, and a jewelry artist will join efforts to produce a show of their work at the Cushing Historical Society Friday - Sunday, July 16 - 18, another of the Arts in the Barn summer exhibition series. The show will open Friday evening, 5 - 7 p.m., at the Society's barn on Hathorne Point Road, and will continue Saturday and Sunday, 10 - 4 p.m.

Cushing resident Bob Matus, boat-builder, carpenter, and lobster fisherman, is a wood-carver in his spare time. As he works he keeps an eye out for interesting wood scraps and pieces of driftwood that have the potential to become such things as mermaids, eagles, or elegant ladles, spatulas and spoons. He markets his carvings under the name Heron Cove Wood Carving, and is represented by several Maine galleries.

Painter Jamie Ribisi-Braley earned a BFA in painting at Boston University. She now resides in Manchester, Maine, where she operates Sweetland Retreat, a retreat for artists, with her husband and sister. She specializes in encaustic painting, a medium that she teaches and uses in her own work.. Her paintings have been shown in galleries nation wide and the State House in Augusta.

Deb Hanson is a part-time Cushing resident who will present her jewelry, and acrylic and oil paintings in the show. Hanson says that she incorporates what she calls the "Colors of Cushing," the unique colors of the St. George River fishermen's buoys, in her work. Her jewelry is fashioned with handmade beads and silver accents that have been inspired by the reflections of the sea.

Admission to the show is free. For more information call 354-8219

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If you're in Maine, please attend our Artist's Reception to kick off our Art in the Barn Weekend!
Friday July 16th, 5-7pm. Free local wine and cheese will be served.
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I'm so excited for the opening of the Luminous Layers exhibition! Even though I can't be there in person, I am there in spirit and in paint :) Two of my painting were accepted into the juried show and I'm so proud to see one of them at the bottom of the postcard that they sent out (pictured above).

The art opening was a huge success! What a beautiful show filled with wonderful people and glorious artwork. It was very inspiring to see so much tiny art! I even purchased a teeny tiny acrylic portrait on wood of a lumberjack :) There were actually two shows, both in Portsmouth, NH. Mine was at Three Graces Gallery and was the Teeny Tiny Art Show and down the street at Nahcotta was the Enormous Tiny Art Show. I saw many friend's work at both shows and that was so exciting for me!

Yesterday I packed up 16 small encaustic paintings to ship for the Teeny Tiny Art Show at Three Graces Gallery in Portsmouth, NH. I'm so excited to go to the opening next Friday! It's going to be so much fun to see all of them up together and amongst other teeny tiny work! I can't recall ever seeing so many of my pieces hung at one time. How cool?

Two of my encaustic paintings are hanging at the Freeport Square Gallery in Freeport, ME. Both of my black & white Ghosts of the Past paintings for their B&W show. The gallery is absolutely beautiful and we also had the chance to see a live concert there last night- very cool!