For several months I have had the following quote at the bottom of my email signature:
“The challenge lies in creating with it that combination of truth and beauty called Art. The quest above all is spiritual.”
I recently rediscovered this quote while doing research in my old journals for a painting series. This quote eloquently and succinctly captures my creative quest, but I couldn't remember where it had come from.
The mystery has been solved by an oh so simple Google search. It was written by Isabel Allende in her novel Portrait in Sepia which was given to me as a birthday gift from my grandparents. Allende is one of my favorite authors. And, since her heroine is an artist (photographer) in this book, it's quite fitting that this quote found its way into my journal. I highly recommend this title along with it's prequel Daughter of Fortune. Her work is especially touching when read in Spanish, her native language. I read Casa de los Espiritus en espanol and was constantly blown away by the beauty and talent of her writing.
I moved back to the Boulder area about a year ago, after being away for eight years. As a resident of the City of Lafayette and Boulder County, I have been impressed and overwhelmed by the opportunities to progress my art career. I have found avenues to be part of a studio tour (EBCA), help found a new artist-owned cooperative (pARTiculars), participate in fundraising for a non-profit through my art (Art for a Cause) and gain PR coverage of my activities as an artist (Southwest Magazine, Sept 2008 issue).
Given all of this exciting activity, I was pleasantly surprised to see two recent articles in the Boulder Daily Camera covering a national report by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) which named Boulder/Longmont area the #6 Artsy city in the U.S.. You can read the complete article titled, "It's Official: Boulder's Arty" here.
In response to the NEA article, Malia Thompson with the Boulder County Arts Alliance followed up with an editorial about how economically valuable artist are to our community. Not only does art enrich our spirits and expand our minds, but it is also a healthy economic engine. Art events (gallery shows, plays, concerts, galas, etc.) not only benefit the artists involved, but also the community entities (restaurants, hotels, retail businesses, and more) which support guests visiting the shows. Thank you Malia for sharing this insight. I hope it helps us develop a more complete understanding of the important role that the arts play in our society. Read the full editorial titled, "Art Community Needs Local Support" here.
Thanks to all of you who came out for the inaugural Art for a Cause event benefiting The Patchwork School in Louisville. We had a fabulous time on Friday evening at the art opening, graced with the operatic music of Sarah McCurdy, Blue Grass and violin. Saturday morning started off with a bang as we all gathered outside for The Patchwork School's ribbon cutting. The children we especially excited about their new school and the amazing backyard/playground that many hands labored to create this summer.
Susan Kaiser Yurish, founder of Hanna's a catering an take-out delicatessen in downtown Lafayette, is now offering wall space to local artists. TheLafayette Cultural and Arts Commissionis asking business owners along Public Road to exhibit local art on their walls. I was approached by the LCAC and Susan to participate in the start of what hopefully will become a long tradition of supporting art through local business.
The LCAC is quickly making a strong presence in downtown with many new projects to revitalize downtwon. Last year they started the Lafayette film festival and now we see the Lafayette Festival Plaza underway, Art of Our Ages Banners on Public Road, and of course, art hanging on the walls of downtown businesses. This is an exciting time to be part of the Lafayette community. Thank you to the LCAC and Thank You to Hanna's!
Please visit Hanna's to see original charcoal sketches and a few framed giclee prints of my work hanging. Hanna's is located at:
802 S. Public Rd Lafayette, CO
Click "Read More" below on the right to see more photos!
This year I have been working with a group of fabulous artists to launch the First Annual Art for a Cause event! Art for a Cause is the brain child of ceramic sculptor Jennifer Rudkin, who recruited the rest of us to team up with her for a July 25th & 26th art show and non-profit fundraiser. This year we are spotlighting The Patchwork School a non-profit school located on Main Street in Louisville. Please check out the website, generously designed by volunteer Keith McCurdy.
Some call it street art, I think that it should be considered part of the Public Art realm. Last week I was on a bike ride accross the Golden Gate bridge while visitng my sister and brother-in-law in Berkeley. There is an adorable little town on the opposite side of the bridge from San Fransico called Sausalito. Aside from the panoramic views of the bay and the city, beautiful houses, and a candy shop where you can sample as much as you want, my favorite attraction was a humble man on the beach creating sculptures nearly defying gravity. Bill Dan has been building his rock sculptures in front of the public eye and for the pleasure of viewers passing by since 1994. He is not commissioned by anyone but his internal artist eager for the opportunity to create. What an inspiration! I love seeing art out in our communities.
Thanks to my husband's addiction to "nerd news", he just informed me that Photoshop is offering a free version online! For any of you that want to experiment with image manipulation it's worth giving it a go.
I feel so fortunate for the international exposure and experiences I have had up to this point in my life. The people I have met, personal challenges I have faced, and new places I have seen have forever changed my outlook on life. It's hard to put into words, especially for an artist who isn't well versed in words, but most of all this collection of experiences have put me in touch with the humanity which we all share. While we may find ourselves in different environments and speaking in languages that don't comprehend each other, we all seem to have similar hopes and dreams, trials and troubles. It's too easy to think of someone as "other" or "different" but in reality we are all very much the same.
Jon and I are still hosting our blog that we wrote during our time in Malawi. It's nice to go back and read about what I was learning in that space and how to keep those things alive in my life right now. For the most part, I encountered the most culture shock in relation to TIME, RELATIONSHIPS, and PRODUCTIVITY. In Malawi, I liked how relationships were more important than staying on schedule. Back home, I like the satisfaction of productivity achieved by being on schedule. I'm working on bringing the best of both worlds together.
To read more from our Malawi blog visit: Barrio Malawi
Yesterday I dropped off several of my hand bags and totes at The Middle Fish on east Peart Street (across from the Army Store). This is my first time selling the bags in a store so I am very excited
about the partnership that I will be developing in the coming months. The artisan's gallery reviews work for entry into the shop and works much like other retail stores. At first, it's a little hard to give up 50% of sales, but everyday I am learning more and more about the buisness of being an artist. I am developing an understanding of all the hard work that goes into marketing and selling, no to mention rent for a storefront. The Middle Fish will help me get the word out about the bags, I help them by get their word out about the store, and I get to be represented among an excellent group of other artists. It's a pretty good deal in the end.
Next time you find yourself strolling along the mall, please do visit The Middle Fish at 1500 Pearl Street!
