Feed the Hungry and Allow Others to Feed You

"India Rising -- the Found" mixed media on canvas

There are times in life when we nurture and feed others. And there are those dismal dark days in between when we are the needy ones. We hunger and thirst for the missing pieces in our lives, and we try to solve the puzzle of discontent and emptiness.

Perhaps it’s simply a desire for knowledge or perhaps the need to connect with another human being.  Whatever it is, we hope not only to discover what we’re missing, but to fill that empty abyss that gnaws at our organs and psyche. Like a tantalizing crumb dangling temptingly before us,  we can almost taste this mysterious ingredient. But before we can devour its lusciousness or feel its goodness on our tongue, it is gone.

"With These Hands -- Love" mixed media on canvas

Over the holiday, we saw a brilliant and moving film called: “The Book Thief;” written about one of the most interesting and grueling time periods in history: World War II. The character, a young girl named Leasle, gains the reputation of “book thief” because in order to satisfy her craving for knowledge and life, she must read. She must learn. She doesn’t steal books, she tells everyone; she only takes them for a little while and always returns them with added benefits.

The movie reminds us of the striking contrast between good and evil, and of the types of people who inhabit the earth: those who make choices that free their souls and shape their destiny in remarkable ways, and those who destroy whatever and whoever they touch through their black lifeless hearts.

"India Rising -- the Lost" mixed media on canvas

This movie inspired the title of my latest art show: “The Human Spirit – a Celebration of People and Places.” In almost all of my paintings, I try to emphasize the goodness and light that emanates from ordinary people doing small and simple things. The way they live their lives. The results of the choices they make.

"Prayer Circles" mixed media on canvas

If you’re in Fort Myers, Florida in December, I hope you can come. A reception will be held Friday evening, Dec. 6 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Arts for Act Arcade Gallery on First Street, between Jackson and Hendry. I’ll be there with other displaying artists.

Arts for Act holds auctions and uses the commission from the sale of art to fund services for abused women and their children. Many local artists support this gallery and also participate as volunteers.  Please call 239-337-5050 for information or check out their web site at http://www.artsforactgallery.com 

"Reggae Night" acrylic on canvas

Singing in the Rain and Re-Living “My Fair Lady”

Creating art becomes a challenge this time of year. In Florida, it is in fall and winter that the art scene comes alive. Finding time to create artwork, on the other hand, is limited. Art Shows, juried competition, and transporting paintings to and from different locations takes precedence.

My last show took place at Hotel Indigo in downtown Fort Myers.
In conjunction with the local “Art Walk,” we tested this location for accessibility and walking traffic. An evening downpour put a real damper on things, but drove traffic into the hotel for cover. This location is a hot spot for wining, dining and dancing. It also draws local artists, art organizations and a sophisticated crowd of theater goers.

I did find the location of the hotel difficult for loading and unloading paintings. After the show, my husband drove around the block ten times in the driving rain before he found a spot where we could load up my paintings for the trip back home. Whether I give Hotel Indigo another shot is up for grabs based on this inconvenience.

Sales were minimal, but it is only September. Season runs from October through March. We used September as a “dress rehearsal” for the formative months. I did enjoy the good food at the Italian Bistro and at Ichiban, both located within the hotel commons

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My artwork was on display in an interior room off the main hallway. During down times, I did a sketch, read my Kindle and visited with other artists. The location was excellent for lighting and temperature. We were also located close to the restroom which put a smile on every woman’s face.

 Bumping into the casual crowds, women in spiked heels and evening gowns accompanied good looking men in dark suits and ties headed for the wining and dancing on the third floor. After the downpour, these same patrons hailed a cab or waited for the valet to bring them their car.

People huddled under the portico and under rows of black umbrellas. I was reminded of a scene from My Fair Lady after the theatre on a street in London. Crowds here were equally wet. The melancholy wail of a saxophone drifted outward from the lobby. The mixed crowd that exited gave him tribute by dropping bills in a jar; a knee-jerk reaction for having to leave early.

The evening wasn’t a total loss. Yes, a few of my cards and my biography were ruined by rain drops, but by and large everything else made it without damage. 

A potential buyer showed interest in portraits and one of my paintings. I can only hope this may lead to something. After all, hope is the sustenance that propels artists to keep on painting and participating in shows.

Featured Artist

Our featured artist is Ruslana Lev from Ontario, Canada

Here is a Link to view more of her beautiful paintings: http://ruslana-lev.artistwebsites.com 

Hanging up a Show -- Team Work gets the Job done

The Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers is sponsoring two shows: one for recent recipients of Grants, and the other in the membership hallway, featuring Pan American Alliance members.

The experience requires a good morning and afternoon measuring, grouping similar colors and types of paintings, labeling, and then the actual hanging on the wall. I see the incremental hours slip through my grasp. I have done no painting this week and another blog is due. Is it just me, or does everyone feel the days are moving faster and faster?

I must admit the camaraderie of fellow artists is fun and stimulating. There’s a certain excitement involved in having a show and seeing how spectacular everyone’s work looks on the once bare walls. Sometimes we rub each other the wrong way; there are egos involved. And stress enters in when a painting or a frame is rejected.

But when all is said and done, we rally around the wounded person and try to make amends. After all, it could be anyone of us if the circumstances were turned. Support is vital in the transitional stage between achieving public recognition and putting your toe in the waters of exposure for the first time.

I remember my first show. I didn’t know whether to hang my head in shame because I had the audacity to hang my artwork in a show or go back home without even trying.

 

Somehow we all get past those beginning hurdles. 

That first compliment or sale changes you forever. For the first time you see the possibilities; the fact that people out there like what you do is secondary to the pride that fills your heart and hooks you for life.

What I thrive on is challenge. It’s not enough for me to “paint pretty pictures.” I have to try something harder and more difficult each time I begin a new painting. If I’m not growing or learning, I’m disinterested. To keep my creative juices flowing and my imagination in over drive, I have to see improvement in my work and master complex subject matter. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail.

We each have our own unique way of motivating ourselves. What works for me may not work for you. The important thing is to keep going. Remember, only those who give up fail. 

Of Cabbages and Kings, of Toilet seats and Things

Springtime in Fort Myers -- an Art Show -- 2013 Bell Tower Shops

Florida living provides me with an endless supply of stories and artistic material for painting. Every day I see a wide variety of birds, animals, plants, and aquatic life.

Take this morning. I wasn’t expecting to see a black racer snake devour one of its own on my front porch, but I did.  And I don’t enjoy cracking the door ever so slightly when I leave the house to prevent a lizard, or whatever else is out there, the slightest chance of sneaking in; but I do.

I’m reminded that living in the tropics brings its own special joys and surprises; like the time I was caught in the buff by a thirsty green frog that was perched on my toilet seat. I don’t mind sharing, but not in this case.

I coaxed my mini-intruder into a glass jar and transported him outside, unharmed. If I can, I prefer to save life, even a frog’s. Lizards are another matter.

When I first moved to Florida, I couldn’t bear to kill anything. But after chasing several lizards through the house and having them hide under sofas and chairs, or behind the bookcase where they die a slow death, I’m willing to exterminate when necessary. At least lizards don’t stink when they decay. Like withered old soldiers, they just fade away, leaving a crusty carcass behind.

Today a pair of pileated woodpeckers landed on our cabbage palm; their arrival a breathtaking flash of blink-bright red and black. Observing their skinny necks and hammer-shaped heads made me think of another time and place, when prehistoric birds of Jurassic Park proportions roamed the earth; ancestors perhaps?

The large 18” birds circled the tree, hammering the shaggy palm bark with heavy silver bills in search of insects and grubs. Both birds used their long black tail feathers for balance, leaning on them like old rocking chairs. Suddenly, one of the pair fluttered to the upper palm fronds exposing white under wing linings, a striking contrast against the black flight feathers.

Someday I will paint the pileated woodpecker. 

 Robin’s are not particularly fussy about where they build their nests. I’ve seen a nest cradled in a wreath on someone’s door, and a nest wedged between a light fixture and the bricks on a friend’s front porch.

My friend watched over the nest like a mother hen; protecting first the blue green eggs that appeared, and then the tiny newborns that followed. Each time he stepped out on his porch, the mother robin swooped over his head and dive-bombed him to protect her nest. Little did she know that he was a staunch ally.

The robins’ precarious nest-building habits are not without risk, and many a nest topples to the ground following a strong windstorm. But when it comes to parenting, robins are seldom outmatched.

My acrylic painting “Robin Hood” was inspired by the apple blossoms in the spring and the sighting of a robin’s nest. 

"Robin Hood" 16 x 20 acrylic on canvas

On my daily walk, I watched a turkey vulture swoop overhead and land on a hot tile roof a few feet away. The buzzard spread its wings to soak up the sun and rest while it digested its morning meal.

A startled mocking bird stopped in mid-flutter to bombard the huge bird, diving at it with angry squawks and stabs of its beak, despite the fact that its enemy was ten times its size.

The indifferent vulture pulled in its neck, tucked its small red head between gangley wing blades, and stubbornly ignored the mocker’s tenacious thrusts.

Not to be outdone, the gutsy mocker continued to swoop and dive, until finally the exasperated vulture lifted its dark wings against the sky and flew off in search of a new perch.

I enjoy the antics of the Florida mocking bird, a slightly browner version than its northern counterpart. Its uproarious songs and saucy attitude inspired my acrylic painting: “Berry picking time.”

"Berry Picking Time" 16 x 20 acryllic on canvas

Take the Plunge; Dive into Your Work and Believe in Yourself

I’m a slow learner. I have to hear something many times before it “clicks,” and I finally understand. I have to paint many mistakes before my eyes actually see the object I’m struggling to paint. Mastering the art of painting, at least for me, has been a long and arduous journey.

Perhaps it seems that way because we don’t see how other people struggle behind the scenes. All we see is the finished product. We don’t know how many hours it took to paint that masterpiece. We sometimes wonder at the asking price, thinking it may be a tad high. Rarely do we know the time and effort that went into the project.

"Sand Cranes at Twilight"  24x30 mixed media canvas

I’m currently preparing for a show and trying to determine the price to put on my own paintings. First, I must consider the commission charged by the gallery, additional charges for credit card use, etc.; the cost of framing and materials, the amount of time and effort. By the time I consider the demands of the marketplace, my time is almost negligible!

I’m wondering if the show is really worth my efforts, and yet without publicity and advertising we remain at a standstill. There is satisfaction in seeing one’s work posted in a gallery. There is joy in making sales, even though, in the beginning of an artist’s career, it isn’t much.

"Window on Pine Island" 16x20 oil on wrap canvas

I’ll be participating with hundreds of other artists in the Art Council of Southwest Florida at Coconut Point. The location is good. The people are fantastic. Part of the fun of working with different leagues and galleries is the joy of meeting new people and making lasting friendships

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Sure, I’ll give it a go. It’s all part of the adventure. You can’t just dip your toe in your profession or in the marketplace; eventually, you must take the plunge. Leaving your career to chance isn’t an option.

"Vikeholmen Lighthouse -- Skudeneshavn Norway" 16x20 acrylic

If you don’t give your dreams all you’ve got, you may as well hang them up to dry and let them wither on the vine of past regrets.

Does Fear have a Strangle Hold on You?

First Place winner in PanAmerican Alliance juried competition

This is the month when spooks, goblins, superstitions, and zombies celebrate the hidden fears and foibles we normally bury. Costumes and disguises parade as evil to ward off evil.

In reality, we all harbor secret fears that are sometimes disabling. Psychiatrists have names for these phobias. Some people overcome them through faith in God or a power greater than themselves. Others struggle a step at a time to unchain the demons within.

Second Place winner in PanAmerican Alliance juried competition (colored pencil)

I was talking about fear with my daughter, who is having difficulty finding employment. Each interview becomes more mountainous and treacherous. She finds reasons for not following through with an appointment: “They won’t hire me anyway. They’ll find some reason why I’m unsuited. I can’t go through it again.”

I feel for her, but at the same time she can’t remain frozen in time. “Don’t let fear keep you from doing what you really want to do,” I told her. “Don’t let fear control your life. If you do, you’ll regret it forever.”

I try to live by that advice myself. We all have to get out there and show the world what we’ve got. It may not be as good as someone else. It may not be as flashy and flamboyant, but it’s unique and represents who we are.

One of the greatest barriers to self-appreciation is making comparisons between yourself and another person. Because of insecurity or lack of self-confidence, the other person’s accomplishments always seem greater than our own. Our talents and skills pale in comparison. So why do it? Why compare yourself with others at all?

Progress is made and skill improved when we compare our last efforts with our present efforts. Compete with yourself until you feel more confident, and then you can comfortably compete with the world. It works for Olympic athletes. It works for pianists, writers and performers.

I look back over the years at how my work has changed and improved, and I’m clearly amazed. Don’t discount yourself; move ahead with the belief that you will get better. You must get better. Natural law predicates it. Practice and repetition do make a difference (your mother was right!).

My blog contains photos from a PanAmerican Alliance juried competition in Cape Coral. I attended, but did not show any of my work.

Featured Artist

Shijun Munns  was born and raised in Foshan; an old town in the South of China. She currently lives in Atlanta with her husband and “numerous pets.”

“I look at the world with an artist’s eye, and a poet’s heart,” Shijun said. Her work definitely reflects this. Link http://www.facebook.com/shijunart

A Day of Networking, Culture, and Culinary Fun

Glenn Gunderson "Cypress Swamp #2" painted on wood

It’s always fun to try a new restaurant. Christof’s on McGregor has renovated one of the older homes in Fort Myers and turned it into a fine dining experience. They’ve modified the huge wraparound porch adding tables and chairs for an outdoor dining area. The front lawn and spreading oak trees provide shade for a new outdoor patio with tables.

Inside, wood floors and a classy interior create a sophisticated ambiance. Separate dining areas promote privacy, and a well-stocked inviting bar welcomes diners and encourages mingling and conversation. The food is excellent.

I met some women friends and we gathered in a separate dining area where we could actually hear one another. We discussed among other things portraits. People are always curious about my art and what kind of paintings I create

Deborah Mitchell, "Bearing Witness" mixed media

I had completed a drawing of one of the women’s two grandchildren a few years ago. She showed me their pictures and how they had grown. It was amazing that these teens still resembled the children I drew so long ago. The drawings seemed to come to life. It was a great networking lunch, and several women expressed interest in having a portrait done of a favorite pet or spouse.

"Day Dreams" (my granddaughter)

I love doing portraits. I enjoy including people in all of my paintings. Somehow, the canvas seems empty without them. I do want to do more landscapes, but I know I will always want to paint people or pets; living and breathing things that have a life of their own.

"Blonde Boy" (my grandson)

"Dainty Diva" (another granddaughter 'ballerina' )

After our luncheon, I popped into the Alliance for the Arts to see their latest sculpture exhibition. Again, the focus of the competition was to use either recycled materials or items from nature that could be incorporated into the artist’s work.

The Library -- One Size Fits All

When we struggled to raise six children and provide them with music lessons, athletic activities, and a good education, I never dreamed that would mean I couldn't finish mine. But reality held a different answer. Without the library, I may never have become a writer or an artist. It was my lifeline and my access to opportunity.

That's why I was pleased when a juried competition opened up for the PanAmerican Alliance and our skilled and talented artists. I'm sharing some photos from that show with you. The winners of that competition will be announced at an awards ceremony on Dec. 3 at the library. If you’ve followed my work, perhaps you can find mine.

Being an artist is expensive. There are many choices to make and mediums to purchase: linseed oil, turpenoid, oil paints, acrylic paints, modelling and mixing mediums, watercolor paints and paper, pastels and paper, brushes and tools, canvases and panels. All of these amount to "infrastructure" for the artist and are necessary components for turning professional.

I just purchased a package of pastel color shapers. The list price was $39.99. I went around the aisles several times before I realized it was do or die. I had to have them. The results of my recent works with fuzzy unclear details were good examples. Luckily a friend gave me an online coupon for 40 percent off which made my decision easier. I paid $16.00 for the shapers, and felt good about my decision.

There are other ways to save money: artist friends who throw in the towel and want to get rid of their painting supplies, garage/yard sales, stores like 2nd wind for artists, i.e. Act 2 in Fort Myers, sometimes e-Bay, etc. And don't forget the library; a great source for learning material. Used book stores may be the answer when you want to own a book.

Many artists use house paint instead of acrylic for large canvases. Squeeze bottles used for hair color can be washed and saved for painting use when you want a straight-edged trim on a petal or stem or for fancy scroll work. Being creative isn't limited to composition and design, it's a great way to develop your own personal style and to lend a new twist on a vision or idea.


How do you save money? Please share your ideas with my readers!

Today, I'm sharing a "work-in-progress" inspired by a photograph I shared with you earlier of two sandhill cranes foraging at dusk (below). I first made a drawing, and now I'm putting in an acrylic base. I will use oil paint on the cranes and for detail and highlights. Stay tuned!

I loved this photograph because of the blue tones reflected on the crane's wings.