Here are my most recent #ootd pictures from Instagram. I am all about cashmere, silk and leather. I spent the latter half of the day today cleaning my back room and cupboards, and thinking about supplies for next year. Meanwhile, students are working on sculptures, inventions and paintings. Lots of messy. Thank goodness for art smocks and aprons…and DeWitt Cleaners!!! One month of school left to go! <3
I am delighted to announce I have just completed a new series of encaustic & collage paintings! Yesssssss! They are fans – sensu in Japanese. I was inspired by a call-for-Japanese-inspired-art for a group show, which will be curated by Jamie Santos at Kasai Ramen scheduled for next month.
I love Japanese art! I’ve introduced my students to it with many different lessons through the years, the most recent of which happened to be utilizing the fan as motif. This was both inspiration and motivation for me to finally purchase some gesso boards, pull out the beeswax and immerse myself in the full sensation of creation.
I love how each one of these new pieces is unique – I added elements of origami, kintsugi, and shibari, as well as nods to the specific landscape, sport, and artists (Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese artist who is known for her dot paintings) of the country.
The very best part of creating art is relaxing into the process – allowing the inspiration to come rather than forcing decision making. It transports to an other-worldly place where the art becomes the most important thing, where nothing else matters except oneself and the process. The experience is pure joy; utter bliss. I highly recommend it. <3
Tonight’s the night for the annual Chittenango School Fair at Chittenango High School (150 Genesee Street, Chittenango, NY 13037). It takes place from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. This is my display – set up in the hallway between the two gyms.
After two hours of hiking around Clark’s Reservation in Jamesville, New York, I was inspired, finally, to stop in to see the new library at 5110 Jamesville Road (DeWitt, New York 13078). It’s called the Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville.
Stephen Alexander Clark is an Assistant Professor of Painting at SUNY Cortland. His work here depicts abstracted landscapes. His interest lies in the topography of farmland, the configuration of stacks of firewood and the seeming randomness of camouflage patterns.
This artwork will be on display through June 2019. It is located in a hallway that leads to the main library space on the first floor.
A piece by Pam Steele, who will exhibit in September, occupies the space as well. And an installation by Margie Hughto greets visitors at the entrance. Both pieces belong to the library.
Click here for a complete list of future exhibitors.
The library is open Monday – Thursday 10 am – 9 pm, Friday 10 am – 5 pm. Saturday and Sunday hours will change come summer – they are currently Saturday 10 am – 5 pm and Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm.
This little trip inspired me to get to work on a new series of encaustic paintings. Details to follow, hopefully, soon. <3
I am currently obsessed with Theory cashmere sweaters. I have five and wore them every day this week. Love, love, LOVE!!! <3 . I guess I also love that it is still chilly enough to wear them to work, lol (it is May, after all).
Love how you get one new thing and all of a sudden everything in your closet feels new too.
One more week until the school fair. It is on Friday, May 10, 2019 from 5:30 – 8:00 pm at Chittenango High School. On Monday, I will make final edits on what I will be bringing this year. And after that, we will be on the tail end of the school year!
There is still a lot to do. My Art-8 students are all making papier-mache sculptures or reductive floral foam sculptures. Next week, 8th grade Studio in Art students are going to take a time-out from their still-life paintings to do a clay project and my Art-5 students are glazing clay sculptures. We are very busy/very messy right now. It is really fun! I love my life!!!
Pam and I ventured into Camillus, New York territory tonight to attend a Michelle DaRin Jewelry trunk show at Synple (70 Main Street, Camillus, New York 13031). Michelle’s new pieces are vibrantly bold yet feminine talismans. Each piece is uniquely handmade. I loved everything!!!
This quaint village shoppe is the brainchild of fine artist, art therapist, stationery designer, mother and retailer Kelly Landau. The merchandising is picture perfect.
Synple is a comfortable nook in the heart of the village where you will find friendly people who are passionate about their merchandise – housewares, clothing (Free People is a mainstay), jewelry (including a selection of Michelle DaRin pieces), candles, soaps and all sorts of amazing gifts, treats and stationery.
The Made in the Deep South items are currently 50% off until they are gone. I want that beige cowhide bracelet with the crystal jewel!
Hours of operation are Wednesday – Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Kelly is currently working on updating the store’s website. For more information on merchandise and future events such as this one with Michelle, give their Facebook page a LIKE. Here is the link.
Next up for Michelle – a show at The Finger Lakes Academy of Decorative Arts this Friday and Saturday. Information is on their Facebook LIKE page here. <3
Today, on Orthodox Easter, I did, technically, go to a church. Kirkland Art Center occupies the architecture of a former house of worship in the quaint town of Clinton, New York ( 9 1/2 East Park Row, Clinton. NY 13323). The place looks like the set of the naughts TV series Gilmour Girls! I’d been invited here several times, but this was my first visit to this amazing little venue.
Penny had a show there last month, so we took the road trip to get her paintings then stayed for the new exhibit.
Needles & Glue features the work of mixed media artist Pamela Crockett, sculptor Stephanie Garon and collage artist Steven M. Specht, Ph.D., NCS. Of the three, only Specht was in attendance today.
Specht, a Psychology professor by day, sold two pieces, which were very reasonably priced. There is so much satisfaction in these little gems. Pictures are garnered from vintage magazines then arranged as narrative utilizing techniques he learned in an art course. The collages are really quite intelligently crafted.
The exhibition continues through May 24, 2019. See the website for more information – hours of operation and future events planned at the center including musical performances and dance! <3
Once again, my 8th grade Studio in Art students created illustrations for the Oz-stravaganza coloring contest! Eight drawings were selected for 2019. They are available on-line and at various stores on Route 5 in the village of Chittenango, New York.
Students used Sharpie marker to outline their pencil drawings. This was one of the six sketchbook homework projects I assigned last quarter. I have eighteen students in my class – eight of the drawings were printed to be used in the contest. Organizer Judy Waite told me it was very difficult to narrow it down to just eight. They were all wonderful! Coloring contest drawings from previous years have been bound into a coloring book for sale at the event. Win-win!
It is truly an honor for all of us to participate in this community event. Several of these artists won the coloring contest when they were elementary students! My 5th graders are coloring the illustrations now. Entries were sent to all eligible students at Chittenango Middle School and the two elementary schools in the district. Entries are due on May 8th, 2019. They will be judged by members of the Oz-stravaganza committee and winners will be awarded at a ceremony on Sunday, June 2nd, 2019 at 11:00 am in Oak Park in the village.
Chittenango, New York is the birthplace of L. Frank Baum, the author of the Wizard of Oz. Each year there is a festival to honor him. This year’s theme is “The Magic of Oz”. There will be all sorts of events including a parade. For more information go to the committee’s web page – here. <3
I have become a Transmedia groupie.
Syracuse University Associate Professor Laura Heyman, guest Visiting-Artist and Instructor Ira Lombardia, and Everson Museum of Art Curator of Art and Programs DJ Hellerman led students through a critique tonight at Apostrophe’s Art Gallery, 1104 Oak Street, Syracuse, NY 13203.
I was there a couple weeks ago for a similar event. This time it was a joint showcase of work by Han Zhao and Hangyi Zhou.
Han Zhao’s exhibit, Flowerbility, utilizes various media to showcase a single flower. According to his artist statement, he creates on his I-Pad and laptop, which allows his ideas to flow freely and quickly. There is joy to this ease. His work ethic reminded me of artist Kiki Smith. Last year, she visited Syracuse University and talked about coming at an idea from all angles. I enjoyed the consistency of the image and saw how its use had implications and applications to interpreting and re-imagining business logos, taking the image to its unlimited potential. That was exciting!
I jumped into participating in Hangyi Zhou’s critique session. What was I thinking, lol? I guess the teacher in me couldn’t just be a fly on the wall. I loved being a part of this adventure. The artist’s four-piece photography exhibit, Chinese Tattooed Women, seemed rather simplistic until she shared some back-story.
What happens in China stays in China – except when young artists relate how their view of the world is tainted by a judgmentally governed society. In this case, the notion that tattoos suggest disreputable character, specifically in regard to women. Finding Chinese women courageous enough to pose for these photographs was quite an accomplishment, apparently.
Each model wears black and poses to portray their emotional connection to their respective tattoos, which are similarly inked in black and were all similarly executed in China.
This series seems to be in its gestation period, and a lot of what was said in the critique was thought-provoking in a helpful way.
Thank you, Transmedia gang, for including me. This SU grad loves that Syracuse University art has expanded into the off-campus community. Utilizing this unique gallery space for student exhibitions and holding receptions on Mondays is a win-win! <3
It has been a little over eighty days since Dad passed away. This post is about family and memories. Nothing more. Just a way to resurrect the past. To remind us all to find the joy in our hearts. And to remember to love, always. <3
