New Spring inspirations!

New scarves steamed on Sunday and ironed yesterday...now to get to market. I have been answering a request for certain colors which prompted the black and gray, but I found it intriguing to make my grays full of color and my greens varied, my blacks not quite black but waterful. The flow of dyes through fabric is a moving experience. Makes me feel expanded as I work on the back deck with sun and breezes doing their work with me as I allow colors to flow and shapes to morph. Prices on scarves range from $25 for a 22x22 square to $85 for a 22x90 super chiffon Isadora. Want one? Let's make it happen.

Another Gallery closes

In 2004, I had a painting exhibit in Prescott, AZ featuring my work created in Oaxaca, Mexico. While there I asked around for recommendations of gallery representation and was encouraged to make my way to Marshall Way, Scottsdale where the "best galleries" were. When I entered through the archway of Textures, I was intrigued, and my silk scarves were "just what they were looking for", I felt I had found my match. Indeed, business continued to thrive for several years. This piece was part of the show when I was a featured artist there for a March Art Walk (2006) Well, yesterday my work came back to me in the mail with 2 checks for work sold in May and August and one piece missing. I made the call to the gallery and was fortunate to be speaking with Shirley who was sparked by my work from the beginning. She was near tears as she reported how bad this past year has been...down 75%, 3 artists asking for representation to every customer through the door, and those customers "only looking" or buying the 12x12 of the 48x48 they would hope for. The gallery has been supported by sales on ebay of the antique jewelry they had acquired and then by estate pieces. How they pay the remaining accounts, of which my piece is in the pile, is a question. Resolutely, Shirley said they would do this. She said more than 10 galleries had closed "in the district" in Scottsdale and probably another 7 would be gone by September. This is a crisis for artists and gallery owners. How can we reach the .7% of the people who have all the money? Or must we go into service? Is selling on Ebay something to really consider? Gratefully our gallery in Montpelier, which I help to run with 5 others, owned by nobody, is able to balance its incoming/outgoing with careful considerations and a community of support of many years. Artisans Hand Gallery was again nominated for Top Retailer by Niche Magazine. We are committed to continuance and excellence.

Color play on Janet's sculpture

While at Janet's studio for Art Group, I just had to take a few shots and then had to color play with them as part of my learning process...always something to learn. Janet has such a way seeing the magic in found bits and constructing forms which speak volumes of our human conditions and the political struggles we are experiencing. Hurrah for Janet! And to me for seeing it all a bit differently.

Art Group at Janet's

Art Group meets every second Tuesday at one of our studios to show work and discuss art making and presenting. We have been meeting for over 10 years and have really gotten to see growth of spirit and evolution of process. Janet Van Fleet was instrumental in my involvement with the creation of Studio Place Arts and kept encouraging me to stay, to wade through all the steps of making a community art center. I just wanted a studio and a gallery in which to show the community's art. Well, though I have been away from studio renting at SPA for several years, it is always a treat to visit in Janet's studio where she has been invested in art making for these 8 years and her wonderful creatures surround us as we discuss...what else?...art. I feel very fortunate to have the association of the group members who are my support team and friends. This next week, I'll be back at SPA a couple of day as I hang the "SHOW US THE GREEN" exhibit of which I am the curator...and I am breaking the rules on this one as I'll be hanging some of my art as part of this show also. More on this later.

Back deck dye work on April 15!

Wow! When I was taking my breakfast on the back deck this morning, I was feeling the incredible warmth in the sun and I got the crazy idea that I could pull my dye table outside and begin my 2009 silk work. Sounds more simple than it was because my paint table was buried under way too much "stuff" and all the dye pots were encrusted with dried chemicals, and, of course, I wanted to move the back table because it was the full size...so many complications and potentials pitfalls to getting the project underway...but somehow I had terrific determination and within 2 hours I had a table to work on and then silks stretched and dyes ready to flow...what fun it is to dye on silk. I was inspired once again. Somehow sun and breeze makes the colors flow for me. I hadn't painted on silk for months...since the end of last year. Sometimes when I stop a process, it seems to take great effort to begin again. And what joy, how I have missed it! How freeing it makes me feel, alive again! Maybe I needed some of that down time to regenerate, to store up the energy to let it flow it again. Must sleep soon because I hear that it will be another fine day tomorrow before the rains come and I have even heard that snow might also be falling next week. Ah, spring in Vermont is a chancy thing.

Bench Conversation

This large oil painting still hangs at my Mother's house while her possessions are being removed for the Presbyterian rummage sale. Though others have requested to take this one off my hands, I want to reclaim it. It is too large to fit in my car and must be removed from its stretcher for transport. It is warped so a remake of the stretcher is needed. When I finished this painting in the last weeks of my senior year (University), I moved it to my mother's home for safe keeping. It has delighted her for 38 years and she has enjoyed sharing it with her many guests. With the next trip to Ohio, I'll break it down and bring it back to Vermont. But where will I put it here in my small home with walls already double hung with paintings. Will it stay rolled waiting for the next move? Can I make a reasonable copy for my mother's wall in her nursing home? Do I try to find a gallery in which to share this painting? Will I attempt to make a followup in this style which advocates emphasize as important? Which path will be open for me? This painting was made from a sketch I quickly did while visiting in NYC. I still have the sketch which is not as full of character as the painting, but so many of the lines are the same. The women has stood the test of time and they remain strong in memory, full in form and color, and still can make the viewer smile with recognition. Their conversation is ongoing. I am proud of this piece and can't dismiss its importance.

Egg time--rebirth

Okay, I did find another egg when I went looking for an image to begin my blog on this Easter day....this one came up with first browse and called out my name. I can't claim this as mine (Theresa Somerset)....much too fine and carefully done...perfection! Perfection was not demanded of my art making growing up. Perfection was not a word used too often in my family. We were more into getting the job done and moving along. Much was made and created each day...clothing sewn, home textiles, cakes from scratch, cards and poems from my grandmother for different events...all with a bit of a teaching lesson. I was given crayons at 9 months for an activity during potty training as my brother was born only 11 months after me. I was rushed into being the big sister and because I was quite content to drift into day dreams, I was left much to my own devices...art making was one of these special devices that I took to: paintings, drawings, poetry and stories, crafts of all sorts. I was always rather experimental in art forms. And how I loved to paint eggs and to hide them! I remember my Easter egg hunts...one year I maxed out at hiding 120 eggs in our yard in Chelsea for many differing ages of children. Some eggs were found in the summer and even the following year. What a lark! To see the earth just in its rebirth, the new sproutings and bits of green was one of the highlights of egg hiding. It was a way I could explore my yard which was so very enjoyable and memorable. But so nice this year to have a subtle Easter...chocolate from the chocolate bash, fund raiser for WGDR, last night, first seeds to the garden yesterday, candles lighting our breakfast of hard boiled eggs and toast and then a healing gracefully (age) show on WGDR. Rebirth continues. Happy Easter to all who come to the end of this writing.

Piggy Bank from the collection

From the curio cabinet this pig made its presence again in my life.  I made this for my father when in college my first year, or maybe it was late high school.  I had a feeling for papier mache and forms, and my father had a piggy bank collection.  I wanted to gift him a pig unlike any in his collection and this is the only one of the collection still remaining so many years later.  The rickrack is such a reminder of our hand made dresses from childhood and the color seems more of these days than the 6os.  When I pulled this fellow from the cabinet both sister and brother thought I ought to bring him home for a visit.....and explore again that past life of creation.

Paintings from the Past

Well, the time has come for paintings to be coming back to me.  With the lightening of my Mama's mind and life, she has shucked off some of the burden...like all the paintings I have left upon her walls for many years.  The first two paintings (30x36 & 22x32)  are from the red series in college and the trees (24x32) followed shortly after college...all before children...all from what I saw before me, not from photos.  I remember the day I painted my sister standing in the hallway of the football stadium just before the whole place was knocked down.  We senior painters were given our own studio and my how I thrived having my own place to paint.  How I wish for a place to paint now and the time!  I have been helping to settle Mama in her next chapter of her life which also means to clear out her home from the past chapter.  If only I still lived within her state still, but no, I am 683 miles away and that's a long drive with car bearing the items I just can't let myself part with.  Oh, some day I will be lightening my burdens also.  I am trying to take lessons.  But for now, what do I do with paintings that have stood up to time well, but are almost 40 years old?

Maggie sent you this feature from Seven Days

Maggie thought you would like to see this feature from Seven Days.

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Worth savoring

Cosmic Connection
by Marc Awodey

Before her untimely death two years ago, at the age of 32, Lucinda Mason had already embarked on a successful career in the visual arts. She had earned an MFA from Concordia University, completed an artist residency at the Burlington City Arts Firehouse Gallery, and was represented by galleries in Toronto and Manhattan.

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Cosmic Connection

Lucinda Mason's exhibit at Supreme Court has received a very fine review in Seven Days by Marc Awodey. I'm not sure he has all the facts right, but who can really be certain. Life moves on, paintings are created with many depths of meaning, and words are subject to varying emotions. I am glad this exhibit gained an intriguing review and ought to be shared by many viewers. How can this exhibit move on to another venue? Who knows a curator of some larger museum in a larger metropolis? Can we let these paintings be buried in oblivion?