Monthly Newsletter

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#1451 “New Wave” 8×10 acrylic on canvas.

I have a tree painted on the back of my garage with leaves made from pieces of soda cans, stapled loosely so that they rustle delightfully in the breeze.  Against the trunk is painted ‘The wind of change may not blow you someplace different but it might shape you into something more beautiful’. 
I write this on the cusp between the Covid shutdowns and the George Floyd riots.  Many businesses have been shuttered so long they may not survive.  Some have been so impacted by the new health restrictions imposed on reopening, they have given up.  Now we see others burned or looted out of existence and yet others may be unwilling to continue in some neighborhoods. 
I have a friend who has been through several careers.  She describes the changes as getting to a point where she needed to reinvent herself.  This year it seems many will need to reinvent themselves or make adjustments to how they live or work. 
One of the adjustments I’ve been considering is to make some work more easily shippable, so it is less prohibitive to sell online.  I decided to experiment a little with refractured acrylics on canvas; lighter weight than panels, but also a different medium for the refractured part.  The first experiment (above) was relatively successful. 
Another couple items that came out of spending time at home was an update to ‘Busting the Bard’.  This is now available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.  And the fourth poetry and painting book ‘My Next Breath’ is close to being complete. (Click here for links.)  It is available as a paperback but my proofreader and the person writing an intro on the back have yet to have time to do this, so there will be an update hopefully by the end of this week and I’ll create the kindle version then.    I’ll order hard copies once art fairs restart or other outlets need restocking, but if you’d like to get a signed copy let me know.
 
I will have work in two online shows:
Jun 6-Jul 12: 6x6x2020 Online fundraiser for Rochester Contemporary Art Center
Jun 2^nd-Aug 30^th (approx) The Planet of Joy at Lark Gallery Online.  This may develop into a physical gallery show next month and I should be on a Q&A Virtual Art Talk on Zoom soon.  I’ll send another email when this is set.

Another sky goes home.

#1055 Dawn over Winter Forest.

Another little watercolor collage skyscape has found it’s new home, having been adopted through the Rochester Contemporary 6×6 fundraiser.

Only four more to go!  And my remaining (anonymous) work is almost getting front page billing as others ahead of them are sold.

You can buy directly from Roco’s website, and all proceeds go to the art center.

Rochester incognito.

Soft Reflections. 6×6″ watercolor collage on board. $20.

The last few years I’ve answered the call to artists for Rochester Contemporary Art Center – that’s Rochester, NY – to create a few works 6×6″ for their fundraiser.  It’s a good excuse to doodle and experiment, get a few pieces of my work in front of a whole crowd who otherwise would probably not see it, and support an art center.

The interesting part is that the work is all unsigned on the front of the artwork, so you know the buyers are getting something they actually like, rather than just buying it based on your name.  However there is something to be said for having work that stands out from the crowd, and also getting your submissions in early so that for online browsers, your images don’t get lost in the crowd (not too many pages in on the online display – hint!).

This year was the first year that I overcame the issue of a 6″ square surface that works with ROCO’s pinning requirements, and is sturdy enough to hold a watercolor collage.

Here’s one of the ones that I decided to send next year.  See if you can find the 6 partners.The works are visible online now, and can be purchased for $20 from tomorrow at 10am (Eastern time, I assume) from their website.