Category: Art Events & Happenings

Sep 05

To connect or not to connect?

Sabrina Ward Harrison, 2010

A glorious hello!

As I prepare for my trip I have been in a bit of a quandary as to whether to bring my computer with me to Italy. From what I hear the internet is a bit splotchy and I have debated whether it is worth the effort of lugging my lap top around with me. The pros are: I can blog easily and therefore will be able to share my adventures with you, I can upload pictures and organize them as I go, I can watch movies and catch up with work related things on the long plane ride and on it goes…. The cons: the computer is heavy and it might be nice to be “unplugged” both literally and mentally while I am on this holiday (SO need that right now). I guess the pull toward my computer made me realize my dare say addiction to it! So much of my time is spent blogging, reading favorite artists blogs, emailing, and “connecting” with others virtually. What I have realized is that I need time to reconnect with myself and my art. My wish is that Sabrina’s workshop will allow for this. Five days of bliss at a little B & B called, La Fenice which ironically means pheonix in Italian. Translation: n. phoenix, legendary bird who consumed itself in fire and returned to life from ashes. I am going to allow myself this time  to simply “be”~ with myself, with my thoughts and with my good friend, Millie whom I will be traveling with. I will embrace the different senses in my new surroundings and plan to come home refreshed and alive. In the meantime my camera, journal and paints will be my muse. I will look forward to sharing my adventure with you! Until then…

Arrivederci!

Laura

Sabrina Ward Harrison, Positano, Italy 2010

Sabrina Ward Harrison, Positano, Italy 2010

  • Share/Bookmark

0
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, The Journey

Sep 02

The Crisis of Creativity

Dear Friends,

We just sent our newsletter, so if you did not receive it please sign up right over there -> in the margin.  I wanted to extend some ideas in this post today from the newsletter.

A common question after we tell people that we can talk on the phone for four hours is “what do you talk about?”.  After a recent lengthy conversation on the phone about creativity, I thought I would share some thoughts and resources if you are interested in this topic as well.  Laura and I often wonder why we have the drive to create art, why we can’t ignore it (having engaged in various occupations only to return to the arts time and time again), and the mysterious “flow” in the studio we crave.  Mihály Csíkszentmihályi discusses in detail this mental state “in which a person in an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity.” (as quoted from wikipedia on FLOW).  Certainly flow can happen in any occupation or activity.

Newsweek Magazine recently printed this article titled “The Crisis of Creativity”. (referenced in our newsletter), that sparked our conversation on creativity.    What is creativity?  Can you be creative without being an artist?  What is creativity in an interdisciplinary art practice?  What do we know about how our left and right brain work together and how that affects creativity?  We wanted to extend this conversation to you as well.  Listen to the podcast here to get you goin’

Having just graduated from an Interdisciplinary Arts graduate program at Goddard College, this is a BIG topic for Laura and I.  This is only the beginning of flushing out all our ideas on this one.  At the very core of this topic is the question “can we teach creativity or are you born with it?“.  The Newsweek article speaks to what science knows on this topic with the development of your brain.

This is seriously fascinating to Laura and I.

Daniel Pink addresses this very topic in his book A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future.  We have talked about him many times here on the blog, but had to mention him again. Creativity is where our future is headed.  We have gathered so much information over the last centuries, now what will we do with it?  Much of what we will talk about here at the blog is how the arts are responding to this.

Yes….this is why we talk for hours.   Conversation is our way of sorting out the numerous questions.  We have already had a number of thoughtful conversations with other people in our lives on and off the blog related to what we post, so keep it comin’ folks!

Let us know what you think about this “crisis of creativity”

  • Share/Bookmark

0
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Podcast

Aug 31

Season of Migration…

Dear Tina & friends~

I am SO grateful to have TWO of my paintings featured on the front page of the Westerly SUN’s Community section this past week! I thought I would share the lovely article with you. There are no words to express how grateful I am to everyone’s kind words, and loving support of the new show at ACGOW. Thank you! Thank YOU! THANK YOU! It will be up until Septemeber 25, 2010 and the opening reception is September 1st from 5-8:00pm. Hope you get a chance to see it!

xo Laura

click to enlarge

  • Share/Bookmark

1
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Laura's Art

Aug 29

Arrivals & Departures

Laura Gaffke, Soulful Essence, acryilc on wood 12" x 12" 2010

Hello Tina & friends!

I found the title Arrivals and Departures fitting for the new show at the Artists Cooperative Gallery this month as I will find myself soon departing CT and arriving in ITALY! This painting, Soulful Essence is one of the new paintings that will be in the show. It is highlighted on this postcard along with the work of Steve Tulka, the other featured artist this month. It is really exciting to see the work all up and hung on the walls of the gallery! I have been working hard on two different bodies of work, one is a continuation of my wine series and the other is the start of a series I am currently calling garden friends. Some of you might remember me promising to be more present in my garden this summer and this painting is an expression of some of my time spent there. I have SO loved sketching, thinking, writing and dreaming of new work and hope I have sketched enough to tide me over through the harsh winter months ahead. The shows opening reception/party is on September 1st and will include wonderful art from all our members as well as libations and delicious treats. I hope you can join all the fun! Since I won’t be there in person I have created a distinct piece of art especially for the show, which I turned into a postcard just for YOU! You can read more about them HERE. Share some sunshine and get them while they last!

Salute!

Laura

  • Share/Bookmark

0
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Laura's Art

Aug 27

Sketchbook Project

The Sketchbook Project: 2011

Dear Laura and Friends,

I just signed up for this project, which is sponsored by Art House Co-op.  The best part is that there is no jury process.  For anyone who has applied to something and been denied will know the beauty of an opportunity that is open to everyone.  The sketchbooks are pretty small so could be an easy project to give anyone a jump start in their studio work.  Deadline to sign up is October 31 and to complete it January 15.  The tour begins March of 2011 and will travel to Brooklyn, NY (where Art House Co-op is located), Austin TX, San Francisco CA, Portland ME, Atlanta GA, and my hometown Chicago IL.  Watch the video below created by CNN about this project.  I will post my sketchbook work here once I finish it.  Let me know if you join the fun…

Tina

  • Share/Bookmark

2
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings

Aug 22

California daydreaming…

Dreaming of Sorrento and lemoncello...

Dear Tina & friends~

In anticipation of my trip to Italy and the workshop I will be taking with Sabrina Ward Harrison I decided to pool through the pictures of the first workshop I took with her in California a few years back. Dreaming of all of the lemoncello I look forward to indulging in while in Italy for her upcoming workshop in Positano, I remembered the pictures of the lemon trees growing in the yard at the Carol Parks Studio where the workshop was held. I wanted to use these images as inspiration for the special postcard I have been working on for the September show at the COOP. Everything was magical about my time at the Carol Parks Studio. From the moment you entered the place you felt immediately at ease, greeted with the simple word “UNFOLD” printed in chalk on the sidewalk entrance. Even though the studio was in a residential neighborhood and the houses were close, the studio felt cozy surrounded in lush flowers, trees and even a white picket fence. Adirondack chairs in bright red and chartruse green with big umbrellas and sassy birdhouses adorned with jewels sprinkled the yard and gave it a sense of whimsy. There were even tiny birds with excited chatter in vintage birdcages scattered about.

Entrance to the Carol Parks Studio

The workshop proved to be an extraordinary time spent with my friend Liz who lived in LA at the time and took the workshop with me. I remember driving with her to find Carol Parks Studio, anticipating what it would be like. I had come across Sabrina many years ago after reading about her in one of SARK’s amazing books (if you haven’t read any SARK go now and immerse yourself). Sabrina had just published her first of many books called Spilling Open and I couldn’t put it down. I was enthralled by the way she wove painting, photography, collage and text through each page. It was like she was speaking to me. While now there are a plethora of blogs in which to learn about artists lives, Sabrina was the first artist I had ever come across (besides SARK) who shared her art and life so openly. I responded to the quotes, poetry and uplifting books she noted. Spilling Open gave me a glimpse into the creative process I was craving at the time. It reaffirmed for me that all things are possible when you remain true to your authentic self.

I remember questioning what I was doing with my own art at that time, as I was at a point in my life where teaching both filled me up and consumed me. I longed to have the time to “spill” and had finally found someone close in age to me who was following her creative dream. This gave me hope and inspires me to this day as I have followed her journey through her other books. Being an avid journal keeper myself I continue to reflect and have sought ways to integrate image and text into my own work while staying true to my own personal intentions as an artist. I will leave you with some of the pictures from that magical weekend and you can anticipate many, many new images and experiences to share from my upcoming trip. Until then…

Hugs, Laura

  • Share/Bookmark

3
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Laura's Art, The Journey

Aug 19

The Whole Family at the Art Institute of Chicago

Aidan looking in the reflective sculpture "Cloud Gate" by Anis Kapoor at Millennium Park, downtown Chicago

Dear Laura and Friends,

We made it – 2,400 miles round trip driving to visit family and friends.  I  thought I would share one experience from the trip about going to the Art Institute of Chicago with my whole family (14 of us), but first…… I want to THANK Laura for writing all the blog posts while I have been gone.  I will return the favor as she heads to Italy soon.

Soon we will both be done traveling for awhile so we will return to our regular posts, correspondence, and mail art.

I am not sure how I got everyone in my family to agree to take the train downtown Chicago and see the sights.  Just getting on the train in the morning was a feat all in itself, but we all did it (even with coffee in hand).  I wasn’t sure how each family member would respond or even enjoy the Art Institute of Chicago, since I am one of the few artist’s in the family.  We got there and decided it would be best to split up and meet back in a few hours.  I went right for the contemporary art wing while everyone one else rambled off in their own directions.

One artist that keeps me returning over and over again to his work is Joseph Cornell.

Joseph Cornell

view in the gallery

He informed much of my work in graduate school and the sculptural work I do today.  I have previously only seen two of his boxes at the National Gallery in Washington D.C.. This day at the Art Institute I saw 38 pieces of his art.  Many I had never seen in the numerous books I have looked at.  Yes, I felt like crying when I stumbled upon the work.  You know that sound of the angels singing in a moment of awe~ that is how I felt.  I only had a half hour with Cornell’s work, but I took every minute to look at each one slowly at least two times.  All that art work was there as a generous donation from private collectors Lindy and Edwin Bergman, who knew Cornell very well and bought the work directly from him.  They also collected numerous pieces of Surrealist artists such as: Jean Arp, Andr Breton, Leonora Carrington, Salvador Dali, Jean Dubuffet, Max Ernst, Wifredo Lam, Rene Magritte, Joan Mir, Francis Picabia, Pablo Picasso, and Yves Tanguy.   VERY impressive personal collection!  I am grateful they donated this body of work so I could see in person all the intricate pieces that do not translate in a photograph.

So, you may be wondering how the whole family responded to the art museum?  I am happy to report that each person found at least one gallery they liked.  The artwork they liked had to do with some sort of interest in their own lives.  For example my Mom and Dad have an antique business and enjoyed the antique furniture displayed within each exhibit.  My Dad liked the Monet’s and his use of color.  My brother liked the Native American weavings.  My nieces liked Jackson Pollock.  My husband and sons liked the Art & Architecture exhibit.  My other brother liked Van Gogh.

Overall, the day was a success.  Who knows what I will have planned for them next summer!

Tina

  • Share/Bookmark

1
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Tina's Art, Travel

Aug 18

A petite gift for YOU!

Laura Gaffke, Ten nice things (detail), mixed media, 12" x 12"

Hello Tina & friends,

As you can imagine I am busily preparing for my trip to Italy (in just twelve days, but who’s counting!) as well as finishing work for ACGOW’s new show, opening September 1st from 5-8:00pm. It promises to be quite a party that I am sad to say I will miss-Can you believe it? The day of the opening I will have just arrived in Italy, giddy thinking about my workshop. What are the chances these two wondrous events should coincide?!?! When I found out I was one of the featured artists for September it was almost a year ago and I was elated. I did not know then that life would throw me such a stupendous curve ball and that I wouldn’t be attending the opening! In fact, I am jittery just thinking thinking about the new work I created, wondering how it will be received (if you should go, I would love to know!). As a means of reconciling my absence I actually dreamt, yes dreamt (this has been keeping me up at night) of creating a special piece of art that could be given as a “gift” for anyone who attends the opening. (I would SO appreciate that!). I will print the work as a postcard to reflect my traveling. The postcards can be kept or sent as a random act of kindness to brighten someone’s day. Being a huge mail art fan I know how much I LOVE getting special surprises in my mailbox and wish to reciprocate this goodness with others. The piece is almost finished and I will be delighted to share it with you soon! Until then I will leave you with the image above, a detail of one of my new pieces that will be in the show.
Creativity & love your way,

Laura

  • Share/Bookmark

3
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Laura's Art, The Journey

Aug 13

When opportunity knocks…

Laura Gaffke, "Friendship is..." mixed media on wood, 12" x 12"

There is so much goodness going on for me lately I have to pinch myself to believe it is all true! First off I got a call this week from the lovely Dora Szekely with a wonderful opportunity to show my work along with several other artists in a bright, airy storefront in downtown Mystic for the month of August (possibly longer). The shop is located at 3 Pearl Street and is directly across from Harp and Hound, a favorite local Irish Pub. It will be open for the Mystic Arts Festival THIS WEEKEND, making that the icing on the cake! The Mystic Arts Festival is a magical event which features the work of over 250 fine artists and over 60 craftsmen. I plan to get a little Christmas shopping done at the show as it is my wish to buy most things handmade this year.

As if this opportunity wasn’t amazing enough, I have been busy getting my work ready for TWO upcoming shows. One is at ACGOW where my work will be featured with the fabulous Steve Tukla, a woodworker I have a special affinity for as we were both juried into the Cooperative Gallery at the same time. The show opens September 1st from 5-8pm and runs for the month. I am sad to say I won’t be able to attend the opening as I will be in ITALY!!! I am however working on something special for those of you who go to the opening, so stay tuned as I see if I can pull it off… The other show is with the Stonington Printmaker’s Society and will be held at the LaGrua Center. You won’t want to miss the preview party Septemeber 17th from 5-7. I would LOVE to share my Italian adventures with you then! Cheery smiles your way…xoLaura

  • Share/Bookmark

0
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Laura's Art

Aug 06

The story of us

The article written about us!!!

Dear friends~
You might remember how EXCITED I was yesterday about the article written us. Well it was a true delight to read and I SO APPRECIATE Karyn Souza’s thoughtful writing. She has a way of asking just the right questions to make you really reflective. We both loved hearing her thoughts about our work together and felt honored that she found us inspiring. At the end of the day, even though we would do this work anyway we hope that by giving it a public forum we can contribute to others learning in some way whether that be through sharing new techniques, our collaborative art or even an occasional fun recipe. I think this is why these intense studio visits are so important to us. We work, work, work and then we pause, look, listen and reflect. From there we set new goals (some super wonderful things to share soon!) and intentions for our work. One thing that stood out for me in the interview was Karyn asking us what our dream was. This is something I thought I had clear in my head but realized I needed to go back and reassess the dreams I have for myself.

Here is a snippet about our dreams that I will share from the article. You can read the full article HERE.

When thinking about the progression of their individual practices, Laura said, “I like to foster creativity in others and share the thought that anyone can be an artist. It can be through gardening or cooking or even the way you view the world and create your own life. I want to encourage people to make time for their own creativity.”

Tina shares, “I want to create through my eyes as a mother. I’d like to speak about this delicate place of being a parent and the work of raising another human being. It’s a lot of work to be present with your child and to notice and foster the amazing things about them. It’s important to be in that deep listening place in order to recognize the beauty there. I see this work as long term. I want to share the question with other mother/artists, ‘How can we express our experiences as mothers through our art?’

What are your dreams? I think writing them down or saying them out loud (even to yourself) gives them power and helps you move forward.

Until then…Creativity & love your way,

Laura

  • Share/Bookmark

1
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Press

Aug 05

Interview With Karyn Souza

The mojitos Tina & I shared to celebrate!

Hello friends!

While Tina was here we had the pleasure of getting interviewed by the FABULOUS Karyn Souza! You might remember her from the article she wrote about the Spring Fling at Above Elite Studios. This was the very first interview I  ever had and was a little nervous. From the moment I met Karyn, it was like we were old friends and I was immediately put at ease. Our conversation moved beyond the Spring Fling as our time together wove into the tapestry of our lives, including inspiring stories (she has many) and the importance of sharing our gifts with the world. She appreciated seeing all of the collaborative work Tina & I had been doing and said she would love to interview us another time. You can imagine how absolutely thrilled we were when she agreed to meet with us while Tina was here last week! Can we say BEYOND EXCITED!!! This interview had a similar, easy going vibe and I think Tina felt right at home with Karyn as well. The article comes out in the Chariho Times TODAY!!! and the Narragansett Times TOMORROW!!! I am off to seek out a couple of copies and will let you know how it turns out tomorrow. YIPPEE!!!!

Cheery Smiles & love,

Laura

  • Share/Bookmark

3
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Press, Studio Collaboration 3

Jul 22

0 More Days…A Visit At Last

Traveling from South Carolina to Connecticut

Today we meet up in Providence RI where Tina flies in around noon.  Our plan is to visit some galleries, eat lunch, and enjoy the city together.  It is inevitable when we visit another city with the numerous talented artists there, that some sort of creative idea plants a seed.  We always enjoy being inspired by fellow creatives!  Our “Working Table” was inspired by seeing Gabriel Orozco’s work at the Museum of Modern Art last time we were together.  Check out the link for the post about that.

We plan to visit a few of these art venues and will let you know what we thought with a post tomorrow or later tonight.  Click on the pictures for a link to these websites.

Thanks for following our travels together.  Talk with you later!

Tina and Laura

  • Share/Bookmark

0
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Studio Collaboration 3

Jul 21

1 More Day…

Laura's backyard

…until Tina arrives in CT and we can hardly stand the wait! We have been talking about how some things in our creative life are better served when we are together. Putting the finishing touches on our Etsy shop is one of them. For those of you who don’t know what Etsy is, it is an online shop for all things handmade. Two of Laura’s favorite shops are her friend Michelle Dyson’s fun and funky fiber work and  Lisa Occhipinti’s mixed media work (Lisa also has a beautifully written BLOG~very inspiring!). We decided to open a shop to share what we are creating (and mama have we been creating!) as well as a way to support our work together. It is our hope that the work we sell on our Etsy site we will allow us to save enough money to travel to each other at least once every season. Although we do work well when we are apart we are curious as to what kind of MAGIC we could create if we are together more often.

Our time together feeds both our individual art practices as well as our collaborative work and friendship. We would like to share how this translates into our work. It will also allow us funding for future residencies, provide materials and shipping of our work as well as create classes & workshops for our communities.  What you can expect to find when the shop opens is original collaborative artwork, new postcard size art with a creative spin on our first correspondence and drawing exchange, as well as our individual artwork. During Tina’s stay we will be fine tuning our fun packaging, descriptions, banner, and hopefully creating new work to WOW you with. Who knows, there just might be an extra special treat for one of YOU lovely readers so stay tuned! We would love to hear what your favorite Etsy sites are and why you are drawn to them. Do you have any ideas for creative shipping? What kind of a package would you like to receive? We would love it if you shared in the comments below so others may benefit from your experience. Thanks!

Laura & Tina

  • Share/Bookmark

0
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Studio Collaboration 3

Jul 20

2 More Days….

until our THIRD studio collaboration.  So, now that you know what we have planned for the next few weeks from our blog post yesterday, today we want to talk about a two year project that is coming to completion; The Collaborative Book Exchange.  Here are a few pictures if you are not familiar with this enduring project….

This project began after we asked how we could make our postcard art (that we had been exchanging for a year and a half previously) into a more cohesive body of artwork.  After brainstorming we settled on exchanging an empty sketchbook through the mail.  Our only rule is that we would leave a small image, text, or object on the following page for the other person.  One would then pick up on this small beginning and create a new page.  We never anticipated this project lasting for years.  It is a wonderful chronicle of our time together (or apart we should say) .

After we complete this last page together we will be looking at the whole book for common themes, threads of thought (often we spoke of geographical place), images that were similar, different or reoccuring, color and composition choices we made page to page, and our overall assessment of this collaborative experience.

Come along on the journey through two years!

Tina & Laura

  • Share/Bookmark

0
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Studio Collaboration 3, The Journey

Jul 13

A Room of One’s Own, Part 2

Dear Laura and Friends,

Last week I shared some thoughts about having a studio in the home or outside the home.  You may read that post HERE.  After much discussion, thinking, and financial consideration I decided to move my studio to my home.  I don’t have a large home so the space I am making for my studio is going to be in the raw space above my garage.  This space would be unusable unless finished off so, I have hired a contractor and made the big financial commitment to start construction.

Here is my house with the future window of my studio roughly knocked out.

A photo of the interior of my future studio

I didn’t think having a studio in the home was really the right choice for me until I started to seriously think about how I could make my studio practice more affordable as well as have more time creating my art.

I lost a lot of time this past year having to teach more to pay my bills.  Having a studio thirty minutes from my house was not convenient to make up for that time loss.  Time and cost were the two major questions I needed to answer to move forward.  Having a studio in the home began to make the most sense to what I need personally at this point in my life.  Being a mother of two small children means I spend most of my time at my house.  I believe having a studio at home will allow me more time for my art practice, even if it is just thinking time where I stand in the space and plot my next creative move while the boys play.   I also saw the potential for creating this home studio space with natural lighting, in a quiet secluded setting, with my tools a few steps away (none of which I can have in my current studio).

I know this will not be without negatives.  I worry that I will feel isolated, having always worked alongside other artists.  I worry I won’t be disciplined enough and be easily distracted by my domestic obligations.   I worry I will miss that collective energy of other creative people buzzing around me.  These worries will all be worked out once I get into a routine, but I feel that this is the best move for me right now.

The point in sharing my story with everyone here is to demonstrate how important having ‘a room of one’s own’ is to the artist.  AND to have that space work for the artist on many levels (literally and figuratively).  It needs to feel like home…where you know you can be the person you need to be.

new stairs to the studio

I will post some pictures of the finished studio in a few weeks.  I am looking forward to moving in.

Thanks for reading!

  • Share/Bookmark

1
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, The Journey, Tina's Art

Jul 08

Following a dream in ITALY!!!

I just put my deposit on my trip to Positano ITALY!!! I will be going with a friend to a workshop given by Sabrina Ward Harrison, one of my favorite artists ever! More details to come but I will leave you with a video created by Jenny Girardi, one of the people I will meet there. It will give you a little flavor for this magical place. Have any of you ever been to Italy? If so, what are your favorite places? xoLaura

  • Share/Bookmark

5
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, The Journey

Jul 07

Are you in the loop? You will want to be!

16 DAYS and Tina will be at Laura’s studio!  Catch our latest news about this visit and other news by signing up for our newsletter.  You can do that by signing up here~look to your right–> all you need to do is fill in your email.  Easy!  We want to keep you in the loop about all the good things coming our way in the next year.

Tina and Laura

What to expect from our newsletter

1.  We will write one quarterly- one for each season.

2.  Updates on workshops and travel plans Laura TWO Tina have made (we may come to your town!).

3.  News on where to purchase our artwork (hint: Etsy)

4.  Notes and thoughts about our process working together as collaborative artists (as we wrap up our collaborative book exchange, we are starting our newest collab. project next month)

5.  Good books we have read about collaboration and the life of an artist.

6.  Ideas for bringing more creative action into your own art practice.

7.  more, more, and even more great information about the art of collaboration.

  • Share/Bookmark

0
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings

Jul 01

Glorious gifts for you!

Dear Tina & friends~

As an artist you often get asked to donate your work to many many wonderful causes and you want to say yes to all of them. From the art biz classes I have taken with Alyson Stanfield, Marisa Haediki and currently with Kelly Rae Roberts I am learning how important it is to set boundaries so that you don’t feel like you are working your heart off and at the end of the day find you cannot support yourself. (Most people don’t know that an artist can only write off the cost of the materials of what they are donating, NOT the value of the piece itself, so it is often better to just make a cash donation). One suggestion I liked was to pick a couple of organizations you feel passionate about and limit  your donations to them. The Artists Cooperative Gallery, among other causes is one of those special places I have chosen to support.

I became a member of ACGOW last May and although it can be a lot of work the rewards of being a part of this wonderful community outweigh the work. It is a place where artists come together to share their work and support each other. ACGOW is a non-profit organization and like most businesses we are in need of your support. We are holding our annual Silent Auction Fund Raiser on Saturday, July 10th where you will find a generous array of art, food and gift items. Everything from a night at a cozy bed & breakfast to baskets filled to the brim with wine and chocolate-YUM! Last year I won a beautiful ceramic bowl with blue flowers and a basket of vino (long gone~ha!) The preview for the auction runs from July 1-10th and you can bid on items up until then. Bid tickets are $10 and all of the proceeds go directly towards sustaining the gallery. With so many galleries closing your donation will help us maintain the arts in our community. For a preview of some of this month’s art, click here. I would like to pre thank you for all of your support as well as all of the wonderfully generous artists and businesses who donated their fabulous gifts. It will be a fun night for sure!

Cheery Smiles, Laura

  • Share/Bookmark

0
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings

Jun 27

Reiki for the artist?

Julianne Eanniello,"Blue Hydrangea" (click to enlarge)

Dear Tina & friends,

I have been thinking a lot about serendipitous moments in my life, believing that things come to you when you are ready to receive them. Reiki is one of these things. I have been curious about it for some time, have many friends who practice it and even saw the benefits of it as it was used to help one of my friends who was suffering from cancer. As serendipity would have it my friend Julianne invited me to her studio so I could give it a try. Not really knowing what to expect I tried to calm my mind so I could feel what was happening to my body, like I would if I was having a massage. I was so relaxed and at peace, all without Julianne having ever touched me! In fact I could easily have fallen asleep! It was like nothing I have ever experienced and it got me thinking about how important it is to create time in our lives to just “be” and receive. I think Reiki could be just the right stepping stone to quiet my mind and ease me into meditation, which I have been exploring with Jon Kabit Zinn.

Julianne is a member of the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery I am a part of and we got to talking about the benefits Reiki could have for the artist. Our conversation was so informative I asked her if she would write something for our blog, which she was kind enough to do. Here is what she said:

“Reiki is a Japanese healing and stress reduction technique.  By lightly placing my hands on a clients chakra’s, and other areas as drawn, they are receiving universal energy that is used as their body needs it.  It is a very gentle, non-invasive therapy that is balancing and relaxing on all levels.  When the body is balanced and relaxed, it can heal.

Reiki can be beneficial to anyone, of course, and artists who receive or learn Reiki may find that by relieving their stress, or a physical or emotional pain, they open a deeper connection with their inner self – that creative genius inside.  I believe many artists create their work from that inner connection – some may even say it’s not them – the art is just expressed through them.  Reiki can help bring awareness to this connection by relaxing the body and helping them to let go of resistance.  When the body is relaxed, and they surrender to their deepest calling, a clarity and intuition can be revealed.  It’s kind of like your meditative paintings – it’s a tapping into that which brings art forth.”

Julianne Eanniello, "Joy" (click to enlarge)

In my own medium, photography, practicing Reiki has helped me to be more aware of that creative energy – if I just stop, and look, and feel, I will see ‘the shot’ before I take it – some energetic presence stands out that says, ‘Yes. This. This is what it’s all about.’  I love looking directly into the heart of nature, especially a flower, seeing its purity – no pretenses, no worries – just the direct “Here I Am-ness” of pure, raw, incredible nature.  It’s Here.  It’s Now.  And I feel at home.

Reiki was a stepping stone for me, opening up my creative side, and the first on a path of several healing methods that I practice and some of which I teach.

Julianne has generously offered a 20% discount to artists so they can experience the benefits of Reiki for themselves. HERE is a link to her website. Simply give her a jingle to set up an appointment and let her know you are an artist and you read about her here. VOILA!  You are on your way to a new, peaceful experience! Thank you Julianne for your time and sharing!

Cheery Smiles & love,

Laura


  • Share/Bookmark

1
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Who is that artist?

Jun 16

Working Table & Newsletter

Tina's Working Table

Dear Laura & Friends,

My “Working Table” (see the link for a post about what Working Table is) comes from the table in my sunroom instead of my studio.  As I had mentioned last week, I am hanging with the kids this summer and moving much of what I do from my studio to my home.  I am finding pockets of time to draw and collage but mostly giving my time to them.  Keeping the work out and available to look at has been good to keep my mind somewhat in the creative mode.

NOW….I figured out how to put a subscription link for our upcoming newsletter here at our blog.

Look to your right.

There it is!

Just enter your email and whether you want our html (pictures and stuff) or plain text newsletter to arrive in your email box.   We will not send you one unless you sign up (or are on a previous email list saying you want one) since we always want to honor and respect your email box.

We have A LOT of exciting plans brewing right now and want to share them with you.

What to expect from our newsletter

1.  We will write one quarterly- one for each season.

2.  Updates on workshops and travel plans Laura TWO Tina have made (we may come to your town!).

3.  News on where to purchase our artwork (hint: Etsy)

4.  Notes and thoughts about our process working together as collaborative artists (as we wrap up our collaborative book exchange, we are starting our newest collab. project next month)

5.  Good books we have read about collaboration and the life of an artist.

6.  Ideas for bringing more creative action into your own art practice.

7.  more, more, and even more great information about the art of collaboration.

We hope you sign up with us so we can keep you in the loop.  2010 is quickly becoming a very active year for us and we would like to share it with you.

~Tina~  (and Laura who currently has her computer in the shop- sending good thoughts to Laura that her computer comes back with a clean bill of health!)

Related Posts with Thumbnails
  • Share/Bookmark

0
comments

Posted in Art Events & Happenings, Tina's Art, Working Table

« Older Entries