Live music, two “guests”, a painting collaboration & tiny little details…

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Signs hung! We are ready!

Okay everyone!

Things are looking quite spiffy at Above Elite Studios as we get ready for our Open Studio. We are in the process of creating a cute spot for Cyra Morgan who will be our wonderful performer on friday evening. WE ARE SO LUCKY! Honestly, I am always unbelievably grateful for the musicians we have had at our studio over the years. They are all going places! Music is such an intricate part of my life and live music is just the icing on the cake, adding a wonderful dimension to an all ready spectacular event.

Cyra says, “My style is an intimate acoustic folk and I am a romance junkie. For me there is nothing more rewarding than creating a piece of music that paints a picture of expression vivid enough for the listener to really feel what I’m saying….. or singing. If I can touch someone with my words, if I can make a listener feel like they are not alone, that is the greatest form of success for me.”

Pretty awesome, right? Here are two of Cyra’s videos (I couldn’t choose just one!) to woo you with while you read this AMAZINGLY thoughtful guest post from my friend Michelle.

Thoughts & ideas from Michelle Dyson on collaboration & the LIVE painting we will create together on Saturday at my studio:

©Michelle Dyson 2013

My best thoughts and ideas always come to me in the car driving or in the middle of the night while desperately trying to sleep. Now as I struggle to remember those amazing images and words they are gone, a lost memory but I will give it my best. Laura asks me,

“What are our intentions for this painting?” and I respond with “I just want to play and have fun.” After teaching all week I’m not always interested in having a plan when I paint. What I do want to do is be in a playful, peaceful, safe painting place within myself.

©Michelle Dyson 2013

When painting in collaboration Laura and I flow in and out of the work with respect for each others space and technique without words. We both are inspired by color and texture. We are inspired by flowers and music. We are inspired by the ocean and sand in our toes. We will both come to this painting with sketches of our favorite inspirational items. The music will play and with open hearts we will dive into our third collaborative painting. We decided to make this a live painting to encourage anyone who wants to watch our process the opportunity to. Sometimes it takes just a peek into the magic that is a painting in progress to invigorate the creativity of others into action. We want there to be more artists in the world. We want you to be a witness to the joy it is to let go of restrictions that can be a deterrent in art making and experience the freedom of a painting done out of friendship, relationships and the beauty of the world surrounding us.

I hope you come out to see us and look for pictures of our work on our Facebook and web pages.

Many thanks for all who support our dream!

Smiles,

Michelle

***We are both looking forward to seeing you! If you can’t make it on Saturday you can meet Michelle at the Open Studio on Friday from 5:30 -9pm and see the first two paintings we created together. Getting PUMPED!!! Event details HERE.

SO looking forward to seeing you!

love, Laura

2 Replies

Art display, an Open Studio & a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Laura&Tina

my apron collection

A joyful hello!

I had such a wonderful day yesterday preparing for our Open Studio. There is a lot to do before an event like this which often takes months to plan, not to mention all the time creating new work. Today I worked on my favorite task besides painting which is rearranging my studio! It takes awhile to do this and often I make a HUGE mess in the process but love doing it. I start by laying out all my new paintings and taking a look at them. Seeing them all together makes me realize how hard I have worked and appreciate all the time and effort I put into creating them (I have been known to wrestle with the “I haven’t done enough” & “I could have done more” when in fact I have done a lot which Tina can always point out to me). I then take almost everything off the walls and shelves, clean and get to work creating new displays for them. I have an affinity for vintage items as many of you already know from my Brimfield excursions and I try to intermingle them with my artwork.

This teapot is from Brett’s side of the family and I thought it looked cute with my little paintings and business cards. I paint a lot of teacups and coffee mugs and see them as a metaphor for connection and conversation. I have been blessed to have had many great conversations over coffee, tea and of course wine! Time with friends helps me grow, stretch, gather new ideas and see the world a little differently which I am immensely grateful for.

These card packs are popular as teacher & hostess gifts as well as being fun to send.

These card packs are popular as teacher & hostess gifts as well as just being fun to send.

On a different note, Tina and I have some SUPER EXCITING news! We just found out we have been accepted to create an installation art piece at a one day arts event in June at 1600 Meeting Street in Charleston. The organization, Enough Pie is “ushering in an era of arts-driven community collaboration for the upper peninsula.” We wrote the proposal for it when we were together and now that we know we have been accepted I can create a small installation at my studio that will work in conjunction with the piece in Charleston. We will post our proposal and work samples, but essentially we want YOU to to participate. More soon….

Here is a glimmer of something in the beginning stages for this project. It may change a bit but I wanted to have an element of nature in the work and a place for people to write and share their ideas.

That is all for now. I will check back soon with more fun things to share, including a special blog post from my friend Michelle about our special LIVE painting on Saturday.

Cheery Smiles your way…love, Laura

2 Replies

A little gardening, decorating & A Summer Affair…

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Hello Sweet T & friends!

Hope you had a delightful weekend. I got up early on Saturday and hit my favorite plant sale in Ledyard with my friend Sue where I scored some really pretty perennials. I always buy WAY more than I intend to but the prices are just too good to pass up. Between the two of us the car was packed to the brim with all these delights.

Sue & I have a common love for many things including antiquing, gardening and decorating. After our plant sale excursion she helped me “redecorate” my home with my new Brimfield finds and “shopping my house,” rearranging things. Sometimes just moving things to new places gives your home a fresh, new look. Do you ever do that?

You might remember that we recently had our living room renovated and put bead board in. We loved it so much we decided to add it to our kitchen and repainted it, giving it a fresh, cottage look. We have the most AMAZING contractor who offered to help me hang some of my larger pieces so it was time to “commit” to where I wanted things. Sue was the patient pair of eyes I needed to see my house again. She has a gift for that. I just love everything we did and am SO anxious to finish decorating my house which will have to be put on hold until next week.

This week will be all about getting ready for our “Summer Affair” Open Studio. It is making me a bit giddy thinking about it! We have never done an Open Studio this time of year and timed it with the Virtu Art Festival taking place in Wilcox Park over the weekend. It will be a great arts celebration for sure!

Our show opens Friday night (May 24th) from 5:30-9pm and on Saturday I will be doing a very special LIVE painting collaboration with my friend Michelle. We are going to paint a BIG canvas together and share our thoughts, ideas and inspiration as two artists who have grown together in creativity for over 20 years! This will take place on Saturday, May 25th from 1-4pm. I have so much to share with you, including many new paintings and a special project I am working on with Tina so stay tuned for more details throughout the week. I hope you will save the date and come on over to say hello, I would love to see you! Off to get crack a lackin’ on some work….xoLaura

p.s. I am looking for someone who would be willing to bartend on Friday night for any amount of time as well as someone who might be willing to help me with sales on Saturday from 1-4pm while I am painting. If you think you can help with either of these things email me at laura.gaffke@me.com. Many many THANKS!

1 Reply

Gallery Walkin’… Beer Drinkin’

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Here we are enjoying a brew at Holy City Brewing Company on Friday night. Laura, who is a wine drinker, actually liked the stout which was chocolaty and malty. We tried to play some pool but it was pretty pathetic. We always think we are so much better than reality!

Friday there was a gallery walk in Charleston so we meandered downtown to a few galleries. The picture below is of Mackenzie King, co-owner and gallery director of a beautiful new gallery, The Art Mecca of Charleston. Laura fell in love with one of her creations the moment she walked in. It is a gorgeous one of a kind piece made from recycled enamel.

These are more of Mackenzie’s creations. They are almost as gorgeous as she is.

We also visited Atelier Gallery a lovely two floor gallery where Laura was excited to see the work of Christy Kinard, an artist she has followed for some time. It was a coincidence that she was the featured artist. We both appreciated her use of papers and fabrics layered with paint.

Another artist Shellie Lewis-Dambax impressed us with her process. The layers of drippy paint and varied line quality drew us in to look closer and longer.

Today we are planning and plotting some new opportunities which we will share another time. Check out this painting below, which is outside the brewery. It has a weathered look, but it is recently painted.

Check in tomorrow for more updates on our studio work together.

Tina and Laura

Leave a reply

Laura’s Here!

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Whooohooo! Laura is here and we are already in the thick of making some artwork. Well, just playing around with some experiments. Tina bought some fun supplies and we are grooving away in her studio, listening to Madeleine Peyroux, sipping tea and enjoying the ease of our friendship. We will leave you with a video to get the vibe of our day…Enjoy!

Laura & Tina

Leave a reply

Doing my best….

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Hello Sweet T (& friends),

I was looking at my calendar planning, organizing myself and getting ready for upcoming show submissions and realized I am coming to see you next week!!! Is that possible? In my mind it seemed so far away. I have some serious thinking, dreaming and pack a lackin’ to do before my trip. My mind has been focused on a new body of work for my upcoming solo show at the Lighthouse Gallery in New London. I don’t think I announced the show here on the blog but it hasn’t been far from my mind! It will run from the end of July through August and I can’t wait! Hopefully you will be able to see it when you come visit me in August. (stay tuned for more details!)

As you know “goddess Michelle” just left and now my friend Brigitte is currently en-route as we speak. I am invigorated by my time with them. Tomorrow will be a day of studio work and most likely a little self-discovery. Do you ever notice how you share different things with different people? Brigitte and I share an abundant love for books that help us grow in a very soulful way. She has been giving me snippets of them in our quick phone chats and I am looking forward to our reflective time together. I have tons of things swirling around in my head (don’t laugh! I know, I know, what else is new!).

One thing that helps ground me are the wise words in a little book called, “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. I have more to say about this favorite book of mine as it keeps coming up in conversation, even with Michelle when she was here. We joked that it would have made our younger years so much easier. One of the agreements is to “always do your best”. I am trying to do this right now with my current work. Part of that is having a vision for what I want in my life. This is being expressed in my artwork and I can feel it even in these meditative background paintings. I don’t know what it all means but it if feels right so I am just going to accept that as my best today. Sending so much love & creativity your way…love, Laura

2 Replies

Focus on the good…

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Dear Tina (& friends)

I was thinking about my last post while working on this painting in the studio. I had started it some time ago and just couldn’t find my way back into it, then something just clicked and it all came together. It’s funny how that happens, isn’t it? I am only sharing the bottom corner of it as I want to sit with it a bit more before I declare it “finished” but I really like it and the sentiment, “focus on the good”. I try to remind myself of this daily especially if I find my mind wandering in another direction. I am usually able to turn things around and put another spin on it. This isn’t always easy, I feel better when I do.

Thinking of good things, I am excited to share the fun things I have been cooking up with my friend & “goddess sister” Michelle. She just left this morning and I miss her already! You might remember her from her guest post as well as the painting collaborations we did together. Well, another one is in the works and I think it will be our best one yet!!! It is SUPER exciting because YOU are invited to be a part of and will get to meet her! We are still working out the details but please consider the honor of gracing us with your company. You may want to double star the dates below on your calendar as both events are something truly special and surely not to be missed!

WHAT:

“A Summer Affair” Artist Open Studios with Featured artists:

Laura Gaffke, Millie Donovan, Lisa Szaro, Serena Bates & Charles Estabrooks

WHEN:

Friday, May 24th from 5:30-9pm

***SPECIAL EVENT***

Saturday, May 25th 1-4pm

LIVE COLLABORATIVE PAINTING & Open Studio

with “Yours Truly” (Laura) & guest artist, Michelle Dyson

both events taking place:

Above Elite Studios

181 Main Street, Westerly, RI

Stay tuned for more details in the upcoming weeks or find the latest information on my facebook page. Until then, Happy day to you!

Love, Laura

Leave a reply

ReVision 4: Script Series

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Laura&Tina

ReVision 4: Script Series ©laura gaffke 2013

Dear Tina,

I LOVE Dr. Seuss as well as the Lorax Village you had a chance to see. How fun is that?!?!? You are right, Dr. Seuss certainly did have a magical way of relating difficult issues to children. It made me want to share the story of the Lorax with my niece & nephew. My mind twirled thinking about how I could share nature with them. Perhaps some fairy houses are needed in my garden! For my ReVision I started by Iayering paint and collage papers then added the whimsical fuchsia flowers (a favorite plant in a hanging summer basket). I have always found these flowers to be fascinating and complex. I was inspired by the Dr. Seuss quote,

“Sometimes the questions are complicated but the answers are Simple.”

~Dr. Seuss

It made me think of the simple things we can do each day to make the world a better place. Thanks for sharing!

love, Laura

Laura Gaffke: ReVision 4/Script

Dear Laura,

Your Vision photo this time around is one I want to frame and put up in my house. This image reminded me of the weathered antique textbooks that I have in my studio so took them out and began paging through them. I also noticed that my neighbors Water Ash tree has peeling bark just like your Birch tree. I took some pictures and samples of this bark, brought them back to my studio and began mixing and combining these with with the text pages. I took several days of arranging and then rearranging until I found a combination that I liked. It is this process of decision making during the creative process that is hard to teach but can be cultivated over time. This part of an art practice (the editing) is one I believe takes years to develop. I still have more to learn with editing and making decisions to match my thoughts with what I am seeing with the materials. This is the kind of thing I think we could talk about for hours! I am sure we will when you come to visit this Spring!

Tina

3 Replies

Vision 4: Script Series

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Laura Gaffke Vision 4/Script Series

Dear Tina,

I snowshoed a trail while I was in NH called, Bridal Veil a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful hike to a frozen waterfall. It’s supposed to look just like the name when the water is flowing and looked magical frozen. I lugged my back pack with my good camera (and a few beers, yes, I drank beer!) to the top. The hike took a little longer than I had expected but was a peaceful and rewarding adventure. This white birch tree stood out among the freshly fallen white snow. I loved the color and texture and thought you might too! It looks very different then the earlier Vision I shared of the birch trees that you can see HERE.

love, Laura

Tina Hirsig, Vision 4: Script Series

Dear Laura,

On a recent family trip to Universal Studios we walked through Dr. Suess land. That man had an incredible vision for how to speak to young people about complex issues. I think as adults, we all need to go back and revisit his stories. I know that you have a special concern for the environment and making actions against the “Once-lers” and figured you would appreciate this exhibit on such a grand scale. Even his choice of colors seemed like something you might be able to relate to. There was not a straight edge or 90 degree angle in this part of the park. Perhaps this vision will spark something in your studio today.

Tina

Leave a reply

ReVision 3 Script Series

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Tina’s Vision 3 Script

Hello Sweet T~

I loved that you thought my paintings looked luminous! It is true, I do often put a little sparkle in them. I did some blind contour line drawings of these tulips. They just look happy to me and remind me that spring is right around the corner. In fact I have crocuses coming up in our garden. I hope they make it through the snow that we just got. This piece reads, “share your light” and makes me think of how generous and giving you are. You light me up! love you…

Laura

Laura ReVision 3 Script

Laura Vision 3 Script

Dear Laura,

Inspired by your antique metal flower, I browsed my antique photos. Lately in my individual work I have been interested in drawing the women in the photos. The back of this photo is labeled “Grandma Lou”. I wonder what stories Grandma Lou could tell us. I have been enjoying using graphite and my letter stencils to add compositional interest. Erasing and adding with a soft 6B graphite pencil (Monolith) has been my medium of choice lately. This portrait drawing on a map for this ReVision was an experiment that is leading to a bigger piece I will have exhibited in ArtFields this coming April.

~Tina

Leave a reply

We are here to…

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Laura&Tina

©laura gaffke 2013 “Morning Mist” acrylic, 9 x 9 inches *available for now

We are here to…………

shine

soar

grow

love

create bliss

serve with love

help each other

pave a path for those to follow

…fly high and low…. for that COLOR

Treasure every moment and grow

enjoy the moments

inspire

rock your face off!

help others in need

be kind, be creative, learn and teach

make a difference

I asked this question on my facebook page while I was working my ReVision 2 and as you can see I was overwhelmed with the responses! People were so generous with their thoughts. Working alone in the studio I am always curious how others will respond to the questions I ask of myself.

My response to this question was:

“We are here to lift each other up”

I had intended on adding script to this painting but it had a mind of its own as you can see from its origin HERE. After I finished it decided I really liked how light and airy it was and decided not to add the text. I am often surprised by what happens when I trust my intuition.

The title of the painting is “Morning Mist”. Thank you Sue and everyone else who left a suggestion on my facebook page. I really appreciate it! Come on over and say hello.

love, Laura

1 Reply

Where the magic happens…

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Hello Sweet T (& friends)~

Acrylic paint has been my obsession for some time but I have been wanting to push myself a bit, experiment and use my mixed media muscles so I pulled out some of my thick caran d’ash crayons and colored pencils and built up a bunch of layers. I know you and I had talked recently about the playful aspect of our Vision/ReVision project that we enjoyed so much and I want to pull that playfulness back into my work.

It is so easy to get caught up in the pressure of preparing for shows and the desire to create “strong, meaningful work” that you loose sight of where the magic and discovery happens and I believe that is when we create space for it without these pressures. This is what I did here. I really loved the colors and textures I got from the oil sticks but when I came back to it the next day it just wasn’t right.

SOooooo, I turned it over and “allowed” this to come through (this is a cropped part of the larger canvas). I am not finished with it yet but love the transformation. It think the flowers give the painting that happy, uplifting vibe I was going for. What do you think? I will share more as it evolves.

Sending you a magical day filled with inspiration & love,

xoLaura

1 Reply

Vision 3: Script Series

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Laura&Tina

You can learn more about this Series HERE

Dear Laura,

Did you see we have gone over 600 posts? Nice! This flower is in my window and it’s luminous quality caught my eye. It seems that it is a bit dark, but it really is glowing in the sunlight. I often see a luminous quality to your work with a subtle shimmer added and wondered what your thoughts are about including it among the many layers in your paintings?

Tina

Dear Tina,

As you know we had quite a storm here last week. I went out on an adventure with my camera and found my “winter garden”. This flower was a Brimfield Antique Show purchase from last summer. It is made from an old tank of some sort which I thought was interesting. This is actually the original color of the tank and I just loved it. I thought you would appreciate the recycled nature of this little sculpture even if it is wearing it’s “winter coat.”

xoLaura

2 Replies

ReVision 2: Script Series

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Dear Tina,

I loved seeing your “LOVE” sign from New Orleans! SO FUN and you know I am all about the love! I was thinking about how love can lift you up. You and our friendship lift me up in so many ways and I wanted you to know. Dragonflies are a repeated theme in my work because of what they symbolize~staying present and living for today. I added the heart to remind me to look at those around me with compassion and love.

xoLaura

Laura’s Visoin 2: Script

Dear Laura,

I have been intrigued by your Vision photo with the cool colors, tree branch pattern (that inevitably makes its way into all my artwork), and the layered quality of reflection and textures. I was surprised to have difficulty getting started on this ReVision. I suspect it is because I liked the photo too much. Looking back I think I should have used your photo in some way by creating a photo transfer print. I am still not thrilled with my result and see that I could use some more time in the editing phase, but wanted to make a solution to post this weekend. I have been preoccupied with some of my drawings which I will post at a future date. At any rate, I see all these Vision/ReVision’s as works in process. I think this is what makes it work for us. They are small enough to really get an idea going or create multiple solutions to one question we have in our work. I created three different versions of this one and eventually settled on “capture” as my Script element. This one has a textured element. It is one to hold and feel as much see. The thread seemed to ‘tie’ it all together in the end.

Tina

Leave a reply

Winter Wonderland…

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Hello Sweet T~

I thought I would share a few pics of what my weekend has been like up here in the North. As you know we have had quite a storm! Nemo & Charlotte dropped quite a bit of “the white stuff” on us! It was quite a blizzard. Many people are without power and still haven’t had their roads plowed and my heart goes out to them. I have finally dug myself out and meandered around my yard with my camera. Everything is so beautiful! I am not sure if I ever shared a picture of Brett’s new shed/workshop? Well, here it is all adorned in winter bling. (I personally still think it would make a great studio, just saying..).

One of my favorite details was the transom windows we put in. They let so much light in. I named the driftwood whale Fiona. Brett picked her out when he came to visit me at the Narragansett Art Festival this summer. Isn’t she cute?

Wintery river view

I love this old fence I found at the Brimfield Antique Show awhile back. Not sure it will stay here come spring but I liked how it looked with all the snow on it.

This sculpture came with me when I sold my magical cottage in NH. I love having this in my garden as a reminder of that special place I once called home.

Our rhododendrons were almost completely covered.

Brett just told me he needed to prune the lilac tree that lines our driveway. Well, Mother Nature was listening and helped him out taking down 3 big branches. I was drawn to the way the light hit them and the shadows on the ground.

Brett was in NH for the weekend snowmobiling so it was up to this girl to use some muscle to dig us out. We had a foot of ice and two feet of snow on top of that! Not an easy feat! I admit to feeling quite triumphant when I finally unearthed Brett’s “big rig”. My neighbors took pity on me and came over to give me a hand, then another neighbor came over with his snowblower to finish the rest of the driveway. You can imagine how grateful I was, so grateful in fact I decided to bake some banana bread to thank them. The house smelled so good when Brett came home (I baked him his own, just cause I love him).

This sunflower was a total random act of kindness from a lovely man named Jerry who worked at Stonington Gardens. He helped to put our patio in a few years ago and we had had a few nice conversations about art over the summer. He revealed that he did some creative work on his own with metal and described these flowers he made. I told him how nice they sounded and admired his creativity. A few weeks later I came home to find this flower in my garden. I cannot tell you how much my heart swooned at his thoughtfulness. It inspired me to pay it forward.

I spent some time forcing bulbs in different containers. They look so pretty in my new window and will make winter a bit easier to bear. I planted a couple of amaryllis bulbs as well. I can’t wait to watch them grow! I will leave you with this my dear. Going to sit by the fire and relax with my man and our good friend Troy.

xoLaura

1 Reply

ReVision 1: Script

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Read about this new series HERE.

Tina Vision 1: Script

Dear Tina,

Your first Vision in our new series reminded me of my travels to Italy and all the architecture my eyes memorized. Everything was a feast for the visual, even the graffiti. The old buildings had such character with the layers and layers of paint. I thought of how layered and complex we are, each with our own unique story and history, much like these buildings. I started off using moulding paste to create a textured background, then built up my surface from there by adding saturated color, sanding and reapplying the paint to give it a worn, old look. It took me a few tries to get the text right. My handwriting isn’t as beautiful as old, italian script but it is unique to me and allowed me to play which is how I process, learn and grow as an artist.

I photographed an early version of my piece on top of a gorgeous aqua colored peeling door from Caroline Quartermaine‘s book Revealed, one of the all time favorite books in my collection. It is light, fresh, airy and romantic. Her use of vintage items paired with fresh, vibrant, saturated color is AMAZING! She has a unique way of styling so many of the things I love like flowers, vintage book pages, color and art, not to mention her use of script on textiles in lush gold and silver paint. Simply divine. Thought you might like this video on her and thoughts on creativity and studio practice.

Very inspiring….xoLaura

Laura’s ReVision 1: Script Series

Dear Laura,

Laura’s Vision 1 -Script

You know I am a big fan of maps so to see your Vision with the globe got me excited to sift through my collection of maps. Some I have acquired from others who were disposing of them (aka- dumpster dive), some have been given to me, while others I have purchased along the way. I initially thought I was going to draw a map of some sort, but then got very interested in the letter stencils I picked up at the art store. I was doing some research on Jasper John’s use of letters and stencils in his work so began playing with composition randomly. This was great and will continue this either in my own work or for our next Vision/ReVision. I think what I enjoyed about this was the layering of shapes of the letters and improvisation. I started with graphite pencil, tried a few color attempts (and lost), and experimented with a new transfer technique (also lost), so I settled on a little bit of color and a sewn on map element rather than a transfer. I also started on a rough drawing paper but learned I do not like this. I like it very smooth so I can blur and smudge my lines.

As we spoke on the phone earlier, this project is so fantastic because it offers us an opportunity to try something new. The result may not be what we hoped and planned for at the beginning, but the process always leads us to more ideas. What a gift to share with you!

Tina

Leave a reply

ReVision 7: Series on Home

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Laura&Tina

Search “Vision/ReVision: Home” in our Archive or Conversation Topics link to see all posts.

See the images and conversation for Vision 7 HERE.

This is our last Vision/ReVision with the theme of “home”. We have been making work on this theme for six months and we are ready for a new challenge, but we suspect “home” will be a theme that will weave it’s way in and out of future work. It is one we have touched on many times in the past six years of making work together. Tomorrow we will be revealing our newest theme in this collaborative series of artwork.

Dear Sweet T,

I have been thinking about your last Vision and loved how you talked about “seeds of renewal.” I love that thought! I have been thinking about what that means to me as we weave our way into the new year. It has been too bitterly cold here for me to want to venture outdoors to see what kinds of pods I could find around here but these tulips are a nod to this idea. I make a point to have fresh flowers for my house, especially in the winter. Whenever I see tulips at the store I think of Spring and it keeps my spirits up through the long, winter months. Just coming back from the Caribbean I tried to use this palette and thought it would be similar to yours, but alas the painting wanted to go in another direction as you can tell from my underpainting. I know you don’t usually see tulips at the beach but it was my way of sharing a few things that I love with you. Here is to a year of renewal and a continuous, beautiful friendship!

Love you girly!

xoLaura

Laura’s ReVision 7: Home

Dear Laura,

I have been thinking about transition since your Vision 7 post. You are certainly going through one with your home construction right now, but we are both going through transitions in our careers, teaching, and art practices. It seems that change and transition are necessary to go beyond what we know to experience new territory. This is easier said in hindsight, but I do hope we both keep this in mind when the going gets tough. I created this pen and ink drawing of a feather my friend gave me. It started out as a pen drawing and then I decided to add the watercolor wash. Unfortunately, I did not start this on a watercolor paper so it has warped a little. I am always improvising so I didn’t anticipate I was going to add water media. Such is art. The feather is from an owl and feels like fur; unlike any other feather I have felt. I suppose this is to silence the sound of their flight. An owl seems an appropriate metaphor for this coming year. It will be one of patience, visual acuity, and grace.

Cheers!

Tina

Tina’s ReVision 7

Leave a reply

Holiday Open Studio: A few highlights on a magical night…

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Laura&Tina

Dear Tina & friends~

I have to tell you the morning after my Open Studio I slept until almost 9:30! I rare treat let me tell you! If it wasn’t for our cat Teege scratching at my bedroom door I think I could have slept all morning. I have been SO tired lately and this whole week has been no exception. In fact, I am still not sleeping well and am not sure why. Maybe it’s the never ending “to do” lists we all have this time of year twirling about in my head? At any rate I wanted to share a few highlights from our Open Studio. It was a truly an enchanting evening…

Our entryway was adorned with fresh greens and a little sparkle. You can see a few of my paintings on the wall. Two are part of my wine series and the pears continue to be a favorite among visitors.

You are greeted by Santa when you enter my studio. Isn’t he cute? I love how lanky he is!

I get SUPER EXCITED anticipating my open studio for many reasons. First of all, I get to spend time decorating the space which is something that brings me great joy. I seriously get lost in time and know it takes me WAY longer than it should to create my displays and hang my work but I always want to mix things up and make it special for my guests.

As you know from my Brimfield excursions I am always on the look out for interesting vintage items like this chippy antique white case that my good friend Sue gifted me. It displays my little square block prints beautifully.

I have a collection of old wooden spools and acorns that I scattered about. Can you spot them? Do you have any favorite collections? I love Lisa Congdon’s book “A Collection a Day“. She photographed all of her collections on her blog for 365 days and it became a book! It just goes to show you that you never know where things can go with your art when you share it. It gives me hope for my work.

I love my twiggy tree. I can’t remember where I got it but I just love it. It is so simple with a burlap bottom. I tied a fun “laura colored” ribbon to and stacked the cute boxes my squares come in under the tree. I wanted them to look like the perfect gift packages just waiting to go to a good home. I still have a bunch to list in my Etsy shop so stay tuned!

Each of my art squares comes with a note from me explaining how they are made. Brett cuts the wood for me then I prime, paint, sand the sides and corners to distress them, stamp the sides with vintage text and put the hangers on the back. You might remember them making their debut at our Spring Fling Fiesta. I love that Brett is willing to help me with my work. He is presently working on some new panels that I am really excited about!

I did end up leaving my worktable a little messy as Tina had suggested in THIS post of her work.

I put out bits of our collaboration in a cigar box Brett gave me. I wanted people to see our process. It was fun to share.

I displayed my new calendars on this fun red screen in the window. I just love how nice they came out and am unbelievably grateful for how well received they were! I only have a few left so if you would like one you can find them in my shop.

A couple studio views…

I still have so much more to share but will stop for now and end with gratitude as this is becoming a long post. You can see more pictures of the evening including the work of our guest artists on my facebook fan page (make sure to hover over the ‘like’ button and choose ‘get notifications’, too. That’s important!) It was such a magical night and I cannot thank everyone enough who came out and supported us. This is what makes the hard work worth all the effort!

With appreciation & love, Laura

Leave a reply

Cupcakes, Champagne & Art…

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Laura&Tina

photo credit: Millie Donovan

Last night we had our very first studio Champagne & Cupcake “Preview Party”and I have to say it was quite delightful! Things are very lively during an Open Studio so this gave us a moment to pause and enjoy our guests before the weekend. There is something special about cupcakes & champagne on a tuesday night, don’t you think? I still have a lot to do but feel really good about how everything looks on the walls. Our guest artists did a splendid job making sure each of their spaces are impeccably beautiful. It is always exciting to see what new things they have been creating. I am a flutter thinking about sharing some of my new paintings and seeing how they will be received. Thought I would give you a little “tease” of my new work…

Two new paintings in my “Above & Below the Surface” Series

You will have to come and see what the whole “poem” says!

My messy desk with some small paintings to finish!

Although most of my studio is all spiffed up and decorated I am still working so my table is still a mess! Although I won’t leave it this messy I was thinking about leaving some things out so people could see my “process”. Do you think this would be interesting or better to have it clean for the night? Would love your thoughts…

Millie & I have had very long days preparing everything, even working until the wee hours of the morning one night which I have not done in some time. I think it is hitting me today actually! Oh no, the silliness may take over so watch out! I think our attention to detail and the energy we feel will bring everything together. Hope to see you and your friends this weekend for all the fun!

Love, Laura

p.s. Here are the details. If you are not on my mailing list and would like to be just email me your contact information at laura.gaffke@me.com and I will keep you “in the know”!

p.s.s. In case you are in the area the Westerly Holiday Stroll is this evening! You can find me strolling along at The Artist’s Cooperative Gallery (which I have work in), The Hoxie Gallery & the Red Couch Studio! Hoping to see Santa!

2 Replies

Laura’s Snowy Working Table

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Laura&Tina

Dear Tina & friends,
How are you? Did you all have a nice Thanksgiving? I am feeling a little overwhelmed thinking about my weekend and the wonderful time I had with family & friends. Brett & I packed up the car and headed up to NH on Wednesday. We met up with some dear old friends for dinner at a lovely new restaurant called, Napa East in Nashua. I found the atmosphere wonderfully inspiring. It had barn board walls, rustic tables, fun lighting and sparkly fabric on the chairs, as well as live music which made it feel quite modern yet cozy. It was a fun evening with lively conversation and lots of catching up. We stayed at my good friend Mer’s for the night and continued talking well into the next morning. I think I am getting too old for these late nights! Ha!

Thanksgiving was spent at my parents with my sisters, brother & their families. I didn’t realize how much I was craving my NH home. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in trying to make a go of this artist life my NH visits seem less frequent and therefore more cherished when I am there. We indulged on the most delicious food as my parents & sisters are good cooks. I somehow lost this gene so was grateful for all the goodies.

On Friday we were on the go again, packing everything up and heading further north to Pittsburgh, NH with our good friends, “Goddess Michelle” & her wonderful husband Jesse. It was a long drive but worth the effort as it is magnificantly beautiful up there. The gently falling snow, cozy fire and woods made me feel like we were in a picture book. Michelle & I brought up a slew of art supplies and painted the day away while “the boys” went and took care of their snowmobiles.

Michelle brought up these gorgeous flowers to inspire us and “gussy up” the man town cabin. Aren’t they pretty? I loved the white cabbage flower especially.

I was working on some patchwork backgrounds to start while Michelle worked on these lovely paintings.

You can see more of her work in her shop and at the cutest little shop in Goffstown called, Apotheca. I am ALWAYS inspired when I visit this shop! It is filled to the brim with vintage displays and the most artistic treasures. I even found an adorable dress I think I may wear to my holiday open studio. Next time I will have to take some pictures to share with you.

I made three different patchwork backgrounds. You will have to wait and see what I am dreaming up for them! I am a little giddy thinking about it!

I also had time to start a new painting. I am still inspired by slowing down and what can be learned from meaningful conversations like the ones I had over my holiday and often use teacups & wine bottles as a metaphor for this.

I loved the flowers so much I added them to the teacups I had sketched in my sketch journal.

It is coming along. I will share more as I progress but in the meantime you can see some of my recent paintings in this series HERE or see them in person at my Holiday Open Studio December 7th & 8th! Consider yourself invited! Spread the word for all the goodness…

love, Laura