For the love of curves

I know what you must be thinking (all 3 of you out in cyberspace that may actually read this)....where have I been? Well, I'm back now and finally creating some new work that blends my current work in encaustic and my old love of the nude female form.

Back in my art school days, I would obsessively attend any live model drawing class I could for the chance to capture the human figure on paper. I admit that I am a complete romantic fool for the human body; each curve and line holds a unique beauty that only the person owning that body can possess. There is so much beauty in the human body, but we have been conditioned to only see our flaws and imperfections that we omit all the amazing sensuality we carry around in the world every day.

I admit that even with my artistic eye, I too fall prey to this case of body insecurity. Rare is the day when I can look in the mirror and be in love with all my curves. But, I strive to create art of the female form that does just that.


The ladies I create (hand carving wood blocks that are then printed onto thin rice paper before being embedded between layers of wax) would never be seen in a typical fashion magazine. They have juicy thighs, strong legs and arms, curvy backsides, and soft stomachs. They are my chance to show the world that "real" women are beautiful and desirable...even if we don't always believe it ourselves. Maybe it's just a cheap form of therapy for myself, but I would rather draw a luscious curvy woman anyday and help celebrate all those real beautiful curves out there!

So, expect more from me in this new direction! I am loving it!

Rain

I forgot how much I love the sound of rain. The meditative drumming of droplets on roofs and concrete. The wet slick ground becoming saturated and soft. The rivers of fresh water running to circle and dance with fallen leaves before it falls deep under the city. I forgot that fresh clean cold smell. The damp. It fills my lungs as I sit wrapped up on the porch smoking another cigarette, which I know I don't need.

I forgot how much I need the sound of rain; like the calm voice of a lover long gone. The damp song seeps into my skin and bones and reminds me that so much of me is water. I want to lay out in it and become lost in it, drown.

Luminous Layers

Portland will be buzzing about the "Luminous Layers" special exhibit at this year's Lake Oswego Festival of Art. The exhibit team and myself have been working hard to bring you the most comprehensive exhibit of encaustic art in the Pacific Northwest.

"Nationally recognized artists melt, layer, scrape, and sculpt, creating their visions in wax. Lectures, displays, and demonstrations featuring some of these leading artists will explore the techniques of this art form throughout the three-day Festival. "

Friday, June 25th

I will be giving a free demonstration on mixed media techniques in encaustic at 2pm. I will also be leading a guided tour of the special exhibit at 5pm.

"Why Wax?" Presentation and Panel Discussion with featured artists Jeff Schaller, Cari Hernandez, Kanaan Kanaan and Moderator Andrea Benson will take place from 7:30 - 8:30pm in the Headlee Theatre, Lakewood Center. There is a $5 at the door.

Additional free live encaustic demos are available each day during the festival in the special exhibit area. Please see the daily schedule in the demo area for each days' list of artists!

Get all the info here!

Welcome the soft warm arms of Summer

Today is the first day of Summer here in the Pacific NW...and well, it is feeling more like it than the past few cold and wet weeks. The sun is out and my thoughts start drifting to thoughts of summer picnics, bbqs out on the lawn, late warm evenings on the front porch watching the light slowly fade, hearing Hazel's shrieks of joy as she plays in the sprinkler....

It's so easy to get caught up in the grind of our frenetic day-to-day lives. We all have so much to do, and never enough time to do it. My goal for this summer is to take some time and relax a bit more. Breathe in the heavenly warm scent of ripening peaches, enjoy the tart-sweet punch of homemade lemonade, and actually take the time to lay down on the lawn and read a book.

Ah, summer. May we all take a moment to enjoy you a little bit this season!

To Montserrat and Back Again

Hello world! I'm back from my inaugural trip to both the East Coast AND the 4th Annual Encaustic Conference at Montserrat College of Art. And what a wonderful trip it was!

I had three days filled with conference fun such as demos, talks, meeting other amazing artists, seeing their work...and did I mention buying art supplies in the vendors' rooms? Oh my. It's a miracle that my bank didn't drag me out of those rooms before I could do more damage. But, really, how is a girl supposed to say no to all that color?


I will admit that I do have a short limit of the amount of gallery mingling I can handle...so I went on a little "walkabout" during one of the openings...and I stumbled upon some students' studio spaces on campus. Which is where I snapped the above photo with the quote from Degas. It was a beautiful studio space with an equally striking quote. I love it when we stumble upon just what we need to hear.



Here is my newest work, and one included in the conference's "Best Foot Forward" exhibit. If I was going to show all of the other attendees something that was "me" it better have a bit of green in it!

I will share other photos from the conference as I try to get this blog up and running again. Oh, and to the lovely woman (I am SO VERY bad at remember names) who came up to me (while I was trying not to buy MORE paint from R&F) and who told me she reads my blog and how much she enjoyed it....thank you! You rocked my world and I promise I'll try sneak away from the dreaded Facebook enough to actually put posts on my blog more often!

Like Leaves Poking through Sand

This weekend has been spent in a fog; of allergies, that is. Things have been slower, quieter, and not as productive as I would like while I battle with my body....I usually never win these sort of things. So, most of the weekend was spent resting and trying to be OK with that.

That is easier said than done. I like to be in control of situations, to be in control of myself. To set my goal and complete it - easily - in less time that I thought. Oh, how plain foolish and grandiose of myself. Life never really works out like that; and luckily, I am learning that (albeit slowly) and trying to be gentler with myself and that master "to do" list.

For example, I have a cleaner and tidier studio right now, thanks to a burst of energy this weekend. And we now have a stair rail on our porch thanks to my husband's energy and creativity! But, the studio isn't being used right now as I just don't have the "oomph" to get down there...and well, I painted the primer on the railing, but that's it for today. That is enough. I AM ENOUGH....as is. Until tomorrow...

With Thanks and Gratitude

I participated in the annual SE Area Artwalk this weekend (for the 5th year, I think?) and it was another wonderful joyful time to celebrate art, springlike weather, and yes, even more art! I was hosted by the gracious and talented Mark Larsen, and with 4 other artists in his house, it was like a weekend long art party even without the hundreds of visitors that walked through the doors!

The piece above was my newest work to date, finished in the wee hours before the artwalk opened on Saturday...and it was the last piece I sold for the weekend, just minutes before the artwalk ended! Talk about "meant to be"! Since it held two of my favorite colors (green and orange) it was almost going to stay home with me, but now I am happy to have it make someone else smile!


The artwalk was great fun and successful, but most of all it really brought home the fact that Portlanders love their art and their community! It was such a great opportunity to talk to fellow community members, make new friends, and talk about creativity! It was also moving to have parents' of a tiny little newborn buy a piece of art with their daughters' name first letter on it!
It's all those little things that make my heart sing and so very lucky to be able to make art and share it with others. Thank you all for making that happen!

And, like the weather, I am unfolding

Hello world! I can't fathom how long it's been since I've taken the time to write, compile my thoughts, and share on this blog. My mind and life have been narrowed; focusing on just those bare necessities to get me through the dark winter. I've thought about posting here several times, but just didn't really seem to have anything to say. And well, I figured that when the time was right, I would be here and share. So, voila!

I went to the coast a few weeks back to visit a friend. I took a much-needed break from "life" for a glorious 24 hours and enjoyed the steady heartbeat of the water, wind, and silence. It was lovely. I visited my favorite stretch of the northern Oregon coast, where I snapped these photos. I love the idea of looking at a great expanse through such a narrow viewfinder. It really struck a chord with me.


It never ceases to amaze me about just how much the world is there for you when you need it; if you only slow down and take the time to notice. All the whining and shaking your fist at the sky looks silly once you settle down and realize they were trying to help all along; offering gifts along the way, hoping you would see.

I am seeing and noticing a lot more right now, and feel abundantly full and content and joyful. I hope I can be open and make it last!

And finally, I want to share a bit of what someone else is making - Hazel's first foray into the world of play dough. It was a homemade recipe I made using paprika for a nice soft orange color. We had so much fun sculpting and shaping; it was one of my favorite activities as a child. And the scent of paprika in the house made my heart happy for all my Hungarian heritage....though I'm sure great grandma would have thought all that paprika a waste when there's goulash to make!