INTERVIEW with Artist Melissa Slattery

Melissa is a good friend of mine. I met her when I lived in Ct. a few years back.  She + her husband, who she refers to as Dar, are both Artists and work at something different to pay the bills. Melissa is in the graphics dept behind the scenes at a community college and teaches there as well. She practices her Art whenever she can.

Melissa in the Luxemburg Gardens
by Gretchen

+

Gretchen by Melissa

a favorite picture of the both of us a coupla summers ago

and here's another fave shot of her behind that mag along with Alexander (teenage boy/step son/ Artist/groovester)

Melissa's beloved kitty, Franny.

kitty grass + night flowers- Datura in her garden

Melissa just graduated

from Wesleyan, receiving her MALS. I heard often about her process as she was doing her thesis project, which was extremely intense to say the least. While doing her thesis project Melissa documented the progress of it on a blog: http://www.blinkingsphinx.blogspot.com/  where you will be interested in reading + seeing some of the pics of the development of her Art for the monumental Ullyses thesis. Ullyses is way out of my league and all I can comment on is how beautiful the works of Art are that she fanatically created over a period of about six months altogether. Here is what Melissa has to say about some of the work and the photos that appear below:
"The island is just off Calf Pasture Beach, in Norwalk,  but it looks almost mythical, which is the point of my work, (thesis), you can find the mythical/universal all around you in your everyday life if you look for it --it's there. This seems to be the message of Joyce's novel. Well, one message.
The chandelier drawing is based on a photo of the stairwell of the Joyce Center in Dublin.
The drawing is about a climactic moment in the novel, "Ulysses," when Stephen Dedalus (main character) shatters a chandelier, symbolically shattering time and space (and thus becoming immortal).

 

In the novel, the shatttered chandelier passage contains a reference to a sword in a Wagnerian opera. I was trying to make a drawing with layered references, in response to Joyce's layering of references throughout the novel."

"The photo of the furniture in the bay window

was taken in the cottage of a head gardener at the Kylemore Abbey restored victorian garden, in Co. Connemara, in Ireland. I used this image in the book, Bloom's Book 9x9x9, because Bloom (also a main character) fantasizes about having a house in the country with extensive gardens. This is where he hopes to wind up. So it's the last page of the book I made about him, filled with all his calculations."

 QUESTIONS FOR MELISSA :

 

Q- Tell a bit about your special surface technique that you do your multi media drawing/paintings on:

A: I use a kind of spackle that has an alkyd resin base; smeared in a thin coat on 100% rag grey Rives BFK printmaking paper. I always use this paper.  As the spackle dries, it can be textured. I’ve been collecting different instruments to use for mark-making over the years. Different kinds of old tools are especially good for this.
Once the spackle dries, I sand it with different grades of sandpaper, which adds another level of texture. Then I use metallic acrylic paint to stain the surface, and this brings out the texture even more. Then I “find” a drawing on the surface somehow. And bring it out with ink or acrylic or pastels. Sometimes I collage.

Q- What inspires your artwork?
Other artists often inspire ideas. A visit to Gretchen’s house is always an inspiration. Also things seen in galleries, and more and more, looking at stuff online. Sometimes just seeing colors in my everyday life will start something, an idea. Often a reading will start something: I have used James Joyce’s epic novel, “Ulysses,” as a source for the last series of drawings, objects and artist’s books that I finished in May.

Q- You just did your Master’s thesis on “Ulysses,” show some images of some of the work and describe it.
In Ulysses, James Joyce attempted to create every aspect of a particular day in the life of his characters, as they wandered around Dublin on June 16, 1904.  The novel was a break-through that sparked the development of Modernist literature, and I believe no writer has yet surpassed Joyce’s literary feat. So, using this novel, which celebrates the beauty of everyday life, and elevates mundane acts to the mythical, was an obsession for the last two years. Joyce managed to reveal the universal in the particular of human experience, and created a kind of secular transcendence through his characters. I think visual artists are aiming for the same thing in their work.
All of the images shown in response to this notion of transcendence are from a book art work titled “The Heart of It.” I used a copy of “Ulysses” to make an altered book. I created 21 page spreads by gathering sections of the book and binding the edges with an EKG reading of my husband’s heart beat.  I tried to let some of the words on the pages show through and infiltrate/influence the images I created.



Q- You have done a lot of book art. Show some pics and describe some works.
I made six books for this project, all of them are accordian fold structures and each one relates to one of the three main characters. The one I made for Molly Bloom was fun because I drew several pairs of ladies bloomers, as a kind of symbol for Molly. She has some very funny comments about new bloomers in her soliloquy.

Q- What are you working on now that you have finished the monster thesis work and have your degree?
Well, I’ve been recovering, from doing all that work in a relatively short time frame of 4 months. The work has been out on exhibit in the library of the Community College where I work. Lately I’ve been doing a few drawings and taking lots of photos. I want to make a life-size cat out of shredded copies of Ulysses, and once winter is here, I think I’ll do that, when our hot air heater starts cranking.



Q-What would you like to be doing in 5 years?

I would really like to find a different, creative work outlet. I mostly enjoy the day job I have working in a Community College, as a designer and writer … but it is stressful and I’d like to segue into something more that’s digitally-driven, more in tune with the online world. I’m interested in creative humanitarian, or educational, efforts and it will be great to find a way to continue making images as part of this new work. I like to write and work collaboratively. I’m focused right now on becoming an adjunct professor and hope that leads to other opportunities.


Q- You're going back to Paris- what do you love about Paris?
Well, I love the Seine and the streets in the center of Paris. I want to spend more time exploring the Left Bank, the Luxembourg Gardens especially. Last time we were there, we only had 45 minutes before the park closed in the evening.
And the food is great, Parisians are fun to watch. I’m also hoping to get out of Paris and into the countryside on this visit. We may rent a car and drive out to the cathedral of St. Michel.


Q- Do you have a daily practice of some sort?
As a designer, I’m constantly working with words and imagery, and I photograph events regularly. It feels as if I am constantly developing my eye, as I’m always looking at visual stuff. Painting and drawing are sporadic for me, and I always need some kind of deadline for motivation.



Q- You've lived on the West + the East coasts. Which do you prefer and why?

I used to have an easy answer to this question: West! But having lived in Connecticut for the last 11 years, I’m kind of loving the seasons, and I just discovered kayaking, which is fabulous in this part of Long Island Sound. So I love both coasts now.

Q-Where have you shown your work?
In libraries and small galleries, mostly in group shows. I have won some awards, but not recently. I think the shift into digital/online exhibition is where I will be concentrating. Lately I’ve heard several disturbing stories about galleries exploiting artists, and I just don’t want to be bothered with that aspect of art. It’s not really about the art-making, it’s more about seeking validation and a kind of commodification that doesn’t really interest me that much. I have a hard enough time making time to do the work, and showing it is not a big priority.

Q- What question did I not ask that I should ask?
Well, I am really interested in materials and processes, and in interdisciplinary ideas. I think sometimes showing this kind of work is challenging, because I like people to be able to touch things, turn pages, handle stuff, and galleries aren’t really set up for this, at least at the level I connect (or don’t) connect with them. So I like the Open Studio platform, where I can be with people as they look through things.

These are some of Melissa's Book Art creations below.

Melissa is a devoted "book artist" and has taught book making at the Center for Book Arts in NYC. For many years she lived in Oakland, Ca. where she participated in the Book Art community and showed her work regularly. Below are some examples of her book Art.

(Yes, this is book Art)

These are some of my favorite works by Melissa. I especially like the kitty, which she sold.

You can see some better images of some of these works on her blog

Here are the handwritten Q + A's:

(click to enlarge)

That's it for this month's full moon post of Interview with Artist, Melissa Slattery.
See the next one on the next full moon.

Goddess Salon opening at my place- Welcome

(I have had a hard time posting lately for a few reasons. One is that the new updated post editor makes is 3 times as difficult to arrange the images on the page. I thought it was make posting easier.) Anyway, I have been burning the candle at both ends in preparation of my Salon and finally - here it is on view.... Please enter- walk down the side path to the back and into my private Goddess Salon. I've been incorporating this theme since last Spring. I 've expanded on it in numerous ways-  Gilded Goddesses, Water Goddesses, Nereid Goddesses, Water Nymphs, assemblages, constructions, Art cards and more. I will continue with the theme too. So take a look at what's inside. I will be posting my paintings for the next week on my regular Daily Painting blog where you can see them up close. 

The traffic is never heavy when I hold my Salons but that's ok because I am growing this yearly presentation slowly but surely each year. I keep trying to promote and get the word out about my event. Eventually it will become a destination for people to visit when they come to Hudson. I am also letting out the word that studio visits are possible with prior arrangements.

Have a Mexican Chocolate Chile cookie baked by my Mom....hope you enjoyed your visit.

Art Opening at Basilica - Artist Arthur Price

Here is a walk around in the Basilica space looking at one of the best shows I have ever seen. The work is by Arthur Price, an Artist from Alabma. You can see more of this work on his website: www.priceartcompany.com
Click on the pics to see close up details-

I have gone back several times to wander through the cavernous space looking at these works. On his website in the slideshow, you can see some photos of him in his studio working. You might think that he has a large studio space to work on the scale but it's not as big as you might envision it to be. See some more photos below of the paintings.

ARTSWALK 2009- Cannonball Factory opening reception

Here I am, last night at the opening reception, with my two red dot paintings. These were paintings that I did in June: "Heaven on Earth" and "Fields of Gold".

photo by Ben Guerrerrrrrrro

I replaced them this morning with two new ones. You can see them up close below.































"Golden Highlights" - watercolor + gold leaf - 11" x 15" - $500.



"On Earth as in Heaven"
11" x15" watercolor + gold leaf
$500.










I will continue to update with more of the happenings around Hudson during Artswalk 2009. There are many events that I have been taking pictures of that I want to post. But I get tired of writing and posting and need to take breaks from it....there is so much more ---  stay tuned.....

More of the opening night...

Taken with my iphone so not as good as others.

WINDOWS ON WARREN - preview of Artwork

Here is my installation titled "Corrugated Couture Construction". I love working with corrugated cardboard and have made various sculptures in this medium in the past couple of years. This is a whimsical garment inspired by my passion for fashion.Years ago I was a designer of women's clothing. That desire has not faded, it is still alive in me. The difference is that in the present, I don't have the patience to sew. But I do have the inclination to use hot glue- one of the best inventions ever! I get immediate gratification.

Here are some other Artists in stallations.

More on all these happenings throughout the week - Stay tuned...

 

Interview with Artist DAN RUPE

THE Famous DAN RUPE:


Dan Rupe painted by GK + GK painted by Dan Rupe

Below is a little composite of Dan's history. He was 10 in the little picture wearing glasses and living in Indiana, he was in his 20's and modeling in that hot picture from (obviously) the '70's. You can see his studio from when he was in college at Boston Museum School of Fine Art. He had a large show of his portraits at West Point, NY also shown in photos. He has shown in exhibitions in Boston, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Kansas City, and Provincetown, and internationally in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. When Dan hands you his calling card, if you have just met him, it says a lot about him that you are about to find out....like....in case you didn't notice he is a BOLD man. Everything about him says that. He is filled with expressiveness. He shreiks with glee when Aretha is singing. His paintings are filled with prismatic colors and shapes that hearken to paint-by-number style paintings. His home exudes his joy of found and sentimental objects from vintage shops + tag sales.
















......Dan's studio then



and now....














Dan sojourns to Provincetown, Ma. twice each year to paint in May + August. The paintings culminate in a show at Ernden gallery at the end of August each year where they usually sell out. He loves to paint the local scenic color on the streets. This past August he said he was lucky everyday because he was able to get a parking spot at each location being that the town is in high gear with tourism. ( I can remember at the young age of 11 in 1967, our family took a summer trip throughout New England. We went to Ptown and it was the first time that I saw a homosexual community, a town declaring it's alternative sexuality. I don't think my parents used the word Gay. I was extremely curious because there was a colorful sense of fun and gay-ity in this town that was a tad bit different than say- West Hampton, LI- where we usually spent our summer vacations).


Here are some of the paintings he did this past summer that are on view at the Ernden gallery now.....





















































Dan is working a series of "Dogs" for Artswalk in Hudson, NY in October. See a couple of dogs below.
Take a peek around Dan's pad. He has lived in Hudson for 8 years. He loves to shop at Second Show where he picks up a lot of chatzkes







DOGS +
more chatzkes- chatzkes + more chatzkes - Dan can't resist

































Let's go out to the garden....

























Dan is going to answer 9 of the 10 questions....
(double click to enlarge for clarity)








































That's the end of this interview...if you have any questions for Dan, leave a comment and I'll get the answer... and here's a little video interview with Dan on youtube:

IntegrARTe with Bruno Pasquier-Desvignes at Hudson Opera House

Another year gone by since I posted last August about Bruno Pasquier-Desvignes wonderful workshop held at the Hudson Opera House. The class is held through August 3 days a week and it's free for all- kids of all ages- the young kind and the older kind. I attended only three classes through the month and made some things along with everyone else. Gwenn, Bruno's wife (not pictured below)is in attendance assisting and painting beautiful color patterns on the managerie that will fill the gallery. The class is about making art by recycling plastic, cardboard boxes, bags, wires, tubes, hot glue, paint, and anything you can find in the trash. Posted here are the final results of creations this year.






Guess which works are mine...?
On Sept. 15th there will be another opportunity to make art with Bruno held on the Hudson River on the Bruno's Art Barge. Bruno will be making stops going down the Hudson River through the course of two weeks. You can get on the barge down by the river on that date and participate in creating more fantastical magical creations that will continue on the journey with Bruno.

INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST: David Roberts

Here is the first interview in a series, with Artists. I have been wanting to do this for a while and finally here it is.

GKelly by David Roberts + David Roberts by GKelly

I sent a pic of myself for David Roberts to sketch and I have sketched one of him here so that the reader can have a visual of the interview taking place. David is from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

In December 2006, when Grandmamma appeared on the Daily Painters gallery for the first time, she caught my eye....her paintings were so naive and they were of so many different subjects, including "covers" of other Artist's works. Other Artists that I loved. I became overly curious one day and sent an e-card to a friend of mine of the "Chocolate Dancant" (after Lautrec, by Grandmamma)
I said in the card - "Look at what Grandmamma is doing!?" I loved this cover of Toulouse's painting. There were others that charmed me: "Bright Pillows", "The Kiss", "Odalisque", "Ruins, Cariad", "Free as a Bird", " Étant Complet". These were the early ones....some after Lautrec, Matisse- my faves and some originals.

I had to get the story on this Grandmamma! So I emailed her and she was a HIM. (If you looked you could tell from the photo in her bio). David Roberts wrote back and gave me a brief bio and we became friends. We, each, own several of the other's paintings. He has always intrigued me. What is he thinking? I would ask myself often when I looked at his work. You can read what he says in his own words below. This painting below of "Odalisque" is my absolute favorite.

I just had to have it, so I asked how much and to my delight I was able to barter. I think I got the better part of the deal.....
I should show you some others that are his originals and not covers of other Artists...below- a good one: "Waterbearer at the Threshold"




Here are some questions that David answered for me:

Q In your words describe your Art:

A "Atmospheric"

Q You belong to the online Daily Painters Gallery and were originally going under the pseudonym "Grandmamma", please explain why and why you are now going by your real name.

A I had the grandmamma.com internet domain name (among others). And stored digital images of my work there. Someone - maybe you - described me as an Outsider Artist. I didn't know what I was, I just painted. After people started buying and collecting my paintings, it didn't seem to matter if I was an outsider, insider, impressionist, expressionist, extortionist or contortionist. Then I remembered there was a famous painter named David Roberts and so I took his name instead of grandmamma. It seems to have worked. Many who have bought my work believe it is by the real David Roberts.

Q How long ago did you start painting? Posting? What is the background story to posting on the internet?

A I quit painting in Kindergarten. And started again, ex nihilo, Oct 22, 2006. Who knows why? A power greater than myself suggested I pick up a brush and some pigments. After I'd made about 50-60 paintings I wondered: is anyone else doing this? And I discovered the Daily Painters Movement. Then I found the Daily Painters Gallery and joined in December 2006. I've made more than 600 paintings since then and posted most of them on the DPG.

Q Where else do you show your work?

A Gallery Lacosse, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: http://www.tlacosse.com/

Q What work or works of yours are outstanding to you and why?

A I always like today's painting because it is all fresh & new, smells nice & is still wet behind the ears. But if I had to choose which to save in a fire it would be the sepias: Northwest Angle, Out for Trout, Temple at Philae. I'm also really happy with a pair of mirror-image monochromes: A Winter's Day and A Winter's Night: the same scene Day/Night. I don't know why, I just like 'em. Sometimes I can't believe I made 'em. Must've been the other David Roberts.

Q Do you support yourself through your Art sales? If not, how else do you make a living?

A This man is a fulltime painter, OK? If I need money because I haven't sold a painting for awhile, I write something. Which is what I used to do for money before I was a fulltime painter.

Q Who are some of your favorite Artists?

A In awe of so many wonderful painters .... where to start? How about some to whom I've paid homage by copying their mark-making - because I wanted to know, how do they do it? David Milne, Tom Thomson, Delacroix, Lautrec, Kunihiro Amano, G. Kelly, Edouard Chimot, Kandinski, Cezanne, Rousseau, the other David Roberts, The photographer P.H. Emerson - all the other fine painters of the Daily Painters Gallery.

Q Who or what influences your Artwork?

A Everything is in the mix, one must suppose. My work is influenced by all my human experiences leading up to today. I resist all styles & genres because I don't know what they are anyway. To me, painting is just storytelling. As our DPG colleague Edward Gordon says, if someone else calls it art - that's great.

Q What is your process, for painting?

A Similar to the process for writing, as in my novel 'The Alchemist's Song'. I take all the great literary works: The Bible, The Baghavad Gita, Winnie-the-Pooh. I mix them up. I print them out on reams of paper. I sit under a tree and soak up the atmosphere, circling words that jump out at me, like making Haiku. With writing I create a phrase that usually ends up in the middle of the story - it must be just the right phrase - and write backwards and forwards (both directions at once) from there. The process for making marks on paper or canvas with pigment is influenced by this. I soak in the atmosphere of the day. I look at photographs I've shot (sky, buildings, trees, water, moon, earth - persons). I lay down a graphite under-drawing. I choose a brush. I create a palette. I paint from right to left because I am left-handed. After 4-5 hours I stop. Put caps on paint tubes. Wash brushes.

Q What is your next project?

A Some atmospheric words soon will materialize to accompany the paintings on http://blog.grandmamma.com/

HERE ARE SOME PICS FROM DAVID:

signature piece above: Blues for Pablo



Below is a little 10 question handwritten quiz I gave David to write/draw his answers and each of us scanned it and emailed it back and forth - that's why you can't read it....but he's snail mailing it back to me and when I get it I will scan it to post and it will be legible on this blog. Then you can read- even more interesting things about David. But if you click on the below image it will magnify it to read more clearly.


THE END
stay tuned for monthly interviews by following this blog.

HYBRID PORTRAIT of Richard Saja, designer + owner of Historically Inaccurate

I painted this portrait for an upcoming show that Richard Saja is having at the Shelburn Museum in Vt.- "The Bright + Shining Light of Irreverence". He invited at least 40 Artists to participate. The portraits will be hung salon style in the hybrid building, the Kalkin House at the museum. You can see many more of the portraits at a special blog that Richard has set up for viewing. It's called the "Salon of Love + Horror" and it's a wonderful collection. You can see of Richard's work here: Historically Inaccurate. His work is a hybrid of traditional textile design and fun- you'll see.....LOTS-O-FUN

FOR THE LOVE OF ART - group show at the Hat Factory

At the opening on Feb. 15th

My paintings: "The Bardo", "Soft Animal", "Rose Osmosis" at the Hat Factory, Peekskill, NY


One of two gallery rooms filled with Art:

and below, Christina deGenarro's drawing/prints on paper installations on the opposite wall.

Tilly Strauss on the right was one of the curators who put me in the show. (Bibiana on the left)

Below is Kate Vrijmoet who poses in front of one of her portraits. Many of these crowd photos from the exhibit are via her website. Check it out for many more pics of the event...


There is lots more to see at Kate's website. The show is over now. It took me a long time to get this post up but I wanted to make sure I covered it, as it was an important show that I was in.

Tarot reading + Bday dinner party

Whenever it's possible I have a Tarot reading on my Bday
Thanks, Kathe!

Friends and spirits (from beyond) vibe



Simultaneous shooting and ....


spill - out into the salon







Y U M M Y Claudia's ready for some cake

"From the Studio" show at HOH

The opening reception was on Jan. 16th at the Hudson Opera House. This is the first show of it's kind here at the HOH. Artist's work from studio workshops were displayed. Workshops include: nude figure model studio, portrait studio, plein air and still life studies.


Myself, my fave model, Kathe + her daughter in front of my work at the opening.


Group photo of Artists: Nick Nickerson, the famous Dan Rupe, Pat Green + moi.

...other artists:
Lee Wurtzberger, Erika Klein, Susan Solovay, Paul Solovay, Nancy Hagan, Steve Mulvey, Heather Campbel and Chelle Mayer.

Xmas Trees I LOVE

These are some of my favorites...

mine - 2008


mine -2007


Susa's 2008


But this one below wins my prize-
by Jane Shouten of All the Luck in the World


and this Christmas kitty wins a prize too -TWA

Playful Art

It's been far too long since my last post on this blog!
I will tend to it much more in 2009...

A b s tr ACT i ON




l





The abstract paintings that you see above evolved through the course of about a month at paperscissorsOranges, which is the children's Art studio that I teach at a few days each week. What appears to be something that could hang on my living room wall is actually the side of a house construction made from boxes. The kids paint it over + over each day, each week until the sides buckle in and then we make a new one. Below you can get an idea of what it looks like in the class room.










and this below is a group effort mural which I would like for my wall too!
These murals are also a regular site to feast your eyes on in the studio.

Re-cycling for Art Show at Hudson Opera House

For the past month at the Opera House in Hudson, NY there was a wonderful class that was given by Artist, Bruno Pasquier-Desvignes -FREE! - 3 days each week. All the Art was created from recycled stuff.


Lots of corrugated cardboard boxes, plastic containers, bags and caps, lids, tubes, wires + fabrics along with paints +hot glue. Mystical animals, people from other realms, wild creations formed from the imagination's of children and adults together taking the classes.

This class is intended to unite the various ages and cultures in our community, while playing as children do when making Art. Playing is often a neccessary part in the creation of Art. I know that is what happens when I do it and with wild childlike abandon, I created a Night Owl wall hanging- seen above.






This "gorilla" show was superimposed on another great show of work by Artist, Jack Millard. The two shows blended well. The animal menagerie of sculptures was up for only a coupla days over the weekend and it's being dismantled quickly as the Artists are coming by to pick up their works piece by piece.



Bruno is here every summer creating in the Opera House spaces with the community according to what I heard. I will surely be back next year to partake again - it was one of the best classes I have ever attended. Thanks Bruno!

A.L Stickley - Variety Store, Rhinebeck, NY

Where and when is the last time you saw a Variety Store or a General Store or Five + Dime store?
Well, there is one in Rhinebeck, NY and it's been in biz for 62 years. My Mom and I went there yesterday to get some stuff.
Stuff like:
A drip coffee pot for Mom and a pink elephant watering can for me!
What fun, as you can I was having -----and I spent under $5.
Here's a peek inside:


Isles + isles that harken back to my childhood wandering through my local Woolworth's and Newberry's in downtown Ossining, NY.

MEXICAN JUMPING BEANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ELEPHANT WATERING CANS in FLAMINGO PINK + SILVER
And all that girlie-stuff that you never know where to find anymore....


Garters! and corset hook + eyes. Ribbons for your hair by the yard
Bobby pins + Hair nets! this is where they have been hiding all these years.


shoe laces, string


Tickets, pranks + gags, party favors
AND LOTS MORE.
Mom + I had a blast shopping for all our needs in there. I guess today, we have Dollar Stores- what an eyesore those places are. I never go in them. Then there's the mega-big-box store names, which actually started from small mom + pop businesses named Walton's and Kresge's.


Say, "good bye" Mom.....
.....we're off for an ice-cream cone next door.

What I love about my garden (and not)

THE BOUNTY



Sunflowers are the Happy faces of my garden. I can't help but think that they are smiling and saying to me "Have a great day, Gretchen!" when I look at them in awe of how they grow by reseeding themselves every year.


The haul for lunch.... Mmmm - what I love to eat.




MARBLES are what I love to find each year when I dig up the garden. They magically appear whenever I am digging in the earth... I wonder if that happens to anyone else?


SLUGS!- I abhoar! YUK!

Walkin' on Warren St. (Hudson,NY 12534)

Walkin' on Warren St. on Sunday while it sun-showered on and off, I stopped in one of my fave shops: HENRY
What I like about Nancy's shop is her Artful way of arranging. It is her Art (I believe). The eclectic compilation is always an intrigue for me. I have bought many a textile here, which has been the source of design inspiration for me, in one way or another.




...looking out to towards the sunshower....

...a quirky footstool with a cusion of hermetically sealed hay within clear PVC - how natural!

....a beautiful vintage petti-point evening bag containing another petti-point covered compact with original label from Vienna (from another century). Check out the website for this special shop and see more treasures inside.

Breeze

There is something soothing about watching the wind stream through a window and to listen to it's whispering sounds as it is blowing. I can hear it, feel it and see its trail but it's invisible. I can't hold it but it can envelop me, cool me, ease me, yet sometimes ruffle my feathers. It is the ethereal unseen nature of it that I like most - so mysterious.

"Fat Cat" painting by Gretchen Kelly c.1971

I thought this is the perfect beginning for this visual blog - my Fat Cat painting that I did in high school. This is my most treasured painting. If there was a fire in my house, beside grabbing my real cats and my laptop, I would grab this painting. It is a prize. It holds my teenage history and idealism at that time. I have another painting that I did back then which is the antithesis of this one, now that I think of it. That's interesting ....hmmm, I never thought about that before. I will post that later. Anyway, this is coveted and others would like to own this painting, but NEVAIR! as the French would say. The teenage girl with an explosion of talent ready to burst was at the top of her Art class and just starting to explore new mediums, new philosophies, new perspectives, new emotions. I remember it all as though it was yesterday and hold it very close inside my heart. This painting shows my idealistic views on the world back then. I had the typical high schooler's rebellious attitude toward the world and specifically Madison Avenue, which is where my Dad worked in advertising. One of the most important things he taught me was to NEVAIR believe what TV tells you. Which I translated to nevair believe what any of the media tells me. What a wise young girl I was. Today that is still a large part of how I parse out the world and take it all in stride.

Back to the painting: the obvious is visually stated - the American flag is draped on top of the NYC skyline and stands for American Dream and opportunities that are born from this capitalistic nation which the Fat Cat is the creator of and the beneficiary of. This Fat Cat is sitting on mushrooms and floating on his dreams and glory. He is showing you that this is his world and he is proud and happy - happier than a pig in shit. He is a bit like an Allison Wonderland character and very pleased with himself. But his world is dripping on his shoe, it is not unsinkable. It is leaky and he does not notice. The darkness that mushrooms grow in, under-foot, is a bit Hellish and foretelling of ......everyone's life, certainly mine. The big toothy smiles are laughing with you or about you? There will be dark abysses to climb out of as life goes onward. When one thinks she is on top of the world - Woo, this is when the IChing would warn to not indulge in self satisfying patting of the back.

When I review this painting now, I am fascinated by that teenage insight and symbolism. There is also a bit of serendipitous foretelling of how my life would go on it's course. My paintings today are less symbolic usually. Every once in a while a whimsical one pops out of my head, but not as much as back then. I actually, ponder this often and think to myself that I want to get back to my personal imagery and produce more of these inward mindscape paintings. My personal taste in Art is more of this kind of work than what I am producing at the moment- the landscapes and interiors, not necessarily the nudes though.

Enough babblewabble for now.