In just over a week I have had three separate art surprises.
Today I found myself included in a magazine article about my art studio complex. There I am in a photo, framed by an old ladder, drawing away with a hodge podge of my paintings decorating the distant studio walls. One can almost see that I'm wearing two pairs of glasses to do my tiny ink work. The drawing I was creating at the time is in my August 16 post.
Sept. 10 was the reception for the group exhibition "Aftermath" at Coastal Arts League and Museum. I have two pieces in the show, one a painting and the other a pen and ink canvas. It was gratifying to see so many people stand for so long in front of "Confronting Brown," seen here, below. Small photos don't do it justice, since the point of the painting is to pull the viewer closer and closer into the middle of the painting and then upward and outward. I like to stand about one foot away and wander my eye all over the place. Click on the image and you might get an idea of what it would be like to stand next to this 5 foot long piece. I have no problem saying that I am amazed that I made this intricate work. It resonates on a level I always strive for, but rarely am lucky enough to accomplish. I am therefore profoundly pleased when I see a diverse audience immediately in deep conversation with this piece.
The third surprise news is that an artist and friend, Lisa Brey, submitted one of my paintings she owns to the Hyampom Good Time Fair's art exhibition and I received the People's Choice Award. I was told everyone in the audience cheered when they heard my piece had won. Since I grew up in a then very wild country community of Big Sur, I was deeply gratified by this similarly wild community's applause.