New Website, New Hands

I have been working on refreshing my website this summer and I am very pleased and proud to announce that it is up today!  Please visit the new website www.dawnbreeze.com.  It is beautiful.  I am most grateful to both know and work with Melissa Stafford @ Rare Machine.  It is because of her efforts that my website is no longer just a wish but instead a thing to be viewed by you.  We also worked together to create two catalogs from my most recent solo shows, they are available on my website.  I am looking forward to hearing your opinions of the new site.

Hands, 2014, 20" x 23" Encaustic, Oil, Graphite on Paper

Also-I have new Hands to show you from the studio!  The previous painting of hands(with the silver thread) that I posted earlier no longer exists.  It became the stomping ground for about 100 incarnations of "try's & missteps" but at last something has emerged.  Thank god--as I was becoming weary of the regurgitated stuff that kept appearing day after day on that tiny painting.  The whole process actually helped remind me that it simply is a process, it doesn't fit in to time...it happens when it happens if you keep showing up for it.

2013 The Art of Encouragement

Photo by Dawn Breeze

I am so elated to be exactly where I am and to be exactly who I am right now.  This very second on this first day of a new year!  I feel grateful, deeply grateful for the many new artistic opportunities that became possible in 2012.  Without question the highlight of the year was beginning my workshop series Creativity & Courage, the gift of my new beautiful art studio and the wonderful solo show at Mcdaris Fine Art in Hudson, NY. 

Leading my workshops is truly an indescribable joy.  I do not have words to describe the feelings I feel.  When I complete my classes I am "high" with love, excitement, joy and compassion towards all my students and their creative potential.  I feel quivery all over.  I have been trying to understand what this is?  What is happening in my classes?  What is happening to both me and my students?  I know my students feel similarly because they all keep signing up again and again.  In the rehab I have had two separate situations where people have extended their stay one extra day in order to be able to take my class one more time before discharge.  These people who love my class are not in any way stereotypical creative types.  In fact at the rehab my most enthusiastic students are also the most "brute" artistically.  So what is this?  I have an idea.....

Last week my class was on Courage and the Hero.  In preparation for class I was researching the definition of courage and the definition that most struck me was #2.

cour·age

[kur-ij, kuhr-] Show IPA

noun

1.

the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.

2.

Obsolete . the heart as the source of emotion.

  

What I was most taken with was that definition #2 was an original definition of "Courage" and has now been deemed "Obsolete".  I disagree with it being obsolete.  I believe that courage is following the heart.  When I asked my students about their hero's many of them spoke of people who loved them, who they felt supported by....and then it struck me!  Their hero's had "encouraged" them!!!   The word "encouraged" became so large and powerful to me in this moment-"encourage" to fill someone with courage, ie. to love and help fufill someones hearts purpose.  I realized that is what is happening in my classes.  Me and my students are mutually encouraging our hearts purpose, which is simply to to be our authentic creative selves.  So my New Years resolution is "Encourage" in every possible way and my motto is the photo above. "With You I Can".   I love you all!  xoxoxoxoDawn

 

Receive-her-ship; a new creative space

My new creative work space (the beautiful paintings are by a talented friend Mona Mark)

Gliding on my 'Reciever Ship'. 

The other night I met with my regular 'girls'.  I have a creative support group that meets every Monday night.  This week one of my friends was discussing how she is in 'receivership' mode and how this feels and how she is aware of the opportunities being offered and how actually it is a difficult and new place to be.  While she was discussing this-I saw her get on board her 'Receiver Ship' and then I thought "ah...she is receiving-her-ship, she is accepting opening herself to the current direction of her heart and purpose.  She is still captain, but she is not willing herself everywhere, she is trusting nature and her skills and as a result she is gliding right now.  The difficulty is just the fear and the doubt, but her heart is open and trusting now.  I loved this visual of a 'Receiver Ship' that we can choose to board.  I've decided I too am stepping on board my 'Receiver Ship'.

Quite colorful neighbors, the building is in the center of a cemetery

On board this week I have received many gifts.  Most notably and coincidental,  I have been awarded a work space from a private arts endowment.  A beautiful large room full of light.  The room is an old classroom in a building now being used for working artists, formerly a children's school.  This gift was offered to me out of the blue this week.  No application.  The timing couldn't be more perfect!  I begin my autumn workshop series this week (which I am so happy to say it is at full capacity!!!).  I knew I would need to find a space for teaching in the near future, but also knew that my first two workshops would be outdoors and that would give me some time to find a place for the others.  What has been given to me is beyond my imagining of perfect!  I am overwhelmed with gratitude, excitement and inspiration.  One of the most beautiful things about this gift is that it is without restriction.  Yes, the form itself (a rectangular cube, windows on one side, etc)  is a restriction but otherwise it is open for my creative imaginings.  The person who gave this to me said; 'let the space speak to you, let it help inform its purpose' the space is a living canvas, limitless with possibility.  I feel so honored to be trusted in this way.  When I expressed my gratitude for this gift they told me 'You deserve this'.  That alone is a huge gift.  To be told I deserve to be supported as I am, doing what I dream to do is HUGE.  So often in life you are taught you deserve something when; you win it (competition), when you've sacrificed something you've loved....when you've painfully worked yourself to the bone...etc.  What if we all allowed ourselves to be who we really are and pursue what we really want to be doing and felt we deserved that?  How different would the world be?  Perhaps that is what getting on the 'Receiver ship is'.  Boarding your sailboat, with your name on it,  trusting you are deserving of this life's ride. 

McDaris Fine Art Dawn Breeze Artist Presentation

Please join me this coming Thursday for an artist presentation.  I plan on presenting the artistic process and inspiration behind my recent works made in Iceland, as well as personal images of my trip to Iceland. 

A wonderful opening

 Untitled (for now...) 2012

aprox 26" x 20" (will check that tomorrow too, for now its a guess)

Hand made paper, muslin, acrylic paint, pastel, netting

This week I found myself in the studio wanting to do light work...simple, fresh...I am really inspired by all the green and chartreuse surrounding me in springs glorious rousing, and the landscape is enchanting me...so I started working on a group of works on paper, paper that I made!  Last month I took a paper making workshop, which is definitely a process that suits me.

And that painting that I was loving before the show opened is actually rolled up and put away for a while...too heavy.  Right now I just want to blow in the breeze with the lightness of spring, in celebration of  birth, in life's awakening.

Untitled (also for now..) 2012

28" x 36"

                                                           Acrylic, Dirt, Grass, Seeds, Oil on Canvas
Thank you all who attended my opening last week, Enough at McDaris Fine Art in Hudson, NY.  It was truly amazing to see so many friends and people turn out for the opening.  I am truly blessed.  For anyone who missed it, the show will continue through May 26th and we are discussing presenting an artist talk at the gallery, about the process of my paintings, the book and Iceland.  I will let you know!