Drowning in life.

Untitled, Red Mono Print, 2013 18" x 24"

By definition drowning means to die by submersion in water.  I feel as if I am drowning right now.  I'm not drowning in a pool of water but rather in the pool of my life, full submersion.  It is not pleasant.  Have any of you experienced drowning?  I have.  I experienced drowning when I could actually touch the sand with my feet but was too scared to know that.  I feel that way now.  My life is coming like swells over my head as I gasp for air before the next one.  My art practice getting buried under the multiple types of animal shit in my non-winterized studio, under my son's demanding intelligence, under my growing teaching career, under my crumbling house, under my husbands work load....today as I spent 4 precious non-child hours shoveling roots out of my studio so that I may work in the future I wonder....I wonder the relentless question of am I doing the right thing?  Am I really an artist or supposed to be an artist?  Is my effort of value, to whom?  What the fuck am I doing? I feel like I'm drowning.

Maybe tomorrow I can tread water, breath enough to get some perspective.  Maybe I'm actually totally safe and can touch the ground and just don't know it.  Grounded?  Maybe I can enjoy the swells of my life.  Maybe I can make art with it.

The last two weeks I rented a print studio to do some mono-printing, sort of as a starting point for the season.  I am really-really pleased with the work that came to be.  In fact a waterfall of work spewed out, gushed out....poured all over the fucking place and its awesome.

This is one of many.

May I breathe, may I see the grace.

Be like water

Untitled 5. (Red Specimen) 2012 embossed monoprint

I have recently uploaded new 2012 work to my website, including a special section of paintings titled 'Connection' which for a limited time I will be offering for sale online.   You can click on each image and it can be purchased with paypal.  These are smaller works on paper that can easily be shipped anywhere in the US as well internationally. 

I also want to share this video clip from Bruce Lee where we talks about style and form.  I really love his take on expression. We are always grasping for definition of styles as artists to better explain ourselves. We only then end up having to dismantle our stifling self inflicted confinement to an artistic category. We need to allow ourselves the permission to be our broadest definition of artist and "be like water."

In Process....Light as Breeze

It has been a month since my last post-wowzers!  It has been a month full of art making, art teaching and art events.  I think that is another way of saying its been a wonderful month.

 

 

One of my Creativity classes in process

I enjoyed an amazing couple of days printing at the Womens Workshop Studio in Rosendale NY.  Me and my friend and fellow artist Lindsey Brown rented the space for 2 days and printed our hearts out.  I literally was printing my heart out...and now I am in the studio working with those heart prints.  I also stumbled in to a delightful gallery in Rosendale, Roos gallery,  a contemporary art treasure box!  I will be participating in their super fun holiday show of small works.  Can't wait!

Prints in process

Corrado in Process

Mid month we had artist friends visiting from Sicily.  Corrado Iozzia came especially to work in the studio here for a self created intensive residency.  After two weeks of solid work we held a beautiful artist reception in my new studio.  Corrado and his work where wonderfully received in NY and we are looking forward to the next visit.

Last week my painting 'Unearthing to be Enough' was hung at the Woodstock Art Museum as part of the Under 40 show curated by Greg Slick.  I was so pleased to be accepted in to this juried show as I had seen a show curated by Greg Slick at the Dorsky Museum that I just loved.  It feels great to be working with other artists and curators whom you admire.

A highlight among many was discovering the unexpected article 'Light as Breeze' written by Paul Smart for the Woodstock Times last week!  Oh my gosh, I am so flattered!  I love how he wrote so candidly of me and my practice.  There is a long quote from this blog, jeez keeping me on my toes now that I see how "public" my blog is!  I actually don't have many words to describe my joy?  I think the best word is GRATITUDE.

Alas, the coming months seem to be plumping up with activity.  I have quite a few studio visits scheduled, I'm working on curating a show, more Creativity & Courage Workshops.....we shall see....