Increased visual art consumption good for soul.

(Ron Rencher demonstrating a still life oil painting at the Coppini Academy this afternoon)
I spent Saturday with my artist friend Becky at the Greenhouse Gallery soaking up the new paintings and watching several oil painters do demonstrations of portraits and landscapes. I got to see several other artists I've met in one league or society or another, too. I'd like to see a painting or two (or ten) of mine on those walls someday. A small David Leffel still life had a red dot (sold) on its tag. A mere $40,000., my dear. Many red dots from that day alone, I'm sure.
Today I took my newly framed "Morning Flight" to the Coppini to let it compete with 5 other paintings at the monthly meeting for "Artist of the Month." It won! The honor comes with a blue ribbon and a nice check. Very swell. Ron Rencher did a still life demo for the meeting. It was great to hear him think aloud about his process and what he keeps in mind as he paints.
I also met with the friend who's commissioning the Abraham Lincoln paintings. We got colors figured out and the canvases have arrived. Each of the four will be 18"x18." So as soon as I get the Caldo painting completed I can start. I also had a new commission come in- an oil of two children picking dandelions in a field with a West Texas landscape behind them. I'm really going to enjoy that.
After a three or four weeks of an uncomfortable absence of direction, I feel excited again. I made a few people wonder if I'd fallen out of this dimension while I was turning circles at home. I got my house in order during that time... literally... and now have clear surfaces, alphabetized CDs, an organized underwear drawer AND artistic direction! You just can't beat that with a stick.

My prescription for anyone wanting a soul thrill while waiting for Spring to arrive:
Get your nose within 24" of the paintings in two good galleries or one good museum, sit knee to knee with a happy friend and tell life stories over good coffee and organize your underwear. Toss out the old! Fill with the new! Fold neatly and smile.

4 comments:

Sharon said...

You just keep on rollin' in many directions! I think it is great. I did do my underwear drawer upon my return from Texas!

Congrats on winning "The Artist of the Month". Too cool.

Anonymous said...

Yeah Susan! Morning Flight is a great piece.
I was excited about the Lincolns but now i can hardly wait..knowing now that your underwear drawer won't be a distraction :)

Norma

Anonymous said...

So glad to know all your drawers are in order. So, where's the finished picture of the Morning Flight? The world wants to know what you won Artist of the Month with.
Giggling girl.

Susan Carlin said...

I posted the finished Morning Flight a couple of weeks ago, Goony One. You can go to January Archive and find it, though. Right now I'm suffering over the Caldo painting. Send me an emergency Care Package from your Muse, will you? Mine's out to lunch.