ENIGMAS & MYSTERIES 2015

This is a presentation I did at our church. It's a PowerPoint presentation. Click on the link:

ENIGMAS & MYSTERIES 2015

It moves rather quickly, but you can click on the bottom of the screen to see the progress and stop and start it with the Play/Pause button on the bottom left so you can read the text. I hope you enjoy it. 

CELESTIAL TIMING  #4

SABBATICAL

I'm taking a sabbatical from creating art. One definition of sabbatical is ceasing. I ceased producing art a few months ago. My hands are not idle. I'm putting energy into remodeling our home with my husband. It's good to step back and it's also good to make changes in our living space. I'm still putting time in at the galleries (Flat River Gallery and Framing in Lowell MI and 89ARTscene in Fennville). But now when I go, I bring a book.

As with all the plans that I make, God adds some twists and turns. Last Friday, the fortune in my cookie after a good Chinese meal was "More art in your life at this time will help you feel better." I wasn't feeling bad to begin with, but I got a laugh out of it. I suppose, to quote Bob Dylan "I feel pretty good, but I could feel a whole lot better." Then on Saturday someone bought a piece of my art in Fennville and offered me a commission to design an icon of St. John of the Cross. And this week, I got an invitation to submit art for the Christian calendar I've had work in the last few years (http://www.thechristiancalendar.com/).Some sabbatical!

Right now, I'd better get back in the kitchen and remove the wall paper paste that's been soaking. What a process! Just thought that some of you might be interested in this part of my art journey. Thanks.

new postcard

I've been working on a new postcard I'll send out to promote a solo show I'm having in the fall at the Wyoming Library. I spent hours this week with my friend Mary Andersen (http://www.maryeandersen.com/) working on a PowerPoint presentation of her work she's presenting at MANNA on Monday (www.mannagr.blogspot.com). We were laughing about how people think the life of an artist is all about pushing paint around and they don't see the bits and pieces that take up hours. Promotion, preparation, accounting, arranging for shows, applying for shows are the left brained part of this art business. Time to go push some paint around!!

SALVATION COLLAGE #4

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead.. his eyes are closed. Albert Einstein

SALVATION COLLAGE #3

This piece has some repeated elements of the first two, but on this one crowds of people have turned up. The 'congregation' and 'saints who’ve gone before' and 'onlookers' are witnesses to the story of redemption through the death and resurrection of Christ.

SALVATION COLLAGE #2

This is the first of the 2007 versions of the last post. I worked on 6 pieces at once, so 'first' is rather arbitrary. I see this one the most introspective. A fellow artist named Justin said my work has 'a faint storyline and open meanings'. I like that. All of the shapes here have meanings to me, but anyone can read into them whatever it says to them.

I see the triangle as a Trinity symbol, the labyrinth as a symbol for the spiritual path, the rainbow as a reminder of God's love and covenant, the shrouded figure might be me or you or whoever is approaching God, the puzzle piece stands for the mystery, the black and white squares are darkness and light as well as the open tomb. The Celtic cross is a nod to the history of the church. The pieces that look like quilt squares remind me of the way our lives are stitched together.