A Poem for Wednesday, "Tomorrow"

"Conception"

Oil and Mixed Media in Canvas

Fine Art Giclee Prints available online here.

Tomorrow

Cigarette smoke hanging on
in the living room. The ship's lights
out on the water, dimming. The stars
burning holes in the sky. Becoming ash, yes.
But it's all right, they're supposed to do that.
Those lights we call stars.
Burn for a time and then die.
Me hell-bent. Wishing
it were tomorrow already.
I remember my mother, God love her,
saying, Don't wish for tomorrow.
You're wishing your life away.
Nevertheless, I wish
for tomorrow. In all its finery.
I want sleep to come and go, smoothly. 
Like passing out of the door of one car
into another. And then to wake up!
Find tomorrow in my bedroom. 
I'm more tired now than I can say.
My bowl is empty. But it's my bowl, you see,
and I love it.


by Raymond Carver

New Painting, "Stand Calmly"

36" x 36" x 1.5"

Oil and Mixed Media on Canvas

"Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. there is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." -Leonard Cohen

This piece is 36" x 36, a little on the large side of normal for me. Sometimes working bigger is so intimidating for me, yet then when I finally suck it up and get to work on a large canvas I am usually pretty happy with the results.  I think it's the journey to the finished product that can be long, arduous and keep me up at night that scares me.  It's hard to believe the painting above started out as the painting below a few weeks ago....

but I just wasn't feeling it.  I would go out into the studio after leaving it alone for a while and hope to look at it with a different perspective, with a new appreciation, but every time I laid eyes upon it I was  overwhelmingly aware that it was not where it needed to be.  It was screaming at me to evolve.  Which was frustrating because at one point , the point it was at in the pic, I thought it was nearly done. As my mom (who is also an artist not to mention my biggest sounding board) says, "It's only paint, you can always paint over it if you want to change it"....that's what I did. 


And if I hadn't put all the blues and browns underneath the trees that manifested themselves yet again on my canvas, there would never be the subtle layers of color, the rich texture of unintended but beautiful shapes, the carved lines that give the finished piece depth, and substance, and "me-ness"...

Another reminder that it's all about the journey.  The twists, turns, doubts, discoveries, uncertainty .... that's how the light gets in.

Thursday's Other Creative Soul: Judith Seay

As a creative person myself, I am fascinated with what makes other like-minded types tick. Thanks for joining me today as I share an interview with local artist Judith Seay.

Name/Location:
Judith Seay, the Natural Edge Studio Gallery, Dallas Texas


Education 
BFA SMU with further studies at UT, UNT and SMU


Current City;
Gunter, Texas, north of Dallas, Texas


Tell me about your work.
With oil paint on canvas,  I combine color, texture and shape to create a composition that delights
the senses sometimes with recognizable objects and sometimes with just
the imagination.


Describe your normal day.
I start early on the computer paving the way for my work to be seen so when the economy recovers I will have a good inventory of paintings and people interested in seeing them and buying them! I start painting mid-morning and paint until mid-afternoon. I take 3 walks up to the road every day (one mile) to keep myself young enough to keep painting. I cook dinner for myself and my husband and we watch the sunset, sometimes with my son and his wife who live on the same property. Those days are wonderful but my perfect day would be
walking in the mountains of Colorado and getting inspiration for my new paintings, even though most of my paintings are not landscapes.I create them in my mind inspired by the color and beauty around me.


What are your passions? 
Jesus Christ, my family and  painting


What are your goals? 
I want to sell paintings. I love to paint them. I need to sell them!  My goal is to be ready with a body of work, name recognition and work recognition when the economy gets better.


Who are your creative influences? 
My Mother My teachers at SMU (the
Dallas Nine) Otis Dozier, DeForest Judd, Stephen Wilder and many artist friends


Are there any other relevant experiences that shaped who you are?
I learned the Truth and the Truth set me free. Freedom is an important part of being an artist. I cannot paint when I am not free, When a painting gets too over-worked sometimes I need to
mess it up to set it free and it is almost always better then.


How do you set the table for your muse? 
bread and wine


Is there anyone that you really look up to as an inspiration? 

Jane Jones is an artist.She is a watercolor painter and she has been painting and selling for years. Through good times and bad times she has persevered.

What's your working style? 
When my husband goes out of town I pull all my paints etc out of the studio and make the whole den into my
studio and paint all day and into the night with no interruptions. I love it! When he's here I paint about 5-7 hours a day (That includes cleaning brushes etc.) If I have a show coming up I paint on the weekends too. I can't stop when I know someone is going to see them.


What are your websites/social networking links? www.judithseay.com
linkedin  facebook  htt://galleryofseays.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/artseay    artseay@gmail.com

Three Year Old Art Prodigy Debuts on Dallas Gallery Scene

Ok, ok , ok....part of the fun of having a blog is that you can write anything you want. And my little headline was just a mom getting carried away with pride at my 3.5 year-old daughter's Art Show opening at Uptown's Artisan Style Gallery this weekend.



Here she is hamming it up in the studio...cuteness personified.

Art Stop, a private children's art school in Preston Center, has partnered with Artisan Style Gallery in Uptown to present, "Budding Young Artists", a juried children's art show featuring exclusively the works of Art Stop students.

Artisan Style Gallery has generously opened their doors to our families for this event. “We are excited to host Art Stop’s students at our gallery and feature these talented kids,” said Brandon Lynch, Co-Owner of Artisan Style Gallery. “It’s my hope that by reaching out to the children and inviting them to participate, this gallery show will be an unforgettable experience for them that incites a lifelong love for the arts.”

The show will be divided into two openings divided by age to fully showcase each group’s abilities. May 8 will feature the works of children ages Pre-K – 7 (including my little Picasso!), and May 15 will feature children ages 8 – 16. The Opening Reception time for both is 5 – 7 p.m. Both age groups’ art will hang at the Gallery for a week following the opening reception.

In addition, I am pleased to be a part of the panel of professional judges that includes Margie Sibrizzi, Early Childhood Specialist at the Museum of Nature and Science, and Jenny Grumbles, Co-Owner of Uptown Country in Snider Plaza. It is our privilege to select the most outstanding works in each age group and award those students with scholarships for future art lessons. In the spirit of children helping children, we will also be raffling off an Art Stop Summer Camp scholarship at the Opening Receptions, with the proceeds benefitting Heart House Dallas, an program dedicated to providing a safe haven and artistic enrichment to children of low-income families in the densely populated Vickery Meadow community in Dallas, Texas.

This is a one-of-a-kind gallery experience that will be sure to create lifelong memories for you and your "budding young artists." Even if your little artist artist did not participate, this is a wonderful opportunity to expose your child to the art world in a kid-friendly gallery setting. It is never too early to incite a lifelong love of the arts in your child. Please join us!

Thursday's Other Creative Soul: Scott Trent

Today's feature highlights Sculptor Scott Trent, whose passion for his own work as well as creating a platform that helps artists pursue their passions is inspiring and refreshing.

Name
Scott Trent

Education
MA – UTD, Arts & Technology, ABD, PhD. – UTD, Arts & Technology, with an emphasis in “Digital media based design that facilitates collaboration.”

Current City/Hometown
Dallas/Richardson

Tell me about your work in one sentence.
I am a metal sculptor, creating large and small scale work utilizing found metal, abstract. The project I am most excited about these days is the Henderson Art Project. I approach everything I do as a creation and the process is similar whether welding a metal sculpture or designing an event.

Describe your normal day. What would your *ideal* day be like?
I am passionate about my work and try to focus on meaningful, fulfilling, creative endeavors that stimulate my mind and pushes me physically. My day usually begins around 6 am, I’ve found a nice routine that begins the day working out, which might be running slow laps around the track or reading on the elliptical machine and days full of meetings with artists, business owners and community leaders who are making things happen in the art community. I love the conversations and the new opportunities that surface daily. In between are the details and logistics work that facilitate collaborative events. I seek activities that engage both sides of my brain.



What are your passions?
Communication, Creating, Competitive Sports (handball/squash), Design and sculpting. Teaching and nurturing others is also very important to me.

What are your goals?
To create a platform that helps artists pursue their passions. www.artistconsortium.org, www.hendersonartproject.com
As an artist my goal is to continue to create a body of work that explores the depths of my creativity. I can’t wait to see what this looks like in the years to come.

Who are your creative influences?
Muhammad Yunus, Gordon MacKenzie, Ira Glass, Dean Kamen

Are there any other relevant experiences that shaped who you are today and what you do?
I believe the most influential experience in my life was my parents allowing me to express myself and encouraging me to think differently. This has been my most valued perspective that guides everything I do. I find it’s not about intelligence, but the ability to look at life differently and be able to consider all perspectives. It seems that most limitations are self imposed which can directly inhibit creativity.

Is there anyone that you really look up to as an inspiration?
I admire people who have a vision and can make it happen. Look for ways to overcome obstacles when the consensus is “NO.” Embraces unique thinking and appreciates creative ideas. But, maybe most important are those who can articulate their visions so others understand and are inspired to collaborate. I haven’t figured it out, but strive for this daily.

What motivates you on a daily basis?
I am happiest when I have a goal or project to work towards. The busier the better. My guilty pleasure will always be some form of food with sugar and fat. I love McDonalds, but primarily because of the efficiency and quickness of the food. It’s most difficult for me to eat healthy when I’m pushing myself work wise. Metal sculpting can be heavy lifting, hot and dirty. Nothing better than a burger, fries and a coke. (Of course, that was 30 pounds ago, so this summer the turkey sandwich and sparkling water might have to be the new “fast food.”)

What's your working style?
No breaks. Usually, all out. Up early and to bed early. Best time of the day is morning.

What are your websites/social networking links?
Facebook: Scott Trent, Henderson Art Project
Twitter: strent
Flickr: Scott Trent
www.hendersonartproject.com
www.scottrent.com
www.utdbox.com