When I started this blog, I didn't really know how important it was to do so on a regular basis. Yes, nearly nine months is a bit of a "pause". One of the best daily painter/bloggers I know ( through his blog ) is a German artist, Edward B. Gordon ( www.edwardbgordon.blogspot.com ) Edward wins the Olympic Gold Medal for daily painting and blogging. Because of his dedication he has a following of thousands of fans, many whom have also purchased paintings from him. His career has soared and yet he continues to share moments of his daily life with the world.
Sharing seems to be an important key to all of this. If a person is really connected to his or her own life, there is something great in the ordinary that is worth sharing. Artists share moments of gratitude for life, even those moments wrought with illness, pain or anger, through their work. Adding words to the images brings them full screen.
The Daily Painters of New Mexico website, www.dailypaintersnewmexico.com was created as a convenient platform for a number of New Mexico artists to try their hand at this magical, transforming practice. We've staggered a bit. As a result, there have been many missed opportunities to record in writing and on canvas, simple precious moments of our fleeting days. But we're slowly catching on.
I don't know all the techniques of writing a blog yet. That's why you don't see any images, but I'll make an attempt at it soon.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
What Treasures Wait Patiently for Us
Sometimes we get more that what we expect. That happened to me yesterday afternoon as I was going through family photos. There was one photograph of my mother taken when she was probably in her early thirties. It was one of those contrived glamour shots from the 40's that bore no resemblance to her in my mind. My mother never wore make up other than lipstick, but in the photo she looked heavily made up. I'm sure it was a black and white photo that had been "tinted" by the photographer.
The frame was in poor condition. I had just set up an account with Graphic Dimensions for Daily Painters of New Mexico placing an order for a number of frames, so I started taking the old frame with my mom's photo apart. I was stunned by what I saw behind two pieces of cardboard used as filler behind the glass and featured image.
It was a photo of my mother as a child, perhaps 8 or 10 years old. She died when she was 72 and would be 98 years old this year. I had never seen a picture of her other than as an adult, and the emotion that instantly welled up in me that moment is hard to explain. Suddenly, I had a connection to her that I had never had when she was alive. Here was a glimpse of her taken 90 years ago !
I always knew her to be somewhat fair skinned and in this photo she was dark skinned. That brought me to understand why she hardly ever went out in the sun. She was full-blood Sicilian Italian and there was a time in her young adulthood, during World War II, that being Italian in a small southern town was not to her advantage.
The beautiful little girl in the photograph was mysterious to me. The more I looked at her, the more I recognized my mom and too, my daughter who I always thought took after her. Many of the veiled "dots" in my life started to connect in a matter of seconds.
I have always been fascinated with old photographs that you find in flea markets and the dusty corners of antique stores. I wonder about the lives of those children, newlyweds, men of war and persons of note that were momentarily captured. This photo is of a life that I treasure.
The frame was in poor condition. I had just set up an account with Graphic Dimensions for Daily Painters of New Mexico placing an order for a number of frames, so I started taking the old frame with my mom's photo apart. I was stunned by what I saw behind two pieces of cardboard used as filler behind the glass and featured image.
It was a photo of my mother as a child, perhaps 8 or 10 years old. She died when she was 72 and would be 98 years old this year. I had never seen a picture of her other than as an adult, and the emotion that instantly welled up in me that moment is hard to explain. Suddenly, I had a connection to her that I had never had when she was alive. Here was a glimpse of her taken 90 years ago !
I always knew her to be somewhat fair skinned and in this photo she was dark skinned. That brought me to understand why she hardly ever went out in the sun. She was full-blood Sicilian Italian and there was a time in her young adulthood, during World War II, that being Italian in a small southern town was not to her advantage.
The beautiful little girl in the photograph was mysterious to me. The more I looked at her, the more I recognized my mom and too, my daughter who I always thought took after her. Many of the veiled "dots" in my life started to connect in a matter of seconds.
I have always been fascinated with old photographs that you find in flea markets and the dusty corners of antique stores. I wonder about the lives of those children, newlyweds, men of war and persons of note that were momentarily captured. This photo is of a life that I treasure.
Monday, September 8, 2008
The Virtue of Consistency
Daily painting begs for consistency, even if in small measure. There are many days in which my schedule is so tight I seem to never get caught up with office work, housework, even sleep. But when I make the effort to spend a few minutes in my studio painting I feel revitalized. The brushstrokes placed on the canvas today faithfully invite the ones that follow tomorrow. One canvas gives birth to the next and that one to the next.
Daily Painters of New Mexico was born out of an urgent personal need, a sense that without developing the simple virtue of consistency, I and many other artists as well, would somehow fail to be true to ourselves and to our higher purpose. With that in mind, this online gallery provides us with a safe platform to support unending artistic evolution.
Daily Painters of New Mexico will be joined by Daily Painters USA in 2009. In October we will announce the details of a national art competition and Salon Show. If you happen upon this blog and would like to receive our newsletter, SKETCHES, go to www.dailypaintersnewmexico.com.
Daily Painters of New Mexico was born out of an urgent personal need, a sense that without developing the simple virtue of consistency, I and many other artists as well, would somehow fail to be true to ourselves and to our higher purpose. With that in mind, this online gallery provides us with a safe platform to support unending artistic evolution.
Daily Painters of New Mexico will be joined by Daily Painters USA in 2009. In October we will announce the details of a national art competition and Salon Show. If you happen upon this blog and would like to receive our newsletter, SKETCHES, go to www.dailypaintersnewmexico.com.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Going to the New Mexico State Fair
The New Mexico State Fair is unique in many ways. Certainly in a multi-cultural sense. I drove down to Albuquerque to go to the fair with my daughter, Brittney and 20 month old granddaughter, Jordan, today. The first thing we did was get one of those amazing state fair corn dogs and then go to the pet pavilion to see the rabbits, ducks, pigs, horses, calves, and most entertaining of all, the little African Pigmy goats. The kids were only a week old and full of personality, just like my granddaughter.
There are three major art venues at the fair including the Native American, Hispanic, and Fine Art Pavilions. By the time we finished seeing the "McDonald Farm", Jordan and Brittney ( who's expecting a baby in December ) were "done" for the day. It was out of the question that time be spent looking at art. I determined by running through several of the pavilions in less than 5 minutes, that it was well worth the time and gas money to come back next week and see the artwork at a more leisurely pace.
There are three major art venues at the fair including the Native American, Hispanic, and Fine Art Pavilions. By the time we finished seeing the "McDonald Farm", Jordan and Brittney ( who's expecting a baby in December ) were "done" for the day. It was out of the question that time be spent looking at art. I determined by running through several of the pavilions in less than 5 minutes, that it was well worth the time and gas money to come back next week and see the artwork at a more leisurely pace.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Alexander Shundi Santa Fe Workshop Winter 2008
Alexander Shundi, distinguished artist and professor at the New York Institute of Technology in NYC, will be conducting a week long workshop held in Santa Fe, NM from February 25th through February 29th, 2008 sponsored by Daily Painters of New Mexico, LLC for which Alex serves as curatorial director.
In his message, Alex describes the intent of the workshop as follows:
" Keeping in mind that art is a language with which we explore the human condition, the classes will concentrate on individual development of ideas, with discussions on formation of concept, varieties of possible approaches, and handling of materials. Students are encouraged to bring their own ideas, with the understanding that they will be discussed and analyzed by the class in general criticisms.
Individual projects will be suggested, so as to fortify the subjective development of personal style and intention. Amongst the principal topics tabled in the class will be art historical references and analysis, and a study of formal compositional elements.
The class is designed to benefit both advanced and beginning students, regardless of the discipline chosen: landscape, figure, objective or non objective abstraction, symbolism, or still life, all require discipline and passion, and a balance between the intellect and intuition.
The students may bring whatever medium is preferred, and if possible an easel, and are encouraged to bring into class whatever previous work they would like to discuss and present.
To paint six hours straight without interruption allows the individual an immersion into the chosen project that is extremely beneficial to the creative process, and to do so for five straight days while engaging in a dialogue of intention, method, and approach is invaluable."
Visit Alex's website at http://www.alexandershundi.com/ to see his work, resume and a link to six You Tube videos, four of which are segments of a lecture by him.
The cost for the class per student is $650.00. Classes during the workshop will be held from 10:00am to 4:00pm each day. For more information or to register on line through Pay Pal contact Jacqueline Butler at info@dailypaintersnewmexico.com.
In his message, Alex describes the intent of the workshop as follows:
" Keeping in mind that art is a language with which we explore the human condition, the classes will concentrate on individual development of ideas, with discussions on formation of concept, varieties of possible approaches, and handling of materials. Students are encouraged to bring their own ideas, with the understanding that they will be discussed and analyzed by the class in general criticisms.
Individual projects will be suggested, so as to fortify the subjective development of personal style and intention. Amongst the principal topics tabled in the class will be art historical references and analysis, and a study of formal compositional elements.
The class is designed to benefit both advanced and beginning students, regardless of the discipline chosen: landscape, figure, objective or non objective abstraction, symbolism, or still life, all require discipline and passion, and a balance between the intellect and intuition.
The students may bring whatever medium is preferred, and if possible an easel, and are encouraged to bring into class whatever previous work they would like to discuss and present.
To paint six hours straight without interruption allows the individual an immersion into the chosen project that is extremely beneficial to the creative process, and to do so for five straight days while engaging in a dialogue of intention, method, and approach is invaluable."
Visit Alex's website at http://www.alexandershundi.com/ to see his work, resume and a link to six You Tube videos, four of which are segments of a lecture by him.
The cost for the class per student is $650.00. Classes during the workshop will be held from 10:00am to 4:00pm each day. For more information or to register on line through Pay Pal contact Jacqueline Butler at info@dailypaintersnewmexico.com.
Daily Painters of New Mexico
If you've ever seen a New Mexico sunrise or sunset you'll never forget the experience. The artists that are part of the Daily Painters of New Mexico online gallery are blessed to be kissed by these phenomenal events each day. They've been inspired by the colors and light that is like no other than in New Mexico skies. Since living in New Mexico ( and why so many artists come here in the first place ), they've been compelled to take daily "road trips" within themselves, guided by the "Muse" and to share with the world the things that were revealed along the way. Small original paintings and drawings, mementos of their journeys, are wrapped in personal stories and commentary. We invite you to take your first step into our site where we hope you will want to return again and again. http://dailypaintersnewmexico.com
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