Missing a Friend

Conor Redig, 1980-2010

We recently lost a friend.  Conor Redig was an extraordinarily compassionate, kind, sometimes silly, and always gentle soul.  He was a talented musician and a man who lived with intention.  Conor was an extremely genuine human being, who was eager to discuss the meaning of life and the best way to navigate our world.   Since I learned that Conor had passed away, I have been replaying many memories in my mind.  Though I didn't quite capture his essence in this portrait, it felt good to make this painting.

I remember standing in my friend Nina's kitchen this summer and talking to Conor and our friend Beth.  We were talking about love, vulnerability, and poetry.  I mentioned that I really like the Kahlil Gibran poem about Joy and Sorrow.  Conor said that he knew the poem and that he was particularly fond of the second stanza.  The words seem even more true than before.

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. 

Some of you say, "Joy is greater thar sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits, alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed. 

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

Other Projects

Visiting Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
During a recent visit to Kansas City, I spent a lovely rainy afternoon visiting the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art.  Among the most iconic of the works at the Nelson Atkins are Claes Oldenburg's Shuttlecocks, as in the small object that one bats around when playing badminton.  In this case, however, the shuttlecock stands 18 feet high on the front lawn of the museum.  The museum is also home to the Block Building a new addition designed by Steven Holl Architects.   

During my visit, I mainly wandered through the galleries of American Art and was delighted and enlivened by the many beautiful works of art.  I thought I would share a few of my favorites here. 

"Venus Rising from the Sea-A Deception," oil on canvas, 29 1/8"x24 1/8", Raphaelle Peale, 1822

This figure covered in cloth in Raphaelle Peale's painting is actually based on a painting by James Barry's: "Venus Rising from the Sea."  Peale's painting was a commentary on the contemporary practice of covering paintings of nudes.  I'm always memorized when an artist is able to paint something so simple as a plain white cloth in a way that makes you feel that it is masterpiece.  

"Mrs. Cecil Wade," oil on canvas, 66"x54 1/4", John Singer Sargent, 1886

Mrs. Cecil Wade was the 23-year-old wife of an English stockbroker, looking very proper and aware of her elevated social status.  A bit of the magic of this painting is lost in the photograph, of course, but the texture of everything is just extraordinary: the delicate beads on her dress, the fabric on which she sits, the light reflecting off the wood floor.  I stood before this painting absolutely captivated by the beauty of the way Sargent had painted Mrs. Cecil's skin, so lovely.

"Francis Eakins," oil on canvas, 24" x 19", Thomas Eakins, 1870

I love the subtle drama of the this painting of Thomas Eakin's sister Francis.  The figure is a bit lost in the background, a bit foggy.  Using the crisp, drama of her sash, the artist is able to really capture my attention and get me wondering.  What was the mood and circumstance that caused him to paint his sister this way?  A single clear piece of information amide dismal or confusing period, perhaps?

"Crapshooters," oil on canvas, Thomas Hart Benton, 1928

The Nelson Atkins has a large collection of beautiful paintings by Thomas Hart Benton.  Benton was a midwesterner, who taught for a time at the Kansas City Art Institute.  A lot of his paintings depicted everyday people in Missouri.  I love the way his paintings feel very fluid as though things are somehow melting in a very subtle way.  I'm captivated by the beauty of his honest depictions of everyday events.

What are some of your favorite works of American Art?

Featured Artist

 Lynda D'Souza

     Welcome to Lynda D’Souza, who is the next artist in the featured artist series.  She is an oil painter who aims to capture the essence of the subject while interpreting it in a more impressionistic style.  Lynda has been making art in different forms for the last 15 years. Faux wall finishes, stained glass painting, mosaics, ceramic painting and murals are some of the media she has sampled. In a professional capacity she has designed exhibition stands, corporate backdrops and even designed high fashion garments. 10 years ago her husband gifted her a canvas and box of oil paints on the birth of her first daughter and she hasn’t stopped creating original art since. Lynda has a passion for all things vintage, fashion related and portraits, and this is reflected in her choice of subjects. Her vast travels have influenced her perception of the world and she strives to bring out the beauty of her subjects......even if it is a simple ‘teapot’.  
     Her original oil paintings can be found in private collections in USA, Netherlands, Australia and India. Her works can be found on Etsy and on her blog. 

"Rosa," oil on canvas, 10"x10," Lynda D'Souza, 2010

What inspires you about painting portraits?
     From a young age I have been doodling eyes and lips not realizing that it will come full circle to me painting portraits. I love people watching and having a degree in psychology l am constantly 'reading' people. After having tried still lifes and landscapes, portraits presented a nice challenge and one I enjoy the most...the challenge of accuracy, proportions, capturing the mood and expression.......a combination of everything that has left me wanting to excel at portrait painting.

"Vespa," oil on hardboard, 8"x10", Lynda D'Souza, 2010

What have you found most challenging or most exciting (or both) about your transition to full time artist?
     I'll start with the positive - transitioning to full life artist is 'living my dream'. I still pinch myself sometimes when I realize I am at my art school surrounded by phenomenal art, great teachers and warm & friendly colleagues. Being stress free, more present in the moment and giving my undivided attention to my children is my first goal. Being able to create everyday is more than I could ask for. I am truly grateful for this moment in my life. 
    The challenging bit is organizing my time better. I have a weakness for blogging and suddenly a whole afternoon has gone by just blog hopping. So I have resorted to giving myself a reward of 15 mins of online time provided I have completed 2 full hours at the easel. It's working....I think. 

"Shine," oil on hardboard, 8"x8," Lynda D'Souza, 2010

Many of your paintings beautifully depict everyday objects: shoes, articles of clothing, teapots and other household items, does the aesthetic of vintage fashion or décor influence these paintings, in terms of subject matter or style?
     I am drawn to vintage things and can often be found at flea markets, thrift stores and antique markets. My choice of subject matter is influenced by my love for all things with a history. I am often caught wondering who used the 50 yr old typerwriter we have at home, which deer shed those antlers .... the antlers are on our bedroom wall. To me, things of the past have a charm about them and need to be cherished accordingly.

"Baby It's Cold Outside," oil on hardboard, 8"x8,"  Lynda D'Souza, 2010

More about Lynda....
     Lynda was born in Mumbai, India after which she moved with her parents to Qatar and then Dubai, where she briefly worked in an Ad agency before her curiosity led her down the corporate route. Her job led her from Dubai to Bahrain and she now resides in Brampton, Ontario. 
     She has completed a degree in Psychology from the University of Bombay and a post grad diploma in General Management from the Leicester University, United Kingdom. After 20 years in the corporate world Lynda decided to pursue her Fine Art studies full time and quit her management job in September 2010. She is currently studying at the Academy of Realist Art (ARA), Toronto completing a 2 year program modeled on the 19th century European academies. She is living her dream...making her art....being among like minded souls and giving her full attention to her family. She encourages everyone to follow their dreams ‘now’ and seek to make yourself happy first. 
“Not only can we create art, art creates us”--Maria Eskenasy 


Many thanks to Lynda D'Souza for sharing her work with us.  
     
What do you think of her masterful portraits and beautiful depictions of ordinary objects.

Wedding Invitations

Fall Leaf
Fall is a lovely season in Chicago.  It has all the charms of winter, without with miserably cold temperatures.  It's a great time to be cozy inside, enjoy the beauty of the changing leaves, drink apple cider (this year I've been drinking my cider with home whipped cream) and look forward to a Thanksgiving feast.

One afternoon last week, I took a stroll down my street and found some beautiful leaves for use as studio models.  Using one leaf I made a painting, which I used as the basis for a new invitation design. 

I really enjoyed creating these designs which respond to the organic form of the leaf.  Perhaps these designs would fit well with fall weddings, which incorporate the rich tones of changing leaves.   

What do you like most about fall?

Chicago River

     As with many urban environments, one contributing factor to your identity in Chicago is the train line with which you associate yourself with.  One has to accept that a question like, "do you prefer the red line or the blue line" will be imbued, by some, with deeper meaning about who you are. I, myself, started my tenure in Chicago on the brown line, but have since defected to the red line.

Chicago River, watercolor on paper, 15"x10", Jane Sloss, 2010

    While I'm a devoted red line rider, I have to say that I think the brown line boasts one of the most dramatic views afforded to the El rider.  As one rides south on the brown line past merchandise mart a dramatic release occurs in traveling from a compressed space between buildings to the lightness and openness in crossing the river north of Wacker Drive.  The view depicted in this painting is slightly west of the El tracks, but dramatic none the less.  It is rather extraordinary to see the bridges in succession crossing the river in conjunction with the looming skyscrapers on either side of the river.  The water bathed in morning light adds great color and movement to the scene.

What is your favorite view from the Chicago El or your local train system?

Other Projects

Taking Architectural Registration Exams
This past Tuesday, I took the seventh out of seven exams required by NCARB in order for a person to become a registered architect.  I won't find out for another few weeks whether I passed or not.  If I did (fingers crossed) it will bring me very close to completing the steps necessary in becoming an "architect."

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards describes the process this way: "All jurisdictions require individuals to be licensed (registered) before they may call themselves architects and contract to provide architectural services. During the time between graduation and becoming licensed, architecture school graduates generally work in the field under the supervision of a licensed architect who takes legal responsibility for all work. Licensing requirements include a professional degree in architecture, a period of practical training or internship, and passing the ARE."  

It is extraordinarily exciting to be near to the end this time-consuming and expensive (each exam costs $210!) process.  For those of you who have listened patiently as I whined about what can seem an arduous process, I am very grateful. 

Featured Artist

Heather L. Young
Please welcome the third artist in the featured artist series!  Heather L. Young is a Savannah native, and a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design. Heather has made a career as an illustrator and muralist in the low country.  Her art is extremely versatile, making use of acrylic and oil washes, pen and ink, and watercolor to execute beautiful paintings and drawings.  She describes herself as mildly obsessed with rhinestones and anything that flies.  Her inspiration comes from her quirky family, Vayda-dog, an eclectic group of Southern women, and food.

"The Savannah Yacht Club," acrylic and oil wash on illustration board, 2009

   

Given that much of your work is place-based in Savannah and Southeast Georgia, what inspires you artistically about your home?  
    I was born in Savannah and spent the first 8 years of my life growing up here.  The rest of my youth was spent moving all around the country, an experience I’m very grateful for, as it taught me to always have an appreciation for home.
      I’m inspired by Live Oaks because they have deep roots, just like my family in Savannah.    They symbolize stability and strength, and each is unique in its own way.  If you detect a sense of place in my work, it’s usually because I have a strong personal or family connection to the site.  I’m constantly working to document the ever changing landscapes of our area, something I hope my future children will appreciate one day.

"Gordonston Oak Tree," pen and ink, 2010

One of the unique aspects your work, is your signature Acrylic and oil wash technique, what initially drew you to that method?
    I had a professor at SCAD who taught me how to mix Acrylics and Oils.  It fascinated me to “break the rules” so to speak, but I mostly enjoyed the subtractive manor in which paint is taken away from the surface rather than added to it.  It’s a very forgiving technique in that if you erase too much, you can always add another layer and start over.  There’s no erasing when it comes to Pen and Ink, so it’s a nice balance to my other favorite medium.

"Eat Your Greens Series," acrylic and oIl wash prints, 2008

Where do you daydream about traveling to paint or gather inspiration for paintings (and to enjoy)?

    Oh there are so many places, but Italy is at the top of my list.  I’m enchanted by the people, the landscape, the rich art history there, and of course wine!

    I would also love to spend some time in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. I don’t think I’ll grow tired of drawing trees anytime soon and they certainly have a plethora to choose from in those parts. 

"Welcome to Blackbeard," pen and ink with watercolor washes, 2010

Heather, thanks so very much for sharing your work!  I'll be keeping up with your work at the FLYoung Studio Blog.

What do you think of Heather's work?

Wedding Invitation

Birds on a Branch
     In continuation of the regular presentation of new wedding invitation design each Wednesday, here is a new design featuring birds on a branch.  I often associate of birds with love.  In fact, I already have an invitation featuring birds on a wire, and three designs featuring doves. 

    I was curious about this association between birds and affection, so I did some some brief research.  I found that origin of referring to people as "love birds" comes from an actual species of bird: the lovebird.  A lovebird is a type of parrot, which got its name for its very sociable and affectionate nature. When a lovebird bonds with its mate, their bonding usually lasts their entire life.
    In feng shui tradition, the ability to fly and soar high up in the sky is closely associated with the ability to be near heavens, as well as the ability to serve as messengers from heavens.
In traditional feng shui applications, birds are considered powerful symbols of new opportunities that are there for you even in times of adversity. Birds can also symbolize love and commitment or abundance and good luck.  New opportunity, love, commitment, abundance, good luck, no wonder I think of birds as a great image to be included as two people begin a life together!


What do you think of birds as a symbol of love?

Galway, Ireland

"Foggy Galway Day," pen & ink, Jane Sloss, 2010

I spent one day during my recent visit to Ireland in Galway, the fifth largest city in the country.  It is a lovely city situated on the eastern corner of Galway bay.  The day I visited, the city had a delightfully ethereal quality about it.  A stubborn fog, along with a series of canals and channels that run through the city made it seem the perfect setting for a mystery.  I was delighted that after arriving to Galway by bus and meandering around (without map or guide), I stumbled upon the Galway City Museum (free!), a lovely pedestrian district, a grand city square, and the National University of Ireland.  After wandering for a long while, I settled on the patio of  a cafe, sipped a pot of tea and made this painting of the Galway Cathedral, which was glimpsed among the trees, across a canal from where I sat.


Stop by my public facebook page tomorrow to see some of my photos from Galway!


What is your favorite way to spend a foggy or gloomy day?

Other Projects

Photographing My Paintings
I've never taken much of an interest in photography or received any formal training on the subject.  Sure, I can travel the Grecian Islands, take several hundred photos, and get a few really great images.  There isn't really much challenge in taking great photos if the scenery is stunning.  It is more challenging, for me, to take photographs which effectively convey information about my painted work.

Several weeks ago, I spent a full afternoon taking photographs of paintings in order to post them in my Etsy store.  This was only my second attempt at photographing paintings, though a good bit more successful than the first.  I experimented with photographing the paintings in different types of natural light, including hanging outside on the front porch.

It was certainly challenging to get the light just right, in order to see the painting without glare or reflections.  I achieved some fairly successful results.  My favorite part of the whole ordeal, by far, was photographing the paintings with props.  

The experience reminded me a bit of the work of this week's featured artist Sabina Nieto.  Sabina tends to create "occupiable spaces" in her collages.  She wrote, "...Otherwise ambiguous destinations for the wandering eye are provided windows, walls, vanishing points, or horizons to register where you are..."  Similarly in photographing my paintings, I'm drawn to the idea of creating imagined environments, in which the painting seem to fit much more naturally than they do when they exist solely as well lit objects, in a sterile environment.  The addition of domestic do-dads and bobbles seem to, in Sabina's words, "[make] these spaces richer by becoming more specific.—equipped with hiding places, beach blankets, a make-shift armchair . . . one could ask, 'May I make myself at home?'"     

What are some of your favorite props for photos: mustaches, sunglasses for your dog, vintage items?

Featured Artist

Sabina Nieto
In the second installment of the featured artist series, I would like to introduce Sabina Nieto. Sabina is a California native, trained as an architect-builder and is infinitely amazed by the hand-made, regardless of scale. Pulling the strings of technical presentation by day, in her off hours she co-curates a modest gallery in Berkeley, and is a freelance designer in range of media. You can find her building at the dinner table, most any day. 

Please feel free to get in touch with Ms. Nieto. 

“Baptistry,” collage, 8” x 11”, Sabina Nieto, 2010

What inspires you about collage as a medium?  Where do you search for and typically find the images used in your collages?      Collage-making and image juxtaposition has long been one of my immediate ways of visualizing an idea, if not a fluid medium of playing with place-making.  I borrow images from what are mostly found and second-hand books and posters.  I’m drawn to quickly-aged source materials (bearing the marks of weather when found curbside, or belonging to a particular time when featuring culture)—revealing their age through tell-tale costumes, antiquated equipment, or the yellowing of paper. 
     I’ve always loved collage as well as assemblage, collections, altars, quilts—a bit of visual potluck.  From many moments of refuse, a whole personal map can be divined.   I never doubt the place from which these kinds of things are made.

“Observatory,” collage, 11” x 11.5”, Sabina Nieto, 2010

You seem to create spaces in many of your collages, what interests you about compiling an occupiable environment through found images?

    I often drop representations of people into my collages, creating “occupiable environments”, perhaps part of a residual architectural convention insisting people be considered when designing as well as, very functionally, providing scale.  These places become personal.   Otherwise ambiguous destinations for the wandering eye are provided windows, walls, vanishing points, or horizons to register where you are.  If we’re lucky these spaces become richer by becoming more specific—equipped with hiding places, beach blankets, a make-shift armchair . . . one could ask, “May I make myself at home?”

“Sub-rosa Correspondency,” collage, 5.5” x 7”, Sabina Nieto, 2010

Who are some artists of inspiration, in the realm of collage?

. . . or from drawings that feel like collage?
Dada posters
Aldo Rossi
Eduardo Chillida
Joseph Cornell
Daniel Spoerri
Cristiana Couceiro

“Night Depository,” collage, 7.75” x 11”, Sabina Nieto, 2010

Thank you so very much for sharing your work Sabina!  I will be eagerly following the ongoing "visual potluck" available at How to Dig a Hole!

What do you think of Sabina's work?  Who are some of your favorite collage artists?

Wedding Invitation

Mount Vernon, Baltimore

This is the second wedding invitation, in my new Wednesday series.  Each week I will feature a new invitation in my expanding collection, which can be viewed at my Etsy shop.   

Today I am featuring two versions of an invitation, which is in the design process for a dear friend who will wed this spring.  Her fiance proposed to her at the Washington Monument in Baltimore's Mount Vernon neighborhood.  They wanted an invitation, which would reflect that part of their story.  After developing a few initial concepts they liked this design, which features the Washington Monument, Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, and the Lafayette Monument.   

 

After executing the initial watercolor painting without sky, I realized that one could achieve very different results with the addition of washes for the sky.  The warm evening sky adding to the whimsy of the design,  the version without sky more minimal and modern.  

It was a delight to design and execute this invitation as I lived in Mount Vernon during my two years in Baltimore and I'm very fond of the neighborhood.  These images hold a certain nostalgia for me and I'm sure for me and I'm sure for many residents of Charm City.


Have you visited Mount Vernon?  Which invitation do you prefer?

Rossaveal, Ireland

"Rossaveal, Ireland," watercolor and pen on paper, Jane Sloss, 2010

On my recent trip to Ireland, I returned from the Aran Islands on a ferry to Rossaveal.  I stayed a bed and breakfast on the road to Galway.  As I parked my bike on the side of the B & B, I was completely mystified by the scene which lay behind the home.  The sunset was brilliant over the bay.  After settling into my room, I went outside and tried to capture the scene.  Painting a sunset is an interesting undertaking as the image is changing dramatically with each minute.  It was marvelous!  I'll be posting photos from Rossaveal on my public facebook page tomorrow--stop by!


What are some of your favorite places to catch a sunset?  What do you think of this sketch from Rossaveal?  

Other Projects

Halloween Costume
Last Saturday morning, with attendance of a Halloween party looming, I fabricated a costume with two qualifying factors in mind: 1.  Costume fabrication must take approximately one hour.  2.  Costume must be assembled without the purchase of any materials.  With those constraints at hand, I went about cutting fabric from my stash into circles of various sizes.

These circles of fabric in shades of blues and green, were assembled concentrically and ready to be incorporated into the costume.  Construction paper was cut into similar concentric circles, and attached with framing wire to a barrette.

And voila, I'm a peacock, albeit a bit of a stylized one.   

After dissembling the costume, I glued the stylized "feathers" to illustration board to make unique notecards. 

If you would like to receive one of these notecards, just leave a comment on this post and I'll send you one of these cards (six notecards available).

Featured Artist

Erin Buckley
Welcome to Erin the first artist featured in my new Friday series.  Each Friday, I will be sharing the work of another artist.  Erin Buckley is a Richmond, Virginia based artist.  She works with acrylic, oil, and watercolor.  Erin is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where she studied Philosophy and English.  She completed two years of post-graduate service working with young adults with developmental disabilities in Portland, Maine, and with the elderly in Chicago.  To see more of Erin's wonderful work, visit her blog Thin Places. 

"First Stanza of T.S. Eliot's 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,'" acrylic on canvas, 16"x20", Erin Buckley, 2010

A number of your paintings feature quotations and poems.  In the process of composing paintings, are you often inspired by literature?

I think it's a way I indulge myself since I've been out of school, by looking back through some old books!  It allows me to delve back into the text.  I got a positive response to the T.S. Eliot piece from a man at a Farmer's market, who commented, "you don't often see Prufrock like that, do you?"  It pleased me to think that he would stop, read, and think about the poem.  I think it would also be fun to illustrate poems without the words to see if the scene looks vaguely familiar to anyone, if he or she had formed a similar mental image.

"Chi-town Skyline," acrylic on canvas, 8"x10", Erin Buckley, 2010

Who are some artists that inspire you?

Norman Rockwell, for one.  Realistic art always mesmerizes me, and he has a way of capturing such tangible scenes, along with the particular emotion of a moment--fear of a schoolboy, comfort of a homecoming, nervousness, energy at a boxing ring.  I also love the old still lifes of Dutch realists', seeing those wet oysters, and that knife resting on the edge of the table beckoning you to pick it up and finish cutting that cheese block.

"Mother Teresa's 5-finger Prayer, 'As often as you did it to one of the least of my brothers and sisters...'" acrylic on canvas, 8"x10", Erin Buckley, 2010

What is the most interesting object you've used as a canvas?

Vinyl suitcases from my grandparents' attic.  I've transformed one into a cheeseburger, and one into a watermelon.  When I've put them out at shows, the most common response is some variation of, "you wouldn't lose that one at the airport, would you?"

"Bandstands and Sailboats," acrylic on canvas, 11"x14," Erin Buckley, 2010

Thanks so much Erin.  I look forward to continuing to follow your work!

What do you think of Erin's work?

Wedding Invitation

Cherry Blossoms

This is the second wedding invitation, to be shared in my new Wednesday series.  Each week I will feature a new invitation in my expanding collection, which can be viewed at my Etsy shop. 

I took this photograph of a cherry tree blossoming along Washington Place, in Baltimore, as I walked to work on a spring day in 2006.  There is always something magical about the budding and blossoming of spring trees, but I always found cherry blossoms to have a certain charm that makes than more special than the average tree specimen.  It was that enchantment that inspired me to design this wedding invitation featuring Cherry Blossoms. 

The delicate nature of the cherry blossom echoes the delicate fabrics of wedding garments, table linens, tiered cakes.  The hopefulness of new blossoms in spring seems poetically aligned with the celebration of a new union.     

Have you seen the cherry blossoms blooming in Washington D.C. or Japan? 

Aran Islands, Ireland

During a recent trip to Ireland, I spent two days on Inishmore, the largest of the three Aran Islands.   The islands are located at the mouth of Galway Bay, on the west coast of Ireland.  The islands have a history of attracting and inspiring writers and artists.  I can see why.  I found the sparsely inhabited island ideal for meandering about on a bike, for marveling at the natural surroundings, and for inspiring painted work.  I made this quick sketch painting while sitting on a beach in the sun.  It was interesting to experiment with pen and watercolor painting, though this non-permanent pen was not the ideal implement (it was, however, the only one I was able to find for purchase on the island).


I'll be posting photos from the Aran Islands on my public facebook page tomorrow!


Have you visited the Aran Islands?  What did you think of them or of this painting?