four new collages

Here are the four new collages I worked on during my time at the Art, Mind and Soul Studio for Arts Downtown and All Around. They all have a similar quality and I think that must have something to do with the fact that they were all at least started (if not completely finished) during the course of my two days there.

Two of these pieces ("Smile My Love" and "You Are A Gift") will be on display at my next show, which is a group show at the Community Wellness Center in Farmingdale. Please check the show listings page on my website for more details (www.brushstrokesbymaria.com). "You Are A Gift" is pictured twice here. The first photo is the original way it is meant to be hung; the second photo reveals a small round mirror inside of the gift box. I like the feeling of intimacy and secrecy this gives the piece and I hope that feeling comes across to the viewer (yes, that means you).

Arts Downtown and All Around

I had a great time at the Arts Downtown and All Around fair this past weekend! I was in the Art, Mind and Soul Studio inside Fort Andross, and I'm really happy to have been there. Thank you, Heather, for your hospitality! I met some great people, I sold a few pieces, and I even got some work done. I will try to post photos of the new pieces (or a link to the photos, more likely) later this week. In the meantime, here are some more new collages: http://picasaweb.google.com/brushstrokesbymaria/BrushstrokesByMaria?authkey=Gv1sRgCPupwMaqi6y-0QE&feat=directlink

collage photos

I don't know why it won't let me just post the pictures directly...it's late and I'm all out of patience, this is the best I can do right now:

http://picasaweb.google.com/brushstrokesbymaria/BrushstrokesByMaria?authkey=Gv1sRgCPupwMaqi6y-0QE&feat=directlink

catching up

First of all, I had a fantastic time at the Gorham Art Fair two weeks ago. It was a wonderful day and I'm really happy I was there. The place was even more full than last year. It was a very eclectic mix of artists and craftspeople, the work on display was good, I met a lot of great people, and I received some really positive feedback from showgoers and other artists alike. I had attended the Swell Season show in Boston the night before so I was running on only three and a half hours of sleep, but that didn't seem to matter...the positive energy I had received from the concert and the people I spent the day talking with was more than enough to carry me through in fine fashion. Plus, a little caffeine can work wonders (especially when you normally drink decaf)!
Anyway, the Gorham Art Fair was the first time I have ever displayed any of my collages and people really seemed to respond to them. It's exciting because collage is a new medium for me. I've only been doing it for a few months now, and I started during Brunswick Art Collaborative meetings. Not only did I sell a little painting at the art fair, but I sold my first collage as well. I gave out my website address (http://www.brushstrokesbymaria.com/) to a lot of people that day and promised them I would be adding some images of my collages to my blog. They aren't professional quality photos, but they will suffice until I am able to get nicer ones taken. So, without further ado, here they are:

giving

My sister Addie asked me to donate a painting for an auction at her daughters' school and I am really excited about it. Their school is Brimmer and May in Chestnut Hill, MA (www.brimmerandmay.org) and the auction looks to be a fairly fancy affair. It's the "Denim and Diamonds Gala", Saturday, November 14, at the Back Bay Grand in Boston.

I am donating a painting that I am almost finished with...it's called "Ring of Fire Sunflower #2". It's "#2" because I did a smaller version of this painting for a group show I'm currently in at Freeport Square. "#2" is on a 12" x 12" x 3" canvas (the first one is on an 8" x 8" normal depth canvas) so it's been a bit of a challenge continuing the painting on all four sides, but I've been enjoying it. Both paintings are based on a photo by Jim Moscone, a friend of mine who is a very talented photographer.

It feels good to be involved with a positive cause, and I am looking forward to exposing my work to a whole new group of people. I hope that my painting can bring a little happiness to whoever purchases it.

another great collaboration

I went to another Brunswick Art Collaborative meeting last night and it was so much fun! This time, we actually had an organized event with a guest speaker, Blake Hendrickson. Blake is an incredible artist who makes wood collages/sculptures. If you've ever been inside the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, you've probably seen his work; if you haven't seen his work, make a trip to the library (or his Facebook page). He brought a ton of supplies for all of us to use: a huge variety of wooden pieces of all shapes, sizes and types (including pieces of sumac, which were absolutely beautiful), glue, and wood squares for us to work on. We had a blast! Everyone made very different pieces: some were figurative, some were patterned, some were random, some were inadvertently reminiscent of familiar images (a pier, sushi, mushrooms), and all were fun and expressive. It was our largest group meeting ever and there was an incredible amount of energy and excitement in the room. Blake is funny, patient, and full of information and stories. He said he would like to come back so we can do a couple of large group pieces (rather than small, individual pieces, which we did last night) and I am already excited about that idea. I think I may try an abstract painting based on one of the wood collages I made last night...time for another trip to the Art Guru for some square canvases!

second friday art walk

I went to the Second Friday Art Walk in Brunswick last night, and I'm glad I did. I always come away from the Art Walk very inspired and full of hope. It's pretty cool that I live in a town where there is an Art Walk, and where so many different types of art and artists are represented. My favorite show of the ones I made it to had to be Emily Weir's exhibit of self-portrait photography from the last twenty years (her studio is above Estilo on Pleasant Street). Her work is personal, raw, and strong, and she is more than willing to make herself vulnerable for her art. Most people try to hide parts of themselves or their lives, but Emily does not and as a result her work is extremely powerful.

On a related note, can anyone tell me how the hell to get around inside Fort Andross? I know how to get to Jai Yoga and Frontier Gallery but that's about it. I kept getting lost while looking for different studios. A stranger was kind enough to lead me to the Art, Mind and Soul studio (where Patricia Boissevain has a space) but then he left and I was lost again. I kept trying but ended up going in circles and hitting dead ends. I had an Art Walk map but it didn't help. After wandering around for a while I finally had to admit defeat: you win this time, Fort Andross, but I'll be back.