Sunday, July 31, 2011

create art, incite community

Isn't that the phrase I see on bumper stickers: "create art, incite community"? Well, it happens to be true. I am very happy to be taking part in a group show at Thornton Oaks in Brunswick entitled "The Community Paints: Summer in Maine". It should be a wonderful show, with 31 artists participating...several of whom are Brunswick Art Collaborative members! The show opens on Thursday, August 18th and runs through Thursday, September 22nd. I have had the pleasure of being involved in shows at Thornton Oaks before (the "Sixty Minute Expressions" events as well as "Flow", my two-woman show with photographer Anna Low) and I can tell you, they really know how to put on an opening reception! They put out a nice spread, they get their residents and the community of Brunswick interested, and they do a great job with publicizing the event...check out the beautiful invitation posted here! Just click on the image to see the full-size. What a nice way to be able to come together.

Friday, July 29, 2011

it's in the cards

I am very happy to announce that my dear friend Jennifer from Interactive Tarot (www.interactivetarot.net) will be offering discounted readings during my First Friday Art Walk opening receptions! If you have been to some of these openings, you may already know Jen. She is wonderfully supportive and frequently comes to my shows when her schedule allows. I am so excited to have her be an official part of the festivities, and I encourage you to get a reading if Tarot is something you are curious about. Her rates are already very reasonable, and the discount she'll be offering will make things even more accessible. Please check out her website if you have any questions, and we hope to see you on Friday, August 5th!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

what a difference a year makes

July 2nd, 2010, was the first anniversary of my dad's passing. I wanted to do something fun that day to take my mind off of things, so when my friend Erica called to invite me to Portland's First Friday Art Walk, I jumped at the chance. I hadn't done the art walk in a long time (and I'd never done it in the summer, for that matter) and I could use some time with a friend, so when she asked, I said yes. I spoke to my friend Heather shortly after that, and it turned out that she had plans to do the art walk with her friend Rebecca. Heather and I decided to drive into Portland together and meet up with Erica and Rebecca there. As it turns out, I knew Erica and Heather, but not Rebecca; Heather knew me and Rebecca, but not Erica; Erica knew me and Rebecca, but not Heather; Rebecca knew Heather and Erica, but not me. Well, we all got together, and to say we had a blast is an understatement. We walked, we talked, we ate and drank, we looked at lots of art, and most of all, we laughed like lunatics. I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time and it felt great...it was exactly what I needed.

It was a beautiful summer night, and Portland was loaded with art-lovers...they were everywhere, and it blew me away how many people were out and about. As we walked in and out of galleries, Heather and Erica kept saying to me, "You should be involved in this. Why isn't your artwork here?" I said I would love to be a part of it but I wasn't sure how to go about making that happen. Heather kept saying, "You're spreading light with your artwork...people need that. They need to see something that will uplift them. You should be here."

Who would have thought a year later, I'd be holding my own First Friday reception (my seventh one, to be exact, since I started in January)? The Closet Factory office was packed the night of July 1st, 2011. Tons of people came out and there they were, looking at my artwork and enjoying food, wine, music, and each other's company, just like we had done a year before. Heather, Erica, and Rebecca were all there for me that night, along with two of my oldest and dearest friends, Jen and Julia...and Julia had driven all the way up from Brooklyn as a surprise. I feel like my dad had a hand in all of this good fortune...he always loved pulling strings for the benefit of people he cared about when he was able to do so. I think he was listening that night last year and got to work. Thanks, Dad, for the assistance (again!), and thanks to all of my friends, whose support means more than I can possibly express. I love you all!