five new collages

I have five new collages to share! I finished two of them in December ("Humble Beauty" and "Namaste") but just didn't post them until now; the other three ("Words of Wisdom", "Your Secrets Are Safe With Me" and "Discover The Divine Goddess In You") were started and finished this month. I'm having a lot of fun with collage and I think it shows.

thank you agnes

I want to take a moment to say thank you to a woman I never knew but who has had a significant impact on my life. Her name is Agnes Peterson. Agnes was the little old lady who used to live in my house. She owned this house for a long time and when she went into a nursing home in the summer of '99, it went up for rent and we moved in; three years later, Agnes passed away and we bought the place.

I was never crazy about Agnes' taste or sense of style: the pale pink and robin's egg blue paint on the walls, the hideous floral wallpaper, the bathroom with the plastic pink "tile" paired with the pink wallpaper with little white hearts, the dark wood paneling in the kitchen. Thankfully, this past summer we finally made the house our own and all of those things are either gone or have been transformed.

At any rate, there are still little bits and pieces of Agnes and her legacy left behind in this little house, and I am finding myself increasingly grateful for them. Now that I have started working with collage, I have found a virtual treasure trove of goodies in the garage and the basement, courtesy of Agnes Peterson: rusty hinges, big old shingle nails, screws and hardware of all shapes and sizes, and perhaps the best of all, a giant Sanka jar filled with beautiful sea glass. I use these ingredients in my collages all the time and every time I do, I think of the woman I never knew. I wonder what she must have been like. Was she artsy? Did she make things? Every year a postcard comes addressed to her advertising a Maine craft festival, so she must have had at least an appreciation for art.

Several years ago, I found a Post-it note attached to a bird identification poster in the garage. It was faded and worn, with "old lady" handwriting in blue ballpoint ink. I read it and immediately saved it; now it's hanging in my studio. It says, "Note: use what talents you possess, for the woods would be silent if no birds sang but the best." I look at this note all the time and it inspires me. It's a nice reminder to keep trying, to keep creating, to keep finding and using my own artistic voice, to express myself in a genuine way and to be true to myself. Thank you, Agnes. Thank you for the supplies, thank you for the inspiration, and thank you for the pep talk...and by the way, thank you for the house.

sixty minute expressions

Today was the "Sixty Minute Expressions" event/group show at Thornton Oaks and it was a lot of fun. Many of the artists who participated in last year's event came back (myself included) and it was good to see everyone again. Once again, the artwork was eclectic and the crowd was receptive. Everyone seemed to enjoy watching the artists creating in a "beat the clock" fashion...I wanted to look around myself but I was so engrossed in my own work I didn't move from my spot until I was nearly finished. I overheard a lot of positive comments about my painting of a bright pink cow ("Have you seen the cow?" "Look at the cow!"). I think my favorite compliment was the phrase "wonderfully whimsical". Throughout the afternoon, several people asked me if I was familiar with the poem entitled "Purple Cow" and I had to admit I had never heard of it...I guess I'll have to look that up.

new year, new art

Well, so far 2010 has gotten off to a productive start. I have finished one new collage already and I am almost done with another one (which I just started yesterday). I have also been working on a new painting, and I just got an idea for another one while I was in the shower this morning. It feels good to have so many ideas swirling around in my head.

This coming Thursday (January 14th) I will be participating in "Sixty Minute Expressions" at Thornton Oaks in Brunswick (which reminds me: I will need to add the listing to my "shows" page early this week. I'd post the announcement itself but unfortunately my name was misspelled...hard to believe, right? Ha!). Anyway, I did it last year and had such a blast that I wanted to be a part of it again. "Sixty Minute Expressions" is an event where a group of artists get together and paint for a set amount of time (it's actually longer than 60 minutes, but that's okay). People wander around and watch the artists while they are working. Everyone chats and has fun, but there is also a sense of urgency involved because of the time limit. When that time is reached, the brushes get put down, the opening reception starts, and so does the bidding. All paintings are auctioned off to benefit the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program, so not only is this a fun experience, but it's for a good cause as well. Last year the turnout was good so I'm hoping it's even better this time. Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to paint!

two weeks ago

Two weeks ago, I sold a painting. This was not any painting...it was my "Buddha" painting: one of my favorites, and one that I put a lot into. Karen, the woman who bought it, is great. She really "gets" my work, and I know "Buddha" will have a good, loving home. The thrill of selling a piece is wonderful and unlike any other feeling I have experienced. I spent that sunny, beautiful afternoon hiking with my friend Heather and that evening I went to the vigorous class at Jai Yoga. The poem Jen read at the end of the class really resonated with me ("everything you need you have, right now, in this moment"). I left in a peaceful, contemplative state and I was ready to toast the sale of my painting over dinner with my husband Terry.

I walked in the door and in an instant the phone was ringing. I ran for it with my coat still on and heard my brother Frank's voice on the other end. The news he gave me made my heart drop. Our cousin Christopher passed away at 4 pm after a 13-year long battle with leukemia. He was 19 years old. A million thoughts raced through my mind as I tried to grasp this concept. "I thought he was getting better," I kept hearing myself say. We spoke for a little while and then I called Betty, Christopher's mom. I was at a complete loss as to what to say. Everything sounded so hollow and meaningless. Before we hung up, she said, "Go give your husband a hug." I took her advice and collapsed. There would be no celebration tonight.

The wake and the funeral were packed to the gills with grief-stricken people trying to wrap their heads around what had happened (a testament to how many lives he touched, how many people he loved and how many people loved him). Photographs around the room showed a curly-headed, smiling child; a happy, athletic young man; a son, a brother, a friend...and, as I now realize, a teacher. I have a lot to learn from him and the way he lived his life. Christopher didn't let his illness stop him from doing the things he loved. He never complained about the hand he was dealt, he just kept on fighting. He was tough, brave, strong, and sweet. He loved life, and he lived it to the fullest: playing baseball, golf, basketball and laser tag, enjoying trips to Cooperstown and Yankee games, spending time with family and friends. Christopher knew about "having everything you need, right now, in this moment" without anyone having to tell him that was the case.

I'm struggling to find the lesson here and to make sense of everything that's happened, but what I keep coming back to is this: the best way to pay tribute to Chris is to keep his memory alive and to adopt his approach to life. Live to the fullest. Be brave, courageous, and strong. Be loving and kind. Discover what you enjoy and grab it with both hands...and don't forget to celebrate.

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