Wisteria in Bath, England
England is in bloom. The wisteria is something novel to me, not growing native in South Dakota. It smells wonderfully! It is near the end of its blooming season already, as the leaves are starting to turn. It has been refreshing to see the green, and be in the middle of all the beautiful blooming trees!
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What is the boy about to do?
Banksy Street Art
One spattered
with a paint gun offers the dialogue: is this merely a continuation
of the basic principle behind street art: it is immediate, it is covert, it has meaning… on someone else’s property: vandalism or art… is it vandalism if one “vandalizes” street
A Roman Bath, Bath, England. This city did not disappoint. The restoration is amazing: it was very easy to imagine just what life was like for the early Romans. Pretty cushy for the upper crust… we’ve improved the lot for the average person however!
Being around such heritage is a good reminder to realize we are but a spot in history. Fully living and enjoying each day we are given is the best possible thing we can do!
Not only did Dave and I arrive in London safe and sound, but my art is all here, now, too. So, we can relax and enjoy some site seeing now and kick back for a couple of days.
We enjoyed our first night in London: had a meal at an Indian restaurant which was fantastic! We found our timeshare accomodations, then jumped on a train out to Reading, where were were picked up by a friend of Dave’s. We are currently visiting this couple, who Dave served with the husband, Andy, in Iraq. Andy and Sue took us to Bath today: we saw where the Romans bathed and whatever else went on! I’ll post pictures of Bath tomorrow… it was a beautiful day.
Looking for signs: I go between believing in destiny and believing we are the masters of our own destiny: perhaps it is a little of both…
This image is a detail of a painting I did that involves the Thunderbird as a constellation in the Native American tradition. Looking left or looking right: different omens… life vs. death. Destiny or taking charge and creating one’s destiny…
I venture forth on a three week trip to London, where my paintings will be on display at The Brick Lane Gallery May 19 – 31. I will attempt to blog daily, and share some of my experiences from this trip. The magic that began the undertaking is a wonderful friendship I have with Janet Weight Reed. I met her when we both lived and worked as artists in West Chester, PA, nearly twenty years ago. She has been an inspiration and mentor to me since that time. Now residing in her home country of England, I went to visit her last September. In preparation for the trip, I researched galleries that showcased emerging and International artists. The opportunities that are available in today’s world of virtual communication opened the door to a gallery visit, which led to the exhibition I am about to launch.
The connections continue, as this path has led me to many links of people in England, with whom I have mutual friendships. A friend of my husband’s from his service in Iraq lives in Bristol. We now have plans to meet he and his wife, and the connections continue. People have contacted friends of theirs who live in England to let them know about the show as well. Even if none of them are able to attend, the potential of the connection is a magic!
So, my blog about this experience will largely marvel at the opportunities available to all of us today, with the ready communication that is literally at our fingertips!
Stepping out…
I am on the precipice! HA ready to step into the world of the London Art scene. This will be an incredible experience, and I know that no matter what… something will change. It may be me: it may be how I see the world, it may be how my art is viewed, it may be doors opened, but regardless, something will change.
I was at the Spearfish High School athletic banquet in which the guest speaker was Olympic skier Janet Lindsey. She spoke of her many years of training, her successes, and notably, her disappointments. Through her career, she had to deal with a great many injuries (as an aerial skier!) Her descriptions about learning to cope with fear was especially meaningful to me at this point in my life.
We are each of us, somehow ruled by our fears. Sometimes real, but ironically, largely perceived! Contemplate that. We tend to hold ourselves back from what we most want by what we most fear….. I plan to keep this in mind as I step off into this new undertaking. Keep checking back if you want to experience me confronting my fears!
This painting is entitled “A Ribbon on the Chest” and is a painting about male prowess.
In Native American tradition, each feather in a war bonnet has a story affixed to it. Usually about an achievement in battle such as counting coup, or enemy kills, or horses stolen from an enemy. The wearing of the bonnet is a narrative of the story: a symbolic re-telling of the tale to anyone familiar with it. By shear number of feathers, an assumption can be drawn.
This is likened to the wearing of present day military medals. Wearing them opens the wearer to interpretation of their fine achievement and invites the telling of the tale.
In less than a week, I leave on my trip to England. I will be having an exhibition of this series of artwork at The Brick Lane Gallery in London, May 19 – 31. I intend to blog each day of the trip, so check back for photos of the event and the many interesting things that will come into my life from this experience. It will be my symbolic ribbon on the chest, inviting dialogue and the telling of tales!
We all wear different hats for different occasions. As an art instructor, I wore a particular hat, or mask if you will. This mask differed from my artist persona and that differed from my wife and my mother “hat”. All felt authentically me, just me in different settings and different roles. Of all the hats I have worn in my life, my artist hat is the most comfortable, I believe. It is intuitive. Being a mother, intuitive, but doubting. Always questioning. The artist hat is a comfortable fit, and I often don’t know where I am going, but I am wearing it! HA
I will be soon be traveling to London for my exhibition at The Brick Lane Gallery. It runs from May 19 – 31. It is a totally new hat for me: International exhibition! I will be looking forward to working with my good friend and excellent artist, Janet Weight Reed. She is my mentor and friend: I always learn how to better wear my artist hat when I am with her.
This image is from a painting called “Buffalo Headdress”. It is a rende3ring of a ceremonial headdress which was worn by Native American Plains Indians. This was an authentic role and an authentic “hat” to the wearer. May we all be comfortable in the hats we place on our heads!
A hand print is a most human of symbols. It implies “I was here…” it places the individual in time, as it is a direct impression from a living being.
I respond to this as a powerful symbol. Don’t we all aspire to leave our mark? There are ways in which we leave our legacy which are more powerful and positive than others. To positively impact another life… to leave a legacy of love and assistance for our fellow human beings.
As I prepare for a major step in my art career: an international exhibition, I am contemplating the act of leaving my mark… on the world!
Another form of currency: livestock. This has roots in our agricultural based culture, but was a also a major currency for Native Americans. Counting coup on an enemy as well as stealing his horse, was considered the most honorable sign of bravery and accomplishment. To take his horses from underneath his nose, a huge insult and achievement. The number of horses one owned symbolized wealth. A herd of horses was often necessary in order to obtain a bride.
In recently reading an account about Crazy Horse, it was mentioned that once Native Americans voluntarily moved to the reservations, in order to control them, the government took all but one of their horses. Image what that did for morale… going along with the requirements of the government, and having them confiscate your currency! Not a huge motivation for compliance…