that new: Temporal transcendent

1.5' X 2' Acrylic on Canvas "not all is lost" 

1.5' X 2' Acrylic on Canvas "not all is lost" 

1.5' x 2' Acrylic on Canvas "swimming upstream" 

1.5' x 2' Acrylic on Canvas "swimming upstream"

 

Find These & plenty more at Brickbottom Gallery on March 13th. 

VIDEO: Found + Made

I received an email from a very talented lady named Jo back in October. She sent me her website (packed with beautiful video work) and asked me if i'd be willing to take part in her on-going series, Found + Made. The Found + Made series is a correlation of video shorts representing women artists with different backgrounds with different types of work. 

I couldn't believe she sought me out to be cool enough to take part in the project-- but she did. Below is the result. We bundled up on a cold rainy day in Beverly (shocking) and she followed me around on what is a "normal" day for me in my process of art making truly is. 

Coffee, collecting, color searching, color studying, and of course, getting those ideas down on the canvas.

You can check out more of her work at : http://www.joannadonofrio.com/

OK: Dates/ Thoughts

Ok-- I've been invited into two shows for this coming March of 2016.

((Brickbottom Gallery, "Temporal Transcendent" Opening reception March 13

Marblehead Arts Association Gallery, "Momentous Passage" Opening reception March 20 ))

 

My problem: I find it personally challenging to use older work for a new show. Constant changes lead to changes in my painting. I find it hard for me to show something I may not have been proud of in the past or something I fear never made it to "completion"-- it doesn't feel present.

I remember: this is not a problem. The emotional connection with my paintings serve a purpose. If showing something old means going back to the place I was emotionally, it feels uncomfortable. That's okay, and this is my daily reminder. 

I have loosened up in my process. More physical contact has been incorporated: pouring paint, using more paint, using large brush strokes with large brushes and other tools. I've limited my pallet, and started using a few colors to begin.

Below are wet, early stages to landscapes

dear twenty five

I TURNED 25--although it's not an uncommon accomplishment, it feels extremely reflective & different. It feels good to be this age. There are plenty of words I can say to myself-- i did my best and wrapped it up in a letter. 

dear twenty five,

Here you are. Although you have wished for things to be different on many occasions, hoped for less pain and hurtful events, you are welcoming your twenty fifth year of life.  You can count on both hands the amount of people who’ve told you, “Life’s not fair”.  You realized this was true at a young age when the infinite slamming of doors and crying tantrums consumed more than half your childhood. 

And just like any child, you thought those days were bad...flash forward to 2016 and you’ve never felt so lost. For many years you questioned why you weren’t born into a Jane Austin book, why your love lives never worked out, or why you felt sad sometimes. However, all of your dramatics and intermittent crises were nothing to ignore—but they were to be listened to.

You have struggled with learning to be “happy” with unfortunate events. Inwardly, you understand that they make you strong, aware and patient. Outwardly, there are days that the concept didn’t actually make things easier. Don’t forget you have overcome personal battles that you imagined would never vanish. You have persevered through loss and abandonment— and, you have listened.

Keep going!!! This year you will bond with fact that your life isn’t shrinking, it is expanding. It is transformative, beautiful and colorful. You have control. You will do, create, and seek amazing things. Behind any pain is a miraculous life that will manifest.

Surround yourself with people who love you. Surround yourself with friends who care about your well-being and make you feel good. Most importantly surround yourself with those who love every personality you withhold.  {Remember to thank them.}

Stop caring about what anyone thinks of you.  Embrace your daring side and take risks. Hold onto your compassionate side and be a great friend. Share what you have to offer. Re-introduce what is important to you and do everything you can not to let it go.

You will feel more beautiful than any other year you’ve existed. You will love your flaws, love your quarks and love the body you were born in.  You will not be bound. You will be free. You will learn. You will listen.

Although this life is not exactly fair, this life is about to get so good.

Keep smiling & keep loving

Love Always,

*MRD*

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Hibernation

Well, it's hibernating season-- which works out perfectly because the next few months calls for major preparation for upcoming shows. I'm excited, nervous, freaking out {normal}-- eager to share. 

I'm also extremely thankful: I have a space to paint in other than my dry studio. So many feels about it all-- getting those butterflies in my stomach when lugging my easel up to the attic of a very generous friend's house. I realized distractions would no longer be an issue (no offence, roomies// all love) and I can plug away at the ideas that have been stirring in my head for what seems like forever.

Some segments below on new (& large) paintings 




Small & Festive

Fall Pop-Up Prep//

This month has been amazing. After hanging the group show, I immediately started prepping for this Saturday's Fall Pop-Up which is part of the BAD citywide art tour. {come visit me!} 12-5 PM.

From hand painting all of the floral card sets, paintings, other misc. products last season, I am now  printing them! I feel lucky.

What to look for this season: 
Ornaments
Card Sets
Small Prints
Large Prints
Tea Towels
Place Cards
Gift Tags
Small Wall Posters

Group Show Feels//

"Let it go free" Acrylic on Canvas,  2' x 2' 

You can see this and many more new works at Porter Mill Gallery in Beverly, MA

CELL PHONE PIC~ 

CELL PHONE PIC~ 

Gallery Hours:
Thurs & Friday 5-7 PM
Sat & Sun 12-4 PM
or by appointment. 

RECEPTION: THURSDAY OCTOBER 22 6-9 OR Gallery will be Open October 17 for Open Studios 12-5 PM


 

ABOVE// BELOW// WITHIN

Beyond excited to share I will be in a group show on Thursday, October 22nd from 6-9pm at Gallery of Porter Mill-- Not only will I be alongside painters that I truly admire and look up to, but I will be revealing NEW paintings that not even your CAT HAS SEEN YET. My cat has seen them, but I told him to definitely keep quiet about them.

Hope you all can make it! 

Floral Commissions

I was pretty excited to receive an email from someone in my home town looking for some floral work.  These little guys are 12 "x 14" each & match the light corals and pinks in the bedroom. 

new work// in progress

My favorite time is when I'm with a new body of work. It's taking it's sweet ol' time, but it is precious and full. below you can see beginning to middle stages of new things that i'm pretty excited about--

Busy Work

This culmination of small things show the different projects i'm working on. To keep my mind from being continuously filled with what I need to do most, busy work is my best friend. I am working towards gathering new subjects for card prints and regular prints for upcoming craft fairs for the Holiday Season. I feel extremely behind! New paintings I'm working on for a group exhibition (soon to be noted) in Beverly & finding time for studio practice to work on my new series of paintings for next year has brought me to a level of crazy. In between, i'm making custom paintings for the wonderful people who want my work in their homes! Phew! 

When I have time in between teaching, I like to play around with watercolors (and power nap in my car) to gain inspiration for things around me-- 

crazy times= good times



Coming soon// Card sets in session

I'm obsessed with drawing coral!! My current mind stimulation is staring in awe of  Earnst Heckle's drawings. Among many things, he is a biologist, naturalist & philosopher-- His book "Art Forms in Nature" has the most beautiful array of illustrations. They have inspired these drawings which will show up in my new card set for the winter. Chugging away on finishing the set as a whole-- what better season to do it..

Long Island // Southampton //

This fourth of July was magical// I had time to see and smell the ocean more than once, and was able to get some sketches in. I love nothing more than collecting and documenting// These drawings are small but sweet to my heart. 

California Air// Los Angeles, etc.

A few weeks have passed and it feels like a dream. Ten days is certainly not enough time for a soul like mine. Adjusting to space takes more than a moment. So here, I defeated my yearning for the fog, the soft air, the warm sun, the intimidating shapes--and as a result, the mountains & the air felt like ultimate peace. Absolutely nothing can or will go wrong.

To take these feelings with me, and feel them where I am is the outward goal. 

I mainly visited Los Angeles--with a couple day trip to Santa Barbara. I visited the Getty Museum where Roman treasures were seen (& Breath taking architecture) // & the LACMA, where contemporary legends were seen, ie: James Turrell and Chris Burden.  California IS color. 

Visiting the Old // Search for the New

My first visit to the west coast was eye opening in an abundance of ways. As I was contemplating a new series in painting, I referred back to a bright yellow piece made for a close friend who has a particular affinity to yellow. The boldness of the color reflects nothing on how I feel two years later... I'm not upset about it, but perplexed. 
 

Perhaps that's why I am on the search for colors. Like the water color studies shown below-- these reflect the studio floor of my cousin Mary, who allowed me to stay in her beautiful artist studio. Carrying around this moleskin was key to my visit. Anything I wished to remember, visuals I'd hope to never lose, I painted. Memory strips. 

Cape Cod Sketches// Client work

I have a client who brings me back to my drawing roots constantly. This inspired me for some new card sets coming soon!