How many times have you walked into a museum or gallery and wanted to reach your hand out and touch the texture you see in front of you? You know that's not allowed. In most cases, anyhow... I encourage my viewers to touch the sculpted surfaces of my paintings. For instance, this painting of a dining scene is more than a…
As a jeweler, I have observed that the gift of creativity is intricately connected to the gift of healing. As an artist and a healer, I aim to synthesize the expression of both in my work and in my life. Through years of study and interest in the healing arts, I have come to appreciate and honor the ability of stones to…
Clay is a meditation and a joy. Whether wedging clay, rolling it into slabs, or smoothing the texture left by my slab roller’s canvas, I feel connected to the earth. A major influence on my work is the aesthetic of ukiyo-e woodblock prints from nineteenth century Japan. The circles in my work are inspired by the harvest moon found in…
Artists Mark Todd, Betsy Vaden and Linda Carmel of the Orange County Artists Guild joined Jackie Helvey and Valarie Schwartz on the West End Report on WCOM 103.5 FM, this Friday, Sept 9th, 2011. The program introduces you to the upcoming Orange County Open Studio Tour which is held on November 5-6 and November 12-13. The interviews with three OCAG…
As a jeweler, my work begins in varied ways. The first impulse could be a shape, a texture, a stone, a thought, a spiritual leading. During the process I remain open to new ideas and directions. In 1996 I moved to North Carolina. I live and work in the woods overlooking forest and meadow. My energy is directed inward first and…
Glass is amorphous, meaning that "its molecules are not arranged in a regular, specific pattern -- like those of a crystalline material -- but are random in their configuration." --(Bulleyes TechNotes4, 2007) And, unless you have worked with glass in a kiln, as flame work, or blown, you might not know how finicky glass can be. There is "fire" (or heat…
Oaxaca Art Journal Workshop: During Semana Santa–Holy Week, Thursday, March 29 – Thursday April 5, 2012 — 7 nights, 8 days The art or visual journal is a creative way to bring impressions, ideas, emotional reactions, and imagery to paper. It is a portable, spontaneous and compact approach to artistic expression. This is a great resource for artists to develop future…
A fascination with psychology and the process of learning...have been driving forces in my life and in my art. I've been a teacher for much of my life and always a painter. For me, the creative process is similar in both endeavors. As a teacher, I loved discovering how to successfully reach a particular child -- by building up knowledge…
Have you ever thought about the idea that a loom is a lot like a piano? Both create patterns and percussive sounds. If you play the piano well, you read a musical score -- the notation of notes on the treble or bass cleft -- to produce a sound that presents itself as melody and chords. With a woven presentation,…
The work of Louise Francke is to be published in the Best of Worldwide Wildlife Artists (Kennedy Publishing in VA.) Here's what she has to say about one particular painting in this series: It is rare that I choose to keep one particular oil painting. This is my favorite! Carlos as Rembrandt's Oriental was the first painting in this series of 30+ works.…