You never know!

I recently painted two small autumn paintings, as part of an experimental period I am undergoing. I posted them on my website, and they sold within 24 hours!

You just never know how or when sales will occur. Sometimes I think it is the phase of the moon, or an ebb tide, or the art gods just may be in a good mood. But fate is fickle - it can often bring together elements in the universe in strange, but wonderful ways.

As I move through life's journey, the world is indeed getting smaller. Things click together more, and connections are more easily made. 

Yesterday, I was in my studio for five minutes, and a woman came in, happy that I was open, and bought a few small things, and also ordered a print.  You just never know!

I had a meeting with an artist friend at the Mill, and she offered to include me in an upcoming, very visible local art event. Such gifts can happen at any time, as long as we are open to receiving them.

So, i think I will do some more experimental work. It is good for my soul, and apparently, is helping with sales! You just never know what is around the next corner.

Artfully yours,

Cathy 

The Child

The child in me has been screaming to take a new direction, to go on a new adventure. I have learned it is important to listen to my inner child, because it is very good at letting me know what I need creatively.

So, I started work on three paintings of autumn color, using unusual hues of magenta and violet, along with the more traditional gold, yellow, and orange. I outlined the trees in black ink to add drama, and used both a brush and palette knife to paint.

The results are...interesting. I kind of like them. They are arresting, demanding attention, drawing you in, and screaming, "look at me, look at me"....just like my inner child.

Art is a journey and a process. I do believe my inner child is responsible for most of my work. The child is the part that has imagination, and is not afraid to try new things. I think when we rely on our adult part to run the creativity show, we miss out on a lot of new directions. Plus, who wants to hear a screaming child all the time? 

I would be interested in any feedback and impressions. Has you inner child spoken to you today?

Artfully yours,

Cathy

Lucy

Our wheaton terrorist, I mean terrier, is now one year old, and still very much a puppy.  We took her on a cruise with some friends, and their aging lab, Belle. Poor Belle! Lucy is a non-stop play toy, and Belle was worn out by the end of the day.

We can learn a lot from dogs.  Dogs live in the moment. None of this worrying about the future! They play when they want to, eat when they need to, and love you unconditionally. Lucy is always happy to see me, even if I have only been gone an hour. She tries so hard to be good, and not jump, but she has this bouncing, springing action that she just can't seem to get under control.

Someday, maybe Lucy will be calm enough to be a good studio dog. Although she has confiscated a few tubes of paint, and has sported various garish colors in her fur, she is still much too active to watch me paint. I have been thinking of creating a piece with her paw prints in it, but the concern over the chemicals in paint have held me back.  

This past weekend, Lucy helped me realize, for the zillionth time, that life consists of moments. Most of the things that worry us are trivial, and unimportant.  She also shows us how easy it is to unconditionally love one another. If only people could be like dogs - minus the butt sniffing!

Artfully yours,

Cathy

Declined

I am going through a run of rejections at art shows - or, to put it more politically correct - "declineds".

One never knows what a juror may value. Even after reading their bio, and looking at their work, it is difficult to choose pieces that might actually get in. it is more than difficult - it is impossible!

But, for every show I have been rejected from, there are other shows where I am showing work, and, at a few of them, I have sold work. What is also interesting, is that I often sell work quickly that has been rejected from shows! Sweet!

One thing I recognize is that my adventures with acrylics are still in their infancy. I recognize that I have a lot of growing to do, and much to learn. So, I have decided it is time to take a workshop - to immerse myself in the creative process for several days, and just paint, paint, paint. While remote workshops are pricey, perhaps I need some time to learn a few new tricks, and to watch other artists in their creative processes. If new ideas could come in the form of an injection, I would be the first in line!

As an artist, I also need to learn to honor the process of hit or miss. Without struggling, there can be no progress. I have this one painting that I have painted over so many times, that it has an inherent texture.  

So, today I go to pick up my declined paintings. I already have ideas for the next show!

Artfully yours,

Cathy Harville 

A Beautiful Monday

After yet another weekend of rain, the sun is shining on this beautiful Monday. This spring has got to be the wettest I can remember for a decade!

The rain has brought us gifts in the form of green life, and profusely blooming flowers. Everything this spring has been so intense - the color, the saturation, and....the gloom on the seemingly endless sunless days.

Humans need sunlight. We are hard-wired to take in sunlight through our eyes and skin, and produce vitamin D and various amino acids and hormones. It is a well-known fact that people in higher latitudes often suffer from seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Canadians flock to Florida over the winter, to escape the not only the cold, but to soak up the sun's necessary rays.

The depletion of the ozone layer in the last 20 years has caused more UV rays to make their way to the earth. Compound that with the melting of glaciers, and the UV burden increases even more. More UV rays means more cases of cataracts, and skin cancer. Modern sunblocks made to combat the UV rays are now known to contain compounds that react with the sunlight to create carcinogens! So what are we to do?

It all goes back to our stewardship of the planet. While we probably cannot reverse the damage we have done, I am still optimistic that we can prevent further damage to our environment. If everyone would turn off lights in unoccupied rooms, and turn off power strips to computers, TVs and printers, it would go a long way to saving energy and less green house gases would be emitted into the atmosphere. If we gave up beef, the methane produced by cattle would go away. If we used less gasoline, the environment would improve. If we consumed less, the environment would improve.

As an artist, I am very attuned to the landscape around us. Our open spaces and wild places provide me with my inspiration for paintings. I am trying to do my part. Rather than consume, I reuse, recycle, and renew. I paint over canvases. I take damaged frames to a framer, so they can be made into smaller frames and reused. My trips to the art store are limited to purchasing the essential things I need, rather than buying $30 of stuff I don't need. I don't print out anything unless I really need it. I wear my clothes until they wear out. i also support the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, to protect this national treasure, and to insure that future generations may enjoy the bay as we do now.

I am not perfect, in fact, I have to learn some new habits to do my part in saving the environment. Old habits are hard to break, but with conscious thought, it can be done.

So....as I go out on this beautiful day, and walk my canine friend Lucy, I am thankful for the sun, and thankful for clear blue sky and green vegetation. And yes, I will wear sunblock, lest my skin becomes burned.

Artfully yours,

Cathy Harville

Second shot

Okay, I am the world's worse blogger! But I am giving it a second shot. My goal is to post at least once a week, then I will go from there.

Things are good. I am building up inventory, and have participated in four charity events recently, which always does the soul good. Although sales are not stellar, people are enjoying my artwork, and I continue to meet really interesting folks.

At the Mill, we have been struggling with attracting attention to events. So I want to talk about signage. Signs are so important in our lives. We need highway signs, rest room door signs, signs to identify restaurants and merchants, and street numbers.

Signs are all around us. Sometimes, signs get lost in the fray - realty signs, and the homemade staked signs along the road.

Savage Mill is composed of 11 interconnected buildings, with a confusing, but fun, pedestrian flow, and a handicap access that defies logic. It is because of the Mill's historic status and age, that it is a maze. Many people welcome the wandering nature of this really cool place, and some people just get frustrated. And then there are the tavern drinkers, who laughingly go in circles, and forget which lot they parked the car in.

The artists at the Mill struggle with being found - literally! We are off in the catacombs of the building. Although we all have signs that can be read from miles away, people are just so distratced by all the information around them, that the signs go unnoticed. Perhaps a lighthouse would attract attention. Personally, I have been thinking about a neon sign. I may also hang a second shingle.

So if you manage to get to Mill, I only have one suggestion - prepare to spend some time and get lost. And have fun. Because around each corner is something new and interesting.

Artfully yours,

Cathy Harville