4/2/2022 5:05:47 PM
This post really is about a very special visit to my studio by the Women's Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. I was contacted via Instagram message by Julie Sapone about being featured in one of the Women's Committee programs. Was I interested? Of course! An explanation of the title comes a little later. I hope you'll read on.
Getting Ready
On March 10, thirteen wonderful women joined me in the Arts of Great Falls Gallery where I'd temporarily taken over the walls for a solo show ... and we just had the best time getting to know one another. I had been fretting ... seriously ... about two things. 1. What would I paint for my demo? 2. What would I feed them?
Leading up to the day was a frenzy of activity. My "To Do" list was ridiculous, even by my standards. It was a test, too, of just how agreeable husband Randy was to the craziness. In the course of two days, I taught two classes, picked out/packed up/hung my solo show in the gallery, rehung my studio walls, printed tags, printed brochures, put together goodie bags, put up a still life to paint (not too excited about that), arranged the room for the demo and then figured out food. Oh, and made multiple stops for balloons. Perfect time for our trusted Dollar Tree store to be out of helium.
Refreshments are ready
It was 1 or 2am the morning of the visit that we were still contemplating coffee. We realized picking up to go containers of coffee wouldn't work and Randy managed to locate and figure out our own big coffeepot instead. On the way over we picked up the best coffee cake ever from Panera Bread plus I pleaded my way to acquiring some fresh fruit - pineapple, strawberries, cantaloupe, freshly sliced (by me) right before my special guests arrived.
Goodie bags and brochure waiting for each guest. In the gallery, "On the Town", "Dancing Days" and "Golden Lights." The "photographer" was a bit too busy to get great photos.
The first two to arrive were Julie Sapone and her friend, Winter Michael. I immediately asked Winter if she would be interested in sitting for me to paint her portrait. She agreed! Happy day! The fun was about to begin.
First things first. The women enjoying each others' company, refreshments and the art.
As others came through the door and were warmly greeted by Julie, Randy and I moved away the still life and set up a "throne" for Winter. The ladies were enjoying chatting, viewing the paintings and enjoying the snacks. Time to get seated. Julie gave a great introduction. I was ready to get to "work." Randy and Julie took a whole series of videos and photos that showed just how magical this morning was. Laughter and art and pure joy.
NOTE: Click the button with the four arrows and then hit play. The video will cut off abruptly at the end but you'll have seen a great introduction to this group and our day together.
The women had never watched a live painting demonstration before. I wasn't trying to teach them how to paint but instead was showing them the joy of it. One slight teaching-ish moment was telling them that I squint at my subject to simplify shapes. That was when Winter cracked up and commented that "It looks like she's painting with her eyes shut." She must have wondered what the painting of her was looking like. In watching back the videos, I too have no idea how something appeared on the canvas. I was spending so much time with questions and answers and stories that the painting was definitely not getting my undivided attention. Painting truly is like breathing to me. That day was a testament to that.
The questions and insights were different from other demos I've given too. Julie asked the question (rephrased since I can't remember her exact words): "When did I know I made it?" My immediate answer was "When the Women's Committee of the National Museum of Women of the Arts comes to visit." I was kind of joking and kind of not. This was a pinch-me moment for me. It was an honor. But best of all, I was able to share the joy and passion of painting to this group who clearly loved art and being with me that day.
I thought of two other special rungs on the ladder I'm still climbing. One was when I was first showing my work at a juried art festival in McLean VA. My dream in this fledgling second career of mine was to travel supported by my earnings as an artist. At the show, I had many admirers of my work - and lots of sales. I had been taking this passion of mine seriously ... but it was the first time that my husband Randy started to look at it that way. That meant a LOT.
The second big moment was the first night -- sitting under the stars looking out over a vineyard in Piemonte wine region of Italy where I'd been invited to teach a plein air workshop for another amazing group. Randy and I were sitting on the rooftop deck with wine and a snack ... and I was thinking "Really?"
There are so many times though that feel like that. I'm smiling while painting. Others feel the joy oozing out of the canvas. I am enormously grateful to be granted the joy of doing what I do and the opportunity to spread all that good stuff around.
Winter and I ... soaking in our moments of fame
We ended the visit with a neat lunch together at the Old Brogue Irish Pub where more of my paintings are hanging in their Snuggery dining room.
7/8/2020 11:10:50 PM
One of the major worries of mine when this pandemic first struck was how do we preserve those beautiful aspects of our everyday life before it -- the restaurants we loved to visit, people who we love to see, businesses that we work for or rely upon. One in particular I worried about is the Old Brogue Irish Pub - Great Falls Virginia's equivalent of the Cheers Bar and a gathering place over decades. It's a big business with a huge heart -- part of so much good within the community and beyond.
The Brogue is a couple of doors down from my joint studio at the Artists' Atelier in the Village Centre but even before I took up painting, Randy and I shared family dinners with our then young kids there. It's the connection between this place and my art that were the subject of a very long thank you note I sent a couple days ago to the Brogue's owner and Great Falls unofficial mayor, Mike Kearney. I'm "re-publishing" that letter here.
Dear Mike,
I'm so grateful for the huge impact that showing my work at the Brogue has had on my career as an artist and connection to the community. I think I was the first or second artist showing in the Snuggery, way back when ... but your gathering spot you've built was a huge inspiration even before then. "The Brogue" was my postcard cover image for my first solo show at the Art League in Alexandria -- when I was one of 10 artists out of 1000+ members chosen to take over the solo room for a month. That painting was based on photographs taken in the Snuggery when it still had the bar and dark paneling -- at a private event of the Vecchi's. Francie was one of my close artist friends in this new art path of mine.
"The Brogue," 30"h x40"w was the first painting in my Brogue series and the postcard image for my first major solo show in 2008 at the Art League
This month, my painting "Ladies Lunch" - of my Mom and her friends celebrating a birthday group lunch in Katie's while my art hung there for the month -- is featured in three major National art magazines: Art of the West, Southwest Art and Fine Art Connoisseur. That's unbelievable ... and all the more amazing since none of those placements were paid for by me. The painting was selected for an exhibition by Women Artists of the West (WAOW - I'm a signature member) that was supposed to happen in Dubois, Wyoming which was then switched to an online only exhibit. The promotions chair for WAOW designed an ad for the organization with only two paintings featured out of the hundreds in the show -- and "Ladies Lunch" was one of those two -- appearing in this month's Art of the West Magazine.
Multiple paintings were presented to Southwest Art for a Show Preview article - and "Ladies Lunch" was published along with 4 other pieces in the July issue. Then, Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine selected one piece for its "Off the Walls" exhibit announcement section and "Ladies Lunch" was again it. The only one. So two magazine editors and a WAOW organizer all saw something in this painting and what it depicted and wanted to share it. In talking to the WAOW organizer, she let me know that it really resonated with what the organization is all about - women supporting women. For others, I think it is about all of those wonderful regular life gatherings and celebrations that we cherished then but miss so terribly now.
For me, that painting is special because it is set in the Brogue, a place that is so strongly ingrained in my memory of all things good and there's my Mom, who "sneakingly" made sure her friends were exposed to my art for a long, leisurely, wonderful lunch.
"Ladies Lunch" in Southwest Art, July/August 2020 issue
"Ladies Lunch" in Art of the West Magazine - July/August 2020
"Ladies Lunch", 16 x 20 inches, oil on linen-lined panel - private collection
Other Brogue related art stories:
Whenever I meet a local person, they invariably tell me they recognize my work from having seen it at the Brogue. There's an instant connection and they saw it in an environment that's just how I'd hope they'd experience it. Warm, homey, happy.
"Tea for Two," 20 x 16 inches, painted from life inside the Brogue, available - influenced my 100 Faces in 100 Days Project
My first time painting people from life, without their being a model and having to be still was "Tea for Two" - painted with permission in the Snuggery while they were having tea. After they finished, I stayed in the Snuggery for hours -- painting the walls, tablescapes, etc. and keeping your diligent staff from clearing the table for as long as possible. That painting planted the idea for my "100 Faces in 100 Days Project" and also immediately led to my painting "Colleen's Boys." She had been in the Snuggery writing on her laptop while I was painting "Tea for Two" and asked what would happen if her three sons showed up there on a certain day that week. I agreed to paint them as a commission -- although at that time I was in the middle of one of our many moves. It took a bit of time and scrounging around to get organized to paint that day, and by the time I was sort of ready, all the smoothies and food had pretty much been consumed and it was a struggle to keep the three contained for long. Still turned out.
"Colleen's Boys," 16 x 20 inches - painted from life and some photos right after "Tea for Two." Private collection.
I painted in the bar one day during one of my shows ... and turns out that one of my subjects in the painting was David. Marjorie, David's wife, who I had not met yet caught word of the painting and immediately called me to purchase it as a surprise gift for his big birthday party there in the Snuggery where it was allowed to sit for the evening on the mantel. This has led to an incredible friendship with Marjorie who has a Jill Banks roomful of art, including "Spring Gathering, Great Falls" - one of the big pieces I painted plein air on the hill -- that was published on the cover of the Celebrate Great Falls Annual Schedule of Events.
"The Brogue Bar," 18" x 24," oil on linen-lined panel. Private collection.
"Spring Gathering, Great Falls "- 24 x 36 in., painted plein air from up on the hill. Private collection.
Detail of "Spring Gathering, Great Falls" on the the cover of the annual Celebrate Great Falls Schedule of Events
There are tons of Cars and Coffee paintings including one from last year painted on the Atelier porch. Another looking up toward the Brogue "Village Light" (also in Marjorie's collection). I painted out back for "St. Patrick's Day" - plein air - at a little distance from the green beer, just in case.
"Cars and Coffee" - my first one in that series. 16"h x 20"w. Private collection.
"Cars and Coffee Two" - second in the series. 16"h x 20"w, oil on linen-lined panel. Private collection.
"More Cars and Coffee" - the latest one painted from the front porch of the Artists' Atelier in the Great Falls Village Centre. 24"h x 12"w, oil on linen-lined panel. Available.
"Irish Pub" - was awarded the Leila Gardin Sawyer Award (one of the top prizes for an oil painting in this particular competition) at the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club's Open Juried Exhibition at the National Arts Club in NYC. That was neat. 18"h x 24"w, oil on linen-lined panel. Private collection.
"The Snuggery" - I still have this one. You were stopping by Bob and Candace's table - making the rounds. 18"h x 24"w
"St. Patrick's Day" - 12"h x 16"w, oil on linen-lined panel. Available.
"Village Light" - 24"h x 12"w. Painted during Paint Great Falls Plein Air competition 2018. Private collection.
What you built -- this place where the community can come together -- has interwoven so many lives and made such a difference. Your sharing your walls so many times with me afforded a real presence, recognition and struck chords with so many people who have become friends and collectors. It was those extended hours of seeing what something felt like to be around, repeat performances that created art lovers and buyers out of people who would not go to an art opening. That was a huge blessing!
The toll this pandemic is taking everywhere is unfathomable and you are taking the lion's share of the load in keeping alive this business of yours that's a centerpiece for the community. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do for all of us. If there's a way to return those decades of kindness, let me know. This story of how you have helped shape the trajectory of my career and fit so well with my favorite subject is pretty amazing. I hope that it can help in some way.
Again, huge, huge, huge thanks!
I truly hope that the Old Brogue and other businesses that are at the heart of our communities find the continued support that they need from all of us that are able. Help means patronage, conversations, guidance, thanks, willingness to pay higher prices to cover increased costs, connecting, checking in ... and whatever else we can come up with. It also means being completely responsible in keeping those on the front lines and patrons around you safe. Mask use, distancing, personal care, self quarantining if exposed to risks. That alone can relieve a lot of stress.
