Thanksgiving

"Company of Women" 25 x 32, acrylic on board

Some of my happiest childhood memories of Thanksgiving include times spent with extended family and gatherings filled with people and food. The women crowded into the kitchen and laughed and bustled, chopped and bumped, and talked and shared. The little girls watched and dreamed of the day when we were grown and knew the kitchen secrets of a happy holiday. The men were often in the den watching football. Later, after dinner, the adults played poker for chips or toothpicks.

Although I did not paint this piece with Thanksgiving in mind,it now reminds me of many good holiday times. In the figures, I women now passed and little girls who have grown into women. Family. I am grateful for the memories.  

I am cultivating a daily habit of giving thanks. I think that a positive, grateful mindset will take me far down the road I want to travel as I age.

Thank you.

"As it Seems" by Lily Kershaw.

Ella throws it down!

"Ella Throws it Down" 32 x 24, acrylic

"Every child is an artist. The problem is 

how to remain an artist once we grow up." 

Pablo Picasso

There's nothing so refreshing as inviting a child into my studio to play. Before long I remember what it is to be fearless, curious, and completely involved in art making.

And so it was when almost seven year old Ella came to play. She picked up art materials and experimented with vigor and abandon. My role as guide was hardly needed as she drew, painted, and created some wonderful and very personal expressions of art.

For some of our splashy fun with acrylic, I had her wear an apron to protect her clothes. Ella wasn't thrilled, but she complied. As soon as she was done with the acrylic work, she asked if she could take off the apron. Of course. I was intrigued to see her not only take off the apron, but throw it down. That gesture was priceless.

After she and her mommy left, I picked up my sketchbook (you thought I was going to say that I picked up the apron, right? Hah!) and quickly sketched some little thumbnail ideas of Ella in the studio, including her throwing down the apron. This painting came from some of those sketches.

As I worked on this painting, I thought about times in my life when I put on some covering of protection. I accept that I needed it for a time, but when I am released from that need, do I take it off? I might ignore the constraints, the itchy neck, the binding strings, and adapt myself to the discomfort of it. Over time, layer upon layer build up to create an entire shell of protection and my voice becomes muffled under the burden of it all. 

I think I will take a lesson from Ella. When protection is no longer needed, I'll take it off and THROW IT DOWN! 

This painting, and many others that relate in some way to aprons, will be in my solo show "Apron Stirrings" and I hope you will come to see it!

"Apron Stirrings"

Artist reception: Friday, April 4, 2014

In Bocca al Lupo Fine Art

2025 SE Jefferson

Milwaukie, OR 97222

971.258.2502

kitchen's full

Company of Women, 22 x 30, acrylic

When I was growing up, holidays were bustling times with lots of people and lots of food.  Prior to sitting down at the table to eat, the group was often divided by sex. The men were out in the garage looking at the newest car, or in the den watching the football/baseball/basketball game.

The generations of women crowded in the kitchen. Sometimes there was room for little girls, too. We watched the rolling of dough, the snapping of beans, the give and take of advice and community. I loved those times when I got to wear an apron and help. Participating in the company of women made me feel grown up and special.

The grandmothers have long passed away. Some of the mothers, too. The little girls have grown up and some of us have families of our own. And I am a grandmother now.

But inside the heart of this grandmother is still the little girl with flour on her fingers, trying to pinch pinwheels from the leftover pie crust.

Cat Stevens "Oh Very Young."

unexpected gathering

"Gathering" finished, 22 x 30, acrylic on BFK

The final version of this painting came through a series of responses to this question:

what would happen in a gathering of aprons?

charcoal drawing with transparent acrylic

Since I love drawing, this stage of the painting was a joy. Loose charcoal lines laid out the placement of the aprons. The last apron became something more with the suggestion of the head and legs. I looked at the painting at this stage for a long time before doing anything else. For all of its interest, it lacked a stabilizing horizontal shape.

stabilizing the horizontal plane

How best to do that? A line would have worked. A horizontal block of color would have worked, too. Or, to continue with the idea, why not an apron?

comes forward, goes back

That feels better. Now I can play with pulling some of the shapes forward and pushing others back.

finished!

Sarah McLachlan "Building a Mystery."