10th Anniversary at Water Street Studios

September 13-October 5, 2019

 Impromptu I and II, watercolor on panel, 36"x24"

Last Friday was the opening reception and 10th-year Anniversary celebration of Water Street Studios. Water Street was my studio home for several years, before my family settled in the Fox Valley area permanently, and before we purchased a house that accommodated a studio space.

WSS is a lovely art non-profit in the Western suburbs of Chicago and has been home to many resident artists for the past ten years since it's inception. Artists here are able to connect with other artists and the community, as well as show their work through various exhibiting opportunities. The organization offers a rich selection of classes, workshops, and hosts numerous art-related events.

 I have made many lifelong friends here.

SUMMER HARVEST

As the feeling of summer is slowly winding down, the colors getting moodier, and the sunbeams turning to gold, I have a sense of taking a quiet moment to reflect on my current exhibitions and start planning out my next projects.

Here are a few places where I am currently showing my work. 

Above images - from the "Enchanted Garden" exhibition at Walker Fine Art in Denver*

  "Wondrous Reef "on panel, 30"x30"

 "Wondrous Reef" on panel, 30"x30"

"Wondrous Reef (Whisper)", on panel 30"x30"

This past Saturday was the closing brunch for the "Enchanted Garden" exhibit at Walker Fine Art in Denver. I had five new paintings from the "Dark Bloom" and "Wondrous Reef" series in it.

 Dark Bloom, W-2019-4-10, watercolor on Arches paper, 40"x26"

Dark Bloom, W-2019-4-11, watercolor on Arches paper, 40"x26"

The theme of the garden is near and dear to me, not only for its rich universal symbolic connotations but also because of my literal love of gardening. This weekend my boys and I had such a beautiful time together sowing green onion and purple cabbage seeds for our garden's late crop. The abundant harvest of fresh tomatoes and zucchinis makes our summer so much tastier!

 

In our garden, harvesting zucchinis with Karl*

Locally, a couple of my watercolor panels are in the upcoming 10th Year Anniversary at Water Street Studios. As the organization is celebrating its tenth year, I fondly remember my few years there as a resident artist.

Impromptu, watercolor on panel, 36"x24"*

In my studio at Water Street Studios, in 2014*

Also on view here locally, at the Geneva History Museum is my "Blush Nebula" watercolor, through November 2nd. 

"Blush Nebula", now on view at Geneva History Museum*

Looking a bit further into 2020; I am excited about showing my new work in several solo exhibitions - starting with January at the Arrowhead Gallery of the Waubonsee Comunity College. Overlapping with it is my solo exhibit at the Lewis University, to open in early February. 

Exhibiting one's artwork is by nature twofold; it takes much planning, organizing, framing, packing, and hauling. But it also means - the art comes to its fruition. It gets to be seen, experienced and acknowledged by the outside world. 

Sharing one's work is like putting one's heart and soul on a plate, for everyone to see. It is a vulnerable act, but at the same time so liberating; it means saying to the world: "This is me, this is what I am about, this is what I feel." Regardless of what the world might respond.