Tea Time at Chiaroscuro

High Tea begins April 5. Chiaroscuro in Water Tower Place will be showcasing and selling artist made teapots from around the country. It is an annual event and runs until Mid-May.If you happen to be in Chicago, or are a collector of teapots, I encourage you to stop by. My handpainted teaboxes will be there and are also available for sale.

Chiaroscuro
Water Tower Place
835 N. Michigan Ave. 2nd Level
Chicago, IL 60610
312-988-9253

Puttin' on the Ritz last year: My Geisha Tea box on display in the Ritz Carlton lobby as part of the Annual Tea Pot Show.

Thank You Henri Matisse

"When you have achieved what you want in a certain area, when you have exploited the possibilities that lie in one direction, you must, when the time comes, change course, search for something new."

Henri Matisse

I have just started my new job, departed the other and am very happy. I can now concentrate and delve more into the business of art. Coming up with new ideas, experimenting with new mediums, becoming less critical of my work- past, present and future, and marketing are my areas of focus and attention right now.

I am fortunate that I live in a culturally rich city when it comes to the arts. I am guilty of taking it for granted at times. I don't partake of everything I would like to but the venues I do to attend, I leave feel nourished and enriched on many levels. When I need inspiration and/or counsel, I can find it locally. And I did recently. The writing was on the wall.

The Art Institute of Chicago is currently showing an exhibit of Henri Matisse's work from 1913 to 1917 entitled Radical Invention. I went to see it and after viewing, a creative weight was lifted. Not only was I inspired by his work but liberated by his process! Matisse was quite progressive. He recycled. Several paintings that appear in the YouTube video were included in this exhibit. I would like to share a few paraphrased writings on the wall with you:

• Matisse would reuse compositions in an effort to pare down forms to their most pure and meaningful state. He found great creative potential in reusing subjects.
  
• Reworking an already familiar subject could free him to focus on other issues pursuing the essence of form, a still simpler means of making or moving a piece in a whole new direction.
  
• The challenge in reworking a familiar subject was the preservation of the original feeling or expression as Matisse called it. It took on a greater improvisational and inspirational role.
  

"One should be able to rework a masterpiece at least once to be very sure that one has not fallen victim to one's nerves or to fate." Henri Matisse

Thanks to Henri Matisse, I can and will revisit and reinvent my earlier designs and work, explore new possibilities with them rather than totally discard, abandon or classify as old. Very liberating.

Getting in the Game

The waiting is over. My colorful mind is no longer spinning in circles. I will now share my new beginnings.

"Blue Orbit" Box
Acrylic and texture paint, wood

• I am soon leaving my current job surrounded by lots of art and challenging clientele for a new location within the same industry-hospitality. I don't have to take on a third job that I don't want so I can continue making art.
  

• I am also going to be a contributing writer/blogger for artsavvy.com
  

• I now have a brand new laptop computer!! No longer will I feel like the artist left behind because of my outdated software and technological handicaps. No more excuses. No more holding back.

• I am dedicating more of myself to creating and marketing my art.
  

*********

Alright, so what exactly changed? Where did this new fire, or agni in Sanskrit, in my belly come? Was it:

• Watching the Olympics? Seeing and hearing about the athlete's hours, months and years of training, sacrifice, attitude, visualization techniques? The medal ceremonies?
  

• Watching and listening to the Oscars last weekend and hearing two winners accept their Academy awards:

Mo'nique was asked if she ever envisioned herself winning an Academy award and

her response was a resounding YES! "Why get in the game if you don't imagine it?"
and

Peter Doctor's acceptance speech for the movie "UP" on the inherent value
and importance of being creative and making art: "It's not a waste of time."

• Getting my taxes done and knowing going in that these past 3 years were not my best, that I was closing in on my window to show a profit like I had before or otherwise risk being classified as "hobby."
  

The envelope and answer please: ALL OF THE ABOVE.
I believe the fire in my belly just needed to be fanned some more. It's game time. Whatever it takes......

I will be the artist formerly known as hobby.

Supercalifragilious OM

I am presently in a state of wait. Anxiously and eagerly waiting to hear about several wonderful new beginnings. As soon as I have definite answers, you will read it here first. Since I am a slight bundle of nerves and having a little difficulty writing what I mean or want, all I can say is Supercalifragiliciousexpealodocious and OM. I've invited Mary Poppins to drop by to help me out today with my post. You are welcome to sing and chant along.

Supercalifragiliciousexpealodocious:

Mary Poppins(speaking): Of course it�s a word. And unless I�m very much mistaken, I think it�s going to prove a rather useful one.
(singing) When trying to express oneself, it�s frankly quite absurd
To leaf through lengthy lexicons, to find the perfect word.
A little spontaneity keeps conversation keen
You need to find a way to say precisely what you mean.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though the sound of it is simply quite atrocious
If you say it loud enough, you�ll always sound precocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Um diddle um diddle um diddle ay
Um diddle um diddle um diddle ay
and

OM

Om
4"x4" Acrylic on Canvas

The chanting of OM drives away all worldly thoughts and removes distractions and infuses new vigor in the body. The chanting of OM is a powerful tonic. I feel better.

OM diddle OM diddle OM diddle......AY!!