Allegro

Please stop in to Allegro Restaurant in Bennington, VT to eat their delicious food and to look at the beautiful landscapes on the brick wall.  Each of these five landscapes was done at the Old Mill House in Shaftsbury, owned by Kathy Link.  This is a preview of a larger exhibit to come.

North Bennington Plein Air Competition, 6-11, September, 2011

I was honored in September to recieve the People’s Choice Award at the North Bennington Plein Air Competition for this oil painting of King’s Pines, done in my favorite place here in Benningtion– Hadwen Woods.   I was additionally  deeply touched that it sold to our dearest friend, who has always supported me and my work as an artist.

I’m also proud of the two other of the paintings in the final show:  Hadwen Woods (I forgot to photo it and it’s on display right now), and the above Woman in Hadwen Woods,  which is my mother sitting on a bench looking out into a play of light on the hillside above the river—She now has that painting on her wall.   It’s one of my favorite pieces I’ve ever done, as is King’s Pines.  

The fourth painting, which I didn’t end up showing, was of my daughter under the canopy at the entrance to the woods, during a drizzly gray day.

 

But the back story of the four paintings done that week round out what is really an award week of love and support to me, not only as artist but as daughter, mother and friend:  In August I’d been diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer with Metastises to the Brain (multiple lesions, larger and smaller), CNS, Lymphatic system, and around several organs. SUddenly we were back to scans and tests and biopsies and ooooh so many appointments and adjustments.

So just before, during and after the plein air competition, I was taking steroids, support drugs, and walking to a three week course of  full-brain radiation every day.  I did NOT want to give up doing the Plein Air Event. It makes me feel proud to have these accomplished and varied artists come here and paint our beautiful place.  So my daughter Anna sat in the rain for me while I struggled with my brain and my “wobblieness”, and by the time Mom arrived to support me through the second half of both the radiation and the Plein Air Event, there was also fatigue, confusion, and I was blown-up from the steroids.  This does not begin to take into account what the entire family was responding to emotionally.

So, the recognition of my painting by the people in my community, and the honorable mention of my quick draw painting by a local artist judge, were especially appreciated at such a crazy time.  But it was my family and  friends (especially mom and Anna and John H) that were responsible for my making it through the week–it was because of them I could participate. My bff and framer, Joyce Kennedy, picked up my pieces…I never had to leave the safety of my woods, which are just across from my  house, while painting and I was able to make radiation every day.   I will never forget all the kindnesses shown me during that time so that I could continue to paint, even though it felt like I couldn’t paint, like I wasn’t myself.  People tell me I’m creative and talented.  Sometimes they tell me I’m funny or fun.  But what I am is this:  I am rich in LOVE.  That’s where everything comes from.

Meschutt Bay, July 2011

All oil on birchwood plywood, sizes from 5″ x 7″ (Anna reading)  7″ x 7″ (sunscreen, woman reading) to 10″ x 18″ (Kristin juggling).  July 2011.

 

 

This year’s annual trip to visit family in the Hampton’s resulted in some sweet, small oil sketches in oil…my favorite is of Kristin reading…I think it gets that last light of the day right.  But the most exciting to paint was Kristin juggling!  What a great model to keep that going for two late afternoon sessions!  That’s the kind of dedication to art I like to see.

Birch Trees at the Clark

7″ x 7″, oil on birch plywood, 2011

 

Rainy Monday afternoon class at the Clark a couple of weeks ago…..

Jon and Anna at the Old Mill House

Painting at the Old Mill House continues with Anna doing some modeling here and there, and today Jon took a bit of his precious vacation time to sit and read there as well.  Neither of these are finished—in fact I think I’ve got about six or seven paintings in progress at different times of day and different types of summer light and weather at that location right now.

 

Figure in the Landscape at the Clark Art Institute

I’m not the only one who likes painting landscapes with figures in ‘em!  The Clark is hosting a class instructed by Jaye Fox for five Monday afternoons.  I’ve taken the first two.  It’s not a traditional class with lessons, but a very individual consult type arrangement, with painters spread out across the grounds, and Jaye walking around to each painter to advise on the specific painting.

My two class efforts are below:  The straw sculptures around the grounds are so magnetic….I couln’t resist.  I will work on that painting again, the next time the light is similar.  The second one is from yesterday and depicts Jon and Anna playing chess.  Sorting out the perspective of the picnic table and deciding to lose a trash can in the original composition were very helpful highlights from the consultations with Jaye.

Both are oil skethces on birchwood plywood, 17 July 2011, 12″ x 16″.  The one of Jon and Anna is finished (since they said they’re not coming back to model again!), the other is not.

Jaye’s partner, Thor Wickstrom, completed three sketches while I did ONE!  They were terrific.

I am so attracted to these straw sculptures, that I have another painting going from the mornings on my own, which I hope to finish in the next couple of weeks.

Anna and the prayer plant at the Old Mill House

Anna and the prayer plant at the Old Mill House in Shaftsbury, oil on birch plywood, 16″ x 24, July 2011.

There are two things I love to paint most:  Landscapes and the people I love.  So, lately, painting Anna at the old Mill House brings the two together and it just doesn’t get any better.

Painting Anna at the old mill house

 

This week I had the wonderful opportunity to work on two new paintings of Anna at the old mill house—-the perfect combination of landscape and person I love….how could it get any better?

Waterfall view at the Old Mill House (view from the bridge)

oil on birchwood veneer, 16″ x 24″, June 2011

True Love Farm

True Love Farm, 12″ x 18″. oil on birchwood veneer, 2011.  This little oil sketch was done on site while the dancers were preparing for their “Emergence” performance.  See levhardware.wordpress.com or look up True Love Farm for more pictures and reviews of the event—It was FANTASTIC!!!!  I’ve never seen anything like it, and as the Banner Arts Editor said, it was the “most original thing I’ll see this summer!”  The vibe of the dance, the beautiful audience gathered on the hill overlooking the farm and out in three directions…..It’s hard to describe how amazing it was.  I was happy to get a little sketch time in as well up there….If you get the chance to attend anything at True Love Farm, stop whatever else is going on and get there.  It’s one of the most soul-feeding places I know.  AND—stop by the Farmers’ Market in Bennington on Saturday mornings and say hello.