Finding Yourself at Home
“Your artistic voice reflects your unique point of view, life experiences, identity, values, and what matters to you. Your voice is part of your DNA and there will never be anyone else on earth exactly like you. Your choice of style, skill, subject matter, and medium is yours alone.”
I spent most of July with my family. Three weeks on Martha’s Vineyard where I was born and raised and a few days in New Orleans with my brother and my SIL's family. I have deep roots and many relatives on Martha's Vineyard, even my 30 grade school classmates were the same core group of kids from nursery school through 8th grade and many still reside there. For me the Island is a crazy quilt of family and almost-family. My great, great grandfather, a fisherman who emigrated from the Azores, has 5 generations of descendants who call the island home. I don't think I could even recognize most of these "cousins" but I feel their presence when I am there.
Martha's Vineyard is a magnet for artists, writers and musicians who distill long quiet gray winters into beauty in every art form. This is a place where I feel my feet planted strongly in the artistic lineage of past, present and future.
In my own family everyone creates. My mom is a distinguished oil painter and shell artist, my dad carves wood into sculptures of birds and fish, my sister is an award winning animal photographer, my brother has transformed each room of his home into a haven with his hands. One niece is an incredible poet and two nephews are music makers. Their accomplishments feel like my success too.
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In this place life revolves around the sea and the seasons. Summers are a frenzy of colorful events and crowded with people. The fall is a time of peace, relaxation and connection to nature. In winter the land and the people hibernate and turn inward. Everything closes and gray overtakes everything. In spring, birds return and anticipation thrums beneath the ground as workmen swarm to prepare for another 100 day summer season. Each corner and each landscape of the island lives in my memory simultaneously in its past and present form.
I remember early morning ferry rides tossed by storms, all day beach picnics by jeep and fishing boat, hunting for quahogs with my toes and my head bobbing above the water, July 4th parades and fireworks, snowy winter fields with cold, solitary horses, the little brick church where I was baptized and married with its Tiffany stained glass windows. Long windswept beaches and tiny coves perfect for collecting seaglass and shells.
My visions are of the mood swings of the sea, boats of every kind and size, the waterfront villages with their weathered grey shingles and opulent flower gardens, the winding stone walls, the sound of fog horns and the lonely lighthouses. Many of these scenes appear in my artwork now and they have made an indelible mark on me.
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As an artist I often reflect on how to authentically share my life experiences, identity, values, and truth. This year I recognized the key inside me, inside my memories and experiences growing up in this unusual corner of the world. The seasons, the tides, the storms, the landscape, the traditions, the livelihoods, the year round residents, the influx of summer people, the day tourists, the ferries, the boats, the fish, the beaches are all part of the buffet of images I can draw from.
This year as I go deeper into my self expression I will bring out my personal history through a vocabulary of symbols, forms and motifs to use in my art that are uniquely my own and tied to my experiences on this small patch of land surrounded by the sea.
Already it has been a rewarding journey in so many ways. When I retell and share my memories with my family they amplify my experience with their own memories and stories and I get to relive the good emotions a second time. So much new insight and new information this trip!
I am fascinated by the question of how to portray the passage of time, the layering of memory, the layering of generations, growth and change in a single or a series of paintings. I am curious about the interplay of symbols, of story and history.
It is my hope that by digging into my memory and my history I will uncover some magic there that will connect me more deeply to my history and to you my viewers.
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Leaping into the icy cold water from the "Jaws" bridge is a summer tradition which I remember fondly and my kids adored. |
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When you desire to reach the heart of your own viewers you will find the path leads from your most vulnerable truth. When you are real and authentic, hearts open in recognition.
Early childhood is when we form our core personality, our opinion of ourselves as worthy or unworthy and the world as safe or unsafe. Understanding our connection to the past helps us to anchor ourselves in the present and be more accepting of who we are. It gives us a rich vein to mine for questions that are ours alone.
Over the years I have supported my students in exploring their own developing identities by searching for stories in their family history. While most of my students are less than 20 years old they have some incredibly deep insights.
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This student painted the rooms from the now abandoned house where she grew up. In silvery gray paint she imposed her memories of herself and her brother playing in each room over the current state of decay. |
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This student used objects from her home to acknowledge the power of her culture in her life. |
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A series examining the power in the sacred objects of her Jewish religion over commonplace foods and habits of modern life is the theme for this painting. |
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Another girl transformed hyper-feminine shoes, teacups, jewelry and perfumes into objects of female power and authority. |
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Consider the objects and experiences from your past, your culture, and your history to be your subject matter.
What made the strongest marks on you as a child? Was it your culture? an event? A family member? A place? What stories did your family tell? Who keeps the memories? Look through old photo albums and notice which images reach out to you through time. Why do they activate strong emotions? How could you use those images to touch someone else?
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I learned how to sail on a catboat like this in Edgartown Harbor. The author of the poem, Gale Huntington, is a relative of mine by marriage. |
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In this painting, my muse is Laura Jernegan, an Edgartown girl who kept a diary of her voyage on her father's whaleship. The view through the window is the Federated Church a site I would pass every day walking to my grandmother's house. |
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Reflect on what makes you unique and make a list of some elements you could use as symbols or motifs to personalize a new artwork or series. |
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Three generations of artists! |
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Are there treasures are buried in your family history? Let's explore those family roots, trees, and groves together…. I will be joining you in this endeavor as I experiment with some of my new ideas. Please feel free to connect with me and discuss where your own inquiries are leading. I would love to contribute to your inspiration. Please reach out, I welcome the conversation.
With Light and Delight,
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P.S. If you didn't get the chance to download your free gift from me: Here is my "Inner Artist Inspiration Package" - a series of illustrated quotes in watercolor based on flower photos taken by family and friends.
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Quote:
An artist is typically a being filled with so much passion, love or pain for certain lands, people, ideas or images that all they can do with that overflow is bleed it out by creating. And with this type of art, the energy will be shifted from the depths of them and into the depths of the audience to be felt. It is a dance. A transference. An intimacy. It is to touch and awaken another human in a place they hadn’t known was aching, or sleeping. Both are opened. Both are nourished. Both are transformed.
- Victoria Erickson.
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Thursday, August 11, 2022 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Boca Raton Museum of Art
501 Plaza Real
Boca Raton Florida 33432
561-392-2500
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Courageous and determined Japanese female artist Yayoi Kusama overcame impossible odds to bring her radical artistic vision to the world stage.
After working as an artist for over six decades, people around the globe are experiencing her installation Infinity mirrored rooms.
Her work has been described as “decorative yet apocalyptic” and “obsessive” in her use of repeated shape and forms.
Learn more about this intriguing and mysterious artist who continues her creative journey making new work every day.
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Painting will not stop missiles. Music will not end suffering. But culture is not powerless — and a visit to Ukraine reaffirmed what it can do at its best.
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Here is a wonderful example of art criticism using the power of digital media to draw attention to a 1638 Baroque painting by Rubens called "The Consequences of War".
The analysis of this painting gave me insight into the way allegory can be used to remind us that history repeats and human nature doesn't change. It is particularly enlightening as we observe the threat levels increase in Ukraine and around the world. Perhaps we can heed this reminder of the destructive power of war. I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did.
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Susan Convery
in the Vylactil Room
58 Dock Street in Edgartown, MA
Martha's Vineyard
July 10, 2022 5:30 - 7:30 pm
and
Catboats, Catboats
July 16-23
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New artworks. The opening was on a perfect Vineyard summer night with lots of people out exploring the new town wharf and the busy restaurants. The gallery was crowded with art enthusiasts and interested passers by. I had a lovely time reconnecting with family and old friends who made the special effort to find parking and attend. Several pieces stayed on for the special Catboat show and event the following week.
The Old Sculpin is best known as the boat building shop formerly owned by Manuel Swartz Roberts. This historic building is now home to the Martha's Vineyard Art Association, a group of juried artists living, working, and teaching on the island. The Old Sculpin has been a gallery space for the Art Association since 1953 and has been used to display the creative output of an array of artists who have found inspiration in the people, places, and spirit of the Vineyard.
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4000 Morikami Park Road
Delray Beach, Florida 33446
July 21, 2022 | 5:30pm – 7:30pm
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The Museum opened its doors to welcome us to take a leisurely stroll through the six distinct gardens. It was a beautiful, hot Florida night, with a light breeze carrying the music throughout the park. We had a peaceful stroll through the gardens and a chance to connect with some birds and the other visitors there.
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Western Algarve
June 17 - 25, 2023
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My Portugal Women’s Art Retreat is coming together!
Save the dates of June 17 - 25, 2022 when I will be bringing you to the town of Burgau in the Portuguese Algarve.
Burgau is a small fishing village on a pristine beach near the Costa Vicentina National Park.
The Western Coast is considered to be the least spoiled and least touristy and most scenic part of the Algarve. It’s made up of rugged cliffs, a national park, and numerous small, often empty, and incredibly beautiful beaches.
From our comfortable base in Burgau we will explore nearby villages, the caves and cliffs as well as a famous pottery studio.
There will be daily painting time, optional early morning yoga and meditation as well as delicious food, great company and conversation.
Full details will follow soon.
Please let me know if you would like to attend as spots are limited.
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Private Lessons and Events |
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Master Classes for High School Students |
Private, highly personalized classes in mastery for artistically-minded US & international students virtually on Zoom or in person at my home.
If you have a student who is a visual thinker, willing to push the boundaries of their own work, and serious about improving their options for college, I want to hear from you! Schedule a time to discuss how I can collaborate with you to build a portfolio that will give your student the greatest chance for success.
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Art Workshops, Critiques & Presentations |
Invite me to present or lead a workshop for your school, club, or guild.
I can customize a program for your event or present my skills programs on composition, color theory, drawing faces, coordinating light/shadow or understanding the cues for depth. I am available for judging, confidence-building critiques and recorded tutorials.
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Improve Your Artist Statement |
If you would like to delve more deeply into your own inner questions and clarify your thoughts as you create an artist statement for your website, a gallery show, a sponsor, or another project, please reach out, and let’s talk. I have helped many students write compelling statements for AP Art, college applications, and competitions.
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A personalized experience, full of art and discovery, for those who….
- are traveling alone, or with a couple of friends
- would like a much more personal, flexible, and free experience, and lots of fun, too, tailored exactly to your needs, interests, and experience level
- may want to combine painting with exploring and discovering South Florida with organized trips and tours and really get to know the ‘real’ South Florida
- would like to book in for a shorter or longer time than most workshops
- don’t want to have to bring a mountain of supplies in their luggage
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Sketchbook Prompt:
Think back on a family ritual from when you were a child…perhaps a favorite holiday, annual celebration or birthday routine. Is there an object you associate with this event? One particular memory? Draw your memory or your object.
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Please contact me if you are interested in adding any of the paintings below to your collection.
I will deliver if you live within a 2-hour drive and if you live further away, I will give you a reasonable price for shipping.
Venmo, CashApp, PayPal and Zelle are welcomed.
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Title: Moonrise Tigress
Media: Watercolor on Arches
Size: 22" x 30" Unframed, 29" x 37" framed
Price: $850.00
Frame: Gold Frame with a 3" mat
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Title: Serenity Now
Media: Watercolor on Waterford
Size: 22" x 15" unframed, 29"x 22" framed
Price:$750
Frame: Gold frame with 3" Mat
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Title: Reaching Home
Media: Watercolor on Arches
Size: 22" x 15" unframed, 29" x 22" framed
Price:$750
Frame: Gold frame with 3" mat
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Title: Summer Old Sculpin
Media: Watercolor on Arches
Size: 15" x 22" unframed, 22" x 29" framed
Price: $750
Frame: Gold frame with 3" white mat
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Title: Peace Roses
Media: Watercolor on Waterford
Size: 22" x 15" unframed, 29" x 22" framed
Price: $650
Frame: Gold frame with 3" white mat
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Title: Rose Riot
Media: Mixed Media
Size: 9" x 12" unframed, 16" x 20" framed
Price: $250
Frame: Gold frame with 3" white mat
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Want to see past issues of my newsletters? Visit this link on my website. |
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