Contemporary Abstract Expressionism at ArtSpace Maynard

I am excited to see how our work converses with one another! 

This will be an energetic, lyrical, and thought provoking show.

I will be exhibiting pieces from a fews years back as well as some brand new work.

ArtSpace Maynard 

Continuum Continues

The Unexpected Form of my Grief

2017

oil on unstretched canvas

74x63

This weekend, June 3rd & 4th, is the last chance to see
Continuum:  5 years on at the Sprinkler Factory, Worcester, MA.

New Work from Christine Croteau, Joanne Holtje, Ted Lilley,
Philip Marshall, Lynn Simmons, and Mark Spencer

The gallery will be open from 1-4 p.m. both days.

On Sunday, starting at 2 p.m. we will have a public discussion about our work.  Refreshments will be served!

Sprinkler Factory Gallery West
38 Harlow St.
Worcester, MA

A Wonderful Opening Reception

Thanks to everyone who came out to make this a great celebration!

Sprinkler Factory Gallery, West
38 Harlow St., Worcester, MA

Gallery Hours:  Saturdays & Sundays 1-4 pm
Show closes June 4th

Installation Underway!

I was going to have some nifty shots of our installation process, but, alas, my battery was DOA.

You are just going to have to take my word for it that things are shaping up magnificently at the Sprinkler Factory Gallery West.

Please join us for our reception this Saturday evening!

Sprinkler Factory
38 Harlow Street
Worcester, MA

Reception, Saturday, May 13, 2017 from 6-9 p.m.

Sprinkler Factory: Here we come!

Gearing up to install this show!  I am super excited because I adore this space and love these artists.  It is always an exciting day when we all show up, nerves tingling, with our current works, ready to make magic happen.

I will be showing (have I mentioned this already?) my two largest paintings, ever.

May the gods of all things level and square be with me (not my natural forte) as I attempt to hang a nine panel painting.

Please come join us for our opening celebration on Saturday, May 13, 2017 6-9 p.m.

Sprinkler Factory Gallery West

38 Harlow Street

Worcester, Ma  

(artsier than you think!)

Found Journal Series at the Anchor House

Show is up and looks great in the space.

Gallery Director, Michael Tillyer, persuaded me to have the found journal pages on display along with the art.  I have always been protective of them, so I initially felt uncomfortable, but now I see how powerful it is to include them.

Please come join us at the opening on Friday night Northampton’s Arts Night Out

February 10 5:30 - 8:30p.m.

Anchor House of Artists

518 Pleasant St., Northampton

gallery hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday 1-6p.m.

The Last Week: Anamnesis of Place at Oxbow Gallery

The opening was a wonderful event.  Thanks to everyone who braved the oppressive heat and humidity!

People have been drifting in all month, but now the show is in its last week.
This Thursday through Sunday
 noon until five p.m. and then its all over.

Catch it now!

Oxbow Gallery

275 Pleasant Street

Northampton, MA

New Works: Anamnesis of Place at The Oxbow Gallery

Getting Creative

Sure, artists are used to being creative in the studio, but we have to be creative in getting our work out into the world, too.

When Hammond Residential Real Estate in Belmont, Massachusetts asked if I would be interested in displaying my work in their office for a couple months I said “Yes!”

With lots of help and support from them (special thanks to Laura and Mary Ellen), I have 15 paintings on exhibit now through the end of the year.

Hammond is graciously hosting a reception this Wednesday night from 6:00 to 7:30.
Please stop in and say ‘hello” if you can.

Hammond Real Estate
84 Leonard Street,
Belmont, MA
Reception Wednesday, November 4th, 6-7:30 p.m.
Show runs until December 30th, 2015

Materials matter

At this Point,
2015,
mixed media on panel,
18x18









Just like thinking about the self as being comprised of three intermeshing components of body, mind and spirit, paintings include intuition, concepts, and materials.

Depending on the artist, usually one of these three aspects is emphasized.  Sometimes one or more of them are denounced, but they are generally all present.

This piece was primarily about materials:  exploring the physical qualities and limitations of paint, the surface and various additives.

There are areas of gritty texture,areas of sheer glossy darks, and areas thick opaque colors.

More soon on an upcoming solo show!

River Eddy
2015
oil on panel
16x20


Yesterday I picked up a “new” camera at a yard sale and finally got back to shooting my work.

This is a piece I started in July when I was at Bennington College taking a MASS Art workshop taught by Honour Mack from MECA.

The course was called Painting from Perception into Imagination.

I will post some of the more perception (observation is really what she meant) based pieces soon.

Art Across the River, Oxbow Gallery & Gallery A3

Ascent no. 3
2015
oil on canvas
36x24













The cooperative gallery that I belong to in Northampton, MA, The Oxbow Gallery and the cooperative Gallery in Amherst, MA, Gallery A3 have joined forces to put on a joint show at both locations concurrently for the month of August.

This piece of mine was selected by the curators to be included at the exhibit at the Oxbow location.

Here are the details:
Gallery A3 located at 28 Amity Street, Amherst, MA
Opening reception Thursday August 6th, 5-8 p.m.

The Oxbow Gallery located at 275 Pleasant Street, Northampton, MA
Opening reception Friday, August 14th, 5-8 p.m.

Stop by and say hello!  I will be at the Oxbow for the probably the whole thing, but the last half for certain.

Cool Blue Groove
2015
acrylic, graphite on canvas
24x36


This painting will be up for auction to help raise funds for Life is Good Playmakers.

The Life is good Kids Foundation or “Playmakers” is an organization focused on the  power of optimism as a healing tool.

They primarily serve young children who have been traumatized either through a natural disaster or family abuse/neglect.

Many thanks to Jay Munsey, the organizer of this fundraising golf tournament and auction.

I hope it does well for them!

Gallery A3 Show

Crystal Imperfection
2015
oil, graphite on panel
12x9

It has been a while since I’ve put any work in a show, but this piece will be at Gallery A3 in Amherst, Massachusetts as part of their annual juried show.

John R. Stomberg, Director of Mount Holyoke College Art Museum served as juror and curator for this show

Show runs July 2nd through August 1st.
Opening:  Thursday July 2nd 5-8 p.m.
Artists’ Reception:  Saturday, July 11th 4-7 p.m.
Curator’s talk:  Thursday, July 16 7:30 p.m.

Gallery A3 is a cooperative gallery, located at 28 Amity St. in Downtown Amherst.

Next month the gallery I belong to, The Oxbow Gallery of Northampton and Gallery A3  are putting on joint exhibitions at both locations, so I will be involved in that too.

An Uncertain Geometry
2015
4x4 inches
mixed media:  collage, oil, graphite on paper mounted on board


This is a wee little thing, but it pleases me.

I made it during a totally exhilarating,  sometimes nearly chaotic, workshop at Castle Hill in Truro, Massachusetts.

The class was called Working the Surface and was taught by Bonney Goldstein.

I have long admired her work, and she was great fun to learn from.  A real fireball, she is!

There was a lot of experimentation with materials, and techniques.  For example, I used more collage elements than is usual for me.

Fields of Blue

2015
acrylic on canvas
24x36



I am finally wising up to the fact that when I ask friends and fellow artists to weigh in on a painting, it means I am not done, not fully satisfied that I have pushed it as far as I can.

It is as if I am hoping someone’s words will make me feel the way I feel when I know a painting is completed to the best of my ability.

This is probably the most critical thing for any artist to learn:  to learn listen to and trust in their own barometer.  Might actually be the most important thing for any human to learn!

Despite that, I do thank the people who looked at and shared their thoughts on this piece in its last iteration (see last post).

Talking with people you trust about your work can help you develop your inner listening.

Now all I need is a title…….

R&F Paints' Pigment Sticks

Not yet titled
2015
24x18
oil and graphite on panel















This is one of the pieces I made at R&F Paints at a recent workshop.

 It is  a metamorphosis of a painting I started last summer in a workshop with Tim Hawksworth.  I say metamorphosis because like an insect, it bares little resemblance to its previous (larval?) state, but I know what's in there and that it lead me to this place.

When listing materials, I do not differentiate between tube oils and oil sticks.
I frequently used them together.

I exclusively use R&F Pigment sticks (their name for their oil sticks).
Now that I have witnessed how they are made by hand by artists who are passionate about them, I will never again begrudge the price sticker.

Seriously, there is one guy standing over one machine hand grinding each batch.

While we were there in March the paint mixers were developing new colors and our class got to test them out!  Yippee!

R&F offers many workshops and all the paint you want to use is included in the tuition.  Can I say "yippee" again ?

It was a great experience to work in this environment of abundance and generosity.

R&F makes artists the center of their mission.  The studio space is comfortable, well-lit, with good ventilation.  They have a gallery on premise, and I think everyone who works there is an artist as well.

By now it is obvious that I am a fan!  I recommend trying the sticks, visiting the factory in Kingston, or taking a workshop.

Another Great Workshop

Last weekend I went to R&F Paints in Kingston, NY for an oil stick, er pardon me, pigment stick workshop with Lisa Pressman.

If you aren't familiar with Lisa Pressman, she is a terrific artist who works in both oil and encaustic.
She has an exhibit in both media right now at the gallery at R&F.

Lisa is one of those rare people who is both gifted at making art and coaching others.

She does demos etc. of her own techniques, but has this uncanny ability to sense where you are in your artistic life and with a very "light touch" offer some words of insight to nudge you on, deeper, beyond old habits and fall-back imagery.

She kicked off the workshop with an exercise, using 6x6 squares of paper.  The rest of the time we were working mostly on our own.

Even though they are "quickies" (or maybe particularly because they are "quickies"), I am enjoying some of them.  It was also fun, back here at home to group them together.

Oil stick and graphite on prepared paper
6x6
2015



More of the larger pieces to come.
Also, next time I will get into how awesome R&F is.

A Gallery to Call My Own

Ascent no.1
2015
36x48
oil on canvas

I am happy to officially announce that I am now a member of
Oxbow Gallery in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Oxbow is a terrific gallery, owned and operated by its artist members.

I am both excited and humbled to be included with this group of diverse and very strong artists!

A Place In Mind

Today the paintings went up!
Twenty five in all.
Some have been shown before, and some are brand, spankin' new.

It should be a terrific night with concert following the opening:
Les Amis Creole....Love that Zydeco!



Laissez les bon temps rouler!






Solo Show Opens this Saturday
October 18, 2014 5:30-7:30
The Center at Eagle Hill
242 Old Petersham Road, Hardwick, MA