This Thanksgiving weekend (and for the past several months), I have been feeling incredible gratitude for space—in particular, for my delicious new studio space. The converted double garage is bathed with soft daylight, an artist’s dream and an absolute balm on these gloomy, Northwest days of drizzle. Even after sunset (which happened at 4:22 today), my four color-balanced cloud lights enable glare-free painting well into the night.
Equally vital, the space is free from household visual and aural distractions, just far enough from the rest of the house to feel I have “gone to work” for the day. The planned window into the back yard never materialized due to structural constraints, and the only non-frosted window is curtained (for security and privacy) with a piece of portrait linen. If I’m feeling too cut off from life, I can clip open the fabric and see lake-bound passers-by, but I find this visual solitude enhances my focus, my entry into "the zone."
My decade-long accumulation of art books and supplies are mostly in the adjacent room (my old studio), so I can keep focused on what is current and inspiring. It is a blessed bubble that allows for extended periods of focus, more freedom to experiment with new approaches, and the accelerated learning that comes with working on multiple paintings at the same time. (I have the two longest walls outfitted with grids of screws to hold up to ten paintings at a time.) Giving thanks indeed.
SNOW ON SHOW: I will have some charming snow paintings on display in the coming months. Seattle’s Fountainhead Gallery has its annual group show opening this week, and I’ll have two snowscapes featured. I’d love to see you at the festive opening reception on Saturday, December 2, 5-7 pm. I also have three tree-in-snow portraits on display at Kneeland Gallery in Sun Valley if you are headed to the slopes this winter. These little gems are great for holiday gift-giving or seasonal display.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2017: From January through March, I will be pairing up with my friend, still life painter Jordan Parietti, in "Duets," a group show featuring 25 Women Painters of Washington members plus their fellow guest artists. The show is in the WPW Gallery in downtown Seattle in the Columbia Tower, and runs from January 8 to March 30. I will post to Facebook the days I will be working at the gallery--hope you can stop in and see the show.
Jordan and I will pair up again at Fountainhead Gallery for the month of March. It will be all new work from both of us, so stay tuned on my Facebook and Instagram pages through the early winter for sneak peaks of close-up views of my long-beloved muse, Green Lake.
Until then, you know where to find me.