Good day Sunshine....

Today we were hopping at the gallery with over 30 visitors dropping by to check out the latest works. Chad Sines has been admitted to Parsons School of Design and will be making his way to live in New York in September. For those of you who do not know he has been very busy with his dynamic sculptor over at OSU and will published in the Spring in American Geniuses with a two page spread soooooo BRAVO young man. I am already planning my adventure back to New York to see and visit your studio. You have demonstrated the importance of believing in yourself and pure determination. Marilyn Stocker had a wonderful color class in the watercolor section where each student created their own color wheel. Michelle Channel carved a small colt with intricate carvings from air dry clay. Wow what if she decides to make them as small charms to wear. She has a Horse affair in the Arts this Saturday in Zanesville so she will be sure to knock their socks off. The publishers from Groveport came over and made a sweet deal for the LCA but I will let her release this positive information in the next Artprint. Don Gunnerson joined us and we tried to assure him that all was going to work out with this new move in his life...I don't think I have ever seen him laugh so much in a very long time. I made intricate marks with a fine watercolor brush on the first two watercolor pages for my New Zealand collage exchange...who knows where this exercise process will take me??? Maybe back to New Zealand??? I am planning a five to six layer project to share but we will see what develops. Vicki Noble came in for a special visit and say a special prayer for her mother and her surgery next Monday! She looks great but has been iced in during our frigid Northern Blast. We all agree to send out energy for an early Spring. Good news from Ohio Designer Craftsman!!! I have been notified that I am in the Best of OHIO 2009 for ODC. WoooHooo! Has anyone else heard some good news? My "Kookaburra" art quilt will travel now until the end of the year with 79 other artists. I have failed to enter this exhibit over the last five years for some or no reason at all. Now I am thrilled beyond belief to be part of this exciting event. Getting in a juried exhibit is great when it happens... but most of us know sometimes the juror has a different idea of what he or she is looking for to create a cohesive and interesting show. Eva and Allen Montgomery came in for a spin around our new space...I have missed this wonderful supporter of the Arts here in Licking county. Richard and Jessica Beckholt came in to share here portfolio and her wonderful "stuffed" creatures that delight the child in all of us! Liz Argyle came in to set up info about a special photo shoot of our personal works so be sure to read your newsletter for details. I am working on the article for Michelle about the value of making sacred marks and developing personal art as we evolve and grow. Walking out of the gallery into warm sunshine that fuels my spirit to carry on. Have a great evening and get out to take a walk in Nature. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Baby it is cold outside! ...March is roaring into Newark

The sun was shining and the sky was crystal blue and oh so inviting...until I walked outside. The winds kicked in the windchill fact and I felt as is I was frozen to my bones. I ran errands, checked in on Don's new studio space; he is making great progress in downsizing and making some pretty major changes as an 83 year old artist. I felt as if there was a message hidden in plain sight for me...if you don't use it you must lose it. In other words one needs to share the resources and continue the process with other artists so later on you do not have to seek and find a perfect place for our precious "art stuff". I came home with some great papers to incorporate into my next art exchange with artists in New Zealand...yes I said New Zealand...my wonderful kiwis! I am still playing with ideas that would cross cultural lines for easy communication ...or not.
I am working a little each day on my second Australian quilt and have made it to my mischievous wandjini. A wandjini is a childlike spirit that can produce a multitude of playful opportunities and mishaps in an ordinary day for those who travel by "dreaming". I have found some beautiful mother of pearl embellishments that hopefully will invite my viewer to come closer and study the mixed media layers in this process. I am sketching into my hand dyed fabric with various colors of thread before I add the colors I loved in Australia...my heart's memory still holds the radiance in my dreams.
I am getting tired and need to finish my notebook entries and sort through the collected papers I now cherish. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart