Every Inchie Monday...Harmony

I am in a tizzy trying to get everything together for a family reunion visit from my brother and his family...help me to complete my assigned jobs. This week's Inchie is "harmony" and at first I wanted to a Ying-Yang theme but I looked down at my 19 year old cat Desdemona sleeping right next to my feisty little dog Rose Marie. They still play daily and enjoy each others company and keep the house safe and guarded when I am down in my studio. I hope you have had a great weekend and enjoy my piece dedicated to harmony. Imagine and Live in peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

The Final Friday Art Walk...Newark goes to the dogs...

Friday was one long day for me...I began with a busy day in the studio...and then I promised to be open to allow the watercolor artists to have a second opening to coordinate with the Final Friday Art Walk. I had hoped they would have a larger turnout with a tiny bit of word of mouth or an email from the LCA to announce this second chance opening. Unfortunately there was a very small attendance but they had plenty of wine and snacks and cheese. I pleaded with them to be ready to leave by 8 o clock because this was a second opening and I needed to get home....the last time I agreed to help keep the central gallery open ended up being a 12 hour day for me and I was in bed on Saturday for most of my day. My Lupus just does not permit me to have the long days i used to perform without a second thought. I found myself a bit disappointed because not one artist came in to buy even a small card ...to help cover my rent. I have been warned that people do not take you serious if you are not being paid for even your time. I think I have lived to learn another lesson...if I am tired and do not feel appreciated I need to just say no without guilt. Enough said.

Ken gave my Rosie a bath and she was all excited to be coming down to the Art Walk but unfortunately she just could not settle down. I was hoping she would get used to our second home...my second home at least ...but I will have to try to have her accompany me on a Saturday so she can acclimate to the new surroundings and take her mandatory naps on my futon in the small office area. Maybe next time we will experiment with our quiet time together. I love her because she never complains or criticizes my works. :O)

Today I went down in a solitary experience making my work table more presentable when my little brother arrives with his family on Monday morning for a couple days of family reunion. I went to the grocery for the preliminary shopping for the extras we will need with 5 extra house guests. Ken made his special sauce for the baby back ribs and tomorrow I will begin my baking for easy breakfast foods for in the mornings. We taste tested our favorite farm stand fresh corn...and yes it is sweeter and we should be ready to pick up about 18 more ears of sweet corn and tomatoes for the dinner table.

I need to work on my Inchie for Monday...the inspiration is "harmony" and I had planned on a ying and yang medallion piece but today I found something more enticing to make. I need to get it finished before Monday so I can enjoy my family for a couple days. Have a great weekend and make time to create...even with company coming. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

I had a glorious day in the studio....

I have had a great day in my studio today. Lots of inquisitive visitors and young artists just itching to get their hands in my sticky gooey gel mediums and paints and papers. Today We worked in the collage process. I felt exhilarated when the young artist Jen declared "She wanted her own studio!" and loved this afternoon of Process...not know where she would end up at the end of the afternoon. She was delightfully surprised to see how her first collage came to life and was nothing like she thought it would be when finished. We worked for three hours and I stayed another couple hours to work on some small collages for my sympathy cards. I think you can see how we spent the day working with canvas, gesso and acrylics to create backgrounds. The we moved onto stamping on sheer illuminating tissue colors ...this does take some practice and in time one can become quite agile in creating layers. I had a couple families come in for requests for summer afternoon lessons and I explained the Family nigh adventures on Wednesday nights. I have a small doll workshop next Thursday afternoon and will be checking my calendar to set up a follow up lesson.

I have been on line looking into "hurt"sales with Interweave Publications. I get lost in all the talent out there and even though I can only afford a couple I get jazzed when I dive into a book ...seeking new tools and techniques to layer my own process. After a long time in consideration....get ready...I am getting a list of workshops I am offering in the studio for this Fall. Some will be scheduled for a full Saturday of exercises and some you will finish with a small sample to go home and share and develop your own styles and strengths into larger pieces of work. Yes I am planning to continue my Family night at the Grill Deli Art experiences but hopefully I will offer an evening workshop for those who might need a helping hand in babysitting. My goal is to seriously model how to make ART every day in one way or another...small bay steps...journals...simple books... dolls...possible gifts for the upcoming Holidays and finally maybe some screen prints. I will post these opportunities soon and once they fill...well we will just see how this goes. I am learning each day ...something I want to include in my own processes. If only I did not have to sleep.

Where did the week fly off to? Tomorrow is the Final Friday Art Walk in downtown Newark ...Newark has Gone to the Dogs! is the theme with lots of four legged friends joining in on the celebrations. I will be open with Miss Rosie so come on down and see Marilyn Stocker's students exhibit of water media "potpourri" from 5 to 8 pm. Have a great evening! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Splotch paintings for all...

I am tired right now but I truly loved working with the children tonight making splotch paintings and then seeking to search for a magical creature or flower garden that they could use magic colored pencils to embellish. We had a special ice cream cake to celebrate a birthday of one of the weekly patrons of the deli here on second street. It was a delicious treat and added to the gay atmosphere. I attempted to keep the art activities dedicated to the young children...this is for them with me as a guide. I fail to see how setting up a competition between child and adult could help them ...we all create from our life experiences and to be honest the youthful approach is often fearless and to be envied. I think it was Picasso who once said he painted his whole life to be able to once again to feel free to paint like a child. As you see the photos I think you will smile when you look at their delicate and fun brushstrokes.

Tomorrow I have two students coming in to explore the art of collage so I want to give them several ideas...so we all can play with this concept of layering a personal narrative. I want to include some intuitive sketches in their composition ..so I will post later on how well this approach works. I have all the supplies ready but I want to make the table ready early so they can just come in and relax. On Friday we have the Final Art Walk with dogs as the theme...I am considering taking my Rosie to work with me for the event but I honestly do not know what she will do or how she will behave. Rosie knows no strangers.

I hope to maintain my energies tomorrow...We have family coming in to visit on Monday from Philadelphia for a couple days so we have grocery shopping and preparations to make before then. I am praying for good weather so the children can go swimming and come back and have a cookout. Then we will all head out to meet up with a family reunion on Saturday in Indianapolis. Busy busy busy...time to just slow down and reflect. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart