Everything old is new again

Looking around our "new" house (circa 1725) I realize that many of my art treasures actually look like they belong here. This is kind of helpful as we try to settle in. Because after 42 years, 4 daughters, 7 grandkids, 5 dogs and countless friends who helped instill fond memories in our first old house this new old house might have felt rather empty.

Our new old house in Andover, MA

It's actually anything but empty. Although we decluttered and de-collected for the move, we've still got "stuff". Some of what came with us probably confounded the movers - like old barn boards with peeling paint that I bubble-wrapped because just-the-right-amount-of-paint was curling away from the wood. I'm not sure if it's the design effect of peeling paint or the sense of history that intrigues me, but those boards made the move. I like old stuff.

Functional objects have meaning and purpose to rely on but old, vintage objects have stories and personalities that sustain their value. Maybe that explains why an old Bavarian teapot got together with a Shawnee-era pig planter to form a relationship. And Blind Date was born.

©2018 Dorothy Lorenze, Blind Date

These things make me smile even when the memories aren't technically "mine."

But, there are plenty of things around here that hold memories of ours. Like the giant crockery jug by the fireplace. It collects change that grandkids have counted and coin-rolled for us, keeping a roll of coins for themselves. I'm hoping that's a fun memory for them.

In fact this photo of our new home is full of memories already. My first sculpture, an old man sitting on a bench, was greeted and kissed by our one year old grandson this week. The sculpture is not exactly a Michelangelo, but I remember it as an early attempt at realism and apparently my grandson thinks so too. On the mantel are some vintage Santas as well as a small oil painting of ornaments that hung on my parent's childhood Christmas trees. Just some of the things making this new house feel like home.

©2014 Dorothy Lorenze, Christmas Keepsake 1943

I have managed to paint a little since we moved, but I was working on a Christmas gift so it can't show it yet. Instead, here is a glimpse into my studio which is nearly unpacked and somewhat organized. (If the video is not live here - never tried to upload a video to my blog - you can take a look at it on Instagram at @dorothylorenzefineart or on my Facebook page Dorothy Lorenze Fine Art here.)

Holiday traditions are a big deal. And while they are special, fulfilling them can be overwhelming. My advice: keep the ones that feed your soul, ditch the ones that don't, and borrow the ones that feed your belly (full disclosure: I make latkes in December). I'm learning, during this life transition, that traditions are a warm thing to wrap yourself in, a reminder of your personal story. Traditions invite nostalgia, which as I've written before, is more about reaching for belonging than loss or wistfulness. It's looking inward, not backward.

That's what painting does for me. I enjoy the challenge of rendering realism - it definitely feeds my soul. And the vintage items that are my subjects tend to develop relationships that add some meaning - whether touching or humorous! This painting of shaving brushes really is about families, their similarities and differences, but clearly, all of the same tribe. It's called Family Resemblance, naturally. This painting and Vintage Barber Brushes can be seen at Mark Twain Library in Redding, CT through this week.

©2019 Dorothy Lorenze, Family Resemblance

Also on view at Whistler House Museum is my cheeky painting Chick Please. That show goes through January 25th in Lowell, MA.

©2018 Dorothy Lorenze, Chick Please, 11 x 14"

The objects we surround ourselves with matter. I hope you follow your heart in creating the space you live in. Make it personal, not just trendy. I'm grateful that my appreciation of the past and the vintage objects that relate to it help me find deeper meaning and connection to the present.

As we put this crazy year behind us, I wish you all warm connections this holiday season, with an abundance of peace, joy, love, laughter and deliciousness!

Thank you, once again, for joining me on my art adventure. Happy Holidays!

Please feel free to share this post with anyone you think might enjoy it.

A new chapter

Not much to tell in the way of art news at the moment because the big news is that, after 42 years in our home in Somers, we have moved from NY to MA. It's been a long and utterly exhausting process that won't be over until everything has a new (perhaps temporary) resting place.

And I won't feel settled in until I'm back at my easel.

Might take awhile. That's the studio four days ago.

We're looking forward to this new adventure. The main reason for the move was to be closer to family so we are in Andover - near enough to the kids and close to art opportunities from Cape Cod to Boston and Newburyport. I've already joined the Whistler House Museum Art Center, entering their annual show, and am looking forward to exploring the local art world. 

The original part of our new - old - house was built in the early 1700s and has the historic character I love, along with modern amenities like... bathrooms. There is also a beautiful white marble kitchen! But studio space was a priority and the new(ish) lower-level room with three full-length windows, plus French doors, will be perfect.

This weekend I took a break from unpacking to paint the studio walls a mid-tone grey and set up bookshelves for my painting props. It's beginning to look like my space. I had planned to fix up a little corner, ignore the boxes for a bit and get to work on a small painting. But first... I'll have to find the paint! Needless to say, there is more unpacking do. 

Early in the move-planning I did carve out time for these sweet vintage shaving brushes. A great exercise in distinguishing subtle, neutral color in the brush hairs.

Family Resemblance ©2019 Dorothy Lorenze 6x9"

Somewhere between accepting an offer and preparing for our closing I gave in to my painting urge to work on this pair of barber brushes. It was meant to be a simple continuation of neutral brush color exploration. But then I added a fabric background reminiscent of 1900s wallpaper for a little interest... and a lot of detail. Obviously I was missing painting and I love how it ended up.

Vintage Barber Brushes ©2019 Dorothy Lorenze, 8x10"

Initially I had felt bad (aka lazy) about not working during the move prep. But it's not that I was too tired, unmotivated, or didn't feel the muse. I pretty much always want to paint. The real problem was all the thinking! Nothing is routine and your mind is on overload. 

I've written about the decision making aspect of painting before. Each stroke is either lighter or darker, warmer or cooler, vibrant or neutral. I can honestly say that my time away from painting was not due to being physically worn out, but about being mentally exhausted. 

Decision overload is a real thing. Basically, having fewer decisions to puzzle over leads to better decisions-making. Figuring out the move was where my mental energy needed to be and painting without being able to make good decisions just isn't worth it. 

So, it's been a frustratingly "dry" time but I don't feel disappointed with myself. Other priorities really had to take precedence. We are beginning to settle in and each day turns a page in our new chapter.

This photo of the studio was taken just a few days after the first one. It's getting there! (Full disclosure: the large pile of unopened boxes is still to the right).

And just for fun, below is a pile of drop cloth that made me smile. It reminds me of a giant version of Sadie Valeri's vapor-like still life compositions. Seriously, check out her paintings rendering diffused light through semi-transparent waxed paper and you'll see what I mean.

So, I'm thinking about painting canvasses while painting walls. Good mental prep! I look forward to sharing new paintings very soon.

If you enjoy reading my artsy newsletter, please share with anyone you think might find it of interest. Thanks for joining me on my art journey. 

Greetings from Andover, MA

Humbled by the women at Steamboat Art Museum

You know how they say "it's an honor just to be nominated"? Well, it was an honor - and a humbling experience - to have my painting Chick Please juried into American Women Artists' national exhibit, Looking West, at Steamboat Art Museum. While I didn't "win", I did gain signature status with AWA and that feels pretty good!

Chick Please ©2018 Dorothy Lorenze, 11x14", oil on linen

American Women Artists is an important organization not just because they support women artists, but because they provide opportunities for the public to view more quality works of art - that just happen to be made by women. That's a win-win.

According to the Smithsonian, 87% of artists in our museums' permanent collections are...not...women. Fortunately the under-representation of women artists is being seriously challenged and organizations like AWA are working every day to eliminate gender bias in the art world. A good example is this exhibit at Steamboat Art Museum.

An admiring crowd of art lovers at the well-attended Steamboat Art Museum reception.

San Jose Mission Doors by Nancy Lilly, pastel

I was able to attend the reception and symposium in Steamboat Springs where exhibiting artists  were very welcoming to this newcomer!

During the symposium we learned how women are making headway in the art world today. Four artists spoke about their work and their artistic experience. Heide Presse demonstrated her depth of research to illustrate a woman's journey along the Oregon Trail. Carole Carter shared how she reinvented her art practice and effectively markets her work using social media. Jann Haynes Gilmore researched, resurrected and published the story of Olive Rush, a valued artist in the early 1900s. And Donna Howell Sickles spoke about achieving success in the firmly male world of cowboy - and cowgirl - art. Educated, hard-working artists, all.

Below is part of the special exhibition featuring Heide Presse's work based on the actual journal of a woman who travelled west by stagecoach in the 1840s. To accurately represent the experience Heide sewed authentic wardrobe including quilted sun bonnets for her contemporary cast. Talk about dedication and preparation!

We Set our Faces Westward exhibit by Heide Presse

Steamboat Springs is a charming town with gorgeous snow peaked mountains behind storefronts reminiscent of a mid 19th century mining town. Entrenched in history and art, it was the perfect setting for this exhibit.

While my AWA adventure was enlightening, it was also a bit intimidating. These women are professionals in every sense of the word, fully dedicated to their work and it shows. Their paths were inspirational. How they manage to be so accomplished is probably a bit more complicated and nuanced. Life happens. No doubt all have been through periods that challenged their productivity.

Art-making takes preparation, dedication... and time. I've been asked how to find the time and my  answer has been to make the time by prioritizing painting. True enough, but lately that's been difficult as we are preparing to move. It takes time - and exhausting mental energy - to wade  through years of accumulated treasures, memories... and junk! This week I was pretty fed up with my lack of painting time and finally plunked myself in front of a canvas. It's not going all that well.

The thing is painting is a series of decisions. With every brush stroke you consider color, value, hue, contrast, edges, form. Every. Time. That's a lot of decisions. I'm painting a simply elegant pair of antique barber's brushes. But, because I can't leave well enough alone, I added a rich fabric background, reminiscent of vintage wall paper, for contrast.

Feel free to roll your eyes because... no, I will never learn.

My studio (which doubles as a storage bunker) is under siege as we purge for moving so I'm set up in the kitchen where the light is terrible but the AC is good. It's a bit of a struggle. (Plus there's the distraction of knowing I should be packing.) I'm giving myself a few days to substitute making painting decisions for making packing decisions and while it's frustrating, it also feels like a gift.

Work in Progress: Barber Brushes ©Dorothy Lorenze

I could go on and on about the chaos of moving... but then there would be no time to paint! (or pack, or sleep). So if you're wondering why it's taken so long to write about a Steamboat Springs trip from back in June, now you know. And if you find yourself in Colorado this month you can still check out Steamboat Art Museum: Looking West which is up through September 2nd.

Thanks for joining me on my art journey... and for staying connected as we literally journey to a new home and studio. Challenging times bring even greater appreciation for my community of artists, friends and supporters. So. Many. Thanks.

Prepping for Passion

I hear there are people who plan their tasks and activities... and stick to it. Sadly, that's not me. But even though I don't fill a calendar with blocks of studio time, I do paint often and I'm trying to be ok with that.

The thing is there are more painting ideas than there is painting time, so it can feel like I'm falling behind. But, I'm trying to focus on what I can do and not what I think I should do: finding time for painting in between... life.

When it comes to art, it may be hard to be disciplined, but it's easy to be passionate.

Not to malign discipline, but passion can be a more powerful force. And here's an example why: this little painting of shaving brushes was started while I was out of town - helping with baby, toddler and puppy care for a week!

I had borrowed the brushes from a friend and was looking forward to painting them, so I packed my easel hoping for a place to set up, out of sight and reach of little ones. And it worked because having a designated spot at the ready means getting back to painting quickly. Even short bits of time can be productive.

The composition was kept simple to focus on the textures and surfaces of this fuzzy family. And that  made stopping and starting easier.

Family Resemblance ©2019 Dorothy Lorenze, 6x9"

The day after returning home from my "toddler adventure" I got reorganized, repacked and headed to a portrait workshop in Vermont. It's taken several years to talk myself into tackling portraiture and a three day workshop was a good immersion. Like being on a cruise - you can't exactly jump ship.

Instructor Tina Garrett did beautiful demos each morning. Then we worked from a live model. Daunting! And I didn't get very far by the end of the day. But, since I had planned to paint in the hotel room at night and since this portrait had its hooks in me, I took it back and continued painting. There was natural light in the workshop but the hotel light was incandescent, so at 6am I sat in front of my window to make color warmer and was so engrossed I was late for class. Oops.

Kayla (unfinished) ©2019 Dorothy Lorenze

I haven't quite finished this yet but it's getting there and I'm glad I worked on it after hours. I  still need to adjust values (clean up her dirty neck) and if I can capture the subtle transitions in her skin I will be super happy.

Very soon after the Vermont workshop came a trip south. My painting gear was back on the road! On this trip the kids were older and my temporary studio was actually a corner of the living room. (My family must love me).

A commission I needed to work on was the perfect project for this visit, as it was to be painted from a photo. With no objects to set up or move, it was a bit less intrusive for the family - or so I tell myself. I haven't painted cabbage in years and totally enjoyed the many beautiful gradations from green to red to purple in the leaves and veins.

Red Head ©2019 Dorothy Lorenze, 8x10"

With all the recent travel I haven't set foot in my own studio for weeks. Knowing how little time there would be for painting made me even more determined to find a way to fit it in.

I feel better, more human, when I can paint. That's the passion that drives me. 
And if it looks like discipline, I'll take the credit!

If you're trying to squeeze more art time into your life, start by making space - physical space - for art. A separate studio is great but a spare bedroom, closet or just a rolling cart tucked in a corner will do. Having a dedicated space makes it easier to get to work. Even if all you do is sit in your erstwhile studio and think about what comes next, it's a step in the right direction. More productive than spending time scrolling through social media looking for inspiration. And I'm willing to bet something artistic will come of it.

This has been my creative corner recently, with boxes piled next to my easel for my iPad with the cabbage photo and podcasts (This time it was The Studio: Danny Grant interviewing Patricia Watwood. Click the link to have a listen).

To make art, make space. Give your passion a place to blossom.

Thank you for joining me on my art journey.

To the new readers: check out earlier studio news here where you can also search for past subjects. Please leave comments, ask questions and share this newsletter with anyone who might find it interesting.

Keeping focus, making decisions

Ever notice that when you're trying to make strides on many fronts you end up standing still? There are projects and tasks pulling in all directions lately and the more I need to stay focused, the harder it is to do. So while I'm tackling other pressing projects, my art-focus consists of pondering the process of choosing a subject. What makes a composition interesting to me?

I recently heard author Mary Pipher on NPR talk about choosing the subject of her latest book, Women Rowing North.* She said that she really has to be interested in a subject on a personal level to spend the kind of time required to write a book. The same can be said for painting. If I'm not personally engaged with the subject, I'm not likely to give it the attention needed to create an interesting and well-developed, representational painting.

So, while I may not personally connect with ceramic chicks and chrome coffee pots there is something evocative about the scene in this painting that resonates. Chick Please, creates a scenario reminiscent of 1950's diners complete with the ever-present coffee pot, thick dinnerware and vintage wallpaper. It's a nostalgic moment with a touch of humor. Coming from a large family, it was a rare treat to eat at a local diner or... Howard Johnson's. Remember that place? Fine dining for us back in the day!

Chick Please, 11x14" ©2018 Dorothy Lorenze

I'm very pleased to say that Chick Please was selected for the American Women Artists' National exhibit at Steamboat Art Museum. I look forward to seeing the exhibition in Colorado and taking part in the events, especially AWA's Symposium on Women in the Arts, which I know will be an inspiring and informative experience.

But, here's the thing... I had painted a portrait, Zsa Zsa Reigns, for the Steamboat exhibit because I really thought it fit the show's prospectus. Then, in the process of applying I noticed two works could be submitted so I added Chick Please at the last minute. And that's the one they accepted! At first I was so disappointed about Zsa Zsa that I almost forgot to be excited about Chick Please! But, really, I am thrilled and honored to be included.

And the rejection gave me time to revisit Zsa Zsa Reigns which, out of necessity, was painted from a photo I'd taken of the model. Portraits are outside my comfort zone and working from a photo is not part of my painting process. Taking a closer look, without the pressure of a submission deadline, it was clear that it fell a little short of my expectations. So I re-worked the skin tones and values in general and made subtle changes to her expression which gave her gaze more intensity - the very thing that had drawn me to this pose in the first place. I think Zsa Zsa is now reigning with even greater confidence. I'll let you know how she fares with her next submission.

 

Zsa Zsa Reigns, 16x20" ©2019 Dorothy Lorenze

As I've mentioned, my paintings often tell stories and sometimes a double entendre invites the viewer to make their own interpretation. So, back in the studio... a vintage balance scale called for more chicks in a painting. Naturally, it's titled Chicks and Balances. The bevy of chicks facing off against the big chicken was so exciting they practically painted themselves. As for the big chicken - beware of smooth surfaces, they're very hard to nail down. (Feel free to draw your own analogies.)

Chicks and Balances, 9x12" ©2019 Dorothy Lorenze

I loved every minute of this one. The chicks were a joy to paint and getting interlocking pieces of old metal to look like they were actually up to the job at hand was equally frustrating and thrilling. This painting just tickles me. As soon as I think of more puns these chicks are likely to make another appearance.

After a few of these daunting compositions I tend to give myself a breather with a simpler, small organic subject like fruits and veggies. I don't have a new fruit/veg painting ready to share so I'll just post  these fairly recent ones: Heirloom & Hubbard and Mandarin Rising. I like the contrast in color and texture between this lumpy, warty squash and the juicy, plump tomato. And although the mandarin orange's leaves were no longer glossy, she is still stately, proud and standing tall.

Heirloom & Hubbard, 6x8" ©2018 Dorothy Lorenze

Mandarin Rising, 8x8" ©2018 Dorothy Lorenze

The stories behind the compositions and current availability of these paintings is on my website and updated regularly. Some may be "on loan" at shows so if there is one you are interested in, keep checking back. Or, better yet, email me if you'd like to be among the first to know when a painting becomes available.

Welcome to all the new subscribers! Thank you for joining me on my artistic journey. Feel free to comment or ask questions and of course to forward this newsletter to anyone you think might find it interesting.

*ps - I haven't read Mary Pipher's Women Rowing North yet, but I plan to. Sounds interesting.

Following through

Generally I write once a month but I'm feeling brave. And you all have been so supportive of the good times, seems only fair - and honest - to let you in on the anxious times.

At the beginning of January I posted about a daunting project, that I had avoided starting. It was totally outside my comfort zone because... it's a portrait... of a dark skinned woman... with bold coloration... and flowers!

I'm pleased to say it's done and has been submitted to the American Women Artists upcoming show at Steamboat Art Museum. I don't know if it will be accepted, but I feel good just finishing it, because this one had me doubting myself more than anything I've done. And while there were times when it was agony to work on, every issue resolved was a thrill.

Zsa Zsa Reigns ©2019 Dorothy Lorenze

The Steamboat exhibit is part of AWA's initiative to increase exposure for women artists by holding 25 exhibitions in museums over 25 years. And I'll tell you - the collected work has been fantastic. Take a look at last year's Rockwell Museum show here. Multiple paintings have been  purchased for permanent collections through these shows, advancing AWA's mission to see more work by female artists in museums nationwide.

Needless to say, it would be quite an honor to be included. For now I'm glad that I took on the challenge, made the deadline and of course, learned a lot.

One of the things I learned is that I should have done a poster study! This is a lesson I keep learning, and unfortunately, forgetting. When I'm in a hurry it feels like an added/extaneous step, but it could have answered big questions on a small scale and likely saved time in the long run. A poster can help to figure out values: how dark the shadow area of the face should be and how light the cheek highlight is compared to other light areas. It really is all relative. You can see some examples of poster studies I have done here.

I did do a quick painted sketch of this model from life, but I wasn't happy with it. Fortunately she allowed me to take a photo. Zsa Zsa's pose was powerful and haunting and her expression seemed fitting for American Women Artists' goal to inspire, celebrate and encourage women in the visual arts. I'll let you know if they agree.

Closer to home my work will be in Art Show: Bedford (in Bedford, NY) which opens this weekend. Stop by if you are in the area. There will be artwork by local artists (Laura Gould and Rich Alexander to name a few) as well as NYC artists and work curated by several galleries. I'm happy to be included. There is always good art and the proceeds benefit several local community organizations.

Blind Date is one of the paintings I will exhibit. It's a cheeky painting that came about after placing two vintage ceramic pieces together on a shelf. They just looked like they should have a relationship! It's a quirky pairing but I find these characters endearing and hope you do too. Come by and say hello and warm your heart with some art! Our bitter cold weather should be improving soon.

Blind Date ©2018 Dorothy Lorenze

Thanks so much for joining me on my art journey. I hope you find this newsletter interesting. Please feel free to forward to anyone who might enjoy it. You can also look back on past posts by clicking on this link. 

Getting started... or not.

Beginning the New Year with all kinds of good intentions is a time-honored tradition. But you know what, the timing is ridiculous! Most of us actually begin January a bit exhausted from December and yet we still play mind games challenging ourselves to jump in with determination to be more productive/loving/honest/creative/happy... and skinny.

This year I have the added pressure of wanting to submit new work to a national exhibit, and I've got  something different in mind. I basically have two weeks to do a fairly large painting of a subject that is totally foreign to me, and therefore scary. (That's all the detail I'm sharing at this point because I don't quite trust that I will be successful.)

Honestly, after being irritated with myself for not getting started, a sudden realization hit me: if I don't start, I can't screw it up.

And there you have it - the niggling thought behind creative procrastination.

That same morning Robert and Sara Genn's newsletter, The Painter's Keys, arrived in my inbox with the headline "Self-delusory avoidance activity." That got my attention!

I swear, this came right after realizing the subconscious reason for my un-motivation. If you've ever been plagued with any kind of "avoidance activity" do yourself a favor and read Sara's newsletter, especially the part where she makes suggestions about how to become unblocked. At first it may seem like a list of how to do nothing, but in reality, I think it's more about consciously changing habits and taking pressure off. In essence: make space so you can find the path to your creative process.

Just say "ah" and let it be.

And then get moving!

Thinking back on other times I felt blocked before starting a new project, I had the same frustrating avoidance when I wanted to do interiors. My first was a single chair in a corner. I reworked it several times to fix perspective and play with the light. And finally I had Home Alone.

Home Alone ©2014 Dorothy Lorenze

That first simple interior gave me the confidence to try a more involved view. Sitting Pretty was definitely more challenging and in the end, even more rewarding.

Sitting Pretty ©2014 Dorothy Lorenze

Since then I've done quite a few interiors and enjoyed working on them immensely. Just about all have sold, but there will be one, Cabinet of Basketry, in Art Show: Bedford 2019 at St. Mathews beginning January 25th. Come by if you are in the area, it's always a good show.

Cabinet of Basketry ©2017 Dorothy Lorenze

So, fortunately, while I had my brilliant realization that not trying a new genre might mean not failing, I also realized that if I did give this new painting a shot, at the very least I would learn something. And, as with painting interiors, I might really enjoy it!

The new painting is now underway. It may not be completed in time for the national show deadline, but I'm excited about it and I'll certainly learn something. More importantly, it feels good not to give up.

If you are struggling with getting started on any kind of project this new year - take a breath, look at it honestly to figure out what you really want to tackle and why, and if it's still important and not just something to check off a list, take some baby steps to get started. Once you get going it might turn out to be just the spring tonic you need.

Have a creative and rewarding 2019! 

And thank you for joining me on my art journey. 

For all you new readers, you can check out earlier studio news here where you can also search for past subjects. Please share this newsletter with anyone you think might find it of interest.