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.