Dual Identities

1942 Frogs and Fish

Cordon Art Netherlands

M.C. Escher (1898-1972)

tessellations.org

This image by M.C. Escher is one of his tessellations. It looks simple to us, but he studied the shape and placement of different motifs to make them tessellate. Escher is perhaps best known for his optical illusion images of stairs that go both ways, etc. What I admire about his work is that he never gave up. He kept exploring possibilities and giving himself challenges. In his lifetime he made 448 woodcuts and linocuts and over 2000 drawings. He kept working even when his work wasn't that popular. If he were alive today, he would be amazed that he is such a world renown artist.

Many of you know that I am an art teacher as well as painter. I will be presenting two lessons tomorrow in Demopolis, Alabama for teachers. We will examine the connections between the academic subjects they teach and the arts. Well, I can only hope that the teachers tomorrow will see the connections between what they already teach and what art can add for their students.

As a painter, reading about and researching artists for lessons always gets me motivated. When you think about some of the conditions that some of these artists lived in, and yet they still persevered and kept creating their art. Most did not attain wealth or fame during their lifetime. Picasso, Dali, and Monet being a few of the exceptions. And the best part, they kept working in their own style, no matter what the "trend" of the day was, their art represented them. I think that is a lesson for us irregardless of what we do for a career or hobby.

So keep working!
Durinda

New Homes and Gallery

Poppy Walk

oil on canvas

24 x 30

Italian Alley

oil on canvas

10 x 10

Bonjour!

oil on canvas

16 x 20

I am pleased to announce that I will be represented by Artistic Gifts and Framing in Dalton, Georgia. Donna Hilley, the owner, chose four oil paintings for her gallery: French Barns, French Farm, Bonjour!, and Oriental Lilies. The gallery is off Cleveland Highway in the Vista shopping center next door to The Spiced Apple. I hope you will drop in and see not only the artwork she carries, but also the gifts and other handmade items. Donna will custom frame your new artwork purchase too!

Field of Poppies went home with new owners at the Boyd Buchanan School fundraiser Saturday night. It is always an honor to have someone choose your paintings for their homes or businesses. I hope the new owners will enjoy the painting for years to come and thanks for supporting the school!

New works went out to Reflections Gallery in Chattanooga last week. I sent a series of sunset marshes. Other new works from a series of Italian streetscenes went to Ringgold Art & Frame as well as Poppy Walk, another in my series of poppy fields. More to come! I have lots of ideas for the series based on my three weeks in France. Not to slight my Italian poppy fields, I will be using some of those references for paintings too.

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." -Pablo Picasso

Hope you have some art in your life!

Durinda

Lasting Memories

Field of Poppies

Oil on canvas

16 x 20

So every chance I get to refer back to my photographs and notes of France, I take it. My daughter asked for a painting for the Boyd Buchanan School fundraiser. Of course I have paintings that were finished and framed that I could have chosen, but I wanted to get back to my "zen zone" of painting the wild poppy fields. This is the one I selected for the auction. I hope it will find a good home. The auction is Saturday, April 17, at the school. I am working on a couple more of the fields this same size and smaller works of Italy scenes.

If you would like to see the "La Dolce Vita" show on line here is the link for il chiostro. If that doesn't work, just try www.ilchiostro.com . I would appreciate you voting for my painting The Brass Shop Doorway (watercolor) as one of your 3 favorites. You simply email: info@ilchiostro.com and write VOTE for the subject. Then in the message list your favorites by name and artist. If you love Italy, you will love this show! Workshops are being booked now, so if you are thinking about going with me in October to Tuscany, get your name in! I will furnish you a sketch journal and IF I should win as one of the top favorites from the show, you could be in for a surprise too!

"A landscape is always something other than the reality it portrays. It is essentially a product of the mind." Charles Burchfield

Now go think good thoughts!

Durinda

A LOVER-LY WEEKEND

My Mickey Award shot by my 5 yr old grandgirl

Blossom showing my art set up

Front: Barbara Perrotti, Dorothy Gardiner :Back Durinda, and Diane Johnson
at the Artists' Reception on Thursday night

English Doorway, oil on canvas, Sold















The Artists in the Gardens weekend was LOVERLY! The gardens were awesome and that is quite a feat given the cold weather that Florida has had this winter. I enjoyed seeing my art friends at the reception and lunches as well as painting in the "United Kingdom". The Epcot cast members take great care of us, providing water and sodas throughout the day. Friday and Saturday the weather was perfect and then Sunday it clouded up and poured later in the afternoon. We were packed up at lunchtime and didn't go back on the streets. I had a few sales, which is always an added bonus, and talked to some really interesting guests. The children are the most fun. I had two young boys who came right up to me and said, "I'm an artist too!" I just loved that!

If you get the chance, visit Epcot during the International Flower and Garden Festival in the spring. The plein air artists are there only the one weekend, but there is lots going on throughout the festival. I am so honored to have taken part in my fourth year and hoping for a return in 2011!

Now, go play in your yard!
Durinda

On the Woad Again....

In the UK gardens at Epcot in '08

My husband thinks the neighbors don't know I live here, it seems like I have been gone more than I have been home this year (true). We are leaving today for Disneyworld and the Artists in the Gardens weekend. Each spring Epcot hosts the International Flower and Garden Festival with all kinds of gardening exhibits and beautiful flowers in the World Showcase. This is my fourth year to be invited to paint plein air in the park. There will be sixteen artists scattered through the countries painting on location. It is always a fun weekend meeting guests and visitors in the park and getting to paint in such a wonderful location. The UK has the English cottages and gardens full of color. Last year I painted in Canada and it was equally as pretty. I can't wait to see what the horicultural department has done this year with the landscaping.

For your artists, I will be taking my Anderson easel. It has a swivel back that will lay flat because I will be taking my watercolors. I can either stand and paint or sit by adjusting the height. I will be using my transparent colors - no cadimums or earth colors. My Art comber is going again too. It holds everything in the basket and has the chair that pulls out. You never know when a quick rain will pop up in FL and it is good to have a place where everything can go plus it has wheels so it is easy to transport. A good sunhat, sunscreen, and I am ready to woll- eh, roll!

Wishing you a magical week!

Durinda

Sharing Words of Wisdom

David Leffel with his portrait demo

I had the opportunity to attend the David Leffel workshop on Longboat Key in February. This is my second workshop with David. There were six of us who were returning students. Needless to say, the level of artwork from the students was very high. I guess every field has its superstars and groupies. I read where Einstein had a following. David certainly has his groupies. He turned around once while helping another person and saw me- notebook in hand writing down his every word. I learn so much just from listening to him explain the method of painting. My favorite quote of his is "Painting is a very logical way to putting down what you see." Yes, he makes it sound and look so easy. We all know that it isn't, but we strive to get better.

This year David amazed us by doing a self-portrait. He painted most of it on Thursday night with an audience after teaching all day. I thought it was pretty amazing then. When he worked on it a little the next day in class, it was truly amazing. Just little twinks of brushwork here and there and it really came to life. David has a new book of his many self-portraits. He encouraged all of us to do self-portraits yearly. I haven't done one in years. Something else to strive for. I think I need a few more lifetimes to get everything in I want to paint and do, don't you?

Now, to get ready for the Artists in the Gardens weekend in Disneyworld next week!

Durinda

Mix and Mingle

God's Gift to us this week

Showing my mini-tonalist painting in progress

Deborah Paris at M Gallery

Silver teapot with fruit ala Abgott

With Anne Abgott in Sarasota

No, this is not a social get together invitation. This is the concept behind Anne Abgott's watercolor paintings. It is so much fun to discover the local artists in Florida. Anne teaches one day workshops all over the place. I first saw her work in the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Show at Art Center Manatee. The show was up with the traveling American Watercolor Show. Anne is a recent signature member of the National Watercolor Society. She has a book called Daring Color. So when she had an opening for a one day workshop painting silver and fruit, I signed up! I have been painting scenes from Italy in watercolor lately and was curious how I could use the transparent palette that Anne used to get those rich darks in my shadows.

Then came the opportunity to study the luminous landscape with Deborah Paris for a week. Deborah is originally from Florida and now is a Texan. She "went to the dark side" a few years ago switching from plein air pastels for which she was well established, to painting Tonalism landscapes in her studio. Tonalist painters include Inness, Turner, and Whistler. Now why was I interested in Tonalism? Again, it relates to my collection of imagery that I someday want to paint. I have these images of sunsets and sunrises, storm clouds, and fog from Venice to Ringgold that I just wasn't sure where to start. Ah, using the layering of glazes, I just might be able to obtain that subtle shift in color that I was seeing. Deborah has a real emotional connection to her subject matter that comes through for the viewer. It was a lot of work, a lot of art talk, and good company for a week.

I know it appears as if I am a workshop junkie this winter! I have happened upon a few artists that I have interest in their techniques. It is the immature artist who ends up copying the style and subject matter of another more well known artist. Who wants to be an art clone? As an instructor myself, I always pick up ideas about teaching, new materials, books they recommend, and colors that I haven't tried. Sometimes it turns out I learn what NOT to do! But mostly I have great respect for artists who share their knowledge with patience. It is also good to be a student again once in a while. It reminds me to slow down and remember to explain things as I go.

It isn't a Gift, if it isn't shared.

Now, go share with someone and Happy Valentine's Day to all you lovers of art!

Durinda