"Snowdrops" oil painting SOLD at Maple & Main Gallery's Opening! or How Can I Bear To Sell My Paintings?

You may remember me writing a while back about my oil painting on linen entitled "Snowdrops."   Well, a new friend attended last Friday's opening at Maple & Main Gallery of Fine Art and made a joy-filled decision.  She will be adding it to her art collection.  My painting reminded her of the snowdrops which bloom in her own garden.  This is the photo she sent me of hers.  It turns out that we both LOVE these tiny blossoms because they are such faithful little harbingers of spring. 

(And apparently rodents do not enjoy feasting on these tiny bulbs the way they do tulips and other tasty garden treats.)



"Snowdrops" by Joan Cole, 6" x 8" oil on linen



As you can see, the snowdrops in my painting don't have their "wings" spread because they were so cold.  The area where they live in my yard is tucked under a grove of mountain laurel bushes (Kalmia latifolia) and white pine at the base of a granite ledge.  (That is a lone laurel leaf in the painting.)  It's a pretty chilly exposure.  Yet, despite the lack of full sun, still they bloom.  Indomitable!

 
As an artist, it means so much to me to watch a person's face light up when she sees one of my paintings.  It is such validation of my artistic ability and all the years that I have spent painting.  When that person chooses to buy a piece of my art--out of all the many other incredibly beautiful paintings in the Gallery's present show--I am invariably humbled by the experience. 

The sale of a painting is a reminder to me that the beauty I saw in that insignificant cluster of flowers is an inspiration to another as well.  Something that touched my heart and made me want to paint it has also touched her heart.  I could call it "spirit" or "beauty" or perhaps "joy." 

Whatever you name it,

that quality,

that essence,

is passed from the earth where it lives,

through my hands working with paint on canvas,

to a collector's heart,

and from there to a wall in her home. 

I know that "spirit" will come to life every time someone is inspired by looking at the painting.  After all, that is the meaning of "inspiration":  a breathing in.

The money an artist makes from each sale is a necessity for the continuance of her work.  However, the passing on of joy is my greatest reward.  Really!

Many people have asked me if it bothers me to sell my work, to have to give it up.  This is the long answer to that question.  Usually, I give them the shortened version:  "No!"

Snowdrops--an overlooked gift

For most winters in recent Connecticut memory,  Nutmeggers have waited patiently--or not--for spring to arrive.  In years past, as I watched our rhodedendrons' leaves curl in plummeting temperatures,  I have stoically borne the burden of bare brown ground.   However, my bell curve of patience is definitely skewed to the left, especially when it comes to winter.  I can't wait for spring, my most loved season of the year--the season of renewal and rebirth. 


Having made that confession, I must admit I rue all those cold, barren, snowless weeks in years past that I took mom's snowdrops, or Galanthus, for granted.  Tucked under a grove of laurel bushes at the top of our driveway, these steadfast little bulbs year after year thrust their slender stems and leaves through the frozen earth to burst into bloom at the hint of warmth.  I have always rejoiced at the sight of them, but this year they will be a sight for sore eyes!

"Snowdrops" by Joan Cole, oil on linen, 6" x 8"

I have been thinking with gratitude of those intrepid little blossoms much of late, since they are buried under two feet of snow and ice right now.  With more snow expected sometime this evening as well as later in the week, I am so glad I took the time last year to paint their portrait.  Right now, this painting is hanging at Maple & Main Gallery of Fine Art in Chester, Connecticut, awaiting Friday's opening from 5 to 8.  (I hope you can stop by.)


Yesterday was Essex, Connecticut's, annual Groundhog Day Parade and Unveiling when townsfolk turn out to march down Main Street banging pots and pans to wake up Essex Ed.  Led by a group of drummers and followed by the fire truck,  the area children and adults do their very best to alert Ed to the approach of his big day--February 2--when he must determine whether we'll have six more weeks of winter.  Punxatawny Phil has nothing on Ed.  Unlike last year when he dressed as Elvis to celebrate "The King's" 75th birthday, this year, Essex Ed appeared as a representative of the Ivoryton Playhouse.


Now there is a bit of competition, I suspect, among the towns of Chester, Deep River, and Essex.  But I don't think it's just that I'm a resident of Deep River and part-owner of an art gallery in Chester.  And I certainly don't pretend to imagine that my little oil painting could in any way compete with Essex Ed.  However, you'll never know if you don't see it for yourself. 

Small is beautiful.  Think of David and Goliath. Think "Snowdrops" and Essex Ed. 


I leave it to you, my faithful readers and collectors to vote.  Which is a better reminder to you that spring is on its way?


Joan's oil painting "Snowdrops"      ______     :-)

or

Essex Ed     _____


Seriously, please come Friday evening, February 4th, to our third opening at Maple & Main, One Maple Street, Chester.  I know you'll agree that "Snowdrops" is hanging among VERY GOOD company.

My Oil Paintings of Winter in Deep River...and a bit more

Hi Everyone,


Well, if you are from Connecticut, you KNOW we are buried under TONS of snow.  But for those of you who are not--especially our snowbird friends--I thought you might like to see what you are missing.

This storm brought the total snowfall in the month of January to the highest that Connecticut has recorded since we started measuring snowfall 106 years ago.   Before the storm,  59” had already fallen, and this storm added more than twenty inches.  Snowbanks are so high that driving in Connecticut has become a challenge.   Folks shoveling the piles left at the ends of their driveways  are tossing snow  higher than their heads!  If you squint a bit, you can just barely see me at the end of our driveway--BEHIND the snowpile!

Winter Shadows by Joan Cole, oil on linen panel, 8 x 10"

These two oil paintings will be among the ones I will be showing at MAPLE & MAIN's  GALA WINTER OPENING next Friday evening, February 4th, from 5 to 8 pm.

Winter Snowfall by Joan Cole, oil on linen, 9 x 12"

I have created a video of the day for your bemusement.  Interspersed among my photos of our yard are these two plein air paintings as well as three more.  I wonder which will be your favorite?  I hope you enjoy the video.



Day 1--Pastel Class

Initial drawing

          This is the initial drawing that I laid in at my first pastel class yesterday at Maple & Main Gallery in Chester.  Master pastellist Claudia Post is an excellent teacher!  As I mentioned in a previous post, I have painted in pastels before.  At last, however, I'm learning the proper way to paint with them.  Yesterday, I learned to use NuPastels (a hard, pressed form of pastel) to lay in the drawing.  Unlike oil paints, which have the name of each color on the label of each tube, NuPastels have numbers pressed into the sticks, indicating each color.  I  began with a fairly light reddish brown like burnt sienna. Oh yes, I also learned how to sharpen NuPastels, so that I have a fine point with which to draw.  (A boring, but necessary, task!) 

          After getting a preliminary sketch down, I refined my drawing with a darker brown.  Then, I continued refining with the darkest green and darkest red.  After that, I began adding local color.  Today, I'm looking forward to seeing what difference moving to my softer Rembrandt pastels will make.  I am so excited!

          Stay tuned!

Amazing Ishita Banyo

     Ishita Banyo is one of my fellow artists at Maple & Main Gallery of Fine Art.  She is amazing for many reasons; these are just a few: 

1.)  She always looks beautiful! 
2.)  She always is smiling, even when she's talking about serious concepts. 
3.)  She is such a fine artist, creating thought-provoking mixed media paintings of great power. 
4.)  Her blog posts are admirably honest and open. 

     I am so fortunate to have a colleague with the grace of Ishita!

"The Guardian" ...

... is one of the paintings that I have on display at Maple & Main Gallery of Fine Art in Chester. 

"The Guardian" is an original 16" x 20" oil painting.

          This is a plein air painting I began on a day in spring this past year.  That seems so long ago now, when the temperature here in Deep River is 18 degrees and ice is beginning to form on the lake.  All the wonderful greens that surrounded me then have been replaced by winter browns and greys. 

          I have worked on the painting randomly off and on since then.  Perhaps for some reason, I didn't want to let myself be done with "spring" and let it go.  No matter how long that tree has been there or how worn those rocks are that the brook flows over, "The Guardian" reminds me that the cycle of the seasons goes on whether I want it to or not.  However, just a glimpse of this view and I'm drawn back to that day when rain was in the air and life was beginning anew.   I look forward to the time when May apples--an indigenous wildflower--will again be in bloom, as they were then. 

          If you weren't able to make it to our opening party last Friday evening, I hope you'll stop in the gallery and enjoy all the beautiful work on display there.  If you do, when you see the original of this piece, remind yourself that we're one day closer to springtime!

     Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11 AM to 8 PM and Sundays from 11 to 5.

Diane Aeschliman Demonstration at Maple & Main

Diane Aeschliman gave a seemingly effortless demonstration of portrait painting last night at the Maple & Main Gallery of Fine Art in Chester, Connecticut.  Formerly a professor at Lyme Academy of Art in Old Lyme, Connecticut, Diane is one of the other artist-owners of our new gallery.  She showed how with only turpentine and burnt sienna to use "The Grisaille" approach.  This method of creating a tonal painting using one color is based on centuries of classical painting.  By working thin transparent paint over a white ground, the artist allows light to emanate through the layers, producing a painting that glows. 

In two and one half hours, Diane painted not just ONE portrait, but TWO!  Isihita Bandyo, another artist-owner of Maple & Main, was our first model.  I'm sure when Ishita got home last night, her husband was thrilled to see the incredibly beautiful portrait of his vivacious wife.  And I bet Ishita's daughter was excited this morning to wake up and see "Mommy" in a painting. 

Diane's second portrait was of Mike, the photographer who had come to take photos for the Valley Courier newspaper.  He was an excellent model.  Watching his face appear out of the whiteness of Diane's canvas was awe-inspiring.  His portrait reminded me of one that Ghirlandaio might have painted of Lorenzo de' Medici in the fifteenth century.  Exquisite!

No one who came to the Gallery last night was disappointed.  Diane's demo was awesome!  Thanks, Diane!

Tuesday evenings in January, I will be taking Diane's first set of classes at the Gallery:  Introduction to Figure and Head Drawing.  I can't think of a better way to start the New Year!

Like Daughter, Like Mother!

Well, it's no surprise that Calista turned up as a witch one year.  Look at me at Maple and Main Gallery of Fine Art on Friday night, October 29, 2010, when Chester treats all the Tricksters with goodies!    I love the red leaves on the tree in front of EO Art Gallery in contrast to the green ficus and the framed orange ones behind me.

This is only one of Barbara Rossitto's many wonderful photos of the evening that you  can see at 

http://picasaweb.google.com/brglast315/MapleAndMain?authkey=Gv1sRgCIy8g_6h3uuL8AE&feat=directlink


(Thanks so much for the use of your photos, Barb!) 

Ishita's Thoughts on Immortality and Happy Halloween! :-)

Immortality is not a topic I would have thought I'd be writing about on my blog today; however, Ishita Bandyo's blog post which I just read has got me thinking about it.  I was struck by what she said:

"But after thinking about it long and hard, it turned out that all I want to do with my art is to leave a part of myself in this world. Most of us just leave dust and ash but I want to leave a part of my soul in this world. I think immortality is not living forever physically, but leaving a part of our psyche. If another person feels connected to my art then I live through them. All who had left a mark on this world through their art are immortal." (see www.ishitabandyo.com.)

In trying to put into writing what MY art--and the process of creating it--means to me, I have struggled to express myself clearly. It DOES have something to do with IMMORTALITY, but in a different way than Ishita's, perhaps. I want people to look at my paintings and see what I see: the beauty that is all around me. Ultimately, I hope that people who enjoy my paintings will realize that beauty is all around THEM too and appreciate this gift we are all given.

Tonight's All Hallow's Eve--or Halloween, so Happy Halloween Everyone!   We've had a total of eight kids come Trick-or-Treating so far tonight. Guess it's getting too late for many more.

However, Friday night Maple & Main Gallery of Fine Art joined with other businesses in downtown Chester to host a parade of Trick-or-Treaters.  What fun!  Barbara Rossito took some GREAT photos of the good time which was had by all.

This witch was not one of them!  (I have difficulty believing that my own daughter can look this scary!)

Ishita, Barbara, and I are members of Maple and Main Gallery of Fine Art in Chester, Connecticut.  Please visit the gallery website to get a taste of our work: http://mapleandmaingallery.com.

The Grand Opening of Maple & Main

I'm incredulous that I haven't posted for over a month!  I am promising myself to do better in the future. 

This beautiful photo shows Roger surrounded by (from left to right)

Jennifer & Jeff Juke (our lovely daughter-in-law and son) and their friends Bill & Melissa Hart.

The Gala Opening was absolutely crowded with guests enjoying the art, the conversation, and--of course--the excellent food and drinks!  Visitors who had attended our initial opening on September 17th were amazed at the number of paintings that are available for purchase in our LOWER gallery, which is now officially open.  We were delighted to sell three more paintings during the evening!  Hooray!

We're OPEN at last! Hooray!

What a successful opening we had at Maple & Main Gallery of Fine Art in Chester this past Friday evening.  So many visitors came that they were spilling out onto the porch and into the street. 

Here my son Jeff Juke and my sister Helen Damon are chatting

with artist Liz McGee, whose art was the first to be sold that evening.  Her beautiful watercolor, "Best Friends, Horse Farm, Connecticut Hills," was purchased by a lovely couple visiting from Great Britain.  How excited we all were for her--and them.  Congratulations, Liz!

Helen is home in Illinois tonight, but it was wonderful to have my "little sister" here for the weekend.  She is such a sweetheart to fly 1200 miles for our opening.  That's filial love!

The beautiful landscape displayed on the porch is a by artist Jan Blencowe of Clinton.

Maple & Main Gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 to 8 and from 10 to 5 on Sundays.  We invite you to come and visit.

YOU ARE INVITED to the Opening of Maple & Main Gallery of Fine Art. . . .

. . . .next Friday, the 17th of September,  at 5:00 o'clock in Chester, Connecticut. 

In celebration of "Come Home To Chester" weekend, we will open our doors to the public for the first time!   More than thirty artists have gathered together to create both a showplace of their works as well as a studio in which to share their knowledge and expertise.

....It's only one week from today!  So, I hope you've put the date on your calendar. 

Come tour the new gallery, enjoy

the art, meet the artists, share some delectables, and visit the

                                                            studio and classroom space. 

                                                            Some of my latest work will be on

                                                            display.  See you then.

Please visit http://www.mapleandmaingallery.com/.