Commissioning a painting creates a family heirloom.

Commissioning a painting from me preserves a special memory. The client often realizes the importance of their family, and the experiences they had as they were growing up. The question becomes how do they represent these past moments?  Of course, a wall of photos or a mantel piece with special images recalls memories. But does this give them an emotional sensation that can be read by those who haven't been there?

By selecting special photos clients are being proactive in preserving fleeting moments of their past. The result? Anyone who was not part of the "memory" can experience the identity and moment cherished by the one who commissioned it. A family hierloom is created and can be passed down through the generations.

Experiencing art can be a challenge.

How to experience art can be a challenge. We have to reminds ourselves that art is a gentle reminder of escape to another psychic place. Many say that the "millennial" generation is all about experiences. So buying a product is just not part of their priority. This maybe the case but the experience of art, the looking, the absorbing, the escaping into another place is as much an experience. Although more of a an inner place of response this appreciation of looking at something, on a daily basis, puts us in a calmer more connected state. In fact, the experience of art can be an antidote to materialism.

Telling a story with a Single Image

Storytelling with a painting, a static image, can be challenging. How is it possible to create an image that tells the different sides to the story? Recently I came upon a quote by the Jean Renoir, the son of the impressionist painter Pierre August Renoir. He stated that only a painter could "find the relationship between eternity and the instant, between the world and the soul". In effect, he believed that film could never express a single vision.

The meaning of what I make?

Often there is a question about the meaning of what I make. What is the message and how does it relate to the viewer's world? My work has a self evident message with the use of nostalgic imagery.  As seen in the painting highlighted titled Turn It On, this images brings to mind a fun party atmosphere with flowered paper, patterns and light colours. It seems to be self evident in that I work with found images from mid century resources and rework them into stories about our present world. Seems simple. However, when I create pieces I often think how the colour, the patterns, the transparency of materials also convey meaning. There is a deeper meaning. One that you don't realize is part of the work at first, then it seems to become more important.

Sometimes a painting such as the piece highlighted titled Still I Rise, inspires a collective reaction of celebration and empowerment.  Finding her voice is a goal that every woman has. There is an assumption that with the #metoo movement women are allowed to speak and to stand up, but I don't think this is the case. In fact, there are many messages that young teenage girls receive that say that they just aren't good enough. That their voice, with its brightness and loudness, is not acceptable.

How to Be Happy?

Being happy can be a challenge. How do you remind yourself that life is good and there is warmth and sunshine just around the corner. As the cold wraps itself around us and the grey colours seem to permeate into our psyche, there is a sense that life is drab, boring and empty. Yes it is the January blues that we are confronted by. So the question becomes how to snap ourselves out of this paralysis? Do you go out to the theatre? Or to the art Galleries? Or perhaps to a great concert? Some place to escape to.

For me, watching old movies provides a perfect story of escape. These films are little stories that wrap up nicely and gives me the inspiration  I need for my work. Films like Singing in the Rain, Casablanca, or An American in Paris,  transports me into another place and time and gives me the moment of drama and elegance. I look towards these films for the story but also for images and stories to replicate in my work.

Can the power of art change your life?  Can art change the world? It's a question that many have asked and answered. Art, in its many forms, can reveal the power that we can acquire through the engagement and understanding of the stories behind art. For this reason, just filling a space in the wall with an image that has no meaning to you undervalues the power and impact that art can have. In fact, the power comes from you taking the risk to surround yourself with Art that inspires you, makes you feel the power that art can have.

"Art does not show people what to do, yet engaging with a good work of art can connect you to your senses, body, and mind. It can make the world felt. And this felt feeling may spur thinking, engagement, and even action."

No one wants an empty life. A life lacking in colour, in drama and in story. This time of year can be a time of paralysis. Winter descends and the cold tightens its grip. Hibernation seems to be the best alternative. This is where the power of art becomes integral to moving forward. Dreaming of another time and place is integral to survival. And survival is where this year has began.

How to preserve memories? Memories that happen in a glimpse of time that we experience and take for granted at that moment? There are many moments that we try to recreate through a photograph, a short film, but the actual sensation can never be recaptured.

As the holidays descend upon us, many are recreating traditions in the hope of experiencing a moment from the past. Food, gifts, gatherings are become a way to recreate the bonds that families have. These moments of the past can never be recaptured. They can never be re experienced because of age, loss of family name and just time. As my family gets older and my children become young adults, I find I grieve the loss of their childhood. This time of year has reminded me that those moments when they were young were precious and brief. There is no way to go back except to share stories with them about the "remember when". This is the closest I can get to reliving the memory.

As you know, the handmade, one of a kind gift is the perfect choice!  The question is why?

Your Creative Voice in Giving

As the search for the perfect gift comes upon us for the holiday season, we are struggling to find the present that speaks to our own creative voice. This creative voice, which can also be known as the "original voice" speaks to our own creativity. This may seem a bit abstract, but I have often wondered why we are so attracted to finding the maker of the piece of craft or art. With a culture flooded with products, the search for uniqueness is a premium.

Wonderland Calling for Art Lovers!

This morning I met a woman who's first words were "I am an art collector". She hadn't bought a piece from me, but I was struck at how proud she was that her home was filled with art. She didn't care whether the art was seen as "good" or "bad", rather, she loved that she had collected art made by artists who came into her life and expressed how she felt about her world. Now, she is an art collector for her kids and makes Art a special gift that gives them the "colour of their life".

Being an art collector of others can be challenging. How do you know what to give to someone who is just getting married, or has an anniversary, or is moving into their first home? In my opinion, I don't think it really matters. The gift is from your own perspective. You see the colour, the life and the story. The person who receives it knows that this gift comes from a place of understanding and relating to your world.

Your Home and How it Defines You

As my travel show season comes to an end I am at home for the next few months. This has got me thinking as to the definition of my "home". What is it that makes it as a place to rejuvenate? A place that is stress free and safe?  How does art play a role in creating this space.

In reading about the emotional meaning of home I came across this quote that home is;

"the idea of belonging somewhere not only in physical terms, but also the feeling of being comfortable, the moment of perceiving and enjoying the small things that inspire you and bring you peace."

"When a piece of art reflects what you feel, it can give you a stronger sense of who you are." Jean Huble

There are times when I am at an art fair, or at an opening at a gallery that I wonder about the purpose of all of this work and presentation. The business of art can be draining, and the disconnection between the creating of the piece and the final presentation of it can be a far distance. And then there are moments that there is a realization that my purpose, as an artist, is to make the world a "better place".

"Precious Life"

Often people ask themselves "what is the reason to buy art for their home?". This is a normal question as Art is not a "need". It is a "Want". It isn't food, shelter, or clothing. However, it is part of self care. It is part of making certain we retain our identity and reminds ourselves of who we are.

Where are you going to buy artwork for your home? You can go to a furniture chain, like Ikea, and get a mass marketed print.  Or you can go to a Gallery connect with a dealer/art consultant that knows the artists and has done some research in finding reputable, quality made items.

Or you can go to an art fair and wander around to find a piece of art that resonates with you. The best of these events have art that is only original and is made by the artist who is present at the show. This week I will be participating in one of the oldest "original only" art fairs in the US- the Rittenhouse Square Art Show in downtown Philadelphia. This event surrounds a beautiful park like setting and has over 150 artists from across North America that present well made, creative art. Each artist can speak to their process, their purpose and give you a sense of their personality. Elements which can help you decide if you would like to live with the piece of art that is in their booth. Once you have found this artist, then its time to make the leap an purchase. However, if the choice of work is not affordable then perhaps an online version is offered. Similar to the memoryartgirl. com which I have developed over the past few months. 

When buying a piece of art many potential collectors doubt their ability to choose. It brings to mind what makes a work of art valuable for your choice? How do you decide on a piece of art? Do you go by colour? By size? In my world, these criteria should not be the primary concerns. Rather it should be about the story. What does this Art say to you and how does it reflect something in your life that enhances your world?