Tools of the Trade
Concurrent teaching brain alert! Yesterday I sent a different cover pic to the blog pic. I’m going to blame this on the split brain I’ve been using in my classroom this past week, with both “roomies” and “zoomies”. Anyway…what what supposed to post yesterday…
Some of the silver linings this last year have been my New York Times recipe subscription, the ability to hold virtual art therapy wearing sweatpants and slippers, and the time to build raised garden beds and create more art than ever before. Clare, meanwhile, spread her virtual school to several different spots in the house, and while I was tidying up her brother’s room anticipating his winter break return I stumbled upon some of the art she’d created in there (inspired by sports pennants and Miller Lite posters, apparently?) I love to see her work, which is so detailed and instantly recognizable as “Clare’s”. We’ve both entered the Torpedo Factory’s 11th Annual March 150, an art show/fundraiser (http://torpedofactory.org/event/11th-annual-march150-special-exhibition-and-art-sale/ ). Each artist is given a 10x10 raised canvas board, and that’s the end of the instructions. Just create whatever you like on it. I’d mulled over a few ideas, but serendipitously glanced at some supplies gathering in my studio space. I’m a sucker for a riot of color as well as repurposed Oui yogurt jars, so my subject was settled. There’s an underpainting of permanent rose mixed with burnt sienna peeking through here and there, which helps unify it, but my favorite part is that yogurt jar on the left. I remembered Paul Down, a design professor from Notre Dame, as well as Jane Coonce, a local artist who got me started on oil painting, who taught me how to see reflections (Prof. Down) and paint them (Jane). And then, miraculously, you’ve got painted glass. The original is at the Torpedo Factory, but prints can be found here: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/tools-of-the-trade-anne-lewis.html
I’ll try to convince Clare to let me post her work, but in the meantime it should be posted in the show’s catalog soon (link above). It’s got a very James Bond vibe…