Today I finished my first mural in Pittston - making it their SIXTH! The amount of ART in a few blocks in this fast growing city is astonishing and refreshing. Mike Lombardo and Rose Randazza have made a once depressed town into a destination point! The tree and figure were decided as a calming spot as the building is located in a grotto.The eagle which symbolizing freedom, healing and wisdom flew about me last week.... asking to be included - of course.
My friend Sean says this a lot ... Life is Easy Simple and Fun - it really kicks the 'Life is Good' out of the water! So, I decided to do some fun pillows. My student, Lola's grandma who brings her to art lessons saw them and thought to get one. She couldn't make up her mind... and ended up with.... well, let's just say... more then one! And after show and tell, Ms. Eloise was quite happy to have her couch back - and 'her' pillow given to her by Auntie Rame.
Steve Taren came with an idea to have a peloton speeding down, along and up the wall constrasted with a woman on an everyday bike slowly going on her merry way with baguette, wine and flowers. We worked to fine tune the design spanning over the 8' x 40' wall resulting to the final image. In his words: 'I painted a picture with words (that's all I got) and Leigh Pawling did the rest. Thank you, thank you, thank you...you listened to every word.The appreciation from the passerbys on foot, car, bike, motorcycle was so positive. Everyone was so glad to have some attention focused on ART! Thanks to Steve and all the employees at Wet Paint - it really was a group effort!
The sun was off the building at around 12 last week which made painting the second mural at Wet Paint bearable with perhaps the last 'heat wave' of the summer. Passersby seem delighted with the changes Steve Taren is making with the building which hereto before was run down, abandoned, and pilfered. Now it is breathing life and vibrancy. Here is what one described as "whimsical" - dog, cat, dove... doing what I like to do - PAINT! And next week I start an 8' x 40' mural on the same building. Stay tuned!
My oh my summer is zipping. July was teaching at Marywood University for Arts Alive - the kids had a great exhibition after four weeks of painting, mixed media, pottery and jewelry. The first photo is some of the instuctors and one talented teacher who took the class for continuing ed. Second shot is a wall of the kids works - grades 5-11 .... so proud of them - they got all dressed up for their exhibiton - music, friends and family - they were thrilled.Next is a commission piece--- do you know where this is??? I did - oh yes - Nepa is so wonderfully close to Philly and NYC. And now - to get up to speed, I'm working on a mural for Steve Taren who owns Wet Paint - a very busy place in South Wilkes-Barre specializing in life size cut outs as well as many other things. Check out their site www.wetpaintprinting.com. It's a FUN building that's transforming the block - I"m so thankful to be part of it's expansion. And I get to paint my dog! I mean, really, does it get any better then this?
The Clearing' began yesterday - in the closet. The question asked for every single article of clothing, "Does it Bring Me Joy?' Then I moved to the kitchen, do I need three sets of salt and pepper shakers? No. And so it went, drawer to drawer... I'm not done yet - but, what did and does bring me joy are the things made by hand. The hand carved spoon my niece made at sleep away camp, the artwork that adorns my walls from fellow artist friends. So if the question begins there - it can continue throughout my day - does this bring me joy? So thanks Juna Bobby and Robin Giacomo who, got this ball rolling.
