artist at play
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The Essential Feature
The essential feature is purity of attention.Such a moment will later be recalled as having a quality of conspicuous stillness, mental quietude, and vitality—even if the moment carried difficult content.The impression of time’s having “stopped” is just an appearance. It’s not that time was flowing and now has paused. It never was in motion. It’s… Continue reading
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Story, Always Unfolding
A little over two weeks ago I started painting a 12 x 36″ canvas. Then I got way busy and sick and low in energy; lost my forward motion and spirit. Began to feel a bit daunted by the new painting. What to do? Here’s what unfolded this week. Artist Lola Jovan and I met… Continue reading
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The Five-Minute Plan
I remember a weekend gathering with Dave’s extended family in New Jersey back in the day—people of all ages from a few months old to over 70. The weekend included specific events but also considerable unstructured time when folks who didn’t see each other often were navigating decision-making together about what to do, and where,… Continue reading
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A Little Space
I have a little narrow wall space on one side of the quirky landing at the top of the stairs in our home. I also have a 12 x 36″ canvas whose dimensions have the potential to fill that space very satisfyingly. Even though I’ve been feeling uncomfortably stuck, and off, and slumpy, and rudderless… Continue reading
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Beyond the Sum
From James Bradley’s novel, The Deep Field: I do not know what art isbut I do know there are things—objects, arrangements of words and space and colour and sound —which seem to move beyond the sum of their parts, creating something greater, something that transcends the pieces from which they are formed. I have been… Continue reading
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Again!
She seemed to have fallen in love again. With her own husband! The convenience of it pleased her—like finding right in her pantry all the fixings she needed for a new recipe.—Anne Tyler, Breathing Lessons Continue reading
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Time-bending
In my quotations archives: Do you know, Ben and I even corresponded? It seems silly, with us living so close by, but Ben was a great believer in the gentle, scholarly art of letter writing. I still have his letters. —Daniel Hecht, Skull Session On my easel: Pure presence in the process. Light-hearted pleasure in… Continue reading
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Celebrate!
The first time I celebrated my friend Martha’s birthday was in February 1968. We’d both been displaced from our homes in the States the prior summer—she from Altadena, CA, and I from Summit, NJ—and found ourselves doing our senior year of high school at the American School in London. We connected quickly through our shared… Continue reading
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Process and Project, Finis Est!
On my internal metaphoric nightstand: seeker of truthfollow no pathall paths lead wheretruth is here—e.e. cummings On my easel: Continue reading
My Story
In 2014, I grab an unexpected opportunity to paint.
To make art.
I get hooked.
In 2015 I start a blog—a diary of my life as an artist.
I post my paintings and their stories. The good, the bad, the ugly.
My compass points: bust through fear, be playful, get messy, trust my gut.
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