Henry as Muse

Henry and Henry

Henry (and his brothers) have long been my primary muses. Peter and Henry attended their first gallery openings (a solo exhibition of mine at Germantown Academy) on their ONE MONTH BIRTHDAY! So they are all patient and experienced with their mother's need to draw paint and photograph them. PAFA held its open studio session in February this year and Henry came along to see himself hanging up on the wall. He seemed to calmly approve! ;-)

Photographer: Susan Michini

The drawing of Henry has attracted a lot of attention.  My friend Susan Michini who is a very fine photographer later took this photo of me with the Henry drawing which I'm including because I am in awe of her skills! 

500!

"Lessons from Life"  Vyacheslav Shchelokov

I just uploaded the 500th image to my online Women in the Act of Painting project. I am amazed at how fast this point has been reached. The project is in three Facebook albums for the moment, but a blog and a book are in the works. The response to the project has been overwhelming, and I am grateful for all the comments, encouragement and contributions of images. I have learned so much, and plenty more "life lessons" to come. Thank you everybody, I really couldn't have done it without you!

All Over NYC!

Paul and NB on the High Line in Chelsea

Paul and I took a breakneck day trip to NYC earlier in the week, combining business, pleasure and even family!  We started off in Soho where Paul made a flying visit to some clients while I went to the Lee Friedlander show at at Janet Borden:

Lee Friedlander

Lunch and a few more galleries, nothing too memorable, then off to Chelsea where I had been strongly advised by more than one of my teachers to see the Michaël Borremans show at David Zwirner. It was impressive and I am glad I managed to catch it before it closed. I am still trying to work out why several people whom I respect thought of my work in connection to this work..there definitely is some similarity in our impulse, but it's somewhat "submerged" in the presentation. This needs pondering!

In front of Borremans' "The Loan." My dressing to coordinate was unintentional!

While in Chelsea we strolled on the High Line, something that is becoming a tradition.  We always enjoy the city sights, and the people watching (as usual, a large percentage of French and German speakers) and the beautiful landscaping of the line (cityscaping?)

Birdhouses and feeders in heavy use

Great light!

Walking around Chelsea we also caught some street art, like this choice little interactive project, Hope:

Hope, Chelsea, NYC, 12/11

I don't know who did it but it was simply and beautifully executed and a pleasure to participate in. It also fostered communication as several people encountering it at the same time necessarily spoke a bit, expressing astonishment and interest, sharing pens etc. I always like public art that breaks down barriers between people, however fleetingly.

Adding Hopes to the collection.

We saw some other excellent art in galleries, and then headed over to the New York Times building where we had an appointment to meet Paul's editor. It's quite an interestingly designed building, done by Renzo Piano, lots of vistas and strong colors, and we spent a pleasant hour talking and drinking tea in the beautiful Times employee cafeteria, Paul and Loren kicking around some of Paul's ideas and me quietly taking it all in.

New York Times Employee Cafeteria Photo credit: Fred R. Conrad

This would have been enough to fill up my dance card satisfactorily but wait there's more!  Paul had also arranged for us to rendezvous with a relative of his whom he only recently met, who works at Christie's. He thought I would like her (and he was right!)  We waltzed right in to Christie's, past all the security... turned out this was  something of an unintentional Ninja move because it was one of the nights of the Elizabeth Taylor auction and admission was limited and security was tight. We did get stopped at some point, but courteously, and we then waited for our relative in very glamorous Christie surroundings, and perused a fascinating digital databank of auction images. 

(I have to admit, I am not very interested in jewelry so the Taylor Collection was somewhat wasted on me!)  Once our relation, Deborah Bell, arrived downstairs we whirled off, crossing through the jolly crowds at Rockefeller Center and ended up in The Modern, which is part of MOMA. I was thrilled to see an enormous and shockingly beautiful piece MOMA commissioned from Mickalene Thomas still on display right where we were entering (it's only up temporarily so what incredible luck!)

"Le dejeuner sur l'herbe: Les Trois Femmes Noires" by Mickalene Thomas

A huge crush of people filled the bar/restaurant almost to bursting, in pre-holiday fervor, and we spent a very enjoyable if all too brief time getting to know our newfound cousin a little better (she's wonderful!) and making plans to meet again post-holidays, before dashing off to catch our train home. 

What a day! Didn't feel tired at the time, it was all very energizing, but I noticed at the end of the next day's various duties and work efforts, my boyfriend Paul and I were both drooping. Well worth it!

Egg Faces

tempus edax rerum
time devours all things

I was on a university campus recently and met a lovely young woman who told me with sweet earnestness that her art was mostly in time-based media. I smiled and nodded, then after a moment's reflection decided it would be worth showing my ignorance in order to understand what she was talking about. "What is a time based medium?" I asked. "Oh!" she said, clearly astonished, "um...like video, you know?" She seemed almost embarrassed for me (she really was a sweetie.)

Somehow the term time-based media brought up other explanations to my ever-churning brain, one of which was planned decomposition, or art that is made knowing it will not last, like buddhist sand paintings or beautifully frosted cakes or ice sculptures. Now that's bravery. Here is my own small ongoing art project in that kind of time-based media: egg faces. Every week I boil up a batch of eggs. Once they are cool, I draw faces on them with a soft lead pencil and put them in a bowl and into the fridge. Sometimes the faces are cartoonish or sketchy, sometimes very detailed. But simply or elaborately enfaced, the egg shells all get torn into eventually in my family's constant quest for food, and thrown onto the compost heap. ars brevis vita longa

FRIEND FRIDAY

I've been falling behind on my Friend Fridays! Too many friends doing amazing things these days!

First and foremost, I wanted to let everyone know that my husband (and friend) Paul Downs has begun writing for The New York Times! He is writing a feature called Staying Alive for the NYT's blog You're The Boss, aimed at small business owners. I am thrilled for him and so proud! (Extra thrill: I took the head shot they are using!) It's a fascinating group blog in general, but you can follow just Paul's writing, here. Way to go, honey!



My old college friend Susan Senator recently published her second book! The Autism Mom's Survival Guide (for Dads, too!): Creating a Balanced and Happy Life While Raising a Child with Autism This is a book of stories and great tips culled from Susan's own experience and that of many other "autism moms" she interviewed (including me!) on ways to keep themselves and their families happy and sane. It is so easy to let a child's special needs take over the family dynamics. Here is a zestily written guide on how NOT to let that happen! Or as Susan puts it, "allowing yourself to find your own joy even in the midst of great struggle." Tell it Susan! You can buy the book at various bookstores around the country or online here.



My friend Linda Lou Horn invited me to her current show but I could not attend the opening reception. I caught up with Linda, and her co-exhibitor Ellen Sall, yesterday. And so did a whole lot of people...for some reason a small horde decided to come see the show yesterday too and it was almost like a second opening reception (sans vin, alas! ;-) Fun, creative and amusing: this is one art show you can even bring the kids to without hearing complaints. Instead, guaranteed laughs and smiles as you view these amazing, ingenious creations wrought from junk and discards and imagination!

Tossed and Found
Recycled and Found Object Art by Ellen Sall and Linda Lou Horn
May 7 through June 6, 2010
St Asaph's Gallery
27 Conshohocken State Road
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
gallery hours: M-F 9 am to 3 pm or by appointment



Linda Lou sharing a tender moment with one of her sculpture beings!

Friend Friday!

It's time for another Friend Friday, because I have several dear friends with big events coming up. I am delighted that all three of these are in Philadelphia and environs so I can attend! Here they are, in order of their occurance:



My friend and neighbor Fay Stanford has a solo show on at Villanova University. The opening reception is tonight, so come on down and bask in the marvelous glow of Fay's unique and amusing woodcuts.
Marvel and Mayhem
January 8-February 19, 2010
Villanova University Art Gallery

Reception to meet the artist
Friday, January 15, 5-7 pm
Connelly Center, second floor
Villanova University
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085
(610)519-4612
For directions just click here!

Image above: Birthday Boy, Woodcut, 2009, Fay Stanford



Friend and fellow autism mom Katharine Beals will be discussing her new book, Raising a Left-Brain Child in a Right-Brain World: Strategies for Helping Bright, Quirky, Socially Awkward Children to Thrive at Home and at School, this coming Tuesday evening (January 19th) from 7:00 to 8:00 at the Penn book store.

The book discusses unsocial/socially awkward children, analytical children, and children on the autistic spectrum, reveals current trends in today's schools that pose challenges for these children, and helps parents nurture and advocate for their children.

January 19, 2010
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Penn Bookstore
3601 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-898-7595



Last but not least, my old friend Elizabeth Kostova will be in town to do a reading at The Free Library of Philadelphia next Thursday the 21st. Her newest book, The Swan Thieves was just released on Tuesday, so this is a hot off the presses opportunity (I got my copy today and can't wait to crack it open!)

Elizabeth Kostova | The Swan Thieves: A Novel
Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 7:30PM
Central Library
1901 Vine Street, 19103
FREE, no tickets required.
For Info: 215-567-4341

Aesthetic Ecstasy

Henry before the throne
of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly. Oh, how he loved it! He loved the whole museum (the Smithsonian National Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery) actually, dashing around in high spirits, laughing with excited glee. If the museum director had been there I would think it would have warmed the very cockles of his heart to see such whole-hearted (whole-bodied?) aesthetic enjoyment. Kudos to the Smithsonian museum guards, who seemed to "get" the situation at a glance and were very cool about Henry's unusual museum behavior. Despite some parental anxiety (will he body slam the Edward Hopper in a transport of joy?) watching his delight made me see the work in a new way, myself.

No man remains quite what he was when he recognizes himself.

-- Thomas Mann

Merry Christmas

And Happy Everything Else!

Here is a holiday blast from the past: I made this two-color woodcut for Christmas 1991, the year I graduated from art school and got married. I cut the panels, then Paul and I set up a little production line in the livingroom of our tiny apartment (and because we used oil-based ink, the place stunk for several days!) Inspired by the yearly holiday prints of one of my teachers, Homer Johnson, I think we intended to pioneer our own tradition of hand-made prints every year for Christmas...just shows the kind of spare time young people without kids, a house or a full-time job have! However, the next year we bought our first house, and then the Christmas after that I was on bedrest pregnant with twins...and this turns out to have been a one-time only "tradition". Fun though! :->

~All the blessings of the season to you and yours~

Preparing

FRAMING
is not a favorite task for most artists, but it is necessary. Oddly, people have very strong and conflicting opinions about frames, all people with good taste even, so you just never know.

When I started showing in New York my gallery director came on very strong for her preference for a slim, plain wood, surround...what's known sometimes as a Chelsea frame: shadowbox sleek and contemporary. I strove to come up to specs (this was New York after all!) but due to some time pressures I had to send in a few pieces in my husband Paul's handmade and hand-gilded frames. The gallery director grudgingly allowed a couple of those frames in the mix but let me know it was on sufferance. Then a well-known collector bought one of my pieces in a Chelsea frame but requested that it be re-framed in a gilded frame like another of my pieces he'd seen in the show! After that my gallery director eased up on the Chelsea frame requirements. In fact, she eventually began praising and requesting the simple gilded frames!

On the other hand, I recently sold a piece in a gilt frame but only closed the sale after I promised to re-frame it, this time in basic black (a hot trend in the Philly art world.) So, think before you sneer: when it comes to framing all bets are off! :-)

These paintings are being prepped for various small works exhibits: the three smallest pieces will be at Artists' House Gallery (57 N 2nd Street,Philadelphia) and the reception is this Sunday, Dec 6, 1-4. Hope to see you there!

LINE UP

My neighbor Hiroshi Iizuka is a well-known violin (and viola) maker. He often hangs his works in progress out on his back porch to cure a little in the bright sun. Yesterday he had an unusual configuration of instruments lined up outside, and knowing I am such a photo-junkie he generously invited me over to take a look.



Hiroshi checking on the finish.



It was a gorgeous, perfect summer day and I am sure the violas enjoyed basking in the delicious sunshine.

THANKFUL THURSDAY
It's not really a meme, but wouldn't it be a good one? This sweet thank you note is from a pair of twelve year old girls who recently came to look at my studio and ask me questions about being an artist. (Hope I didn't scare them off too badly: what with my small, cold, studio and my thrift shop couture!) Not a formal "career program", these girls were just on a visit to their uncle and aunt, my friends and neighbors, who thought this might be a good idea. I enjoyed talking with these two very intelligent and well-spoken young people, and I was later charmed by their thank you note! I've pinned it up on my studio wall, with great pride.

FINE ART CONNOISSEUR
An essay I wrote on the landscape paintings of my friend and fellow artist Alexandra Tyng was just published in the current issue of Fine Art Connoisseur, February 2009 p. 34



For more information you can visit the magazine's
website.

BRANCHING OUT
into new art forms! While at camp in California last week I took a gnome-making seminar (it was the City of Berkeley family camp after all) and needle felted for the first time! My gnome (lower right) came out very wizard-y looking rather than gnomish, but our teacher told us (in mystical accents) that we only help the gnomes take form, we don't create them. So, that's OK then (I guess?) My sister-in-law Christine's lovely she-gnome (upper left), Herb Woman, is much more in the traditional gnome style. Our teacher told us that our gnomes would whisper their names to us, but mine remained resolutely, if genially, silent. Any suggestions? Feel free to email me if you hear something I don't!

OH YEAH?
Burton Silverman, reacting with characteristic acerbic wit to a comment from the peanut gallery during a demonstration he did today at the Main Line Art Center. This guy is amazing: intellectual and informed, paints like a god, gets himself all over the country, speaks several languages (and did, during out polyglot workshop) and seemed to have more stamina than any of his students (we were all pretty limp at the end of the three days) several of whom are half his age. Which is 80. When he mentioned this some wag in the back muttered "Wow, well in that case, speed the day to 80!"

BIRD ART
Sunday morning Paul and I had a quick date and went to see the Cecilia Beaux exhibit at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. It was really astonishing, amazing and inspiring. We were also very charmed by an installation of small wooden bird sculptures filling the air near the entrance. There's something for every taste at the Academy!

ART
is the theme this week at Photo Friday. No problem doing this one! I'm getting ready for a show in May at a NYC gallery, and so am painting my head off. My studio is very cold in the winter, which keeps the paint from drying as fast as I would like. So when Henry is at school during the week I set up a drying studio in his room, which is very sunny and warm. On overcast days and in the evening I also have lamps set up, to help the paint set up a little faster.

Many oil painters will find this incredibly odd. It's an unfashionable technique, the building up of slow layers. Nowadays it's mostly about "from the hip" painting, or alla prima, done all at once. I absolutely can work in that style too, and do when I am painting out of doors, or from a one-time model. But for my studio work, I like to build a painting up slowly in layers, and so the paint must dry to the touch in between sessions. I currently have fourteen paintings in various stages of completion.

My method seems to flummox a lot of other artists. But I am the kind of person who can be reading several different books at once, too. I never get them mixed up, and always remember where I left off with each one, and its very much the same with the paintings. So maybe its more of a how one's brain works thing, rather than a purely aesthetic thing?

ENCRE DE CHINE

Vein filled with black ink
sputtering splattering out
from the rusty nib

GONE PAINTING
But now I'm back. I went away painting in Maine with a bunch of artist friends for a week. It was incredible. I feel that I am still trailing garlands of pine needles and peering through veils of salt fog, as I re-adjust to life back home.

Good thing I wasn't gone for for two weeks, I guess!

Nancy Bea painting at Long Pond, Maine photo: Alexandra Tyng

UGLY
but I bet it's delicious. I was at Chanticleer Garden over the weekend, and they had a row of heirloom tomatoes growing. I can't remember this one's name, something like Lion's Paw? I don't really think it was ugly at all, but today's Moody Monday theme is ugly, and I thought I could shoehorn this image into that category. I'd love to paint one of these intriguingly ribbed, ugly-beauties! And yeah, then eat it up with a little basil and a dribble of balsamic vinegar...mmm. Maybe I like to paint food because that way I can "have my cake (or tomato) and eat it too"!

PLEIN AIR
After a summer of almost no oil painting I found myself doing four paintings in two days! Admittedly, they were very small and quick. This one is only 4 inches high by 6 inches wide. A friend invited members of our art group to paint at her family's vacation house near the town of New Hope. It was so beautiful and peaceful...the perfect way to sink once more into the bliss of painting after a summer of near abstinence.

And today, another painter friend and I tried out her plan to go sketching in the woods with her dog along. It worked beautifully! It was odd for me because when I was a child I had imaginary dogs that kept me company on the long lonely walk to school. I was always a little nervous about the half mile trek alone through the silent backyards and creepy cul-de-sacs of suburbia and so I invented a trio of canine companions to help me feel safer. This experience of painting with a real dog in tow was so much like my childhood imaginings that it actually felt a little surreal! But pleasantly so. Here is the handsome Attila guarding our artistic endeavors.