Now that my solo exhibition is behind me, I can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy a relatively calm interlude.
I was pleasantly surprised at the turn-out on a rainy Wednesday evening. Here's one of the reasons for my surprise: I was really happy when the Nationals won the 6th game of the World Series. After shouting with glee at the television on Tuesday evening, I realized that their win meant that the FINAL game of the World Series would be taking place during my reception. So, when I say that I was surprised at the turn-out, you may understand why! I am going to dispense with writing much more, and let the photographs tell you the story about the evening, which was an absolute delight. If the slideshow of the photos doesn't work, simply click on the arrow, or the thumbnail photos. Many thanks to my dear friend Mark Bare for taking these pics.
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After returning from Italy last year, I knew that I wanted to squeeze every drop out of the experience possible by going back again. That said, I knew that there had to be some more things that I wanted to share with my students rather than simply repeating everything that we did last year.
After some research, I discovered that there was a contemporary outdoor sculpture park not far from where we were staying. The Chianti Sculpture Park is located between Pievasciata and Vagliagli, about 6 miles north of Siena and quite close to where we were staying. Each sculpture is site-specific and thought-provoking, following the ancient Italian tradition of sculpture made for a specific location outdoors. The park is the inspiration of Piero and Roslba Giadrossi and sits on about 17 acres of wooded property. Artists, representing 26 countries were invited and asked to propose their ideas for inclusion into the park. I knew this was a place I wanted to share with my students this year. Here are examples of some of my favorite pieces: When traveling, one of my favorite things to do is to visit museums that house the work of artists from the specific countries that we are visiting. This is no easy task when on the go with my husband, aka Terrific Tax Attorney (TTA). TTA goes into these experiences looking as if he has swallowed a lemon whole. He breezes through each room to find the nearest bench so that he may sit and wait for me to finally finish looking at the work. As you can imagine, I move through what is shown in a more frantic manner. He looks so miserable that I don't want to torture him longer than necessary.
All that said, TTA joined me as we visited three museums during our last trip to Europe. He can be a good sport, and he even liked two of the three art venues. Let's keep it a secret that the work that inspired and moved me the most wasn't housed in the walls of the venerable museums, but in other places instead. Being immersed in the culture and history of the places that we visited inspired me in ways that I am sure will manifest in my art in the future, even if I don't know how that inspiration will show itself. Without further discussion, here are some examples of the most inspiring art that I saw: This is a tool that I have been using for years to help me make better art. Take a look at this video for tips on how to use this great tool yourself. Also, let me know in the comments below about tools you used to make your art better. It's always great to share ways to improve our art! This is a new abstract pastel that illustrates "taking a chance" as I am fairly new to abstract work. Constructive Conversation, 12 x 9 inches, Pastel, © Lynn Goldstein, $575 June is a tough month for me. The anniversary of my father's death is June 3, with the emotional one-two punch of Father's Day following close behind. Dad died when I was 25 and he was way too young. Here I am with Dad. If you are unsure, I'm on the left. It's safe to say that I think of my Dad everyday. I still miss him, but let's not dwell on that. Instead, I want to share some of my favorite words of advice from him. One of the best tidbits of wisdom that he imparted impacts me to this day in almost everything that I do. Hope you enjoy this short list. In a hurry? I saved the best for last: There is NOTHING like dealing with the public.
I think of this every time someone comes into my studio and says something extraordinarily unexpected. If we can't trust each other, who can we trust? This was uttered after I had lied to my parents (and was subsequently grounded for what seemed like the rest of my life). Needless to say, this stuck and I became scrupulously honest. It is natural to hurt when those we love are hurting. This was something my father said to me when I was about 13 years old. With this sentiment, he cemented my understanding of love, compassion, and empathy. Simple but amazing. I may be disappointed in something that you do, but I could never be ashamed of you. Hearing this helped me with my self-esteem in ways that telling me I was perfect (which he did NOT do) ever could. It helped me in my parenting too. You must make that decision, and I will support you no matter what you choose. I hear this when I am trying to decide which direction I should take. Even though he isn't around, I imagine his support. Incidentally, and importantly, he never discouraged me from studying art even though I am sure that he had concerns about how I would support myself. I am grateful for that every day. ... And... my absolute favorite: Don't ever worry about falling in love. You can fall in love in a minute. This may not sound like great advice at first blush. However, I have applied it to everything in life. My Dad knew that if you put yourself out there, you could meet the person of your dreams in a heartbeat. Same holds true for other opportunities. Good fortune is not likely to present itself if we don't take a chance. This is one of the reasons that I make sure that people see my art even when I am not sure what the response will be. Someone could fall in love with it in a minute and change their day (and mine). Any good words of advice from your dad? I'd love for you to share in the comments below. And Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Travel is great for inspiration. Immersing yourself in a culture sparks creativity that often takes me by surprise. Prior to teaching a workshop in Tuscany last year, I spent five extraordinary days knocking about Florence on my own. I love traveling to a place and having time there without any distractions. Traveling with loved ones is a pleasure, but my desire to spend time with art and walk for miles can fatigue almost everyone I know. My visit to Santa Maria del Carmine and the Brancacci Chapel to see the frescoes of Massaccio, Masolino and Fillipino Lippi was just such a visit. I stayed in that chapel for at least an hour letting the astounding work of these masters wash over me. I was fascinated by the biblical stories that were illustrated, and listened intently to the audio guide provided. More importantly, I was riveted by the artwork made by these early renaissance masters. I studied the compositions, and was charmed that portraits of people I had heard of were portrayed on some of the walls. As an example, the detail from Filippino Lippi's fresco Disputation with Simon Magus and Crucifixion of Peter, 1481-82, portrays Sandro Botticelli looking right at us. Seeing the face of the artist I had admired since prior to my college days as an art student captivated me. Literally, I stood transfixed before snapping photographs. Provided below are images showing how I was inspired by that portion of the fresco to paint what began as an abstract, but ended up an abstracted landscape. I am returning to Italy in October to teach a one-week workshop and would love to have you join me. Who knows, you may be inspired by an Italian master too! Click here to see what you will learn and enjoy while there with me. I took this photographic detail and made a black and white sketch with markers to start my abstract painting. See below: Next, I began my painting The painting began changing into a landscape. I couldn't seem to sacrifice the rust color slash of paint in the lower portion of the composition. The sacrifice of the rust color slash had to occur, and I call the painting completed.
Fleeting Quality, 20x16, Oil on Canvas, ©Lynn Goldstein, Private Collection This is the first in a series of videos to show you tools that will improve your art. This one is so simple, you will not believe it. Take a look! There is nothing that I enjoy more than spending time among the trees, beside a body of water, or simply appreciating a very light breeze on a warm day. That's why I became a landscape painter. That said, I have been itching to stretch in the ways that I create my artwork. To me, that's what living life like an artist is all about. With that in mind, I am taking an online Masterclass in painting from an abstract painter. This is not a class about technique, it is more about painting in a way that is authentic to me as an individual. That said, I am definitely experimenting with technique as well. Thought it would be fun to give you a little peek of a specific project that I recently completed. The task that I was given was to make 2 paintings. Each painting was to be done in acrylic and mixed media using a limited palette of 3 colors plus black and white. I chose to use titian buff rather than white because I prefer the softer off-white hue. Also, I think that living like an artist means bending the rules a bit if you feel as if you are going to get a better result. One of the paintings was to be done with my non-dominant hand, while the other was to be completed with my dominant hand. I am extremely right-handed, so I had a bit of trepidation simply thinking about this project. I needn't have been concerned. This was a GREAT exercise for multiple reasons. First of all, I enjoyed the challenge. More importantly, I enjoyed getting out of my own way, and working without concern about representation. So that you can see where the process began, the first two images were the beginning stages of the paintings. The final two images are the completed pieces. I'd love to hear which one of the completed artwork you think is the painting done with my dominant hand, and which one is your favorite in the comments below. The beginning stages of my abstract painting, painting #1 The beginning stages of my abstract painting, painting #2 Division of Frailty, 14x10.5 inches, Mixed Media, © Lynn Goldstein $735 Wilted Nerve, 14x10.5 inches, Mixed Media, ©Lynn Goldstein $735 I look forward to reading your guess of which piece was done with my dominant hand, and also which one is your fav in the comments below!
What inspires you? A beautiful sunset, trees swaying in the breeze, a shocking or beautiful piece of art, or maybe music? We are all inspired by what we come in contact with if we open ourselves up to the possibilities. I find that travel is one of the best sources of inspiration for me. While in Italy, I was inspired by something unexpected. To see what I mean, take a look at the video below. Then read on, because travel has inspired me in other ways as well. One of the pieces of art that I am most proud of was inspired by something totally unexpected during travel. While visiting Iceland several years ago, hubby and I had lunch and then dinner at a restaurant that was located on an old farm. The food was delicious, which is why we dined there two times in one day. While there, something caught my eye. On each table was an antique book. People from Iceland are avowed book lovers, so finding a book on the table wasn't a surprise. Photographs of the family that had owned the farm for generations were pasted inside the book, along with a description of the history of the farm. This simple book on a dining table sparked a kernel of an idea in me, and Treatise was born. To read more about Treatise, you may click here. Now it's your turn. What inspires you? Leave me a comment below. Treatise, Books, Wood, Found Objects, Acrylic, ©Lynn Goldstein $3500
When I work in pastel, I use different papers for varied results. I do this to keep things interesting and also when I want a specific end result based on the subject that I am painting. The manufactured papers that I use right now are Uart 400 grit, and Pastel Premiere. However, I also enjoy making my own textured surface. If you are interested in making your own surface, here is a short video explaining how you can do just that. At the end of the video, you will see some of my completed work, so stay till the end. : ) |
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