 Go Bold, 12"x12," oil on panel, © Lynn Goldstein, $600 see more about this piece here. While having a conversation with one of my closest friends, she mentioned that she never had one of those amazing teachers that impacted and inspired her throughout her life. That got me thinking. Did I have an inspiring teacher? The answer is yes, I did. I had a few of them. One was Mr. Rose, my dance instructor for eight years. He taught me the joy and artistry of movement, something that was apparently hardwired into my DNA. I loved the discipline of ballet, and I bring that training into my art-making practice to this day. I had another dance instructor during my years in college. Unfortunately, I can't recall his name, but I remember something that he said to me as if it were yesterday. I try my best to bring his words to the forefront of my mind when I am experimenting with my art, and making what seems like a colossal mess. Here's what he had to say: When you are dancing and you make a mistake, you tend to make a face that broadcasts your error. Don't do that. Just keep on dancing. The audience will never know." Lately, I have been experimenting in my work. I have been using acrylic, working on abstracts, and making lots of mistakes. Mistakes are a great way to learn. I am not making any negative faces anymore either, and I am continuing to keep on dancing. Well, at least my brushes are dancing.... So, if you are also making mistakes, simply keep on dancing! You will learn a lot, you will grow, and the audience will never know. Do you have any great words of wisdom from an inspirational teacher? Would you be willing to share? I would love to read them in the comments below.  The Soul Knows, 12"x12," Acrylic on panel, © Lynn Goldstein, $600
This painting is one of the abstract pieces that I have been working on in acrylic. I love this one!
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 Abundance, 10"x20," Oil and cold wax on cradle panel, ©Lynn Goldstein, private collection Isn't it difficult to sell your art after working so hard on it? This is a question that I have been asked so many times over the years, and my answer is always the same. I am happy to sell a painting because my mission in life is to uplift others, and sharing my work can do just that. However, something occurred that challenged my usual response to the question recently. I got a notification in my email inbox that one of my paintings had sold. After the initial thrill, I realized which piece it was. For the first time that I can remember, I exclaimed out loud (with no one in the room), "Oh NO!" Clearly, I didn't know that I was more attached to this particular painting than I had thought. But the universe had a better plan for that painting than for me to hold on to it. A fact that became abundantly clear the following day when I received another email. See below:  Abundance in process on my easel The email came from the buyer of the painting in question and it brought tears to my eyes. I am sharing a shortened version of her email here (in red):
I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer last fall and have been undergoing chemotherapy since then. When I was first diagnosed, I went around my house pulling pictures off the wall that no longer inspired me (it was like some sort of obsessive 'nesting' thing). And I went into the attic and brought down pieces I had acquired early on and other ones with lots of color. And that was about the time I got your first piece as I found the vibrancy and colors to be just what I needed. I wanted to be surrounded by old friends, energy, and beauty. The night before last had been a bit rough, and when I saw your painting it just lifted my spirits. It was perfect timing. Just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your work and that you never know how much of an impact it can have.... I can't say how grateful I am that this painting is where it truly needs to be. Art can heal, and we are all enriched to have art in our lives. Do you have a story about how art has enhanced your life? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.  Ataraxia, 30x30 inches, oil on panel, ©Lynn Goldstein, $2600 Available for purchase Studies have shown that living with art makes you happier. How great is that? You benefit whether you are making your own art or whether you are enjoying someone else's creations. These positive results were not what I was looking for when I realized that I hadn't taken enough time out of my studio to see art in other settings. But I can tell you that I definitely felt the uplift when I went to the opening reception of the new exhibition: John Singer Sargent—Portraits in Charcoal at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. To bring that joy to you, I have included some of my favorite pieces from that exhibition. See below:
 Waving, 12x9 inches, pastel on paper, ©Lynn Goldstein more info here So, do you feel like you are living inside a sci-fi novel yet? Trust me, I am not making light. With the supermarket aisles devoid of canned goods, meats, produce, and TP, not to mention anti-bacterial gel and wipes, it feels pretty eery. That, coupled with all the news that is coming at us every day. I have been pretty anxious.
Music has always been my go-to when I feel upset. Putting on some music has helped me since I was a little girl and I listened to 45 rpm records of Walt Disney musical hits. (I KNOW! I am aging myself) Music has also been a constant while I am making my paintings. I have certain go-to music for my different moods. I also use music if I feel that the work is getting less lively and I want the art to project a lively, upbeat feeling . I bet you can figure out from the list below which music I use to bring more life to my art. Interestingly, I think that some of the art that I make has a musical rhythm in it.  The month of December was a trip... literally. My hubby and I visited the Galapagos Islands and Peru. I had expected to be wowed by the animals in the Galapagos, and was. That said, I was truly blown away by the stunning and breathtaking beauty of the Andes Mountains. I can't seem to get over the feeling of flying while having my feet firmly planted on the ground in the Cloud Forest.
Our experiences influence our art, and I suspect that my work will be changed by the experience in ways that I may not even realize yet. Stay tuned. To share the journey, I have compiled some of the most gorgeous or interesting things that we were able to see. Let me know which is your favorite in the comments below. Enjoy! |
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