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Day 1403: A Photo A Day • What a week!

11/22/2022

SUNDAY, November 13 - The Stable Gallery Opening Reception
Thanks to all my friends and family for your wonderful support and encouragement! I wish I had taken better pictures of the whole show, but here are a few of my pieces along with my good friend Carolyn and Evan. It was a ton of fun! I loved meeting new people, fellow artists, and talking about our art! I learned a lot for the next show and we all sold some pieces. Win-win-- Hallelujah!
(See Page 2B for coverage of the show by Ridgewood News)

(This photo taken by Emily Gilman Beezley)

TUESDAY, November 15 - Artist Reception at AtlantiCare Medical Arts Pavilion, Atlantic City, NJ
Fellow Springboarder Emily Gilman-Beezley and I headed to Atlantic City, NJ for an artists’ reception and ribbon-cutting ceremony of AtlantiCare's new Medical Arts Pavilion. Along with many other New Jersey artists, our work is featured on their office walls, corridors and spaces as part of AtlantiCare’s Healing Arts Program. What an honor! They treated us like royalty. It was great to meet the organizer, Cheryl Broschard, in person and get to know some of the other artists. I received incredible feedback on my work—totally worth the almost 6-hour round trip!

Emily (holding me up) in front of her beautiful work! :)

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Day 1402: A Photo A Day • New things...

11/11/2022

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JOIN US THIS SUNDAY!
If you're in the area, please join us for our reception on Sunday! Enjoy the lovely work of these very special women, nibble on delicious homemade treats, and perhaps do some holiday shopping. Bring the whole family!

I’m recently inspired by and adopted as a mentor Sister Corita Kent, a highly successful and innovative artist from the 1960s-70s who combined her passion for art and God with social justice issues of the day. She was also an educator at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, CA. I first heard of Sister Corita on "Antiques Roadshow" when one of her colorful serigraphs came up for evaluation. Greatly intrigued by Sister Corita's colorful style and design, I learned more about her and discovered she created a list of “10 Rules” (pictured here) for her students. Several especially touched me, especially #1, #6, and #7. Delicious water indeed to my parched, recovering perfectionist/procrastinator-self. I also love that Sister Corita used text - poetry, quotes, and scriptures as part of her designs. I found myself drawn to combining text with images years ago as a young artist and so now am playing around with this once again! I loved my days in college, learning and growing along with the other art students, and am very thankful to have found this new teacher. Thank you Sister Corita!

I hope you’re inspired by some of Sister Corita's 'rules' in your creative endeavors!

Here are a few of the new pieces I completed in time for the show (many still in progress). My new process includes embellishing traditional and archival digital paintings with collaging of paper, beads, and quilling.

"Land of Milk and Honey", 18 x 40 Mixed Media on Archival Canvas $425

Closer detail - foil paper, pearl beads

"Early Morning Sail", 12 x 24 Mixed Media on Acrylic Canvas, SOLD

Closer detail - cut paper, pearlescent paint finish

"Feelin' Groovy", 8 x 8, Mixed Media, $275

"Resurrection" 8 x 10, Mixed Media on Archival Digital Painting, $250

"To Life" 8 x 8, Mixed Media on Archival Digital Painting, $275

Purr-Tater, my faithful studio companion!

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Do We Look Tired?

11/3/2022

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We were, but happy! Here’s the Springboarders after setting up our show at The Stable Art Gallery this past Monday. Top L-to-R: Emily Gilman Beezley, Vicky Katzman, Liz Robles, Bottom L-to-R Jennifer Merz, me, Lydia Baldassarre (not pictured Dr. Joy Yoo).

We hope you will join us for our
Artists' Reception
Sunday, Nov. 13, 2:00-4:00 pm.
• Meet the artists
• Enjoy Incredible artwork
• Shop for the holidays
...and enjoy homemade treats!

We’re expecting a crowd, so please wear your walking shoes to walk a short distance
if the Stable lot is full. Click here to download information sheet.

This group has been integral to my art journey these last (almost) four years.
Each of these ladies is special to me and I'm so grateful for this opportunity to show my work alongside theirs!
I hope you will come enjoy the various styles and subject matter of our work!

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Digital Artist Hal Lasko

5/5/2020

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As my pursuit of creating art digitally is expanding I googled, "Top Digital Artists" today. This guy came up! If you have time, it's a beautiful, short, multiple-award winning film about this 97 year-old artist, his life and art. Enjoy!

The lovely poem Hal mentions (below) is by New Jerseyan, Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918)

TREES (1913)

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

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Day 1345: A Photo A Day

3/4/2020

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Have you ever seen this? Koko’s Kitten appeared on the January 1985 cover of National Geographic magazine. I love it! This picture has been with me for over 30 years, first in different college dorm rooms and now in my studio. I see it as an illustration of God’s humongous, powerful yet gentle love. That is, Koko = God’s love, the kitten = me and you.

In the 1980s, as I began to know and experience God’s love for the first time, I wanted to share this joy with others! I moved to DE to attend Bible School, and in 1989 participated in a short-term Missions Trip to Asia-- China, Hong Kong, Philippines, and Korea. One of the highlights was sharing our personal evangelism stories on camera to a church in Manila, Philippines, then going out to train teams in street evangelism.

Has love ever led you
out of your comfort zone?

One of my favorite verses is “And we have known and believed the love God has for us. God is love.” I John 4:16. Knowing and believing God's love remains a lifelong pursuit of mine. It was the love of God that brought my husband, Evan into my life in 2006 at the age of 41. Inscribed on our wedding bands is “God is love, 1 John 4:8” along with our wedding date, 6/30/07.

A friend recently shared this amazing quote with me from Mark DeJesus’ book, Exposing the Rejection Mindset,

“What if you knew your were fully loved,
accepted, approved, and validated by God?”

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Day 1337: A Photo A Day • Happy Thanksgiving!

11/26/2019

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I loved Joan Walsh Anglund's books as a child, and still do. She's one of my favorite poets and illustrators!
For an interesting interview with Joan, click here

A Child's Thanksgiving Prayer
by Joan Walsh Anglund

O Lord, our thanks we give this Day
For family, home and friends,
And lift our thoughts in prayer to You
From Whom all Good descends

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Day 1312: A Photo A Day

4/22/2019

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Photos from my recent art demo at Raritan Valley Arts Association--
What a great group of artists and art lovers!

Me and RVAA President Margaret McGovern

Having fun creating paper collages!

Thanks to my immensely talented, kind, and creative friend, Diana Patton for taking these pics!

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Day 1273: A Photo A Day • Tribute to Mom, 4

8/28/2018

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"When it All Falls Apart: How to Recover from the Loss of a Loved One"
Audio Message by Dr. Carol Ministries
I follow Dr. Carol's "Relationship Prescription" podcast, and found today's episode's about grieving helpful.
If you're dealing with the loss of a loved one(s), check it out. (This link takes you to her webpage. You will have to click on this title once there.)

Special Guest Photographer: Harry Jakubowski (Dad) • I join the family!

I was scanning a sleeve of Dad's slides yesterday that included images of family events in the spring/summer of 1964. I don't remember ever seeing these, and once again, am blown away by the "time capsule" images of our young family, my childhood home in Glen Burnie Park, MD, our relatives, and surprisingly-- my pregnant (with me) Mom! Dad took these pictures using a manual Voigtländer Prominent Synchro-Compur 35mm camera, which he (apparently) obtained during his college years in the 1950s. By the 1980's when the popularity of Kodachrome (slide) film ebbed, and I believe he moved onto a higher-quality Nikon, Dad gave me the Voigtländer to use when I took photography classes in high school. Photography was definitely something we had in common, and I wish Dad and I could have discussed photography more. He had quite an eye, and many of his photos (below) are stunning. Whenever I look at our young family, I find the 'baby' pictures of my brothers John Christopher (now 56) and Douglas (deceased) especially adorable!

Easter 1964 (John Christopher holding Mom's hand, Doug in her arms)

John Christopher's 2nd birthday

Guess who's the extrovert and the introvert? (LOL)

Happy Doug (I remember taking baths in this sink!!!)

Trip to Washington Zoo, summer 1964

25 year-old Mom looks hot and tired! :(

Me looking into Mom's beautiful face

Me, my brothers, and cousins Linda (holding me) and Ellen

From left: Uncle John and Aunt Dorothy with Linda and Ellen, Baby me with my paternal grandparents, Stanley & Barbara, and Mom and boys

(I realize this post is less specifically about Mom, but wanted to share these photos.)

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Day 1228: A Photo A Day • Trip to PA Capitol Building

4/19/2018

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I recently attended an incredible guided tour of the Pennsylvania Capitol Building in Harrisburg, PA with the Eastern PA Branch of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. The capital is amazingly beautiful!
(Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so these shots were taken with my flip phone.)

"The Capital was designed in the American Renaissance style by Philadelphia architect Joseph Huston, who envisioned the building as a 'Palace of Art'." (Text from brochure)

View from the gallery of the House Chamber, featuring the 35 feet square mural, "The Apotheosis of Pennsylvania" by Edwin Austin Abbey

"Architect John Huston borrowed the Capital Rotunda's features from the Paris Opera House, including the Grand Staircase and three-tiered gallery."

In 1902 Violet Oakley was the first woman artist to receive a large commission for adorning a capitol building in the United States. Her incredible forty-three murals (created over 25 years) are breathtaking!

"Designed and manufactured by Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930) of Doylestown, the floor is interspersed with close to 400 mosaics illustrating the state's history, animals, industries, occupations, and modes of transportation."

"When Theodore Roosevelt attended the dedication of the building on October 4, 1906, he said,
'This is the handsomest building I ever saw.'"

We also got to meet and visit the studios of Jonathan Bean and Lauren Castillo, two incredibly talented, award-winning authors and illustrators at The Millworks. Here are a few of their book covers (below).