Home Sick

I love this painting, "Smaraged, Red and Germinating Yellow" by Hans Hofman. It hangs in the Cleveland Museum of Art and has been one of my favorites for a long time, like an old friend. Unfortunately most of the museum is closed for renovations right now, so I have not been able to spend time with this piece in over a year. You see, life has recently thrown me a real loop. I'm sure that I will talk about what is going on in later posts, but for now I just can't. I have not been able to paint, read, exercise...etc. I am just kind of numb and I would love to go to the museum and just walk around. I love the quiet, the smell, the sound of shoes against the floors of the museum. Going to the museum has always been a somewhat spiritual experience for me, it is tranquil and stimulating at the same time. I don't have to talk to anyone or do anything other then sit and look at the art. Its a whole different world. I really miss going there. The renovation will not be finished for 5 more years. I am sure that it will be incredible when it is finished, but I miss my time there. I miss seeing the incredible masterpieces in the different galleries, the Carvaggio, the Rodin, the Hopper and the Picasso room. Two weeks ago I went to the Cincinnati Museum of Art. It was very nice and had an incredible Miro but it wasn't the same. I miss my sanctuary.

On to new ventures.

How time flies! I really did mean to post something this week....well you know how it goes, anyway, the show went up, and now, its down. I will be going tonight to pick up the paintings that did not sell and the check for the paintings that did, cha-ching. What a great experience it has been. If any artist in the Cleveland area gets a chance to show a True Art Gallery, I highly recommend it. Joanie and Jim are just wonderful. Mary and I have been invited back, so there may be a part 3 to the "Shari and Mary" exhibition tour.

I'm hoping to start work for the shows in January. I must confess, I still haven't gotten my studio 100% back into shape, like I mentioned in the post only two short weeks ago, boy did I sound determined! I had every intention on getting everything organized, but, as they say, "the road to hell...." Well, today I have no choice but to finish. It is homecoming day today. That may not mean anything to most people in this small town, but for those with teenagers its everything. I will have two daughters going to the dance, so this day will be spent in a mad rush getting the house perfect as well as the hair, nail, makeup, jewelry.......hours and hours spent working, only to have them rush off , POOF, gone in a cloud of powder and perfume. As a mom, I must say, it really is fun, plus by 5:00 tonight my house will be beautiful inside and out.

The painting is "Centralia I", acrylic on canvas, 12"X48". While preparing for this past show I went to the store to get 24"x48" size canvases and found the 12"x48" on sale. I have never worked in this size and thought it would be really interesting to try. I bought two canvases, brought them home and started working right away. I don't know what it is but I felt less restricted using a non-traditional size canvas, free and spontaneous. The paintings came easy and were really fun to paint. Lesson learned: when going crazy preparing for a show, try something unfamiliar, unknown and non-traditional.