STRINGED INSTRUMENT

STRINGED INSTRUMENT $58. SOLD

SALTWATER

SALTWATER $100. SOLD
(Dimensions note: Inside of rectangular portion only (9"x5"x7"). Total outside measurement of box, including feet and shell (10"x8"x11").

Honey

Honey $45. SOLD
(9" x 5" x 3")

RED SWEATER

RED SWEATER $38. SOLD
(6 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 1 3/4")

Norman Rockwell Moment

August.
Late morning.

Two curly-haired blonde boys -
seven and eight.
Bare feet,
mindless of gravelly sidewalk.
Summer clothes,
now too small
t-shirts baring bellies
shorts twisted.
Taller boy, gesturing -
younger one nodding
in rapt attention.

What,
I wonder,
could warrant
such intense exchange
between them -
Too young for girls...
A big fish?
A home run?
A summer vacation?
News of this year's teacher?
What if mom finds out!

Oh, Mr. Rockwell, only you
could do justice
to their story.

Poignant Phrases

Most of my life was spent in very large cities. Bumper-to-bumper traffic, pollution, crime, Big Box stores - you know the scene. I now live in a rather rural part of the country. After 6 years, I still get a thrill on the way to the market. Looking across the valley's farmlands to the ever-changing colors of the Holyoke Range makes me think, Lord, it's really gorgeous here! I guess I'm not so hurried now. If I'm going somewhere that's about 25 miles away, I can pretty much count on it taking the same amount of time every single trip. There's simply no such thing as "traffic"!

Well, the following happens to me, not infrequently, when driving around here. My mind will wander just a bit, and something I see will (for lack of better description) simply put a few words, or a complete phrase, into my head, and I must pull off the road and write it down in my ever-present Art Journal!

I'm thinking this image I'm getting is maybe going to be a poem someday and I must get it onto paper or it'll be lost forever. The thing is - I'm not really a poet, and the poems I do try to force out of these phrases are always rather lame. Just the same, I can't help myself.

Maybe someday, I'll share a few here. maybe...

Poetry of Art

SOLD

We installed a new "Group" show at the Shelburne Arts Co-op Monday, titled "Poetry of Art". These group shows are deliberately given somewhat vague titles so our artists can at once be inspired, yet not be restricted, when creating new pieces to hang in our gallery. For years, when our Publicity Chairperson placed announcements in regional newspapers, our post read something like, "Shelburne Arts Co-op, Group Show - July 13-August...". We decided that certainly wouldn't attract any repeat attendance to the gallery, and thus began brainstorming titles for upcoming shows a year out.

I fell in love with poetry when I was a small child. There weren't many kids my age to play with, so books became an early friend. I returned many times to a brittle volume of poetry passed down from one of my ancestors. When the "Poetry of Art" show was coming up and I began to mull over what I wanted to create, I first thought I'd be inspired by Emily Dickinson (note my blog header and earlier blog posts). However, after reading over hundreds of Emily's poems, nothing spoke to my artist's soul right away. Then I spotted my dear, old Treasury of Favorite Poems c.1891.

Quickly scanning the Contents page, I realized I can still recite first stanzas of many of my favorite poems. It took only a few minutes to find what I needed. And then, two, nearly completely formed works, came right into my head! Here is one, and the other will come later.

"gently, Time" $275. SOLD
(framed 21 1/2" x 25 1/2")

DIVINE INSPIRATION

When we had to move, yet one more time, I had my heart set on a home filled with natural light. This house has many windows all the way around, and even skylights in my studio space. I have deliberately abstained from installing window treatments on nearly half of them.
A guest burst from my uncurtained powder room one morning, literally beaming. "Jane! There's an angel in your bathroom!" This is what she saw...

This reflection showed up above the workspace in my studio one day. Can you say "Divine Inspiration?"

The Cat, The Guitar, and the Toad

THREE NEW BOXES!
TAKE A LOOK...

Cat N Mouse $55 SOLD
(7 1/8" x 9 3/4" x 2")



Guitar $35 SOLD
(for size, ref. post dated 10/23/09)


Toad $35 SOLD
(6" x 6 3/16" x 2")

At the Show

MOO $45. SOLD (this box is about 6" tall and is shaped like a bell)
FRANCOPHILE $57. SOLD
GARDEN $47. SOLD

A PASSION FOR PAPER

An art show featuring 4 Paper Artists:
Jane Chang-Kyla Allon-Edith Bingham-Jen Luck

February 2 - March 14

Shelburne Arts Co-op
26 Bridge St.
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
(413)625-9324

Please join us for a
VALENTINE'S DAY RECEPTION
2:00-5:00 P.M.

Here's some of my work you'll see:

Purses $48. SOLD
Cherub $38. SOLD
A House With No Cats $275. SOLD
Paper Trail I & II $125. each

works in progress...

I. My first order of business in the new year is to, literally, complete a special box order which I received at the very end of 2009. I plan to complete that in the next 2 days.

II. "A PASSION FOR PAPER" Next, I'll be gearing up for a show that will run from February 2nd through March 14th at the Shelburne Arts Co-op. FOUR Paper Artists (Kyla Allon, Edith Bingham, Jane Chang and Jen Luck) are working their unique magic with more kinds of paper than you ever knew existed in order to bring you a spectacular exhibit - just in time for Valentine's Day. In fact, the Opening Reception for A Passion for Paper will be held Sunday, February 14th, 2:00-5:00 P.M.

Now - Back to work!