Delphi Opera House Exhibit

There is an exciting juried art exhibit the first weekend in November  at the Delphi Opera House n Delphi, Indiana.   What a great way to spend a fall weekend!

I have three framed pieces in the show, plus many matted watercolors.

My three paintings included in the exhibit

Zentangle "Play Date" Class!

In recent weeks I have been very preoccupied with my ankle surgery and then a health crises with my mom.  Mom, 90 years old,  is now settled in to a skilled nursing facility and we are closing down her apartment.  Life is returning to a new "normal."

Art has definitely taken a back burner during this time, but I'm ready to jump back into a few things.  With the holidays coming up, there won't be time for a series of classes, but I am offering a "play date"  one afternoon class, Monday, November 13, 1 - 4:00 to create Zentangles.

What is a Zentangle?  

"Rick Roberts and Mary Thomas [www.zentangle.com] are the originators of the trademarked Zentangle method.  Basically, it's a specific way to draw images, most often in black pen on white paper.  Zentangle has become an internationl phenonmenon that now has applications in stree reduction, education, therapy and even motivational training." quote from Psychology Today

So - Zentangles here we come!

French Travel Journal 2017

In June we were given the amazing gift of a trip to France.  During our three weeks there we were able to enjoy seeing many friends, some we haven't seen since 1990.  There was not much time to paint in my travel journal, so I decided to paint little vignettes, several to a page of the places and events.  Each person, each place has a story of deep significance for us, ending with a visit to our baby's grave in Lamorlaye, France.  After seeing all the poppies in Flanders Fields as we traveled, we arrived at the cemetery to discover that the Lord had graciously planted them along baby Chantal's tomb. I was able to pick up some dead blossoms and hodge podge them to the page. What a wonderful experience, for which I am deeply grateful.

  

Vignettes Cards for French Friends

In June we had the blessed privilege to spend three weeks in France seeing many of our French friends.  It's been on my heart all summer to send each one a hand painted card of something from our time together.  Recovering from surgery has slowed me to a halt and given me the gift of time to paint them.  Each little painting represents a story, moments spent with precious friends.

Painting from the Late Summer Garden

It's been a full summer, France in June, (with travel sketches yet to post), the 3rd annual Mimi and Papi Summer Camp with our 4 grands, this year at Salisbury Beach in a Ocean Cottage (no time to paint with four grands!) and now ankle surgery with a leg in a cast.

The night before surgery I could not let the moment pass to paint the giant sunflower blossoms that were laying on the ground from the wind.  Such giant beauties - they always give me a surge of joy just looking at them! It was a great way to prepare for surgery.  I won't be strolling in the garden for awhile, so I'm glad I took the time.

Here is the process from photo to finished painting.

Turkey Run Paint Out

Today was a beautiful day for a paint out at Turkey Run State Park sponsored by the Wabash Valley Artists Society.  There is nothing like painting outdoors, in the deep forest on a hiking path with breezes and sounds of a pileated wood pecker to get the creative juices flowing!

For the first time, my French easel was used as intended on uneven ground.  The telescopic legs were easy to adjust to create a level painting surface on a rocky walking path.

When we spied out the painting sites, I was immediately attracted to this old tree with gnarly roots growing out of the craggy boulders along the edge of the path.  The sun splashed dappled leaves in the background set off the shadowed tree.

After a trip to Twin Rocker hand made paper enterprise yesterday, I had a supply of their handmade paper.  This was painted on a 1/2 sheet of Twin Rocker deckled paper.

Art for the Home

Redbubble.com is a web site that makes it possible to have many of my paintings printed on toss pillows, tote bags, mugs and many other items.  You can check out the site:  redbubble.com artzart
https://www.redbubble.com/people/artzart/works/16086905-spring-tulips?asc=u&p=throw-pillow

"Practice Makes Perfect" Summer Classes

Sometimes we stress ourselves by expecting to complete a masterpiece each time we paint. In this class, we'll sketch and paint multiple studies using various techniques that can be incorporated into paintings such as these rock studies I painted in the last class.

Come and enjoy the experience of watercolors! Positive, directed teaching, handouts, demos.

Create Sketches and Studies of:

• rocks
• trees
• flowers
• clouds
• skies
• perspective
• and more!

_____________________________________

Registration

Reserve your place by mailing this form to Jerie Artz, 3635 Goodall Court,

West Lafayette, Indiana 47906; tel. (765)838-8359, or respond by e-mail

Name_____________________________email_____________

Address____________________________phone____________

Spring Flowers Class

April showers really do bring spring flowers.  I'm scheduled to have ankle surgery to tighten the tendons May 25th, but spring blossoms are too beautiful to miss the opportunity to paint.

On March 8th we'll spend the afternoon painting flowers that everyone brings to class.

Last Week to see the Exhibit "Let There be Light"

The two month exhibit time is drawing to a close.  It has been a wonderful experience to share the "children" I have created in recent months, the photos, pastels and watercolor paintings.  I'm glad that what meant something to me to create has resonated with many of you that viewed the exhibit.

This is the last week to see the show.  Friday, April 28th it all comes down.

Thanks for sharing the light!

Jerie

"Let There be Light" exhibit is open!

March 1st, with the help of my dear husband, sister and brother in law, the "Let There be Light" exhibit of photos, pastels and watercolors, was hung.  It will be on exhibit through the end of April at the Henriott Group, 6th floor of the Renaissance Building, Lafayette, Indiana.

There will be an artists reception, Friday, March 24th from 4 - 6pm.  All are welcome to attend.

Here are a few pics of the hanging process!

"Let There be Light" exhibit goes up this week!

The photos, pastels and watercolors for the exhibit "Let There Be Light" are matted, framed, labeled, packed, narratives written and ready to hang this Tuesday at the Henriott Group.

Creating art is such a joy, but after much creative flurry, my studio tends to get a bit crowded with finished pieces, not yet matted or framed.  So when I was asked to do a solo exhibit, it was the deadline I needed to get my work organized and ready to share.

After all the prep was completed this past week, I felt there was one more piece to create.  The theme for this exhibit came from my recent months of being attracted to painting the light as it transforms even the mundane every day things into glorious gems.  It it such a metaphor for what God does in our lives.

Last week I read Psalm 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation...) and felt compelled to create one more piece that would reflect my heart.  I have a "blessing to being creative work" prayer hanging in my studio that I wrote last year during my journey with the book The Artists Rule, by Christine Valters Painter.  After reading the prayer and using my pastels - here is the finished painting.

The Lord is my Light


Here is the prayer that I wrote last year. It's hanging n the wall in front of my painting table - I just need to take the time to still my soul and read it before jumping into painting.  It was a rich personal experience.

Blessing to Begin Creative Work

Blessed are you Lord

the Alpha and Omega of all creation

the beginning and the end of my own life,

the giver of all good gifts,

most of all – Jesus.

You alone are worthy to receive glory, honor and power.

For you created all things, and by your will the world and all that extists were created.

So, it's to you, Oh Lord, that I come to present my body, soul and spirit, heart, mind and hands, before you in an act of worship.

Bless the creative works of my hands as they move from a soul touched by You.

Bless the process of painting from the inside out.

Bless the tools that I use, all sorts of brushes fashioned for different purposes, paints in all their profusion of color, palettes and pencils, paper and pens.

Bless the spaces where it all happens, whether it be my studio, the kitchen or outside in a wonderful “plein air” venue.

Bless the water as it works its wonder of integration flowing from contemplation, inspiration to creation.

Bless with joy those whose heart and soul resonates with the work of my hands.

Bless the Lord oh my soul. All that is within me bless His holy name.

Jerie Artz – January 22, 2016, exercise from The Artist's Rule

"Let There be Light!"

I will have a solo exhibit March and April 2017 entitled "Let There Be Light."  It will feature photos, pastels and watercolors that show the kiss of the sun giving life to all it touches.  These past months I've been fascinated by seeing how the sun turns ordinary subjects into glory as it's rays illuminate trees, leaves, flowers, weeds, as well as glorious sunrises and sunsets.

It makes me think of the touches of glory God  places on the obscure whether it's a lowly weed transformed, or the lives of people I meet.  Let there be light!

Christmas Past

It has been awhile since I posted paintings.  Before Christmas, I did have a one day class painting poinsettias.  I created a collage of previous poinsettias, as well as a new collage layered with colored tissue paper with watercolor painting on the surface.  It was a challenge to force myself to layer colored tissue in an abstract fashion in order to create the illusion of poinsettias.  I went through a stage of wondering if anything of beauty would emerge, but stuck with it to see something I'm quite happy with emerge.

White and Red Poinsettias

Collage of Previous Poinsettias

Colored Tissue Collage and Watercolor

 I never get tired of painting these beautiful plants.