Allegany Arts Association Celebrates 40 Years

You're Invited 

 This free public exhibit contains sixty-one works by twenty-one local artists.

FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE, PREVIEW THE WORK,  GET AAA's UPDATED MEMBERSHIP FORM, AND DETAILS ABOUT THE ARTS ACCESS PASS PROGRAM 

Proud to be an ASI Arts Access Partner,

passholders may contact ASI to request assistance

with transportation to this free event.  

September Falls into October

 [Find detailed studio posts and updates on Patreon First]

September Falls, October Opens 

“You know when you're sitting on a chair and you lean back so you're just on two legs and you lean too far so you almost fall over but at the last second you catch yourself? I feel like that all the time...” ~Steven Wright 

Hectic times. 

In my thirties my Father told me that my life policy has always been, "Let's try this s*@! and see what happens" instead of having an actual plan for anything. Others told me I was Monica-esque in the order I prescribed in my life. I suspect the truth of me rests right in the middle of those descriptions.... 

Right after it bounces around like a ball in a pinball machine... 

This makes me

Creative Every Day ...even when I am not making art... 

appreciating September Sunflowers and...

August and September have been packed with life, death, art, work, and everything in between. 

These days have been filled with community arts access goals, my other "real" job, the Autumn Equinox, Seasonal Shifts, finding an Appalachian Trail Access Point,  long over due trips to visit an old friend in Massachusetts and some "witches" and a lighthouse in Salem, and a gradual increase in the desire to create more new visual Things. 

Artsy accidents happen. 

Recently exploring painting on dark grounds instead of white canvas, I've been pondering ways to put more light in my darkness in hopes of reaching the Reese's worthy balance of complimentary opposites. 

Though I frequently incorporate abstract motion in my painting, I accidentally painted my Garlic Festival AAA Silent Auction table in reference to van Gogh's The Starry Night.  I didn't even notice the similar rhythm until it was almost finished. I suspect I simply internalized the imagery which has saturated public media since the digital exhibit of his work went live. In any case, when I finally stopped procrastinating and turned off all of the distractions; I truly enjoyed where it took me. 

(Broken Patterns) 

Garlic Festival AAA Silent Auction Table Top 

Table detail 

Other artsy accidents:

With all the change and grief in my life these last few years, the military me has had an on-going itch to relocate...or just go ahead and sell everything and convert to van life... 

(This too shall pass.) 

However, something had to give and the Give happened with a huge purge and re-ordering of all the stuff and things in my current living space. 

I accidentally bought a purple paint that has the "magic" properties of being easily influenced by it's surroundings. This lead me down the winding color theory road that I have loved for decades.

I've had primer on the bathroom walls at the studio for about twelve years. As I tried to cram the ladder into that tiny, ten-foot-ceilinged  space, I remembered exactly why I had put that project out of my mind  all this time... But, playing with Purple prevailed and I needed another location to use it after I finished converting the studio office into a new restful space.  

(Did I mention there has been coffee? Lots of coffee.) 

Victorious Side Effects 

Re-arranging, painting, and renovations required the elimination of established cat territory at the studio. The resident rescued felines have hated each other since day one. So much so that they have been contentedly kennel trained to eliminate any inclination to re-enact the Lord of the Flies during unsupervised contact. 

In protest of the recent abrupt upheaval they've united to form a surprising alliance. After over a week of forced proximity of their pens, we were safety-gate-free this morning for the first time in two years. Not saying we're working in Catopia but they actually touched each other without thoughts of mayhem or violence... AND nobody fear-peed on the floor. Win. Win. 

..........................................................

Purple playing has reminded me of the peace in the paint. 

Painting. 

Pieces. 

("New Pieces" acrylic on canvas 2016, was one of the designs added to my 2016-2018 V I D A collection. Under construction this year at V I D A, most of the collection is offline at this time. The upgrades and additions to the collection will be posted and live later this winter.)

Patrons make art happen. 

Thanks so much for holding this space for creators!!!