"Resilience", 16x20"

It's been quite some time since I've posted to my blog-- I miss being in touch with you!  For the last month or so, I've been traveling to see friends and family from coast to coast and trying to see as much art as possible at the same time.  I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Chelsea gallery district in NYC, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and finished up with the wonderful "Boticelli to Braque, Masterpieces from the Scottish Museum" at the De Young Museum in San Francisco.  All this art can be inspiring, and it can also be intimidating!

It's actually kind of tough coming back home and facing the blank canvas after seeing so many master works.  After a few deep breaths, I tell myself that even the masters had several "clunkers" along the way-- not every single piece they created ended up in a museum.  Any time I flip through a book of an artist's works, I end up loving a few, and feeling rather lukewarm about many others.  And that's OK!  If I am to explore new expressions, I have to be comfortable with the clunkers that might result as part of the process.

"Resilience" was painted quickly during this intense period of travel and observation.  I decided to leave her rather unfinished.  I thought that if I finished off every bit of the painting, it would loose some of its spontaneity, and I enjoy seeing my thought process under the paint from time to time.

This painting is for sale at the Button Petter Gallery in Saugatuck, Michigan.  Click here for more information.

"The Logic of a Summer Garden II" 20x16"

I had so much fun fracturing my last piece, I decided to do it again!  This painting went with us to Saugatuck and is happily hanging at the Button Petter Gallery.  (Can a painting be happy?  Well, I'm happy that it's there!)

"Floral Fantasy in Pink and Green", 16x12"

At the Button Petter Gallery

Well, I guess this is "Das Vee Danya!"  I leave in just under a week to travel to Russia with my mother for a celebratory birthday.  We will be in St Petersburg, where we hope to soak up as much art and culture as we possibly can while we are there.  I have attempted to learn a bit of the language-- to practically no avail.  Mostly what I can say in Russian amounts to:  I don't speak any Russian.  I am American.  Which will come as no surprise whatsoever to anyone who speaks to me!

But I am loading up my cameras, expecting to take tons of photos which I hope will become the basis for  future paintings.  Or I may freeze altogether in the presence of such grandeur.  We will see.  Either way, it will be an unforgettable experience, and I can hardly wait.

"Floral Fantasy in Orange and White", 16x12"

The reception last weekend at the Button-Petter Gallery was quite a success.  Attendance was enhanced by red trolleys which brought in waves of art and wine lovers who were part of a Saugatuck/Douglas tour.  What luck to be on the itinerary!  Met so many interesting people that day, in addition to the fantastic friends and family that came to support me-- where would I be without you?  The painting above sold that weekend, which was frosting on the cake!!!

After the reception, the extended Feldman family left for parts up north.  We stayed for a week in Charlevoix, then visited Petosky and Mackinaw Island.  Michigan is beautiful this time of year!  The sand dunes were magnificent, and history abounded all around us.  Snapped hundreds of photos for future paintings-- look out for sunny verandas and hand-glazed pottery to pop up in my future art projects.

I hope that you're finding time to make the most out of summer!

"Harbor Town", 9x13"

Last time I was in Saugatuck, I couldn't resist snapping a few photos for possible painting references.  This one was a natural-- it just says "Harbor Town".

New Class Announcement

"Floral Fantasy in Red"

Button Petter Gallery 

"Floral Fantasy in Yellow"

Button Petter Gallery 

"Tea Roses"

East End Gallery

Dear blogging friends, I have neglected you far too long, and I apologize for that.  In a nutshell, I have been painting like crazy.  In the spring, I had galleries to supply.  The three paintings above have sold in the last month, and interestingly, they are all florals!  Hmmm, perhaps I should pay attention to that...

After the gallery orders were filled, I retreated to my studio to continue my experimentation with the new techniques I've picked up in the last few months, particularly in CW Mundy's workshop.  My ratio of successes to failures at present is about 1/10.  The paint is flying and the canvases are filling the garbage bins.  But my hope is that I will eventually emerge from my garret with a new approach, and perhaps a new understanding of impressionist art.

NEW CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT: I will be teaching 6 week classes in Impressionism for new and continuing students at Mainstreet Art Centre in Lake Zurich, IL starting in September.  The classes will be held on Fridays.  I will also be teaching a portrait class on Monday evenings, beginning in September.  If you'd be interested in any of these classes, please call Mainstreet at (847) 550-0016.