My brother has become an art blogger too! http://www.opticalbits.com/ He had previously focused his talents on music, computers, and communication. It is really exciting for me to see his photography. In his blog, his geeky side comes out too- in the best possible way- he is very knowledgeable about the various settings on his camera. Then, he takes his readers through the post production steps that he took on his computer to get the final photographs to look like they do.
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| My brother, Jeff Parkes took this photo and posted it on his art blog recently! |
In other news, last night I was at the DuPage Symphony Orchestra & Naperville Art League wine tasting and auction. I was one of a few artists selling their work, and we donated 25% of our sales to the DSO. It was a nice opportunity to get to know, and help out my community. All of the other artists had very distinctive styles, most people were very surprised to learn that I had made everything on my tables. Partly, that is because of my job- I teach 2D and 3D art to our freshmen, which means that I have to teach and be good at a wide variety of art media. The other part though, is that is just how I am. I love the variety of creating art with photoshop, sewing, painting, drawing, ceramics, carving, jewelry, etc. It keeps my art and art-making fresh and interesting. If I was forced to pick one thing, I wouldn't know where to begin or how to choose. I feel also, that a lot of my favorite artists work in a variety of media too. Warhol, Picasso, Richter, Michelangelo, Alighiero Boetti, Dee Clements, Cai Guo-Qiang, Tim Hawkinson,Diem Chau, William Kentridge, Do-Ho Suh, Kara Walker, and Rebecca Carter.
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| Me, with my art at the DSO auction. |
Speaking of art sales, you, dear reader, are invited to my annual Spring Art Sale! Friday will be a bit more fun than Saturday with wine and snacks. It is 'open house style,' so please pop by whenever you're free.
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| You're invited! |
On another note, I graduated from my yoga teacher training! I am now a 200 hour certified vinyassa yoga instructor. Yes. We posted photos on Facebook, and there was so much interest in our shirts that I will hopefully print more soon and have them for sale on-line.
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| With my instructor Rolf Gates. 2 thumbs up because 'we want our students to be successful.' |
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| The graduates. |
I recently altered a dress. I was so fortunate to be a bride's maid in my wonderful friend Alex's wedding last week. As you can see, we had unique dresses in synchronized colors. I found a dress I liked in the right color, but it was the last one on clearance in a petit. Out came the sewing machine! I made a slip to lengthen the dress, and then added a belt, and hair clips in matching colors to create some unity. It was a gorgeous wedding all around.
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| Third from the left, I was a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's weddings, in Jamaica! |
| “I, who was acquainted with many Albertines in one person, seemed now to see many more again, reposing by my side. Her eyebrows, arched as I had never seen them, enclosed the globes of her eyelids like a halcyon’s downy nest. Races, atavisms, vices reposed upon her face. Whenever she moved her head, she created a fresh woman, often one whose existence I had never suspected. I seemed to possess not one, but innumerable girls.” ~Proust, The Captive. |
“It is I suppose comprehensible that the letters which we receive from a person are more or less similar and combine to trace an image of the writer so different from the person whom we know as to constitute a second personality.” ~Proust, The Captive. All 4,000 pages could be yours on ibooks for $1
I think it's very special that my recent posts have connected very much to what I'm currently reading. Makes sense too, what I'm reading and thinking about are bound to be similar. Throughout the entire book, Proust has given me much to think about in regard to the self. Within each person, there are many selves. It depends on the moment we're in in life, on our company, the time of day... Even within my identity as an artist, as mentioned above, there are many, many selves. I am also a yoga instructor, art teacher, a friend to many different people, a daughter, etc. My brother has become an art blogger- I would not have predicted that 5 years ago!
I have other favorite artists who have committed to one identity in their art; Rothko, Frida Kahlo,Elizabeth Peyton,Egon Schiele, Klimt, Casey Ann Wasniewski, Deb Sokolow, Mark Bradford, Julie Mehretu, Cindy Sherman, Richard Notkin, and Ghada Amer. They are artists I love, I have such respect for their ability to deeply explore one medium or point of view. I know however, that that is not me.
This is such a rich concept in Remembrance; one that I have noticed, and enjoyed highlighting as I read. We are all inherently, more than we think we can be.
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