"The Wilderness Within" Exhbition in the Adirondacks

 Another journey across the border and down south into NY state brought me to the idyllic little town of Old Forge, NY. where I was hosted by a particularly kind couple that live in the area. Their beautiful home was nestled next to this lovely lake where I saw ducks, loons and herons while I was there.

 I was treated to a fine dinner, good morning coffee, a campfire and a comfy bed, as well as several visits to local establishments to meet with the community and listen to local lore, music and tales.

Old Forge, NY is a warm and welcoming community with particular spirit and spark! The View Center for the Arts is a stunning establishment that hosts some superb art shows and it is an honor to have my work on exhibit there for the next month.

 

"Nature as Muse" - bronze sculpture by Lewis Bryden in front of the View Arts Center.

 

The interim curator, Wendy Carr did a magnificent job of hanging the show. I am always delighted and surprised when a curator hangs the paintings in ways that may not have occurred to me. The show looked beautiful and it was a joy to have the time to meet so many delightful members of the community while all the hanging of the show was being done for me.

 

When I arrived for the opening reception the director informed me that this piece, "Weaving Roots of Time" had been sold before I had even arrived! I was thrilled of course, as this is a piece that has a lot of meaning for me. You can read about the whole evolution of this painting and the others that followed beginning with my blog post from April 15, 2010.

The triptych has found its perfect home with people who will live with and appreciate all the love and discovery that was poured into the creation of this particular painting. I feel the cycle of an artwork is only complete when it finds a viewer who resonates with it enough to bring it into their lives and home. I also feel a pang that "Weaving Roots of Time" will be leaving me, as it is particularly close to my heart but it is going out into the world to have a life of its own now.

 The exhibition will continue until July 21st in this gorgeous venu amongst the dark pines and fresh mountain air. I feel like the paintings are being held within a space that embraces and holds them with love and recognition and this feels so good to me.

Painting from the Inside Out

"The power of painting has to come from the inside out, not the outside in. It's not just an image; it's an image with a body and that body has to contain its spirit.... it's the weight of the intention that defines everything." 

-Sean Scully

 Cloud Garden, 30" x 24", acrylic on canvas

A Life of Glitz and Glamour!

I have not had much time to write on this blog lately but here's a brief recap my last road trip to Montauk where I tried to participate in their annual outdoor art show on the Green:

Load thirty paintings in car (after untold paperwork with the broker to cross border with said 30 paintings). Hang around at the border with truck drivers while intimidating border guards poke at said paintings, have the entire car x-rayed!! Drive for hours and hours. Pick up rented panel walls and newly bought display tent on the way. Move 30 paintings and exhibiting gear into a bigger vehicle with the help of a kind gentleman. Arrive at Outdoor show, set up tent, walls, paintings. Looks fantastic! Arrive the next morning to find out the show is cancelled cause of rain and 40 mph gusts of wind. Take the entire show down in the rain and wind and wonder about the weather for two days. Set the whole show up again on Monday when all the people have gone home and wonder why I am an artist trying to peddle paintings? 

I truly do love this life and there is no rational explanation for it! I lost money but never felt richer. I saw beautiful crashing waves in a multitude of different grays and changing light. Danced on the beach under a full moon with the man I love. Ate Flounder and Fluke with dear friends, held the newborn baby of same dear friends. Drank excellent bottles of wine. Ate lobster rolls and New England clam chowder. Met other crazy gypsy artist people and had a marvelous time fighting the wind and rain. 

Unfortunately many artists had their tents twisted and bent by the wind, some even blew away but mine was the fabulous little "tent that could"!! Walt had helped me lash it securely and we battened down the hatches in such a way that it only had a little tear in one of the corners. While the tents on either side of us were gone when we finally returned on Monday to set up again in the sunshine for a day. My little tent stood there proudly all on it's own.