How To Find an Art Gallery

May this find you healthy, safe and grounded in these changing times none of us expected.  I just finished talking with a colleague about whether or not we’d ever be able to do healing work as we have known it to be:   physically touching,  face to face, mask-less, as well as singing healing songs.  It might be a very long time.  For example, our Threshold Choir has adjourned for a time until it is safe once again to sing together and sing for others.   Right now, all plans and expectations are tentative.

There are many ways I’ve adapted to what is now and stepped into what I can do.   May the same be said for you.   Taking charge of simple things is liberating and hopeful: cleaning up my art studio, repairing chipped wall paint, weeding, getting rid of unused items and cooking new recipes.   

Since we have more time on our hands, John and I decided to take on a large project.  It began with no one coming for dinner since last March (COVID-19).  Our designated dining room, a relatively small space, had become unused, sad, and uninviting.   So we decided to turn it into an art gallery! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The walls went from a deep yellow green to vanilla white; the hanging light was replaced with track lights; and John built a beautiful little table to sit under the window.    Three days later, it was done and ready for art!

It’s hard to describe the pleasure in seeing this through from painting the walls to hanging the art.  The room is now clean, open, and ready.  What a blessing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

One side of the gallery  is devoted to a series called “Waiting.”  These ladies are waiting for the feminine to be seen, brought forward, and valued.  The flower symbolizes the feminine. They represent the eternal “waiters” revealing melancholy, sadness, and hope.

 

The woman looking in the mirror sees her own bigness which is smaller in real life; the woman in the black dress dreams of her acceptance; and all of them have a story to tell about age, circumstance, and longing.

 

On the other side of the gallery are “Unpatterned Dresses:”  Some are mixed media, some from nature’s gifts and some from photo negatives and photographs. 

Dresses represent the feminine and  here you’ll see this quality in everything from leaves, moss, jigsaw puzzles to a photograph.   In the making, it felt like they created themselves which always means fun for me.

The gallery is ever evolving and my vision is to invite fellow artists to show their work.  And one day, when we can all share a meal with friends in our home, ours will be in the art gallery.

Let me know if you want to stop by and look.  Bring your mask and I’ll super clean the space.   In the meantime, be safe and create!