Birds, Bistro, Dancing and Painting, Classes and Vedeos of Art on the Avenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, it seems like forever since I last published a blog on the art exploits of Rod and Martha and indeed it has been too too long and much has been done in the past several weeks.

Since last I wrote I made a video of Martha presenting a lecture of an Artist Trust presentation that we then submitted to the Artist Trust for their review as sort of a video audition if you will for a contract to do such presentations to artist across Central Washington. Just yesterday Martha had her phone consult and review with the folks at A.T. They were very happy with the video and only had a couple of instructive comments. Looks like we will be doing another video with an audience next and then further training for Martha and then she’ll likely start making presentations from Wenatchee to Yakima, Ephrata, Moses Lake and elsewhere.

This past Saturday on June 15^th, Martha did her clay modeling class at Two Rivers Gallery. It was a great success.  Jan Theriault, the Director and President of the Board related to me that it was the best turn out for any class they have offered so far.  Yeah! Martha.  I only turned up at the tail end of the event, at the end of a 25mile bike ride, just in time to see all the happy faces of the participants and the finished products and most importantly in time to clean up and put away all the materials.

At my end, this past week, I received the call from Terrie Henson the owner of the Black Bird Gallery in Leavenworth, WA firming up plans to have a show of my abstract photos there in the month of July. So; on July 1^st, I’ll be taking a collection of my ‘Reflection and Refraction’ photo works to the Bistro. This is good timing as we need to get up to Leavenworth right about then to pick up the rest of our art from Icicle Arts Gallery and the Icicle Brewery that were part of the Bird Fest / Birds and Their Habitat shows.

And, lest I forget, I produced a video of Martha Painting and Dancing live at the Icicle Arts which at my last writing had not successfully uploaded to YouTube. Since then I have reproduced the video and submitted it successfully to both YouTube and to GoWedia our local video sharing site.

Earlier this week I attended a meeting, in Martha’s stead, for ‘Art on the Avenues’. This is the organization responsible for the phenomenal collection of public art in downtown Wenatchee. Some of the works revolve and some are part of their permanent collection. As it turned out they were very interested in my videos and blogs and the fact that I have already published a video showcasing the Art on the Avenues sculptures. That being the case I was asked if I would like to be part of a working group involving technology and communication and of course they want Martha to come to the next meeting to be in one of the other work groups.

As I write Martha is now preparing to head up to Leavenworth for a meeting with Alicia McKee the Director of Icicle Arts Gallery at the Barn Beach Reserve regarding multiple classes she will be teaching up there during the month of July. Busy, busy, busy!!!

The other cool thing coming up in July is that Martha will make a presentation at the Third Wednesday event in Soap Lake and the Art Guild there has expressed an interest in having Martha teach some art classes up there as well.

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Icicle, Fish, Flowers and Birds, Dancing and Painting

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well this has been some crazy kind of month for Rod and Martha’s art. Martha did a lot of volunteering for everything from the Washington Elementary Schools Fish themed fence mural project at which she helped the kids and painted one of the Fishies along with a number of other notable local artists to helping with projects at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center where she helped kids from the Columbia elementary School learn to draw flowers, animal and landscapes.

And, of course we can’t forget Birdfest in Leavenworth where Martha and I both have a number of pieces in the Birds and Their Habitat Show at Icicle Arts Gallery. Martha did her painting and dancing live to Latin music thing again on Sunday. WOW! That was a treat. I had planned to have a link to a video of that event ready to put into this blog, but alas, after several hours of work on that movie it couldn’t save properly due to some memory errors. I’ll have to start from scratch and put the link in a later blog. ARGGGHHH technology!

Meanwhile the show in Leavenworth turned out great and Martha’s large 48x60” “Flight of Ideas” was place front and center above the large stone mantel in the gallery. We each have works there and over at the Icicle Brewery as well.

Just recently Martha was invited to participate in a big art show in Posser, WA. This will be part of their July art walk.  That should be a good venue as we have wanted to get to know that area for some time.

Here in town Martha is getting prepped for a big art class she will be teaching at Two Rivers Gallery on June 15^th just after she gets back from Texas. And, while Martha is in Texas, I am hoping to get started on the remodel project on our house as I just got the permit yesterday… yeah!!!

Well, enough for now and back to work on the video for me.

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Art, Emotion and the Events of Life

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well the past week or so has been quite busy for Martha and Rod.

 

Early in the week we got Martha’s submission in for the upcoming Bird themed juried art show at the Icicle Arts Gallery in Leavenworth, WA. Her fanciful and imaginative takes on the theme are so colorful they just make one smile and wonder.

 

In the same couple of days we got her submission in for a show at the Arts West Playhouse in West Seattle for next year. We’ll keep our fingers crossed on that. And while these submissions were going through, Martha was busy all week teaching her ‘Fruits and Flowers’ class as a guest instructor at one of the local elementary schools. She loves doing those guest artist gigs in the schools and the kids really love it too.

 

On Thursday April 11^th Martha was featured artist at the Nature Consortium in West Seattle for the West Seattle Art Walk. It was a lot preparation for days ahead and the event was the day after we got the call that Martha’s dad in El Salvador had passed. The event went well. Martha was surprised at how many people came to the little and seemingly out of the way venue on the art walk.

 

The next day we were able to settle in and do some traveling down memory lane regarding her Papi by going through the old photos from when she and her brother were little growing up with her dad Lito  and her mom Taty.  Having posted a few pics from that era on Face book a number of folks commented on her dad’s movie star good looks in those days. In this photo of Papi Lito and Martha's brother Mike he really does look like a 1940's Latin Movie Star. When we visited together a couple of years ago I saw that he still had the painting I had done of him on horseback modeled after an old black and white photo from the 1940’s. Wish I had a photo of that to share.

 

And, while Martha had been teaching and preparing for her show in Seattle, I finished the hard copy acrylic version of the ‘Peace Dove Crying Over a Burning Monk’. This I finished by  attaching it to a repurposed ¾ inch plywood board that had a thin vinyl like shelving material on one side which I had torched to make it fit the content of the painting. In burning the board the shelving material bubbled up in such a way as to really create a great texture and patina. Where the wood showed it took on a really great reddish color and tone. The original hard copy acrylic painting I think I will hold onto for awhile and look for a non-profit Free Tibet organization to offer it at an auction to raise money for the Free Tibet Cause. The prints of the acrylic painting are available on my web site sales of which will go toward continuing to create Free Tibet and Peace Art to support the cause of freedom for Tibetans and other non violent peace causes around the globe.

 

Also, in the early part of the week, I submitted seven photos and a video to the ChelanDouglas Land Trust’s juried art show and reframed my painting of the old Cherry Creek Ranch House that was on the Land Trust land till it had to be torn down for safety reasons in the fall of 2011. The painting will be submitted later in the month. People who have seen the black and white photo of this deer in Land Trust submission really liked it.

 

Saturday, between reminiscences about Lito, I finally put together my submission for the Bird Fest show in Leavenworth. Seven photos some natural and some digitally altered to create digital paintings. It took awhile and only a few hours later did I realize I forgot to include one of a Kingfisher in a tree by the Columbia River. Oh, well next time.

 

On Sunday I was pleased to find on the front page of the Wenatchee World News Paper one of my photo images with a link to my ‘Arts In The

Valley and Beyond’ blog. That was a surprise that made that moment if not my day.

 

Well, enough for now and onto preparation for another of those life events – the wedding of my youngest son down in CA. Wow! Where did the time go?  And with these thoughts today I am pondering the words of both Paul Cezanne who said, “A work of art which does not begin in emotion is not art” and those of Henry Moore who said, “To be an artist is to believe in life.”

 

Have a very artful day.

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Artful Kissing, Endless Art and West Seattle Artwalk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, all’s well in the art world of Rod and Martha. Well, all except that I am just now having to start this blog over again due to some strange April Fools day computer glitch which failed to save the blog as I was midway through writing it a just a bit ago.

But, that being said and now out of my system, I have to say things are going well artistically and otherwise. First off, as many readers may recall, Martha is to be the featured artist at the Nature Consortium in the West Seattle Art Walk on the 11^th of this month. And, as we will only be able to fit so many medium to large pieces in the car to take over there, Martha has been eagerly working away with inspired energy on a wonderful series of smalls for the show. Those include a great collection of 10x10’s and an emotive 16x20 piece titled “Lost in the City”

And for that show, I have been in communication with Oleana Perry the coordinator of the show who has signed a Latin music duo for the event.  Oleana just wrote to me that ’Madeleine’ is an amazing Latin band…” and for this show, “ she is teaming up with Amy Denio who plays all types of music – either way they are a Powerhouse!”. I for one am very excited that this is all coming together and I plan to bring a few small pieces as well. This should be a lot of fun.

Meanwhile other art projects continue. Martha finished her 30x30 acrylic on canvas as yet untitled painting of a Native American girl with a horse.  And, in the oil studio upstairs she has been working up a new series of bird themed paintings for the upcoming Bird Fest show in Leavenworth. Some really colorful and classic Martha Flores inventiveness are evident in these oils. And, while Martha has been busy working on those projects I have been busy as well.

For me, as some readers may recall, I was expecting a metal print of  the digital painting “FreeTibet” which has since arrived and which I posted a photo of on the Rod Daut Art face book page. Well, that photo on face book went viral getting more views that anything else I have ever posted there. Readers will also recall that I have been working on both a digital and acrylic on paper versions of a ‘PeaceDove Crying’ over a self-immolating monk. The large print of the digital version arrived just as I was putting the finishing touches on the acrylic version and the photo of me with the two works also garnered a bit of attention on face book. Along the lines of these works I have continued with the theme of non-violent protest both in a general way and in a specific piece titled “Land of Our Own” featuring the double image of a Palestinian teen aged girl involved in Non-Violent protest over the building of the Wall which was destroying her families generational olive orchard near the town of Budrus which was featured in the documentary of that name.

Taking a bit of a break from heavier themed works I have recently completed a mixed media image of John Lennon and Yoko Ono inspired by the line drawing from their Double Fantasy Album. Along a similar them I have been working on an acrylic on canvas board paining of a man and a woman kissing with the image of woman as seen from the back superimposed over the faces of the two lovers kissing. The running title of this piece is ‘n-lessly’. This is a bit of a private joke between Martha and I inspired by the words of a song on one of our oldies CD’s. Maybe some cleaver reader out there with a good recall for song lyrics will hear the line in their head and get the joke. We shall see.

While artwork continues so does the ongoing job of getting future gigs and shows. To that end we sent off an application for Martha to be featured in yet another West Seattle venue one that schedules more than a year in advance… that being the ArtsWest Playhouse. We shall see how that goes and I will keep our readers posted.

And, always planning ahead and endeavoring to make the best use of time and gasoline, we will be stopping by the Pottery Store in Seattle while we are out there on the 11^th to pick up supplies for us and for our good friend Terrie Johnson.  Terrie we are so glad to know. He has helped us in so many ways including firing clay works for us and he just did a great job helping us Raku a mask for one of Martha’s students from the local emergency housing facility. Thanks Terrie. We are so happy he will participate in the Bird Fest Show with us and he is doing some great bird themed works for the show right now.

Well, that is probably enough for now as I need to get back to redesigning our house and finishing up the Artful Kissing piece aka ‘n-lessly’ and Martha needs to prepare for her ‘Fruits-n-Flowers’ class she will be teaching next week.

When it gets hard to think and create under the weight of life’s burdens consider the words of Stella Adler who said, “Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.”

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link to blog on Expressions of Time

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/weblogs/arts-in-the-valley-and-beyond/2013/mar/26/expressions-of-time/

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Dancing Martha, Peace Art and Art Gigs Galore

 

 

 

 

 

Well, it’s been quite the week for the art and art projects of me and Martha Flores.

 

First off, no sooner had I put the finishing touches on the art in the Valley and Beyond blog covering the opening reception out in Moses Lake the previous Friday, than I received a call from Freya Liggett the Museum Manager out at the Moses Lake Museum and Cultural Center that Martha’s application to be a featured artist there was accepted and we finalized dates for June and July of 2014… yes they schedule that far out at the MAC in Moses Lake.

As the week progressed the calls just coming through for more art gigs and opportunities. One of those was from Libby Gerber with Artist Trust in Seattle.  She had a great idea for Martha to do some artist presentations on our side of the mountains for them. Another, also from Seattle, was from Oleana Perry with the Nature Consortium who was in need of an artist for the Second Thursday Art Walk at their office in West Seattle. We have wanted to do something in West Seattle for some time so, we made plans to meet with Libby and attend the art walk on Thursday where we could meet with Oleana . Thursday turned out great and readers can enjoy a description of the day and view the art on my Art in Valley and Beyond Blog. The upshot is that Martha will be doing the Artist Trust presentations and will be the featured artist at the Nature Consortium for the Art Walk in West Seattle on April 11, 2013. Yeah!

For Martha the hits just kept on coming this week as calls came and meetings happened laying out plans for art classes closer to home. Here in town at the Lewis and Clark Elementary School on April 9^th, she will teach the ‘Fruits and Flowers art class. Then this summer she’ll be at the Wenatchee Valley Museumand Cultural Center, where she’ll be teaching a ‘Confidence in Art’ class in July and a ‘Fantasy Island’ creativity class in August. Hot times summer in the city with Martha Flores.

On April 23, Martha will be Dancing and Painting Live’ at the Icicle Brewery in Leavenworth and then on May 19^th, she will be ‘Dancing and Painting Live’ again for the Leavenworth Birdfest at Icicle Arts in the Sunroom. Wow! Well, at least she’ll have a month between to let her feet rest.

At my end, I finished another in my series of Peace Art works and placed an order for two of these to be printed up. One of these ‘Free Tibet’ is a very metallic digital painting and the other is a simpler but very powerful digital painting also on the theme of plight of the people of Tibet. This one of a monk self-immolating with a crying dove of peace in the foreground. I’m also working on an acrylic painting of same and a new piece on the theme of non-violent protest around the world with special emphasis on Budrus.

 Earlier in the week I received the call from Alicia McKee that my ‘Time is on Myside’ acrylic on paper painting of Mick Jagger was accepted for the ‘Expressions of Time’ show at the Icicle ArtsGallery in Leavenworth. So; come Saturday I stopped in at Simply Unique in town to pick up my ‘Kingfisher’ photo to replace the Jagger piece which was at at the Performing Arts Center in Wenatchee.

Having switched out the art at the PAC I headed on out to Leavenworth with Mick in hand and checked it in. There I got a first glimpse at the some of the other art for the show and took some pics for my Wenatchee World Online blog. It looks to be a good show and I’m looking forward to attending the opening this Friday.

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link to blog on Moses lake art show and more

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/weblogs/arts-in-the-valley-and-beyond/2013/mar/13/conscience-consciousness-personal-and-political-ar/

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