Life is a Journey

Upstate NY, a Magical Place

George White, Yours Truly, and "my Mom" Anna Marie Miazga 

at the cottage in Upstate NY this month

For those of you who might not know, I am a graduate of Syracuse University. I spent a semester abroad in the Fall of 1988 in London, UK. That year, Libya bombed Pan Am Flight 103, the plane exploded over and landed on the wee village of Lockerbie, Scotland, and the rest is history. 

To learn more about my connection to Lockerbie, watch my video story here

In 1990, I returned to London (one of many times), and visited Lockerbie with Anna Marie Miazga (above) mother of Suzanne, my flatmate and best friend, who died along with my other two flatmates and 32 classmates from Syracuse U. 

Anna Marie Miazga, Yours Truly, and George White by the rosebush

It was in Lockerbie that we bonded, we cried, we laughed, we remembered, we visited the memorial, we saw the crater that was still in the ground, we watched houses being rebuilt. 

We also met George White. George was a paramedic on duty that night. He doesn't talk about the Air Disaster much, because he still has nightmares about it. It was George who found my best friend and Anna Marie's daughter Suzanne Miazga's body from where it fell, just outside the ambulance building. He wrapped her up in a blanket, and never forgot her. He planted a rose bush right where he found her.

George planted the rose bush and installed the plaque in 1989

George and Anna Marie have been friends for 25 years since the crash. They wrote letters and sent Christmas gifts in the early days, then they called and visited--Anna Marie has been to Lockerbie at least 20 times. Over the years they grew closer.

These days George lives in New York State with Anna Marie, they are forever together, found love in the wake of tragedy, Just like I found them. 

Read Hope From the Ashes: Lockerbie Disaster Leads to Love Story

While in Penn Yan, NY teaching a workshop for the Art Center of Yates County and competing in the Keuka Lake Triathlon (in honor of Flick who lost his life on his bike last year) (read my article in the Chronicle Express here) Anna Marie and George drove over and stayed at the cottage with me. 

How lucky am I to have been able to coordinate so many wonderful things into one week?

Call it luck, call it good Karma, it's a beautiful thing.

Anna Marie and Yours Truly posing for a photo in the cottage

George is a joker, he's 81 years old and the funniest guy I know

I have been so very lucky to have Anna Marie and George in my life, and they are so lucky to have each other. Our visit in New York reminded me just how much I love them, and what a journey life can be if you let it take you by the hand.

George playing cards or Words with Friends on the iPad 

(and the shark the accompanies me to all triathlons)

Anna Marie checking in (and the shark)

Forever my family, eating home made cookies and drinking NY wine

During the day while I taught class, George and Anna Marie enjoyed the Keuka Lake Wine Trail, and the cottage by the lake. At night we enjoyed each other's company. Trying to figure out the CD player only to learn that George brought mostly Christmas music, joking and laughing that "If it's not Scottish it's CRAP" and trying to keep Anna Marie from cleaning, sweeping, and scrubbing. Always my Mom.

The cottage and the race offered me lots of great miles to bike

Having Anna Marie and George at the cottage was so much like home 

that we even baked cookies.

For the 20-year anniversary of her death, I created a collage of Suzanne Miazga for Anna Marie. I included all kinds of personal ephemera (including a photo of George's rose bush), and called it "End of Innocence" as not only did she die that day, but the curtain closed on my childhood too.

End of Innocence / Portrait of Suzanne / 24x20 / collage on panel

click to enlarge

Shannon Davis, Yours Truly, Suzanne Miazga visiting Scotland

(both deceased)

Thank you for being a part of my art journey,

Elizabeth

What's Just Off The Easel

I often have images come to me in dreams, lately I've been following those messages from my mind, however whimsical or seemingly disconnected to reality. Guess what? I really like where the work is going!

GoatGazing, started with a dream

And then I found a funny photo

Did some research on constellations - Capricornus the Goat Fish

Made composite in the computer

Sketched in pencil on primed wood panel

Created the under-painting in my studio

Added the wallpaper strips and took the piece to NY State

Worked in a cabin by the lake for a week

Infused much color and texture

Detail, the nose with hand written letters sent to me for collage

Finished up in the studio back in FL with the addition of fish

Fish? Yes, the Goat Fish, Capricornus, he needed the fish and I had the fish. They are Gyotaku prints that are made for me by an amazing artist Chuck Seaman in Key West, FL. I enjoyed using them so much (he works on rice paper, hence the translucent property over the wallpaper strips) I've asked him to make me some BIG ONES so that I can do something even more bold. 

Hand written letters? Yes, please be a part of my letter writing campaign! 

Learn more here.

Thank you for being a part of my art journey

Elizabeth

NEW Calendar

Don't miss out on your Lang 2014 wall calendar, as well as many other gift items like puzzles, travel mugs, note cards and journals. They are of the highest quality and color. I am very happy with the reproduction.

Elizabeth

The Powers of Observation

Through the Looking Glass / Art Deco Mirror Self Portrait

For as much time as I love spending time at my easel, I equally love spending time looking at other artists' work. This weekend while teaching in Atlanta with Binders Art Supply and School, I had the pleasure of taking in the High Museum of Art. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the Art Deco and Art Nouveau furniture, vases, and silver coffee/tea services. This is my favorite era of art history, so I lingered on this floor more than any other. Having recently cut my hair short and taken in the film "The Great Gatsby" with all the wonderful 1920's clothing and fashion, I really could see myself having tea at one of these grand table and chairs. 

I was happy to be able to experience two of Maxfield Parrish works, as well as Norman Rockwell. These artists in my eyes were fine artists, but considered illustrators. What's the difference? An illustration is made for mass consumption. Illustrators create art is specifically for magazines, books, and other publications. 

Two pieces in the museum made me stop and linger for a long time. First was Robert Henri's Lady in Black Velvet. I often talk about the lost edges in a painting with my students. This weekend in Atlanta I tried to encourage and remind students that it's ok to not be able to discern where the subject ends and the shadow begins, as long as you have sharp edges in the light areas. One of the best examples of this was the Lady in Black Velvet, how lovely the bottom of her cloak was that it totally melted into the background, yet her face was so crisp in the light!

Robert Henri, Lady in Black Velvet

For as long as I lingered with the Lady in Black Velvet, I spent double that amount of time with The Blue Mandarin Coat. How DeCamp captured the light in this painting on her face and shoulder is so incredibly lovely! and her deep blue coat then disappears into the darkness. I spent a lot of time up close, looking into the flesh tones of her face. DeCamp has blues and violets painted under the flesh tone, which peek through here and there, making such a beautiful vibration of color. I was about an inch from this piece for a long time just trying to technically dissect it. 

Joseph Rodefer DeCamp, The Blue Mandarin Coat

In my work, my lost edges are typically in darkness or shadow, but rather in an area where the background bleeds into the foreground subject, and the edge is blurred as a result. 

Here Boy! collage on birch panel / 24x20 / click to enlarge

You can see in the bottom of this dog that the green drips of the field behind him have seeped through his fur, and then everything fades out to natural wood. For as sharp as the top of his head is agains the sky, his edges start to get lost just below his ears. I love this effect as I feel it connects him to his background. I want to experiment more with it. After this weekend's visit, perhaps I need to try some darkness too. 

But remember, dark is not always black, it's deep sea blue, royal purple, alligator green, rich burgundy, woody brown...

Viewing art in galleries and museums has always been a passion for me since my first trip to Europe as a high school senior when I found myself standing in front of Picasso's Guernica in Madrid, Spain long after everyone else in my group had moved on. Never before had I seen artwork so powerful, on such a large scale, with an entire room dedicated to just this one piece. I am very lucky to be able to visit art museums and galleries in most of the major cities I travel to teach these days. 

Thanks for being a part of my art journey. 

Elizabeth

Paint the Trail

Being an avid cyclist, I find myself on the Seminole Wekiva Trail pretty frequently. Over the past year I have watched a section of fence behind a house in Longwood, FL become covered with wonderful artwork, a couple of panels at a time. It started slow, one or two, and then it took off! Now the art has completely covered two adjacent yard fences and has moved on to another.

I always stop and admire the art on the trail, it makes me smile with it's big bold images of actors and musicians, comedians and recognizable figures. Most have funny quotes on them as well. Recently I read an article in our local Lake Mary Life magazine, that told me where to find the artist on Facebook. And that's all it took.

I checked out the page and then reached out to Jeff. I wanted to purchase a fence panel from him to display in my yard. Since my house is full of original art and I have no more wall space, I've moved on to outdoor art. What could be more perfect?

Jeff Has a Vision

"I see  people getting exited about what's going on.  I'm doing as much as I can to let those who want to get involved.  It's morphing into some bizarre community project.  I visualize artists and residents alike displaying artwork on the trail. I've set the impossible goal of 5 miles. Even if it only reaches a mile , wouldn't that be something worth packing up the car , grabbing the kids and going to see ? I think if everyone gets involved people will be amazed at what this community has done together.  It's something fun we can do and it's something others will want to see."

See a great TV interview with Jeff here

So what did he say when I asked him about purchasing a panel? "No." Truly, he did. He said he just wants to put them on the trail as part of a community project, he doesn't want to make money from them, he doesn't want to take commissions. Heck, he said he doesn't even see himself as an artist. 

What happened next was kind of fun. Jeff said to me, "You're an artist, why don't you paint a panel for the trail?" That's when he explained to me that he can't get to his vision of 5-miles on his own, so he's recruiting help. Not just from artists, but from anyone who wants to give it a try. Jeff is not only providing the panels, (some are saved from the land fill) and the paint (all is saved from the recycling station) but he's also willing to sketch the panel out for you and give you detailed instructions, if you are not an artist. He's handed out many panels, paints and instructions, in the hopes of getting the entire community involved in his project. 

Jeff not only provided me with the fence panel, but he gave me the paint!

So I went over and picked up a panel, dug through the paints, and threw it all in the back of my van. Why not? It will be like a great big under painting, only on a fence.

Are you a local artist in Seminole County or someone who just wants to be part of this great project? Get involved, get a panel, contact Jeff through his community Facebook page

here's my panel, ready to go in my van, what will I paint?

Spread the word, share this with a friend. And visit my Facebook page for an album of photos from my visit to Jeff's shop. I'll continue to add my in progress panel photos to this album. So check back!

and PS, how did I get myself into painting a fence panel when all I wanted to do was buy one?

Stay tuned, and thanks for being a part of my art journey.

The Sketch - Revealed!

here are the sections of the big picture. 

Reserve your print now, or wait to see how it comes together. The longer you wait, the more of a gamble, I'll only reproduce 10 of each panel. 

email me for details on how to reserve yours today!

Big Things Come in Small Packages

How Can I get There From Here?

Art Prize was EVERYWHERE in Grand Rapids

Last year I exhibited my work in Grand Rapids, MI as part of Art Prize. This was something I had in my sights for a few years and last year I finally did it. If you are not familiar with Art Prize you must check it out online. Last year 1717 Artists from all over the world created 1517 entries and connected with 161 venues. There is $560,000 in prizes, the largest total purse for any art prize, chosen by both public vote and professional jurors. Read More.

the underpainting, by panel

I exhibited at the MVP Metro Club in downtown Grand Rapids along with good friend and fellow artist Kimberly Kelly Santini. Kim did a series of wonderful pet portraits entitled Cherised. Santini is already planning and prepping for this year's competition, it's a bit easier for her as she's a Michigan native. Me, I have to find a way to get there from here.

Blick shipped me over 15 12x12's in two relatively small packages

I started thinking about Art Prize 2013 in the last couple of weeks, as the registration for artists is now open through June 6th (better get crack-a-lackin'). I really would LOVE to be included again this year, and I really would love to have one rather significant piece, large in format. But how can you ship something 3x5 feet without incurring huge freight costs? 

In addition to freight cost limitations, I got to thinking about the fact that I'm looking at a significant amount of travel in the next few months. My Dancing Daughter has at least two out of town dance competition and convention trips, I am teaching in Atlanta and North Carolina, and the Extended Nelson Family Annual Summer Vacation at the beach is in place for the week July 4th. (When I pack to go to the beach house, all I can manage is a stick easel made for holding up poster boards at best). 

How in the world can I work on a 3x5 foot Art Prize piece being out of the studio for that long?

One small step at a time. 

3x5 feet made up of 12x12 squares

12x12 fits on the back of my seat back tray table. 12x12 fits in the travel bag, 12x12 fits in a suitcase. 12x12 can be worked on in a hotel room, a kitchen table, a dance convention dressing room... are you following me yet?

I've decided to nail together all these smaller boards, sketch and paint them and then separate them. I'll work on them completely separately, putting them away as I create them. Why? I want the reveal of them coming back together to be interesting and surprising and to take on a life of its own!

here they are, nailed together and numbered for the initial stages of sketching and underpainting

And the Fun Begins...

Are you interested in claiming a small piece of my big picture? I'm going to offer PRINTS of the 12x12's on a first come, first served basis in order to sponsor my expenses of not only applying to Art Prize and shipping it in a small box to Michigan, but also to help me fly there to see it installed and to take in the whole experience! (With any luck, Santini will put me up and maybe feed me. If we have any money left over, I'll buy some groceries and the gas for the 3-hour road trip to Grand Rapids)

Sponsor Me

Sponsor my Art Prize Project by pre-purchasing your print of a small piece (or two or three). The prints will be signed 12x12 gallery wrapped canvas giclée on extra deep stretcher bars. You will be able to choose your panel (I will show numbered sections along every step of the process). I will limit the prints to 10 of any one panel, so these will be limited edition, numbered prints.

Signed sponsorship giclée prints will be priced at $60 each, including shipping to anywhere in the continental US. (contact me for international shipping rates). Remember, prints will be limited to 10 of each panel. You may reserve yours at ANY time during the process. Will you commit to your panel at the sketch phase? Will you want to wait for the underpainting? Or will you wait to see exactly what you are getting? It could be a gamble, the longer you wait, once I sell 10, that panel is no longer available!

I'll have purchasing information available in the next few days. I'll accept payments via PayPal with a credit card of PayPal account. I've already worked out my composition and nailed the boards together, so stay close! And here are the sections of the sketch!

the sketch, by panel

The Big Picture

The completed piece will hang with about one inch of space between the 15 original 12x12 panels and will be priced as one. I think that the end result is going to have a very patchwork feeling to it and will be unpredictable, which is kind of exciting. Don't you agree?

Let's see where this takes us. Thank you, as always, for being a part of my art journey.

Elizabeth