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Welcome to Barb's Blog. Posting some of my opinions, insights, ideas, and adventures about art, travel, plein aire, pastel, and whatever's happening. Join me, feel free to add comments, follow along as I paint and write and explore November?
Another show at the Apple Shed this November (and a bit of October) has been successful. Drop by if you are in the neighborhood. On December first Connie Williams becomes the artist of the month, with a round of gratitude to all the artists commissioned in the Apple Shed. This is shown in an opening display of work by all the artists, as well as a delightful table of delectable goodies from the Deli. So there we go again. I will have a few more new paintings up in December. The gathering is from 2-4 Saturday afternoon in the Heritage Room, December 6. A great chance to meet many of the Apple Shed artists. It has been a busy year. Here's to ending it with flair. End of Summer
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. This axiom was integrated into my summer. I created crazy, busy chaos. It was fun, quick, and experimental, but a road I didn't get taken on this blog. So here it is September 20th and I want to get started on a more frequent schedule. The intention of this road began in March with a class in Ridgway. It has worked for me but it takes time to transpose all this discovery into a presentable core. I'm guessing you all will have more time now, too...to write, paint, draw, or otherwise be creative. That's what it is all about, of course. I've talked to others this last month about the creativity crisis in our lives. I admit, I ignored any of you this summer, while I stacked away bits and pieces of creativity in shoe boxes and folders. I wish I were better at sharing. But I'm here now, with ideas, methods, insights and suggestions. You know--there are no rules, just good suggestions. I will make them, try to ignore your ignoring them, and encourage you to not beat yourself up because you didn't think of yourself--first--a little bit--or all the time your life was put on hold. We live in beautiful country, the high desert of western Colorado. Our friends, family, acquaintances, and other explorers find us. It is wonderful, but busy.
Welcome, summer
Someone has poisoned the buffalo grass by their house. I walk briskly to where it begins again leaning rosy and lavender stems of green and purple into the east away from the wind bugling its summer arrival pounding its chest of fence and sagebrush
In an empty field pale cream with cheatgrass Once greened now headed and tinged with lavender white bindweed laces and embroiders the grasses with garlands pink traced shells of their trumpets loud and glorious
April was Poetry MonthHere it is May. I am dazzled by the spring that wasn't and the poetry that hasn't made it onto my blog page. So here is my tribute to poetry, and the quick trickster that fools with spring and fall and human plans. Coyote Portrait
Cyote yips, chirps and chatters
across the valley Up ravine where latent fall rides coat-tails of a summer wet with promise Her fur is thick and ready Paws whisper of future bounty As she trots the gravel road toward her den The beetles, ageless In their instant lives Renew in clattering ancestry We are incandescent twinges In a star’s bright life Insects live eternities and regenerate One bee becomes another Honeycomb and universe revolve the continuity of a steely onoburis spiral of cochlea trilobite shells turn again Coyote’s lope stirs sand and beetle with his fickle paws
©btorke Judging the high school art show
by Barbara Torke
This last week I had the pleasure of judging the Western Colorado Regional Art Show in Cedaredge. It is open for all western Colorado high school students. Four high schools sent student work, and the number of pieces was around 530. It was one of the hardest shows I haver ever judged. Very fine quality, lots of competition, and class. These kids have class.
It is not an easy job judging shows. I love each piece for a different reason. My favorites vie with knowledge and emotion until I finally make choices. That is all it is, making choices. I’d like to think I have honored the kids who have pushed beyond their and their teacher’s expectations. Another day, another walk around the perimeter, I will probably find other pieces that quicken my heart rate.
These young people are industrious, enthusiastic, talented, and inspiring. They learn quickly and expand exponentially with each experience. With these kids, our future is in great shape. I spoke with an exchange student from Turkistan. She was so excited to have this opportunity to be creative. Her artwork bubbled over with this joy. I visited with a senior girl who had seen artists on the streets of Los Angeles painting with spray paint, done some research and taught herself how to do incredible scenes with detail and skill. Another young man I talked to wanted to know how he could further his showmanship. We talked quite a while, and I know he will grow more competent with every piece he brings forward, because he’s hungry for knowledge. He has just started painting with pastels. What a joy new media brings.
A quick word on copy work. We learn by copying, be it letters, food, or football. I could not criticize kids for copy work, but it must be a stepping stone. They must now make each move original, even though the source was planted in some other space. A new stroke, new color, new dynamics. Life after high school.
Most comments from my peers tend to start “Better you than I. This is a tough show.” And they are right. I do hope, however, that somewhere, frontiers were expanded, a sense of accomplishment was achieved, and they are saying, “I’m so glad I entered that show. I’ll do it and do even more wonderful work next year. |
