Volume 2  no.1

 NEWS FROM THE STUDIO

Snow is gone from the meadow...the back entrance into the studio is open. Yay!  Saw a bobcat at 7am on March 22 at the edge of the woods path.  Kestrels are back in the big fields and yesterday there were 3 pair of hooded mergansers along with mallards in the big swamp east on Stage Rd. toward Goshen.     Just back from 10 days in Vieques, Puerto Rico...photos can be seen on my facebook page...love those wild horses.  Am planning to teach winter vacation painting workshops in the somewhat near future in Vieques so stay tuned for that...   Coming up at the studio:   Thursday Afternoon Watercolor, Apr 16- May 14, 1-3pm;   Painting with Water Soluble Oils on April 18;   Basic Drawing May 9, 1-4 pm;  Womens Creativity Group on May 3.  Will also be teaching at Northampton center for the Arts, IS183,  GCC , and the Becket Arts Center.  Check out these classes and more by clicking on CLASSES on the website.

NEWS FROM THE ARTWORLD

I'm included in a 3 person show at the Storefront Gallery, 124 Fenn St. in Pittsfield from April 4-26, 2009.  This is an exhibit of work by oil painting faculty of IS183/Art School of the Berkshires.  Opening reception Apr.3, 6-8pm.

I've been following (a little obsessively) the controversy regarding the "fair use" and copyright legalities of the Obama "Hope" image by Shepard Fairey.  As an artist who sometimes makes art by referencing photos which are not my own, I've long been aware of and fascinated by this issue.  You can go to nytimes.com and search shepard fairey to learn more.  Here's a partial quote by the filmmaker Jim Jarmusch: "Nothing is original.  Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination.  Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows.  Select only thing to steal from that speak directly to your soul if you do this, your work will be authentic..."