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By Hannah, 37 contributed posts
View all Hannah's posts. About the author: Hannah West is an artist, web designer to artists and creator/editor of the Southern Oregon Artists Resource and its companion blog, Art Matters!. She also serves on the board and maintains the blog for Art Presence, the artist organization of Jacksonville, Oregon, located in the Art Presence Art Center at the corner of Fifth and D Streets. Most posts you see from her will have originated from the Art Presence blog...See her listing in the Southern Oregon Artists Resource to learn more and make contact.
I just got back from a short visit to Palm Springs. While I was there, I visited the Palm Springs Art Museum, and after seeing my recent work, they invited me to have a trunk show in the Museum Store! I’m so excited! Please join me on December 2-4, 2022 in this beautiful city and consider the fabulous jewelry I’ll have available. There’s a lot to enjoy at the Museum, including their Persimmon Bistro and Wine Bar. So click the link below to explore their website and plan a day of art & culture around my Palm Springs Art Museum trunk show. And soak up the compliments along with the sun while wearing your sparkling new Wendy Gell jewelry!
By Anna Elkins, 164 contributed posts
View all Anna Elkins's posts. About the author: art + word + spirit: A painter and poet, I play in the crossroads of art & spirit. My paintings are visual stanzas of a poem I will spend my life writing - with brush & pen. I've had the honor to create and exhibit art in the United States, Europe & Micronesia. "As with poetry, painting is either a battle or a dance. Given the choice between music & a sword, I choose music." See Anna's listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Ten springs ago, I walked the hills of Wales. I was in the middle of making a choice, and this little pedestrian path sign seemed like the perfect metaphor for choices.
It also reminds me of these lines from the Dr. Seuss classic, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
That day on the path, didn’t know that I’d make a really bad decision later that year. Nor that I’d make a really good one not long after.
Interestingly, all those Welsh paths eventually led back to the same trailhead.
Interestingly, all of our choices—bad and good—lead us right where we need to be. Even if we feel lost in some landscapes and seasons.
I guess this post is a kind of blessing on our choices—a reminder of the great gift choice is.
By Peggy Stermer-Cox, 388 contributed posts
View all Peggy Stermer-Cox's posts. About the author: I begin my watercolor paintings with an idea and a drawing. I build the painting layer by layer, drawing lines and shapes, looking for rhythm and feeling. My color sense is a reflection of my childhood in New Mexico fused with colors of my home in the Northwest. My goal is to go beyond the surface to find joy, wonder and a bit of mystery. I have shown my works in galleries, juried, group and solo shows in Washington, Oregon, Montana and New Mexico. My paintings are in private collections in the west, New York and Norway.To view examples of Peggy's work or to make contact with the artist, please visit her listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Greetings! I am happy to say that my painting “Cappuccino for Two” was accepted into the Emerald Art Center‘s 16th Annual Emerald Spring Exhibition. To elaborate, this is a national juried painting exhibition held in Springfield, Oregon. And, I would like to extend my thanks to Juror Mr. Jim Daly for selecting my painting. Exhibition …
By Anna Elkins, 164 contributed posts
View all Anna Elkins's posts. About the author: art + word + spirit: A painter and poet, I play in the crossroads of art & spirit. My paintings are visual stanzas of a poem I will spend my life writing - with brush & pen. I've had the honor to create and exhibit art in the United States, Europe & Micronesia. "As with poetry, painting is either a battle or a dance. Given the choice between music & a sword, I choose music." See Anna's listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Happy Book Birthday!
I was rummaging around in my old blogs looking for something this morning when I made a happy discovery: my first little book, The Heart Takes Flight, just turned 10, almost to the day!
This illustrated vignette was a labor of love. In fact, it was born out of what I thought was lost love. I had met my now-husband the summer before, but it hadn’t worked out at the time. Heartbroken, I decided to finally write a book. About hearts, of course.
I had no idea how prophetic this little book would become. It was the first of six published books (and counting!). It traveled the world with me in subsequent workshops. And it’s a continual reminder that when we feel like we can’t go any further as we are, we are being invited to grow a whole new way to move through this world.
By Anna Elkins, 164 contributed posts
View all Anna Elkins's posts. About the author: art + word + spirit: A painter and poet, I play in the crossroads of art & spirit. My paintings are visual stanzas of a poem I will spend my life writing - with brush & pen. I've had the honor to create and exhibit art in the United States, Europe & Micronesia. "As with poetry, painting is either a battle or a dance. Given the choice between music & a sword, I choose music." See Anna's listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
Deep in the umpteenth revision of my book, I feel like toddler-me knew exactly how I feel.
I’m saving my writing juice for the Big Project, so this month’s post is a little encouragement to press on & press through. And maybe remember the determination we had once upon our little selves!
Plus something lovely from John O’Donohue’s poem “For the Interim Time:”
By Art Presence, 342 contributed posts
View all Art Presence's posts. About the author: Founded by artist Anne Brooke, Art Presence is an art organization operating as a non-profit under the Arts Council of Southern Oregon. We've grown from a small group of Jacksonville artists with our board meeting at the GoodBean Cafe to over 100 artists with an art center and gallery in the historic core of our charming town. Our mission is to encourage and develop a growing art presence in the city of Jacksonville, to provide venues for artists which will enhance their work and encourage patronage, to work with the merchants of Jacksonville to promote a variety of outstanding events and displays to draw visitors downtown, to inspire and educate and provide additional beauty to our city. For contact information and web links, please visit our listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource
We have another fantastic Guest Exhibit for you in February! Guest artists Jerry Pendzick, Eric Olson, Brodey Carpenter, Jens Sehm, and John Harden, are creative members of the Siskiyou Woodcraft Guild. This month, they share furniture, trays, boxes, bowls, and other beautiful objects showcasing their extraordinary talent in turning, carving, and combining woods. We are delighted and honored to show their masterful woodwork in our gallery. Moreover, we’re confident that you will enjoy their unique styles. Consider choosing one or more of these fabulous pieces to grace your home!
Siskiyou Woodcraft Guild Guest Exhibit
Members Show – February 2022
Not to be outdone, our own artist members offer paintings, assemblage, mixed media, and more. Many works depict Valentine’s or Year of the Tiger themes. Come to the gallery and see their incredibly evocative works! The show opens today, Friday, February 4, and continues through Sunday, February 27. No reception is planned. However, we will post a virtual exhibit soon. Here’s a sampling of the artworks on display in February 2022…
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We hope you will come to the gallery to celebrate these hardworking fine artists. Further, we hope you’ll consider making room in your home for the piece that captures your heart! The gallery is located at 206 North 5th Street in Jacksonville. We’re open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from noon–5 pm each day.
By Anna Elkins, 164 contributed posts
View all Anna Elkins's posts. About the author: art + word + spirit: A painter and poet, I play in the crossroads of art & spirit. My paintings are visual stanzas of a poem I will spend my life writing - with brush & pen. I've had the honor to create and exhibit art in the United States, Europe & Micronesia. "As with poetry, painting is either a battle or a dance. Given the choice between music & a sword, I choose music." See Anna's listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
One of the things I learned from my husband: Shoe Goo fixes most everything!
Part of my book-writing process is creating a list of terms: alphabetized proper names and odd or specific spellings. This is helpful both in style sheets for future copy editors but also when I can’t seem to remember if “corn dog” is one word or two.
The list of terms for my current book on the first year of marriage is now ten pages long, and when I skimmed through looking for something the other day, I thought that some of the letters read like little found poems. And so, I share the letter S here.
(Random things I did not know: what was once the capitalized acronym SCUBA is now lowercase scuba, and Snoop Dogg spells his name with two Gs. Always learning!)
By Anna Elkins, 164 contributed posts
View all Anna Elkins's posts. About the author: art + word + spirit: A painter and poet, I play in the crossroads of art & spirit. My paintings are visual stanzas of a poem I will spend my life writing - with brush & pen. I've had the honor to create and exhibit art in the United States, Europe & Micronesia. "As with poetry, painting is either a battle or a dance. Given the choice between music & a sword, I choose music." See Anna's listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
A few Decembers ago, I painted this little heart compass. I had words for each of the four points that I wanted to cultivate in the coming year, but I remember deciding not to write them onto the painting—to leave it open for future words.
I was also leaving it open to share it with others—for your words.
This is my Happy New Year’s hope: may you point your heart in the direction of all that is good & peaceful & beautiful in the coming year.
By Anna Elkins, 164 contributed posts
View all Anna Elkins's posts. About the author: art + word + spirit: A painter and poet, I play in the crossroads of art & spirit. My paintings are visual stanzas of a poem I will spend my life writing - with brush & pen. I've had the honor to create and exhibit art in the United States, Europe & Micronesia. "As with poetry, painting is either a battle or a dance. Given the choice between music & a sword, I choose music." See Anna's listing at the Southern Oregon Artists Resource.
I could call this photo “Miles per Life,” quoting myself from the last time I turned the age of a speed limit. But 10 years on, I don’t think that phrase quite works with such little numbers. There have been so many more miles than 45.
For my 45th birthday, I wrote myself a quick little poem, as I did for my 35th (you can find that one here). I’m sharing it below for all of us in the vague realm of middle age.
As an adjective, “middling” means average, moderate. As an adverb, it means fairly, moderately. And though I’m not necessarily a fan of average—or adverbs!—I like the idea of navigating this life moderately. Grace to us all as we try.
