JSS Student Work

These days, during the week to get my fix of looking at art, I browse the internet a lot. I stumbled across some really beautiful work at the Jerusalem Studio School this week.

All these pieces are done by anonymous students, posted on JSS' facebook page.

Hopefully someday I'll be able to get back to Israel to see it in person.

Kathy Bradford Lecture

Yellow Suit Diver, 2010 10 x 8 inches

Working at PAFA this semester happily allows me to take advantage of the many opportunities provided to students and others in this art community. Thank god for that because last Wednesday I heard one of my favorite critics, Kathy Bradford, discuss her work in a lecture at lunch.

Listening to her in this capacity was just as inspiring, intriguing, exciting as working with her for the past two years. If you ever have the chance to see her work in person (she shows at Edward Thorpe) or hear her speak, make sure you do.

Her genuine nature comes through in both and allows others to connect with her in a rare and real way. The best example I can give is she showed the audience of a picture of a handwritten sign which said 'be ordinary'. She said this was a note she left for herself at her studio in Maine so when she came back she would remember this challenge.

For me, as a woman painter, the idea that she is that confident not only in the fact that being ordinary is the best way to make work but that she personally believes in her own ordinary-ness is so thrilling. And she should because she is fabulous.

Man Under Water, 2010, 8 x 6 inches

Bill Scott

Bill Scott, Coastline, 2011

This is my favorite painting from a show of a lot of fabulous painting. Through October 8th, Bill has a solo show of about 20 paintings at Hollis Taggart in NY. I keep going back to the show's catalog to look at the work but also to read a line in the foreword that just explains exactly what I love about his work and what I want out of mine, "...imbuing each canvas with echoes of remembered experiences, moments and ruminations. Into each he weaves threads of color, compositions and subject matter chosen from his rich repository of artistic inspiration, experiences culled from the earliest moments when art 'found' him and he 'found' art." They're like poems made of paint.

Bananas Collage

Gorgeous anonymous student collage. I love painted paper collages and this one is top notch.

Drawing Show

Brushing His Teeth, 2011, Ink on Paper

I just found out two of my drawings were accepted into a drawing show at Delaware County Community College. The juror was Kate Kraczon of the ICA and the premise was a survey of contemporary drawing in the Philadelphia area. The piece above along with another one will be in the show from September 21 through October 28. I did a bunch of drawings over the summer and am glad for this opportunity as I don't think I've ever shown my drawings before but always wanted to. I'm also curious to see the other work she picked. I'll try to take notes as I know DCCC is a bit far from CC Philly so stay tuned...

Alice Mumford

I love painter Alice Mumford's still lives when they are so quick and casual. Her work always reminds me to only include what is absolutely necessary because that is when she is at her best and when I am at mine. Check out more work at her gallery here...