In, As and For Community Through Art

Here we are again in AZ, preparing for our 15th year at the Celebration of Fine Art, and re-united with our community of artists.  We spend three full months every year with these people - that's more time than some of us spend with our own families.

As we hundred or so artists, plus mates and helpers, hustle and bustle around the big tents, hammers and paint brushes in hand, building individual studio spaces which reflect our personalities and our approaches to presentation, we holler our hellos across the aisles - "Hey Ken! Deb! So glad you got here safe and sound!  Talk later!" - "Heather!  I'm so glad you're back this year! Can't wait to see the new work!" - and we each continue on pounding and measuring, cutting and painting.

We are excited to see old friends, anxious to get our work hung - will it look as good on this color wall as I imagined it?  Are there too many pedestals in my space?  Oh no! I forgot my sign! - We are one hundred souls focused on one thing - coming together in a community of artists, as a community who makes art, for a community who loves art.

So, what does all this mean - this very special way of communicating our passion?  In all this rapidly shrinking world that often seems to be escalating in violence and divisiveness, it means that there are still people in the world who care deeply about conveying beauty as a means toward peace and understanding.  When artist and audience stand before a work of beauty, whether it is a monumental bronze capturing the grace and strength of a mountain lion, or an abstract forest of falling leaves in glass, an exquisite opal ring, gardens sculpted from gourds, paintings of abstract color fields or ones of delicately rendered real fields - it doesn't matter, because in that space of time, we do not argue to defend or attack, we merely come together and know a moment of calm.  We don't do it to prove that it can be done.  We do it because that is what art does.

So, come and see what this art business is all about.  Experience for yourself how it can open possibilities for something for not just your wall, but your soul.

P.S. Visit me again.  I'll be posting pictures as soon as the show opens on Saturday, Jan 11.

Sculptures Completed At Celebration of Fine Art

Completed at the show and on the floor now!  Only two weeks left in this year's show, so come and see this work first hand.  We'd love to chat with you. Don't forget that the show has moved to the corner of Hayden and the 101 loop, one mile east of the old location on Scottsdale Rd.  Easiest way to get there is from the 101 - exit 35.  Both pieces on mounted on revolving stands and so are meant to be viewed from all angles and sides.

Behind the Garden Shed
36" w x 32" h

Three Varieties
approx 10" w at  center point,
22" spread at top,  30" h

www.celebrateart.com

www.whitneypeckman.com

Celebrating Passion for Art - Whitney Peckman

Gourd Translations

The Celebration of Fine Art gets so many visitors from all over the world that I often find myself at a real loss when describing the material from which I do my sculptural vessels.  So, here is "gourd" in a wealth of languages!  And some pictures of fine art gourd sculptures I now have at the Celebration.

Full Bodied

Red Red Poppies

In A Poppy Garden

Translations of 'gourd' Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

Sense 1: a type of large fruit, or the plant on which it grows.  gourd in Afrikaans: komkommer, karkoer  gourd in Arabic: يَقْطين، قَرع  gourd in Bulgarian: кратуна  gourd in Brazilian: cabaça  gourd in Chinese: 葫芦  gourd in Croatian: sušena tikva  gourd in Czech: tykev  gourd in Danish: græskar  gourd in Dutch: pompoen  gourd in Estonian: pudelkõrvits  gourd in Finnish: kurkkukasvi  gourd in Farsi: هر گیاهی از تیره کدو  gourd in French: gourde  gourd in German: der   Flaschenkürbis  gourd in Greek: (νερο)κολοκύθα  gourd in Hebrew: דְלַעַת   gourd in Hindi: कद्दू के वर्ग की सब्जी  gourd in Hungarian: (dísz)tök  gourd in Icelandic: grasker  gourd in Indonesian: labu  gourd in Italian: (frutto delle cucurbitace  gourd in Japanese: ひょうたん  gourd in Korean: 박과(科) 열매의 총칭  gourd in Latvian: (pudeļveida) ķirbis  gourd in Lithuanian: moliūgas  gourd in Malay: labu  gourd in Norwegian: gresskar  gourd in Pashto: اونورو شيانو په حيث كار ځ  gourd in Persian: هر گیاهی از تیره کدو  gourd in Polish: dynia  gourd in Portuguese: cabaça  gourd in Romanian: tigvă  gourd in Russian: тыква бутылочная  gourd in Serbian: tikva  gourd in Slovak: tekvica  gourd in Slovenian: buča  gourd in Spanish: calabaza  gourd in Swedish: pumpa  gourd in Taiwanese: 葫蘆  gourd in Thai: น้ำเต้า  gourd in Turkish: su kabağı  gourd in Ukrainian: гарбуз  gourd in Urdu:ی پیٹھا، گھیا، لوک  gourd in Vietnamese: quả bầu; quả bí

Images of 'gourd' Inappropriate image?

Maya Angelou & Inspiration For A Painting

(This is a re-post from last year.  The painting is hanging at the Celebration of Fine Art, Scottsdale, AZ until Mar 25, and is available for purchase.)

Inspiration is a full and varied thing, sometimes young and twitching, other times a vibrational note struck on a crystal glass.  It is a muse dancing in your dreams, a wood nymph catching your eye from behind the twilight lit forest.  It is shattered light from a glass clad urban high rise tossing itself across the candy apple red of your car hood.  It may be a grand philosophical book, read in fits and starts, embedding something unforgettable in your brain, or something inconsequential – a scrap of paper caught on the breeze, landing in your lap like a message from a parallel world.

Last fall I was reading Maya Angelou’s poem, I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings.  I had, at the time, been struggling with unresolved ideas for a series of large paintings about women and the patterns of their lives.  The original idea was not coming clear for me.   About to abandon the whole concept and taking a few days to get away from what I was feeling was a stuck spot, I closed the jars of paint, cleaned my tools and left the studio.  Landing on the sofa with a pile of books, I settled in for some quiet time.  Maya showed up. 

The measure of a good metaphor is how well it connects to the human condition.  The caged bird seems nearly limitless, as does the meaning of “singing” or voicing what is within.  The voice of inspiration nearly deafened me.  Books fell from the sofa in my rush to the studio.

Who knows why the Universe graces us with taps on the shoulder?  Not I.  But I do know, after 30 odd years of being an artist, that these gracious or raucous or accidental taps are better acknowledged and noted than ignored.

                                                                     **

Begin.  The surface lies before me – the caged bird sings of freedom -  I scoop texture paste onto the board and with the largest trowel I have, spread it in quick broad strokes, leaving trepidation behind – the free bird leaps on the back of the wind – trails and rivers, paths and raindrops show up under the tool, taking me somewhere, bringing someone to me – I feel a door opening – light? Quickly I mix a wash in creamy pale yellow – pour it on, catching it in the river/paths/raindrops – the free bird thinks of another breeze – and warm lemon curd yellow floats into my world.  Are you there?

Waiting.  Slow drying, but surprises appear.  I tape the poem to the wall, print big enough to make out as I work.  So many images surface in my mind’s eye, call to me, then drift only to be replaced, crowded out by others.  Returning to my work, I see a delicate head wrap, in tiny pattern, and then a sleeve, richly embroidered.  She’s here.  Waiting for me to give her voice.  Where is the window from which you watch?  A swallow brings you an offering of berries.  You gaze at me, Madonna of the Swallows.  I hear your voice.

Madonna of the Swallows

48" x 84"

                                                                     **

The universe sends Muse and Inspiration to whisper in your ear that there are fantastic things for you to do – soulful songs to write, luscious colors to mix into unpredictable combinations, elements and molecules to construct the never before seen.  There are birds to be let free and voices to hear calling.  

Slideshow of Setting Up the CoFA 2012 show

Syed working on the light structure for our studios

Slideshow of setting up the 2012 CoFA show! Click on this link to see the process of setting up the Celebration of Fine Art studios for this 10 week long event and experience what the artists do to bring an amazing selection of work for you to peruse, wonder at, be dazzled by and to share with your friends.  It is a daunting task and takes almost 5 full days to complete - often on opening day we wouldn't want you to open any closets for fear of what might tumble out!  But by mid week we're all at work in our studios and ready to share what we do, how we do it, and what inspires us.  This is an exciting venue, really unique in the country, and at our new location at the intersection of the Loop 101 and Hayden Rd Exit, stunningly beautiful as the sun goes down casting those AZ  colors on the McDowell Mts.

This show is a big part of our lives, spending 3 full months with almost 100 other artists, and it is inspirational and energizing, so watch for regular posts about what Syed and I are doing, what our artist friends are working on, and occasional philosophical musings.

And now, it's back to work!

Maya Angelou and Inspiration for Madonna of the Swallows

Inspiration is a full and varied thing, sometimes young and twitching, other times a vibrational note struck on a crystal glass.  It is a muse dancing in your dreams, a wood nymph catching your eye from behind the twilight lit forest.  It is shattered light from a glass clad urban high rise tossing itself across the candy apple red of your car hood.  It may be a grand philosophical book, read in fits and starts, embedding something unforgettable in your brain, or something inconsequential – a scrap of paper caught on the breeze, landing in your lap like a message from a parallel world.

Last fall I was reading Maya Angelou’s poem, I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings.  I had, at the time, been struggling with unresolved ideas for a series of large paintings about women and the patterns of their lives.  The original idea was not coming clear for me.   About to abandon the whole concept and taking a few days to get away from what I was feeling was a stuck spot, I closed the jars of paint, cleaned my tools and left the studio.  Landing on the sofa with a pile of books, I settled in for some quiet time.  Maya showed up. 

The measure of a good metaphor is how well it connects to the human condition.  The caged bird seems nearly limitless, as does the meaning of “singing” or voicing what is within.  The voice of inspiration nearly deafened me.  Books fell from the sofa in my rush to the studio.

Who knows why the Universe graces us with taps on the shoulder?  Not I.  But I do know, after 30 odd years of being an artist, that these gracious or raucous or accidental taps are better acknowledged and noted than ignored.

                                                                     **

Begin.  The surface lies before me – the caged bird sings of freedom -  I scoop texture paste onto the board and with the largest trowel I have, spread it in quick broad strokes, leaving trepidation behind – the free bird leaps on the back of the wind – trails and rivers, paths and raindrops show up under the tool, taking me somewhere, bringing someone to me – I feel a door opening – light? Quickly I mix a wash in creamy pale yellow – pour it on, catching it in the river/paths/raindrops – the free bird thinks of another breeze – and warm lemon curd yellow floats into my world.  Are you there?

Waiting.  Slow drying, but surprises appear.  I tape the poem to the wall, print big enough to make out as I work.  So many images surface in my mind’s eye, call to me, then drift only to be replaced, crowded out by others.  Returning to my work, I see a delicate head wrap, in tiny pattern, and then a sleeve, richly embroidered.  She’s here.  Waiting for me to give her voice.  Where is the window from which you watch?  A swallow brings you an offering of berries.  You gaze at me, Madonna of the Swallows.  I hear your voice.

Madonna of the Swallows
48" x 84"

                                                                     **

The universe sends Muse and Inspiration to whisper in your ear that there are fantastic things for you to do – soulful songs to write, luscious colors to mix into unpredictable combinations, elements and molecules to construct the never before seen.  There are birds to be let free and voices to hear calling.  

Succulents & Sunflower

Saying goodbye to an art work that I worked hard on and which rose to the top of my expectations of the piece, is a wonderful feeling.  It's really a successful communication - a conversation between the artist and the viewer (and in this case, the buyer) in the form of the art - and that process is a sort of art in and of itself, if that makes sense.  It all feels like a completed full circle when the art finds its "person".  And so, here are three views of Succulents & Sunflower which met, and went home with, its person today.

And tomorrow I'll say hello to the beginnings of a new piece - Poppies in the Grass.....

Efflorescence and Inspiration from Poetry

"Efflorescence" Series is the name of this innovative new work from Syed.  Multi-layered glass panels inset in etched copper-clad boxes are pregnant with small shards, creating volume and depth of color which delicately shimmers, shifting color as you move across the piece.

Efflorescence - "a period of bloom", "a result of growth and development"- describes both the work and the artist's presence in his studio this year.

 The new "Autumn Sunset" Series is an extension (and may be seen at the Celebration of Fine Art along with the pieces shown here) of the original "Autumn" Series which he has reprised this year with some alterations in the etched copper portions.

Autumn for 2011

This year I had more time in my studio than I usually do.  This is always a gift from the Universe since I would greatly prefer to be there working than anywhere else on the planet (with children, being the only exception).  Coincidentally, I knew I would have a larger studio space at the Celebration.  I'm not sure I can quite describe the feeling of being lost in time and space that I get when lost in my work.  It is something of grace, I think.  The result is the major work this year - two large figurative pieces - and if you visit the show, I would be happy to tell you about them, as they have their own "stories", their "birth" and their "history".  

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings/Madonna of the Sparrows

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings/Letters from Burma

I had intended to introduce you today to Donna Armstrong's jewelry but I was not able to get her pictures yesterday....but check in tomorrow for simple elegance!

All text and images on this post copywrited 2011 Whitney Peckman

The Best Laid Plans

My good intentions of posting every day ran right up against the world's worst cold!  I'm upright, finally, so here is yesterday's (and Opening Day's) post - a bit late but with pics.

Here is an overview of the NW Salon's area of the Celebration of Fine Art - starting with Donna Bernstein from Idaho and in her 2nd year at CoFA and in the NW Salon.  We love Donna's zen approach to equine art - very clean and powerful, capturing the spirit of movement and grace.



And this is her husband, Lex, who built her exquisite studio look.  Lex is always ready to lend any of us a hand - maintaining his good humor throughout (not an easy task surrounded by a bunch of perfectionist and opinionated artists) - and, if you want to talk soccer - Lex is your guy.

Directly next to Donna, and always well behaved, is Emma (that would be Emma the Dog).  Deb, who is our tech woman extraordinaire and wife of Ken Newman, a most remarkable sculptor who works primarily in wood and bronze, creating important pieces of commentary on nature and man.

Our newest artist to join the NW Salon, Steve Taylor, is in his 2nd year at CoFA and we are so glad to have him in our "neighborhood" - not only does Steve paint sensitive portraiture, he and his wife, Janelle, also make the best chicken soup on the planet - I know this personally because they came to my rescue with their remedy for the cold that laid me low for a couple of days (thanks!!).

Michael Jones, our steel sculptor and encylopedia of Native American symbology, has made both the inside and outside of the tent into a studio replete with gates, totems, and wall pieces.  He and his wife and "red apron lady" (our intrepid sales force at CoFA) Karen, live in Montana in an historic cabin in the mountains.   

So, there you have a taste of 2011 Celebration of Fine Art, and tomorrow I'll post elegant jewelry with very special cut stones, by Donna Armstrong, as well as Syed's and my studio space and some of our newest work.  Hope you'll continue along this journey and forward our link, too!

Just the Beginning...

Good Morning Everyone, and a gorgeous morning it is here in Scottsdale, AZ!  The Celebration of Fine Art opened its doors last night for the opening night party and, though all the artists were breathing hard from the four days of fourteen hours constructing their studios and getting their work hung, the guests seemed only to marvel at the result (and enjoy the delectable offerings of Cafe Laredo).  Seeing old friends/clients who are always interested to see each artist's new work is food for the artists, and the appreciation feels like a real pat on the back for the efforts we make.

I hope to do something a bit different this year with my blog, posting each day about what's happening at the show, but particularly to acquaint you with our artists.  This is my fourteenth year at the show and I have seen so much remarkable work that I wish I had told more people about - now I have this great vehicle to do so.

For now, I'm off to our first official day and to shoot some pics for an overview to share with you tonight!

From Start to Finish

Several weeks ago I posted an "in progress" group of pictures on my FB page.  I did finish the piece and here is the chronicle of the project - from start to finish.  It's a long process, doing a sculpted gourd using the natural direction of what nature gives me.  There isn't much sense in making drawings on paper because your plans will invariably go awry and your paper drawings will have been wasted.  I believe one has to "see" what the gourd wants to be, then help it become.

This tall snake gourd bent fairly gracefully in one direction,with a nice gentle swelling at the bottom.  The iris hiding there needed to be set free to blow in the garden breezes, leaves wanted to arch and droop as landing places for dragonflies and butterflies.  

After drawing the images onto the gourd and burning the line work in, the engineering begins - after all, when you cut a leaf or bloom from the center of the gourd, what will hold the remaining top to the bottom?  Leaves and stems must be rebuilt behind the flower which wants to lean outward.  After soaking the "free" parts of the design (blooms and leaves), the gourd walls are soaked in warm water and gradually bent, holding their positions with strings tied to weights or to the table, till the piece is completely dry.  If the parts are very narrow or the stem is all that holds the large bloom, support must be built onto the backside of the gourd wall.  But, careful, don't build so much support in that you can't reach the inside of the design where a butterfly might be resting.  The contraption in the pictures holds the gourd for me in any one of many positions.  I used to have to do the holding in my lap - very precarious!  All of the cut edges and the sculpture material added to make the design more 3-dimensional must be sanded, hence the mask.  The sander is loud - headphones help.  Sander makes talc-fine dust - so I hold the vacuum in my left hand while sanding with my right.  It's definitely a balancing act!

The painting is done in stages - basic colors applied in the beginning so that I don't mistake positive image for negative space.  Lots of layers of transparent acrylics build the nuanced color in each leaf and bloom.  Often something may start out life as magenta and end up as yellow!

Here are several views of the finished piece.  I miss gardening, but I love making one that lasts forever!  I'll be bringing this one to the Celebration of Fine Art, Scottsdale, opening Jan. 15.  Hope you'll get to see it!

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware." Martin Buber

Can you begin your journey knowing that the destination has not been revealed to you?

Can you know that the destination will be revealed once you arrive?

Will you recognize the destination?

If you, the traveler, is unaware of a secret destination, who is the traveler?

If the destination is secret, can you be the traveler?

Can you travel without a destination?  Which way does the water flow, the sands shift, the light shine?

And what will you miss if you fear the secret, the destination, the journey?

Rivers and rocks

I've been thinking about rivers.  We have an artist, Steven Stavost, at the Celebration of Fine Art, who paints beautifully precise rocks in water, such as you would see in a still eddy in the river.  The rocks are so real that they look photographic.  Amazing painting.  What I noticed is that the rocks are worn smooth by the assumed river, that they have jostled around, bumping the sharp edges off each other, finally settling into a stable group, and the river moves around them.

Sometimes Syed and I get away for a day in NC and go up towards the mountains, stopping along a river we have a fondness for.  Fast moving water, lots of rocks, swift currents that can drag a swimmer a long way from where they waded into the cold water.  Along the shore there are places where the rocks have been deposited by the river, forming a calm and safe place for soft conversations, perhaps a cat nap.

And the river flows on, carrying some with it, depositing others at the edge, until, I suppose, each rock and pebble finds a place.

In Steven's paintings I don't see the moving river.  I only see the beautiful rocks, a harmony of distinctive individuals.

Good night, NW Salon.

12 Step program for artists!!!

You simply gotta read this - http://bit.ly/brvveW  TOOOOOO good!

Transmitting thought by sensing color

I was thinking today about "feeling" transmitted by artwork, in particular, through painting.  What does that mean - "feeling" through artwork?  Mine? Yours?  Or is it the transmission of something intangible between us - the artist and the viewer?  Working on this piece, I was deep in thought about coming through dark times by tapping into "feeling" - literally the physical awareness - of the moment.  As the texture and darks developed, I "felt" the need for the sensation of light, bright and opening - whence came the yellows.  Stepping into that physical space of brightness brought forth the reds/oranges.  The delicate balance of sensing the awareness within and trapping it in color both frustrates and feeds me.  Such is the dilemma of painting unencumbered by specific images.  For other well articulated "feelings" about painting check out http://bit.ly/bXtiWw

If you want to see this piece, come to the Celebration of Fine Art - it's the last week!  Time evaporates!

Windows of Opportunity

Last 7 days of the Celebration of Fine Art 2010 here in Scottsdale!  Beautiful weather and still more beautiful artwork!

This year has been remarkable and we've had great sales, so some things that you may have looked at are gone, BUT we have some great work we'd love you to see - Syed has almost sold out of his little single window pieces, but has about 6 left.

I have 2 Japanese boxes left, and one large Japanese piece in soft, matte colors.  We'd love to see you so come in and say hello.

Stendhal Syndrome

"Stendhal syndrome, Stendhal's syndrome, Hyperkulturemia, or Florence syndrome, is a psychosomatic illness that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, confusion and even hallucinations when an individual is exposed to art, usually when the art is particularly beautiful or a large amount of art is in a single place. The term can also be used to describe a similar reaction to a surfeit of choice in other circumstances, e.g. when confronted with immense beauty in the natural world. " From Wikipedia


Clearly that which affects, infects (and may rarely be deflected by) the audience at the Celebration of Fine Art!!  And here is an example of beautiful new glass from Syed Ahmad in the NW Salon.

                     

Balance in all things

Dr. Robinson was telling me that a healthy immune system is a BALANCED immune system.  We talk so much about balance.  Balance on the teeter totter.  Balance in design.  Balance the checkbook.  Balance your hormones.  Keep your balance.  On balance.  Balance the ball.  Seems like the act of balancing could keep one off balance, if one was not careful.  Today the anxiety of a slow week and the momentary exultation of a nice sale was balanced by immersion in a piece of artwork full of tiny detail which could, in other circumstances, be stressful and throw me off balance.  But today, the detail seemed meditational.  I was calm all day and the piece moved nicely along.  What will it all feel like tomorrow?

Real Art 4 Children

Surrounded by art and artists for 10 weeks at the Celebration of Fine Art gives one a lot to think about.  Not many children come to the show, but from time to time, some wonderful home schooling parent shows up, or a grandmother patiently explaining to her charges how this or that is created.  I applaud these parents and grands!  With art budgets being decimated everywhere, it is so important to expose kids to "original" art - art which comes from the mind and hand of the artist.  Not patterns, not tracings, not molds, not kits, not mass produced Barbie scenes, or production line action figures, not poster prints, not extruded clay figures or paint by number.

Bring them to the Celebration of Fine Art.  This is what they can see - Liana Tumino doing real, original frescos of her mother's village in Italy, done in the traditional way on plaster she makes in her studio; Ken Newman sculpting huge hunks of wood with gouges and hammers, turning slabs into beautiful soaring birds and wild coyotes erupting from the log; Eric Poulson with nothing but a palette knife and a tray of oil paints creating morning desert scenes and jars filled with bright blossoms.  And there are about 80-90 more artists creating from their imagination every day - no kits.

And if you want to give your child or grand something that will last a lifetime, consider starting an original art collection for them by buying a small piece each year...a small oil painting, a tiny bronze, a hand made bead........if a child sees that a house can be painted, perhaps he will see that he could design a house.  If a child sees that a bird can be carved, perhaps she will see that a species needs saving.  If a child sees color being mixed, perhaps it will be a happier day.