Divine Twist, or Blonde Woman in Denial with Headline

9 x 9 inches, acrylic paint and headline on wood panel.
I really like this one. It has, through the process of becoming a reality, shown me several layers of meaning. The idea started out as a piece to commemorate a year 9 years ago when a relative had to move in with us for over 6 months due to their addiction consequences. I thought it was a horrible thing and my art turned to dark ransom notes and dreadful valentines. But time passed and we all learned so much and, incredibly, looking back I see it was a profound gift to me and my sons. And now- when the chips are down this relative, who is healthy and stronger than ever, is there for me. Divine twists. THAT should be the name.

I am rethinking this idea of selling the individual works for teeny ($48) sums, as a birthday gift... I sort of like these paintings and think the project as a whole might have more value than the individual parts. (nothing is selling anyway- so they might as well be $100 each). I am going to order some prints through my Fine art America account and see how the quality is. Maybe prints can still be priced less, but the whole original collection... now 31... might have to be hung together as one work.

Today I spent the day in training for my role as a town, village, and hamlet representative in a two county wide event this fall. There is to be in October a huge celebration opening an "air" park above the Hudson river in conjunction with the Henry Hudson Fulton Quadrecentenial. As in the past artists have celebrated the river, they are now being called upon to celebrate and "harvest" the grass roots energy of their home towns and direct the community connection on a personal and in a processional way. I have been honored to be chosen to represent Millerton, Amenia and Northeast! this means I must make three individual and unique emblems for the towns as well as host a series of workshops to create 75 cloth flags. The woman behind this celebration plan is an amazing lady named Jeanne Fleming. She directs and creates celebrations for families or for millions such as the Statue of Liberty unveiling, or the annual Greenwich Village halloween parade... She seems awesome and very spiritually connected to the river. What is wild about this project is that it won't be a parade with an audience... it will be a performance with 3500 people taking part! More about this later...