happy painter

An art tutorial lesson goes a long way in the "elfing season"

Monthly art painting opportunities in 2015 are listed on the calendar of my website. Or contact me, at any time, for gift making ideas. tillystudio@aol.com

As families gather for holiday suppers here in Miami...

the consensus around the Cuban neighborhoods is split. Half think we should never give up, having made concessions and not won anything, and the other half think that the embargo hasn't worked for the last 50 years, so why not try something new.

One artist, Eugenio Merino, had this sculpture, Always Franco, 2013 (edition of 3), on display at the Miami Art Fairs. Is Franco a commodity like Coca cola, is he held in ice, is he speaking to us from an empty refrigerator...as if the ideas he stood for were enough to feed us. Whatever, it was creepy enough for me to take the picture and leave wondering... Why put this head in the fridge? To preserve it? Are his ideas stale? Will he "live" on forever? What does open diplomatic relations with Cuba mean?

One of the, almost sinfully, deliscious things I experienced this holiday

A whole rum cake!

After a long day in open studios, the artists gather at the Caprali Art Academy just next to the ARTHOUSE, for talk and feasts.

Michael, Nancy, Lucinda, Jason, Carla and me

...

Martha, Mariana, Patricia, Kim and Krisse were here as well.

We talked the Basel highs and lows, and the dreams for 2015, bought each other's works, and visited the Ceramic League with it's outdoor display, a few times... coming home with work from Polo, Diane and Eve Koening.  Best of all, Martha promises to make Michael a clay coconut!
Thanks everyone, for your support!!!!

Open Studio at Arthouse today

Drop by #8893 SW 129th ST. and have a cookie while meandering through studios of dozens of artists- from the Ceramic Arts league on one side of us, to the Caprali Art Academy on the other----all on SW 129th Street. From 3 to 6 (or 7)pm today.

ornaments in process

sale prices on paintings

                                I am thankful that I can live as an artist in my community. I am grateful to those around me. I wish everyone the blessings of love and freedom of expression. Happy Holidays.

Student exhibition at the Deering Estate

 

In the midst of
finding out which college they have been accepted to, several of my seniors arrived to a packed opening at the Deering Estate this evening. They are launching off into the art world to study and produce. Tonight, in just one moment, with a show like this, they seem to me already grown up and confident. The world is their oyster. I am very proud of them.

Golf course on a florida map

I painted this for my car salesman, as I believe he did me right AND his cubicle has no art...just a single nail on the wall. I found out that he is a golfer- so here is Crandon Golf course...delivering tomorrow.

this is how I really feel

holidays

Freezing in Miami

My blood may have thinned since moving down here from NY 4 years ago. It was 49 degrees when I got in the car yesterday morning to go to work! I am rummaging through the top shelves of my closet to find sweaters. We are getting in the seasonal spirit. Soon we will travel north for the holidays.

portrait of Michael and Me at the sea

Math art for my sister

 Art to contemplate... by Horacio Zabala...Hipotesus xxiii. This was at Henrique Faria Fine Arts, from NYC, but I saw his stuff in a few other art booths as well.

I won't be blackmailed.

For a little while I forgot about everything.
I forgot about my responsibilities and my anguish over politics.
I forgot about my goals and my bills. I just...  enjoyed looking at the art. I enjoyed seeing how a variety of material was manipulated, how shape and color can influence messages, how humor finds me at art shows, how to appreciate wickedly good craftsmanship and stand in awe before a masterfully inspired mark. This year the Miami art fair week wasn't unbelievable, but it wasn't bad.
There were some sweet pieces. Much of it was all cake to me.
Unfortunately, there's backlash about having such a rich show in town completely devoted to the business of art making, marketing, and manipulating, when black men in our country are mortally and freely harassed in our neighborhoods. The insinuation is: how can people go and stand in front of art works with their backs set to this moment of seething frustration and community pain?

This gave me an idea for a lesson plan

Or how can so much money change hands in circles so far from the street level where the 90% survive?
Even though I avoided the mass protests and found my way, in spite of traffic, to the art festivities three days running, I didn't deny Michael Brown or Tamir Rice. I am not a racist. I don't want to feel like one. My defense: hedonism and hesitation.  I did not want to boycott the events or miss the party. I cannot insist that the art fairs reflect the current moral outrage, though I believe that artist's in their studios can and will reflect our culture. The art under the tents is already old. And there was plenty violence and pain there.
My two favorite works were- a photo by Diane Arbus, and a print by Jasper johns from his Regrets series.
Can I keep my art seeking and my community pain on separate plates?
I tried. And, dropping another plate, I will admit that I never called my youngest son this week, who, it turns out, was horribly sick with the flu! My mother plate was somewhere floating in the air, not yet in my juggling grasp. I am not a bad mother. I was just enjoying the art party.
It was so nice... to see so much art and good friends in town,... one week, once a year.
I do not want to feel bad for that.

Within reach of the convention center, portrait artists at Macy's

It's one thing to go looking at art, and another to become the muse for it. Affordable too.

That was the offering at Macy's on Lincoln road this weekend. So my friends Jason Aponte and Michael Gellatly set up their tables and went to work...

Jason Aponte at work

Night life at Miami Art Fair week

Bands, pictures, lovemaking

Service

and beautiful women, (says Michael)

The blue Orb project #livinglegacy

Found a blue orb stuck in a chain link fence along a side street and followed the instructions only to find myself at this pedestal with this question asked of me: "How do you hope to be remembered?"
That stopped me for the moment... am I even ready to be "remembered?"...
I hope not to become a tale with a moral (such as , "don't do what Tilly did, because..."). And the fact that I hope to leave my two sons behind me, I guess I would hope to be the small voice in their heads, nudging them to do what is right. I hope they would remember to be kind, and think of others, but take care of themselves and be smart. I worry all the time about them. Motherhood has been the most awesome role I have ever had. It is more compellingly fulfilling, frustrating and constantly educating to be a mother over being an artist, a sister, or a friend, a teacher or a lover... it's wild terrain when I'm a mother.
I think the orbs are getting to me! Kudos to #livinglegacy from NY to try to stop us for a moment and
reminding me to call the kids, tomorrow.

Fringe art experiences to be had at Basel

A booth for Coral Morphologic. Scientists who stitch together photos as they study the coral beds, and create beautiful art to share the mysteries of the sea. I am wondering if the kids at my school, with their coral lab, can collaborate? Here, Krisse is getting lost virtually  in 3D surround sound visuals... Colin Foord can answer all your questions about coral art and science ... www.coralmorphologic.com

SCAD at Mana Miami

I feel ya...an installation and visual response inspired by 20 years of the musical Outkast history. 

Exploring fashion, film, performance and painting through three artists. Wonderful Kalen gave us a tour. My AP students will  be stopping by for a lesson by head of painting department. Outside there were gravel beds bordering the building... all small square cut rocks, wish I had a picture...perhaps a Paula Wallace touch?

Footsteps to Freedom

On display at 2121 NW 2nd Ave

They hover, rising in the air

Tally Marks

The organizers, Amy Zambrano on left

This installation utilizes the war-torn combat boots of our soldiers, sent in from the front lines, transformed by artists from all over the country. On display through out Art Basel, this exhibit is intended to remind us all of the need to support our military, as well as raise funds to show them love. Ipadsforsoldiers.org aims to send ipads so that soldiers can have books to read, visual contact with loved ones back home, and even access therapeutic programs to help traumatic stress syndrome. It is a 501c3 and 100% of the money goes directly to the ipads...no administrative deductions! Boots will be showcased at various venues, hopefully at military bases and veteran halls across the country.

boots in the sand- Lisa's boot by the wall

Me and Ralph Avallone and my boot

Palm on the sole

My boot

with Lisa Collandrea

Ralph Avallone, a war vet who "didn't sleep for 4 years" upon his return home is now secretary general of the green energy Council. He announced that the president's administration has been convinced that our dependence on foreign oil is a national risk and so by the year 2021 all our military bases here and across the globe will be fueled sustainably (solar and wind). He said that for every fuel oil transport at least one soldier dies. (And he noted in private to me that every single day an average of 22 vets in America commit suicide). Where is the support? This project aims to provide a little...

love the "private party" access!

well I can put on my resume, my first art show at Miami Basel fair week. I am proud that it serves a higher purpose as well.