Participating in the Lab Space art show, "Holiday", that is strikingly original and wall-to-wall untamed.

If you are curious and fascinated by whimsy or just need to address the bit of winter blues and add some swing into your life, be sure to shop at the LabSpace Holiday group show in Hillsdale NY. It opened this weekend and the event was so packed you could hardly move. Squeezing between bodies, I was able to delicately circumnavigate the small two-room gallery, twice. The 200+ works are all under 12 x 12 inches and between 100 and 800 dollars and they pack a wild punch.  The variety is astounding and guaranteed to be a pleasure. There are drawings, paintings and sculptures. It’s a show full of creative freedom and syncopation that reflects the curatorial style of Julie Torres and EllenLetcher. 

Several people deep to get to the wall

I was thrilled to have my Starry Night Traffic Jam hanging low by the knees. It was in good company. This gallery space has brought together the art community of players into the hamlet in southeastern Columbia county. The hot gallery is known for presenting quirky and colorful works by new artists with jaunty mixes of more established studios. The openings are intellectually rich and youthful. I spoke with a young man, clad in Carhart, flannel and steeled-toe work boots. Asking if he was an artist, he said no, just curious. When I asked him to point out his favorite, he pointed to two works and used the words, “delectable” and “spiritual” in regards to technique and affect.

It was not lost on me that this was the closing of Art Basil, the favorite art week in Miami where many of my friends were immersed in the art world. Looking around the Lab, I laughed at the difference to what I imagine is just 1400 miles south. I felt so happy to be here enjoying a show.

Michael showing off his work

Foot fashion

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RIP Victor Calderon

For 26 years he worked at Palmer Trinity School. I was glad to have known him for 8 of those years when he worked the campus security. He was very popular. Students would slide up next to him, clap him on the back, and ask him how he was doing in both English and Spanish. Always funny. Big eyes and a good mustache I got him to pose for a class painting demo. He had been having some complications with his heart. I think I caught a look of worry on his face. I gave him the picture. And we always joked that I had to do another one so each of his children could have one. I went to the hospital after his first procedure a couple years ago and left a handmade card. Afterwards, back on campus, Victor was always zipping the outskirts in the golf cart or lingering with a great smile by the bell between classes. He'd pull me over to his lunch table and we'd talk about our kids and our worries for them, we'd talk about his heart. He had a great relationship with each person. This week his sweet fragile corazon gave out. I swear it took a part of mine with it.

Flowering botanicals NOW available as prints

 Inspired by the everyday June beauty of Miami neighborhoods, I have added a collection of botanical drawings to my Fine Art America website.

The drawings can be made into canvas prints, framed prints, metal prints, wood prints, greeting cards,

throw pillows, duvet covers, tote bags, shower curtains, and even a phone case!

Please check it out. My desire is to provide images of beauty at affordable options to inspire a happier world. Thank you

Moving day boxes everywhere....

Now the apartment! We had the help of #bellhops.com
As well as friends and family❤❤❤😂

The farewell tour

Dear Blog-
So much has happened in the last month.
There wasn't time to write. My job at Palmer Trinity came to an end, and there were reports to write, rooms to clean up, students to console, friends to party with, a studio to empty and plans to make.
Here are some pictures of the farewell tour...

The hardest part was saying goodbye to the kids.

My advisees gave me a mounted group photo and filled the classroom with balloons.

I even got an orchid- yikes!!!

I gave my last painting to my art department colleague, Mr. Robert Moorhouse who has taught me so much and made me, over the last 8 years, into a better teacher. I am so indebted.

Ms. Massa, Ms. Fernandez and Ms. Beske

In fact I was so lucky to work with colleagues who valued what they were doing and collaborated gracefully. The intellect and passion of these three would fill an ocean.

The bible study ladies all gathered for a happy hour meal and I was showered with more love than I ever expected. These women will be missed. They will forever stay in my prayers.

And I will miss the giant Bismark. Everyday, as I traversed the campus, we checked each other out, and witnessed growth and weather. Such a lovely place! And though my home in New York is calling and has been a deep longing, it is a bittersweet ending. This has been a fantastic time and place.

New Peacock painting Merchandise

I am so proud to offer up five of my most recent paintings inspired by the tropical nature of Miami. I just uploaded five new peacock paintings onto my Fine Art America site. That makes 63 paintings and drawings now available for any economic budget on almost a hundred products. You can get a print on canvas, metal, wood, framed paper, or as a greeting card, a mug, a phone case, a tote bag or a shower curtain, throw pillow, duvet cover, yoga mat, and more!!!
Check it out on FFA! Have fun!  I will travel north with memories of the south Florida tropics on my bath towels and greeting cards.

Ships within 2-3 business days! Let me know what you get.
All the best-
Tilly

Students get private tour of the Rubell Collection

One of my favorite annual art field trips is the spring AP student trip to Wynwood. This year we were able to have a private viewing of the Rubell Family Collection. The main exhibition downstairs featured Purvis Young, (1943-2010), Miami's own original self taught street artist from Overtown. A contemporary of Basquiat, Young was always educating himself with public library and radio resources. He painted on any found hard surface and used donated paints from his fans. Finding him on some hard times, Mera and Don Rubell came to his aid by purchasing hundreds of his paintings. The show is hung thematically so you could see the symbolism and repetition in Young's practice.

Young's boat series

Life in the hood...angels at the scene of an accident

Upstairs was a colorful eclectic collection of new acquisitions of younger artists. The students really enjoyed the bubblegumish cartoon paintings of Janiva Ellis, the installation and video by Trulee Hall, all the work of story by Simphiwe Ndzube, and the Haitian artist and grandson of Issa, a family friend and famous gallery owner, Tomm El-Saieh!

Students interact with Fertile Blue by Hall

Simphiwe Ndzube

If I picked just ONE work to take home it would be a Purvis Young Pregnant Woman. Not only is it exquisite and tender in color, but it could stand for the way we all felt when we left... pregnant with possibilities. Great sights and a real educational day! My gratitude goes out to the Rubell Family Collection staff who did a wonderful job of welcoming and showing us around.

My favorite Young painting, Pregnant Woman series

Bringing Wynwood to campus

Wynwood is an art district of Miami that has become synonymous with artistically painted walls. Not a surface is left uncovered by art. Looking around campus at the new and old construction, the art club got itchy to add some designs. We painted rocks, banners for the gym, and then this spring we christened the baseball dugout with our own geometric school color design. Three designs were submitted to the athletic department, and this is the one that won out over the other two.

Natali and Michi with the vision

Angel (really!) in the Maintenance Department prepared the wall for us. We took 3 hours and 7 rolls of tape to prep before being able to paint!

This is the third student mural I have facilitated in my 8 years at Palmer. It brings me greatjoy to see the ownership and pride that develops in the students as they showcase their talents to the campus in a big way. I barely lifted a finger, except to hand them some pizza!

We painted through a home game and removed all the tape after 7 hours of work!

I am feeling Artsy

Check out my work online on a new gallery venture called Flow-305. 
It's easy to see the work of my friends and check out individual pieces that represent the best I have to offer. Please look at it and if you can, forward it to a friend. I have some new paintings, all inspired by the joy of living in a tropical zone.

Birds of a Feather

All acrylic works on paper, 12 x 18 inches. Right now I am asking $400, but the price might have to go up.

Flamingo Pat Party

Also these are uploaded onto my Fine Art America account for printing onto Merchandise!

Outdoor Flamingo Party

Student multi-color print assignment

a 4 color print by a senior

My level one Design and Composition class just worked on creating symmetrical designs of unique court cards. I gave the most point to the ones who could register the most colors. Everyone had to use at least two.

3 colors by a 10th grader

 3 colors by a ninth grader

three by a ninth grader

First they drew a half design and made their own carbon transfer paper to trace it twice onto a linoleum plate. Making sure that the two halves met somehow interestingly. Then they carved out the white, printed yellow. Carved out the yellow, printed red or blue, and repeated the process, printing black as the last color.

lots of diversity in designs

3 color print by Sophmore

2 color print by senior

They were required to start with as many prints as there were people in the class- so either 17 or 19. By the end- the challenges of registering each print in place made the edition size only 3 or 5.

10th grader

Sometimes you need 3D glasses to make it pop out at you!

3 color print by a freshman