Virtual Art talk May 5th 7pm

 

Hey friends!

Mark your calendars and drop in next Thursday evening to a zoom gathering of my latest workshop, “Producing an Art Series with an Accountability Coach”,  participant’s culminating show. For six weeks this winter, through the sponsorship of Arts-Midhudson,  I worked as an accountability coach for artists seeking to develop a series of work. Every Tuesday evening we would check in with each other, give feedback and celebrate the progress. 

See link below to RSVP:

https://www.artsmidhudson.org/artist-talk

The artists who participated are from NY to NM. One artist had just moved and created a series of 30 collages constrained by the size of her cardboard boxes. Another created a series of expressive works intended for a large exhibition in New Jersey. Another artist used the six weeks to paint and mourn the recent loss of her siblings. A couple artists are new to the art world and allowed themselves to experiment, produce, and plan exposure. The collaborative support and wisdom of the group was so exciting. Two artists used the time to create illustrations following a specific screen play or children’s tale. They experimented and created in new media, combining the processes innovatively. Subjects range from Goddesses to grids. 

Drop in next Thursday to see what happened. 

I have been an artist long enough to grow two babies to young men! With all the distractions of motherhood and farm life, I have found the parameters of working in series to be the best way to show up for myself. It’s about discipline and curiosity. the most exciting thing is to look back at the end to the beginning. There are so many lessons to gather along the way! My next workshop is already full. We max out at 7-9, so everyone gets time to share and the attention they deserve. Perhaps this is something you or a friend of yours might be interested in participating in someday? Feel free to shoot me an email and i will put you on a waiting list.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Hope to see you at the show!

Tilly

To RSVP:

https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?id=291&name=E231621

How to Experience Art and Culture in NYC without Breaking the Bank

 Blog contributor, Laura Pearson is passionate about teaching the younger generation. Edutude was built to share resources on how to keep children engaged and in love with learning. 

photo from Pixabay.com

 

New York City offers some of the best experiences in the world for visitors and is full of art and culture, but for travelers who aren’t familiar with the city – and for those on a budget – it can be difficult to get to everything on their must-see list during their stay. There are a few hacks, however, for making sure you’re able to see the sights without breaking the bank. Here are some of the best ways to see the best NYC has to offer on the cheap, courtesy of Tilly Studio.

 

Plan Ahead

 

One of the first things you’ll want to do is consult a map and mark all the places you want to see. You’ll also want to double check whether these locations have special COVID protocols. Divide up your destinations by the number of days you’ll be staying and start with one or two sections per day; this way, you won’t be spending extra money on taxi or subway fare to shuttle all over the place.

 

It’s also a good idea to consider touring historic neighborhoods – think Greenwich and Tribeca – rather than sticking to more touristy spots. This will give you a good dose of New York culture without making you reach too deep into your pockets. Check out free options for transportation and sightseeing, as well, such as the Staten Island Ferry and Central Park, where there are usually street performers or art installations to view.

 

All that being said, there are certain things you should leave behind – like your credit worries, your calendar, and your sense of conformity. After all, you’re on vacation!

 

Groupon

 

Definitely explore Groupon before your trip to see if there are any good deals relating to places you’ll want to visit. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to have your itinerary beside you when you’re looking for deals, because you only have 24 hours to purchase a Groupon (although you have more time than that to use it).

 

Check Hours of Operation

 

You can save yourself time and the money it costs to get to certain attractions by checking hours or operation before you go. Many destinations are still operating on reduced or different schedules because of COVID. So, be sure to plan your visits around the most up-to-date information.

 

Go Last-Minute

 

For some, it pays to wait until the last minute. If you’re looking to do a Broadway show, check out the TKTS booth – located in Times Square – just before the show starts for heavily discounted tickets on shows that haven’t sold out. That way, you can save as much as 50%!

 

Take Advantage of the Park

 

Fall in New York City can be beautiful. If you’re headed there on vacation, take advantage of all Central Park has to offer – such as getting picnics to go, snapping pics of the fall foliage, and/or visiting the Central Park Zoo.

 

With New York being one of the most expensive and picturesque places to visit in the U.S., it’s important to budget wisely and do a little research before you arrive so you won’t be trying to plan on the fly. But once you’re there, give yourself some flexibility in terms of your schedule -- and have fun!

 

Tilly Strauss of Tilly Studio is an award winning artist who works in Northeast NY. You can view her work here. If you have questions or you’d like to collaborate, feel free to contact her at artist@tillystudio.com.

Signs and Numbers

 Just like we have Thanksgiving day to be thankful, we have New Year's day to reflect on the shadow of our footsteps, and muse upon our future strides. It falls on a calendar juncture, at the peak of winter, after the solstice shifts us minutely towards the sun. "Winter," as Paul Theraux said, "is a season of recovery and preparation".

This is the 16th year I have been blogging. Some years I am more consistent than others- but last year was the worst with the lowest amount of (25) postings. It looks like I logged in as more of a book reader than a writer! The number of books read is 27. 

In order to navigate the economics of my age and culture, I have become an example of a successful artist having multiple diverse income streams. For the last nine months I have been helping catalogue, archive and exhibit a collection of art by the late Carl T Linden of Chicago. Starting last summer I ran two very inspiring 6-week art coaching workshops for artists across the country. I have, since October of 2021, taken a job at the Town Hall as the Town Clerk. All of this is fascinating and leaves less time for personal practices.  

For several years...5 or 6 now...I have been writing and illustrating an art history text, based upon my family tree and inspired by ancestors who were influencers in the art world, going back beyond the fifteenth century. The project is huge and each year the research ebbs and flows. What keeps me going are the odd signs and messages that I seem to find just when I need a push to keep going.  

Here are two very recent examples. 

1. While cataloguing Carl T Linden's portrait paintings, most of which are unsigned, undated, and untitled, I came upon one that was a double portrait with the names of the sitters written on the back! Imagine my surprise to find one was Frances Cowles, and the other was Betty Groves of Bensenville, IL. This discovery was early summer, when I was debating a late summer trip to DesMoines ,Iowa with my mother to research the Cowles side of my family. Frances turns out to be a distant relative- our great, great, great, great, grandfathers were brothers. She is also the mother-in-law of the artist I am archiving! I took that as a sign to make the trip to Iowa in the path of my great grandmother Florence Cowles. 

Frances Cowles and Betty Graves by Carl T Linden, oil on canvas

2. While researching the Meskwaki Tribe, because of my great great grandfather's direct hand in taking land to establish the incorporated city of Algona, I have been slowed by the dread of my ancestors homesteading settler mentality of "Manifest Destiny" and their hands in the outright stealing of lands of First Peoples. My great great grandfathers and their brothers fought in the Black Hawk Wars, which not only massacred the indigenous peoples, but led to our government embracing policies of extermination. I read the story of the last great Comanche leader, Quanah Parker. I am lining up images as reference sources for some illustrations. This photo from the Ft Sill Museum shows Parker with guests at his Star House dining room. The art on the walls are advertising posters. The one behind his head is for the Strauss Brothers of Chicago! It feels like a sign from my ancestors to get my studio, and set up the process for painting again!

Quanah Parker entertaining in his home near the Wichita Mountains and cache Oklahoma c. 1885/ photo from Ft Sills Museum

I conclude, that I will keep doing many things; keep painting and writing; keep trying to stay healthy with walking and yoga practices; keep in community even in times of isolation and keep showing up for the Muse. 

In that vein: Can I ask you: What would you like to hear more about on this blog? 

                                            What interests you and is pertinent to this space? 

If you write me an answer, I will mail you a work of art in gratitude. 

                                            Leave comments below.

The October Blur

I was here. I am here. But much of it feels a blur. We had open studios over two weekends, and family. With 20 other #arteastdutchess creatives we opened our spaces and invited people to explore and see the world a bit like we do. We invited my brother's daughter Natalie to exhibit, Michael's daughter Kylie to read her published poetry (the Fever Poems), and my sister Gwen arrived from France to read from her book.

wolf paintings in the barn

Pa (julian), Michael and Me- with art clinic barn in the background

Invite to the Author reading Saturday the 16th

My wall art calendars for 2022 printed: For the Birds

Wolf painting painted during the open studios: Sneak

Author reading: Kyle Gellatly, Gwen Strauss, Julian Strauss

For a while the barn showed what was inside

Natalie Strauss with studio visitor, artist Alexis Rockman

We had over 77 people visit each weekend. The interaction was so valuable. It is hard to produce art in isolation and then open wide the doors to anybody. But I found it strengthening and invigorating. I also got a lot of tips and recommendations from people. I am full of gratitude.

Alyssa Kogan article on our Amenia portion of the tour in the 10.5.21 Hudson Valley News

 

Even a Wolf Can Have a Change of Plans

      I met this autumn with a tinge of grief. The Swiss semester, where I worked last year, was in full swing and I missed it, even though I’d decided to stay home. In the last 26 years there have only been 3 or 4 Septembers that I wasn’t setting up my classroom. I love being a teacher and matching my energy to the fresh minds of the younger generation. So as the school buses ran up the street and the air got crisp with flavors of summer crops, I was free falling.

 

The Money Tree

        In the studio, I was pouring over deadlines, filling applications, planning exhibitions, and creating for the holiday market. I was also frantically putting up food - canning, freezing, stocking the shelves. Buying a generator.

 

Feed the Wolf

        My daily doodles and larger paintings filled with howling wolves, and stalking felines. They were hungry and I fed them pastry and cakes and set tables for dining with them.

 

Dining for Two

        Then my neighbors called about a position opening at the Town hall. The elected clerk had resigned and there was a need for an appointment asap. After a series of interviews, I‘ve found myself with the keys to the office and days filled with neighbors needing permits, or licenses, decals, certificates, or genealogical documents. Every day is a new adventure.

 

The wolf may have gone away. I can barely see it into the shadows.

 

Howl

       We can never get too serious about life plans and I am glad. If my life had been what I thought I wanted, it would have been so much less. I never dreamed of being a clerk and an artist. It is a balance of community involvement and creative isolation. There is excitement and curiosity, education, and discipline. I’m learning a lot. I love meeting new people and helping them register their dogs or get a hunting or marriage license. I also track down information, register documents, publish notices, transfer phone calls, read reports, balance checkbooks, and smile a lot to put people at ease.

 

Stay tuned to see how this works out!

      

the Orchid and the Wolf

Also, My Open Studio will be mid-October (16/17& 23/24) as part of the arteastdutchess.com open studio tour. Plan on stopping by and seeing all the work in our three-story art barn. My dad Julian Strauss, my partner Michael Gellatly, my niece Natalie Strauss, my sister Gwen Strauss and my spirit-daughter Kylie Gellatly will be sharing their work as well. It’s a family affair!

 

Location 55 Haight Rd, Amenia, NY 12501, both weekends from 11am-5pm. Follow the yellow signs to see studios from Pawling and Holmes to Amenia!

 

August happenings

 Hey there- You know the saying "when it rains it pours"?

 So many things have converged and I am proud to say that my art has been able to get out of my studio and into the world!

Right now I have works at the Hunt library in Falls Village, NY, at the Hammond Museum in North Salem, NY and at the Kent Library in Kent Lakes, NY! In addition, I was a panelist with 6 other fantastic artists last weekend at the Hammond. We were talking about emotion and creativity.  Next weekend I will be hosting a free workshop at the same museum on Collage and Processing Trauma. 

 

There are also some virtual shows I am proud to be a part of- such as the Wells International Covid-19 show, a member exhibition with ArtQueens and a culminating show (soon to be up) of my coaching clients, (accountability coaching for 6 weeks for artists, through the ArtsMidhudson.org). 

My day job continues to be herding and inspiring 7- 11 years olds at the community center's summer enrichment program. It fills my days with laughter, but does bring hobbley achy feet by the end of the day.

So I am actually reclining with a lemonade as I write this... getting ready to load the car with more paintings for more places really soon. Thanks again and always for your time and support. It is lovely to be able to make art, and even more fantastic to get to share it with others.

Don't hesitate to reach out for more information!

Cheers!

Fast, breathless, and catching up on the art scene

 Seems like the Covid quarantine days are really behind us. There is so much to do, so much scheduled... that I spend much of my time walking back and forth to the large wall calendar in the kitchen and consulting the scribbles that fill in every nook and cranny of the grid!

Michael Gellatly and part of his 14 foot painting

Last night, after a virtual opening of an Art Queen exhibition I was in, called "Inner Power",  Michael and I braved the torrential rains and headed 45 minutes away to Torrington, Ct, the Five Points Art Gallery for an opening of his in the 2021 juried show. It was a delight, and as the evening went on it was quite a crowd. Everyone eager to share about their work and connect with others. 

We made it to the bar and, with a cup of red wine, turned to look at the works. The first thing that stopped me in my tracks was a complex wall painting of Carol Taylor-JKearney (IG @caroltaylorkearney ), a reverse painting on glass of her studio space. As we read the painting we were joined by her gregarious husband. Carol's paintings are on the backs of windows with lots of additions, such as screen silhouettes and ritual candles.

Carol Taylor- Kearney

I enjoyed the symbolic narrative combined with rich detailed painting. Her husband is involved as the art handler and supportive cheer leader.  Nearby we were enamored by a sewn painting called, "Seeds and Pods", by Geri Hahn.

Geri.g. Hahn and paparazzi

Both her  (@geri.g.hahn ) and her husband were fascinating. She is an artist who identifies with her synesthesia and as the evening wore on we shared with her reactions to other works of art. I loved it when she stood in front of Michael's painting and said it sounded like a David Burn and it made her mouth water (a much abbreviated version of our actual conversation). 

Don Bracken

There was a lot of loud art and some quiet works- like Donald Bracken's clay and acrylic , "New dawn, and Marianne Petit's pop-up anatomical flap book. (Ig @ mariannerpetit )

Marianne Petit

I also loved the works by Erika Larskaya, Deborah Buck, Michele Cook, and Kim Carlino. Congrats to Nayana LaFond for winning the grand prize with her painting addressing native americans and domestic violence. She will be having a solo show at Five Points in the future!

Michael and the curious in front of his work

Call me your "summer accountability art coach"

There is still two weeks before this virtual opportunity starts.  

Called "a workshop"- it technically is just an online check-in, so you can do it from anywhere that you have access to Zoom. You only need to take notes the first meeting, June 15 at 7pmEST. You get your own materials and make your own hours.

How it works:

I will start you off with tips and tricks to setting up a studio practice that will help you complete a series of work. By walking you through handy steps and thought process, I will set you on the course with a weekly mantra. 

Once a week, Tuesday's at 7pm you will check in with me and we will discuss issues like time management, frustrations and any other blockages you may be suffering. If you miss a session, it will be recorded and available to check out when you can. You will work on your own during the week towards your individual goal. I just keep you on track by being there, to check in and ask how we, as a group, can support you.

 

In the end we have an opportunity to celebrate our successes with an exhibit of our work together through the MidHudson Arts Council in Poughkeepsie NY. 

This is a great opportunity if you want to get some art done, but know that a summer calendar can be like a run-away train. Together we will carve out time to focus, decide on a realistic scope for your series and you will create works that you will be proud of. 

Signing up soon at www.artsmidhudson.org/workshops  Registration ends in about a week.

Cost $100 -$115 for ages 16+

Make Art this Summer with an Accountability Coach

Are you frustrated with not getting to the studio? Do you need help and a plan to make some art over this summer? Are you stuck? Are you currently in a hard place and need some light? Are you confused and trying to find a creative style? Do you have ideas but lack the discipline to show up for them?

Well- perhaps it is time to Show up for the Muse with me via Zoom!!! • Show up each week for 6 weeks • All Media artists are welcome! • Once a week Zoom to check in on your progress • Email support at any time • Exhibition at end of session at ArtsMidHudson

We can do this together! I have been teaching art to all age groups for the last 26 years and have learned that making art is possible for everyone if they just show up. The challenges in life cost all of us time and space, but I am living proof that an art practice can lift you, like a life raft, through turbulent times and it can enrich your participation in the good times. Just a few years ago my marriage was crumbling. I was sitting at the bedsides of two dear dying friends and my father-in-law was degenerating into Dementia. On top of it, my children were leaving home as adults. The feeling of loss and lack was almost unbearable. By a miracle, and through a daily gratitude list, I was able to see my way to the studio. Not expecting to be able to do much, I focused on one thing, the color orange! I painted with that color until the tube emptied. Have you ever looked at an apple (the same apple) for 30 days and tried to see it differently? It is a classic art lesson that forces you to go beyond the physicality of the subject. Certain parameters on your art can actually push you to see through to a liberating perspective. I learned so much about seeing the world when I tried to paint the greens of summer in Pyrole orange! Ever since, I have been showing up every day to paint my way to health and happiness. I have seen firsthand how a daily art practice can transform a life.

Some of each series can be seen on my website: www.tillystudio.com. Now I am passionate about helping others find their way through the challenging times, and even the best of times, by showing up for the Muse. Doing anything for 40 days, and there is historic proof that it will change you!

The details! Go from feeling cloudy to clarity As your accountability coach, I will inspire discipline to the creation of at least 6, and possibly up to 40, works of art! Sign up through www.ArtMidHudson.org , under summer workshops $100.00 per person AMH Members and $115.00 per person non-members This is a virtual class. Our weekly zoom sessions will be on Tuesdays, June 15, 22, 29, July 6, 13, 20; 7pm-8pm You will be guided each week through goal setting, series synthesis, time management, handling challenges, chronicling insights, and of course-celebrating successes! The class participants will be your new support group and I will be available for email support as well. We have a group exhibit opportunity at the MidHudson Arts Gallery in Poughkeepsie!! Expect bonus PDF resources and downloads as well as links to other artists and stories of working in a series. Are you ready to show up? Working in a series has many benefits. It is a tool to process an event, emotion, and even relationships. If you do anything for 40 days it will change your life! Sign up at www.artsmidhudson.org Questions: tillystudio@aol.com Let’s show up together!

Successfull studio tour has me feeling inspired to help you create a series too

 It's been a whirlwind of fun and socializing since we opened our doors to the studio a week ago!

My Pa- Julian in his gallery of kinetic scrap sculptures

Me- Getting a quick break from the mask

My niece Natalie demonstrating her painting technique in the Operating room

Michael in some heated conversation with a fellow artist

My nephew Ian pondering the next step in his cardboard creation

I am amazed by the love and support that came gushing forth from the local scene as well as from family and friends from afar. People came from Brooklyn and Albany, Poughkeepsie and Hartford!! There were fantastic conversations and brief exchanges of possible future dates to gather again. Each one of us with work in the barn had at least one sale. I feel joyous and emotional at the memory of it.

Many of the visitors were curious about the process of creating a series of work, like my "Conversation with Trees During Lockdown"  series, and I will be offering, through Artsmidhudson.org a workshop this summer for those who want a coach to push them through the creation of a 6 week series. 

The class will consist of a group zoom session one evening each week, for 6 weeks. I will guide you through planning and executing a body of work. You will get lots of support, such as downloadable information and exposure to artists who use the series process well. There is also a bonus of an exhibition at the end of the 6 weeks at the MidHudsonArts gallery in Poughkeepsie! 

More in my next post. But please spread the word! Thank you

Open Studio This Weekend

This weekend I will be in the studio with my family... four artists, (three generations), making art. People are welcome to drop by and visit. Since it will be a "working studio tour", we have scheduled demonstrations every hour. Do you wonder about the inspiration and tools of creating art? This is a unique experience to see art produced and reflect on styles and interests found across generations of a single family.

 Over two days, May 1 and 2, in one barn, working from 11- 5pm each day, we will be ready for visitors to witness the creative act, ask questions, and purchase work. This is open to all, free event. Caution required as it is a barn, with some innate hazards and the studios contain some radical ideas.

 

Michael, Julian and Tilly in front of HF Art Clinic

Really, as part of an eastern Dutchess county group of artists, we have gotten together to open our studios www.ArtmostNy.com. The studios are open from Pawling to Amenia. Check out their website!

At our studio barn on 55 Haight Road:

Julian Strauss, beloved veterinarian, well known for his small batch maple syrup products, now moves from the sawmill to his wood shop. Using the slash from his timber production, he will be creating maple and walnut spoons, forks and stools. A small gallery in the converted waiting room displays his kinetic sculptures and backwards running clocks. Recycling is his passion and evident in the materials he transforms into lamps and unique jewelry.

Tilly Strauss, moi, his daughter, will be in my skylit loft on the third floor. What comes through in the paintings when I focus my lens on the outside world, are visions both personal and universal. I will be launching a sale of my current series, “Conversations with Trees During Lockdown”. The small oval birch ply paintings are ready to hang and for sale.

Michael Gellatly, my partner in life, will be exhibiting and working in the transformed Kennel room. He is an artist and illustrator. He will be working on a series of smaller abstract landscapes. His larger paintings are mind-blowing in technique and vision. He is recipient of numerous fellowships, grants and residencies. Forthcoming he will have a 17-foot painting included in the Wassaic Project’s summer show.  His work has illustrated maps for George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, books for Rita MaeBrown and the products of Home Farm Maple Syrup.

My niece Natalie Strauss

Natalie Strauss, the teenage granddaughter of Julian, and my dear niece, is a scholastic award-winning writer and painter. She currently specializes in depicting animals. Her intimate knowledge of them stems from weekends at the farm, summers working at the Millbrook Trevor Zoo and her own domesticated menagerie in Massachusetts. She will be painting in the operating room.

 

 Please visit our Home Farm Art Clinic, 55 Haight Road, just off route 22 north of Amenia. The Home Farm Art Clinic- part workspace, part show case and part clubhouse- is a rich environment of historic and artistic interest. Originally a barn for draft horses, the three floors also served up until recently as an animal vet clinic and library. Today it houses workshop studios and gallery space for family connections.

Open May 1 & 2 from 11am to 5pm both days. Light refreshments outside, please wear masks.

 email questions to tillystudio@aol.com

www.tillystudio.com