Three reasons why “serious” artists need to make valentines too

 

1.     Materiality

Don’t worry about archival quality, Get over it. Grab a pair of scissors and go ephemeral. 

Use cheap and fun materials that you haven’t used since grade school, such as

glitter, doilies, stickers, crayons, and tape. You can spend a lot of money or none. It’s time to scour the junk drawers and baskets and find those cool wrappers you couldn’t throw out.

It’s a great time to recycle and use up saved detritus, like postcards, and ticket stubs.

 

2.     Message

It is all about generosity of spirit. Receiving and creating Valentines are meant to alleviate sorrows and burdened hearts. They aren’t about whether you are loved or not- they are playful exchanges of color and whimsy. Make one for the mailman! Give one to the cook at the restaurant! Share with strangers. (Though – I once gave one to an older gentleman who regularly sat in the last pew of my church. I was grateful for the way he always offered a smile when I needed it most. He pulled me aside the following week to nervously tell me that he was a confirmed bachelor!)

 

3.     Method

Play. Be silly. Cultivate a little garden of color in your own heart.

Lighten up. As the winter darkness weighs heavily on most of us, I believe the crafting of frilly pink cards can be a spring to the spirit. Let it all hang out. Creating these small tokens of color can be a meditation on all the connections we have to each other.

Don’t be so self-important. Create free art!

 

Small Quick Pet Portraits

 

 

Manuel's Swiss kitty

Hershey and Sunny

I don’t currently have my own pet dog or cat- but when the kids were little we had several and they live on in my paintings.  I am grateful for the images of Sherman on the porch, Alice under the Christmas tree and Mr. Bo napping on the sofa. Now my sons have pets and I believe my portrait of Stevie Nicks is one of the best paintings I have ever done. It’s large, colorful and contains the memory of that late Alabama afternoon that I painted her. 

 

After sharing with my colleague at Swisssemester that I never painted a cat that my dad approved, she commissioned me to do a memorial portrait of her friends kitty. She said "do your magic", and I said, "Magic? You know I never painted a cat painting that my dad liked. But I am going to try".  

That was last month.

 

I just recently I finished a series of paintings for another family of pets. It felt fun. It felt magical. I especially enjoyed the looseness of painting on scraps of painted papers. 

 

Let the magic continue?

 

Hire me. I am quick and my prices are simple-

5 x 7= $70 (shipping USA included)

All works are acrylic on paper

Just email me with your preferred size, and some photos to work from.  

                                Tillystudio@aol.com

Satisfaction guaranteed. Pay when you receive the work 

If not satisfied, return the painting within 7 days.

Picture of Stevie Nicks, 33 x 22 inches

 Testimonials:

"I love what Tilly did with our Nelly Pup! She caught her sparkle and joy "- Dot, from CO

"Thank you for the beautiful painting. Our daughter was delighted with the gift. She burst into tears when she saw it" - Hannah from VA

"I received the portraits today!! I LOVE them and know the kids will too. You are very talented"- Liz in MA

Hot Cross Buns

 I am not talking about a trip to Fire Island. It is about the magic of being where you are, and seeing icing on the cake.

Film crew from the Trevor Zoo interviewing Pa for YouTube

As the season of hibernation wanes, I feel hunger and desire. Last month we had the full "wolf moon" which traditionally references the depletion of our pantries and symbolizes bill collectors at the door. This month's full moon is the "worm moon", and... have you noticed how many earth worms are in the road? They are waking up and plowing through the thawing the soil. Perhaps it is time to go fishing?

I started the month painting pancakes. They serve as vehicles for the sweet maple syrup our farm has been producing. The sugar season was a little bumpy, with temperatures swinging from 60 to 20 degrees in the last days. We barely made 195 gallons of syrup before the trees finally started budding. The best part of the process, besides being outside in the sugar bush, is being with my dad. I get to witness how he moves from project to project, taking a moment in the sun, sawing wood with headphones, daydreaming into the steam of the evaporator pans... there is a grace and sense of solidity. When you get into a conversation, it can be really deep.

My hot cross bun, 7 x 5 inches, acrylic on paper

 I end the month with a painting of a hot cross bun, bought on impulse at the register of our local grocer. A little research online reveals the indented top and icing cross are for Jesus and the spices inside reference the embalming ingredients. These buns were common in England until 1592 when Queen Elizabeth I decreed they could ONLY be made on Good Friday, Christmas or for burials! She reasoned that they were "too delicious to be eaten any other day". Somehow I wonder if we are getting the full story. But digging further I find that the buns have protective (embalming?) powers. They can save you from shipwrecks, so were commonly taken on long sea voyages. They can also cement a friendship. There is Irish lore: "half for you and half for me, between us two, good luck shall be".  This little painting would make a good gift paired with that sentiment, don't you think?

It's easy- just be the first to email me (tillystudio@aol.com) for for directions to send $55 USA

First real test of the Maple syrup Season

 We started tapping this week (a week later than last year) and it took five of us over three days to get 1100 taps into the sugar maples. I loved being in the woods even though it was barely over 25 degrees.

On the third day there was a snowstorm, but the trees effectively sheltered us from the rage out on the roads. I joke that I am dad's apprentice...

But seriously, it means the most to me out of this experience, to be able to learn from my dad and spend days at a time helping him on this passion project. At nearly 85 years old, he is full of stories explaining remnants of old fence lines and rutted fire lanes. He moves with grace through the depths of the snow and over the limbo lines in a way I only aspire to. (Thank goodness for my Swiss semester training last fall!)

Of course there are the hardware glitches, the batteries run dead, and the leaking lines thwart a steady vacuum. But I have returned to the studio to paint the bark, branches, wind and snow along with the glimpse of hawks, ravens, foxes and deer. It's a wonderful life. And it is getting sweeter, literally, by the moment! 

We are selling bottles of pure Maple syrup though my website store in single 8oz bottle or bundles of 5 and 10. Domestic shipping included in the flat rate. Email me and let me know how it tastes. 

************************************************************************************

                                FEATURED PAINTING- 9" oval, acrylic on wood panel

On my easel today as I recall, kind of abstractedly, two days ago, when we were tapping trees in the maple forest during the snow storm! Could call it the "Sugar Bush Snowstorm". I am still wondering if I should add a third figure, Michael, in the lower left. Feel free to let me know what you think.

Calendar 2021

 I've been able to print a limited edition of 2021 calendars for purchase this year. Called "Better Late than Never" the thirteen art images are those of mine that transport me to different places. It seemed an obsession with the current lack of our ability to travel freely or make plans. The last year, with the Covid-19 virus, the fiery mean-spirited politics and the intense global weather, was one we all would like to see behind us. There were many silver linings to be sure, but I think it fair to say that it was hard for all of us. So let us start anew together!

The calendar sells for $25 (shipping USA included) and is easily purchased thru Venmo, PayPal or checks in the USPS. Email me directly for yours (tillystudio@aol.com) and be sure to include an address for shipment. 

They are shipped in hand printed envelopes carrying the inspiring images of flight.

January features an acrylic painting done on site, plein aire. It is a snow covered creek at the edge of our property. In civil war times, (1870's), the creek fed a saw and gristmill, upon whose crumbling foundations I sat when I painted this. I love the way the water eats at the snow bank, and in the spring and summer we watch for red efts and listen for frogs. It must have been a lot busier 150 years ago. Hard to imagine but great to try!

February features images from my dad's sugar shack- another place that for three weeks of the year, transports you to an alchemists den. He stokes the fire under the evaporator and after the sap boils we pour the sweet syrup into bottles!

These are just two of the 13 works of art included in this year's calendar. Supplies limited. Hoping to sell out by the month's end.

 

Moving While Staying Still

Looking Up/ March30

(continuing series of Covid19 journal daily drawings)

There are parts of the isolation that feel surreal and stressful, and then there are other parts that feel almost blissful in silences. We are getting to know our neighbors and have found gifts on the doorstep a couple of times. Reciprocating, I made large batches of ramp pesto to leave at the doorsteps, and of course, left bottles of dad's maple syrup.

Trip to Town/ April 20

Putting on a mask and grabbing a handful of gloves is "the new normal" before any endeavor. In fact on our morning walks, we keep a mask in the pocket just in case, though we rarely run into another human. All of our interaction with colleagues is through the computer.

My Peeps/ April 23

I love the daily walks, sometimes in the early morning mist, and others in the waning dusk of the day. The countryside is alive with critters. Without the usual distractions, I am able to pay attention. I almost have a relationship with the one-eared rabbit, the romancing wood ducks, the tousled teenage red tailed hawk, the near-exhausted-from-parenting house wrens and the scampering chipmunks in the stone walls.

Walking/ May 18

When night falls we have fallen prey to the offerings of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Our roster of films and TV shows betrays a new obsessive interest in Scottish history. The doorway was through the TV series Outlander. The key was finding both Michael and I are descended from families who immigrated to the America's from Scotland. The fun is finding how far back we can go (1430!) and then watching historical films of the era.

TV Family Tree/ May 14

Making the Best of It

Practices/ April 21

(Continuing the Daily Drawing During Quarantine)

Michael and I grow stronger. We take daily walks, laugh and share more of ourselves with the other.

We dance, we sing karaoke, we bake, we read to each other. 

Performance/ March 17

Connecting/ April 19

My friend Leesah hosts one of the first online virtual performances for St Patty’s Day. We join Wassaic community in online Bingo. We swap gifts with neighbors and find offerings at our door.

Gifts/ April 10

And every meal we eat together. And we trust when it comes time for the quarantine haircut, we will be there for each other.

Every meal/ April 18

Haircut/ April 27

Gift wrapping for my subscribers

Tricky part is intuiting which goes to which home. They are all oldies but goodies, and I am so happy to share. I get inspired by having readers visit the blog. Feels good to give back.

Thoughts on the creative act

It is a gift to bring the tools of art-making to someone and open their world up to magic.

Michael and his daughter-in-law and grandson

We all have inside us something delightful to share. Somewhere in the early teens it is squashed by critics, both knowing and unknowing. That is why Picasso said it took him years to learn to paint like a child.
Stories and pictures, from our ancestors to the present, help us define who we are and why we are here. Those types of questions, it has been suggested, separate us from other animals. We are, if not in bare survival mode, always asking. It is good to write your own story from time to time.

Here we Are by Oliver Jeffers

The creative act connects us to a higher force, a power of energy that was there with the creation of everything in the Universe. Whether it is cooking, or cleaning, or sewing, or carving little Gnomes out of driftwood, when we are doing a creative act we can be present for our life. And what results is a gift for others, like your grandparents, total strangers, your pets, and your parents. A truly creative act will resonate much further than the origin, going across boundaries of time and space. This goes for making weapons as well as making love. So chose with awareness that some things will be funny and others quite sobering.

Follower's Offer

Since 2006 I have been blogging, but not as consistently as when I wanted to paint and sell a painting each day. Somewhere in the middle years I got busy, moved, got a full time teaching job, and lost the discipline of checking in. Now I am back at the writers desk, honing my vocabulary and dreaming of essays that turn heads and guide people to find art that delights and surprises them.

You, my followers, also must have gotten busy, taken full-time jobs, moved on to other apps and even (in hushed tones) died on me. 😞

Today, checking my stats I see that there is only a dozen of you that still check in and I'm so very humbly grateful. Surely it is time to give you some gratitude!!!
Let me know how I can send you a small gift, such as an unframed painting from my morning walks. For every follower/subscriber, I will send a small painting right now in gratitude for your support. It means a lot to me. Just go to my profile link and see where you can email me your address.

🎁

In the year ahead I plan on writing more regularly, unveiling new directions of thought, sharing some lessons and peeks into my families art history. I hope to keep you curious.

Moon calendars

Like the first photos of our blue planet from taken by the astronauts in space, a lunar calendar can make me feel small and also part of a bigger thing. There is the visual data to showing Time in it's best wonderful logic. You can't look at a lunar calendar without seeing the waves and undulations of nights. I highly recommend everyone consult one. For years I have bought and given these lunar calendars to others. This year I got two!!!

#lunarcalendar #time #visualdata

Elfing season

This has been a lot of fun!

Our house has been jumping with ideas and steaming kettles, ribbons, tape and twinkles.

What are twinkles, you ask?
Its a seasonal mix of cranberries, cinnamon, charm and gratitude.

#dyigifts #celebrateonashoestring #mullingspices #puttanesca

Time to reflect

It's the time of year where we're attracted to looking back and looking forward. It seems the calendar for 2020 might be potently laden with hindsight. There has been a lot of struggle going on all over the planet. Even though we live in a period of massive prosperity and un-imagined peace, the news fills us in with the horrors of incarcerated children at our countries borders, as we live sandwiched between them and the sorrow of leaky corporate oil lines trespassing Native American reservations. What can I do?

Politics is such a messy money filled game. I gave thousands of dollars in small increments this year to buoy favorite candidates and causes. It seems never enough and always more to do.
What can I do?

We moved from a southern city to the northeast countryside. From apartment living to managing an old house and a couple acres. We feel new to the neighborhood. I love having the seasons again at my door. I enjoy the folks down the road at the farm, and our friends who swing by to chat and drop off jams, soaps and even driveway salt! How can they ever know how thankful we are? It seems so warm up here!

Every morning Michael and I take an early morning walk. Its a balm to our souls. I also think it has helped us acclimate to the environment. Today, when I saw it was 40 degrees, I thought that I didn't need to wear long underwear! Surely, I am almost native now!!!

Flash sale at the Hunt Library

Hunt Library Art Wall

There is still time to catch the sale of over a hundred works on display on the David M. Hunt Village Library Art Wall. It will come down on the 4th of January. This is the 9th annual benefit for the library. The artists each contributed a 12 x 12 inch work of art that would sell for $100. Whether you have your pocketbook on you or not, it is a fun show to peruse. There is an amazing diversity within the specified format. Its like a playground of local artists and friends all in one space.

by Lori Barker

Platter by Diane Schapira

There are paintings and wall hung pottery, cages and collages, paintings, etchings, and drawings. I was surprised by a Lori Barker purple altered photograph. It is a serene Buddha almost drowned in a thick gold architectural frame. Diane and her husband Joel each have works there. They are an art power couple in our community. Very unpretentious, look to them for a good mix of wit and gravitas.

by Craig Wickwire

 Craig Wickwire was an old colleague of mine. We worked together at Kildonan. Now he is the art department at the Webutuck public school. I know he works hard and his large paintings are impressive. The Hunt Library has a small one (12 x 12 inches) that makes me smile. It has a monumental quality to it. It is a wonder how minds work! Another art teacher friend of mine is Val Valenti. The library has at least 4 of her vinyl records, each collaged with found objects in her whimsical way. Right now I imagine she is in her home in Jamaica, far from the icy Falls Village. She seeks inspiration from the spiritual messengers of the natural world and her work is playful and tropical. Charlie Noyes is another area art teacher. He is with the Hotchkiss school. His painting at the show really captures a sense of place and time of year. Under a grand painted sky, we are made to feel humbled as we stand on the earthy planet.

by Val Valenti

by Michael Gellatly

by Charles Noyes

Of course two of my favorite people to attend any art show with had works there. Michael has a piece that is a combination of various studio media--- baked clay and photography. It takes you into another world. Sue gave one of her summer barn watercolors up. It's a snapshot of neighborhood nostalgia.

by Sue Hennelly

And one of my Favorite art-inspired friends, wild momma, and exceptional teacher is Erika Crofut. Heaven help us, she has given over a glazed platter painted all over in her capricious style. It is a signature piece.

Any of these works would make a wonderful gift for yourself now that the holidays are nearly over.
I have a sewn paper piece inthe show that reminds me of my dad's truism, that "Cat's sell". I really want to help the library stay viable. #supportyourlocallibrary

My sewn paper painting, Cattitude.

 Artworks may be taken upon purchase.  Remaining art will be on display through January 4.  For more information call 860-824-7424 or visit huntlibrary.org. 
David M. Hunt Library, 63 Main Street, Falls Village, CT 06031. 
Hours: Tues & Thurs 10-5, Fri 3-7, Sat 10-1, Sun 11-2.