The Foundation RIP, for now

A terrific idea whose time has not come. That is my conclusion about my idea for micro grants for creative respite for social workers. Everywhere I turned (with the exception of a couple of friends and my husband) I got negative feedback, if social work professors and NASW people even responded at all. So this too is on hold as I start to explore other possible avenues for my own non-profit. I am now hooked up with the NH Non-Profit organization and have attended one of their seminars. I may do some volunteering at a local arts program to get some ideas. I am still thinking.

No Action, Much Ruminating

Not much has been happening on the production of art front here. Several months ago, I went through most of the work produced in the past year or two and trashed it or tucked it away. I have been frustrated with my inability to bring to reality the great ideas I have. (Perhaps I am not visualizing well how the final work should look. And there are times I wonder if I am capable of bringing the ideas to fruition.) During this period of reflection (my guilt says it is my laziness) I considered the idea of contacting my painting teacher from the DeCordova and ask if she would be interested in doing an ongoing critique with me. I haven't followed up with that but have not dismissed it out of hand either. I have been working some on my needlepoint, however, bringing part of it to completion and adding some experimental things to it as well. This and my knitting have brought me back to the issue of fiber as art. Not so surprising (there are no coincidences) I recently drove to Andover to see an exhibit of fiber art by Sheila Hicks, and have been reading, in a book about art theory, about "women's arts--and crafts" and questioning whether they are "art" or not. Painting is not everything.

Starting a Foundation

After many months of being unable to absorb the good fortune of having time to do my art work and struggling (yes, it has been a struggle) in not having to "worry about money," I have come upon an idea that will provide me with satisfaction and cash that is independent of my own painting. I am beginning the process of starting a foundation that will distribute micro grants in art respite for social workers. It seems like the perfect fit for me: promoting the arts and the benefits therein along with helping a particular group, social work, which can always use the help, no matter how masochistic we want to be. I will be posting updates here at my art gallery as I move along through the various layers required to set something like this up. All thoughts, suggestions welcome.

By the way, I put three pieces into the Lamprey Arts Community Show (going on now through the month of May 2010). This is my first showing since grad school at UMass in the 1970s. The works include "I Saw a Feather, I" and a reworked abstract that I titled "For Girls Who Think Beyond Pink." I also framed one of my four-color woodcuts of the front porch (this goes back to the mid-seventies) and that worked just fine, too.

January 1, 2010
I recently finished watching "Shock of the New" after thirty years and came away wondering, where are (were) all the women (besides being vessels, muses, and housekeepers)? The thing is, I have worshiped all those artist guys for as long as I can remember. I have loved their colors, their subjects, their brilliance and how they have changed and moved art history ahead (as explained by art critics). Trips to big cities usually revolved around special shows happening at galleries and museums.

What is in it for me and my work? I have unrealistically held on to this dream that I was going to be a famous and ground-breaking as any of them, a difficult goal to achieve. At age 60 I am now able to see things more clearly.

Fortunately Robert Hughes redeemed himself at the very end of his last program by saying: art discovers its true social value by opening the passage from feeling to meaning. Now that is something I can work with.