a Great Christmas Gift A Commissioned Portrait by Judith Reidy

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Now Watch Judith Reidy Create a Portrait

Initial Block In

2nd defining further.....

working on the shirt...simplify

Refining The underpainting or
Imprimatura

Watch for more further development of the portrait....

Would you like to learn to paint portrait... try studying painting with Judith Reidy at Raven Art School.

Time and Strength Slip Through our Fingers.

Fallen for You

From Dust

Fallen Again

I began in the previous post...."As I have explored the effects of light burning away the mists, I have considered what it is in the imagery that has fascinated me..."

but that was not it.

Hearing those rattling cages, I gather my recent work in my “From dust to Dust” series has created quite a stirring reaction from many of you, . Good!

I have been stirred up and the work is a bi-product….but the motivation behind the work may not be what you may think. I am passionate about the stunning reality of the transformations and troubles of the unsettled dust of the past several months because…

“She held out her arms and pulled me toward her…. “

In mid- December a woman arrived to be a guest in my home for the holidays. She is an unbelievable delight..always an encouragement. For one she has always been the one who said I could do anything. She was my first art patron. Everyone has a mother, even artists.

At the time of her recent arrival, she seemed more unsteady on her feet than at her last visit. As the month past, her ability to walk declined rapidly, until now her walker is her constant companion.

Her falls began daily as she would attempt to rise or sit or turn, until I stood guard spotting for her at each step. When she collapsed in my arms, I then understood I could not support her with my strength nor was I capable of being her main and only guard.

I saw time and strength slip through our fingers.

It is out of this context and the ensuing struggle that my new series “From Dust to Dust” took shape. As I wrapped my arms around her frail body and bathed her back while she clawed herself through the day in and out of her bed or chair, I saw time and strength slip through our fingers.

I ask why. I hear reasons, but they are not fitting into our Madison Avenue view of life. They are not tidy. My religious conviction prepared me, but only the reality of being with her gave me understanding.

At night, I tucked her into her covers, she held out her arms and pulled me toward her to gently kiss me with her quivering lips, holding me so tightly for ever so long … then whispering, “Thank you, Judy;… I love you.”

Yes from dust we came yet, most assuredly to dust we will return. While “From Dust” may declare the glory of our bodies, “Fallen Again,” returns us to the troubles of living in a world gone awry.

My mother had to move to a place where she could be assisted with every task and where staff were prepared to carry her.

Introducing From Dust to Dust

Fallen for You

From Dust

Fallen Again

As I have explored the effects of light burning away the mists, I have considered what it is in the imagery that has fascinated me. Why was I so drawn to the light and the void of darkness burning away by the light. At the same time I began drawing the people around me. I especially enjoyed doing line drawings of my mother, catching her sighs and her groans and joys in the lines on her face and in her hands and arms. I felt the imagery of real people and the landscapes needed to be brought together as they are in life. I began seeing the human bodies rising out of the earth as new landscapes approached by light, yet oblivious to the light. I have more to consider and discover in this new direction.

I hope you will join me on this adventure.
See the new work at the Wisconsin Pastel Artists Exhibition "Falling for You" at the Art Bar.

Tonight is the Night for One Vision

Tonight, Saturday, October 17,
"Ten Poets, Ten Painters, One Vision"
Program
at the Raven Gallery
in Pewaukee at 7pm

I am disclosing more of the image of my painting now.
My painting "Leaves" will be completely revealed at the exhibition this evening.

Join us!

Judith Reidy in One Vision at the Raven Gallery

Our gathering should provide an enriching and interesting evening this Saturday, October 17, 2009, at the Raven Gallery: the spot light being the reading of the poems by the poets and the presentation of the accompanying paintings.

Hope to see you there.

Reflections with One Vision- Portraiture

I had some reflections on a wonderful discussion panel this past Friday evening at the Charles Allis Art Museum on which Graeme Reid, Michael Foster, Kattie Musloff and her dear 87 year model where members.

Though I have been a landscape painter most of my career as a painter, I have a fascination with figure work and portraiture for the very reasons they discussed that night.

Particularly, I was attracted to how Katie made her models part of her life. So often as painters we are loners who paint forms or respond to forms as if they were inanimate and we are the ones who give them life in our art. Perhaps, that is what Graeme was referring , when he asked about "objectivity" as a necessity for an artist.

I do at times appreciate when artists take a dis-interesting object and infuse it with life; i.e. paint something ugly beautifully. Nevertheless, while, I, as did the panel, recognize the need for an artist to have an objective technical understanding of the painting before him and in some measure an objective view of what painting is about in general, I often fail to be intrigued by the commonly clinical-like-view that is respected among my contemporary artists when discussing their work "objectively" or mechanically.

What appealed to me in Katie's work was the personal response and respect she maintains for and toward her models... who often become her friends. You may ask what does that have to do with painting or making great art.

In Katie's personal engagement with her models she is able sensitively to begin to connect with the humanity of her model/friends not through a mechanical process but through the her own body kinetically, perceptively and personally in drawing and painting responding to the humanity and life in her subjects before her.

I think that is what made Rembrandt great. Not only was his mind able to connect psychologically with the humanity or soul of his subject, his hand was able to kinetically capture not just the physical likeness but more significantly articulate/capture the soul or humanity before him. That is not objective, but subjective response at its best. His sensibilities matched by his skill, touch a chord that resonates over time and communicates only in the way great art does in truth. This phenomena is the attraction in making paintings and why painting and drawing will never die.

As for myself and my drawings of my mother, I found my line drawings to be very much a kinetic response to my feelings for her and about her. They go beyond a mere likeness. I felt a connection to her moods and her dilemma as an aging woman. I felt elegance and brokenness. I connected in my body with her in my physical response of making art.

What I like about my opportunity with the Lake Country Ten Artist Ten Poets One Vision Project is being able to share my painting “Leaves” based on my drawings of my mother in collaboration and response to my poet, Paula Anderson who has similar sensibilities in writing. In this project, I feel the joy and exhilaration of meaningful human connection as well as the pleasure of kinetic response in painting.

I hope you can join us this Saturday, October 17, at 7 pm at the Raven Gallery in Pewaukee, WI

Judith

My Motivation for Joining the One Vision Project

I am currently part of a collaborative poet/painter program that began this summer. We are having our first presentation this October 17, at 7 pm, at the Raven Gallery outside of Pewaukee on Capitol. I would like to invite you to the poetry reading and the viewing of the artwork.

View today's further uncovering of the piece.

I liked working with my poet, Paula Anderson. I found a poem that she wrote expressed emotionally what I had sensed in making a drawing a few years ago. As she expressed sensibilities in her poetry, I was happy to develop my complementary idea further in making a painting. I found this to be one of the most emotionally honest pieces about being an aging woman; I would like to do more collaboration.

However, the idea is not very pretty, and therefore not appealing to those, which is most of us, who are hesitant to face reality. As an artist who attempts to be honest, I identify with the dilemma of the woman, who is aging. I realized that Paula and I had a common thought on the subject so the project did not seem like illustration, but a natural shared response to life. I liked the common bond it forged between Paula and I.

I would like to meet with other poets and artists and do more of this sort of thing. I hope you can come, perhaps you would like to be part of the next event sharing in our expressed experiences. Perhaps you have a poem or a creative exploration to share in the future. Let us know. Please don't be shy. I would love to see you.

Judith Reidy

Artist Judith Reidy and Poet Paula Anderson in Lake Country Project in TEN ARTISTS TEN POETS ONE VISION

Each day a square hiding the image
will be removed until Judith Reidy's painting will be exposed.

click on the image below

See the painting in person at the event
as well as hear
Paul Anderson's inspiring poem read by the poet herself.

Judith Reidy and Paul Anderson
invite you
to

Join us
Saturday, October 17, at 7 PM
at the Raven Gallery
read
the detailed description in
Lake Country Living

A Son, a Dad, and a Treasured Friend

This link is sent to you from http://thestory.org

You are receiving this mail because someone read a page at
The Story from American Public Media
and thought it might interest you.

It is sent by judithreidy@sbcglobal.net with the following comment:
"I heard this program this past Friday and thought it presented two stunning stories, one about a father's love for his children and the second the desire of a young man's love for his father. I found it very interesting how the young man grew up always longing for time with a busy father who left the family when he was seven. It was interesting how the father and he came together when the father retired.



Listen to the stories yourself."

A Son, a Dad, and a Treasured Friend

A father of eleven reunites with the man who helped him settle and gain citizenship in the States. Also, the restoration of an old building brings life back to a father-son relationship.

http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_799_Braceros_Diploma.mp3/mediafile_view

--
webmaster

27/40 of 40 Consecutive Day Painting a Day - Boy

A Boy
6" x 8"
Watercolor on Paper
$75

23/40 Painting of 40 Consecutive Days Painting a Day

Mama
6" x 7.5"
watercolor on paper with ink
$75

yeah mama

Painting 21/40 of the 40 Consecutive Day Painting a Day Challenge - Some Years Later

Some Years Later

6" x 7.5"
Watercolor on Paper
$50 print
Original not for Sale

Back several years ago, I took an advanced drawing and anatomy class with Stephan Samerjan (now retired) at UW- Milwaukee. I was inspired by the volume of work he demanded of us, the freedom he gave us to explore and the conversations and class critiques in a fresh way.

I had begun doing a series of line drawings of my mother catching her various moods with a few strokes. It was like writing poetry sketches, fluid yet sharp and clear catching a life of their own. I have talked about expanding that figurative series with color. But because I have always done landscape painting and even Plein Air landscape painting once the magic of the classes influence passed, I fell back into my old habits of doing landscape imagery. Yet the desire to return and expand the exploration of the figure remained with me. Now the last week's busyness forced me to do what I always wanted to do all along. Now I am making expressions with the figure.

This one is of my son now.

19/40 Painting of 40 Consecutive Days of a Paintng a Day - Mrs. Mendon

Mrs. Mendon
6" x 7"
Watercolor on Paper
$50

Today was the big Graduation Party for my son, an all day affair.
Yet, I did manage to do this watercolor painting of Mrs. Mendon.
I truly enjoy the expressive line and fluidity of the painted forms.

15/40 Painting a Day for 40 Consecutive Days - Mr Mendon

Mr. Mendon
10" x 12"
Watercolor and Ink
not for sale

This is my neighbor. He is a remarkable guy, weathered with construction work and many years of raising a family.

I love gray paintings. I like messy lines for drawings of gruff no nonsense workers. This is not a "pretty picture of a pretty face." I like the abstract beauty of the lines and the washes. I feel like I have captured his spirit in the spontaneity of the line.


Now back to my other life that weaves into my art life.
Here we go! The next few days shall be very busy, with traveling to pick up Grandma up north and graduation preparation.

It is just too uncanny. I have a call for arranging an exhibition on the east side in a gallery spot, a journalist, Bonnie North, offered to pose for a moody window portrait, a slew of new listings for the Griffin Gallery website. and a request from a high school friend for a reunion visit all this week. Oh, when it rains it pours. How I wish I could divide myself up and do it all at once. But not possible. It will get done but not this week.
But I will get it done.
Now for tonight, I am going to work with my son on his display poster of "his Life" thus far. It should have been done yesterday, but who is keeping track. :)

Painting A Day 3/40 Abandoned Home

Abandoned Home
6" X 8"
oil on panel
$75
to Purchase contact Artist

This lonely old structure was lay empty on the side of the road in Malin Head on Inishowen Pennisula of Donegal of the Republic of Ireland.

I remember walking through it on the worn floor and looking at the ashen fireplace. thinking people lived in here, ate their meals, slept, made love and maybe placed flowers on the widow sill.
Yet now it was empty....abandoned perhaps because of fire in the chimney or in their hearts.

What secrets do these silent walls have to tell?

This is painting 3 of 40 in the 40 consecutive day challenge.

Legacy of Life Endured in the Light of Lightweight PR

November 17, 2008

I have not made many thoughtful entries in this particular blog as well as my other blogs recenty, partly because life has taken hold of me and driven me to pursue other avenues of communication.

I am trying to be practical and pursue marketing my artwork and my arts administration opportunities, while I paint on deadlines for exhibition's where I intend to sell my work. I arrange exhibitions for other artists and serve as a website facilitator for a gallery while at the same time I am starting an entirely new business this fall which is in itself an exciting adventure. In addition, I have a son who as a senior in high school needs my chauffeuring to his events like football practice, games until he positions himself to acquire his driver's license.etc.

Part of me is very glad I am dizzyingly busy. So busy, I cannot feel the separation of growing children as acutely. My life had been my children, my family. Discussion and activism in geopolitical issues or developing a body of artwork and even building my new company hold a measure of importance in my life. They, I understand have their particular unique fascination, but I recognize that they do not nor cannot occupy the same place in my heart and dreams as do the people in my family, my kin. Even as I have tried to fill my life with these other things, my longing for my family being a community one in spirit and heart has never diminished. The pain of my family’s growing diaspora gnaws at my soul, draining the life from me. The more I do to bring things together the more acutely aware I am of my family member’s desire to be removed from one another, their home and their roots, their parents. Perhaps this is just an inevitable but passing transition into adulthood for them. But I wonder if it is in fact what I have come to see it as that fruit of the fickle reward of wealth, education and upward mobility, the dream of the American way. Little did we know how much we cast aside when we set our children on the American path of success when we should have inculcated love and tenderness toward one another rather than ambition and adventure.

How does this relate to my art? My technical art skill has improved greatly over the years.. My art imagery has not drawn its ideas from my family as much as from the dream of community lived in the light of truth and love.

I am afraid to place my mind’s eye on the pain of separation for hours on end while I focus on meticulously painting of a “telling story of separation and fracture.” Besides who wants to buy a painting of a “telling a story of separation and fracture?”

Besides for mental survival, I favor keeping my heart and mind on “hope” of renewal and restoration. Neverthless, I prefer living in the truth of the moment rather than making life's reality with mere good PR of putting on a happy face.

Lately I think I may have a new opportunity to “tell the truth in a life story full of pathos amidst hope,” now that my mother, who is in her declining mid eighty’s, has come to stay with me for an extended visit. I see I can compassionately tell a story of separation and fracture.” Somehow, this story, which is so real before me in its human frailty, is striking with hope and beauty because I can be a part of her life at this time. I can laugh and cry and with her and she with me.

I will, in the next months, begin drawing and painting her and her aging friends and surviving brother, etching lines in a legacy of friendship and endurance that I have been privileged to experience through the life of my mother, whom my children have called “Grandma.”

Judith