The Ideas Are Flowing

While sitting the gallery yesterday I completed a painting and hung it immediately.
Working into the wee hours of the morning I completed this digital painting. And you guessed it, nothing new framed just yet!

A New Day

As you can tell, much of my work centers around the human condition. Sometimes the figure is the painting's subject matter, but in this sculpture/installation the figure is not visible. This is also a collaborative work. Donna, a poet, and I created the story of a young woman who is at the end of her traveling years. She was given the suitcase by her Grandfather when she left home. He figured she was strong enough to carry a "man's" valise. She and the suitcase recall her journey in dialogue just before she passes it on to her own son. After the show, the suitcase closed and the parts are separated until their next opportunity. Hopefully Donna will see this and share her writing. WIVLA is an inspiring group of Houston women artists and writers which encourages collaborative works in an annual show. You might be interested in joining.
This work is very special to both of us and I am proud to share it with you.

Fellow artists, thank you for the constructive suggestions

The feedback I have had these past two days has really been helpful. I have gone back in and added copyright information and reduced file sizes. All images on the web are published, and therefore copyright protected. Some viewers may not be aware of that. Please honor the artist by not copying any images or quoting without permission. I am learning but guess what...I didn't get one piece framed today! I will be at the gallery tomorrow (Sunday) from 12 until 2:30. Stop by DaVinci's if you are in Tomball.

Artist/Educator Travels Half-way Around the World.

Kazakhstan offered me the opportunity to test unique ideas I have developed over many years of teaching. I worked with blind, deaf, mentally challenged and disadvantaged children. Stressing tactile/kinesthetic learning I demonstrated techniques and worked with the professional staff while actively teaching the children. The Contemporary Museum of Art and the US Embassy in Astana invited me to do a one woman show during my second visit. "Touch the World" combined my painting and photography in a digitally printed format. Check out the slide show.

DaVinci Opening Coming on the First Friday of January

How could it be? Another deadline is approaching and I am not ready! I have stacks of frames begging for images of a specific size. I have stacks of work wanting to be hung. None of the sizes match! This is the story of my life. As a beginning photographer in my improvised darkroom, I found myself printing in all sizes imaginable, never considering the difficulties of framing such random sizes. Ah, I always find myself facing and loving the challenge. So, I'd better get busy!

Happy New Year from Rodon Studios

What a Christmas this has been and the new year is right upon us. Like many of you I am already thinking about what 2008 will bring. In 2007 my gallery, DaVinci's, offered me an opportunity to show my work on a regular basis and meet many new friends and patrons. Framed works hang in rotation along with work of twenty other artists working in a variety of media. In November I added what I called Studio Prints. These unframed, unmatted works are priced so that a patron on the most modest budget can begin collecting work they love. So, in a strange way I began to move closer to the process. My life long passion has been with process. The creative thinking, evolution, and struggles in the artist's work reveal insight to their artistic process.

This blog is my first attempt to share my creative processes while everything is fresh on my mind. As a lifelong educator, I love the journey. The path of the idea merges with the media and sometimes evolves into finished work. Often work acts as a bridge to other pieces which may become the finished work. This dialogue by an artist speaks to the observer. The viewer brings their own history to the work and the combined synergy completes the artist's voice. My hope is that you will find this helpful in understanding my way of working. I also have faith that in sharing with you, I will find my own path more fluid and energized.

Now, lets begin...