Painting a portrait somewhere in France
Over the years, but mostly since my exhibition at the Centre Auguste Brizeux in Brittany France – 1995, I have left a paper trail of spontaneous watercolour portraits. It’s probably what I have enjoyed most…
I meet new people in a very different way – and it’s a wonderful way to hone observational skills.
example 1
example 2
I hope to paint many more of these…..
My cousin Lyn Statham on her first visit to West Chester Pa attending one of my workshops.
At the beginning of the nineties, I had already painted quite a few corporate murals in the States. I continued to exhibit, including a final solo exhibition at the Chester County Arts Association....in the same gallery where I had my first solo exhibition in 1976.
After twenty-eight years of living and working in the States I was wrapping up my time there. It felt strange and yet I was ready to move back to the UK/Europe for so many reasons. On a very practical note…I would have free health care with the NHS!
Income from the murals gave me a certain amount of freedom. They paid well and having Bonnie Paul as an agent made the whole process enjoyable. I didn’t have to deal with the business end of things – most artist’s nightmare.
By the time we entered the nineties…Bill and I had both gone through a mid life crisis and consequently a divorce. Bill re-married very quickly which meant that any chance of our getting back together was over – It was a sad time but also a new beginning for both of us.
With my daughter Christie Reed in front of the mural for the Philadelphia Heart Institute –
After the divorce, I made the decision that when Christie was in her second year of University I would return to the UK/Europe. At that time Christie would be 19 and as it turned out studying in Paris. Jarrod would be 28.
I had initially thought I would go to Cornwall in the UK or France – places I had always loved, but out there in the great wild yonder was another place waiting for me….:). proving that None of us is ever creative enough to know how things will actually work out……..
An alla prima oil on canvas of my son Jarrod when he was 27…..painted in Chadds Ford shortly before leaving the States.
Meanwhile, my son Jarrod went to visit my cousin and family in a place called Crickhowell in Wales! When he returned to Philadelphia he told me that with the help of my cousin lyn’s husband PJ he had re-located his biological father.…(the one that disappeared in the sixties…..!
This is a detail from my last mural in the States – now owned by Eric Lorgus it can be found in the lobby of 103 S. High Street, West chester, Pa. 19382.
Shortly after Jarrod’s visit to Wales my cousin came to visit me in the States with the suggestion that I might consider relocating to Wales.
Lyn suggested that I visit her in Crickhowell….! She thought I would love it – which turned out to be a huge understatement!
After a preliminary visit in 1993, the following year I moved to Crickhowell…..and fell in love with the place. My dear friend Carol Peterson accompanied me on that trip. – (Carol my first real friend in the States going back to the Staten Island Ferry days in the 60s…).
I remember being driven over the bridge spanning the River Usk…and then through the High street, I knew without a doubt that it would be the place for me.
Crickhowell High Street……the dragon Inn is still one of my favourite places.
One of the magnificent views surrounding Crickhowell looking over the Usk Valley towards the Brecon Beacons.. watercolour/gouache
Along with my cousin lyn and family, my Aunt and Uncle lived one mile away in Glangrywyney. Lyn’s mother was my my father’s sister.
My Aunt and Uncle in Glangrywyney…..
Lyn and PJ owned a design company and often had the need to commission artists. My first commission through them was to do several large oils and numerous watercolours for the Cardiff Bay Hotel – part of the new Cardiff Bay Project. Lyn is extremely creative. It was lovely to work with her.
One of my large oil paintings in the lobby of The Cardiff Bay Hotel….
As was the case with all my commercial projects I had to to do a lot of research. – In this case the Tea Clippers coming into Cardiff during the 19th century.
There were several more large oils and lots of watercolours for this particular job…. Most importantly it kept the wolf away from my door for a couple of years…allowing me to prepare for upcoming exhibitions.
There were many more projects – one being for an hotel in Scunthorpe commemorating the steel works for which the town was known. This was one of a many watercolours made into prints.
At the same time, I had a solo exhibition at St. David’s Hall Cardiff, and was invited to exhibit at the Centre Auguste Brizeux in Brittany France.
This poster for the exhibition in France was printed before I began to re-use my maiden name again (WEIGHT) more about that later……….. The model for this poster ‘Solen’ was lovely and like so many others I have written about in this series is no longer with us.
After living with Lyn and PJ for six months, I found my own little bolt hole at 43 High Street and then the cottage at 11 Mill Street. So many happy memories from both places – both a short walk from Lyn’s.
However, the best thing was to be asked to paint two large panels for St. Edmund’s church in Crickhowell. The then vicar (Jonathan Vickery) gave me a beautiful passage from Song of Songs to use as my inspiration along with my own feelings about the area.
I think a lot of local people were very nervous that as an outsider I might do something awful to their beautiful ancient church……. I do believe that it all calmed down but I also fully understood at the time, the significance and responsibility of my doing these paintings. I dedicated the panels to the children of the area….
Two large panels for St. Edmund’s Church, Crickhowell – dedicated to the children of the Usk Valley.
Another major development in the nineties was Christeve the Cat arriving at number 11 Mill Street during a violent storm on Christmas Eve 1996 – (hence her name:). I wrote and illustrated a little book entitled Christeve the cat Finds a New Home……which became part of an educational programme for young children.
The book cover…..
Looking down to 11 Mill Street from St. Edmund’s church yard.
An example of some of the fun Lyn and I enjoyed…..Here we are getting ready for a friend’s 50th costume birthday in front of Ty Gwyn with wonderful Bumble the dog. It was through walking Bumble that I met so many of the people in Crickhowell.
This was taken during a recent visit with Lyn at the house in Cardiff…she is standing in front of a large alla prima oil I painted shortly after I arrived in Crickhowell in 1995.
This picture of Lyn in the middle, me with sunglasses and friend Mary was taken in 1995.
My next post starts at the beginning of a new decade and century…..
From my book ‘The Apple Exercise’
‘Sometimes I am asked why I am using a certain colour’, and my response is often. Why Not?
The creative process is all about experimenting. Letting go of the logical infomation that our brains have processed during our lifetimes, and embracing the concept of seeing our world in a much broader sense.
It is about awakening the senses, rather than deadening them!
The eighties brought both turbulence, and a fountain of creativity.
The studio on Prescott Alley which I bought in – 1984
Some of the ‘stand out‘ events during the 1980s.
In a nut shell, at the beginning of the decade, we moved from Westtown into the town of West Chester – (three miles away) The death of my dear father in the spring of 1983 aged 62 was, and still is a great loss. We had a fully fledged teenage son in the house and all that goes with that:) My becoming ill and needing major surgery. The purchase of my studio on Prescott alley. An eight year old daughter and her many friends. Bill continuing to go through very difficult changes with his career. I was 34 and Bill 35.
From the outside we looked like the perfect family, but along with the above, I was grappling with a ‘social phobia’ which presented itself in the form of extreme anxiety. – something that no one spoke of back then. In short I found it very difficult to be around pretty much anyone other than family, close friends and animals. My painting and studio gave me the perfect retreat from it all.
With the death of my father I began to act out in all sorts of interesting ways. For one year I only wore pink and purple….(funny but true). I stopped trying to please everyone……I began to dig deep within.
Looking perfect on the outside was a real catch 22 situation! I was prescribed tranquilzers by my doctor for the anxiety…….This lead me to believe that I had found the panacea for all of my concerns but of course life doesn’t work that way.
You can imagine what the galleries and others thought when I stopped painting animals and began a series of what I called my Rock and Nudes. This painting which is with me today in London, is dated 1982. It was one of many paintings in that series of (large oils and watercolours
The series came about when I was painting on the remote island of Isle au Haut – part of Acadia National Park in the Penobscot Bay, Maine.
I was sitting on one of the huge boulders on Boom Beach when I had a profound revelation……a knowing and deep understanding that all of life is Interconnected. A moment that changed my life for ever.
I took the many sketches from Isle au Haut back to my studio in West Chester where I incorporated the human form.
At the same time I knew that i needed to bring more consistency to my work….I needed to hone my observational skills. This was when I began painting intricate still life paintings….many of them autobiographical in nature.
I worked from 9 til 6 p.m. every day….and even if I wanted to work until midnight…I didn’t….all part of bringing consistency into my life.
This small oil on canvas….is all about observational skills and at the same time getting beneath the surface of things….in this case evoking a sense of calm and peace.
And then there were the portraits. Always portraits.
My dear friend Sue Hineman. who I met at the Quarry Swimming Club in the early eighties.
Bonnie Paul – who was to become my agent and dear friend in the eighties. She arrived at my Prescott Alley studio one day and gave me a big commission for one of her clients…. She also introduced me to mural painting. We worked together and kept very much in touch until her death a few years ago.
I met Mary Ellen Bilisnansky McMorrow AKA MEBS in the eighties…We always had great fun together. Another fantastic artist.
with my husband Bill and MEBS at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
My son Jarrod sitting in front of one of my oil paintings of Sam Kenworthy (AKA Uncle Sammy) in the Prescott Alley studio
I finished this decade with a large alla prima self portrait…. along with an autobiographical still life. Both paintings are with me in London….They remind me that no matter what is going on….to stay focused.
large oil on canvas….autobiographical still life.
Bill and I always had so much fun together…..even though chinks were beginning to show….
From my book – The Apple Exercise….
“Given the fast pace of our lives today, and the fact that so many of us are plugged into technology of one kind or another, our collective senses have been deadened.
Along with this comes a feeling of loss. A loss that in many ways we are unable to identity.
As we constantly try to fill the ever widening holes within us with more and more frenetic activity and STUFF…..our frustration levels grow.
Feeding our senses through the creative process, in all its many forms, can produce almost miraculous changes, which lead to a sense of well being and fulfillment’
In my next post…..Cousin Lyn came to visit …along with mural painting.
The creative process in all its many forms is the key to emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing….
After my successful solo exhibition at the Chester County Arts Association (1976),….I was invited to exhibit in several different galleries and ended up in some important collections. My animal paintings sold very well. For the most part they were watercolours, interspersed with large oil paintings.
I then exhibited at the Philadelphia Zoo and produced the above poster for fund raising purposes for a new ‘big cat enclosure’. (The only commercial printing on offer at that time was ‘offset lithography’ – expensive and often hard for artists to market) however because this poster was sponsored by the Philadelphia Zoo and International Cat Association, the signed edition of 1000 sold out very quickly. Today we have the luxury ond ability of printing to order….
My late Mother sitting in front of one of my large watercolour leopard paintings in the USA
As stated in my last post – This was a new beginning for me….and so I had yet to find my own style or indeed direction..….I can attest that this takes much time, focus and patience.
To begin with I used the animals as my ‘jumping off point’ – to learn all about watercolour.
Now fifty years hence, I am always pleased when someone says they recognise my work. My style has changed dramatically over the years – plus I had to make my living as an artist and so did not always have the luxury of painting what I wanted to paint. However every painting is part of the artist’s journey and through each and every painting we learn..
It’s important NOT to judge an artist on one painting or exhibition…. I believe that Intelligent judgement can only come when we see where the artist has come from – in other words what their journey as an artist has been..
Along with animals I started to sketch and paint portraits. In 1977 a beautiful young actress from Paris, France came to live with us in the States, Claudia Nottale.– She was seventeen when I painted this small oil on canvas. It was to be the first of many more portraits of Claudia over the years.
This picture was taken when Claudia visited me this past September….In my Hampton flat we continue to be very close.
A charcoal sketch of Claudia.
My children, Jarrod and Christie, were with me throughout….I often painted with Christie strapped to me in a papoose. Because there is almost nine years between the children…in those early days, Jarrod would be at school and Christie would be with me in the studio.
During this time I met people who would become life long friends although sadly many are now dead….
Dear Jack and Jane Lukas….although gone they will always be part of my life…and through them I became close to the Kearnsclan.…who I consider to be like a family.
and then of. course my dearest Uncle Sammy who died a year go…..
In my next post I will talk about dealing with galleries and the frustrations of marketing ones own work and how different the art world is today than when I started out fifty years ago.
I leave you with the following from my book THE APPLE EXERCISE….
‘It takes 28 days to form a habit……
Throughout my many years of painting and teaching, I have heard over and over again the frustration of those who would like to explore their creativity, but who always seem. to find that life gets in the way.
I came up with the ‘apple exercise’ 35 years ago because in principle it is very simple and effective. If followed, three positive changes will occur.
One, a new habit will be formed, which will bring consistency to work. Secondly, by practising a little every day, observational and technical skills will improve, and thirdly, participants will begin to ‘see’ the apple in many different ways.
Janet.
I
The creative process in all its many forms is the key to emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing….
After my successful solo exhibition at the Chester County Arts Association (1976),….I was invited to exhibit in several different galleries and ended up in some important collections. My animal paintings sold very well. For the most part they were watercolours, interspersed with large oil paintings.
I then exhibited at the Philadelphia Zoo and produced the above poster for fund raising purposes for a new ‘big cat enclosure’. (The only commercial printing on offer at that time was ‘offset lithography’ – expensive and often hard for artists to market) however because this poster was sponsored by the Philadelphia Zoo and International Cat Association, the signed edition of 1000 sold out very quickly. Today we have the luxury ond ability of printing to order….
My late Mother sitting in front of one of my large watercolour leopard paintings in the USA
As stated in my last post – This was a new beginning for me….and so I had yet to find my own style or indeed direction..….I can attest that this takes much time, focus and patience.
To begin with I used the animals as my ‘jumping off point’ – to learn all about watercolour.
Now fifty years hence, I am always pleased when someone says they recognise my work. My style has changed dramatically over the years – plus I had to make my living as an artist and so did not always have the luxury of painting what I wanted to paint. However every painting is part of the artist’s journey and through each and every painting we learn..
It’s important NOT to judge an artist on one painting or exhibition…. I believe that Intelligent judgement can only come when we see where the artist has come from – in other words what their journey as an artist has been..
Along with animals I started to sketch and paint portraits. In 1977 a beautiful young actress from Paris, France came to live with us in the States, Claudia Nottale.– She was seventeen when I painted this small oil on canvas. It was to be the first of many more portraits of Claudia over the years.
This picture was taken when Claudia visited me this past September….In my Hampton flat we continue to be very close.
A charcoal sketch of Claudia.
My children, Jarrod and Christie, were with me throughout….I often painted with Christie strapped to me in a papoose. Because there is almost nine years between the children…in those early days, Jarrod would be at school and Christie would be with me in the studio.
During this time I met people who would become life long friends although sadly many are now dead….
Dear Jack and Jane Lukas….although gone they will always be part of my life…and through them I became close to the Kearnsclan.…who I consider to be like a family.
and then of. course my dearest Uncle Sammy who died a year go…..
In my next post I will talk about dealing with galleries and the frustrations of marketing ones own work and how different the art world is today than when I started out fifty years ago.
I leave you with the following from my book THE APPLE EXERCISE….
‘It takes 28 days to form a habit……
Throughout my many years of painting and teaching, I have heard over and over again the frustration of those who would like to explore their creativity, but who always seem. to find that life gets in the way.
I came up with the ‘apple exercise’ 35 years ago because in principle it is very simple and effective. If followed, three positive changes will occur.
One, a new habit will be formed, which will bring consistency to work. Secondly, by practising a little every day, observational and technical skills will improve, and thirdly, participants will begin to ‘see’ the apple in many different ways.
Janet.
I
In 1974, I quickly realised that Chester County was the home of the Brandywine School of art...all very new to me.
Other than the Wyeth family who lived in Chadds Ford (seven miles away) I knew nothing about The Brandywine Tradition.
Andrew Wyeth (1917 – 2009} was one of America’s best known 20th century artists.
Smokehouse, Andrew Wyeth, watercolour.
I wrote on an earlier blog about sitting next to Andrew Wyeth’s famous painting, Christina’s World propped up against a wall at the Coe Kerr Gallery in New York! It was my first introduction to the Wyeths and the Brandywine School of Art.
On that occasion I met Nicholas Wyeth (son of Andrew) (Nicholas well known for his model airplanes displayed at the 21 Club in New York}. Little did I know that shortly after this occasion I would be married to Bill Reed and living in Chester County, smack bang in the middle of it all!
I had been invited to the opening at Coe Kerr Gallery because Freddie Woolworth (the owner) was a Wall Street client. As I write this, and search my memory…..I realise just how many sign posts there were and how important It is to observe and keep note of them.
There was another Wyeth incident which could very well have gone unnoticed.
Jarrod and I were staying with friends in Flat Rock North Carolina. This was when I was still working on Wall Street. My host, was the first person to introduce me to hummingbirds – and at the same time she gave me a beautiful book on the works of Andrew Wyeth! It wasn’t until much later that I realised that this incident was one of many that were sign posting me in a certain direction.
My first hummingbird sighting – Flat Rock, North Carolina.
Meeting Anne Buffington and her two daughters at the Westtown School Lake was also important. Anne’s daughter Kendle Buffington and my son Jarrod were only six at the time – eventually to become partners in life.
Anne Buffington introduced me to Chester County artist – Ray DiJohn.….who gave lessons from his studio….I signed up and attended… It was during this time that I fell in love with watercolour.
For those finding their way as artists it’s important to note that I had no interest in being one of the many Brandywine tradition copyists, however Ray taught me watercolour techniques which I still use to this day. Always keep an. open mind.
Anyone who has attended one of my courses will know that I never use black and that Prussian Blue/Burnt Sienna mix is very much part of my box of tricks – something that Ray passed onto me.
Another important person was Dee Stahl... a wonderful woman full of life and interested in everything. She knew someone on the Philadelphia Main Line who had a smart boutique occasionally showing new artists work. I jumped at it.. It gave me a focus.
Given that I had no particular direction at that time, rather just painting anything and everything that interested me…I had turned to one of my great loves…‘animals’ As I would say to students today….they were my ‘jumping off point’.
This leopard in tree…watercolour was typical of the work I was doing at that time.
Then, bingo….I was picked up by Newman Galleries in Philadelphia and invited to have a solo exhibition at The Chester County Arts Association…..where I had hoped to connect with other local artists…..
I will finish this post with a couple of personal photographs from that time.
Bill, Me, Jarrod and two of our dogs, Puppy and Biscuit……before Christie was born…
After Christie was born………….
The most important thing is to practise practise practise and PLAY PLAY PLAY……………..and try to work at the same time each day. Build good habits
and always keep an open mind……
Next post….so many big lessons to be learned…..
During my panic last week when WordPress wasn’t working, I forgot to post The Wedding…!
In my post yesterday, I referred to The Beehive...where Bill and I lived for a while and where we were married on a Tuesday afternoon in August 1972…… Bill and I had both been married before and so it was a wonderfully informal affair.
Lots of family and friends attended and Jarrod was our best man…
The vicar/minister from Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church presided over the ceremony with cows joining in at the post and rail fence.:)
Jarrod as best man –
Everything made for a perfect day. Beautiful weather, wonderful company and a sense of real celebration.
I see today that people spend fortunes on weddings….for me simple is always the best…
My Father and Mother in the foreground with Bill’s parents
Now I can continue with how I began my art career in 1974………
It’s 1973 – Bill and I are now married and Jarrod is enrolled into Westtown School.
At this time we were still living at the Beehive on S. Concord Road….when the Arab oil embargo hit in retaliation for support of Israel during the Yom Kippur War. The embargo was lifted in March of 1974 – and around and around we go………..!
As lovely as the Beehive was – it was not a practical house for a young family and getting more and more expensive to heat and so we moved one mile down the road to Westtown where we bought a family home. Christie was yet to be born, but we anticipated at least one more child. For us life was good.
This was when I began to pick up my paint brushes again….
My first works were inspired by the beautiful flowers in the hedgerows where Bill and I walked every day – I particularly loved the thistles….
Rachel Carson’s book ‘Silent Spring’ was first published in 1962….with warnings that we should all have headed back then…. However, at that point to the untrained eye, everything seemed to. be fine……..but of course it wasn’t !
At the same time I got a job at the The Elwyn Institute in Media, working for Dr. Rosen who then headed a department for autistic children. I thoroughly enjoyed this short but rich experience.
In the spring of 1975 our daughter, Christie was born at The Chester County Hospital …..Here we are together in Maine.
Other than sketching, I hadn’t really painted much since leaving Rochester art college in 1964 – and so when I picked up the brushes again it felt both strange and exhilarating. Most of all it felt right….like coming home.
To begin with I didn’t have a formal studio…..however, I was fortunate enough to have a room where I could paint whilst looking after the children and our fast growing menagerie:)
Dear lovely Kate with her cousin Christie. Kate and Christie continue to be very close.
Me in the garden at Westtown….such happy memories.
I have to say that writing about my experiences from 1966 until 1972 when I met Bill has not been easy….It has brought up so many things that I had put to rest…..plus there is so much more to say…………..
It’s now time to begin writing about my life as an artist – which I hope will help many others who are making there way in the art world. That starts in the next post.
A very happy moment…Jarrod, Christie with Mary and Chris Liberace.
When I look at these pictures and read about this time, I realise how rapidly life passes us by…It is a huge reminder to make the most of every single day…and to love our families, friends and the natural world.
I have been having trouble with my wordpress account – I think I might have sorted it out….but not sure.
Anyway I am going to try posting to see what happens. Please bear with me. …..
A very large oil on canvas depicting for me peace and tranquility…something we can all do with. This is part of my Quilt Series.
As I was saying to someone the other day – it takes a lot to rattle me, but techie issues can and do!
Not one to use age as an excuse, I have to admit that at 78 things are a little slower….and on top of that I am dyslexic.
When I was growing up, no one had even heard of the word ‘dyslexic’ but there is no question that I am…which does explain an awful lot.
I am surrounding myself with magical hummingbirds….:)
watercolour/gouache.
I have had wonderful visitors from South Dakota….and we had a blast…..
With my dear friend the artist Bonnie Dutton from Spearfish South Dakota.
Bonnie and I have been friends for 35 years. On this visit she came with another friend Angie Anderson also of Spearfish South Dakota and an absolute delight.
They stayed in the Jolly Coopers Pub in Hampton – which now offers very lovely B & B accommodation. I highly recommend.
Bonnie and Angie in the courtyard at the Jolly Coopers…
Bonnie brought me a beautiful pendant from S. Dakota made from Black Hills Gold.…and Angie brought me some Bison Medallions.….hence the look of surprise on my face……..
We had a wonderful evening at the HUB. http://www.theinspiredhub.co.uk…Bonnie knows some people from previous visits to Hampton and others she had met at the school in Portugal….what a fun event. http://www.theinspiredhub.co.uk
Topped off with fantastic music from the Alter Eagles tribute band……at the HUB.
even the weather was pretty good. Very little rain and sunshine…wow.
And now onto Easter.
From a few years back….a group of friends who we used to get together with for fun occasions. Every year we had an Easter Bonnet party…..
On Fifth Avenue New York with the Easter Bunny, Cyma Horowitz and Jarrod Reed.
I hope everyone enjoys a lovely weekend….
I will be back after Easter to resume my history on this blog.
My Life as an Artist (2) 