New Painting

Summer is flying by. I was in Boston, Massachusetts for 3 days, great city. We took the ferry to Provincetown located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod for 1 day. Here's a new painting I just finished in the nick of time for a grant proposal.

Fenland, oil on canvas, 36 x 60 inches

It reminds me of the marshland in Provincetown where the ocean meets the land.

I'm preparing to teach my first ever Summer Art Program in my home studio. I'm so excited. I'll be teaching kids some fun, easy printmaking projects that you don't need a printing press for.

New Work

Grounded, 48 x 46 inches

I've finished three of the large paintings. One still alludes me.
Oh and I might still work on the green one. One area is still bothering
ing me, ugh. I should have listened to Drew and left it alone when he told me to. I wish there was a back button in painting.

In the Beginning, 48 x 46 inches

Somewhere Only We Know, 36 x 60 inches

New Work

I'm excited to have finally started new paintings in my new space.

Peek Inside My Studio

This awesome panoramic shot was taken by my husband in February after I hung my show.

This shot was taken last week showing new paintings in progress and the sculpture hung in a new configuration. I'm busy working on the logistics
of hanging the sculpture from the hanging system in the Mezzanine Gallery where I'm planning to show sculptures and paintings in July.

Waterways Exhibition

This week I'll be installing my solo show Waterways at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts in Wilmington, DE. I'm so excited to see this group of paintings together in the white cube. Here's an excerpt from my press release and one of the pieces included in the show.

Spilling Over, 24 x 24 inches

The title of the show Waterways refers to the intrinsic qualities of water that are the subject matter for Celestian’s oil paintings.

She depicts the movement and energy observed in nature with layered spills, pours and splatters of thinned oil paint. The paint in its liquid form is allowed to run and puddle and form similar patterns to waterways. Linda is interested in portraying the energy and life force of water to elicit an emotional response. She is inspired as much by aerial photography, as by personal observations of the ocean, lakes of her childhood, and the creek in her neighborhood.

There is a correlation between these imaginary waterways and our own circulatory system illustrating the connection between earth and mankind.

If you are in the area stop by the opening on Friday the 4th, from 5:30-9pm. I'm also showing ink paintings on the featured artist wall on the 2nd floor of the studio building and fiber work in process in my studio. I hope to see you there.

New Year, New Work

I have a solo show going up in 3 weeks. So, today I did what any sane, rational person would do, I started a new large painting. My show at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts will be in the Elizabeth Denison Hatch Gallery for the month of February. I'm hoping that crazy winter weather doesn't keep people away for the opening Friday evening February 4th.

Nature Photograpy

Yesterday I brought my camera along on my walk through the woods. I rock hopped down the middle of Naaman's creek stopping here and there to take pictures of the water.

I didn't bring a tripod so I steadied the camera against my face or knee as best as I could.

I love how you can see bits of blue sky reflected in the water.

Since art imitates nature, this is what I worked on when I got home.

This is painted fabric that I then spray painted with rocks as resists.

The top half of this shot is a painting on plexiglass, I'm holding it up so the light from the window is coming through. This is something I'd love to work on scaling up for the gallery.

Another piece of fabric I worked on. And now I have some really cool spray painted rocks.

Vacation

10 Things I love about vacation, in no particular order:

1. Staying up late and sleeping in

2. Taking the time to cook breakfast

Cinnamon Swirl Baked French Toast

3. Reading (especially other artist's blogs)

4. Hiking, biking, swimming and kayaking in nature

5. Photographing nature

6. Hanging out with friends and family

7. Shopping

8. Daydreaming

9. Painting

10. Crafting

My new painting pendants

Oh yeah, make that 11 things that I love about vacation with number 11 being watching the sun set.

Naomi Lake, Poconos

New Painting

I'm motivated by deadlines. While teaching the kids in Arden 3 hours a day with another hour of prep, I usually just collapse in the afternoons. This year with one of my kids away at camp and the other one spending most of her free time at the pool I was able to get to my studio once or twice a week. I was working on a new large diptych. I didn't know if I could finish it before the Delaware Division of the Arts grant application deadline but that was my goal. I photographed it on Sunday and the deadline was Mon. Here it is.

Running Forth, 48 x 92 inches

It's quite different from my last large diptych done 5 months ago but I think I like it. I'm suspending judgement until I return to the studio full time in a month. It's much more complex than Crash, Hush.. but it feels more expansive. You can really see the aerial photography influence. Here's a close up.

Crash, Hush... Exhibition

There's still time to see my new work in person at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts. The show continues through June 27th in the Elizabeth Denison Hatch Gallery. Here's an installation shot taken by my talented friend Carson Zullinger, an amazing photographer.

There's a favorable review of the show on The Hunt Magazine website.

I experienced the post show blues for a few days after the opening. This is a completely normal let down after the final push of installing a show and everything that goes into promoting it. Even though I should expect this mood swing, it was difficult especially with everything else I had going on with my kids. I cleaned my studio for the opening so I took a few photos before it inevitable returns to it's normal chaotic, working state. "Where did I put the hammer I was just using?"

Inspiration, fiber work and encaustic paintings.

Fiber pieces, encaustic paintings and silk remnants.

I've accomplished quite a bit since September and should feel proud of it but I'm never comfortable to sit back and relax. On Sunday I experienced some severe nerve pain in my neck that sent me to the urgent care medical center. I guess that was my body saying "slow down". I'm busy ordering supplies and planning projects for my summer job as an art director at a camp that starts on Saturday. Meanwhile I'm still plotting how to get one more painting finished before my summer deadlines. I guess "slow down" just isn't in my vocabulary.

Inspiration

I've been known to say that nature never ceases to amaze me. These photos were taken on Providenciales, in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The waters surrounding the island are gorgeous turquoises that change depending on the depth of the water. I really couldn't dream of a better place to go while working on my current body of work.

The last 2 photos are of a silk sculpture I worked on before the trip, it's crazy how it looks like the colors and forms I photographed. I know there will be more work coming out of this trip. We stayed right on the beach and the sound of the waves rolling onto the shore lulled me to sleep every night.