Thursday, January 06, 2011

Post 800...start of a New Year


(Above: My mom posing with her Christmas present, Lancet Window I. Click on image to enlarge.)

This is my 800th blog post and also the first one in 2011. I've reflected on the past year, my artistic progress and the goals I'd set out to accomplish. (Yes, I generally do succeed with my resolutions!) I've also thought a lot about new resolutions, ways to advance my work and outcome negativity and my personal doubts.

So...I've come to a conclusion! My New Year Resolutions are:

1) work on my website more regularly
2) include sales information, even on this blog (something I rarely do because I allow "doubt" to interfere....thinking "No one will purchase anything over the Internet", etc....which has been recently proved false
3) look for new sales venues
4) continue applying for artist residency programs and solo shows

So....before recapping the end of year holiday in Pennsylvania, I want to share a blog post on "My Family Blog" about our trip to Seattle during the first week in December. It is HERE. Also, I created several Flickr! sets of photos:

Slideshow of general photos from Seattle
Slideshow of ferry trip to Bainbridge Island

Slideshow featuring artists' studios open during Seattle's "First Thursday"
and most inspirational:
Slideshow of artwork from Seattle Art Museum

The museum photos are all high resolutions...and include pieces and details.... like:

(Above: Foreground: Do-Ho Shu's Some/One, 2001. Garment made of stainless steel military dog tags. Hanging: Anselm Kiefer's Die Welle (The Wave), 1990, Lead, clothes, steel wire, and ash on canvas)

I also took dozens of images of tribal art. It was an excellent day! I can hardly believe it was a month ago but December just flew by....and we are about to spend another long weekend outside South Carolina. On Saturday we travel to Arizona for three days!

I also posted a video of Seattle's International Fountain....an amazing display of water choreographed to music. It is HERE.


(Above: Christmas window in one of Harmony's log buildings. Click on image to enlarge.)

So....now....New Year's holiday was spent in Pennsylvania with my parents. We went to Harmony for Silvester. (Harmony was founded in 1804 by the Harmony Society and later became a Mennonite settlement. Silvester is the German celebration of New Year's Eve!)



Inside several of Harmony's log buildings are great shops....like this full service cafe.



The Silvester celebration includes pretzels....



....and pork with sauerkraut....and beer! (These are my parents!)



The art gallery had lots of great work....and this interesting denim/skull covered chair!



I couldn't resist snapping this photo attached to a porch running along the main street of Harmony!



During our trip we also visited my Grandma. She turned 92 earlier in the month. I gave her five of the wrapped wooden spools with family thumbnail sized photos on the ends. These are call Ancestors.



We also exchanged Christmas gifts. My mother received Lancet Window I. Unframed 28" x 8"; Framed 31 1/2" x 11 1/2". Click on image to enlarge.



It is now hanging in her log home between two-story windows overlooking the lake!

6 comments:

Julie said...

What an exciting time you've had and don't your parents look lovely?! The Lancet looks beautiful in situ. Happy New Year and congrats on 800 posts :-)

Lynn Cohen said...

Beautiful to see your family and your art coming together. I bet your mom and grandma were over joyed with their gifts.

Happy New Year and new resolutions for your work and life. May all your dreams come true.

Yay 800!!!

Dahn said...

I just wanted to pop in and say how much I like your blog and how interesting your posts are. Needless to say, your art work is fantastic. Thank you for sharing 'how to' instructions as wel.. :)

Pat Callahan said...

Susan, thank you for building the slide show and for sharing the art of the Seattle Art Museum. What amazing patterns, textures, and symbols! The sculpture of soldiers' dog-tags is very, very powerful. Looking forward to your posts in the new year!

Wanda said...

great pictures! The christmas gift to mom is PERFECT. Love the picture of you and Grandma! I'm impressed you do new year's resolutions. I don't but I DO plan on being able to look in the mirror on my 50th birthday and say..."wow Wanda...you look GREAT"!!! ha ha ha

SONYASPHERE said...

If only you could add the SMELL of the coffee from that coffee house in Harmony...it was sooooo good!