Category: News

I was thrilled to be honored with honorable mention in the InSIGHTful gallery show at the Norris Cultural Arts Center in St. Charles. Somehow,

The InSIGHTful exhibition featured artwork that conveys optimism. My colored pencil artwork, Ain’t God Good, was one of two pieces I have in this show.

Inspired by a homeless man I saw crawling out from the overgrowth of weeds and brush next to the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. He wore a t- shirt, with the message “Ain’t God Good.” I puzzled over this for days. Is this, despite his circumstances, his true belief? Or was it a piece of donated clothing given to him? Perhaps he is wearing the shirt as an ironic message. As I thought about it, he became the inspiration for this mixed media artwork. To focus upon the hopeful humanity which exists in bleak circumstances, the man is the only color in the artwork.

This was created in mixed media; using Prismacolor colored pencils and Prismacolor markers on grey illustration board.

As many of you know, I am a resident artist at Water Street Studios in Batavia. My studio is the home of my graphic design business, Resolution Creative, where I create my colored pencil artwork, and sometimes participate in group shows in the gallery.

Beginning during the doldrums of this past winter, with many art markets cancelled, some of the artists at Water Street Studios in Batavia opened their doors for shoppers interested in one-of-a-kind gifts, original art and a unique shopping experience. This market, Shop Artist Made, is held Saturdays through the month of May (except April 24,) 9 am – 2 pm in the gallery and artist studios. A recent visit by WGN TV captured this event, and interviews with executive director Taylor Egan, gallery director Steve Sherrell, and scenes of some of the resident artists at work.

Watch the videos, and better yet, stop by for a visit!

In this artwork, “Hello in There,” I am telling very much a story of 2020 and Covid-19, as well as loss. The son, who is himself a senior adult, visits his elderly mother through a window.  The assisted living centers and nursing homes often did not allow indoor visits during Covid-19. They are not only physically separated, but the mother is a victim of Alzheimers. The mother is clutching a baby doll for comfort – perhaps she’s remembering her own past as a young mother, but she may not remember her own son.

My work is usually very detailed, but I purposely left the detail out of the inside area where the mother is sitting. She is in the dark, in more than one way.

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How is it that my artwork “Hello in There” will be in several shows at the same time?  

“LOSS, A Virtual Exhibition” is an online exhibition. https://womanmade.org/loss-a-virtual-exhibition  September 4 – 27.  

A gicleé print is featured at the Aurora University gallery exhibition “Art in the Time of Coronavirus” August  31 – February 26. View online with my video describing the work.

The original colored pencil painting can be found at Water Street Studios 11th Anniversary Show, “Create in Place” September 11 – October 3. Tickets to the closing event September 25 – 27 may be purchased here.

“Hello in There” is also featured in the online publication, Wormwood Press. https://wwpmedia.com/issue-10

Please find time to view the artwork featured in these exhibitions; created in 2020 when we experienced loss, a pandemic, and other tribulations. 

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