Phyllis Thomas

2012-01-10T16:25:00.000-08:00

An Award of Merit

QumranEleven: unearthed evidence VII

acrylic on paper with stitching

20" x 9.5"

I was surprised and honored to have received an Award of Merit at the 7th Annual ArtistsRegistry. com members' juried show in December. There were about 100 works of art exhibited. I have been included in and attended this opening reception for several years, but received my first award this year. There is always new and innovative work from local Florida artists and the Gallery at Avalon Island is a beautiful space in the heart of Downtown Orlando.

2011-12-26T15:08:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas 2011

Gabriel’s Message, 6” x 4”, linoleum cut print

Luke 1:30-32

This year I have been studying angelic beings throughout Scripture. They are the heavenly messengers, guardians and worshippers of God appearing to man at numerous times beginning in Genesis and continuing to Revelation. Very few books make no mention of angels.

The Christmas story includes the angel Gabriel appearing to Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds. The message is the same: do not be afraid. Because of this repetition, I settled on imaging the annunciation when Mary heard an unexpected message; she would become the mother of Jesus, the Son of the Most High! Though I’ve never seen an angel as Mary did, I can imagine how troubling it must have been; how naturally fearful she was.

In the present state of our nation and the world, I can feel fearful, too. I’m vulnerable to the chaos of unexpected natural disasters, financial insecurities, joblessness, threats of international terrorists, consumerism which teases me with unhealthy choices and other things. Fear can creep into my thoughts. What ifs sometimes take over rational thinking.

So the Christmas story brings hope to me: God’s involvement with Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds shows his concern for mankind and me. He has purposes for the world and will take action to ensure these purposes are carried out—including the gift of redemption through Jesus.

©copyright, phyllis thomas, 2011

2011-11-26T08:28:00.001-08:00

Signatures on the Sand

#1 of Series

30" x 30", acrylic on canvas

I'm happy these pieces are now complete after many months of incubating in my creative mind and several weeks of coming to completion. There are four canvases in this series based on the photos from a previous post on April 15, 2011. After reading the reflection, please enjoy them all.

Reflection about this series:

My brain reaches a point of saturation overload and I have to stop to debrief and take a breath. Flagler Beach is where my "soul catches up with my body"(1); the place I can walk the bare open sands and allow the "tides to erase all of yesterday's scribblings" as Anne Morrow Lindbergh writes in The Gift of the Sea (2)

My gifts were signatures of the sea on the neutral palette of sienna, black and grey sand which appeared briefly then washed away leaving me with a sense of awe. I was so excited at what I'd found! I was witnessing a one of a kind brushtroke that was impermanent; created by the rhythms of the seashore and never to be repeated. My curiosity was aroused and I wondered what this language might say, where all these tiny bits of shells may have originated and what stories they would tell.

As I transferred the land art signatures onto my canvases in my studio I realized how powerfully simplistic they are. The marks are grand yet fragile and say just enough to speak with authroity. I embraced their beauty and imagined them saying to me: listen, simplify and appreciate the uniqueness of every moment in time.

References:

(1) Warren Wiersebe, God Isn't in a Hurry, p. 48; (2) Anne Morrow Lindbergh, The Gift of the Sea, p. 16; a Grain of Sand; nature's secret wonder, Dr. Gary Greenberg, photographer. copyright, phyllis thomas, 2011

#2 of Series

30" 30", acrylic on canvas

#3 of Series

30" x 30", acrylic on canvas

#4 of Series

30" x 30", acrylic on canvas

2011-11-11T17:58:00.001-08:00

Just in time for Christmas

I have been AWOL on this blog since April and now hope to catch up to date. I have been learning online publishing and how to re-make my website. If you'd like to view my current updated site, please visit www.phyllisthomasart.com.

Other digital projects completed include online publishing attempts. I have successfully published two online books using blurb.com. The covers of these books are shown below:

This publication references the hand-written pieces of parchment and
papyrus scrolls that were discovered in eleven of the Qumran caves
from 1947-1956.This is a soft-cover edition of 32 pages, 8" x 10"
and sells for $28.00 plus shipping.

This publication is meant to illuminate and cultivate an awareness of divinity

everywhere and always. It is an image journal to record a brief summary of

personal insights about your own time. This is a soft-cover edition of 28 pages,

7" x 7" and sells for $19.00 plus shipping.

These would make wonderful Christmas gifts for anyone who values quiet meditative devotional time. Please contact me at visualtranslator@bellsouth.net if your are interested in ordering these for Christmas or any other time.

The learning curve for these publications was not difficult. I encourage anyone who desires to compile artwork or photos into one publication to consider visiting www.blurb.com and try their templates and publishing offerings.

The Ocean as Fleeting Artist

2011-04-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

Photo of line and mark on the beach

How many are your works O LORD

Psalm 104:24

This month I was given a Personal Art Retreat at a friend's condo just yards from the beach. This often is an annual gift which I am most grateful for. Previous visits have uncovered some discoveries about the language of the sea and shells (see previous posts) and this year I discovered the ocean as artist.

One of my favorite activities is to take long walks along the beach. Breathing the ocean salt-air clears my head and brings clarity to my thoughts as well as opens up all kinds of creative thinking. So, when I began to discover patterns, lines and textures on the sand, I was overcome with excitement at what I found! I started taking photos of these "paintings" and now have a whole file of ideas that could become inspirations for future paintings about the sands of the seashore.

Photo of line and mark on the beach

A remarkable thing happened as I photographed some of these patterns and designs which made me aware of the fleeting work of the ocean as artist. As soon as I clicked the shutter on the above design, the surf came ashore and wiped away these marks. So I feel I have an original, never to be created the same again. How special is that?!

Photo of design on the beach

"snakeskin"

The above pattern looked like a snake had lost it's skin and left it to dry in the sun, all stretched and flat and ready to be framed. Remarkable! I have many others, but these will give you an idea of what can be discovered when I take time to see and observe the environment around me.

Beginning

2011-03-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

beginning

6" x 6"

acrylic on paper

It's March, but I feel like my year is just beginning. January started with wedding activities for our son's February wedding then our whole household suffered with the winter flu which disrupted all regular activities. Now that spring has come forth with new growth I too, feel like I'm finally emerging into 2011.

The image above is one of twelve that makes up a collection of images and reflections inspired by Medieval Books of Hours. The collection is titled icons of time: a visual marking of the hours which is a reminder that every hour of the day should be a time to pray. They were made last year while I was re-reading all my books addressing contemplation and meditation. While applying what I was reading, I slowed down enough to become watchful of the time and color changes throughout my day. That practice began a renewal process in my spirit. These works are visual expressions combining color with the symbol of the unending circle to visually move the viewer through 24 hours and ultimately 365 days of the year.

I'm now in the process of deciding how I will present these images in a format that could be available as a publication. A friend recommended www.blurb.com as a tool for online publishing and I'm investigating the possibilities of making a visual journal for personal reflection and writing. I enjoy finding new ways to share my art and make it accessible to more people. Stay tuned to find out what and how I decide to do that.

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-14T17:16:00.000-08:00

. . .there was no room

5" x 7" linoleum-cut print

And she gave birth to her Son,

her Firstborn;

and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes

and laid Him in a manger,
because there was no room

or place for them in the inn.

Luke 2:7 (Amplified Bible)

This year I have been researching historical and archaeological writings and images. I am finding comfort and insight in the evidences of Scripture and faith from those who have gone before me. I am honoring those historical artists who were the first to proclaim the birth of Christ through the works of their hands.

When I found two bas-relief sculptures documented as the first nativity scenes from 6th Century Byzantine art, I was inspired to design a linoleum-cut print after the manner of those artists' works. I wanted a sense of history and old world look. I simplified the image until I had just the parts that said "Jesus was born in a stable".

I love the attentive excitement the stable animals portray as they view the Christ-child and the star announcing Jesus' birth. As I celebrate Christmas I don't want to take for granted this exceptional Gift that was so generously given to me and that lasts for eternity.

Merry Christmas to all my friends!

Clay Jars and Ancient Scrolls; a contemporary version

2010-11-30T09:43:00.000-08:00

I'm finally putting "finished" on my new series titled QumranEleven: unearthed evidence. This has been an ongoing journey for several months but one I have thorougly enjoyed and learned from. Though not an archaeologist I have been gathering and filing articles and reading books that have been written about the unearthing of the ancient Scriptures I cherish so highly. This series of paintings references these hand-written pieces of parchment and papyrus scrolls that were discovered in eleven of the Qumran Caves in Israel from 1947-1957.

Hence, there are eleven pieces in this series including a hand slab-built clay jar that I just completed after taking a pottery class in hand-building last month. I'm delighted with the way it came out and even more delighted I can add another dimension to my work. The clay jar is 17" high and 6" wide in bisque-fired clay. The rolled scroll is the eleventh piece in the series which is three pieces sewn together in scroll-like fashion.

My process of art-making for this series was also a discovery for me. Unlike most of my previous works, I did not "pre-plan" these fragments as thumbnails. After reading and researching in books and articles about the Qumran Caves and the terrain and environment as well as viewing photographs of the land and fragments of the preserved scrolls, I began by tacking 3-4 pieces of paper on the wall in my studio. The first brush strokes were automatic drawings of line and mark representing yet not translating the beautiful languages of Hebrew and Aramaic. Then I quickly added color in order to break up the space and obliterate any marks I didn't want. I continued refining and adding as I saw sky, land, crevice and rock emerge. Some pages have many layers of acrylic; others were quickly finished and left. The pairs were unplanned until I began to see one page flow into another. Below is the opened version of the rolled-up piece sticking out of the jar.

QumranEleven: unearthed evidence XI

acrylic on paper sewn with thread

14.75"x 28.50"

When I read about these findings they shed light on and confirmed the trustworthiness of God's Word. To me they proved the long-ago existence of real people in real places who lived real circumstances. They made Psalm 85:11 read more than stanzas in a prayer:

Truth shall spring out of the earth ; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

As I lived with QumranEleven: unearthed evidence I-XI for several months, I realized my interest in the old and aged carries over into my personal life. Perhaps it's my desire for antiquity and nostalgia that keeps me cherishing old things kept from my grandparents, parents, school days, early marriage or even children's books and toys from our children's childhood and a "little something" from every place I have travelled and lived. Or perhaps it is because they are evidence of my life lived. These old objects have endured. They have roots. They have outlived the trends and fads and they bring stability. Likewise, unearthing the Hebrew and Aramaic texts is evidence of a people who tirelessly copied the ancient yet relevant words on parchment and papyrus in order to pass on the proof and integrity of the Scripture that is eternal.

Heaven and earth will pass away

but my words will never pass away.

Matthew 24:35.

Mustard Seeds and Plants

2010-11-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

Bountiful Harvest

A little diversion today from art-making. Or is it? I'm sharing my thoughts about a gardening experiment I did this year with our church. Our theme for 2010-11 is Sustaining Faith. We were all given tiny Florida Broadleaf Mustard seeds at the beginning of the year with reference to Matthew 17:20 where we are challenged to grow in the quality of our faith.

On January 24 the children planted some of the seeds in one big pot during our worship service. I volunteered to take them home and be the "gardner". I thought it would be an easy job. The cold weather in January and February proved to be an obstacle to their growth as well as the screened porch where I put them thinking they needed some protection from the cold. By March 14 they were still tiny! Nonetheless, I transplanted them in small pots and brought them to church to display on the communion tables as a visual illustration of their sprouting. I was embarrassed because another friend said hers were HUGE!

I took advice from my son who suggested I should set them outside so they would get direct sunlight and grow better. He was right. They began to add leaves and height and by April they were looking pretty good.

Then we traveled to CA for a week. When we returned, these plants had faced another obstacle: hungry caterpillers or cabbage worms. Whichever they were, they almost destroyed them by eating holes in all the leaves. Despite the fact they looked very bedraggled, I decided to let them grow and see what would happen. They withstood the pests but by the time August rolled around, the temperatue was getting hotter and they produced long stems, then bloomed yellow flowers and seeded--but their leaves were still not thriving. I came to the conclusion this had been an unsuccessful experiment and cut off the stems and leaves with holes and ignored them, thinking I failed as the keeper of the seeds.

Then we took another trip for two weeks in September. About a week after we returned I walked passed the pots and amazingly they had begun to flourish! The cool weather had revived a couple original plants and there were several small seedlings growing, some not even in pots! I perceived these were the 2nd generation sprouts produced from the seeds of the original plants. So, I potted the seedlings in soil and started nurturing them all again. With the cooler weather they thrived and I now had a Bountiful Harvest as shown in the photo above. I was able to bring these mature plants to the worship service recently so the children could see the fruit of their plantings.

I learned several lessons about Sustaining Faith in this project: These plants would have been thrown on the compost pile way before their harvest if it would have been up to me! I almost did not give them a second chance, but after changing their environment and allowing them to keep on growing despite the eaten leaves, they continued to survive according to their seed's characteristics and God brought the harvest as a testimony to His faithfulness. Likewise, my trust is in the LORD because He is faithful to be who He says He is and is the Sustainer who helps me maintain, endure and withstand obstacles in my life.

This lesson also transfers to my art-making because sometimes I want to throw away a painting when it is not turning out the way I want. But, if I keep on working past the "ugly stage", oftentimes the finished piece is just what it is supposed to be!

Language of the Sea and Shells

2010-10-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

I'll ignore the fact it's been too long since I've posted and go directly to sharing some discoveries I made this month while I was at the beach for a Personal Art Retreat. As a birthday gift, my husband reserved a week for me at a friend's condo who generously offers it when available. There is no other environment that clears my mind and opens my soul to fresh inspiration. This week was no exception.

Have you ever noticed the language of the sea and shells? I previously had noticed the markings on the beach left from the surf when the tide comes in and goes out. I walked over this language many times before stopping to look at it closely. Perhaps it's because I am taking note of lines and marks within my paintings that I now remembered to take a photo. As I walked on the beach I wondered what the surf was saying; where it had been and how often it came back to the same place.

This is the first time I noticed the hieroglyphics on shells. I've passed over these marks many times but on this visit I began to see a language as shown in the photo below. Do you see the smile, the arrow, the exclamation point and the semi-colon? How do these symbols get carved into the shell? How long have they been tossed to and fro along the sand? Who knows their language and the stories they tell?

Not be overlooked, the feathered friends also leave their bas-relief sculptures in the sand as they dart back and forth finding delicacies to feast on.

Then there are the paintings that last only as long as the tide is out. On this beach there are two distinctly different colors of sand which combine into an exquisite color scheme. I wanted to cut this painting from the sand and take it home with me to hang on my wall!

These discoveries feed my soul and move me on to explore ideas and images for my work. God's creation brings such a wealth of creativity and I'm so grateful for eyes to see what is around me.

These "language" inspirations prompted me to begin writing the text from research on my last series: Qumran Eleven: unearthed evidence inspired by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls that I mentioned in an earlier blog. I'll be posting more images of that series and excerpts from that writing later.

In the meantime, I hope you'll take careful note of the environment around you. If you discover some new "languages", post them here so I can enjoy them, too.

Inspired by an 81 yr old artist

2010-08-07T16:45:00.000-07:00

I'm always encouraged and inspired when I meet an artist who in his/her elder years is still making art and influencing viewers by showing work. I was privileged to be invited by my friend and colleague Kaye, to an opening reception for an artist last weekend. The event was presented at the International Portfolio Gallery in Orlando, FL and curated by owner Winsome Edwards.

I was also encouraged to know another artist friend and colleague, Prof. Trent Tomengo had written the essay included in the book about the artist, Jacqueline Peters-Cully, from which I will summarize for this posting. I don't like to single out enthnicity but the amazing story is much stronger knowing Jacqueline is an African-American artist and her journey as an artist began way back in 1947 when she declared her goal was to study fashion design. Her teacher openly discouraged her stating "There are no Negro fashion designers."

Jacqueline proved her wrong as she pursued her career at the Art Institute of Chicago and excelled in drawing and painting having been awarded full academic scholarship in her 2nd year. I can't tell you the whole story, but suffice it to say she persevered in the design field and eventually earned the place of a top textile designer in 1966-1970 and went on to launch her own design company in New York.

After marriage, she and her husband traveled to W Africa and she was inspired by the textile designs which eventually influenced her work, using the medium of dyes on silk. Her work is beautiful! Of course I have a soft spot in my heart for African designs.

The work that was exhibited at this event and the book that was written, specifically features a new body of work begun in 2004, consisting of 37 pieces which were in some way inspired by an exhibit of Gee's Bend quilts (which I was fortunate to view at the Orlando Museum of Art). I learned Jacqueline is a "keeper" of processes and all through the years of her silk paintings, she saved the undersheets which left an imprint of the finished silk design. From 2004-2007, she began assembling bits and pieces of these sheets into quilt-like collages which now make up this exhibition. Her African-American heritage is proclaimed throughout her work, referencing the pathways of her journey and others of African decent which document such history as the Reconstruction and Railroad system which played a large role in Peters-Cully's life. The title of the exhibition is in fact, "Journeying: The Colours of Our Pathways.

Another amazing part of this exhibition was the compilation of music by Prof. and musicologist Samuel Gaustad. After viewing a roomful of her works, he was inspired to research and arrange Negro spirituals and jazz renditions which are counterparts to Ms Peters-Cully's collaged collection. We were able to hear and view a "mini" rendition on video of this work complete with images from the collection. An amazingly inspirational evening!

Ms Edwards, who is Peter's-Cully's dealer is working on a traveling schedule for this collection to be viewed at various museums and venues around the country. If you ever read or hear when this will be shown, DON'T MISS IT! It will likely be titled the same as the book: Journeying: The Colours of Our Pathways. An Exhibition of Mixed Media Works Chronicling an American Experience.

In conclusion, I'm impressed afresh that one never knows how the LORD will use our history/heritage or previous work. I think of Jacqueline's foresight to "save" all those papers for "sometime". I'm a keeper, too, and I thought of all the small "thumbnails" I've kept of most of my artwork from my work beginning in 2000. Perhaps sometime it will be used as inspiration for someone else to keep making art and exploring the gift God has given them..

New Works and Thoughts

2010-07-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

I'ts about time I return to blogging. I'm surprised I've waited this long. I've been privileged to spend a lot of time in my studio the last couple months and have completed several new works except for final presentation. I've been working on some calls for entries to three FL Museums and have one more submission to complete. They all were listed about the same time so I've tried to make decisions about what goes where. I'll be sharing where these are later, if I've found favor to be accepted in any of them.

I also visited the Florida Museum for Women Artists in Deland, FL where I have several friends exhibiting in a special Witness to Creativity show which allowed visitors to observe the art-making in progress for a week. Go to http://www.floridamuseumforwomenartists.org/ to check it out and if you're in Florida, be sure to see it.

I took a one-day Letterpress and Bookbinding workshop at Rollins College under Prof. Rachel Simmons a couple weeks ago. It was tedious and time consuming but I'm happy to have printed four copies of the small four-page book and now I'm finishing it by adding color and illustrations and vellum. When the pages are completed, I'll bind them and will have four limited-edition books! I'll try to post a couple images when completed.

I've mentioned before I've been inspired to do a series of paintings based on the 1947 discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls by a shepherd boy in the Qumran Caves near the Dead Sea in Israel. I'm so caught up in this work and have been consumed by studying the archaeological implications of this unearthed evidence that the Scriptures existed, were hand-lettered and preserved in clay pots down in these caves for years! God's hand at preserving them is evident. I've posted one image of QumranEleven: unearthed evidence I. It's been a new experience to incorporate "automatic drawing" that I learned in my Feb. workshop which gives a sense of "language" even though there are no recognizable words on the page. I have so many notes to accompany the works--presently seven and potentially eleven to complete the series. I'm contemplating the manner in which they will be presented and how I will compile all I have learned. Writing about my work and inspiration is defintely closure for me in the process of art-making.

QumranEleven: unearthed evidence I

acrylic with gold leaf on paper

14.75" x 9.5"

I'm also heavily in the middle of another series inspired by the Medieval Books of Hours, mentioned in a former post. These are small, 6" x 6" images and I'm contemplating how they will be presented along with the writing of all I've learned. Then there's the 2010 Christmas card I've begun to make. So much, so few hours in a day. . . .sometimes I'd like to have energy to work into the night. But, I'm still trying to establish balance and quiet/meditative time so I don't miss out on what comes across my life on a daily, hour by hour basis. Challenging.

Watermelon on Memorial Day

2010-05-31T14:16:00.000-07:00

This blog has been on my mind but I'm just now taking the initiative to write again. . . .on Memorial Day. It's been a good holiday as I've given myself permission to do "what I want to do". I've been learning I do not need to "go away" for a holiday but just by changing out what I do and when I do it makes it feel like a holiday. So, I've celebrated by changing around my day and cutting open a big, juicy, red watermelon just like my dad used to do when he took an Indiana-grown watermelon into the backyard and cut it up so my three siblings and I could each have a slice and slurp it up with drips running down our chin! What memories. Maybe a watermelon will find it's way into a painting sometime?

I've continued in my "giving" mode by offering a recent painting (shown below) to the Limner Society http://www.limnersociety.com/ for their Small Works Art Sale Fundraiser. Check out their website for more information.

Third Day Vegetation

18" x 18"

acrylic on paper

I continue to learn more about acrylics and am enjoying the process. I've begun a series of acrylic paintings inspired by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. I've found a fascination for archaeology and the unearthing of fragments from the original scrolls of the Old Testament which were discovered in the Qumran caves near the Dead Sea in 1947. These discoveries contained several copies of every book of the Old Testament with the exception of the Book of Esther! More about that inspiration later.

I've also begun a series inspired by the Medieval Books of Hours, which record hand-written prayers for different times of the day. These were books for private devotions and were often commissioned and could have been the first and only book a commoner owned! They often brought awareness of the presence of God throughout the day. I'm fascinated with scribes, illuminated manuscripts, and all manner of book-making, paper, letters, etc. I don't know where all this is going, but I'm newly inspired to keep reading, making and finding out.

Gift-Giving Weeks

2010-04-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

"All art is a gift. It is first of all a gift that the maker can do it. It is then a gift to someone else, whether they pay for it or not." Robert Genn, The Painter's Key

I have been in the process of making gifts for the past couple weeks. One piece is for a dear friend celebrating his 80th birthday, one is for dear friends who are getting married in a couple weeks and the third is a practically designed folder to hold letters to a congressman that a friend asked me to create.

The 80 year old I have known for about 40 years and about 10 years of friendship for the couple. I found the making of these gifts part of a celebration for their lives. I find it extraordinary that I am able to gift them part of myself in the process of art-making and as I worked, there were memories of our friendships which make the work all the more enjoyable.

While I am not always able to do this "gifting", this year's slowing down and stepping out of the traffic of constant events and initiating plans allowed me to indulge in this process. Though I sometimes feel the world is going on without me, I am still convinced that at this season of my life it is "okay" to step back and enjoy some of these activities that have been put aside for some years.

That doesn't mean I'm not doing any other work. I am actively pursuing inspiration which is coming from all directions regarding the continued meditation about hours of the day as well as continuing practice in the new process of using acrylic paint. It is energizing to have so many ideas in process; some on the wall and some on the table in my studio. I hope to share some photos soon so you can see some "in process" work. Keep checking back!

I also am the new owner of two pieces of artwork I found online while reading blogs about other artists. I bought one small piece from Whitney Johnson; another from Rachel Smith. These are young emerging artists who recently completed their degrees in art. I felt some personal message in each of these pieces and can't wait to get them framed so I can look at them each day, listening to what they will speak to me. If you want to see their work go to their web blogs:

http://www.whitneylewisjohnsonart.blogspot.com/;

http://rachelmarysmith.com/artwork.

I love supporting the next generation of artists!

I'm off with my husband to California this weekend to celebrate the 80th Birthday for our friend. Then we travel to our other friends' Wedding a week later to celebrate a marriage. I'll catch up later on the progress of all those inspirations beginning to happen in my studio.

The journey continues

2010-03-19T17:53:00.000-07:00

Witness, testify and believe. These three words are primary in John 20:24-30, an Easter meditation I'm reading. Made me stop to ponder how my art-making could be part of all those proclamations when I translate the scripture, thoughts and impressions onto paper. I came to the conclusion this is a huge responsibility and probably one of the reasons I take my art-making so seriously. But I also found great liberty in receiving the gift of creativity and gave myself permission to continue enjoying the act of painting without restrictions.

My process is still in transition as I review the techniques from the workshop and spend time in research and study to find fresh and contemporary images visually expressing my innermost thoughts and feelings. Bear with me as I continue to find my way--perhaps the beginning of a series in the near future. I would like to post some images soon but am not in a hurry to do so.

Last week I spent a day at my friend Kaye's studio with another workshop participant, Annette. We had some great dialogue about abstraction and life and proceeded to challenge ourselves with some exercises similar to those we practiced at the workshop. We are all learning and it is a great journey! Perhaps the journey is the work for now?

Diving In!

2010-02-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

Aimone Art Workshop Atlantic Center for the Arts

I hope you can see the energy and excitement coming through this photo. I truly "dove in" to the unknown and took a risk to step out of my comfort zone and began to learn a new medium and manner in which I paint. Steve Aimone was the coach for this week-long intensive workshop where 15 artists came together in a beautifully natural setting to just let go and paint! There were limited directed challenges and none of my pieces are really "finished". These are all beginnings in which we were absorbed in the language of abstraction and non-objective compositions, putting the lines and shapes on the paper with great energy and emotion.

We took part in critiques and dialogue about line, form, abstraction, non-objectivism, automatic drawing, and composite still life. We had evening DVD's featuring several known abstract expressionists and I was introduced to some I had not known.

It was an "in the moment" experience for me; I left my laptop at home and seldom used my cell phone--never looked at my calendar. I went with no expectations and came home full of excitement and energy and a new liberty in painting. We shall see where it goes from here, but I can almost guarantee my art-making will never be the same. The integration of these techniques with my present work will emerge over time. I'm in no hurry to produce work "for someone or something". I'm ready to just enjoy the process and learn all I can by doing what comes naturally. However, I may eventually need to change my artist statement to reflect possible changes.

I believe my times of quiet and contemplation in the weeks leading up to this workshop contributed to my enjoying it to its highest. It was a spiritual and worshipful experience for me being in the moment.

Check out aimoneartservices.com for further information on Steve's workshops.

This is where I am

2010-02-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling guilty that I haven't posted for over a week. Then I was brought back to a quote from Barbara Brown Taylor in her book, An Altar in the World:

"Most of us spend so much time thinking about where we have been or where we are supposed to be going that we have a hard time recognizing where we actually are. When someone asks us where we want to be in our lives, the last thing that occurs to us is to look down at our feet and say, "Here, I guess, since this is where I am."

This reminds me of a previous painting I made titled Stand Still (image above). It references Psalm 46:10 and Moses standing on Holy ground at the burning bush. He was there present in the moment listening to God's voice. So, I'm okay. I'll go forward from here. If you want to read the writing about the image, go to http://www.phyllisthomasart.com/ where it is posted with the image.

I'll be traveling to New Smyrna Beach today to the Atlantic Center for the Arts to participate in an art workshop: The Spiritual Language of Art: Abstract Painting coached by Steve Aimone (http://www.aimoneartservices.com/). I'm going totally with no expectations as this is a challenge and stretch for me using a different medium, technique and in community. I'm leaving my computer at home so I can be totally present in the moment! I'll give a report on my return.

Encaustic Demo Day

2010-01-25T16:19:00.000-08:00

Saturday I spent the day at my friend Kaye's studio with another friend, Melinda giving a demo on encaustic painting. Now I have another technique to add to my choices in creating! We had a total of 7 artists from our Women's Assemblage/Bezalel Gathering to share in this event. We scattered all around the studio with our materials and Melinda instructed us on several ways to use this medium. There is a lot of equipment needed and she shared her supplies so we could at least experiment. I painted a small watercolor and applied clear wax over top for a wonderfully quiet and soft muting of the colors. See photo above.

We learned about supports, xerox transfers, applying color encaustic with varying tools, collaging natural fibers, leaves, and clipart among other things. We kept busy all day except for a wonderful Middle Eastern lunch which we all delighted in. We were all energized and didn't want to leave. What a great time to spend in community which gives new and fresh ideas for my own work.

Today I was in my own studio again and am trying to finish three pieces I've been working on for a few days. I've also been gathering input and ideas for another series I hope to begin soon relating to my continued meditations on taking time to notice the day.

What is SELAH time?

2010-01-16T08:54:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me as I re-read my last post that perhaps I should expand it with some explanation of the Hebrew word, Selah. Used 71 times in the Psalms, it is a musical term; "an intended pause, suspension to the music." The Psalm that I referenced when I studied the word is 46:10-11 calling for stillness to know who God is. That word has called me to suspend some of my "hurriedness". So far this year, I've paused my TV viewing, kept my computer off for one day a week, taken fewer 30 min trips into town and spent more time in my studio and scripture study. I find those actions give me a more relaxed and thoughtful mindset. I've returned to my studio, trying to work steadily and be content with whatever happens in the day and when I feel it is time, I stop for the day.

I believe these decisions are directly related to some of the reading I've been doing mentioned in my last blog. A few excerpts from some of those authors follow for your meditation:

Tozer: "what a man is must be shown to be more important than what he does."

Wiersbe: An explorer was penetrating a difficult area of the jungle and wanted to keep going, but his native bearers would not move. "We have been going too fast", they explained, "and we must wait here for our souls to catch up with our bodies."

Barbara Brown Taylor: While contemplating what her "work" was to be, she was impressed by God that it is "Anything that pleases you.". It meant the ball was back in her court and she still had to decide among many things how she would make a living. "I could be a priest or a circus worker. God really did not care. But whatever I decided to do for a living was not what I did but how I did it that mattered."

That's enough for today. Perhaps this will give you food for thought for the week. Actually, now on this Saturday, I'm taking time to go with my husband to a movie and practicing releasing my "to do" list for the weekend.

SELAH time

2010-01-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

The end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 gave me some much needed reflection time. In my words, it is SELAH time; a time to step out of the traffic and evaluate where I've been going the last decade and where I hope to be headed in the future. I've pulled all my books off the shelf that refer to contemplative topics; God is Not in a Hurry (Warren Wiersebe); Thomas Merton: a book of hours; Contemplative Prayer (Merton); The Wisdom of the Desert, (Merton); The Way of the Heart (Henri Nouwen); Encounters with Merton (Nouwen); Out of Solitude (Nouwen); The Root of the Righteous (A.W. Tozer).

What sobers me is that I've read these before and realize I've still let the frenzy of my everyday schedule push out the sense of quiet and meditation. When that happens I find my energy sapped and my art-making strained and sometimes boring. That's the reason I'm re-reading these pages. Alongside these "old" friends, I've found a new one; an Altar in the World (Barbara Brown Taylor). This writing speaks to discovering how one can have pause and find solace and God's presence in simple practices such as walking, working, hanging clothes on the clothesline (not that I do THAT anymore), and making eye contact with the cashier at the store. In Barbara's words; we learn that no physical act is too earthbound or too humble to become a path to the divine. In the words of Thomas Merton, I hope to re-discover the Dawn, Day, Dusk and Dark of every day instead of days and hours melting together into one lump sum of activity. And, in paraphrasing Tozer's words, will I allow the inner life to override the outer life in order for my heart to find its true compass once again?

I hope you'll join me as I continue this journey to find what SELAH time means to me at this season of my life. I wonder what it will bring to my art-making; my relationships; my writing? I'll keep you posted! In the meantime, a Very Happy New Year to all and may you find TwentyTen to be an anointed year filled with surprises you can't even predict.

Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-16T19:20:00.000-08:00

I just finished addressing/writing our 2009 Christmas card. I've posted it so you can receive a virtual card. The title is Light of Life and Men, 7" x 10" , watercolor on Japanese paper with gold leaf. The work references John 1:4-5 which proclaims Jesus as the Light and Life of men and with Him comes all spiritual illumination. May you have an illumined and blessed Christmas with your family and friends.

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Three paintings sold this week!

2009-12-05T15:05:00.000-08:00

I'm delighted and encouraged that a dear friend came to my home this week to see my artwork and purchased three pieces! I can't think of any other place I'd rather see them hanging. I've been asked; "How can you sell your paintings? Isn't it hard to see them go?" I confess at one time that was the case. Now, I am just happy they can speak to someone else in new ways and enhance their space. I've learned that when a piece is finished, I can let it go wherever God wants it to go.

This piece is titled Spidery and is another in my Organic Flora Series. It is 18" x 18" and has a smaller square sewn onto the larger square with flecks of silver leaf bringing a little sparkle to the work when the light reflects it.

Annual ArtistsRegistry.com Members Show

2009-12-01T12:13:00.000-08:00

I'm privileged to be juried into the 5th Annual ArtistsRegistry.com Members Show at The Gallery at Avalon Island, 39 S. Magnolia, Ave., Orlando, FL. The Opening will be on Third Thursday, December 17, 6-9pm. This event is free and offers refreshments.

My work, Greens III, is a 26" x 26" watercolor painting on stretched paper which departs from my usual research-oriented work. It is one of the Organic Flora Series I did recently using blind contour drawings from plants in my garden. After transferring the outline onto paper, I used a masking fluid to mask out lines then painted a wash over the whole paper. I kept adding lines with the masking fluid in repetitive lines and washes of different colors until I was satisfied. When dry, the masking fluid was removed to "magically" reveal several lines of color. To finish the piece, I lifted out the background to reveal a stain of the previous pigments which softened the whole effect. This excercise was a wonderfully freeing process.

Welcome to my blog!

2009-11-27T10:41:00.000-08:00

I decided to use my holiday to begin the journey of blogging. This is the beginning page and it is a work in progress. Please check back to see the progression and additions. I look forward to sharing my journey in the visual language of art.