Wednesday, November 17, 2010

First Paintings


I'm finally off the road for a little bit and moved myself into the studio. It is better than I could have imagined. Karlene McConnell (http://www.karlenemcconnell.com) and Melissa Mason (http://www.melissamason.org) have started painting, too. We're cranking it out.

I wanted to share my first two paintings from this space. These are being premiered in a show that I have coming up in Orlando, at the Gallery of Avalon Island, 39 S. Magnolia Avenue, (407) 312-0708, between January and February. Four poets have been teamed up with eight artists. Each is creating visual or written art in response to the other's work.

I am been paired with Susan Lilley, an extraordinary poet. A wonderful central Florida photographer, Rafael Torres, is also working with Susan.
The first painting, Bees In Mourning (above), speaks to Susan's poem by the same title.

The second, Nirvana (below), responds to Susan's poem, Bill Evans at the Village Vanguard.
The latter poem evokes a legendary Manhattan jazz club that opened in '30's and is still going strong. It has attracted the likes of such jazz greats as Evans, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Mann, Diana Krall and countless others. Nirvana focuses on the imagery and lushness captured in Susan's poem: that song was a recording made by Mann with the Bill Evans Trio.

We haven't decided which paintings will be exhibited in this Orlando show, but I'll keep you posted.

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