A Fruitful Success...In the Balance

Life is a balancing act. This is brought home to me in a rather humour manner this month.

April 1...April Fools! It's as if a starting gun fires and we both are running an incredible race.

For the start, Bill and one of his students, practicing extensively since March, win Dancing with the Staff at school where he teaches science and chemistry. Hip hop is not for the faint of heart and is questionable for over 50's no matter the state of the ticker. It really takes it out of him, especially considering he also battles an April Fool's day virus--causing him to cough non-stop at times. He performs that routine twice. I'm impressed. You can view his Secondary Heat performance starting at counter 450 by clicking here.

All the while, of course, he has classes to teach, and, oh yes, he has commitments to his Cue TV shows, requiring him to stay well versed on current events and opinion. Bill is on three Wednesdays a month. Additionally, he keeps a plethora of home projects going in order to keep me in paints and canvas. On top of this, Bill is rostered to preach on Palm Sunday while I lead worship songs. Both activities require a tremendous amount of preparation in the short time not devoted to his budding dance career.

In addition to nursing Bill back to health, and maintaining my rigourous daily painting schedule, I also actively network with fellow artists, mainly on Chrysalis Seed Trust via CS Arts website, and organise the inaugural meeting of the Invercargill Artists of Faith on 29 April at my home. Our granddaughter from Dunedin comes on Good Friday for a 7 day stay, and our other wee granddaughter, who lives half time here with her mother, also has an important 2nd birthday party. That involves an entire, but splendid, afternoon at Chipmunks, topped off in the evening with cake and candles! Whew!!

Bill and I seem to run circles around each other...each one scrambling full tilt to achieve our own projects. Utter madness. Let's get out of town for a break!, I say, badly wanting to escape over Easter weekend. With our sweet wee guest, it simply isn't an option. We happily accept an invitation to relax the following weekend with his two of his siblings up in Wanaka.

The day before our excursion, while chatting with my hairdresser during a bid for weekend presentability, I am shocked, to the point of shameless all-out laughter, to realise that both Bill and I have forgotten our April wedding anniversary!! With great hilarity we enjoy sharing our discovery with others. Admittedly, our anniversary comes at an awkward time in

our family life. We rarely share a "normal" one. We mostly spend it shifting house, travelling to the US(we had the 42 hour anniversary in 2006 thanks to the date line), and 2 years ago the new grandbaby birth vigil. This year, it is Easter. Yes, our anniversary 2009 is on Easter Day.

Of course, preparation for Wanaka has its excitement. Katie our pure-bred Bichon whelps, two days late, on the morning on the day we leave, just hours before attending a lovely friend's funeral , before the drive to Dunedin to return our granddaughter, before picking up a brother and niece from Dunedin airport, before the drive to Wanaka.

We luxuriate for two lovely, relaxing days and nights in Wanaka, and then opt for quick trip to Christchurch to see our university son who can't make it home during university break due to day and night study for engineering; and then we stop in for coffee with Bill's brother before the 6 hour trip home.

So, what does this have to do with creating art? Quite a bit, actually. I've talked about my struggle with priorities before, and April has been an incredible month. But not in the way you may think.

Yes it has been busy. It has been richly rewarding...we've been blessed by so much...and I love visiting with family and friends. And I love Easter and the promises of the Resurrection. What amazes me is it has been one of the most fruitful months for me in terms of getting art work completed, competitions entered, and getting to know other artists here in Southland and in New Zealand. I am really quite pleased.

Stay tuned. I'll be posting more about the "fruit" coming from my painting and networking later. Tomorrow Cue TV comes to my studio to interview me about my art career. In the meantime.....may you embrace balance.

Meeting Rita

This is the first week this year I have actually spent real painting time in studio. It feels good. Really good.

Today, however, I had unexpected business in Dunedin. Alas...a slow, sputtering start to my push to paint! Oh, but don't be a negative Nancy, I chide myself, this is a great opportunity to visit the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. And because it is not truly in the Deep South, I don't feel compelled to write up a review!! Yeah, a visit just for the fun of it!!! Even better, the Rita Angus exhibition from TePapa is featured. Yes!!!

I enter the first floor display via the elevators, right into the "middle" of the vast exhibition. (For my non-New Zealand readers the First Floor is actually the second level in the building. The Ground Floor is the ground floor or first floor in the US...just an aside)

The grandeur of what I saw was overwhelming, actually. I've seen printed photographs and web images, and have encountered only one Angus face to face at Anderson Park in Invercargill. But, now I see Rita's entire life on display. And magnificently so. On every wall, from where I stand, on into cavernous rooms and alcoves in all directions. Oh my. I didn't know it till now. I love Rita Angus. I am not ready for the next thought. Look at all this!!! What makes me think I can paint? Breathe. Come on. Breathe.

Honestly, my secret thoughts before todays meeting with Rita.... what is the big deal about Rita Angus? I know now. Now that I look her straight in the eye. Straight into the many, many, sets of eyes of Rita Angus and friends and family.

I am immediately struck by the clear artistic vision consistent throughout the body of work. Rita's paintings reveal a willingness, even a mandate, to experiment, yet each stays true to her own inner vision and beliefs. And look how willingly she has put her life on display. Beautifully. Masterfully.

I study each piece, walking down the foyer toward the entrance. There it is. The title. "Rita Angus---Life and Vision". Of course. Her work evokes in me the exact words of the exhibition name. Without seeing it beforehand. Wow.

Walking along, reading each bit of information offered about Rita, I am amazed. Envious even. No wonder she could paint all this (and more, I'm sure). No kids. Then I see them. The studies. The spectacular pencil and wash ones, created soon after the tragic, soul crushing miscarriage. Oh my. And they're nude. Of Rita. She deserves every accolade. I am not willing to expose myself so vulnerably.

Rita is a grand tutor today. I want to be a good student. What do I learn from her?

I must stay true to my vision and to myself. Try new things. Experiment. Always search. Make friends with artists. Family and friends are important. She loved her family deeply. Family and friends are featured heavily her work. Be excellent in my artwork. Rita deftly painted gorgeous yet traditionally confident still lifes, florals, and landscapes in addition to the better-known Rita-styled works. And, paint, paint, paint. Rita was obsessed with painting.

I'd better leave. My daughter is waiting patiently in the foyer. Good by Rita. I'll be back. Class dismissed.