Vermont Studio Center Tour

My first video! I wanted so badly to take you on a tour of the amazing space I was working in this past month that I couldn't help but try. Not too shabby ; ) Enjoy!

The World After a Residency

Back from snowy Vermont! Back from the land of sled dogs and snow drifts.

 

Back from the land where painting all day every day is the rule, not the exception. The oasis where every meal is served with artists & writers to dine with galore.

The above panorama was taken on the last day before open studios. The last day before I packed it all up, sealed it with a kiss and a king's ransom of duct tape. 5 finished canvases, 5 oil pastels, 50 gelatin, 9 works in progress and enough inspiration to hold me for quite awhile.

Farewell Vermont Studio Center. Leaving your comforts and kindness was quite difficult.

Johnson Vermont - Collage by Hannah Chalew

Re-entry into Washington has been the utmost joyous and strangely difficult at the same time. There has been boatloads of Joyous to see that Andy guy of mine and celebrate all our upcoming shifts and changes (WOO!) Absence really does make the heart grow fonder - that big decision I alluded to? We've finally decided that living apart any longer is ridiculous. I will be moving quite soon and am looking forward to it. Crazy times ahead!

Things have been strange though with just how long it has taken me to settle back in and re-adjust. I experienced some actual jet lag even though the difference was only 3 hours. I've also discovered that putting your life on hold for a month means that it takes some doing to pull things back in line when you return. As in a whole day lost to sorting finances and laundry.

And suddenly having to think about food and meals again? What? How could I have gotten so totally spoiled in only 4 weeks? You mean I have to actually boil water to make tea now? What's up with that?

So in summary... if any of it can even be summarized I know the experience was invaluable. I'm broke, unemployed and happy as can be. My work has advanced perhaps a year ahead, clarity and perspective was gained, as well as a whole network of new colleagues. 

I'm sure I'll write more on the whole experience once I've processed everything a bit more. For now, if you are curious I've posted nearly all of my photos with caps & descriptions up on Flickr. 

You can see loads of snow and ice, sled dogs, sleighs and of course, art. Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11527756@N08/sets/72157625528853053/

VSC Week Two

 Two weeks can go by so incredibly quickly! 

A summary in images - above is my studio building on the right, and the red mill building on the left is where I've been eating 3 meals a day with an amazing group of artists and writers.

 Been watching snow fall out my studio window which I covered with rolls of piano player paper.

 For my work trade her I've been super lucky to be assigned the task of organizing the studio center's Literary library. One side effect though has been to loose track of time in lines of poetry. Yummy!

 And painting? Fantastic. I'm working on combining my line work with art nouveau border ideas.

The camera on my phone is sufficient for a lot, but artwork isn't the best. You can get an idea of what I'm up to though. Both of these pieces are about 30" x 40" on tea stained canvas.

 Still working on the border for these guys but they are far too fun not to share. I wonder just how many goats end up wandering around with chickens hitching a ride...

 And on a whim I had packed in my old oil pastels from childhood and I'm so glad I did - I've been having fun doing intuitive color play. Pure energy and emotion because I've had a LOT of that going on.

Being here has allowed me to clarify so much. From this clarity I've been able to make a really huge decision that has been pending for far too long. Feels fantastic!

Happy soaring energy is bouncing around here in spades. Spades I tell you.

48 Hours Across 3000

 After traveling across the continent I'm finally here.

I've experienced so much in these past 48 hours that I'm not even sure which stories to tell you.

 Friday was a PERFECT fall day in Central Park.

 The Metropolitan Museum of Art inspired me to no end. I took countless reference photos of scroll work, pottery lines, and Deco inlay which I have a suspicion will show up in my work while I'm here.

I even managed some sketching. One of my favorite parts of the Met were the sculptures - and not necessarily for the sculptures themselves (although lovely) but for the oodles of artists and art students perched anywhere and everywhere around the sculptures sketching them. So when in Rome...

 All of these travels were capped off by a late night arrival to the Vermont Studio Center where I nearly fainted when I saw my studio for the first time:

Imagine a 400 sq foot room with a two story ceiling and everything entirely white. 

It's the biggest blank canvas I've ever faced... which is probably why I'm on the Internet blogging to you. Had to let you know I've arrived safe after all. Has nothing to do with trying to figure out how to begin. Really.