Reflecting on 2015, I am grateful for many positive and constructive growth experiences in my art work. There are teachers to thank and several milestones to be celebrated as well.
First and foremost, thank you to Prof. Murielle White, Brookhaven College (http://www.crisworley.com/murielle-white/) and Prof. Mary Vernon, SMU (http://www.maryvernon.com/) for two outstanding Fall 2015 painting classes. You have seen the results of my efforts . Thanks to Suzanne Clark (http://www.suzannekelleyclark.com/) for your balanced feedback and critiques. I enjoyed being stretched and now I appreciate more nuances about color, creating space in a landscape and subtlety of grays.
Second, looking back I am grateful for the art fundamentals and the foundation I learned at Brookhaven College, from drawing, 2-D and 3-D design to printmaking and painting. In December, I submitted my portfolio and applied to be accepted into the SMU Meadows Fine Art (http://www.smu.edu/meadows) four-year program as a transfer student from Brookhaven, after completing my Associates in Arts degree in May. On January 11, 2016 I was accepted for admission! I look forward to continuing to study art in a four-year curriculum, pursue oil painting and stretch my own art expression.
Next, I am grateful to two women artists who invited me to share their leased art studio and have my first studio experience, outside my home or classroom on campus. What a thrill! What a breakthrough! In September, 2015, I decided to go it alone and lease my own 500 sq. ft. studio in the Dallas Design District, after a much appreciated introduction by one of my professors to the studio lease opportunity. Please come visit my Dallas studio in 2016! It’s a great place to work.
Last, and not least, I appreciate Ted Houston (http://www.tedhoustonart.com/), a former colleague at Texas Instruments and fellow student at Brookhaven College, who agreed to join me in two-person exhibits in public venues. It had been a goal of mine to get my art out into the public in 2015 in a small group show format. We had two exhibits in 2015 together. This year, 2016, we hope to again bring you a couple small group exhibits in outstanding locations.
It’s time to say good bye to 2015 and hello to many opportunities in 2016. Time to stretch my wings and explore the edges, without boundaries. Art destination travel is also on the docket including two trips to New York City, one to Santa Fe and Denver. This year my intention is to focus on landscapes and abstraction, building off the momentum from the end of 2015. Happy Trails and Happy Painting!