Alice McMahon

Voices From the Warehouse Opening Night

2011-09-11T16:44:00.000-07:00

A few photos from opening night, what a blast!

photos by Peter Fraterdeus, 2011

Out of Khaos Came Gaia

2011-09-10T19:09:00.000-07:00

"Out of Khaos Came Gaia" charcoal on prepped 1/2 inch thick MDF board, 48 x 30"

This work was created for the "Voices From the Warehouse" exhibition in Dubuque, Iowa. I am very honored to be invited to be in this show which is the most exciting and anticipated annual art event in the area. My work is in what is being called the "Show Within a Show." The "Voices 9/11 Echo Exhibit" is a special tribute to the World Trade Center tragedy with memorial pieces by Voices guest artists and alumni. The show opens tonight and runs through October 7th.

My model for "Gaia" is a beautiful local Dubuque artist and talented singer, who just gave birth to her second lovely daughter, the perfect face and persona for the Earth Mother Goddess archetype.

Artist Statement: KHAOS (or Chaos) was the first primeval goddess to emerge at the creation of the universe. She was followed in quick succession by Gaia (Earth), Tartaros (the Underworld) and Eros (Love the life-bringer).

Khaos was the lower atmosphere which surrounded the earth – invisible air and gloomy mist. Her name, Khaos, literally means the gap, or chasm, the space between heaven and earth.

Gaia, the Mother Goddess, is born of Khaos, but this is not really birth; as Khaos receded, Gaia came into being. Fertile Gaia has many children.

“Earth, the beautiful, rose up,
Broad-bosomed, she that is the steadfast base
Of all things. And fair Earth first bore
The starry Heaven, equal to herself,
To cover her on all sides and to be
A home forever for the blessed gods.”

~The Greek poet Hesiod

Fear is the greatest obstacle to Peace. Fear is lack of love. Ten years after the chaos, fear, and division of 9/11, there is hope that the people of Gaia will move forward with unity, peace, love, understanding, and concern for our environment.

detail

detail (Bats have been visiting my new studio - could not resist the urge to add one to the piece.)

Best of Show in DubuqueFest Fine Art Festival

2011-05-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

I am honored that my display of drawings have won the Best of Show Award at DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival! Here is the related article From the DubuqueFest website:

DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival awarded $1000 in cash prizes to three exhibiting artists as part of the 2011 art fair held May 21 and 22 in downtown Dubuque. At a reception held at the Dubuque Museum of Art on Saturday, May 21, Artist Awards were granted in three categories: Third Place, Second Place, and Best in Show.

* Third Place prize of $200 was awarded to Val Neumann, a potter from Williamsburg, Iowa. Neumann creates functional stoneware pieces in rich glazed colors.
* Second Place prize of $300 was awarded to long-time art fair veteran Fred Frommelt of Janesville, Wisconsin. Frommelt’s wood-turned bowls and hand-turned pepper mills are fine craft at its very best.
* Best in Show and a cash prize of $500 was awarded to Alice McMahon White for her ink and charcoal drawings. McMahon White is a Chicago artist who has recently relocated to Galena, Illinois to pursue studio art.

The Dubuque County Fine Arts Society awards cash prizes to artists to reward the work of art fair vendors and provide economic reward to cultural workers across the region.

Rimbaud's Ophelia

2010-11-15T19:03:00.000-08:00

Ophelia

2010-11-13T18:57:00.000-08:00

New Venture: Rendezvous Coffee & Tea, Galena

2010-05-19T16:52:00.001-07:00

How time flies when you're having fun! Has it really been nearly 3 months since my last post? It's been many months since I spent any time at the easel. Too long for sure, but that doesn't mean I haven't been creating.

The news: We have decided to open a family run business - a coffee and tea shop, with gallery and music - in the historic town of Galena, Illinois. "Rendezvous Coffee & Tea" (temporary website/blog) is proving to be my most challenging work of art to date!

Last month, we purchased the 150+ year old building at 112 North Main Street, with two upstairs apartments and a ground floor shop. Galena is a thriving tourist town, with many upscale shops and art galleries, excellent restaurants, and a beautiful setting among the rolling hills of north western Illinois. We will be taking over the entire building for our work/live space, and we are fortunate that our building is located in the busiest section of town.

We are in the process of working on the build out for the shop, aiming for a grand opening sometime in early July. Our daughter Teagan is assisting me with interior design and is also working on our identity, logo, website (url coming soon) and signage. Teagan just completed her second year of art training, specializing in illustration and graphic design. She is also a talented painter and the shop will feature her work as well as my own, plus rotating exhibitions by some of my most respected artist friends from Chicago and around the world.

When he's not managing the business aspects of the coffee shop, my husband Steve will be playing his own compositions on guitar during scheduled live music events at Rendezvous, and also coordinating other regional music acts for guest performances. On occasion, there will even be sessions of my beloved Irish music!

Sons Alex and Nate will help manage and work the coffee shop, and Alex will also take charge of the computer and sound systems, supplying free WiFi for our customers. Alex will soon have his degree in computer sciences; and in the fall, Nate will be a junior at Galena High School.

We are working with Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea in Chicago for our barista training, and will carry their coffee, espresso and loose tea products at Rendezvous. We love Intelligentsia's philosophy that coffee should be grown, processed and experienced as one would fine wine. This philosophy shows up in their products and we are proud to present them on Main Street, Galena. If you are going to sell coffee, you should sell the best!

Our food menu will be simple, fresh European style baked goods such as croissant, brioche, baguettes, madeleines, tarts, muffins and biscotti, supplied by local Galena baker Cynthia Sedan at Cynthia's Extra Batch, along with fine chocolates and selected bottled beverages.

Intelligentsia fresh roasted seasonal and single origin coffee beans and blends, black cat espresso, and bagged loose teas will be available for purchase on sight. Classic to trendy brewing equipment and accessories will round out the offerings at Rendezvous.

It's been a great feeling working on this project as a family. We have always been very close, and it seems like we each have an important talent to bring to the table that we are excited to share with our new community of Galena, and her visitors.

One question I keep hearing, and I'll answer it here - yes, we are retaining our Chicago home and our important and loving connections with family, friends, and the Chicago art and music scenes. The commute is just over three hours, we'll be back in the big city often!

I saw some black butterflies on my walk today, and one of them lighted on my drawing arm for a moment. Could this be a sign? My drawing muse has returned, just in time for the dust to settle on our project!

Here are some photos - just after we moved in:

Four Exhibitions This Month!

2010-03-01T19:42:00.000-08:00

I have work in four exhibitions this March!

~~~

The Irish American Heritage Center and Windy City Arts presents:

"A Touch of the Poet"
Over 40 Chicago visual artists respond to Irish poets

Curated by Laura Coyle

Friday, March 5 to Saturday, April 3, 2010

Opening Reception:
Friday, March 5th, 6-9 pm
The Irish American Heritage Center
4627 N Knox, Chicago, IL 60630

~~~

"A Rich & Rare Land"

The Beverly Arts Center

ATRIUM, THEATER & BRIDGE Gallery Exhibition
Reception: Saturday, Mar. 6, 6-9pm

Group exhibition with art inspired by Ireland
Exhibiting artists include: Tim McCarthy, Nina Weiss, Alice McMahon White,
Molly Shannon, Fran Mazur & Michael Latala

Curated by Alice McMahon White

Thursday, March 4 to Sunday April 4th, 2010

Beverly Arts Center
2407 W. 111th St.
Chicago, IL 60655
773.445.3838

~~~

33 Collective Gallery

Gallery Artists' Exhibition
Opening reception March 19

Runs March 19 to April 9, 2010

33 Collective Gallery
Zhou B. Art Center
1029 W. 35th St.
First Floor
Chicago, IL 60609
Ph. 708-837-4534

Gallery Hours
Monday through Thursday:
10 am to 2 pm
Friday: 10 am to 7 pm

~~~

I have been invited to participate in the visiting artist's program

"The White Album"
Adlai E. Stevenson High School

Each month the school's
Rotunda Gallery
showcases the work of a different professional artist
that then works in residency with students

My White Album series of pastel portraits will be exhibited

Adlai E. Stevenson High School
1 Stevenson Drive
Lincolnshire, IL 60069

God Bless Us Every One!

2009-12-27T20:31:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
from our hearth to yours.

God bless us every one!

Jerusalem Tavern, London, circa 1720, Photo by Alice ~ January, 2009

I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future.
The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.
I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.

Charles Dickens ~ A Christmas Carol

The full length version of "Scrooge" (1935):

Commission: Brennan Brothers at Gogarty's

2009-12-21T19:38:00.000-08:00

Commission: "Brennan Brothers at Gogarty's" The brothers along with their bartender, Dublin, Ireland, 14 x 11" Pen & ink with Guinness Stout wash.

Commission Works

2009-12-14T19:06:00.000-08:00

I've been catching up on commissioned artworks, now that I'm post-black butterfly exhibition. Here are two of the most recent, both in pastel, and another commissioned drawing with Guinness wash is in the works. It's always a grace to work on something special for a patron, it's even more rewarding if they are pleased with the results, which is the case with each of these.

I've also been busy with shows the past few months, selling a few things, and 2 group shows coming up in January.

Happy New Year, Peace On Earth! ~ Alice

"Terra and Egan" Siblings in soft pastel on sanded paper. 16"H x 20"W

"Swan Nebula" Pastel on sanded paper, 26 x 36" Private collection, Las Vegas NV.

3 Shows for the Holidays

2009-11-30T09:54:00.000-08:00

Vintalogie Shop, Galena Illinois

My Irish works are being shown now through December 20th at the McCord House Gallery in Palos Park, IL for a special holiday event.

A selection of my Black Butterfly charcoal works are on display for the month of December at the Vintalogie Shop on Main Street in the historic town Galena, Illinois.

I'll be on hand at The Beverly Arts Center, Chicago, on Saturday, December 5th for the Artist's Studio Sale event. I'll be exhibiting various small works for this one day only event. Everything at the show is priced $300 and under.

Also, my work is now included on the A Stroke of Genius portrait artist website. I'm in excellent company!

Video, Black Butterfly: the muse solo show

2009-11-14T12:15:00.000-08:00

Video footage of "Black Butterfly: the muse" solo exhibition at 33 Collective Gallery, Chicago.
Opening Reception was September 18, 2009. Show ran until October 10th. Thanks to Sergio Gomez for providing this video.

My Work at the Visionary Art Gallery

2009-10-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

I'm honored that my work has been accepted and featured on the Visionary Art Gallery website! I'm amazed to be included among these inspirational artists!

Find more photos like this on Visionary Art

Photos: Black Butterfly Opening Reception

2009-09-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

I love opening nights and the "Black Butterfly: the muse" reception was the best ever for me. The show was well attended, partly because of the support of many friends, and also because of the vibrancy of the community of my co-op gallery at 33 Collective and also the Zhou B Art Center Chicago, which are both open the third Friday of each month. The reaction to my work far exceeded my expectations and I spent the night answering many questions about my process and imagery. My husband Steve White sang and played his own songs at the reception. Christine Pfeiffer read some of her own writings, as well as my poems and those of Maya Angelou and Oscar Wilde. Many thanks to both of you for lending an extra dash of culture and class to the event! Also, big thanks to Sergio Gomez for all of your help setting up the show.

Here are photos from the opening reception which took place Friday September 18th, 2009. Thanks to my friends Mike Barret Kolasinski and Mary Beth Deitrick for taking photos for me throughout the evening.

Gallery hours at 33 Collective,
Monday through Thursday:
10 am to 2 pm
Friday: 10 am to 7 pm

Zhou B. Art Center
1029 W. 35th St.
First Floor
Chicago, IL 60609
Ph. 708-837-4534

Black Butterfly Exhibition Opens Tonight!

2009-09-18T04:35:00.000-07:00

A few photos of the 33 Collective Gallery, pre-show.

Solo Exhibition, Black Butterfly: the muse

2009-09-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

Black Butterfly: the muse

Alice McMahon White
charcoal realist drawings on mylar drafting film

September 18th through October 10th

Opening Reception:
Friday, September 18 from 7 - 10 pm
Featuring live dance performances,
music by Steve White and
poetry readings by Christine Pfeiffer.

View online gallery

33 Collective Gallery
Zhou B. Art Center
1029 W. 35th St.
First Floor
Chicago, IL 60609
Ph. 708-837-4534

Gallery Hours
Monday through Thursday:
10 am to 2 pm
Friday: 10 am to 7 pm

Panthea Daily Study

2009-09-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

White lilies and panthea moth. Charcoal and white pastel on Mylar drafting film, 16 x 12", in vintage frame. The white lily was the signature flower for Oscar Wilde, and I also consider it my own signature flower. I’ve used it as a logo since I started my career as an artist, and also have used the lily often in the Black Butterfly muse series. I love the symbolism of peace and purity.

Wilde writes of lilies in his poem “Panthea.” Wilde’s beliefs were Pantheistic, characterized by oneness with nature. The word pantheism derives from the Greek words pan ('all') and theos ('God'). Thus pantheism means 'All is God'.
Pantheism is the religious belief that Nature is divine (God) and we humans are part of the One, interconnected whole. It is in realizing our connection to the One Universe (Nature, God, Brahman, Tao, Space) that we find truth, spiritual fulfillment and solace. Pantheists usually deny the existence of a personal God (theism) and creationism (a separate God who created the world from nothing).

Many philosophers, scientists, poets and artists have identified themselves with pantheism since antiquity. Spinoza (Ethics, 1673), Henry David Thoreau, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Oscar Wilde, Henri Matisse and Albert Einstein are some famous pantheists.

There is a moth by the same name, and I like the idea of the dusky moth with the white flower.

From "Panthea" by Oscar Wilde

Nay, let us walk from fire unto fire,
From passionate pain to deadlier delight,-
I am too young to live without desire,
Too young art thou to waste this summer night
Asking those idle questions which of old
Man sought of seer and oracle, and no reply was told.

For sweet, to feel is better than to know,
And wisdom is a childless heritage,
One pulse of passion-youth's first fiery glow,-
Are worth the hoarded proverbs of the sage:
Vex not thy soul with dead philosophy,
Have we not lips to kiss with, hearts to love, and eyes
to see!

Dost thou not hear the murmuring nightingale
Like water bubbling from a silver jar,
So soft she sings the envious moon is pale,
That high in heaven she hung so far
She cannot hear that love-enraptured tune,-
Mark how she wreathes each horn with mist, yon late
and laboring moon.

White lilies, in whose cups the gold bees dream,
The fallen snow of petals where the breeze
Scatters the chestnut blossom, or the gleam
Of all our endless sins, our vain endeavor
Enough for thee, dost thou desire more?
Alas! the Gods will give naught else from their
eternal store….

The Butterfly Effect

2009-09-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Portrait of my artist friend Martin Soto, chanting in his “cocoon” meditation room at his studio at Zhou B Art Center, based on the theory that the flapping of a butterfly’s wings can cause a hurricane on the other side of the world. The interior life can have profound effects on the world as well. Martin allowed me to take photos of him while he was practicing Buddhist chant. He uses meditation as a means to put himself in a good frame of mind to create. Martin has begun to paint butterflies on the canvas wall coverings in his meditation room, after we had a discussion that spirit is one symbolic meaning of butterflies. The day I photographed Martin he was in emotional turmoil, and it was amazing to watch the transforming power of his prayer. I thought this was a perfect metaphor for the Butterfly Effect drawing. The nautilus is a symbol for spirituality, and has 31 chambers while the Buddhist prayer beads have 30. It wasn't a conscious decision, but this piece for me has a strong relationship with hurricane Katrina.

"Madame Butterfly"

2009-09-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

"He will call Butterfly from the distance
I without answering
Stay hidden
A little to tease him,
A little as to not die.
At the first meeting,
And then a little troubled
He will call, he will call
"Little one, dear wife
Blossom of orange""

~ Puccini

"Madame Butterfly" model, dancer Cori Kolasinski, daughter of an artist friend. Charcoal on Mylar drafting film, 24 x 20."

This is a "double sided" drawing, I drew on both sides of the translucent Mylar, and it will be hung in a frame between 2 sheets of glass. The piece is meant to be hung near a picture window in the gallery space, with daylight shining through the window during the day, and with spot lights after dark. There will be room behind the piece so that viewers will be able to view the work from either side. Kind of a quick loose drawing, because I wanted to show movement. I used the progressive setting on my camera to capture movement - I have hundreds of usable photos from the shoot. The res was a bit lower, but the captures were fairly clear. I'll definitely draw more from this shoot at a later date. The voluminous skirt Cori wore during the shoot appeared lit from within in the north light of the studio as she did pirouettes and arabesques. I believe this will provide drama with light showing through as the piece hangs in the gallery.

The main purpose was to have a piece that would be an example of the nature of my chosen surface. I also wanted to include a dancer in my "muse" series, what better theme than a dance version of the well known Puccini opera, "Madame Butterfly?"

Artistic video with music from the opera:

Small Brass Butterfly Shrines - Daily Drawings

2009-09-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

Charcoal and white pastel pencil on Mylar drafting film. Image size 4 x 2", frames 5 3/4 x 3"

I found these fabulous small vintage solid brass religious icon shrines at my local antique dealer's. There were yellowing postcards of Jesus and Saint Therese in the frames, but I got sacrilegious and drew butterflies for them instead. I've used a paisley patterned backing paper behind the translucent Mylar - nice with the brass of the frames. The doors are hinged.

The butterfly has long been a Christian symbol of resurrection, for it disappears into a cocoon and appears dead, but emerges later far more beautiful and powerful than before.

As a symbol of Christ's resurrection after three days in the grave, the butterfly is seen especially around Easter. But the butterfly is also a symbol of every Christian's hope of resurrection from the dead.

Close up of one of the butterfly shrines:

#9 Dream (Homage to Salvador Dalí)

2009-08-31T22:06:00.000-07:00

Charcoal on Mylar drafting film, 12 x 24".

A surrealistic impression of John Lennon's murder.

For the drawing, I've used a reference photo of the Charter Arms .38 revolver the police confiscated at the scene of the crime, tagged as shown in the photo. The butterflies, white lily, and stormy backdrop are from my own references I took on recent vacations. The flower placed inside the gun barrel is reminiscent of 1967's “Flower Power,” photo by Bernard Norman, showing a long-haired antiwar protester shoving carnations into the gun barrels of MPs during an anti-Vietnam protest at the Pentagon. The caterpillar and butterflies are symbols of the earthly life, spirit, and transformation in the afterlife, and were often used by artist Salvador Dalí.

Lennon was murdered on December 8, 1980, shot four times in the back.

In 1979, Lennon's assassin (nameless, as Yoko requested) began drinking heavily and developed an obsession for contemporary art. He bought numerous items of art, including a Salvador Dali, amassing a debt that was becoming way out of control. He began reading with an insatiable appetite, especially “The Catcher in The Rye.” He often interpreted lyrics as if they had been written especially for him. #9 Dream from Lennon's "Walls & Bridges" album was a special song for John - some say the strange and haunting lyrics of #9 Dream are John's premonition of his own death. According to John, the foreign-sounding phrase "Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé." doesn't mean anything...it is just a phrase that came to him in a dream and he decided to base a song around it.

As I was drawing from the storm landscape reference photo, I noticed a vague dark spout along the horizon. There was a tornado touchdown this past July during the storm I had photographed while we were driving, skirting the eye of the storm near Galena, Illinois. I'm not sure if I had captured the funnel's beginning, but I emphasized the funnel effect in my drawing. The sense of impending doom was strong that afternoon and it matches my unease in the current climate in the states.

My motivation for drawing this piece is the surge in gun sales since U.S. President Obama was elected, just one of the many issues in the current American landscape. "It's simply paranoia," said Thomas Mannard of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence. "And it's irresponsible, from my point of view, to be touting how wonderful this is. More guns definitely equal more death."

Mr. Lennon still inspires.

I have a dream...

#9 Dream

So long ago
Was it in a dream, was it just a dream?
I know, yes I know
Seemed so very real, it seemed so real to me

Took a walk down the street
Thru the heat whispered trees
I thought I could hear (hear, hear, hear)
Somebody call out my name, as it started to rain

Two spirits dancing so strange

Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé
Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé
Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé

Dream, dream away
Magic in the air, was magic in the air?
I believe, yes I believe
More I cannot say, what more can I say?

On a river of sound
Thru the mirror go round, round
I thought I could feel (feel, feel, feel)
Music touching my soul, something warm, sudden cold
The spirit dance was unfolding

Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé
Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé
Ah! böwakawa poussé, poussé

Lyrics, by John Lennon

The butterfly wings along the flower stem are after this painting by Salvador Dalí:

Artist Statement, Black Butterfly: The Muse

2009-08-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

Solo Exhibition opens September 18th through October 10th 2009 at 33 Collective Gallery at Zhou B Art Center, Chicago.

Statement:

It’s all about inspiration.

In my series of symbolist figurative works “Black Butterfly: The Muse,” the ethereal butterfly represents the artist's muse and subjects are always those who are involved in the creative arts. Butterflies may seem a trite symbol, but in the summer of 2008, I had an unusual amount of butterfly sightings, especially black varieties. These occurred just as I was going through a burst of artistic creativity. I wrote my first poem in decades about the encounters as metaphoric of the artist's muse and began to include butterflies in a new series of charcoal drawings executed on heavy weight frosted Mylar drafting film.

I'm most influenced by the visionary artists, magic realists such as the Pre-Raphaelites, William Blake, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Andrew Wyeth. I admire the deep emotion they convey through use of the figure and props and their subtle manipulation of reality.

Classical themes from literature or gods and goddesses find a place in “Black Butterfly.” The artist’s muse and gifts can have destructive effects on the ego, and the butterfly metaphor of death and transformation in the afterlife is a strong element in my works depicting celebrities who died through drug abuse or murder. Celebrity portraits have an element of a “cover tune” and are not my usual fare; however, I have used a few of them here to illustrate the idea of giftedness and the celebrity that can be the result of strong personal charisma. These icons of popular culture are our heroes, gods and goddesses of our era. Wherever possible, I have obtained the permission of the original photographer to use their references.

While I most often use my own references, I also embrace the contemporary idea of internet community, sometimes presenting drawings from online artist friend’s self-portrait photography. Combining historical classical painting themes with these personas and symbols, my intent is to relate a deeper truth about the subject and the meanings of life and art in general.

From a technical aspect, I enjoy playing with the translucent quality of the Mylar film in the drawn and erased surface, which is so beautiful for rendering the reflective quality of human complexions. I am also experimenting with the color and texture of the backing paper, sometimes layering a drawing or digital image on the backing paper which shows through the Mylar surface. One drawing of John Lennon is framed in a lighted shrine box, with an electric candle shining through the Mylar. Cast off vintage frames are part of my process; I enjoy taking something that may be regarded as trash and reusing it in an unexpected and creative manner. These lend a sculptural quality in the work, and reflect on my classic style and subject matter.

These drawings are meant to be noble representations of individual subjects, and also illustrative of the best aspects of our time: bringing together a wealth of influences, a recognition of art history, and a contemporary attitude, to create images that are of the moment, but that hopefully will also remain relevant in the future.

~ Alice McMahon White, Chicago, September 2009

Still I Rise ~ Daily Drawing

2009-08-23T21:36:00.000-07:00

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” ~ Maya Angelou

Black Butterfly series, miniature portrait of poet and author Maya Angelou. Charcoal and white pastel on Mylar drafting film with digital print poem underlay, in vintage tabletop swing frame. Image size 9 x 7"

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

2009-08-19T19:17:00.000-07:00

"I knew that I had come face to face with some one whose mere personality was so fascinating that, if I allowed it to do so, it would absorb my whole nature, my whole soul, my very art itself." ~ Oscar Wilde ~ The Picture of Dorian Gray

My solo show is scheduled to open at 33 Collective Gallery on September 18th. I have just a couple more wall holes to fill before then. “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (36" x 28" charcoal on Mylar drafting film in vintage mirror frame) is another work for Black Butterfly: The Muse, my series inspired by the arts, with my subjects coming from the various artistic disciplines.

This is a portrait of artist/musician/model Ryan Dies. I met Ryan in an art jewelry shop, “1 ofmykind jewels” during a recent trip to the historic town of Galena, Illinois. Ryan was friendly and engaging right off. He was wearing a heavy beaded choker of his own design and looked so handsome I couldn’t resist asking him if I could take a few photographs to be used for a drawing. Ryan was happy to pose for the references, and the natural light was beautiful that day. Peacock feathers and ornate gilt mirror frames were part of the décor of the shop, so ideas for the drawing were formed almost immediately during the shoot. We had a nice conversation about the Chicago art scene and I talked with Ryan about a couple of his very good surrealist paintings that were on display. Later as I looked through the photos I decided Ryan would make the perfect model for a contemporary “Dorian Gray.”
The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only published novel by the Irish poet Oscar Wilde. It is a story about a handsome young man who becomes enthralled with the idea of a new hedonism. He begins to indulge in every kind of pleasure, moral and immoral.

I used a compilation of several of the reference photos from Ryan’s shoot for the finished drawing. The peacock feathers seemed a natural symbol for Dorian’s pride in his physical appearance, the pride that made him wish to never grow old. I took liberties by changing Ryan’s existing forearm tattoo to one with a butterfly and poppy flowers – symbols for transformation and for “Dorian’s” travels to an opium den as a way to escape his crimes. I decided to add the skull ring on Dorian’s hand – a design by Jodie McGill of 1 ofmykind. I thought the skull was very appropriate as a reference to the plot of Wilde's novel. The butterflies in this work refer to Dorian’s muse: his own handsome mirror image; saved from corruption by the putrefying portrait that grows more horrifying with each sin committed by his increasingly evil character. I decided that I’d prefer to keep the decaying “picture” implied only, by using the ornate mirror frame to display this work.

Outside of physical beauty there is no comparing Ryan’s pleasant personality with the ugly character of Dorian Gray. He has been delightful to work with and I look forward to following this talented young man’s career.

Here's a fun and appropriate related video. Enjoy!

Roses and Rue

2009-08-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

From the Black Butterfly series.

Mini portrait of Oscar Wilde – image size 10×8” Charcoal and white pastel pencil on Mylar film. A copy of an early draft of Roses and Rue, in Wilde’s own hand, shows through the translucent Mylar.

Roses and Rue

by Oscar Wilde, for actress Lillie Langtry

Could we dig up this long-buried treasure,
Were it worth the pleasure,
We never could learn love’s song,
We are parted too long

Could the passionate past that is fled
Call back its dead,
Could we live it all over again,
Were it worth the pain!

I remember we used to meet
By an ivied seat,
And you warbled each pretty word
With the air of a bird;

And your voice had a quaver in it,
Just like a linnet,
And shook, as the blackbird’s throat
With its last big note;

And your eyes, they were green and grey
Like an April day,
But lit into amethyst
When I stooped and kissed;

And your mouth, it would never smile
For a long, long while,
Then it rippled all over with laughter
Five minutes after.

You were always afraid of a shower,
Just like a flower:
I remember you started and ran
When the rain began.

I remember I never could catch you,
For no one could match you,
You had wonderful, luminous, fleet,
Little wings to your feet.

I remember your hair – did I tie it?
For it always ran riot -
Like a tangled sunbeam of gold:
These things are old.

I remember so well the room,
And the lilac bloom
That beat at the dripping pane
In the warm June rain;

And the colour of your gown,
It was amber-brown,
And two yellow satin bows
From the shoulders rose.

And the handkerchief of French lace
Which you held to your face-
Had a small tear left a stain?
Or was it the rain?

On your hand as it waved adieu
There were veins of blue;
In your voice as it said good-bye
Was a petulant cry,

“You have only wasted your life.”
(Ah, that was the knife!)
When I rushed through the garden gate
It was all too late.

Could we live it over again,
Were it worth the pain,
Could the passionate past that is fled
Call back its dead!

Well, if my heart must break,
Dear love, for your sake,
It will break in music, I know,
Poets’ hearts break so.

But strange that I was not told
That the brain can hold
In a tiny ivory cell
God’s heaven and hell.

Scenes from the 1978 mini series "Lillie" Francesca Annis as Lillie Langtry
Peter Egan as Oscar Wilde, music "Oscillate Wildly" by The Smiths

Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)

2009-07-21T21:42:00.001-07:00

From the “Black Butterfly: The Muse” series, installation portrait of John Lennon, charcoal on Mylar drafting film, 15 x 14” in vintage lighted corner shrine box, overall 20 x 18 x 10.” The translucent Mylar allows the back lighting to shine through the drawing. There is a small installation on the built-in shelf of the box: a traditional Indian oil lamp and incense burner, and a photo of Lennon with second wife Yoko Ono, from the cover of “The Wedding Album” (1969.) There will eventually be a real decoupage butterfly on the upper portion of the box. In the photo, I have taped a temporary one to the box to show placement.

John Winston Ono Lennon, (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980) was an English rock musician, singer, songwriter, artist and peace activist and one of the founding members of The Beatles. My installation piece is inspired by the John Lennon 1970 single Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) and incorporates references to the Beatles trip to India in 1968 to study Transcendental Meditation. Lennon’s resemblance to Jesus in the portrait is intentional as an acknowledgment of his March 4, 1966 statement to the press: “(The Beatles are) more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first-rock 'n' roll or Christianity.”

In February 1968, the flower-power counterculture was alive and well, flourishing in a village called Rishikesh in the Himilayan foothills. There, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was offering a three-month course in transcendental meditation.

While other swamis were offering traditional spiritual instruction in modest huts along the banks of the Ganges, the Maharishi had constructed an air-conditioned ashram — surrounded by barbed wire — for the comfort and privacy of celebrity acolytes such as actress Mia Farrow, Beach Boy Mike Love, folk singer Donovan and, of course, John, Paul, George and Ringo.

Symbolism:

In Hinduism, the lotus (water lily) primarily represents beauty and non-attachment. The lotus is rooted in the mud but floats on the water without becoming wet or muddy. This symbolizes how one should live in the world in order to gain release from rebirth: without attachment to one's surroundings. Water has been an object of worship since a very early age among the Hindus, and plays an important role even today in Hindu religious rites. During all purification rites, water is sprinkled on the object to be purified. The butterfly is symbolic to me as Lennon’s muse, or inspiration, and in this case, is also a symbol for transformation in the afterlife.

I used several different reference photos of John Lennon combined to create this unique image. The clouds across his forehead are taken from the cover of Lennon's "Imagine" album. The mosaic backdrop is from photos of the John Lennon Imagine memorial mosaic at Strawberry Fields in Central Park in New York City. The Lotus reference was taken by my good friend Lindybird.

I listened to John Lennon’s music, and covers of it as well, throughout the drawing process. I was frequently moved to tears by the fact that so many of the lyrics are still relevant today.

~ Imagine Peace! ~ Alice

(For my September solo exhibition, the installation will be placed in a darkened corner of the gallery, and there will be more items related to John Lennon’s life included on a pedestal.)

Studio music:

“Imagine” John Lennon
“Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur”
“Across the Universe Soundtrack”

Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) lyrics

Songwriter: John Winston Lennon

Instant Karma's gonna get you,
Gonna knock you right on the head,
You better get yourself together,
Pretty soon you're gonna be dead,
What in the world you thinking of,
Laughing in the face of love,
What on earth you tryin' to do,
It's up to you, yeah you.

Instant Karma's gonna get you,
Gonna look you right in the face,
Better get yourself together darlin',
Join the human race,
How in the world you gonna see,
Laughin' at fools like me,
Who on earth d'you think you are,
A super star,
Well, right you are.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun,
Well we all shine on,
Ev'ryone come on.

Instant Karma's gonna get you,
Gonna knock you off your feet,
Better recognize your brothers,
Ev'ryone you meet,
Why in the world are we here,
Surely not to live in pain and fear,
Why on earth are you there,
When you're ev'rywhere,
Come and get your share.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun,
Yeah we all shine on,
Come on and on and on on on,
Yeah yeah, alright, uh huh, ah-.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun,
Yeah we all shine on,
On and on and on on and on.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.
Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.
Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.
Yeah we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.

“Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur”

"Garden Poems" daily study

2009-07-07T19:13:00.000-07:00

"Garden Poems" charcoal on mylar film, 9 1/2 x 7 1/2"

This piece was requested, along with a few other of my small works, for a group figurative show at Argosy Gallery, Bar Harbor, Maine, August 2009.

$500.00, contact the gallery for details.

"3 Graces" triptych

2009-06-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

Charcoal on Mylar film, side pieces, 20 x 16" center piece, 30×20." From the "Black Butterfly: The Muse" series.

The 3 Graces: Aglaia (radiance) Euphrosyne (joy) Thalia (flowering) It was the poet Hesiod who named the Graces in his Theogony: "Then Eurynome, Ocean's fair daughter, bore to Zeus the three Graces, all fair-cheeked, Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and shapely Thalia; their alluring eyes glance from under their brows, and from their eyelids drips desire that unstrings the limbs."

From reference photos of San Francisco groupies, 1968 - 69, by Rolling Stone magazine photographer Baron Wolman.

3 Graces ~ section 1 ~ Aglaia (radiance): groupie Karen Seltenrich, San Francisco, Nov. 1968. Image was used in a New York Times article “When we tell you what a Groupie is, will you really understand?”

3 Graces ~ section 2 ~ Thalia (flowering): groupie Sally Mann, San Francisco, Nov. 1968. (No relation to the photographer of the same name) Sally married Jefferson Airplane's Spencer Dryden in 1970.

3 Graces ~ section 3 ~ Euphrosyne (joy): groupie “HARLOW”, San Francisco, Nov. 1969.

Here is a quote from Baron about the groupies:

"As concert promoter Bill Graham has given me all access to any of the concerts he produced, I spent quite a bit of time backstage with the bands, their roadies and their women. What fascinated me were the lengths to which the women, the groupies, went to prepare themselves for their backstage appearances. Because I also wanted an excuse to photograph them, I suggested to Jann they might make an interesting story. He agreed and Rolling Stone Magazine No. 27 became known as "the groupie issue." It was widely promoted, read and commented upon, even turned into a book." - Baron Wolman

I saw these photos in an old book picked up at a resale shop. I fell in love with the groupies, and Baron was so gracious to allow me to use them for the drawings. The feminine effect of the references are enhanced with the flowers and butterflies. I decided to draw Sally Mann, the subject of the centerpiece, holding the lilies, as she married soon after the photo was taken. The center piece is considerably larger than the side pieces, on these the flowers and butterflies are from a pattern I saw on scented drawer liner paper. It's all about peace & love & hippie-ness, baby. :)

While the rest of the models I've used in the series are in the arts themselves, I was intrigued with the idea of groupies - and their intrigue with rock & roll artists of the late 1960's. It seems to me they were using their own bodies and persona as an art form to attract their artistic "muses."

I guess you could consider some of the works in my Black Butterfly series "Cover Tunes." I believe the borrowed references are vital to the series to relate the idea of inspiration, and its relation to talent and celebrity. These "tunes" well deserve a stylish, honorable replay. Many thanks to the talented people who have loaned their vision of the muse to aid me in illustrating my ideas.

Daily Study: Chelsea Robin

2009-06-21T22:13:00.000-07:00

A father’s day gift for Steve. Oil on board, 8×8”

The English robins are so different from the US variety. We loved this little fellow, and he (she?) sat in the garden of our London, Chelsea garden apartment and visited us daily. :) I finally finished the painting today after being dissatisfied with earlier attempts – I still struggle with oils! grrr… Steve likes it – a nice reminder of our wonderful trip!

Daily Study: Whitman and Psyche

2009-06-09T07:18:00.000-07:00

Study for a larger work, charcoal on mylar drafting film, with digital underlay of a Walt Whitman poem. Image size: 9 1/2 x 7". In vintage tabletop swing frame: 12 1/2 x 11" overall. Facsimile butterfly.

Another small work to be included in my "Black Butterfly: The Muse" solo show, which is scheduled to open on September 18th in Chicago. In the series, the butterfly is a symbol for the artist's muse, and all of the subjects I'm drawing are in the arts. I've been reading poetry recently, and am pleased to include Walt Whitman in the series.

"Whitman and the Butterfly
The reference photograph, taken in 1877, was one of Whitman's favorites. He used the butterfly-on-hand as a recurring motif in his books and intended for this photo to be reproduced as the frontispiece in this sample proof of Leaves of Grass from 1891. To foster the image of himself as one with nature, he claimed that insect was real and one of his "good friends." But a band visible around Whitman's finger matches the wire under the butterfly artifact (above). This colorful cardboard prop was tucked into one of the first Whitman notebooks donated to the Library in 1918. The word "Easter" is printed down its spine. Dr. Bucke, one of his literary heirs, said the butterfly was Psyche, the poet's soul."*

*source: “Good Gray Poet: Revising Himself”, http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/whitman-goodgraypoet.html

“Le Papillon”

2009-05-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

Small work, charcoal and white pastel on Mylar, 9×7”

This young French student artist wandered into my studio one evening during our open studio event. I liked her look and thought she would be a good model for my Black Butterfly series, so I asked if she would mind posing for a few photos. We had a fun visit, and she showed me her lovely Moleskine sketch journal and we also exchanged emails.

I took quite a few great photos of Melodie, so I most likely will do another small work or two from them. She was a delight. Also, I am happy to realize that “Melodie” is the Muse of Music.

These small studies present their own challenges. I like to complete them in one sitting and the scale is difficult for detail, but I feel that I did capture the subject's hopefulness and creativity in this small work.

Playing With Fire

2009-05-21T18:48:00.000-07:00

"Playing With Fire" From the “Black Butterfly: The Muse” series.

Charcoal on mylar film, in vintage c. 1924 frame, with bubble type glass. 18×12” overall, framed. Completed in two sessions.

Luna moth.

Candle from my own reference photo.

I'm still exploring the idea of how the muse can have negative effects on the personality. Here, the moth may be consumed by the irresistible flame of it's "muse."

"Pearl"

2009-05-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

Janis Joplin portrait for the "Black Butterfly" series, charcoal on mylar, 24 x 16" from a photo by Bob Seidemann. The wings are from a "Mother of Pearl" butterfly, and the background is inspired by Janis's song "Half Moon" - here pictured as the waning moon.

Lyrics: "Half moon, night time sky, Seven stars, Heaven’s eyes"

I watched many Youtube videos and bios while creating this. "Pearl" packed so much living into 27 years, and her death was a great loss to the music scene.

In the "Black Butterfly" works, butterflies represent the artist's muse, and my subjects are always those who are involved in the creative arts; musicians, actors, poets, or visual artists. I’m currently using pop figures or artistic friends I’ve met in person or on the internet as models, incorporating classical subjects from literature, or Gods and Goddesses from various cultures in addition to the butterfly/muse theme. I'm interested in the idea of the ways the artist’s muse and gifts can also have negative effects on the ego, and of course the butterfly metaphor of death and transformation is a strong element in this piece.

Mesmerized

2009-04-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

From the Black Butterfly series, The subject is an artist in real life, and the butterfly in the crystal ball is representative of her muse, but this is open to interpretation. The narcissus flower in the frame is also symbolic of the subject looking into the mirror. Charcoal on mylar drafting film in vintage 1967 mirror frame. Image size 20×11” framed to 30×17”

Model, Myspace friend Lana Gentry, from a photo by Kristy Evans.

Lana is someone that is often the subject of art created by her friends and fans, and she is also a talented visionary artist in her own right. I thought Lana would make an appropriate model for my butterfly-as-muse series. Here she is (seen as muse of another Myspace friend, photographer Kristy) musing and mesmerized over her own butterfly-muse in the crystal ball.

Books Featuring My Art at Blurb.com

2009-04-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

Three expanded and revamped self-published fine art books featuring my art work are now available at Blurb.com Titles “Black Butterfly” “White Album” & “Deep Heart’s Core” correlate with my three most recent series of works. The books are 40 pages each, can be ordered in three formats, softcover, hardcover (image wrap) or hard cover (dust jacket). You can also choose premium paper if you wish.

I’m very pleased with the software and printing quality of this site. My co-op gallery used Blurb for our group exhibition catalog, and I’m using the books to include in my portfolio for gallery submissions. Lots of great ideas are to be found in the “just published” section of the site.

Own an entire series of my work for a song! :) Or, create your own master collection.

Have fun! ~ Alice

The Saatchi, London Experience

2009-04-13T18:54:00.000-07:00

Steve and I had a perfect January trip to London to attend the opening of the Saatchi Gallery where my work was being shown. My cousin and his wife joined us for the opening, they live in London and work in theater.

We also met myspace friends Val Simms, Laurie Lipton, Marion Olsen, and Juliet Lawson, all wonderful and talented artists, and great ladies. It was an honor they traveled to London to meet us and view my work at the Saatchi. The icing on the cake: the work sold to a local Chelsea art patron!

We got home just in time to beat the record UK snowfall that closed Heathrow just a few hours after our flight left from there.

Now I'm ready to get back to the easel!

Thanks again, friends, for helping this happen for me, and for cheering me on all the way. Love, Alice

Something In Layla

2009-04-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

"Something In Layla" charcoal on mylar, 24 x 20"

The perfect “Black Butterfly muse” subject – Pattie (Boyd) Harrison/Clapton.

So, here’s my tribute to THE muse of the London music scene of the 60’s and 70’s. This time I’ve flipped my symbolism, the model is the muse and the butterflies represent the artists inspired by her. I used several references for this work, all were very low resolution, and I took great artistic liberty and removed a sheer vest Pattie was modeling. I hope she doesn’t mind ;) oops. The photo of her face was most likely from the period when she was torn between George Harrison and Eric Clapton.

According to Wikipedia :

Boyd started her modeling career in London in 1962. She modeled in London, New York and Paris (for Mary Quant and others). Boyd, who was nineteen in 1964, met Harrison during the filming for A Hard Day’s Night, after being cast as a schoolgirl fan for the film. Boyd married Harrison on 21 January 1966.

Boyd says she served as the inspiration for one of George Harrison’s most famous Beatles songs. Boyd maintains that Harrison told her that Something was written for her but after she left him, Harrison denied Boyd was his muse.

In the late 1960s, Clapton and Harrison became close friends, and began writing and recording music together. It was reported at this time that Clapton fell in love with Boyd. Harrison and Boyd split in June 1974, and Boyd married Clapton in 1979.

Boyd is said to also be the inspiration to Bell Bottom Blues which Clapton reportedly wrote after he gave her a pair of blue jeans. In her autobiography, she claims he gave her the pair of pants after returning from a trip to Miami. It appeared on the same album as Layla. “Layla” took its name from a Persian tale of unrequited love that Clapton had received from a friend.

In the true story of Layla, Majnun fell passionately in love with her at first sight. He went mad when her father prevented him from marrying her; for that reason he came to be called Majnun Layla, which means “Driven mad by Layla”. To him were attributed a variety of incredibly passionate romantic Arabic poems. It may be the basis for the story of Romeo and Juliet.

On September 7, 1976, Clapton wrote the famous love song Wonderful Tonight for Boyd while waiting for her to get ready to attend Paul and Linda McCartney’s annual Buddy Holly party. He also reportedly penned other tunes for her: “Pretty Blue Eyes”, “Golden Ring”, “Never Make You Cry” (from Behind the Sun) and “Pretty Girl” (from Money and Cigarettes).

Mick Jagger also made some plays on Boyd, but she rejected his advances. She did, however have a brief affair with Ronnie Wood after her break-up with Harrison. This was apparently some hot muse.

Clapton and Boyd divorced in 1989. Of “Wonderful Tonight,” Boyd would say: “For years it tore at me. To have inspired Eric, and George before him, to write such music was so flattering. Wonderful Tonight was the most poignant reminder of all that was good in our relationship, and when things went wrong it was torture to hear it. “An exhibition of photographs taken by Boyd during her days with Harrison and Clapton opened in San Francisco in 2005, titled, Through the Eye of a Muse. Her autobiography Wonderful Today: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me, was published in England in August 2007 and in the U.S. (as Wonderful Tonight).

Derek and the Dominos

Women Painting Women, an honor to be included!

2009-03-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

I am surprised and delighted that my pastel "Chains" is included in this stunning blog offered by my talented friend Sadie Valeri: Women Painting Women When I scroll down the page of this blog, I see works by many artists known to me who I have greatly admired, and some painters who are new to me that I'm excited to discover. I'm truly honored and a bit dumbfounded to be among such talent, compiled by an artist who's work I so respect.

Thank you Sadie!

33 Collective Resonance Exhibition pics

2009-03-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

I had such a blast at the 33 Collective opening reception last night! Many of my friends and fans turned out to support the artists, the show looked great, and the sense of community in my co-op could not be better. We hung out well into the night after the reception in the Zhou B Cafe, talking art.

The Zhou brothers were surprised and amused that I did the portraits of them from their friend Steven Gross’s photos. I told them I am so impressed with their support for our gallery, and they humbly stated that they want to give as many artists as possible a chance at success and exposure. They are awesome!

Some of you asked for pics of the event, so here they are. Thanks to all of you for your encouragement and support these past few months while I completed the works for the show. Your kindness always makes my day. I’ll be continuing the Black Butterfly series for an upcoming solo show at 33 Collective. I’ll need many more pieces to fill up the 33 space.

Here’s what our gallery director, Sergio Gomez, had to say about the event:

“I hope you agree with me that last night’s opening was a great event and a fantastic kick off for Collective Resonance. When you think about the size of the space, we had a large crowd all night. I talked to a lot of people who were very pleased and impressed by the work selected for the exhibition. In my opinion, it is not the size of the space or the amount of works that makes a memorable group exhibition. Rather, it is the quality of the work and the diversity of ideas and styles that makes a group exhibition stand out from others. I thank you all for the hard work in bringing your best work and for making the opening a successful night.”

Daily Drawing: "The Transformation of Things"

2009-03-18T21:45:00.000-07:00

From the Black Butterfly series. Portrait of DaHuang Zhou, charcoal on mylar drafting film with moonstone Canson backing paper, 18 x 18". From a reference photo by Steven E. Gross

I am a member of the 33 Collective Gallery located in the Zhou Brother's Art Center, Chicago. The Zhou Brothers have been generous to allow our co-op gallery to use the entire art center for our group show this month. The show opens Friday March 20th, 2009. The Zhou Brothers are always on hand at the center and are very supportive of the members of the gallery and of their artists in residence. I am fascinated with them, their persona, and their work and decided they would be perfect subjects to draw for my series, which always features creatives as models. DaHuang Zhou's older brother Shan Zuo was the subject for the companion piece, "I Dreamed I Was a Butterfly".

The butterfly is borrowed from a Chinese watercolor design, and the Chinese symbols stand for "passion-enthusiasm"

As noted in my earlier blogs, in this series the butterfly is symbolic of the artist's muse. The title of this work comes from the closing verse of this Chinese literature by Zhuangzi - [Chuang-Tse]

"One day about sunset, Zhuangzi dozed off and dreamed that he turned into a butterfly.
He flapped his wings and sure enough he was a butterfly...
What a joyful feeling as he fluttered about, he completely forgot that he was Zhuangzi.
Soon though, he realized that that proud butterfly was really Zhuangzi who dreamed he was a butterfly, or was it a butterfly who dreamed he was Zhuangzi!
Maybe Zhuangzi was the butterfly, and maybe the butterfly was Zhungzi? This is what is meant by the "transformation of things." - Zhuang Zi (369?-286? b.c.)

The Zhou brothers short biography:

The Zhou Brothers are one of the most accomplished contemporary artists in the world today renowned for their unique collaborative work process. They always work together on their paintings, performances, sculptures, and prints, often communicating without words in a so-called dream dialogue. Their thinking, aesthetic, and creativity are a symbiosis of Eastern and Western philosophy, art, and literature that informed their development since early childhood. Their indomitable spirit allowed them to leave behind their brilliant success in China, where they were hailed as national heroes for their early work, to step onto the world stage. They have since achieved international acclaim while continuing to work in the West.

The Zhou Brothers, Shan Zuo and DaHuang Zhou, were born in China 1952 and 1957 respectively. They studied drama and painting at the University of Shanghai from 1978 to 1982 and the National Academy for Arts and Crafts in Beijing from 1983 to 1984 where they received their MFAs. During the beginning of the 1980s they became leaders of the contemporary art movement in China. In 1985 they won the National Prize of the Chinese Avant-Garde of the Ministry of Culture and the Prize for Creativity from the Peace Corps of the United Nations. They were also honored as the first contemporary artists ever to show their work in an exhibition that traveled to the five largest museums in China, including the National Art Museum of China in Beijing and the art museums in Shanghai and Nanjing.

Realizing that the political and cultural landscape at that time would not allow them to expand their careers, an invitation to exhibit in Chicago in 1986 presented a timely opportunity to make the transition onto an international stage. The Zhou Brothers have consequently maintained their home and studios in Chicago while actively exhibiting their work nationally and abroad."

See previous blog for a video of the Zhou Brothers.

Daily Drawing: "I Dreamed I Was a Butterfly"

2009-03-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

From the Black Butterfly series. Portrait of Shan Zuo Zhou, charcoal and white pastel on mylar drafting film with blue-gray Canson backing paper, 16 x 16". From a reference photo by Steven E. Gross.

I am a member of the 33 Collective Gallery located in the Zhou Brother's Art Center, Chicago. The Zhou Brothers have been generous to allow our co-op gallery to use the entire art center for our group show this month. The show opens Friday March 20th, 2009. The Zhou Brothers are always on hand at the center and are very supportive of the members of the gallery and of their artists in residence. I am fascinated with them, their persona, and their work and decided they would be perfect subjects to draw for my series, which always features creatives as models. Brother #2, DaHuang Zhou will be tomorrow's subject for Daily Drawing.

The butterfly is borrowed from a Chinese watercolor design, and the Chinese symbols stand for "inspired-dream-vision-revelation"

As noted in my earlier blogs, in this series the butterfly is symbolic of the artist's muse. The title of this work comes from Chinese literature by Zhuangzi - [Chuang-Tse]

"One day about sunset, Zhuangzi dozed off and dreamed that he turned into a butterfly.
He flapped his wings and sure enough he was a butterfly...
What a joyful feeling as he fluttered about, he completely forgot that he was Zhuangzi.
Soon though, he realized that that proud butterfly was really Zhuangzi who dreamed he was a butterfly, or was it a butterfly who dreamed he was Zhuangzi!
Maybe Zhuangzi was the butterfly, and maybe the butterfly was Zhungzi? This is what is meant by the "transformation of things." - Zhuang Zi (369?-286? b.c.)

The Zhou brothers short biography:

The Zhou Brothers are one of the most accomplished contemporary artists in the world today renowned for their unique collaborative work process. They always work together on their paintings, performances, sculptures, and prints, often communicating without words in a so-called dream dialogue. Their thinking, aesthetic, and creativity are a symbiosis of Eastern and Western philosophy, art, and literature that informed their development since early childhood. Their indomitable spirit allowed them to leave behind their brilliant success in China, where they were hailed as national heroes for their early work, to step onto the world stage. They have since achieved international acclaim while continuing to work in the West.

The Zhou Brothers, Shan Zuo and DaHuang Zhou, were born in China 1952 and 1957 respectively. They studied drama and painting at the University of Shanghai from 1978 to 1982 and the National Academy for Arts and Crafts in Beijing from 1983 to 1984 where they received their MFAs. During the beginning of the 1980s they became leaders of the contemporary art movement in China. In 1985 they won the National Prize of the Chinese Avant-Garde of the Ministry of Culture and the Prize for Creativity from the Peace Corps of the United Nations. They were also honored as the first contemporary artists ever to show their work in an exhibition that traveled to the five largest museums in China, including the National Art Museum of China in Beijing and the art museums in Shanghai and Nanjing.

Realizing that the political and cultural landscape at that time would not allow them to expand their careers, an invitation to exhibit in Chicago in 1986 presented a timely opportunity to make the transition onto an international stage. The Zhou Brothers have consequently maintained their home and studios in Chicago while actively exhibiting their work nationally and abroad."

"Allegory of Inspiration": new work

2009-03-13T22:33:00.000-07:00

"Allegory of Inspiration"
From the Black Butterfly series. Charcoal on mylar drafting film with white illustration board underlay, 24×30”.

I started this 4 years ago, intending it to be an ink and watercolor wash
piece. I never got up the nerve to finish it – it is quite large and I
wasn’t very comfortable with watercolor. The references I used were
photos of myself and my husband in our early 20’s.

Symbolism:

My husband is a musician, and the butterflies in the series are
representative of the artist’s muse. All of the models for this series
are artists from various disciplines (actress Marilyn Monroe is
Aphrodite in one work).

In this piece, the lilies and the intertwining branches are taken from works by Leonardo Da Vinci. The lily is also a meaningful to me because of our sir name of White and it's meanings of peace and annunciation. The Celtic elements of triple spirals and knot work are symbolic of our three children, my Irish heritage, our intertwined lives and inspirations, and are also appropriate as a reminder of our journey to
Ireland this past year.I believe this piece was just waiting for this time in my career to be finished. I’m glad I waited. Funny I looked at it several times in my flat file over the years, and put it away. This time I saw it when I was pulling out some
mylar for another piece – and all other ideas fell to the wayside
because I just HAD to do this NOW, plus butterflies. It was drawn on
the illustration board I was planning to paint over, so that became the
backing for the mylar, and I could see the under-drawing right through,
no transferring necessary.

I've always liked symbolism in art and have used it often in the past. I think this will be a new direction for me. I was getting a bit bored with straight realism.

Daily Painting “Danaë”

2009-03-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

Daily Drawing (painting today!) “Danaë” A rare-for-me oil on canvas study, 10×8” Painted over an old painting for texture. I’m still learning oils, this is just a fun monochrome study while I’m working on a larger drawing. I had an ornate gold frame for the piece, so I thought this a fitting title. I kind of like the concept, might have to make this one into something larger.

Original oil on canvas framed to 14.5 x 13.5” is available to purchase from the Argosy Gallery, Bar Harbor, Maine at $500.00

Daily Drawing: View to Croagh Patrick

2009-03-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

"View from Achill to Croagh Patrick" pastel 6 x 8" $125.00, framed.

Small Daily Drawing, shown actual size. 6×8” pastel on sanded board.

I had a small gold plein air frame I decided to fill with something for my daily study. It will find a place at my current exhibition “Deep Heart’s Core: Ireland by 5 Chicago Artists” at the Beverly Arts Center in my neighborhood. The center will be well attended this week during the annual Chicago Irish Film Festival.

This is the view from the cliffs at Achill Island, Mayo, back to the holy mountain, Croagh Patrick.

Daily Drawing: Spread Your Wings

2009-03-04T15:38:00.000-08:00

The next few Daily Drawings will be for the Black Butterfly series, as I have a show upcoming and I need to produce a few more pieces. I like these small works displayed in vintage table top frames. In the gallery they can be displayed on a pedestal as a sculpture would be. Todays piece is my smallest ever, the head of the figure is only 1 inch in height. That means it's not possible to get much detail. I am pleased with the rough effect that creates.

"Spread Your Wings" 6.5" x 4.5", 9 x 9" overall, framed. Charcoal and white pastel on myar drafting film, $150.00

Daily Drawing: Summertime in England

2009-03-02T22:23:00.000-08:00

So, I laid in a supply of vintage frames and have decided to start a daily drawing series to compliment my Black Butterfly series of larger works. I hope to create something new nearly every day and post it here.

"Summertime in England" framed in signature vintage frame. 12 x 9" overall. Available for purchase at Argosy Gallery, Bar Harbor, Maine $500.00

"Summertime in England" from the Black Butterfly series, charcoal and white pastel on mylar drafting film with moonstone Canson backing paper. 10 x 8"

Daily Drawing: Come Running

2009-02-24T22:12:00.000-08:00

Another sheep comes running ;) We saw this ewe sheep on Achill Island, Mayo, Ireland

"Come Running" pastel on tan Sennelier La Cart sanded paper. 9 x 12" available for purchase, framed at $250.00

My work,framed and hung at the Deep Heart's Core group show I curated, Beverly Arts Center, Chicago, February 2009 Priced from $200.00 to $250.00, framed.

"Isis" another Black Butterfly drawing

2009-02-06T20:51:00.000-08:00

From the Black Butterfly series, charcoal on mylar drafting film, with white backing paper 24 x 48"

This work was created from a reference photo self-portrait by Myspace friend Brett Manning. (I have to re-photo this piece in daylight, the color is a bit off.) A continuation of my "butterfly as muse" and Goddess themed series, the piece is inspired by Brett's artistic muses (the butterflies.) These are art, fashion, design, illustration, drawing, her Frankie, coffee, chocolate, her kitties, her puppies, and 60's music, especially Bob Dylan. The butterflies in this piece are "ideas" that flutter around Isis's
head. The necklace is a nod to fashion, and to the lyric in Bob Dylan's
tune of the same name. "The World's Biggest Necklace" is also from
Egyptian mythology.

There are eleven butterflies, symbolic for myself and my ten siblings. My mom is definitely a Goddess too.

Brett has been to my studio several times, and showed some of her paintings at one of my open studio events. Her work meshed well with my Beatles White Album series, since she likes to paint 60's musicians, including George, Lennon, and Bobby Baby. Her fashion illustration is drop dead gorgeous and flys off of her pen like butterfly kisses. She is also a quirky but down to earth girl, and I love her to pieces. Thanks for the use of the photo and for the inspiration Brett! xx ~ Alice

"Isis" lyrics by Bob Dylan:

I married Isis on the fifth day of May,
But I could not hold on to her very long.

So I cut off my hair and I rode straight away
For the wild unknown country where I could not go wrong.

I came to a high place of darkness and light.

The dividing line ran through the center of town.

I hitched up my pony to a post on the rise,
Went in to a laundry to wash my clothes down.

A man in the corner approached me for a match.

I knew right away he was not ordinary.

He said, "Are you lookin' for somethin' easy to catch?"
I said, "I got no money." He said, "That ain't necessary.
"

We set out that night for the cold in the North.

I gave him my blanket, he gave me his word.

I said, "Where are we goin'?" He said we'd be back by the fourth.

I said, "That's the best news that I've ever heard."

I was thinkin' about turquoise, I was thinkin' about gold,
I was thinkin' about diamonds and the world's biggest necklace.

As we rode through the canyons, through the devilish cold,
I was thinkin' about Isis, how she thought I was so reckless...

Daily Drawing: Mad Sheep in pastel

2009-01-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

The Mad Sheep we saw on Achill Island in Mayo, Ireland last September. He did not seem pleased I was taking his photo. I used my zoom. :)

"Mad Sheep" pastel on Art Spectrum prepared sanded foam core board. 9 x 12" Available for purchase at $250.00, framed in gold plein air frame.

Daily Drawing: Ink and Wash Butterfly studies #2

2008-12-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

I made 3 of these mid sized butterfly studies today. Pen and ink drawing with a wash of oil paint.

Butterfly studies: ink and oil wash on Kitty Wallis sanded pastel paper, 7 x 5". Available for purchase at $100.00 each, framed

Daily Drawing: Butterfly studies

2008-12-01T22:07:00.000-08:00

I made 3 of these small butterfly studies today.

Ink and oil wash on Kitty Wallis sanded pastel paper. 6 x 4"available for purchase at $75 each, framed

Aphrodite: The Goddess Marilyn Portrait

2008-11-19T19:11:00.000-08:00

"Aphrodite" Charcoal and pastel on mylar 20 x 16".

New from the Black Butterfly series, a tribute to Marilyn Monroe from a photograph taken by Bert Stern at the last sitting. I always said I wouldn't draw Marilyn again, lahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifst time I was 15, but my friend Val inspired me with her recent portrait of the Goddess and I couldn't resist.

A video inspired by Marilyn's last sitting, the actress's likeness to Monroe is astounding!

Daily Drawing: Beside Ewe :)

2008-10-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

Double portrait of sheep on Achill Island, Mayo, Ireland. The markings are meant to identify the sheep to the shepherd.

"Beside Ewe" pastel on prepared Art Spectrum sanded foam core, 10 x 10" Available for purchase at $250.00, ready to hang, in gold plein air frame.

Blog: My NEW space ~ fresh beginnings

2008-10-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to move my blog off of it's former SPACE, so here it is. I deleted my two myspace accounts this week, long story but I'd been meaning to do so anyway. It felt like the world fell off of my shoulders to tell the truth. I may return to it sometime, but not quite yet. I saved my blog archives, wasn't able to save my blog comments, so feel free to revisit older posts here and comment if you wish.

Another fresh beginning: I moved my studio back to the Fine Arts Building in downtown Chicago this week, after working from home for about six months. It feels good being back at FAB, I'm sharing space with an artist friend who leaves for the warmer southwest in the winter months. He left me his easel and drawing table and one full wall to display my work, which is great during FAB's monthly second Friday open studio events. I was just in time to participate in the October Chicago Artist's Month open studio event this weekend. I moved in and organized, hung my work and started working right away on a new series of Irish related works. I'll be in a group show at the Beverly Arts Center once more in time for St. Patrick's Day, a big month in my Beverly neighborhood.

The theme so far for the series is sheep. For some reason sheep sell. Every sheep I ever painted sold within it's first showing or two, so there must be something to that. I don't mind painting them, so why not an entire series? I'm planning to paint a few of them life sized or so, just for kicks. My trip last month to Achill Island in County Mayo Ireland has left me with dozens of great sheep photo references. I'm sure I'll eventually get around to painting some of the other beautiful scenic shots and session musicians I snapped in the pubs as well.

If you're interested in seeing more of my Irish photography from the trip, visit my Flickr site here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/amwhitestudio/

It was great hosting friends from my Chicago artist community once more at the Fab Open Studio event, especially myspace friends Brett Manning and Morgan Leavitt.

I had a few new works to share and the reaction was very positive. The mylar works created lots of conversation, as did the new poems and butterfly metaphor. As always there are questions about my models and the Beatles themes, or discussions about my trips to Ireland. There were 25 other artist studios open at Fab for the event, and it's fun to visit some of my favorite artists and view their new work and catch up on the building news.

Thanks for visiting my new spaces. Ciao for now! xx ~ Alice

Daily Drawing: "Summer's Muse"

2008-10-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

This piece has been sold.

I liked this small frame and decided to use it for another of my Black Butterfly pieces. I think the style of the drawing resembles an old sepia photo somewhat and so suits the vintage fame. The butterfly is symbolic for the artist's muse. Since this is a self-portrait, I decided to incorporate the Celtic knotwork, from my heritage.

"Summer's Muse" charcoal and white pastel on mylar drafting film with Canson moonstone backing paper, 11 x 9" framed in vintage tabletop swing style frame. $300.00 SOLD!

"Summer's Muse" in vintage swing desktop frame.

On Finding an Irish Peacock Butterfly on Croagh Patrick

2008-09-23T16:14:00.000-07:00

An Irish Peacock Butterfly, photo taken on Croagh Patrick, County Mayo Ireland (c) Alice McMahon White September 2008

Written today in about two hours, after waking with a head full of words. Please forgive the rawness, and the serious tone of this piece. The butterfly should teach lightheartedness and joy, and it did. The powerful and ethereal experience of the butterfly encounter two weeks ago in Ireland only took a moment, but changed my outlook on everything. So, I think it deserves a bit of weight in the telling. :-)

Feileacan na Péacóige

On Finding an Irish Peacock Butterfly on Croagh Patrick

(for Steve)

A fourth journey to Erin

My love as guide

Threading the needle of existence

Grace found

On Maigh Eo's ancient sacred mountain of Celt and Christian

Rough stone path of pilgrim hardship

Nature turning tides at our feet

Stark splendor

Set soul and spirit free

Sun

Moon

Fire

Lightening

Wind

Sea

Earth

Rock

On ascent in the mystical place

Overhead, a breathtaking

Breathing

Scarlet - violet rainbow

Seasons of impending joy announced by

Frail and fragile fairy dust wings

Psyche

Begging a dance

She pauses to drive the thought home

Perfectly still

Beauty

Sits for a time

Why?

To meditate on sun warmed rock -

The creature's only embrace?

Or simply trusting

Accepting in faith

The spirit capture

On descent

Changed

As travel inevitably will

Filled up and overflowing

To contemplate

Our dream awake muse

Celebration of coming home

Unknowing

New life unfurling

We pause to warm ourselves

In a lover's embrace

On stone

In brilliant sun

Breaking through cloud

Ireland September 2008

2008-09-18T16:30:00.000-07:00

With Steve on Galway Bay

We're nearly over the jet lag now, and almost back on Chicago time after spending close to two weeks in Ireland. So I thought I'd post a bit about the journey before I'm entrenched in reality again, and forget the impressions that explain the ache I'll soon have to return. I've seen some great places on past trips over, but I'd have to say this trip to Galway, Westport in Mayo, and Dublin was the best yet.

The trip was planned months ago with my sister. She always travels to Ireland with me, and does the driving on "the wrong side" while I look at the landscape and tell her when to STOP! Carol loves the country of our ancestors as passionately as I do, and we enjoy planning the trip almost as much as the trip itself. Unfortunately two weeks before we were scheduled to fly, her son broke his leg and needed surgery, it was not a good time for Carol to travel. He's doing better now, but we couldn't postpone the trip because of reservations for accommodations, so my husband Steve was able to get time off of work and came along instead.

It was Steve's first trip to Ireland, he's not as Irish as I am, but he felt at home right away and now loves Ireland, too. This trip, he did the driving on "the wrong side" while I looked at the landscape and told him when to STOP!

The first two nights were spent at a b&b in Galway. I wish we'd had more time there, 2 nights were not enough, especially since I had several myspace friends I wanted to meet.

We had good weather in Galway. The college of Galway is in session, so the students were all out enjoying the sun on shop street, along the River Corrib, and at Galway Bay, and I got some fantastic candid shots to use for my next series of Beatles inspired works. A bonus I wasn't anticipating on this reference gathering trip!

We were fortunate that Colm Mac Con Iomaire, the violin player from Dublin group The Frames was in Galway for his solo CD release party our first night in town, on the third floor in an intimate candlelit venue at Busker Brown's pub. Colm's playing is otherworldly, and we bought his new disc. We were so jet lagged we left as soon as the performance ended and didn't get to speak to Colm or the Frames guitar player Rob Bochnik, who was there backing him up.

Our second day in Galway we took a bus tour through Connemara and visited Kylemore Abbey and gardens. Lovely and well worth the trip. That evening back in Galway we met my myspace friends, artist Dahlia and violinist/violin maker Paul Bradley. They were both delightful and led us to some of the best music we found on this trip.

Saturday morning we drove to Westport in Mayo and it was the perfect place for touring the west. There are many Mayo people who settled in Chicago and they look for paintings from the area, so I thought it was time I spent a week there. We had a two bedroom apartment over a beauty salon in town, a perfect place in a location close to all the pubs, including Matt Malloy's - of Chieftains fame. I could swear I saw "himself" there on Saturday night - but it was hard to get a look as the place was swamped with Hen and Stag parties besides tourists like us. :)

Westport won the Tidy Towns competition for the third time the week we were there - and the place was busy with festivities to celebrate and even a German film crew was there one day. I'm quite sure it was a well deserved award, as I'm certain it was the loveliest town I've ever visited!

While we were in Westport, we visited Croagh Patrick - where the faithful have climbed to the summit for centuries. We did climb, but nowhere near even half way up. The view back to Clew Bay was spectacular and I had yet another close encounter with a butterfly, this time an Irish Peacock Butterfly, according to my friend Lynsye, and it even posed for a photo on one of the jagged climbing rocks of the sacred mountain.

Sainted hubby Steve braved a long drive out to Achill Island - without doubt the most beautiful place I've ever seen on earth. There were miles of deserted bog lands - not even grazing sheep or birds to be found. There was the castle tower of Grace O'Malley, the Pirate Queen of legend and also an upcoming Irish film. The cliffs on the island were a spectacular sight, with views back to Croagh Patrick and Clare Island, a fine sandy beach and craggy rock breakers, and many many sheep. I'm always glad to capture sheep images. Strangely the paintings of sheep are a sure sale every time. The most haunting place on the island was the deserted village at the Slievemore mountains. Some 80 - 100 deserted stone cottages can be explored in the mile long area, and tombs dating back 5000 years. http://www.achilltourism.com/deserted.html

We drove to Clifden town in Galway and spent the day, and another day hiked along the fantastic grassy sand dunes at Bertra, at the foot of Croagh Patrick. This was another harrowing trip as a rain storm suddenly appeared out of nowhere as we were far out from the coast on this strip of dunes connecting an island to the mainland.

We spent one afternoon at the Clew Bay Heritage Center and Westport House, a stately old mansion with gardens. Some days were spent exploring the town as we had a rainy spell while there, Ireland had a rainy summer. But we also had some sun each day, with rainbows and the glorious clouds I love to paint!
Westport, Mayo, Tidy Town 3 time winner

We spent the final two days in Dublin, and again wish it was longer, not so much for the city, but to take day trips around the east coast, which I have not seen enough of. In Dublin, we spent time on another glorious Saturday in City Center, O'Connell street, Temple Bar of course. On a drizzly Sunday and our last day in Ireland, we took a commuter train south of the city to the seaside town of Bray. We returned in the afternoon to visit Grafton Street and St. Stephen's Green, and a few of the old traditional gem pubs like The Swan Bar, the Long Hall and the Stag's Head Pub.

Cappuccino, a good read, and a sketch of Westport. Great trip indeed!

During the trip, I gathered thousands of photos to keep me in Irish references for a long while. I may just start a Flickr page as well, too many great shots to share here on myspace. I did do some sketching, mostly in the pubs, but one on the street in Westport. I played my bodhran (Irish drum) at Matt Malloy's! Steve played guitar at a session at Blouser's Pub, Westport, to the tune "Sweet Home Chicago".

Yes, the pints went down easy after drizzly days, but maybe a bit too easy! LOL. Still recovering. Steve is finally off the Harp and onto the black stuff. He's hooked too. We shared many meals picnicking outdoors or in our flat, which was nice because we saved money, and we both get tired of restaurant food quickly. Local fresh made breads, cheeses and meats are delicious and it's always fun grocery shopping in a new country. Our meals out were generally pub food, soup and sandwiches or hearty stews. Our biggest splurge outside of Guinness was cappuccino and chocolate. Yum!

Fad saol agat, gob fliuch, agus bas in Eirinn.
"Long life to you, a wet mouth, and death in Ireland."

I missed you Carol! Hope to go to Ireland with you again very soon! Yes, you too Steve! ;-) Now I get to go twice as often, right? Well, maybe if I sell lots of sheep paintings...

Over 100 pictures from my Irish trip can be seen on my Flickr page here:

Finally, here is a video I found about Grace O'Malley, The Pirate Queen. It was filmed at many of the places we visited in Mayo, Murrisk, Newport, and Achill Island. Enjoy!

"One of the most famous women in Irish history is Grace O'Malley. She is also known to history as the Pirate Queen of Ireland. She lived from around c. 1530 to c.1603.

Grace was the daughter of the chief of the O'Malley clan. The O'Malleys controlled most of what is now the barony of Murrisk. The O' Malleys were a great seafaring family and taxed all those who fished off their coasts. Their leader bore the ancient Irish title of The O'Malley."

This video is a bit overdone, but it gives you the feel for the wild area better than still photos.

McMahons Hall: A visit to the old family Homestead

2008-08-16T20:03:00.000-07:00

Today was a day I'll remember with mixed emotions for the rest of my life.

I received an email a couple of weeks ago via my website inquiring about the drawing below. I had done this ink and coffee wash drawing as a gift to my nephew David McMahon on the occasion of his wedding, because he is so into his Irish heritage. The drawing was done from the old photo shown below it here. This is McMahons Hall, the grocery store my Irish-born great grandfather built about the year 1900 on south Archer Avenue in Chicago.

The inquiry came from a woman who now owns one of the condos. An historian, she wondered what I knew about the history of the building. I got goosebumps hearing from her, because I'd always wanted to visit the building, and find out more about the history myself. My father passed away several years ago, and we only have sketchy details about his grandfather, a few facts handed down over the years and a couple of old census reports I found online.

Michael McMahon met his bride here in Chicago, an Irish-born young woman named Catherine McMahon (Kate). So this is a very strong family name for us. Michael must have done a good job, because the building still stands, looking much as it did 100 years before. Besides the grocery store, there was a dance hall on the second floor, and their living quarters were on the third floor, with a separate street level entrance. Michael and Catherine had 6 children. They came to the US around 1870, he was born in 1853, she in 1857. Their kids were born between 1882 to 1894. They lived and worked in the building until at least 1930. My father was a meat-cutter as was his father before him, taught by Michael.

Now the building is converted to high end loft condos, joined with the building next door. At one time the buildings were a coffee and tea manufacturing business, and the sign for that business can still be read clearly on the brick exterior of the building next to McMahon Hall.

Below is a series of photos of how the building looks today. I took the pictures when the gracious new residents opened their doors and hearts to me today and gave me a glimpse into the life of my ancestors. I'm afraid they were able to provide me with more background information about the building than I was able to give them. So, this was a joyful homecoming for me, although I had never stepped foot inside "The Hall" until today. It was also a sad day, because my mother so wanted to see the place her husband visited as a child. Unfortunately a flare-up of her arthritis ended in a trip to the emergency room and she wasn't able to come along. I took lots of pictures and listened to the stories about the building the new residents were able to share. Tomorrow, I'll visit mom and share the pictures and stories while she's recuperating.

I know mom will be delighted to know that the new occupants of McMahons Hall love and take great pride in the building as my great grandparents did. The spaces are each unique and carefully but comfortably decorated to reflect the style of each resident. They are teachers, artists, photographers, musicians, interior designers, cat and wounded pigeon lovers, and music aficionados. They allowed me to snoop in all the nooks and crannies of their homes, opened up the for-sale ground floor condo that was once the M. McMahon's grocery store, current asking price$500,000. They offered me coffee and homemade blueberry muffins, invited me to a barbecue and told me stories of the not so good days of the building. Back in the 80's there were unauthorized raves held on the premises, mirrors and graffiti on the walls.

It's only been about 3 years since the building underwent it's latest incarnation, and the neighborhood is thriving once more, partly because of artists who moved into the area, such as the Zhou Brothers from China who opened their art center not far from "The Hall".

So, if you are reading this, McMahon Hall current residents, I thank you from the bottom of my heart once more for the two hours you shared with me this morning. I entered a stranger, and left a friend. I wish you many years of happiness in that special home. I'll be sharing your kindness with my very large Irish extended family.

Peace!

Chains to be shown at the Saatchi Gallery, London!

2008-07-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

I received an email today from the Saatchi Gallery in London, regarding my placing in the Saatchi Showdown online competition. "Chains" will be shown at Saatchi Gallery, scheduled to open in October 2008.

At first I didn't believe it, I hadn't heard about the gallery opening, it is a year behind schedule. But there is a link to the virtual tour of gallery on The Saatchi website. It looks too good to be true! I'm beside myself!

Thanks again to all of you for your constant support! ~ Alice

Black Butterfly

2008-07-20T18:46:00.000-07:00

It was our 28th wedding anniversary yesterday, so I did this as a gift to Steve. The past month or so working on the portrait ended up being a kind of intense period of introspection for me as well. I think this was partly because of completing my White Album series of portraits of my kids, and feeling more like concentrating on myself at last, but it has also been a time of personal growth and transformation.

There were several unusual spiritual moments for me while working on this portrait. One was a near out of body experience while on a walk in the park, which spurred me to write my first poem in 30 years. You can read the poem "Fairfield Avenue" back further in my blog. A few days later, I started seeing black butterflies. Not so unusual in summer I suppose, but I don't remember seeing this particular type in Chicago, maybe it's due to our changing weather patterns. The odd thing was that I had just found a photo of a black butterfly online at RedBubble had favorited it and commented on it. Then a black butterfly fluttered around me several times while I was walking that same afternoon! It happened again a couple of days later, this black butterfly flying in loops around me as I walked. Odd that the only black ones I saw, also seemed to notice me as well! Almost like they knew of my transformation. So, that inspired my second poem, "Black Butterfly" and I decided to incorporate a black butterfly into the drawing.

Just a couple of days ago I came up with a way to add the text of the poem to my work. I used my home printer to print the text onto a letter sized portion I cut from the pink backing paper. After I printed it, I pieced it back together with acid free tape. The mylar film is translucent, so the text shows through in a subtle way.

The piece was made to fit a vintage distressed frame I found at my local antique shop. It is really in a bad way, but I think it suits me - I'm a bit rough at the edges myself these days. But I figured it's now or never to expose more of myself. :)

Steve likes the gift by the way.

The Poem:

Black Butterfly

Bemusing muse

Black butterfly

Came through the ether

Mystical wings

Encircled me along the way

Enraptured on a summer day

Music painted on the sky

Black butterfly

Blown in from far off dust

Astral soul

Dressed in stardust

Black butterfly

Draw me perfect

Emergent from this coal black shell

Wet wings spread in joy to stand

Transformed

Flawless at the artist's hand

Evanescent passion lies

In our wavelengths intertwined

Black butterfly

Never caught

Light gently in the mind

Bring luminous thought

(c) Alice McMahon White 2008

"Black Butterfly" 22 x 18" charcoal on mylar drafting film (c) Alice McMahon White

Poem: Fairfield Avenue

2008-07-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

Walking long to the essential

Lonely

Fair field

Glinting cut-crystal-challis-brilliant summer afternoon

Recalling the morning

Soul meeting soul

Hungry for Your Love touch and gaze

Yet

Found deeper

Expression in shared thought

And so

Spirit

Overflows flesh

Once

More

Joyful

In the fair field

Half-century of being

Finally down decades

Lay back childlike on perfumed grass

To lift face to vapor mist clouds

Just now masking sunshine

How many years since this child play?

Neglected play

Forgotten play

An artist's game different with maturity

No longer hunting hares and lambs in cotton candy clouds floating through opal sky

This time

More metaphoric visions

More abstract thoughts

Up on

High breezes

Painting pastel strokes

Fast and slower

Eyes entranced by wing-feather

Cloud edge wisps

Rhythmic movements

Tendrils break free and rejoin

Come Together

First meeting

First kiss

Long separated jigsaw puzzle pieces

Found again

Bliss

In the interlocking re-union

Timeless inevitable moments of

Anam Cara

Too soon

Gusts blow off the muse

Revealing blinding sun

Moments of truth lost to reality

Shared words

Music

Touch

Imagined?

Back on the path from fair field

Down Fairfield Avenue home

Mourning morning

Dove and blood red songbird

Sing requiems for

Love

Found and lost before it occurred

© Alice McMahon White 2008

Swell Season & presenting the portraits to Glen and Mar

2008-06-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

Teagan and I attended the Swell Season concert last night at the landmark Chicago Theater. If you don't know, that's the touring version of music from the Indie movie "Once". I blogged a few posts back about the charcoal drawings I made as a gift to Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, lead actors in the film. Glen is also the front man for the Dublin based band The Frames.

The concert was blow-the-top-of-your-head-off good. Most of the Frames members are touring this trip along with Glen and Mar - and there was a good mix of tunes from the movie soundtrack and Frames standards. Glen's vocal range is stunning, from rumbling lows to incredible high notes without falsetto, back to the crescendo of his signature passionate leather lunged wailing. Amazing! Colm Mac Con Iomaire, the violin player is absolutely astounding! His sound is so full and rich you'd think there were several violins playing at once. And Marketa's piano and gentle singing style add an almost hypnotic quality to the mix. It was without doubt the best show I've ever seen.

My friend, Chicago photographer Zoran Orlic is friends with the band, and he offered to do all he could to be sure I could present the drawings to Glen and Mar in person after the concert. There was a scary moment for me when security wouldn't allow me to bring the drawings into the hall. I had Zoran's cell and he soon met me at the coat check and claimed the framed drawings to bring backstage. He then arranged for Teagan and me to attend the backstage party after the show, so we went down to the hall with probably about 40 or 50 others who had passes. There were drinks on the house, and we got to chat with Zoran, his wife and friends, and my friend Mary Beth and her son and friends.

We met all the Frames members and some of their spouses, but were told Marketa would not be down. Glen came down later and visited for some time, and then he was gone before I met him! Even some of the band members didn't know where he'd gone. The manager of the band was really concerned that Glen should see my drawings, and everyone who knew about the gift was so kind!

The crew phoned around and located Glen, outside at the back of the theater, saying goodbye to some friends and getting ready to board the bus back to the hotel. So they grabbed Teagan and me with the drawings and hauled us out to where they were. I walked out the door and came face to face with Marketa. I spoke with her a few moments and showed her the drawings, and she smiled and thanked me.

The manager brought me over to where Glen was chatting with friends, and in a few minutes he was craning his neck to look at the drawings with wide eyes, so Zoran introduced him to Teagan and me. Glen seemed to be moved by the art - and I think he must be still bemused by the sudden fame and attention after all of the years of struggling. Glen picked up each of the works in turn and just poured over them, he said he loved them and as I looked at him looking at the portrait of himself, I could see I'd nailed his profile perfectly - he even has the same beard and hairstyle just now. :) He liked Steve's frames too, "The Frames are great!" he said, then joked about that. He thanked me sincerely and profusely, and I thanked him for the tunes. I was greatly impressed with this guy with an enormous talent and now success, and yet so humble, grateful and gracious in a quintessentially Irish manner. Wow!

Teagan loved the show too, and even put up with waiting around chatting with the adults for a chance to meet Glen. She's such a fine, mature young lady now, I was very happy she was with me so I could brag on my talented and beautiful daughter.

Mary Beth had stayed on just to take pictures of me with Glen and Mar, so thanks for that Mary Beth! Otherwise I wouldn't have a record of it.

I don't make much of a "fan" and didn't talk very long with Glen and Mar, I hope the art speaks for itself.

Thanks for the tunes and inspiration Swell Season! I love it!

Guinness for Gobshites

2008-02-28T20:59:00.000-08:00

Boston's Irish Pub band "The Gobshites" contacted me and commissioned me to do a group portrait, Irish session style, for their next cd's cover art. Here's the result.

Working on the washes, and drinking the leftovers.

I painted The Gobshites with Guinness!

Commissioned drawing for Boston's The Gobshites
cover art for their new cd "Songs Me Da Got Pissed To", 16 x 20" pen & ink with Guinness stout wash, by Alice McMahon White

The Gobshites will have you gobsmacked! Check them out.

Norwegian Wood triptych

2007-10-31T07:05:00.000-07:00

"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" triptych, 24 x 48" charcoal and pastel on Mylar

This ended up a much more difficult project than expected and was on the easel for a full month. Finally finished my "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" triptych today. It's the next in the ongoing White Album series.

I used three photos of my daughter for the work, cropped and manipulated in the computer until I found the composition I liked. I decided to do a triptych because I liked all three photos and thought they looked well together. I took the photos 2 years ago in the cemetery down the block from our home. My model was fascinated by a fallen mature oak, and was sitting on the trunk in the second view photo. She chose the clothing for the shoot, but I changed the t-shirt design to work with the theme for my piece, which is bird extinction.

The triptych is charcoal on a heavy weight mylar drafting film, and was worked on the frosted side. There is a backing of Canson pastel paper in moonstone (a pink gray) because the translucent paper needs some backing, and white was too stark for the effect I was attempting to achieve. There are small touches of "white charcoal" - white pastel pencil for highlights, I also used a gray pastel pencil in some of the tree areas.

The mylar is a very slick surface and fun to work on, and has more of a sensation of painting because of the "oiliness" of the charcoal on the mylar. Delicate areas are quite difficult to achieve. If you rub your finger over a fairly lightly covered area, the paper wipes clean, so soft gradations are troublesome. You can build up dark layers of charcoal and lighten it to gray by rubbing with your fingers, or erase back down to the surface with a kneaded eraser. I purposely left much of the work rough because the surface works so well for that. The finished work has a very interesting glow in person that doesn't photograph well. The frosted finish is quite lovely - almost like human skin in sheen.

I plan one or two more of these larger drawings on mylar for the January show.

Saatchi Showdown! Wild Ride!

2007-08-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

What a ride! I've been in a love/hate relationship with Saatchi these past 5 months. I entered the competition on a whim. I was new to myspace, and some artist friends had entered round one. I voted for them and decided to try it out and enter.

When round one ended, I checked out the winner: the fabulous Laurie Lipton! So unexpected to see a graphite drawing (near to my heart) win such a competition against thousands of enteries. I found her here on myspace and friended her to congratulate her on her success.

Round two began, and no one could have been more surprised than I was to end up in the head to head a week later! I only sent a bulletin out to my 200 or so myspace friends and 300 or so personal contacts. I do have a large family and many friends in my neighborhood and in the art world. What I found was that people I didn't even know were sending the link on to friends, and those friends were voting and sending it on. My photorealist sweet subject matter appeals to the general public. They get it. No trying to figure out the meaning behind the piece. A pop contest. It was the round with the highest entry rate, over 6000! Most other rounds were in the 4000 range. Yet against the odds, "Chains" was one of two chosen works! I don't kid myself that I deserved it because I saw entries that blew my piece away! I give all the credit to my cute quirky model. A Fox some have said. Check out her art work in my last blog.

I Got By With A Little Help From My Friends!

The head to head against installation artist Albo Jeavons was a gut wrencher and I went to bed Sunday night thinking I'd lost, although I'd been in the lead the whole week. His score had been rising all day Sunday and mine was going lower, til we were neck and neck. With the trend as it was, I thought for sure I was out of it. Albo and I chatted online, we both agreed it was a wild ride and neither of us knew what was going to happen. I was so surprised to see I was the winner, and my inbox was loaded.

I Got By With A Little Help From My Friends!

It wasn't too long before the nasty Saatchi blogs started with my "insipid" work being the easy target for artists doing, shall we say, edgier work. Hard to see people bashing you and your work in a public format. It was an eye opener because in my idealistic view I thought most artists were basically supportive of one another. Also saw threads here and elsewhere suggesting any winners were cheating. If I cheated it must have been in my sleep. It was then that I decided Fame, even just a drop of it, was not all it's cracked up to be.

I Got By With A Little Help From My Friends!

A long stretch of waiting and watching other winners come along. 10 more! 5 months of watching and friends asking, so when can I vote? Three more months, thanks, I'll let you know! We're rooting for you Alice!

I Got By With A Little Help From My Friends!

And then, it was here! The day I needed to get my butt in gear and ask for votes against my usual slightly shy and introverted nature. A grueling week of long days, short nights, and some tears of frustration. But honestly there have been more tears of joy, because of the new friend requests, messages, offers of help, bulletins sent out on my behalf, and the love, friendship and support from all of you! I've pushed myself to get my work shown, and the rewards have been enormous!

I Got By With A Little Help From My Friends!

So, tomorrow will be a huge relief! No more begging, no more pushing, no more anxiety. I most likely will finish somewhere in the middle of the field. Thanks to all of you who have said I should be on top. That I don't believe. There are some really fantastic artists in the mix, I'm honored to have had the opportunity to be up there with them! I've spoken with quite a few, and they've been gracious, supportive and funny. They all are as disconcerted as I to be in this position. A wild ride indeed. It's a silly thing, surely not a true judge of exceptional talent. A popularity contest for sure! Pop art. Nothing wrong with that. Will I be disappointed not going to London? Why sure! But I did ok, didn't stoop to nasty behavior in the sake of winning, and got more exposure in the past few months than I ever could have imagined, or had a right to hope for!

I Got By With A Little Help From My Friends!

So, would I recommend you to enter the next Saatchi Showdown! Sure! But be careful what you wish for. Enter to be seen. Winning is tough work. I'm seriously wiped and stressed and generally DONE!!! Frankly, if I by some odd quirk in the stats suddenly leap to the top of the heap overnight, I might seriously go jump in a lake. My sympathies to those two lucky souls!!! Another week of this right now might do me in.

So, thanks for the support and love. Know I appreciate every gesture and I apologize if I didn't say thanks directly. I truly spent as much time saying thanks this week as I did politicking. But I know I missed some of you. Please forgive me, and drop by to say hi soon, ok? (And won't you seriously be glad to stop seeing all of those begging bulletins lined up every morning?)

I Got By With A Little Help From My Friends. THANKS TO YOU ALL!

Love, Alice xx

The Fine Arts Building Chicago in the news

2007-07-31T07:21:00.000-07:00

We made the Chicago papers!

I was interviewed in my Fine Arts Building studio several weeks ago for the Chicago Tribune newspaper. The article finally made it to print yesterday. The interviewer asked questions for twenty minutes and many photos were taken while I was working, but my mention is brief and the only photo from my studio was my courtyard view. Ah well, can't win 'em all! So, here's a short intro to my real-life artistic community. More photos can be seen at the Tribune website. Click the hyperlink below.

Artists thrive in friendly confines

City's Fine Arts Building offers a historic sanctuary for all manner of creative trades

By Emma Graves Fitzsimmons

Tribune staff reporter

7:06 AM CDT, July 30, 2007

The rapid notes of a Bach sinfonia spill into a hall of Chicago's legendary home of the arts, an enchanting building still haunted by a century of artists whose creativity has been inspired in its maze of hallways.

Behind one door on the fourth floor, a bassist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is seated at the same piano his grandfather played when he worked as a composer in the historic building almost 70 years ago.

"I'd known about the building for years," said Stephen Lester, who began renting a studio there last year. "When you walk through the halls, you can hear all kinds of things, people teaching and practicing. That's part of the pleasure of being in a building like this."

A floor below him, the stomping of flamenco dancers on hardwood floors bursts through the doors of a Russian ballet company. The neighbors of a voice instructor on the ninth floor listen to her student belt a classic opera piece in preparation for a big audition.

It would be easy to walk right past the Fine Arts Building along Grant Park and miss the beautiful sounds of a new generation of performers working within the building's cubby holes.

Designed by Solon Beman, the building at 410 S. Michigan Ave. was built as a Studebaker Carriage Co. factory in 1885 and was converted to a home for Chicago's artists in 1898. It housed the studios of sculptor Lorado Taft, and author L. Frank Baum, who wrote The Wizard of Oz book series. At the turn of the century, architect Frank Lloyd Wright had a gallery on the top floor of the building, which also was home to Poetry magazine and a popular social club Hull House founder Jane Addams attended to discuss books and current events.

Today, the building's halls appear untouched by time, with the same murals, stained-glass windows and dim lighting. One of the elevators is hand-operated by Thomas Durkin, who has worked there for more than 50 years.

The cavernous building now features a wide range of tenants, including Oscar-nominated filmmaker David McGowan, and Al Gates, a photographer who moonlights as a tango instructor.

Many studios enjoy sweeping views of Lake Michigan. The splendid backdrop, the bustle of the city below and the summer breeze off the lakefront all add to the building's charm. Most of all, there is a sense that the new generation is keeping the sanctuary's rich history alive with art and music.

"This is a love affair, this building," said owner Robert Berger, who carries a harmonica in his pocket for an impromptu melody. "This is a giant wine cellar. It's a performance cellar."

The 72-year-old real estate investor bought the urban arts colony for $10.4 million two years ago, promising to keep its physical beauty in tact, along with its storied mission. Berger, who also owns the art-focused Flat Iron Building in Wicker Park, says he has big plans for the future of the 10-story historic building, which currently houses 164 tenants.

The first major addition has been a high-tech recording studio that airs video of performances on the building's Web site. The staff say the site, www.fineartsbuilding.com, has received as many as 1,000 visitors daily in the last year and hopes to attract even more with archived clips of violin recitals and poetry readings. Recent performing guests featured on the Web site have included a local actor reading Jack Kerouac's works and a drummer expressing his thoughts on existentialism.

His next big project will be the restoration of the building's two dilapidated theaters. Both were converted to movie theaters but are now empty, but Berger said he hopes to bring them back in the next five years as a venue for big shows and maybe even a boxing match or two.

In the meantime, he plans to keep rent "modest" at the building, which costs about $2.5 million a year to run. A flier on one small studio advertises monthly rent at just $390.

Inside Curtiss Hall on the top floor, nine dancers with nooses around their necks gasp for air and writhe on the floor in a performance called "Nine Witches Cold" about the Salem Witch Trials. The backdrop for their rehearsal is a bright panorama of the lake.

The dance company is lucky to meet there three days a week, said Van Collins, founder and artistic director of Rasa Dance Chicago. Beyond the building's beauty, he said, it is stimulating to be around so many other artists under one roof.

"It's the most inspiring thing on the planet," Collins said. "It's completely tweaking my creativity. Some photography on the sixth floor gave me an idea for a dance. I walked past it, and all these ideas came to me."

Alice McMahon White's fifth floor studio has a view that overlooks a quiet courtyard lined with pillars and planted flowers. The Beverly artist's specialty is Irish landscapes, but lately, she has started a series of pastel drawings based on photographs of her children.

Her studio is near a yoga studio and a piano teacher's office. "When they're practicing, it sounds great," she said.

Russian dancer Elizabeth Boitsov is one of the veteran tenants. Her ballet school has occupied a slice of the third floor for 27 years.

One summer afternoon, two dancers learning the flamenco are clapping and stomping their heels while waving ruffled blue skirts. The women, who are classically trained ballerinas, are trying to loosen up to the fast-paced, rhythmic music.

Their instructor Carolina Xavier, a Brazilian ballerina, is teaching them to thrust their shoulders forward as part of the choreography.

"Your body is going to be like a board going forward," Xavier said. "It is an improvisation. Inside the structure of the dance, you can create something new. You can express yourself creatively."

Cello music drifts out of the Machold Rare Violins store on the ninth floor. Colin Clark is playing cello after cello in search of the perfect one.

The 16-year-old from Elgin is hoping to buy one that will last him through college and beyond. He plays a concerto by composer Franz Joseph Haydn on several cellos until he finds one that feels just right.

"It has a powerful sound," Clark said. "It's very loud and punchy. I had to find a cello that will work to my strengths."

Sales clerk Elizabeth Stein says she helps musicians find the "love of their life" from an international collection of string instruments ranging in price from $12,000 to $6 million.

The store also holds performances and benefits in its large studio, which is filled with antique furniture and rugs. Currently, the store is borrowing a beautiful old piano from another shop on the floor for an event. Stein pauses and smiles: "We have great neighbors."

-----------

efitzsimmons@tribune.com

Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune

Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds

2007-05-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

"Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", pastel on sanded paper 24 x 36"

I've been getting some questions about this piece, I suppose because it's a bit of a departure for me. More surreal or psychedelic than my usual work. Part of that is intentional as a reflection of the nature of the Beatles tune which influenced the work. John Lennon always denied that the song referred to LSD, and was really inspired by Julian's childish drawing of a girl flying in the sky. Appropriate that this pastel is inspired by my daughter's personality. It shows her progression toward adulthood, which is the underlying theme of my White Album series.

This work began as a candid snapshot of my artsy daughter at 16. We were visiting my son at Kent State U, Ohio, for Homecoming. She was really wearing the cheap top hat around campus that day, she had gotten it for her Halloween costume. The Kent Homecoming committee were passing out the balloons and she took one, and for some reason decided to name it "Tuesday" and wrote that on the balloon with a sharpie. It was a windy day with large puffy white clouds, and she was standing on the hill where the Kent State Massacre had occured. This is an important detail about my thought process for the piece, as the tragic event happened in May 1970 - the year the Beatles broke up, and around the time John Lennon began his life with Yoko and did the Baggism, Bed-In and "War Is Over" song and campaign.

I saw the shot that day as she stood on the hill, and my daughter held the pose for just a moment. She hates when I take her photo - but she's so damn quirky and cute I can't resist! I got down low to have only the sky for a backdrop. Her expression is actually more resigned exasperation with me than anything deeper. Somehow her signature stoicism works.

I played with the image in photoshop and liked the sky reversed, with darks where the whites had been. The blue sky turned the opposite on the color wheel, "marmalade" colored. The white outline is a remnant from the photoshop effect I was using, and since she was backlit in the original photo, I thought it was cool, and again, a bit surreal. The balloon was really blue, but the effect reversed that, too. It's not meant to be realistic. I had just watched "John Lennon vs. the US" at the time and thought I'd add the words "War Is Over" to the balloon, as a flashback to the 1970's and a hopeful premonition for today. "War is over Tuesday" may have worked as well ;) My daughter is an activist against the war and while she doesn't like her likeness here, she does like the message.

The flowers on the balloon could be a reference to "cellophane flowers of yellow and green towering over your head" but that didn't occur to me til today :)

My friends have been interpreting this piece in different ways. One wondered if the balloon is her hallucination. Another says the clouds are post-war colors. I like that.

~ A