4/29/08

After the Conference

Hosting the Synovate delegates was pretty amazing. Totally a wonderful experience. Delegates were from China, Thailand, Germany, Australia, UK, the Netherlands, Malaysia, the US, India, Poland and Hungary. I loved every second; this was a fantastic group. I realized that it's time to start teaching. Truly, I had no idea that I would so enjoy sharing and communicating. It was really fun and I'm grateful that Synovate chose to help the local artists through the Arts Council of New Orleans. There were beautiful pieces on display at the dinner Thursday night. We have some very talented artists here and it was a great pleasure to be a part of this.
In my studio, the delegates helped decide, by a vote, which painting I would enter. They asked many questions and came up with a written profile which will be put on eBay, when the paintings go to auction.
I can't remember having more fun; what a terrific experience!

4 comments:

Kim Hambric said...

Joan, I just stumbled across your blog. I enjoyed seeing your watercolors of New Orleans and appreciate your documentation of the once inhabited houses of Lakeview. We have friends who lost their home on Colber Street.

I am no doubt one of the many who have visited New Orleans and returned home with something missing -- some part of me that will go on living in New Orleans even though I live far away. I am always thrilled to find someone else who sees the beauty in New Orleans.

Looking forward to returning and seeing more of your artwork.

Deborah Paris said...

Your recent watercolors of New Orleans are quite wonderful, Joan. Ever thought about self publishing a little book of them? My mother's family was from the Gulf Coast and I spent many weeks each summer in Gulfport. Some of my fondest childhood memories are crabbing off the pier there- which of course was destroyed by Camille. So, these scenes really resonate with me.

Joan DaGradi Studio said...

Thanks, Kim! Great to meet you. Your fiber work is beautiful. We all feel stuck sometimes, just part of being an artist.
If you send me the address of the house on Colbert, I'll paint it and put it online- even if it's just a bare lot.
Thanks for stopping by.
Love the circles- beautiful color contrast!

Joan DaGradi Studio said...

Thank you Deborah! What a fantastic thought!
Putting a small book together is great idea on several levels. It would inspire me to work with purpose. Thanks for your kind comments. Glad that the watercolors triggered positive memories.

I have recently promised myself that for the next 6 months, I'll paint in watercolor as much as possible 5-6 days a week, without judging the work's merits as it's done, so I don't get bummed. The only qualification is that the subject matter must be exciting to me in some way.
No galleries, no selling, just painting....similar to being on an extended workshop. I'm trying to get to the next level, and it's not coming easily.

Watercolor is so very different from oils, sometimes I feel like I'm trying to teach myself Chinese, unsuccessfully. I guess I felt a similar level of frustration when I first started with oils; I thought then and still feel that painting is just the most difficult undertaking I've ever tried..... and I'm hooked.