ANTICIPATING SUMMER

Its April, hmmm, looks like May but feels like March right now, on the lake side of the peninsula. The flocks of swans have come and gone, and each morning I step outside, walk with the dog to the shore of Kangaroo Lake and have a look at what might be going on there, a small gathering of divers, the bufflehead merganser types. I wonder if they'll stick around. Also, I am wondering why I haven't been a more regular blogger lately. I finished painting my gray frozen views of ice and snow, then in mid March buds started to swell on the lilac bushes, temperatures lured me outside, I went to the Ridges to paint the Range Light Station; I have been asked to be in an exhibit this summer called Reading the Ridges, which is a repeat of an exhibit they did at a space in the Gibraltar School Auditorium gallery space called The Link 2 years ago - I spent months preparing for it. This year I have spent months thinking about it and not doing much painting, so off to the Ridges I went again last week with my camera and last month, with my 6"x 8" pochade and folding chair, a warm day in March. So far I have two studies done, but keep thinking of entering older work that references the forest floor pathways i painted a year ago. I know others who go out with their gear all the time, painting in cold, in fog, in wind, I can't do that. I am happy if I can just pull up the side of the road and look at the view, let alone pack in gear to some off the road spot that might hold a treasure, but I just can't get to it because I am feeling some pain and weakening in the knees and hip joints, it is becoming harder to do the things I wanted to do at this stage of my life, but I got out and I walked, I shot images, I painted images, I went back home a few hours later feeling righteous and full of purpose, than I got achey and low. Now the sun is out again after a few days of gray and rain, wind and fog. I have had enough of that stuff, I want flowers and color and I want to feel myself walk without wincing, there are meds for that, but I am noticing that I don't think about it if I am looking at a canvas, sitting there painting what is in front of me- bring on spring and warmer weather, bring on the flies and mozzies and give me my bottle of Aleve and I will be there ready to fulfill my obligations, and hopefully have a painting I liked doing, for Reading the Ridges exhibit this summer, and the Land trust exhibit this fall at the Miller Art Museum in Sturgeon Bay, and while I am at it, I should do a portrait for my upcoming Door Prize for Portraits opening at my place Chez Cheryl Art Space in late June. There is a lot going on this summer, Door Prize for Portraits, Art by Diane Foster from west central Iowa,in August, and in September I have two workshops I am offering with artist instructor Emmett Johns, doing plein air painting for three days, followed by Chicago artist Ken Klopack, for three days painting the interior, exploring the figure in the interior space. There is also the garden to tend, and the chickens to feed and the dog to walk, the lake calls to us to put the canoe in- the county starts to fill up with seasonal tourists and residence and summer workers. Chez Cheryl Art Space will be open and ready for it's close-up.