OPEN STUDIO event - Thursday, August 6, 2009

Announcing :

New Rochelle's first "Art Walk" on Thursday, August 6th, from 4-9PM!

http://www.newrochelledowntown.com/

I hope to see you there! -Faith

New Rochelle Business Improvement District (BID)
41 Westchester Place, New Rochelle, NY 10801 (www.newrochelledowntown.com)

CONTACT: Ralph DiBart, Executive Director
914-960-1460 and 212-866-0191
ralphdibart@rcn.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2009

THE ARTS TAKE HOLD IN DOWNTOWN NEW ROCHELLE

New Rochelle’s emerging downtown arts district is being introduced to the public on Thursday, August 6th from 4:00 to 9:00 PM during the New Rochelle BID’s first Downtown ArtWalk. Ralph DiBart, Executive Director of the BID stated, “Downtown New Rochelle is becoming an attractive center for artists, dance studios, music, film and galleries. We hope to introduce many of these arts to the public during our first ArtWalk. We will also and celebrate the opening of BID Gallery 542, an art gallery in the former New Rochelle Trust Building at 542 Main Street. The space has been loaned to the BID by Cornell Pace Inc. Additional ArtWalks are scheduled for the Fall”

In addition, nearby studio spaces at 81 and 82 Centre Street developed in conjunction with the BID’s Artist Spaces Program will introduce new art arrivals to downtown. These include Ballet Atlantic (formerly of Pelham), Westchester Yoga Arts (formerly Pelham Yoga), and many artists from throughout Westchester who have rented studios in downtown, including Faith Goldstein, Janet Rogow, Judie Benzer, Leigh Ann Rooney, Louis Netter, Michelle Lewis, Moira McCaul, Nancy Miller, Peridot Smith and Steve Brock.

(OK... I "bolded" my name... I can do that, it's my Blog!)

"Barn at Hilltop Hanover Farm"

"Barn at Hilltop Hanover Farm" by Faith Goldstein (11"x14"), oil

I just couldn't call this painting finished... until now! There are so many lessons to learn in painting the landscape; I realized I missed a few that helped me to see this as a more complete scene. My "thanks" go to my daughter, Katie, for shooting a few reference photos of me painting plein-air, which included more of the landscape than I initially thought to include in my painting. "Thank you", also, to my on-line mentors, who guide me daily on this journey. (And a special "thanks" to Laurel Daniel for taking the time to respond to a recent e-mail I sent her! Check her out at http://www.laureldaniel.blogspot.com/ )

"Geraniums" and lattice strips...

"Geraniums" by Faith Goldstein (11"x14"), oil

This posting is a little bit out of the order in which it was painted; which is probably 2 months ago. I have been busy today, cutting lattice strips to frame my canvases. It's amazing how nice something looks with a frame (or mat) around it! I hope this is a good, but simple way to "finish" my work. ............I should say that I have a bit of a facination with geraniums. I love catching the buds as they are about to open. I shot several reference photos to paint from in the future; as I'm not done with this subject yet! (I guess we can say that "geraniums", and "framing them out" are two stops on my journey!)

"Green Cay Journey"

"Green Cay Journey" by Faith Goldstein (12"x12") oil

I did a marathon painting day in my studio-space, yesterday. After a devastatingly bad first try at plein air, I needed to go back to basics and put more thought into the painting before I actually picked up the brush. Drawing a value study, and deciding on my color palette ahead of time is the best way to approach a painting. It may seem obvious to some, to do more "thinking" ahead of time; with perhaps, a little less emotion (right brain) for now. In the future, maybe, the thinking part is faster ........and the "emotional marks" will fly!

Is It FINISHED?

"Distant View" by Faith Goldstein (12x12), oil)

(detail) "Distant View" by Faith Goldstein

My studio-mate and I had a discussion, yesterday, about 'finishing' a painting... and how hard that is to do! My earlier acrylic paintings were made with quick marks, and only included the "important" information. My oil paintings are more representational; but why should they include more details than needed?? I think this painting says what I wanted it to say... my marks are becoming looser with each painting! (That's a good thing!) -Faith

Happy Independence Day!

Green Cay I by Faith Goldstein(11"x14"), oil.....$250 framed

This is how I spent my day... preparing for a plein air class by painting my first landscape. I used a reference photo taken at Green Cay Nature Preserve. The palette shows here more intense than the actual painting which is a little softer.
Overall, I am very happy with the result! What a fun way to spend the day!

A Visit with Don Keene in Studio 302

On Friday, June 19th, my studio-mates and I had a very special visit with Master-Artist, (and our mentor), Don Keene!

It was an amazing evening of critiques and connecting through art!..........We also enjoyed homebaked cookies (thank you, Kt!), and my favorite wine from the Hopkins Vinyard in CT. Thank You, Don! It was truly an honor to have you visit our studio!

Still on the Journey

I hope you weren't worried about me... I'm still on the journey! I've been very busy! We celebrated my daughter, Samantha's, graduation from Iona... and her new job! It was fun helping her shop for her new wardrobe; I'm just hoping I can get her to pay the credit card bills now. I fear that paying for her Chevy Avalanche, that she bought to replace the one that she did a double-flip in, may come first! Oh, the first truck didn't survive... but Sam walked away, only a little bruised. Amazing. (I was in shock for a week.) Anyway... I've been working, painting, taking classes and setting up my studio space. I even had a chance to spend a great afternoon with my aunt and uncle in Brooklyn. Angela is not continuing her art studio lease... and so, allowed me to take a few things for my own space. Already, a wonderful table that Carl made, is put is place, and waiting for me to paint on it! (Maybe I'll "hand it back" to one of their six grandchildren, some day!) ...still to come on my journey... a trip to Florida, painting again, with Jeanne, when I return......... and some exciting news from the Studio in New Rochelle! (And I promise to finish, and post paintings soon!)



Thank You, to Katie, for pushing me to BLOG today!

STUDIO #2

Are you there, God? It's Me...

...Faith. I am pleased to announce that I will be sharing an art studio with 3 other artists, beginning May 1, 2009. Am I dreaming? (I'll let you know, when I wake-up!) -Faith

African Violet/Blue Pot

"African Violet (blue pot)" by Faith Goldstein (11"x14"), oil

Sometimes our Journey is spent waiting for the paint to "dry". (...other times it is spent waiting for the perfect day to paint!)

Gladiolus

"Gladiolus" by Faith Goldstein (16"x20"), oil
(e-mail me at faithart1@aol.com to purchase)

Only my second painting; I'm finally ready to call it finished. (Minus the signature, which presents another problem to be resolved, in the future!) The "glads" started as a still life set up in my Saturday workshop. I chose to crop a small section of the 3 displayed, and enlarge them onto a 16x20 canvas. .......It was almost the one that got away. I stared at it for days, and was not content with the background. I have to thank Samantha (my 21 year-old daughter) for supplying me with "the ledge to jump off of", to re-work it. She is a motor-cycle-riding, big-truck-driving, brave soul; who occasionally lets you ride along on her journey through life!

Rough Week...

This last week has been filled with ups and downs. I was trying to rent a shared studio space, but the other artist changed her mind; deciding to continue working at home. It's an important decision... you have to be ready. I am ...ready to stop painting in my kitchen......ready to have all my supplies in one place.... ready to get the dogs nose (and ears) out of the paint I left out! ...I finally made time to paint, late Friday night. What a high that was!

first oil painting

For those of you that don't know, I've started painting again. To hold my brushes, feels like saying "hello" to old friends that I haven't seen for a while! I signed up for an Oil Painting workshop, with a wonderful teacher named Jeanne. It is exciting to paint, for the first time, with oil paints. I am looking forward to the process...and the Journey!

Getting Started

Well, I have to admit that I'm terrified to "get started!" (Every computer-capable person in my home has abandoned me, right now!) I'll seek the courage I need from other artist bloggers, and embark on this new journey. (If it's meant to, It will Be!) -Faith