New Painting to Counteract the Heat: "Blue Ice at Cold Creek"

After Bill the weatherman on Channel 5 announced that San Antonio broke another of a blistering series of over one hundred degree record breakers, I decided that if it wasn't going to cool down outside then I was going to try to cool off with my imagination. Exercise #1: Think Arctic Circle and polar bears! No, somehow I kept thinking of all that fur on those bears and that made me all the hotter. Exercise #2: Take long, cold showers. Oops! Bad idea. The water police might come a'knockin' for, afterall, we are now in Stage 2 of water restrictions due to the drought and hot weather. Exercise #3: Paint a winter landscape with snow and ice. Ahhh! Yes, that was the ticket. I put the ceiling fan on tornado speed, planned my winter composition, and proceeded to select all my soothing and cool colors.

After sketching in those refreshing green trees in the background, I jumped right into the blues, lavenders, and whites of the icy mountain creek and snowy fields along the meandering water. Brrrrrr! It was starting to work; I was already feeling my inner thermostat plummet. Next, I reached into the back of my closet and pulled out a sweater. Mind over matter! Art can create more than just a cover for a hole in the wall.

If you're interested in a winter landscape, this painting is currently for sale. The pastel painting is an 8x10, framed in beautiful burl wood with a 3 inch gallery-type frame. It's painted on sanded pastelboard as well. The list price is $85. Please feel free to contact me if you're interested. And, all you Texans, let's pray for a serious cold front!

--Cindy

Checking out Pastel Paintings at the Butler Institute of American Art

BUTLER INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ART

524 Wick Avenue

Youngstown, Ohio

One day when I was online, I discovered a museum named the Butler Institute of Art. It not only had a familiar sounding name, but it had an ongoing pastel painting exhibit in one of its galleries. Butler seemed familiar because I grew up not far from Butler, PA. After looking at the collections through a virtual tour, I was surpised to learn that it was the first structure built specifically to house an art collection of works created by Americans. I wondered to myself where this special place was located. After scrolling down on the website, I was shocked to see that it was only a short distance from where I grew up. However, it wasn't Butler, PA. My childhood was spent living in Enon Valley, PA. The Butler Institute of Art's location is in Youngstown, OH, and only about a half hour away from my original home. I knew then that when I next visited my Pennsylvania family, I had to go pay respects to this worthwhile art museum.

As a result, this month, I flew home to Pennsylvania to celebrate my Mom's 86th birthday. While in Pennsylvania, I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone and go visit the Butler Institute. I arranged to go to Youngstown with my friend Jean during the third week of August. The place did not disappoint me! First of all, the architecture of the building showcases beautiful large windows to let the light pour in. In addition, with over 20,000 individual works of art in various galleries, there's enough art to keep one busy for hours of study and appreciation. Three personal highlights for me included seeing Sam Liberman's pastel exhibition. I toured it with my longtime hometown artist friend, Jean Clark Henry. Unfortunately, we missed the complete show by 2 days, but we still saw enough of it while the museum personnel were taking it down to really appreciate his pastel landscapes. His exhibit was in the Giffuni Gallery and featured mostly paintings of landscape and nature, my favorites. My second highlight was seeing the 73rd National Midyear Juried Show. Pastelist Sean Butler's work Last Stand was included as well as Kimberly Moore's pastel entitled Niagra Sunrise. In regard to my third highlight, it had to involve the Butler's permanent collection of 19th and 20th century landscape paintings by American artists such as Winslow Homer and Albert Bierstadt. Those were a big WOW!

While reflecting on American art, I also had a wonderful day discussing it with my good friend Jeannie. August 19th was the day Jean and I toured the Butler. It was a groovy day I won't soon forget.

Windcrest Hosts Texas Pastel Society

Windcrest August ART Scene

Artist Friends: Lucy, Cathy, Lisa (photo on left) === Gallery Viewing (above photos on right)

Artists and Instructors: Mary Johnson, Mary Lopez, and Dianne Reeves

Displaying my Landscapes (left photo)
Yum! (right photo)



RECIPE for SUCCESS

What's a recipe for Success in Art? One part Texas Pastel Society, another part City of Windcrest, a pinch of Takas Park's Civic Center, a cup of Jazz, and a mixture of food and conversation! That equaled a tasteful art reception, exhibit, and sale that took place on August 7, 2009, from 7 to 9 p.m. Artists from the Texas Pastel Society displayed fine art with painted portraits, landscapes, still life, and animals at Windcrest's Takas Park the weekend of August 7 - 9. Windcrest will continue to host TXPS in the future as well. Our first meeting after our summer break will take place at the Civic Center on Tuesday, September 1, 2009, at 7:00 p.m., and there will also be future art shows hosted by Windcrest. Windcrest and Texas Pastel Society-- What a winning team for the art community!

Art Cards Available Now with 15% Discount

ART CARDS and More

Hey, everyone's trying to save $$$$ these days! That I understand. This week (August 3 - 9) I'm offering a 15% discount on my Art Cards. You can use them for a greeting or a note. They are also suitable for framing and at a very affordable price, just $3.oo each. And, with this week's discount, only $2.55!

Here's a chance to save some money, buy some cards, and help support a local artist . . . read on for more information:

• 5 x 7 cards on Strathmore acid-free paper, print of original signed art on front, blank on inside, envelopes included.
• Sets or Individuals: 4 for $12 or 6 for $18/ $3 each.
• Set Themes: Irish Memories, Animal Friends, Seasons, Your Choice (Make your selection from the website gallery and specify on order.
• Christmas Cards: Plan ahead!
  

If you're interested, please e-mail me cski02@sbcglobal or give me a call: 210-522-00706. Thanks!! --Cindy

Oh, what a night! ARTZ '09 Reception in Schertz, Texas

Stella (left)

Mime

Paul and Cindy

ArtZ '09 Hightlights

I'm the kind of person who never wins a door prize. What $$$ I spent in Vegas, stayed in Vegas. And speaking of Vegas, I can almost hear Sinatra reminding me of my lousy luck with his jazzy number, "Luck be a lady tonight!" Well, that all changed with a night out in Schertz, Texas.

Oh, what a night! The ARTZ'09 Reception held at the Schertz Civic Center on July 30, 2009 from 6 to 9 p.m., brought out the best of everything . . . beautiful setting, great entertainment, wine and cheese along with other delightful nibbles, and of course, lots of fellow artists. From the moment I walked in the door, I knew my luck had changed. From the mime with the moving dessert table to the echoes of soft guitar music, I was enchanted. Stella Marroquin, a talented artist and coordinator for the first ArtZ show in Schertz, helped make this all possible. In good company, I also mixed with fellow pastel artists from the Texas Pastel Society: Rita Kirkman, Cathy Geib, and Wanda Meadors. It was a night to savor and remember. A true cut above the ho-hum average. Thanks go out to the Schertz Area ArtZ Council as well. As Ed Sullivan use to say, "A mighty big show!" Indeed. Way to go!

--Cindy Morawski, Landscape Painter

Video: Irish Landscape Paintings by Cindy Morawski

In July 2007, I traveled to Ireland with my husband Paul and some of my American family to attend the Nesbitt Reunion outside Belfast. I had already met my Irish Cousin Robena before, but I hadn't met my other Irish relatives. So with passport in hand and a feeling of anticipation that had come after years of yearning to see the Old Country, I flew from Newark to Belfast. After renting a car, we started our journey by touring Northern Ireland. The reunion was still a week away. One of the trip's highlights included a beautiful drive past sheep grazing along the coastal highway. We were headed to see the magnificent Giant's Causeway of County Antrim. After the family reunion, my family headed west to Sligo, home of poet and writer, William B. Yeats and more awesome landscapes, castles, estate gardens, and waterways. At Rosses Point, I remember gazing out at the harbor and wondering what it would have been like to set sail as an immigrant years ago, leaving everything you know and love behind in order to start a new life. It couldn't have been easy.

While I stayed in Ireland, I took what seemed to be at least a million pictures. Later after I returned home, my first project was in sorting them all out. Paul and I then proceeded to make a couple of videos from our movie camera and my digital camera. We shared those with the family at the next reunion which was held the following summer in Pittsburgh, PA. Meanwhile, I was chomping at the bit. I couldn't wait to get started with painting some of the scenes I fondly remembered from our trip. So, I started out with the grazing sheep and then moved on to water and ships. All the paintings are done with soft pastels.

The video with this blog features some of the paintings I've created of the Irish landscapes and set to the mood music of Enya. One of my paintings that's currently for sale at the Inspire Fine Art Center this week features a painting of Ireland, "Memories of County Antrim." Please feel free to stop by the Inspire Art Center on 1539 E. Sandalwood in San Antonio for the exhibit.

May the Luck of the Irish be with you always!

---Cindy

Discovering Mitchell Lake, a Pastel Landscape Painting

Did you know that there's a 1200 acre natural area located south of San Antonio? It's called the Audubon Center at Mitchell Lake. It includes a 600 acre lake, 215 acres of wetlands, and 385 acres of upland habitat. You can find it at 10750 Pleasanton Road in San Antonio off South Loop 410. It's open to the public on the weekends from 8 to 4 and only costs $2.

I discovered Mitchell Lake last summer. I found beautiful landscapes with water, grasses, trees, and birds. And, I didn't have to drive hundreds of miles to get there. I took my camera and enjoyed photographing the scenes of nature. Later, I sketched some of what I'd photographed, but didn't get around to painting a scene until this summer. Sometimes, it takes awhile for creativity to perk or simmer.

I painted my landscape entitled "Discovering Mitchell Lake" on a sanded Art Spectrum Painting Board that measures 12 x 16 using pastels. By accenting the foreground with the dark purple grasses, I also showed a contrast with the lighter values of the lake in the mid-ground and the trees in the background.

Our world continues to amaze me with its natural beauty and loveliness. By painting landscapes, I get a chance to appreciate nature and to also interpret it through my view as an artist.