Happy New Year's Eve everyone!
xoxo

Gifts and more gifts.

This week I found out that I'll have another show the entire month of February. I had an idea about showing with two other painters and mentioned it to a couple different gallery owners. One of them had the space and time. Details will be forthcoming.

Although I don't work Fridays, I spent the day in the office because it's the final business day before the calendar year ends and there are a few donors who like to give on the last day. I was in an email exchange with a donor who had forgotten he hadn't given this year and really wanted to donate. I responded that I could take his card # over the phone, and even sent him a link to our web donate page. He emailed back with his credit card # and donation amount saying he was currently in flight. In my 11.5 years at the Foundation, having a donor give while flying was a first. And it made it a super fun gift to process.

All the paintings from my last show are hanging out in the office. Yesterday, an artist whose work I totally love came in to choose a piece. She and I are doing an art trade.

Also on yesterday, I received an email out of the blue from someone who stumbled upon my website. He fell in love with the studio series. Today, he came in with his checkbook and spent a little time with all the work and purchased one of the 18"x24"s. Something felt truly perfect about ending the year with a painting sale. And it increases my moving fund.

Three mornings ago I'd been feeling kind of down and was talking about all of it with my therapist. That very afternoon things began to turn around. It's been a phenomenally difficult year with great losses in all aspects of my life. That is, except for the art. Painting seems to be the only place that's made big strides.

I'm looking forward to 2012.

My coworker's office...a little decorated.

I'm feeling incredibly better today. It was the first day in a week that I wasn't dealing with a crazy nasty hacking up a lung kind of cough. But, energy is still somewhat down and so no new photo. I've been going through my photo library this evening and here is an image I took in December 2007 of my all time thus far favorite place that became my public living room for many, many, many years...Cafe Septieme (RIP).

A darkened apartment
the lights of a little pink tree
steaming hot chocolate
in my Vermont snowman mug
curled up in a blanket
watching "Miracle on 34th Street"

the perfect way to end a Christmas Day when one is sick.

Merry Christmas everyone!

For the last three days I've been in the throes of the worse chest cold I've had in over five years. I was hoping it would be mostly gone by today because I had two wonderful gatherings to attend. But, walking down the stairs leaves me winded and coughing and the most I'll do it head to the grocery store later on for a little treat.

The downside is, this is probably my final Christmas in Seattle and I really wanted to share it with friends and loved ones. The upside is, not only have I not put on the holiday pounds but have lost a few.

I wish you all a wonderful holiday, filled with peace, joy, love and lots of silliness.

Just a few of my ornaments. I choose objects that remind me of people in my life, or of special times. Sometimes it will take me years to find the right one and so I don't rush it. They find me.

In honor of solstice...Raquel Welch and crazy costumes doing Aquarius and Let The Sunshine In.

It is solstice.

I brought my little tree home from the office. This is my kitchen/living room/studio. As I was setting it up, I thought of my sister who underwent a lumpectomy today. She has breast cancer. A little pink in my home is perfect right now.

My little pig with wings ornament.

Little angel ornament gifted to me by my Leather Mentor many years ago. I couldn't bear tucking her away for most of the year and so she's lived on my kitchen window sill.

A little Capitol Hill holiday cheer...

There is lots of magic in the air today.

A super quick little (3"x4") ink drawing.

And seeing it's the season, here is lovely little snowman video.

I really hate being sick. Nyquil, a hot bath, sudafed, iboprofen, vicks vapor rub, many cups of Gypsy Cold Care and Ginger teas, a pot of water simmering on the stove and for a treat...a slice of chocolate cream pie.

This photo of my used kleenex is probably the most creative thing I'll do all day.

The little pink tree, which used to reside in my studio during the winter, is now at home in my office, on my desk. The office is currently decorating for a holiday open house this evening. My cold has gotten worse and I'm currently at home but hope to make it in later for an hour. My coworker decorated her space with Garland garland. (I'm really crushed out on this)

I'm still pretty sick but this encourages me to do a little creating tonight.

The Photo Center NW was having a rummage sale today and I hoped to find a used tripod. So in spite of still being sick, I headed over there at 8 am, where I met a few friends, before returning home to rest. Sadly, no tripod.

Small whine: I hate being sick.

There is much I want to do and being down feels like time is slipping but I also know if I don't slow down and rest, then it will be worse.

My good friend and coworker J took this last night at the gallery reception. I was too busy chatting with folks to pull out my camera and so this is it for photos. So many wonderful folks stopped by, including a friend I haven't seen in about 8 years and 2 others who surprised me by driving in from Vancouver BC.

It all went well and I fell asleep satiated. That is, until I woke in the middle of the night quite sick and have spent the day curled up in a blanket. Sadly I needed to miss friends' open studios and also a party this evening.

Shot yesterday while walking past our new Cap Hill ice skating rink at Cal Anderson. Next week, I'm going skating!

Reception for my new show "Painter" this evening, from 5 - 7pm at Vermillion, 1508 11th Ave, Seattle on Capitol Hill. Work will be hanging all week. I'm pretty excited and I'll even wear a skirt tonight!

In other art news, I just completed this little painting, 8"x10", acrylic on canvas. I don't like painting in acrylics but it's for a group show in....Antartica! Our impressions of the region done in small pieces. I have to ship out the painting in the next couple weeks so it gets there in time.

I only used white, payne's grey, yellow ochre, and barely a smidge of cad red for this little piece.

Bodie, sitting in the extra chair right next to my desk...keeping me company while I work. I think he was a little cranky because normally he lays on my lap but I needed to focus on something and couldn't have the distraction, no matter how delightful.

Super busy putting a few finishing touches on the show. As I walked to the gallery this evening, my heart was full. I could see all the work from the sidewalk, looking into the big windows. It was pretty awesome.

Then, a wonderful dinner with Eric.

I love my life.

Show Announcement!


Statement:
"As a painter, culture warrior and avid observer, I paint in reaction to what captures my heart and eye. I’m moved by the way light plays with subjects that we tend to take for granted, or are so mundane they become invisible. I enjoy reworking the same view in different ways, ever curious as to how it can be transformed. Painting is my meditation; it contextualizes the journey of life’s constant change."

I invite you to join me for a reception of my show, Painter, featuring over 30 paintings from 3 different series, painted between 2009 - 2011, at Vermillion on Friday, Dec 9th from 5 - 7 pm.

Exhibition:
Tuesday, Dec 6 - Saturday, Dec 17.
(The exhibit will not be available for viewing on Thursday Dec 8 due to an event)

Address:
Vermillion
1508 11th Ave
Seattle, WA 98112

with love,
Marie
www.mariegagnon.com


The Bleeding Vessels series, 2009 - 2010

Fifteen years ago I began immersing myself in still life painting. In working cups and bottles and jars and bowls, I became acutely aware that I was painting vessels and noted that we, as humans, are such vessels. Giving and taking. Holding and sharing. Relationships. How we position ourselves in a group or outside of it. With time, still life almost entirely disappeared from my work; in June of 2009, I began again. The Bleeding Vessels series embodies my efforts to marry raw, reactive painting with the accessibility of still life.

Healing from a life-rending breakup, my ongoing meditation was on relationships: transparency, walls, boundaries or lack thereof. How much of ourselves do we reveal to another, or when is it appropriate to hide? How do we relate to our deepest self or to the one we call intimate? How much of our history do we expose? What creates chaos? Drama? How do we fit? Where is the peace?

These paintings were born from my grief. In an attempt to reconcile the complicated and contradicting circumstances surrounding an exceptional relationship, I paint to try to make sense.


The Viaduct series, 2010 - 2011

I've loved the viaduct ever since I moved to Seattle and so explored it before it was gone forever. There is something intriguing in this solid structure that is disintegrating: a massive presence and the light that comes through the heaviness. It offers direction and yet, it's slowly crumbling.


The Studio Series, 2011

This series began in August after receiving the news from the city that we were required to evacuate the 619 Western building six months earlier than planned. I needed to honor what had become my haven. The Sophia Room has opened her arms and provided a sanctuary in a time when I desperately needed one. The studio has been a holding tank for creativity and for intimacy. It's been a safe place that offered healing and this series is an homage to such a sacred space.

omg...I am so damned tired today. I've only slept about 4 hours each night for the last few nights...waking very early because my brain is moving far too fast and therefore couldn't return to sleep.

Lack of sleep lends itself to being freezing cold. I'm curled up in a blanket, with the heat cranked and the oven on (with the door open) to not shiver.

On top of it, I spent about 11 hours yesterday prepping and then hanging a buttload of paintings for my new show. Invite coming up in a bit.

It's an exciting time and yet tonight, I hope, hope, hope I can sleep a solid eight hours.

Mt. Rainier.

Going through photos I found this one. Shot about a month ago as we were zooming down the road. I wasn't driving. :-)

HIV30: 30 Years, 30 Stories from Magpie Suddenly on Vimeo.

Early morning sunlight in the office.

Yesterday I was so sick that I needed to leave the office. It was anxiety-making because there is much to do this week and I can't afford to be ill. This morning I woke feeling much better.

Here is what my office currently looks like. Piles of paintings. Bodie, the westie, is a little annoyed because that black chair is his chair. My space has become a temporary storage of paintings for a show at Vermillion, featuring three of my series, that has me pretty stoked. There are also larger paintings on the walls and in my assistant's office. I'll be hanging the work on Sunday and details will be coming soon.

I've slowly begun cleaning and sorting through various closets and shelves so come February, I'm not crazed. I found my xmas ornaments that I haven't seen in seven years. There were some old paintings on paper, my diplomas, a box of memories, a bag of little red vigil lights that used to be on my former Mentor's altar, which he gifted to me, and a big box of bears that I haven't seen in almost a decade. These are the two from that box I opted to keep.

This evening happily consists of tomato soup and saltines while working on some watercolor drawings.

Very restful day consisting of further preparations for a show in mid-December, more explorations in ink, and salad with apples and balsamic. And tiramisu.

This photo is part 1 of my Thanksgiving. Appetizers at a friend's home (the chef from the Hopvine, Michael Congdon and his partner Bryan). I left before the actual dinner because I was headed to other friend's for turkey. On the table, cheeses, 3 kinds of breads, olives, little oak cakes with slices of duck and homemade apple/cranberry topping...and three kinds of deviled eggs. Duck eggs with salmon mousse and poppy seeds. Chicken eggs, traditionally deviled. And quail eggs with truffle, sour cream and topped with caviar. And what was yet on the table was a delicious rabbit mousse topped with apples.

Michael is a vegetarian and yet somehow, intuitively concocts some pretty brilliant meat dishes.

For part 2 I headed to Roger K and David's to meet up with other good friends for more amazing food, including turkey. It was wonderful spending the time with my loving peeps.

Satiated, stomach and emotions…it was a very good day.

I hope today was rich for all of you.

A snippet from a wonderful dinner party I attended last night. It was a perfect evening after a very long work day.
Thanks guys!

Pioneer Square. I love this area.

Here is some impromptu dancing on a Capitol Hill street corner...

...and here is a bragging proud aunt moment...


My niece, Sarah Charles, in addition to working with her own jazz quartet, also gigs with other musicians. She has been working with Enoch Smith Jr and is the featured vocalist on his brand new cd, released last week.

Marc Myers, who writes frequently on music, art and architecture for the Wall Street Journal also has a blog focused on jazz: www.jazzwax.com.
On Sunday he wrote a review of Smith's new cd.

From Mr. Myers' blog:

CD discoveries of the week:

If you miss Amy Winehouse, you'll find traces of her sound in Sarah Elizabeth Charles, the female vocalist on Enoch Smith Jr.'s Misfits (Music4MyPeople). Actually, Charles' voice is stronger, prettier and less cranky. And if Charles' all-in vocals aren't enough, wait until you hear pianist Smith, his eight originals and his arrangements throughout. There's a story-telling, gospel vibe here, but with enormous soul. Joining Smith and Charles are bassist Noah Jackson and drummer Sangmin Lee, who frame Smith perfectly with sensitivity and tenderness. Dig Wise Man, I Want You and I Won't Complain. This is new jazz at its best.


If interested, you can preview and purchase Misfits at CDBaby, found at this link: www.cdbaby.com/cd/enochsmithjr1

morning after...

Fifteen years ago, while in the throes of a painting fellowship, I came to the realization that everything we create is a self portrait. It is all auto-biographical. It doesn't matter if a conscious (or unconscious) choice is made to emotionally detach from your work, that choice as well...is telling.

I am excited about moving east and know it's perfect for me at this time. And yet, the huge anxiety in finding employment is overshadowing my joy of creating an adventure.

With all the changes and living in the midst of great unknown, I've been feeling loss, anxiety as well as a sense of renewal. Conflicting emotions. Normally I can ground myself in my art but even that, albeit temporarily, has changed. Instead of my warm blanket of messy oils and the comforting smell of linseed, I've been rediscovering paper, ink and water media.

In the last few days I've been working on intentionally allowing myself to just be lost and let it be alright. The way for me to do that...is to let myself be okay with confusion in the art. Navigating murkiness on paper will offer connection in other aspects of my life. It means implicitly trusting myself regardless of what I see in the rest of the world.