Lost Dreams

This past Sunday, I attended the 14th annual "Season of Peace" holiday party at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. This is a party held for the families of murdered children. For a couple of years I have been one of many artists who volunteer to paint portraits of the victims as part of the "Lost Dreams on Canvas" project. The portraits are given to the families and reproductions of these paintings are exhibited at schools and other venues. The party is an opportunity for these families to come together in a difficult season to honor and remember their lost family members. The new portraits are presented and there is entertainment and activities for the children. It's a very emotional event. (You can read a column by Daniel Rubin about this event.) This year I was moved and honored when I was given a "Rich Montgomery Hero of Peace Award" in recognition of the work I had done painting these portraits. The portrait above is of Lamar Robinson, 19 years old.

More Painting and Poetry

John Timpane and I had so much fun with the collaboration for the Poetry show at the Sherry French Gallery in April, we wanted to keep it going a little longer. John submitted our painting/poetry to a wonderful on-line literary magazine, "The Wild River Review" . We are included in the new issue. Make sure to take some time to look through the rest of the issue. Joy Stocke, the executive editor, has created a magnificent publication.


DECEMBER TIDE, CASCO BAY

Where it all
Where the open is
Where shriek where tick
Where slopes of chance
Where slow evade
Where erode
Where surge withdraw
Where electric concentrate
Where sink
Where decay lace
Where the torn foam
Where reeds incline
Where the edge the ecotone
Where to osmose
Where brevity wave sinews
Where through sieve mud light
Where salt meets the sweetness of the burn
Where dawn shifts evening
Where rags of possible
Where press filter quiets
Where what tiniest organic infinite
Where spawn tang of estuarial sump
Where tidal diffusion song cluster
Where only rise
Where it begins


This painting, "December Tide, Casco Bay" and John Timpane's poem were not included in the April exhibit in New York, so it's nice to have them appear together in Wild River Review.

"Painting = Poetry"

Every year, Sherry French Gallery celebrates Poetry Month with a themed exhibition. "Painting = Poetry--ut pictura poesis" is a group show. This show is hanging through April 21, 2007. Each artist was asked to provide a poem that relates to the painting. I asked my friend John Timpane, author of "Poetry for Dummies", to write something for me and he wrote four exquisite poems for me. This one was inspired by the painting above, "Nonnie's Oak, New Hope".


Nonnie's Oak, New Hope

Fear stood oaken
In a meadow
Gathering to storm
Upward into a sky
Of trouble.

John Timpane

"Flowers in February"

January 31st through February 24th, 2007
Opening Reception for the Artists:
Saturday February 3rd from 1 to 4 pm

Sherry French Gallery
601 West 26th Street
13th floor
New York, New York 10001-1101
212-647-8867
sherryfrench@earthlink.net

"The Four Seasons"

Contemporary Landscapes and Sculptures

January 3 - 27, 2007
Opening Reception for the Artists:
Saturday, January 6th from 1 to 4 pm


Sherry French Gallery
601 West 26th Street
13th floor
New York, NY 10001-1101