Thursday, October 22, 2015

Dutch Treat

Hello to you and welcome back!  It has been two months since I last posted on my blog. Lots has happened since the end of August.  I moved from Omaha, Nebraska to the Pacific Northwest and have been slowly getting settled, unpacked, and organized.  Here is a peek into my art studio.  It feels so good to finally have a place in which to create art again! 

Currently I am working on a commission for a nurse from Omaha who wants me to do a work in pencil of a chapel from the private college she attended in Yankton, South Dakota. Here is a glimpse of the beginning structure:
Getting the perspective accurate plays a crucial focus in these beginning stages!

So what is the Dutch Treat aspect of this blog?  The community I live in is called Lynden and a large segment of the population come from Dutch immigrants.  One sign leading into the town makes the claim of being a little bit of Holland in Washington.  Here's some photos that give the feel of my neighborhood:

This Dutch heritage brings with it a love of culture and fine arts. Think Rembrandt and Vermeer.  This past week was the Lynden Music Festival and Sunday I enjoyed getting in on the final performances of some great talent.  I share some of that with you via these video clips:

The first was a terrific performance by the Western Washington University All Male Choir:


The second video is of Marja Kaisla from Finland who taught master classes in piano here during the week, as well as performing numerous times:


The third video clip is of the Borealis Brass from Fairbanks, Alaska:


Wherever you live, make time to nourish your life with the Arts in your community.  Better yet, nourish others by creating some of your own!  I leave you with these words from a great educator, Dr. Frank E. Gaebelein, headmaster of the Stony Brook School on Long Island, NY:  
When it comes to the kind of things that make up our cultural environment and when it comes to our relationship with each other, the arts are the business of us all.  Why?  Because each of us has in one way or another an aesthetic faculty.  Because we each have in some measure the capability of responding to artistic expression.

~~~~~~~


                                    Be brave and courageous!


















2 comments:

  1. Your studio space is looking good! Very cozy. That neighborhood seems really interesting, too!
    Frances

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Frances! It seemed to take a discouragingly long time to get to the organized part. But am enjoying it now.

      Delete