AT THE CANTOR'S CONFERENCE LAST WEEK

ORA Artist Judith Hankin had a beautiful display of her paper cuts and her etched glassware. 


Four ORA artists offered artwork for sale. I'll post more pictures soon!

New Work from Sharon Segal

This is one of my favorite paintings in Sharon Segal's newest collection of paintings.

A tribute to the great Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (z"l); scholar, teacher and humanitarian.  I love the diverse components:  the prayer shawl, Torah text and his wise face glowing in the light of Torah. Notice how the Tallit clips set off the painting with just the right spark of color.

Sharon's work is available for sale....check the ORA website for contact information. Sharon also has a blog featuring her delightful greeting cards! Check it out!  http://sharonsegalsart.blogspot.com/

We've Got a Winner!

We're so proud of our Sabina Wohlfeiler, who recently won an award in the Oregon Symphony 2012-13 Photo Contest!!  Her beautiful photo was taken on a bike trip to the Gulf Islands.

Here's what Sabina says about this picture:

Charles Ives' "Unanswered Question" has long been a favorite of mine.  The first time I had an opportunity to hear it performed LIVE was with our wonderful Oregon Symphony.  I was spellbound by the beauty of their interpretation.

This image, taken on a recent bicycle trip to the Gulf Islands, has visual elements in it that echo musical elements used by  Ives.  The landform at the right pierces the stillness on the water much the same way as the trumpet pierces the near silence,  stating Ives' "question".  The form on the left begins with a small point and grows larger and stronger, becoming the most intense part of the image.  This corresponds to the woodwinds' increasingly intense "response" to the question.

I believe that the language of art is universal.   Whether stated visually or musically, it is available to everyone!

Well-said, Sabina!

WE'RE GROWING!!!!!

We're looking for a great pop-up space.....can you help us?

CELEBRATION OF ART 2012 will look a good bit different this year! (we hope)


We are looking for a pop up space in a retail or warehouse space that will allow our expanded membership a better opportunity to  display and sell their art.


IF YOU KNOW OF AN AVAILABLE SPACE....please contact oraartists@gmail.com


Our research tells us that properties that have been sitting vacant usually rent or lease quickly after they have been used as a pop up space. Potential tenants see the space being used and witness the healthy foot traffic.   CAN YOU HELP US OUT?


* see the earlier posting to learn who our newest members are!

MORE ABOUT ROBIN ATLAS:

Robin's work can be seen is some detail via a slide show on the Orange County JCC gallery site.


CHECK HER OUT!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.jccoc.org/cultural-arts/slutzky-art-gallery/


We'll do a separate blog feature on all our artists as the year progresses...but in the meantime....
WELCOME TO ORA, ROBIN!

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!!!!!!!

       * pictured above is a small sample of a textile by  Robin Atlas




   ORA IS THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE 
          OUR NEWEST MEMBERS!


Our little artist guild is growing and we are so delighted to see this new talent join us. We will learn and grow together!


WELCOME:
Robin Atlas, textiles
Linda Bourne, ceramics/clay
Jonas Blaut, stone sculpture
Hank Keeton, photography
Jonathon Lietz, acrylics & watercolors
Bob Sorkin, photography


In addition, we want to congratulate the following guest artists who successfully juried into our annual Celebration of Art Show coming this November:


Daniel Florea, gouache and oil painting
Harriet Levi, painting
Naomi Abrams Reinstein, collage
Brauna Ritchie, mixed media with glass
Wendy Steinberg, oil painting

Painting Upside-Down

                         

Sabina Wohlfeiler writes....

I still love watercolors.  The luminosity, the transparency, the immediacy, and the magical mixing of water, pigment, and artist intention will forever please me.  But I very much dislike matting and framing and transporting my finished watercolors.  In spite of great care and cushioning, my last two shows had shattered glass episodes.  "Enough!" I said.

It was time to overcome my biases against acrylic painting and learn how to use the medium with success and satisfaction.  I enrolled in a beginning painting class at PSU with Brendan Clenaghen http://www.pulliamgallery.com/Artist-Detail.cfm?ArtistsID=176. 

Yes, I've been painting for over 20 years, but I'm a raw beginner with acrylics.  Most of the others in the class were decades younger, but they had far more experience with acrylics.  I loved being around their youthful energy and readily accepted their generously offered suggestions, as I struggled to get a handle on the paint properties.  Brendan provided the perfect mix of structure, breathing room, encouragement and humor.  I was so sorry to see the class come to an end, after 10 rewarding weeks (60 hours of class time).

BUT….. I have six new paintings which satisfy me and show a steady progress toward my goal.  In fact, I surprised myself with several artistic breakthroughs, the most dramatic of which was enjoying painting upside down!  I turned my reference photo upside down and thus tricked my brain into seeing JUST SHAPES.   The images flowed from my brush with relative ease, making for a much more pleasurable painting experience.  And during the process there was a shift, when I actually became an instrument of the image, allowing me to facilitate, more than direct, its appearance on the canvas!  I think that's referred to as being in a state of "flow". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_%28psychology%29

All of the paintings were impressions of people I saw on a recent trip to Cuba.  The University of Wisconsin Alumni Association sent me an e-mail, advertising a government sanctioned, ARTS-focused trip, an offer I could not refuse. http://www.uwalumni.com/voice_march12_cuba.aspx.   This was perhaps the most interesting and informative of my recent travels.  The most lasting impression I had was of the lovely spirit and energy of the Cuban people (and their incredible music!), which thrives in spite of dire economic conditions, crumbling buildings, the collapse of Russia, and the continuation of our damaging embargo.

The painting here is of a pair of Cuban boys caught in a sunny-day's rainstorm.  I intend to show these paintings, and others, at ORA's upcoming Celebration of Art in October.