Posted 7/22/2009

Dear Friends,

This past year has been challenging for a variety of reasons -- the loss of friends and family members as well as the challenging economy has been tough. So, I took a break from this newsletter as I've been processing these changes.

Processing  for me is a combination of time, art and exercise. Working on my Madonna series, learning printmaking at Atelier 6000, and being out in nature running, skiing or stand up paddle boarding have gotten me through the sad feelings and helped me to keep my balance in the present moment.

Years ago an art  teacher made the off-hand remark that no matter what the changes had been in his life, art was always his friend and had gotten him through everything. Mostly, I was mystified by what he meant, but now that I'm older, I've realized that through the practice of art I've learned to both love myself and others more fully. The practice of art is a meditation which puts the artist alone with her/his work. During the course of making art, there are always moments when the artist is aware of both complete isolation and complete connection. It is a beautiful paradox.

Another paradox is that life goes on despite whatever seems to stop us in our tracks. Helping his friend through such a period, my friend Cameron Clark commissioned me to help a group of young people create a 15' long mural for the family of a young man who passed on. Working on the mural, his friends got a chance to live consciously with their feelings of grief and share them openly without any heavy expectations or the sense that they had to do or be any particular way. They were hanging with his spirit. It was a beautiful thing that I'm the richer for being part of. Thank you Cameron.

I'm also thankful to have a new exhibit. El Museo Cultural in Santa Fe, New Mexico is exhibiting Summer 2009, my series: Reshaping the Divine - Contemporary Hispanic Retablos Exploring the Divine Feminine. The exhibit is getting positive press coverage. I am looking for galleries to represent this work, so if you know of one, please forward this link to the exhibit.

When I'm not painting or learning printmaking, I'm color consulting for residential and commercial clients. So many people have been writing me for advice that I started a new blog titled, Color Conversations that is only about color. My general blog, Create and Relate will feature some of those posts as well as anything else I'm writing.

I hope that you have a beautiful summer.

Enjoy,

Cristina