Spring has finally made a long-awaited arrival, and I have been doing some quick watercolor studies of birds and flowers. Since I often don’t get around to posting here because it takes time to write out a post, I will from time to time just post pictures of my work without much description. These are all 5″ x 7″ done in my studio, the birds from photos and direct observation with the Bluebird and Goldfinch, the roses mostly from imagination, as I think about warm days to come with the fragrance of flowers mingling with birdsong.
I will have three paintings hanging and six matted pieces in the Maplebrook School Art Show this year. This annual show is a fundraiser for the school, which specializes in serving students with learning challenges on its beautiful campus in Amenia, NY. The funds raised this year will go toward a new art gallery and scholarships. The show is always coupled with a Kentucky Derby Party, with mint juleps, a BIG HAT contest, and screens for watching the Derby live on bog screens.
The opening reception is Saturday May 5 from 4:00 to 7:30 at The Maplebrook School- 5142 Route 22, Amenia, NY. The theme this year is “Just Imagine,” and there is always a wonderful variety of beautiful artwork. I hope to see some familiar faces!
I’ll be one of two artist program leaders at the annual Acadia Artist Retreat. This is a retreat, not a workshop, so you will have a wonderfully relaxing week with hours of free time to paint at beautiful Acadia National Park on Schoodic Peninsula (or over on Mount Desert Island, if you prefer). There will be optional ranger-led educational walks and programs, as well as a couple of helpful artist information sharing sessions (one led by Jana Matusz, the other artist program leader, and one led by me). We also plan optional indoors painting opportunities for evenings and/or inclement weather, including painting taxidermy models, life drawing at a nearby studio, and more.
Lodging and all meals are included, and meal times are good times for connecting and sharing ideas and inspiration with the other participants. All art skill levels and mediums are welcome! See pdf below for more information and to register.
Acadia Artist Retreat lobster dinnerSchoodic Peninsula rocks with Mount Desert Island in background
I’m excited to be leading a “Sketching as Prayer” retreat in October at Holy Cross Monastery. Lodging in comfortable rooms that were formerly monk’s cells and all meals are included (the monastery has a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef who prepares delicious meals). See the link below or email me (melissafischerartist@gmail.com) for more information.
“Since all life is holy, we don’t want to let it pass by unnoticed. We give our attention as fully as we can to what we are doing at the moment and to what is going on around us. Being present here and now helps us to be mindful of the continuing presence of God. “(from Order of Holy Cross’s Associates Rule)
While most of us would like to be mindful of God’s presence, it is often difficult to notice that which is quiet and subtle. God more often whispers than shouts and leaves fingerprints for us to seek rather than neon lights flashing in our faces. Sketching can be a pathway to being present here and now, seeing those fingerprints in the world around us, and becoming aware of God’s presence. And in the process we are drawn into prayer, either with words or in silent communion with the Master Artist.
In this retreat we will open our sketchbooks, eyes, and hearts to God’s presence in his creation. We will cover the basics of sketching to capture the essence of a subject, whether person, animal, or landscape, and look with eyes of faith into the world to see God’s touch all around us, as we enter into prayer through the pages of our sketchbooks.
