My Nemesis!

For the past two weeks, I have been painting a 36" x 36" canvas for my Passages Between Two Worlds exhibition and as soon as I thought it was finished, I had a spark of madness!!

This piece is called " My Nemesis" inspired by a sculpture of my artist friend Erika Takacs. It took about 3 months to come up with the concept and how to assemble my ideas.  I decided on a mixed media piece and started collecting materials to help tell my story.

Paint, assembly, collage... work work work...then two days ago, I decided to add another layer of mixed media which took the painting into a place I did not want it to go.  It went too far!!! Crap! I lost my initial layers and lost some of the technical work I wanted to convey.  I was mad! Frustrated with myself.

But giving up is not an option... I kept on working on it, until today, 2 days later, it has morphed into a combination of the past work mixed with new.  It looked and felt it is now finished.  It has been reborn!!

Come to think of the title of the piece, "My Nemesis",.  led me to think that I am my worst enemy, and that if I focussed on the negative, I am unsure how things would have gone?  I focussed on the positive and saw the opportunity to turn the painting around....


Till the next time...
Marissa

My palette for "Nemesis"

 

 

Paintings here - there - everywhere!

This month has been a month of painting meander! Last May 6th,  I took 8 paintings to display at the Body and Wellness Family Chiropractic Clinic in Ajax, which will run for two months through the Art in Public Places project of the PineRidge Arts Council.   On May 10th, I picked up 9 paintings from Stax Gallery, Hamilton which will unfortunately close down their doors in the next few months.  May 12th, I picked up 10 paintings at the Whitby Chamber of Commerce, which was on display since last February.

All these movements with  paintings do take time.  From planning pieces to display, labelling, packaging and transporting... everything takes time.  Then once in the location, set-up and hanging could take a few hours.  Then once the display is over, gathering the pieces, packing them properly and bringing them back to my studio to organize and store.

For the most part, most establishments have great people to help you get everything set up and hanged.  Most of those helping the artist get set up is voluntary.  In my case, at the Chiropractic Clinic, Dr. Robbie Berman personally worked with me to hang my pieces!  Now how cool is that?! Thanks Dr. Robbie!

However, there are risks in displaying your art here - there  and everywhere!  Last February, 14 paintings of mine on display at Rawlicious Restaurant in Whitby was at risk!  The pub beside Rawlicious caught fire and was burnt down.  My paintings on display rested on the wall where the fire was located. My pieces are now with restorers, apparently with smoke and water damage.  Up to this writing, I have not seen my paintings and it is worrying me.  The only saving grace is that the restaurant owner told me that everything in their restaurant is covered by their insurance.

 

I do hope to hear from them soon!!

Marissa

May Flowers

Looks like spring is really here.  Today, I went for a walk at 10 a.m. and the sun was warm, cool fresh air and enjoyed a delightful sight of budding plants and tree buds!  Later on in the afternoon though it rained which is expected and will certainly get the green grass coming!  Today was technically a 'day-off'.  I wasn't working at Curry's and I wasn't teaching!  So this was a full day to paint.  The walk just got me going to a good start!

I made a schedule for myself particularly because I want to make sure I am on track with my getting all my work done for the Passage Between Two Worlds exhibition coming up on July 18th at the Aurora Cultural Centre.   I am starting to feel the pressure of getting things done.

When this project started 2 years ago, it was but a dream.  Last year, I started work on my paintings but was more in a relaxed state!  I even had time to go to the Philippines for a vacation.... but now, it is coming close. 

Two weeks ago, Erika and I went to the Aurora Centre to re measure the gallery height for our big installation piece.  The drive and afternoon we took to get there was productive as we got to talk to the head curator and the gallery installer, even without an appointment.  They are all so nice!!!

Can't wait....11 weeks to be exact! 

Time to get my whip cracking! 
Marissa

Working at the studio

Save-the-Date

Yesterday, both Erika and I went to The Aurora Cultural Centre to take more measurements required for our installation piece.  This collaboration will be the focal point of our 2-artist exhibition and sale, which will open on July 18th and runs until September 12th.

We are both so excited for this show and are working hard to get everything ready!

Our show called " Passages between two Worlds " is a collaboration project that explores our artistic journey, which encompasses personal backgrounds with social-cultural values.  I am a Filipino-Canadian, while Erika is Hungarian-Canadian.  Although Asian and European cultures by birth, it was striking to see a lot of similarities between both backgrounds.

Of course, there are also dissimilarities, but this was not a hindrance, but rather a rich conversation that continue to inspire our work most of which is reflected in this show.

We envision the show to strike a conversation between two and three dimensional work.

Our show opens on July 18th from 1-4p.m. at Aurora Cultural Centre, 22 Church Street, Aurora, Ontario L4G1G4. www.auroraculturalcentre.ca

Painting - by Marissa Sweet SCA " The Door"
Sculpture - by Erika Takacs, "The Arrival"

Art for Change

This month has been a great month to show that Art can make a significant contribution to society.  The first fundraiser, Art for Change is in cooperation with Cultural Expressions Art Gallery, in Ajax.  This fundraiser is geared towards helping Luke's Place, www.lukesplace.ca a family law support centre that provides family law services for abused women and children.  Today was the opening at the gallery and I am honoured to participate as one of the artists that would give % of sales of original art work towards this centre.

 

 

The second fundraiser is with The Station Gallery, Whitby.  "Drawing for Art" is an annual fundraiser that helps support the gallery's outreach program. www.whitbystationgallery.com  I am honoured and proud to be able to support and assist in any way to help make this world a better place with my paintings.

Sunny Side of the Street

Spring is almost here.  It's March 13th, a Friday and I just finished a painting on this bright sunny day.  What could be more wrong, blue skies, cool air, -6 C, sunny skies, spring like weather???

I started this painting on Monday and worked at it diligently when time permits.  Here it is!

Sunny Side of the Street
Acrylic
18 x 24
$275.00

Been Busy Bee

Its been a while since I posted last and my apologies to all that have come here with nothing new to read.  Bah... been a busy bee....

Buzz buzz... teaching a lot.  New teaching spots opened up for me last fall and continued on to Winter 2015.  Beginner's Acrylic classes are full and with a waitlist at both Northview Centre and Whitby Seniors!  My Open studio at my home still have a full load of 10 artists coming in to paint with me on Tuesday and Thursday nights!  Plus back in Visual Arts Centre in Clarington with my Abstraction classes every Thursdays have kept me away from trouble!!

My entry to the 47th National Open Juried show for the Society of Canadian Artists' was accepted!!!  This is "Category 5" which is part of my Hope Series. 

This July, I am gearing up for a 2-man show at the Aurora Cultural Centre with sculptor/visual artist, Erika Tacaks!  More news to follow in a few weeks .. so stay tuned...

I won't be gone for long!

Marissa