NOW SHOWING

I have 28 paintings on view and for sale at Pachamama's a fabulous dining and drinking establishment in downtown Lawrence. I'll be present at the exhibit next Friday evening during Lawrence's Final Fridays event. This is some WOW STUFF - I  am proud to say.

Come see me and meet what I do.

Final Fridays are from 5 - 8

(many venues open later)

on the last Friday of every month.

Final Fridays gallery walk to be held in downtown Lawrence on the last Friday of every month.


With over a dozen commercial galleries and numerous retailers, restaurants and even empty store fronts, downtown Lawrence comes alive for Final Fridays. Over 35 locations participate with visual art, fine craft art, performances and more.


The Downtown Lawrence Arts District is a collaborative effort by the Lawrence Arts Center, Downtown Lawrence, Inc., the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission.


Final Fridays gallery walk to be held in downtown Lawrence on the last Friday of every month.


With over a dozen commercial galleries and numerous retailers, restaurants and even empty store fronts, downtown Lawrence comes alive for Final Fridays. Over 35 locations participate with visual art, fine craft art, performances and more.


http://downtownlawrenceartsdistrict.org/

Beauty

“What is the great passion of your life?” I asked.


“Beauty,” he [Walter Russell] replied without hesitation. “Beauty and worthiness to live life as a masterful interpreter of the Light.”


“What do you mean by beauty?” I asked.


“Perfection of rhythm, balanced perfection of rhythm. Everything in Nature is expressed by rhythmic waves of light. Every thought and action is a light-wave of thought and action. If one interprets the God within one, one’s thoughts and actions must be balanced rhythmic waves. Ugliness, fears, failures and diseases arise from unbalanced thoughts and actions. Therefore thing beauty always if one desires vitality of body and happiness.”


(Glenn Clark: The Man Who Tapped the Secrets of the Universe, p 43)

Great Art is Simple

Great art is simple. My universe is great art, for it is simple.

Great art is balanced. My universe is consummate art, for it is balanced simplicity.

My universe is one in which many things have majestic measure; and again another many have measure too fine for sensing. Yet I have not one law for majestic things, and another low for things which are beyond the sensing.

I have but one law for all My opposed pairs of creating things: and that law needs but one word to spell it out, so hear Me when I say that the one word of My one law is Balance. And if man needs two words to aid him in his knowing of the workings of that law, these two words are Balanced Interchange.

If man still needs more words to aid his knowing of My one law, give to him another one, and let those three words be Rhythmic Balanced Interchange.

(Walter and Lao Russell, Home Study Course in Cosmic Consciousness, Unit 4, Lesson 13)

What is Art?

What makes someone a master artist is not technical ability per se, but rather the soul qualities that reflect the Soul of Cosmic Mind. … The Soul alone can give out love. The body can render a perfect technical reproduction, but if the love nature of God is not in it, it is not art, for the art of anything is not in the skill of rendering a visible or audible thing but in the beauty and love that only the stillness of the Light of the Soul can give. And herein lies the difference between the genius of the master and soulless mediocrity.


(Walter and Lao Russell, Home Study Course in Cosmic Consciousness , Unit 1, Lesson 2)

Primarily True

Afternoon at the Museum

media spree continues

News clipping

 

Smokin’ Hot Art

 

For Immediate Release July 28, 2010

International Touring Art Exhibition

Contemporary Color:

The Art of Debra Clemente

Viewer comments: 

“Clemente is on fire!”

“Brilliant. Just Brilliant”

“Spectacular Show.”

“I’m glad they didn’t wait tell she was dead.”

“Stunning graphics”

“I love her color!”

“The depth and breadth of Clemente’s work far exceeds her years.”

“I’m impressed!”

“I bought each of her three books!”

“So much more than meets the eye!’

“She’s my favorite artist.”

“Did you see the artist? Now, she’s smokin’ hot!”

 

Exhibition schedule inquires e-mail art@artistdeb.com.

BIG AS A BARN

higher calling

 

To become truly immortal, a work of art must escape all human limits: logic and common sense will only interfere. But once these barriers are broken, it will enter the realms of childhood visions and dreams.
::: Giorgio de Chirico :::

A sincere artist is not one who makes a faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries to create something which is, in itself, a living thing.
::: William Dobell :::

All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness.
::: Eckhart Tolle :::

Whether I'm painting or not, I have this overweening interest in humanity. Even if I'm not working, I'm still analyzing people.
::: Alice Neel :::

I dream a lot. I do more painting when I'm not painting. It's in the subconscious.
::: Andrew Wyeth :::

INSPIRED

The man who arrives at the doors of artistic creation with none of the madness of the Muses would be convinced that technical ability alone was enough to make an artist... what that man creates by means of reason will pale before the art of inspired beings. (Plato)

Einstein said it

One should not pursue goals that are easily achieved. One must develop an instinct for what one can just barely achieve through one's greatest efforts.

- Albert Einstein

I'M RETRO

As a kid I always considered my parents old and anything 
they liked "old fashioned". 
Now I am at the half way point 
of this great life of mine 
and don't feel old yet. 
Heck the clothes I wore as a kid 
are hip now - 

I'M RETRO BABY 
AND PROUD OF IT.

CUZIMTHEBOSSAME

I can do what I want “BECAUSE I’M THE BOSS OF ME.”

I remind myself of this often. When I am painting and pause to question a color choice I’ve made I remind myself that I can do what I want - CUZIMTHEBOSSAME. When I say it I love to run it all together like that. It feels good coming off my tongue and makes me smile. It reminds me how clever I am and that I am responsible for my life and my choices.

So, if I want to paint late into the wee hours of the morning I can – CUZIMTHEBOSSAME. And if I want to sleep in the next morning I can  - CUZIMTHEBOSSAME.

This morning while rummaging through the frig looking for good stuff to add to a breakfast burrito, I spied celery. Hmm, would celery be good in the burrito? I’ve never heard of anyone putting celery in their eggs but why not? I don’t see any reason it wouldn’t be good. I could sauté some celery with the onion, pepper, and bits of steak. Sounds good to me.

Sure, I can do whatever I want  - CUZIMTHEBOSSAME! Then I smiled a quirky little smile of satisfaction. What a clever girl am I.

I painted this for you

My husband poked his head in my studio checking up on me. “Is that painting for somebody or just a painting?” He inquired. My reply was quick and adamant. “Oh, it’s for somebody. We just don’t know who yet.” When I’m painting it’s not my concern where the painting will ultimately find it’s home. My task is to bring it into this world.

Delicious 

I believe more and more that each of the paintings I produce have their own destiny, a purpose for life beyond the walls of my studio. It’s as though I’m the medium or conduit for an idea that need expressing. These ideas seem to come through me and to me more than being of me. It’s exciting to think it’s all part of a grander scheme.
It’s the same for the way the names of the paintings come to me. Sometimes they are named during the painting process. I’ll find myself repeating a word or phrase over and over as I paint. “Delicious, delicious, delicious”, I murmur. My mouth watering over the vibrant magenta hues in the iris painting developing before me. Then as if someone has snapped their fingers I come out of my trance and say out loud “Why that’s your name, “Delicious!”
Other times, after the painting is complete I will stand back to take it in anew. Whatever comes to me, I go with. I don't argue or debate what I am given. I have too many paintings in my head yet to come to concern myself to long with or debate about titles. The really fun thing of it is I’ve found that these inspired names are part of the magic.


“Sunshine Grows In Kansas”, yeah, that’s your name. I told field of sunflowers just fresh from my easel. I had the perfect frame too, a heavy guy. It was a frame style closeout deal from my supplier. Only one left and I got it at a great price. The massive dark wood frame was much different than my typical frame choices, very stately one might say. Together it was a match made it heaven, but there is more to this story. more…

Resolving versus Finishing

When I have resolved all the issues that bother me in a painting I am done. Note I say that “I am done”, not that the painting is finished.

As my artistic vision has matured I have come to the understanding that including too many well defined details makes for a boring work of art. I like each work to have an air of mystery and intrigue which invites the viewers involvement.

I liken this idea to the reading of a novel versus seeing the movie version of the same story. The reader of a story is required to be an active participant using their imagination to interpret what is suggested. The movie version of the same tale has been interpreted by the director so the viewer is just that, a viewer, not a participant.

So, as I continue to resolve my “art issues” I invite you to use your imagination as well. My hope is that you not tire of a work and call it done, that instead you will be drawn back to it and into it again and again. Each time adding a new twist to the story which is now yours to tell.

Wheat Free – Happy Me

It’s the name of my other blog site where I EVANGILIZE about MY RETURN TO HEALTH! It is definitely a story worth telling and although I haven’t posted a lot, nor put much effort into promoting the blog, I have been contacted by and spoken with people all over the world whom have been touched and enlighten by my story. 

When I removed Gluten from my diet some five years ago my life changed in ways I had no way to imagine. I say that because before that point I was literally crippled by and living with constant whole body pain. NO ONE EVER TOLD ME what I am telling others. It seem everyday I now find more and more scientific evidence supporting my personal findings.

EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION, which could possibly be the answer to the prayers they have put out for a healing. If you know anyone suffering from Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel, TMJ. Carpel Tunnel, Interstitial Cystitis, Itchy Rashes, Restless Legs, Brain Fog, Depression, Headaches, Overall body pain, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome please pass this link on.

http://wheat-free.blogspot.com/

I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ALL OF THIS CRAP and yet NO DOCTOR EVER MADE A CONNECTION WITH MY INGESTION OF GLUTEN BEING EVEN SLIGHTLY RELATED - MUCH LESS THE CAUSE.

 TO GOOD HEALTH
CHEERS WITH A GLUTEN-FREE BEER

6 - WORD PERSONAL GROWTH STORY

Created art,

gained insight,

knew truth.  Debra Clemente

Isn’t it interesting some of the places you can find yourself while web surfing? I find myself just where I need to be, when I need it. Like just now when found myself reading a challenge to create a 6 – word personal growth story. I took the challenge and let what flowed out be. I like it and wanted to share it with you.

ODE TO BAUER FARM

My good friend Judy Bauer asked me to create a painting of their family farm as she wished to as a surprise to her husband Gene with the painting for Father’s Day.

I don’t take such assignments lightly. No, I wrestle with them. Judy and I hadn’t been able to make a trip to their farm, which was a few hours drive away, but she had given me a few snap shots as reference. Arm in arm and all smiles, their family stood posing together beside a tidy row of cylindrical hay bales. A tall corn field, stately barn and clear blue sky completed the serene setting.

Studying the photos, I felt the pride this family had in this piece of land. I could see it and I could feel it but the vision that was having was drifting away from the reference photos I held. This is where commissions get tricky for me. Who’s vision am I painting? There is no easy answer. Is it my vision, their vision or my vision of their vision? See, it gets tricky.

A really safe way to handle the situation would be to paint the reference photo verbatim. B O R I N G ! Well, I just can’t go there. It’s not my nature but I still had issues within myself to resolve.

AND THEN IT CAME TO ME – (I just love revelations) by drawing (ha!) a comparison of visual works to works of words I could justify my interpretation to myself and the Bauer's. An artist’s goal is to create works that need no explanation but commission work is special deal and as Judy is a writer I knew she could relate to this twist.

Dry factual writing verses poetic.

I saw the reference photos as factual descriptions of the land as it might be listed for sale and in contrast I viewed the painting I was creating as a poem.

And so it is - ODE TO BAUER FARM.