3 shapes, signs of the universe

©O'Brien, Book of Light, page 162, 12x16", mm collage

For several years I have been fascinated by the 3 basic shapes. This quote thrills me: "The Japanese interpret these three primordial and abstract signs as the graphic and spatial metaphor of the three elements: earth, fire, water. Earth fits into the square, fire burns in a triangle and water tends to roundness." form Traces of the Brush by Louise Boudonnat and Harumi Kushizaki

what do you see?

©O'Brien, Eagle Feather, 12x19", oil

Talking to a dear Colorado friend  today put a smile on my face when she told me I was currently doing "dimensional art". It made me so happy that it shows in the work on my website, that someone gets it, and further, comments about it because they feel uplifted by it. She was comparing it to an oil painting she bought 20 years ago. One reason she liked it then was that was the view she had driving towards Boulder to work from the plains. She told me she always asks people when they look at this, "what do you see". And she waits for them to see the various objects and animals pictured who are a part of that land. I love this painting and tried to buy it back from her, when I realized I would not be painting like that anymore. I have let my artist self change.

What do you see?

Al Smith Fellowship

©O'Brien, I'll Miss You, Little Wren, 20x16", mm collage

Thanks to my little House Wren who inspired me to create this collaged drawing, which was one of the 10 artworks that won for me the Fellowship. I acknowledge and thank the Kentucky Arts Council for their support of the arts and artists and gladly add the credit they request of us:

In recognition of artistic excellence, Kathleen O’Brien is the recipient of an Al Smith Fellowship Award from the Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, which is supported by state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

going forth

I was going to correct the misspelling in the last post to say "fourth try", but I decided I like the meaning of going forth. one thing that is liberating is to create something just for myself and want to share them here, as I do not put these on my website.

©O'Brien, big cloud, silver lining, 30x22", mm collage

I used some of my Victorian stickers to represent my kids. I never use magazine pictures in my collages, so this was a fun indulgence for me. That's the good red road leading west where they live. I journaled around and around the edges creating a frame.

©O'Brien, wedding garden, 30x22, mm collage

 I created this one to celebrate my daughter and son in law's wedding under the rainbows and stars where they had their first kiss.

"keep a' goin'" Katherine Hepburn

This is one of my favorite quotes that has sustained me in the day to day creative process. This morning I found 2 four leaf clovers so I was on alert to what might happen in the day. Sometimes it is such a small idea that keeps me  producing art, and I may not notice. Today it was not subtle for once, I received a commission and more importantly the Al Smith Fellowship from the Kentucky Arts Council. This was my forth try, so I am especially pleased to receive this honor. To any one who wonders about sharing their gifts with the world; your art is needed, "keep a' goin'".

©O'Brien, Best of Luck, 30x22", mm collage

summer wonderful

OK, I really am aspiring to become better at blogging! I am writing more, especially on my art as seen in this border of a collaged painting/ drawing I created about my kids, "big cloud, silver lining".

©O'Brien, detail, big cloud, silver lining

This writing is inspired by working with the students in the 4 seasons class, as we all create pages for our loose leaf journals through the year. I will show some of my book from spring when I get the photos back from the State Photographers. Meanwhile, here we are in summer (better that others!)  For us on the farm it means that things have calmed down a bit, everything is on their own and growing. There is time to create.