Daffodils Signs of Spring

10"x8" Oil
These beautiful daffodils made it through the snowy weekend of the first of spring. I am so thankful to see them in bloom after the long, snowy winter. My cabin fever has finally broken and I look forward to more flowers in the garden and on the roadside yet to be discovered and painted. Daffodils are not my usual flower to paint, I typically prefer the wildflowers of Kansas, but I loved doing this piece. The weather isn't ideal to paint outside,yet... so I photographed these and painted in my studio, I just couldn't bring myself to cut any of them. The three dimensional quality of the bloom provided a much need challenge for this weekend's painting fun. I continue to experiment with oils and I am finding that with experience comes confidence, isn't that the way it is with everything. One of these days, soon, I'll be ready for some plein aire pieces straight out of the Flint Hills.

Stressed? Reduce Stress with Flower Paintings in Your Rooms

I don't know about you, but just watching the news stresses me out. I found this little article that offers a little something to help make the places that you live and work a little less stressful. And I have a few flower paintings that just might fit the bill if you decide to feed your spirit and destress your rooms.

Reducing Stress With Flower Paintings By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kathleen_Karlsen]Kathleen Karlsen

Can the decor in a room help relieve stress? A 1996 study conducted by Virginia Lohr and others showed that rooms and offices decorated with plants and flowers helped reduce stress as measured by decreased blood pressure and pulse rates. Researchers have further determined that there is a direct link between flowers and life satisfaction.

A study done at Rutgers demonstrated that flowers decrease anxiety, depression and agitation. Flowers also lead to a higher sense of enjoyment and increased contact with family and friends. Flowers make a home more welcoming and create a sharing atmosphere.

Additional research by Diane Relf of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute has shown that people communicate better in the presence of flowers or plants and they tend to eat more slowly. Others studies focused specifically on seniors and tracked improvements in memory in the presence of flowers.

By decorating your home or office with flower paintings rather than fresh flowers, you introduce flowers into your decor that will never fade. Having flowers as a permanent element into your home can be a positive influence for both inhabitants and visitors. With all of the prints and posters available today, choose a flower painting to decorate any area of your home or business is relatively easy.

Floral paintings can be used in almost every area of a home or business. Small flower paintings are perfect for bathrooms, hallways, entryways or bedrooms. Large flower paintings add cheer and color to dining rooms, living rooms and family rooms. For businesses or offices, flower paintings are traditional for waiting areas and reception areas. Flowers have universal appeal and work well in just about any decor to lower stress and uplift everyone's mood!

Kathleen Karlsen, MA is a professional artist, a freelance writer and marketing consultant residing in Bozeman, Montana. For unique decorative gifts for flower lovers and an in-depth article on flower meanings, see http://www.livingartsoriginals.com/infoflowersymbolism.htm

For marketing and multimedia services, please see http://www.livingartsmedia.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathleen_Karlsen http://EzineArticles.com/?Reducing-Stress-With-Flower-Paintings&id=1360834

Michelle Leivan - Work Detail

Work Detail

This is a larger version of the smaller piece with the same name Apollo in Delphos... 20"x16"

SouthWind Gallery owner, Gary Blitsch asked me to recreate the two pieces accepted by the Art in Embassies program, but make them large so that he could put them in the gallery window. This is the second of the two. Stop in the gallery to see them if you get a chance.

Apollo in Delphos Facing the Evening Sun - Large - Acrylic on Canvas 48"x36"

Work Detail

This is a larger version of the smaller piece with the same name Apollo in Delphos... 20"x16"

SouthWind Gallery owner, Gary Blitsch asked me to recreate the two pieces accepted by the Art in Embassies program, but make them large so that he could put them in the gallery window. This is the first of the two. Stop in the gallery to see them if you can.

Three Amigos - Acrylic on Canvas - 48"x36"

Work Detail

I was asked to place a couple of large pieces in Congress Woman Lynn Jenkin's office. I had many of my large pieces already committed so, here is a piece I made especially for the request. I just love the dancing "skirts" on these little cone flowers.

The other piece I selected for the venue is my "Big Sky Beauty" Which is another popular piece from my Kansas Wildflower Series.

April Shows and News

This April I have been blessed with an abundance of opportunities to show my work this month.

My big news this month is two of my pieces (left) were selected by the Art in Embassies Program as a part of the exhibition at the U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay in the U.S Embassy Residence in Asuncion. There is nothing like the honor of being recognized as an artist by a government agency.

Universal Unitarian church in Topeka will be displaying my Kansas Wildflower work in their sanctuary for the next couple of months.

The Topeka Art Guild has arranged a member show at the Fairlawn Classic Bean for March and April. Then I also have two new floral pieces in their continuing "Rites of Spring" show.

At The Collective Art Gallery, they are featuring Jeremy Mohler in "Storytelling", and I will showing a couple new pieces there this month as well.

Feminine Desert Series continues to show at Sun Resorts Tanning and Fitness at Gage Center though the busy months of March and April. So if you haven't been in to see these shows please hurry in and let the staff know what you think! Also, the floral show at Gorham City Hall in Western Kansas continues through April too.

The Mulvane Art Museum Gift Shop continues to carry many of my products as well.

All of the Topeka shows will be open for First Friday Art Walk on April 3rd. Please let me know if you have been out to see any of these events. Feedback is so fun to hear and is important to me. Details below...

I have an ongoing campaign to promote my "Stroke of Genius" game. I have had the opportunity to introduce several people to the game and have had great feedback, some which can be found on a Facebook page dedicated to the game Stroke of Genius. If you are on Facebook please check it our and become a fan. (Facebook Pages can be seen without a Facebook account, but to interact you'll need an account. Please log on and join me online and share with friends.)

I am very excited to find out that The "Artist's Way" group at the Topeka Art Guild will be playing the "Stroke of Genius" game at their meeting on April 11th. Special thanks to Cynthia Stotlar for making it part of their plans. I hope to stop in and get some photos and discover their reactions.

I also want to mention again, I joined Etsy.com to sell my various handmade products. You can find me there at LeivanOriginals.etsy.com. There you can find my new Stemware Charms sporting my Kansas Wildflower Series paintings. You can find them locally at Ice & Olives at the Thunderbird Shopping Center and The Kitchen Gallery in Fairlawan Plaza.

Other links for my social media are:
Twitter:@michelle_leivan
Facebook Profile: Michelle Leivan
Facebook Page: Michelle Leivan Original Paintings

Stroke of Genius Facebook Page: Stroke of Genius Game

Rites of Spring
Location: Topeka Art GuildEvent Dates: 4/3/2009 - 5/31/2009Reception: 4/3/2009 · 6:00 - 8:00

"Rites of Spring"
Art Guild Gallery Topeka Art Guild, Inc. 5331 SW 22nd Place Topeka, KS 66614 Phone: 785.273.7646

Member Artists reveal their own concept of "Rites of Spring"

The Topeka Art Guild has also has members showing their work in April at the Classic Bean two of my Kansas Wildflower works are also a part of this show.

Classic Bean
2125 SW Fairlawn Plaza Drive
Topeka Kansas
Phone: 785.271.5005The "Artist's Way" group will be playing "Stroke of Genius"Topeka Art Guild. game at their April 11th meeting 9 - noon at the TAG classroom.

The Art Guild Gallery, located in the west end of Fairlawn Shopping Center, Topeka, KS, is staffed by volunteer members. It is free and open to the public.

The Collective Art Gallery 3121 SW Huntoon St. Topeka, KS 66604-1662 ph: 785.234.4254

New Hours!
Tues-Fri 10:30-5:30PM, Sat 10:30-3:30PM

Shown Left: Apollo in Delphos Facing the Morning Sun one of my pieces showing this month at the Collective.

The Collective Art Gallery presents:
"Storytelling" by Jeremy MohlerJeremy Mohler is a professional illustrator whose work has been featured in comic books, on album and book covers, text books and trading card games. He earned his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute. See more of Jeremy's work at www.jeremymohler.comOpening reception is scheduled for Friday April 3, 2009, 5:30-8:30PM in conjunction with the "First Friday Art Walk!"Show runs through April 30, 2009.The Collective Art Gallery has joined Facebook! The Collective Art Gallery on FB

Featured Artist

Location: Unitarian UniversalistFellowship of Topeka
Event Dates: 4/3/2009 - 6/30/2009

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Topeka

4775 SW 21st StreetTopeka, KS 66604785-272-9233

Sun Resorts Tanning and Fitness

Location: 1301 Gage Topeka, Kansas

Show Extended! Event Dates: 1/2/2009 - 4/30/2009
I continue to have a solo show of my Feminine Desert: Paintumentary at Sun Resort Tanning and Fitness, open for First Friday Art Walk March 6, and April 3, 2009
This show has also spurred the completion of my second self-published book Feminine Desert: Paintumentary, available online under my "Book" link on my website.

Wildflowers Invade Western Kansas
Location: Gorham City Hall
125 Market StreetGorham KS 67640
Event Dates: 12/1/2008 - 4/30/2009

This month my Kansas Wildflowers are invading Western Kansas! Several pieces will be on display and for sale in Gorham City Hall through April 30th. Ok, so I know the mayor - that's how it happens! If you get a chance to stop in say Hi! to Mayor Martinson for me!

For more about Gorham Kansas go to http://skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/Gorham

Memories of Smoky Hill - 20x16 Acrylic on Canvas

I grew up around the middle of the Smoky Hills. Named for the "hazy" appearance at sunrise and sunset, the Smoky Hills provide a transition between the mixed-grass prairie and the short-grass prairie of the plains. The area flows through the middle and covering the western two thirds of Kansas and overlaps the western edge of the beautiful Flint Hills. The Smoky Hill River Valley covers the north and south of I-70 from Abilene west. It was a beautiful place to grow up. For more about the Smoky Hills: http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Extension/smoky/places.html
And the Smoky Hill River Valley http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/ka/history-travelers.cfm

In the well drained hillsides of the Smoky Hills can be found wild Echinacea often referred to locally as “snake root.” (not to be mistaken for White Snakeroot - Eupatorium rugosum a poisonous.) The locals meant Echinacea angustifolia - Narrow-leaf Coneflower which could be dug up in the cow pastures and sold for cash at a broker that very day, it was like picking up nickels, dimes and quarters. A body could dig for an entire day and make about $100. At the time the new age herbal movement was in its infancy and the whole process of collecting it seemed mysterious as to why they were buying it… the stuff wasn’t sold on the Wal-Mart pharmacy shelves as it is today. Nonetheless, the plant got us through many a tight spot through our college years for which I am forever grateful. This is one of the reasons I frequently paint the purple coneflower. There is such a personal connection for me that is deeper than just the simple beauty and grace of the plant.

This current piece reminds me of the popular Tuscan Style Décor with a twist of Kansas, which leads me to think about Italy and wines… talk about the beginning of a romance!

When you grow up in a place and have become accustom to what the landscape offers, you can find yourself out of sorts when you drive down a road you haven’t bothered driving in a while and as you pop over a hill, there is suddenly a sample of Italy where there once was flowing acres of wheat. A few months ago I was pleasantly surprised to discover the vineyard and winery that seemed to pop up out of nowhere, just 3 miles north of Salina on Old 81 hwy. It had been years since we traveled that road. It was common in my childhood to drive Old 81 as family once live along that highway. That day we discovered this “new” feature we didn’t have time to stop in and have a taste.

This weekend, finally we had an opportunity to try this fine Kansas Product. We located a selection at Lakeside Liquor Store at 29th and Croco, Topeka. We selected the “Czech Red” This long-time popular wine from Smoky Hill Vineyards is crafted from a blend of several grapes. "Czechoslovkian style" means it is a sweet wine created to yield an abundance of fruit flavor. The wine's brilliant cherry red hue invokes thoughts of the palette of color found at many area festivals celebrating the heritage and cultural diversity in Kansas. Light-bodied and sweet, it is great with hamburgers fresh of the grill. Enjoy it served at room temperature, or chilled to bring out the full fruitiness of the wine. Yep they nailed it. Yummy! http://www.kansaswine.com/

All this talk of the Smoky Hill Wine and Flowers reminds me that I haven’t mentioned my new set of products in my blog. Kansas romance in its finest form can be found with these wine glass charms featuring a print of a wildflower from the Kansas Wildflower Series, handmade, dated and signed. They are like jewelry for your wine glass, but they also serve the purpose of marking your glass at a party because each set of charms features six different images making it easy for identification.

They are currently sold locally at Ice & Olives at 29th and Croco, Topeka and online at my new Etsy.com shop LeivanOriginals.Etsy.com.

Apollo in Delphos Facing the Evening Sun - 20x16 Acrylic on Canvas

Crimson faced sunflower isn’t as common in Kansas as is the yellow sunflower but I find them inspiring with their brilliant reds set off with their green foliage. Inspiration comes from many sources... Delphos Kansas being the background for this piece as it was the last piece.

I am using a new technique to create these pieces. I have used templates that I have created by taking photo enlargements and cutting the template out in many stages to separate the initial colors. Then I continue with finishing the floral by painting them much like I have done with my past pieces. This technique expands my freedom with composition and contemplation of several possibilities. I am no longer tied to the first stroke of the brush to position the flower.

Apollo, Delpi, Delphos, UFOs!

The following incident occurred in Delphos on a dark, clear night November 2, 1971. It has never been debunked...

A sixteen-year-old farm boy heard a rumbling noise. When he stepped outside to investigate the noise, he saw a brilliant object near the ground. Although it was not clearly visible, he noticed a mass of blue, red, and orange colors on the dome shaped object. The object was said to be around 8-feet in diameter. With a bright, shimmering glow which extended from the base to the ground, illuminating nearby trees and the ground. After the object flew off, a glowing ring appeared on the spot. Analysis showed that the soil had undergone considerable physical and chemical changes that lasted for several months.

For more about this please visit UFOcasebook.com

The strange and unusual can be found in many places and it is particularly inspirational when it hits close to home and your own history. I can remember people talking about this in my early years. It has been a great source of conversation and debate. The UFO issue at large is like arguing with someone about their religion. You aren't going to sway them from their faith either believing or disbelieving. Which brings be back to the Greeks and their Oracle at Delphi dedicated to Apollo. You couldn't convince a Greek that the Oracle at Delphi was just getting their prophecies through inhalation of methane causing a hallucinogenic trance. This suggests that there is so much about the world that we simply accept through our faith in the unseen or misunderstood.

I will suggest here that there is much more to Delphos, Kansas rich history. I would suggest visiting if you get the chance… for online information go to the city website
Delphos, Kansas.

Apollo in Delphos Facing the Morning Sun - 20x16 Acrylic on Canvas

The golden faced sunflower is extremely common in Kansas they inspire all of the mythology that surrounds the Greek concepts of their sun god who supported all the arts in the ancient culture.

From deTraci Regula, About.com Apollo was the son of the supreme Greek god Zeus and Leto, a nymph. Zeus's wife Hera was outraged and convinced the earth to refuse to allow Leto to give birth anywhere on its surface. But the island of Delos allowed Leto to take refuge there and give birth to Apollo and his twin sister, Artemis, goddess of the hunt and wild things. The goddess Themis assisted in raising him by feeding him ambrosia, the sacred nectar of the gods.

When I first learned about Greek mythology, it intrigued me to discover that a familiar nearby town name had Greek inspiration. We have all heard of the Oracle at Delphi, well, Delphos is a quaint (blink and miss it) town where I grew up in central Kansas. I remember many events I attended at The Bohemian Hall which stands three miles west of the Pike Monument in the post-rock country. This was the center of the early Czech community.

But there is much more to this little town than meets the eye…

Spiritualism first came to Ottawa County, Kansas in 1873. The first meetings were held in a home. The group became known as the Universal Church, which is said to be the earliest religious organization in the area, although Methodists, Catholics, and Presbyterians also came to this area in the 1870's.

In 1877, the group traveled to Delphos, Kansas with 13 members. Within a few years, their numbers grew to nearly one hundred members. The camp was located in an oak grove northwest of Delphos, were Spiritualists held summer camp meetings for many years. Hundreds of people attended the meetings, many of them coming in on special trains, which ran two or three times a day from Salina, through Solomon, and onto Delphos.

It's estimated that the trains brought in between 1500 and 2000 people at the peak of the Spiritualist's popularity. The train tracks ran right along side the campsite. The meetings in those early years had a carnival-like atmosphere with many tents and a large stage.

A large tent was used for services for two years after the camp was moved. Later, a local resident had dug a basement on his land in Wells, planning to build a house over it. When his finances ran short, he sold the lot to the Spiritualists. The basement was enlarged and with the help of the men in the community, rock was hauled from surrounding pastures, to lay up the basement walls. Cooking for the men was done on a wood range in one of the cabins, which were moved from the Delphos Camp.

The original charter was issued by the State of Kansas in 1881. And it states, "This Corporation shall be The First Association of Spiritualists of Delphos, Ottawa County, Kansas [...] The purposes for which this corporation is formed are the attainment and promulgation of knowledge, religious, scientific, and educational." Due to the death of many of the older members, the fact that more had moved away, and flooding along the Solomon river (which had caused several meetings to be canceled), the camp was dismantled and moved to Wells, in 1934. From Delphos, Kansas - Spiritualists learn more about the Spritualists at Sunset Spiritualist Church

My parents lived in Wells, Kansas early in their marriage. My grandparents had a farm just a couple of miles outside Wells. I can remember my mother talking about having gone to one of these meeting simply out of curiosity. She was told that she would soon have a drop leaf table with seating for three... I have that drop leaf table right now in my kitchen and I use that table often to create my paintings.

What a wildly ironic connection, Apollo, Delphi, Delphos, Spiritualism and my kitchen table which is used to create art!

I am using a new technique to create these pieces. I have used templates that I have created by taking photo enlargements and cutting the template out in many stages to separate the initial colors. Then I continue with finishing the floral by painting them much like I have done with my past pieces. This technique expands my freedom with composition and contemplation of several possibilities. I am no longer tied to the first stroke of the brush to position the flower.

Believe it or not there is more to come on the next Post. Apollo in Delphos Facing the Evening Sun!

Wild Indigo Sunspot - Acrylic on Canvas 20x16

Talk about stepping out of the box! The last painting “Susan on Denim” started a flurry of inspiration and activity. It’s so refreshing to be inspired and productive. The Holiday season kept me so busy it seemed I never had any quietude. No time to sit and contemplate not to mention to act on inspiration.

Today, during a quite moment, I was thinking about my backgrounds, wanting to mix it up bring some energy to my method and “paint roller, in the shed” just popped into my head. “Wow, that would be fun to experiment with,” quickly followed. So I spent the afternoon playing with the paint roller. Mixing it up with the floral work and the new direction of color was fantastic fun. Filling the roller, then only putting paint on a part of the roller, then two colors together, the possibilities seem endless. I am pleased with the final image and I believe I’ll experiment a bit more with the rollers.

This piece shows a single strand of Wild Indigo with several suggestions of the sun set in a patchwork background with blues and purples.

View other pieces from my Kansas Wildflower Series.

Susan on Denim

Oh what fun it is to have some closure on a piece that has been bugging me for weeks. Sometimes inspiration comes in spurts and jumps. Like the human that I am not everything I work on is successful and so when I am struggling with a piece it gets put in the “later” box.

Then every once in a while, when I’m feeling courageous, I’ll rummage through the box and pick one to rework. This is one of those pieces and this week I found complete satisfaction, working through a former block.

With this rework also came a bit of experimentation and turning away from a rut. This is also quite freeing. I pulled away from my strong bright colors and allowed the background build with a variety of layers creating a rich denim color behind the bold Black Eyed Susan. I also wove the square through the petals bringing a playful dialogue between foreground and background. Finally, I scrubbed through a few areas of the top layer to reveal the under painting that had given me such trouble in the past. It was a little like taking a victory lap.

I hope you enjoy this piece.

See other works from my Kansas Wildflower Series.

Twining Touch

20"x16" Acrylic on Canvas

Twining Touch features two pale purple cone flowers (echinacea pallida) depicted in a loving private embrase with their petals and stems. They seem to have found a space of their own that can not be disturbed by the outside world. It remindes me of the longing for my husband's touch while he was deployed and the bliss of his gentle touch when he arrived back home.I think we all need these tender caresses from a loved one just to remind us we are among the living.



This is the second piece that will be place in the "Flower Power 2" show with SouthWind Gallery of Topeka. This show opens January 16th and runs through February 15th the Artist Reception is on February 6th during the First Friday Art Walk.

New Year News! What a way to Begin

I have had a very eventful and successful Holiday Season, I hope that the Holidays found you well and ready for a Happy New Year!

It is amazing what can happen unexpectedly. One of my goals I've created for myself is to have new work with each new show at The Art Collective and at The Art Guild of Topeka and to add at least one new place to exhibit my work each month. Well, thankfully, this has turn out fairly simple for the first two months of 2009 so far. I have shows in Western Kansas at the Gorham City Hall, and Eastern Kansas at SouthWind Gallery, and Sun Resort Tanning and Fitness in Topeka. Details below...

Please let me know if you have been out to see any of these events. Feedback is so fun to hear and is important to me.

Wow! What a great way to kick off the New Year! and hope to see you in the galleries in 2009!

Sun Resort Tanning and Fitness

Location: 1301 Gage location in Topeka, Kansas
Event Dates: 1/2/2009 - 2/28/2009
Reception: 1/2/2000 · 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

I will have a solo show of my Feminine Desert: Paintumentary at Sun Resort Tanning and Fitness, opening First Friday Art Walk and running February of 2009.

About the Series:

"Feminine Desert: Paintumentary" is a series of paintings and prose based on the perception duality many young women present to the world. The conflict of the independence they believe they portray versus the true co-dependency they actually exhibit to the world, a contradiction they are too often unable to recognize.

Each piece is dominated by abstract human figures. The pallet used allows expression of the human form in a multicultural, non-ethnic specific tone, capturing the universal aspect of humanity. Notable the use of color creates a striking contrast to the expected outcome in portraiture.

The Inspiration:

As young women I watched my sister-in-laws struggle with co-dependency issues. I believe many young women, including myself, at some point in our lives have a tendency to please others and are eager for self sacrifice and believe we are happy if the people in our lives are happy with us.

My in-laws and I spent many evenings in long discussions about their relationship choices and their desire to define themselves through other's eyes. I ached to witness their lives filled with disappointment and tough affairs of the heart. I sought relief and turned to my art to sort out my own anguish I began painting the series.

One evening I was nearly done with the current twenty pieces and I had another long night talking about relationship disillusionment with one of these young women. During the drive home I mulled over the long debates. I found my inspiration to complete the series. As soon as I got home, in a flurry of creativity wrote all of the accompanying prose for this series. What developed was an intricate intertwining of imagery, prose and use of anagram within each title to create a message which mimics the complexity of co-dependency. I hope that the message will encourage women of all ages to find love within and discover their inner freedom and beauty.

Sun Resort Tanning and Fitness

The imagery, commentary and call to action that Feminine Desert presents is for young women to find love within rather than seeking approval from others. The message encourages the seeking of inner beauty which will only enhance the great looks the customers reap through Sun Resort Tanning and Fitness' services.

This show has also spurred the completion of my second self-published book Feminine Desert: Paintumentary, available online under my "Book" link on my website.

Wildfowers Invade Western Kansas

Location: Gorham City Hall

125 Market Street
Gorham KS 67640

Event Dates: 12/1/2008 - 4/30/2009

This month my Kansas Wildflowers are invading Western Kansas! Several pieces will be on display and for sale in Gorham City Hall through April 30th. Ok, so I know the mayor - that's how it happens! If you get a chance to stop in say Hi! to Mayor Martinson for me!

http://skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/Gorham



Flower Power 2

Location: SouthWind Gallery at Framewoods of Topeka

Event Dates: 1/16/2009 - 2/28/2009
Reception: 2/6/2009 · 6 pm - 8:00 pm

http://www.southwindgalleryoftopeka.com/

785.273.5994
3074 SW 29th
Topeka KS 66614

Hours: Mon-Fri 10am - 6pm Sat 10am - 4pm

Sometimes working at a gallery has it's advantages - I will be showing two new works at SouthWind Gallery at Framewoods of Topeka in the Flower Power 2 group show. The show features floral works by regional women artists. I am honored to have my hung work with all of these excellent artists.

Which opens January 16th with the artist reception on February 6th during February's First Friday Art Walk.

The Collective Art Gallery
3121 SW Huntoon St.
Topeka, KS 66604-1662
ph: 785.234.4254
HOURS: Wed-Fri: noon-4 p.m. Sat: 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
or by appointment.

The Collective Art Gallery presents:

"NEW ART FOR A NEW YEAR"

In honor of the new year, the Collective Member Artists are mounting a group exhibition, featuring new work by each one such as pictured piece "Ophelia" by Michelle Leivan.... (yes it's uninhibited self promotion here.)

Opening reception is scheduled for Friday January 2, 2009, 5:30-8:30PM in conjunction with the "First Friday Art Walk!" Show runs through January 31, 2009

Gates and Portals

Location: Topeka Art Guild
Event Dates: 12/5/2008 - 1/31/2009
Reception: 1/2/2009 · 6:00 - 8:00

Art Guild Gallery
Topeka Art Guild, Inc.
5331 SW 22nd Place
Topeka, KS 66614
Phone: 785.273.7646

"Gates and Portals"

Member Artists reveal their own concept of Gates and Portals to bring us into the New Year! Artist Reception Jan 2, 2008. The Art Guild Gallery, located in the west end of Fairlawn Shopping Center, Topeka, KS, is staffed by volunteer members. It is free and open to the public.

Sun Resort and Art Enhance Beauty

Before I get to the exhibit announcement... here is a little interesting story about this show.

A couple of weeks ago, I assisted my friend and mentor, Barbara Waterman Peters layout her new self-published book "Baci." We spent a few hours creating an awsome little book of essays, poems and art about her demon cat on a program called "Book Smart" provided for self publishing on Blurb.com. It was a fun project! I recommend the book as well!

After finishing the book, I showed Barbara the Feminine Desert book that I had been dinking with in Book Smart for the last few months. I don't know why it had gotten stuffed to the "later" box but it only had a few changes to be ready for publishing. She advised me strongly to get that book finished and out on the web as soon as possible.

Ok, I'll admit, it the project remained where it was (I'll blame it on the Holidays taking up time...) until, Thursday evening... It is now up online Feminine Desert: Paintumentary What spurred such action? Well... I was asked to exhibit the entire series!

And wait there is so much more to the story....

I was contacted on Thursday by Christine from Sun Resort Tanning and Fitness looking to exhibit artwork in her business. I was recommended through a local arts promotion and grant organization called Arts Connect Topeka. As I was replying to her email and suggesting my Feminine Desert Series for her location I decided that I should pull the pieces down from the attic where they are stored to inspect them. They really needed to be looked at before I made a commitment.

After sending the email off, I crawled toward the back of attic I noticed that the recently stored Christmas boxes were WET! In near panic I tossed those boxes to the left and right. There was a leak in our roof dangerously close to my art storage area. I called to my husband and he quickly assisted me in bringing every piece of art in the area down for further investigation. I can't express my relief, the boxes that the pieces had been stored in did get damp but the framed artwork was relatively unscathed!

It's wild how events come together serendipitously! We discovered a leak in the roof early enough it did little damage to the roof, my artwork was saved from destruction, I finished my Feminine Desert book as recommended, and I got a new exhibit! All from one simple email inquiry.... can I say it... WOW!

So, Now about the show....

Sun Resort Tanning and Fitness presents Feminine Desert: Paintumentary by local Artist Michelle Leivan.

The exhibit will open on January 2, 2009 during the First Friday Art Walk 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Sun Resort Tanning and Fitness at the 1301 Gage location in Topeka, Kansas and will run through the month of February.

The imagery, commentary and call to action that Feminine Desert presents is for young women to find love within rather than seeking approval from others. The message encourages the seeking of inner beauty which will only enhance the great looks the customers reap through Sun Resort Tanning and Fitness’ services.

About the Series:
“Feminine Desert: Paintumentary” is a series of paintings and prose based on the perception duality many young women present to the world. The conflict of the independence they believe they portray versus the true co-dependency they actually exhibit to the world, a contradiction they are too often unable to recognize.Each piece is dominated by abstract human figures. The pallet used allows expression of the human form in a multicultural, non-ethnic specific tone, capturing the universal aspect of humanity. Notable the use of color creates a striking contrast to the expected outcome in portraiture.

Michelle Leivan has also self-published her second book featuring the entire Feminine Desert series with paintings and prose available online through her website link "Books" at http://www.michelleleivan.com/.


The Inspiration:
As young women I watched my sister-in-laws struggle with co-dependency issues. I believe many young women, including myself, at some point in our lives have a tendency to please others and are eager for self sacrifice and believe we are happy if the people in our lives are happy with us.

My in-laws and I spent many evenings in long discussions about their relationship choices and their desire to define themselves through other’s eyes. I ached to witness their lives filled with disappointment and tough affairs of the heart. I sought relief and turned to my art to sort out my own anguish I began painting the series.

One evening I was nearly done with the current twenty pieces and I had another long night talking about relationship disillusionment with one of these young women. During the drive home I mulled over the long debates. I found my inspiration to complete the series. As soon as I got home, in a flurry of creativity wrote all of the accompanying prose for this series. What developed was an intricate intertwining of imagery, prose and use of anagram within each title to create a message which mimics the complexity of co-dependency. I hope that the message will encourage women of all ages to find love within and discover their inner freedom and beauty.

For more information about Michelle Leivan and to view the series online with prose please go to The Originals link at http://www.michelleleivan.com/. To contact the artist please call her at 785-220-8460 or email michelle@leivan.net.

For more information about Sun Resort Tanning and Fitness please contact Christine Hogan, Business Development, 785-783-8666 http://www.sunresorts.net/, christy@sunresorts.net

New Feminine Desert Book by Michelle Leivan

Feminine Desert: paintumentary is a book of paintings and prose based on the perception duality many young women present to the world. The conflict of the independence they believe they portray versus the true co-dependency they actually exhibit to the world, a contradiction they are too often unable to recognize.

Each piece is dominated by abstract human figures. The pallet used allows expression of the human form in a multicultural, non-ethnic specific tone, capturing the universal aspect of humanity. Notable the use of color creates a striking contrast to the expected outcome in portraiture.

Click here to preview

Art Heals and Comforts

I was strolling through the bookstore the other day and was approached by one of my patrons. To my surprise I discovered that my artwork has provided spiritual comfort and growth when hung in private sacred spaces. This particular patron, Debra Fisher told me her story that I would like to share with you.

Debra was going through a divorce and suddenly lost her only daughter Claire in a car accident. One day to her surprise she saw “Evening Promise” (pictured) in the window of a gallery. It reminded her of Claire with the colors and the mood it created and she couldn’t help but look at it every day as she drove to and from work. Drawn, she inquired about the piece. She was pleased to discover the name of the piece because it solidified her connection because evening was a special time of day for Claire. All of her original art was gone from the divorce and this piece was her first purchase to rebuild her collection. Taking it home, she placed it in the bedroom in which she had created a sanctuary. Every morning as she woke and evening before bed she would gaze upon the piece and feel closer to Claire and gain strength to face another day with her other trials. As time went by her divorce was finalized and she began to heal from the year’s losses. She discussed the comfort the piece gave her and the healing progress she was proud of and in response, her friend pointed out, “It’s no wonder the painting helped you heal, its Echinacea which is a healing flower.”

Her story nearly brought me to tears. When painting these pieces I can never anticipate how they will find their way into people’s lives. All I know is that they also help me through the process of painting them in a variety of different ways and I am always honored to discover that my work has inspired healing and comfort.

Simple Art Booth Design

In the last couple of weeks I was asked to be the Art Director of the Aaron Douglas Art Fair. It's a wonderful community event here in Topeka. In the last couple of days it has come to my attention that many artists do not have a booth and some are intimidated to make one.

I designed my booth years ago and it has served me well. If you have simple construction skills, such as being able build and stretch a canvas, you can build a booth. I have made a PDF that explains my design which is compact and easy to construct from common materials at the lumber yard.

My booth design is a simple Plastic Lattice Design the final size of the lattice work is a 3 sided 8’ x 8’ lattice frame. With basic construction skills you should be able to create it in an afternoon. Some advantages of this design are: the lattice work allows for breeze to flow through on hot summer days. When used with the 10’x10’ gazebo (typical space allowed at art fairs) your artwork is inside enough that if you have a light rain it will be somewhat protected.

If you are interested in building this style of booth here is the PDF link.Simple Art Booth Design. This is the exact design I used to build my own art booth so I know it works and is sturdy enough to hold medium to light weight artwork. It has lasted years even though I store it outside exposed to the weather. I accept no liability on construction or design. You build at your own risk.

After the Storm – 20”x20” Acrylic on Canvas

Thunderstorms have graced our area for about the last week. I find them fascinating, romantic and frustrating all at the same time. I find them fascinating in that they are a wonder of nature, providing the earth with refreshing nourishment and yet they can be amazingly destructive. Romantic, there is nothing better than cuddling with a lover during a storm lights out, appreciating each other and the weather, with the rain tapping on the window panes, the lightening offering a strobe effect to the rhythm and thunder punctuating what lovers do best. Then frustrating, in that I can’t go outside and paint on my porch, the day has been dictated to be indoor activities and I am not quite cured completely from the cabin fever created by the tardiness of the nice weather last season.

On top of that, I struggle with my Fibromyalgia on rainy days. It doesn’t make me bed ridden but after several days of damp weather it takes great physical and mental effort to get things done which normally would be a snap.

Interestingly, my son made the observation that this piece had a different mood than my last few nudes. As I pondered that thought, I believe his view is correct because I am not in the same mood as when I did the last ones. This piece is a direct reflection of the way I feel on the rainy days and have to struggle to do even the simplest things. Today was full of interruptions and fatigue. Yet, immense pleasure can be found in the simplest of accomplishments if you just allow yourself to stop and feel it. The subtle smile of my figure hints at this allowance.

This piece also has a more traditional pose. The uncomfortable perspective that characterizes several of my other nudes is not used in this piece. Maybe it is because I wanted comfort from the promise of a trying day that rain brings.

Blessing and Sprouts – Acrylic on Canvas 12”x12”

My sister-in-law has been on my mind lately; she has three young ones and is a single mom. They came to visit last week and I got a huge dose of young sprouts. I have no idea how she keeps her sanity. For the few days they were with us it almost felt like someone had opened Pandora’s Box right in the middle of our living room and it permeated everything we did or attempted to do. Even the simplest tasks such as cooking would be interrupted by the pandemonium. The boys were ornery, energetic and seemed to literally bounce off the walls. Her littlest of two years, was amazingly curious and she has such a beautiful radiance that you can not really get upset with her. She has a mischievous smile that will make any annoyance evaporate. I had forgotten what it was like with my son, but of course he was the only one. The mix of ages and interests is just astounding to consider taking on. I suppose when you start out with them new and adding them to your life gradually, you figure out how to handle it. I think I was just overwhelmed because it was completely out of my experience. I can honestly say though, I enjoyed having them here but was relieved to get back to my quiet comfort zone.
I do know I was thankful for the tools in my own mental toolbox to cope even for the short time they were here. Yesterday I mentioned Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth” this book is such a wonderful resource if you a seeking peace of mind. The day I bought the book I picked it up and read the first chapter and I was hooked. It spoke to me on so many levels and inspired me to further explore my Kansas Wildflower Series and to begin my experimentation of doing them en plain aire.

One passage struck a cord with me, and I’ll share it here:

“Seeing beauty in a flower could awaken humans, however briefly, to the beauty that is an essential part of their own innermost being, their true nature. The first recognition of beauty was one of the most significant events in the evolution of human consciousness. The feelings of joy and love are intrinsically connected to that recognition. Without fully realizing it, flowers would become for us an expression in form of that which is most high, most sacred, and ultimately formless within ourselves. Flowers, more fleeting, more ethereal, and more delicate than the plants out of which they emerged, would become like messengers from another realm, like a bridge between the world of physical forms and the formless. They not only had a scent that was delicate and pleasing to humans, but also brought a fragrance from the realm of spirit. Using the word 'enlightenment' in a wider sense than the conventionally accepted one, we could look upon flowers as the enlightenment of plants.”

There is much more to that chapter and the book in it’s entirety but this is the one paragraph that continues to inspire my current work with my wildflowers and on a deeper level explains human reaction the arts and the intrinsic desire to be creative. It has also dawned on me recently you can find the same joy, love and wonder when observing our own tiny sprouts.

Wednesday Night Discussions – Acrylic on Canvas 12”x12”

Several weeks ago, well maybe it could be classified now as months, my neighbor Barbara and I happened to be outside at the same time and we got to talking. This isn’t a new experience, over the last few years living in our house we often saw Barbara outside working in her lawn and on occasion we would strike up a conversation. But this day, months ago, proved to be significant. For some reason we began to talk about religion and faith, we seemed to be on a similar wavelength. I brought up a new book that I’d started. Currently, it’s a very popular book and was currently being hyped by Oprah. It was Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth.” By coincidence she had also been reading the very same book and a good friend of hers, Pat was too. They had wanted to get together and discuss the book but hadn’t gotten around to doing it. I was game if they where game. So, our Wednesday night discussions began.

As our conversations evolve, we frequently get away from the book and discuss the many things that are happening in our lives. Through these experiences we have grown a friendship that I would not have anticipated. I look forward to our weekly get together and each week we struggle to remember which chapter we are on. Over the weeks we have become quite lax in our intended agenda, but as if fate dictated our path, whether starts out pointedly about the book or not, swings to be significant to the chapter we initially intended to discuss. Being that it is the end of the day, we are quite informal and spend most of the time, simply enjoying each other’s company. Oh, it’s so much fun!

This last Wednesday, I shared with both of them several of the pieces I have gotten done in the past few weeks. They expressed an interest and watching how I painted and to see the creative process. So, today I called Barbara and told her I was going to be painting this morning and if it pleased her, she was welcome to come over and see what this painting thing was all about. She sauntered on over and before she knew it, she was getting involved in the painting with ideas, comments and a new perspective. As the piece grew, it started to show an influence of the three of us and our Wednesday evenings. I think just having one of them there and the interactions we’ve had subconsciously dictated the end result. None the less, it was refreshing to have another to get involved with my process. Maybe next time I can put a brush in her hand too.

So to honor our morning today and as a reminder of my new friends and our “Wednesday Night Discussions” I have named this piece to reflect these two important relationships with my neighbors.