Georgia On My Mind!

This past week was the birthday of Georgia O'Keeffe. I spent a part of a morning looking at O'Keeffe videos on You Tube.  I would like to post 3 with a few  about her. I think we can celebrate her birthday for a few more days This first piece deals mainly with her floral paintings.
I am hoping to post links to 2 other videos of her life and work.
http://youtu.be/_B25-YLu4cA.
http://youtu.be/xWj4amkYwQc Ah ha they are here. I think you will really enjoy them. You will get to see and hear Georgia talk about her feelings for the southwest.

The photo was taken by her husband photographer, Alfred Steiglitz,who helped her name the region around Taos and Abiqui, " The Faraway".

This last painting is made with pastels!! Hoorah! Georgia used pastels as well as water color and oils with which to paint, She also made her pastels it is believed. So here is to Georgia and her love of the Southwest which I understand so well.

Color and Reasoning about Simplicity

"Drawing is feeling. Color is an act of reasoning." 
         P. Bonnard


I am thinking of adding this above quote to my list of quotes on this blog. Bonnard is one of my favorite colorists. He was able to take daily life and infuse it with emotion, in a large part through his choice of color.

" Back Yard View" 4"x 7" Pastel

I've been working on some miniatures. Not so easy with clunky sticks but challenging. Some simple scenes. 

"Spring at Rancho de Taos" 4"x 7"  Pastel

As it happens these were all  drawn or painted at different times in different locations with a common unrealized theme until I began to work on them in the studio.

"Sanctuary Chateauneuf, FR" 11" x 8 1//2" Pastel

All I could think about as I worked on this last piece was those warm beautiful stones. It was a lovely day in late June when I saw them last and I longed for that day once more.

A grand Atelier

Johanna touring us through the studio

For those of you who follow this blog you know I suffer from Studio Envy. So I was very interested to see the new Todd Bolender center for Dance and Creativity. This is the new work place for the Kansas City Ballet, the studios, administrative, costume, scenic, storage area where magic happens. It is located in near the Union Station and is a fine example of repurposing. The building was originally a Power plant.

It has been gutted and turned into a wonderful place for the study and support of dance.
Here follow just a few pictures of a different type of studio than I normally talk about.

Front desk

Entry Hall

The largest practice studio. There are 3 others on this floor.

sound booth and stadium seating in the large studio 

Now a chance to look and see where the costumes are made and maintained.

Johanna at the cutting table

Displayed costumes from the early days of the KC Ballet.

Everything seems very up to date in Kansas City. It is a city that has truly stepped up to support the arts this year.