The morning light is
the most beautiful light

If I was a painter
I would paint while I run

I’m so uber proud and grateful to be part of the exhibition, Voces y Visiones: Gran Caribe at El Museo de Barrio; Curated by Rocío Aranda-Alvarado. I simply love everything about this place: the staff, building, colors, cafe…!

VOCES Y VISIONES: Gran Caribe
Drawn from El Museo del Barrio’s wide-ranging Permanent Collection, this exhibition features works that explore the vast diversity and complexity of the Caribbean basin, as an accompaniment to El Museo’s upcoming exhibition, Caribbean: Crossroads of the World, presented in collaboration with Studio Museum in Harlem and Queens Museum of Art.

The Caribbean has been both a subject and a source for visual expression prior to its relationship with Europe. This history, marked by a constant flow of people, objects, ideas, and images into and out of the region, has affected artistic development and practices in the Caribbean basin as well as in its counterparts in the Diaspora. This installation of Permanent Collection objects takes a narrative approach to some of the themes developed in the larger exhibition, exploring the connections between personal experiences and visual expressions. The works seen here explore the human need to move from one place to another, the urge to make epic narratives from personal stories, and the desire to share one’s love for a homeland with others. As the title implies, the islands, the coastlines and the waters that unite them are all part of this study.

The exhibition explores four related themes that focus on the connections between spirituality and daily life, the shifting of people into and out of urban spaces, the persistence of abstraction as a visual language, and the constant presence of the water. Among the featured works is a large-scale painting on hand-made paper by Puerto Rican artist Rossana Martinez. This work considers islands: small, golden, irregularly shaped forms that cover the rich cobalt blue of an endless sea. Other featured objects include a selection of Haitian paintings, featuring a work by Prefet Duffaut; Puerto Rican and Guatemalan masks; sculptures by Charles Juhasz -Alvarado and Federico Ruiz; photographs by Ana Mendietaand a trio of En Foco artists, Charles Biasiny Rivera, Roger Cabán and Felipe Dante; and a costume worn by Coco Fusco in a performance as Queen Isabella, created by Pepón Osorio.

Gran Caribe considers the significance of race and ethnicity, language and dialogue, affinities and differences throughout this part of the world. Artists for whom the Caribbean is both a point of departure and a homecoming are included, as are critical voices that explore new ways of thinking about how Caribbean bodies and voices are represented.

On the Run, a blog about the New York City Marathon. The Marathon this year is on November 7 and will have about 43,000 runners. So looking forward to it!

A Running Start, a free online coaching resource developed by New York Road Runners in response to rising obesity levels in children.

Enjoy and wishing all a happy healthy weekend!

Among the many reasons I couldn’t find time to write is that I have been having longer, deeper runs. Yes, my usual 3-mile runs have matured into 6, 7 and lately 8 miles. Longer runs make me feel great and have me inspired and playing in the studio much more. I’m still thinking about it, but I may run a half-marathon next year. As you can see in the photo, I have an incredibly active trainer who keeps me on the move in running and non-running days.

As part of my job, I’ve been taking an interesting class and traveling around the city. I like that I’m spending more time meeting people, and visiting and learning about new places in the city. There are days that my commute is so long, but to see the positive side of it, at least I’m not in front of a computer all day.

At the beginning of the month, we traveled to Miami for the opening of Matthew’s two-person exhibition (with David E. Peterson) at Alejandra von Hartz Gallery. It’s nice how art takes you to places. Loved her gallery space and the exhibition (on view thru Oct. 30) has great energy and dialogue. The art world needs more galleries like hers. Alejandra has such a friendly and welcoming personality. Congratulations Matthew and David!

Finding of the week:

“We always need to remember that behind almost every great moment in history, there are heroic people doing really boring and frustrating things for a prolonged period of time.”

From New York Times, My Favorite August by Gail Collins.

If you want to get a real view of what an artist’s life is all about, check out Julian Dashper (1960-2009): It Is Life at MINUS SPACE. On view from August 7 until September 4, 2010. A must see, read, experience, feel.

In 2007, I wrote the post, Your Heart Makes Me Feel, after I read a wonderful tribute to artist Elizabeth Murray (1940-2007) in The Brooklyn Rail. Since then my feelings about the connection between art & life have only deepened more…

As Robert Gober wrote: “…art comes out of life, and that you had better pay attention.”

Image:
Julian Dashper (1960-2009): It Is Life, MINUS SPACE

Hope you’re all having a great summer. Here are some of my summer thoughts after having a wonderful time with family and at my favorite place: the beach.

It pleases me immensely to see how my boy loves the ocean. He was born in NYC, but his blood is Caribbean…and I truly love that!

Fruit and vegetable stands, surf shops and Rex Cream’s Ice Cream are my kind of places.

<3 running barefoot on the beach. I know I’ll be fine in a couple of days, but it was hard to run this morning and wear running shoes.

A bikini never goes out of fashion.

My nieces and nephews are awesome! When I grow up, I want to be just like them.

Photo:
7am swim with mama.

Here I am, thinking of tomorrow’s NYRR New York Mini 10K. My first “big” race after baby. Feeling excited. I ran this race in 2008 and the experience was awesome. This is a women only race and it is truly amazing to see a sea of women running in Central Park.

My main goal tomorrow is to apply what I’ve learned from my active 15-month old boy and that we as adults forget to do often — run, run, run and just have fun!

A friend sent me this quote a couple of weeks ago — and it is so true:

“You should study not only that you become a mother when your child is born, but also that you become a child.”

-Dogen Zenji (1200 – 1253)

Photo contest submission by Jennifer Day
From We Love Birds, a site for bird-lovers from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Dorothea Tanning
Costume Design for Bayou, 1951
Graphite and gouache on green paper
12 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches
Collection of the artist

On view Dorothea Tanning: Early Designs for the Stage at the Drawing Center, April 23 – July 23, 2010.

I’m glad to be back after a couple of weeks of too much happening at the same time. Here are some new discoveries that kept me balanced during busy days.

To begin a yoga practice at home, I got the podcast Yoga For Morning, Noon & Night with Jason Crandell. Each practice is twenty minutes and Crandell is such an excellent teacher. The noon practice is perfect during lunch break at work. The night practice feels great after a busy day.

I often find myself waiting for the bus to travel from the East side to the West side and viceversa. While I commute, I’m either reading or writing. But lately I’ve been looking and learning about NYC’s trees with the application for iPhone, Trees Near You. Watching how trees change in the spring is one of my favorite things and with this new application it feels magical.

With magic in mind, Nueva Luz, the photographic journal published by En Foco has always wonderful artists to discover. The current issue has a fantastic series by Pato Hebert entitled Trying to Catch Your Breath. Hebert describes breathing as a “manifestation of existence”. Wow! and to think that most of the time we take breathing for granted. Pato Hebert writes about the series:

“The images record my breath made visible when exhaled into the cold night air. This very simple but beautiful manifestation of existence moves me. Like my breath, which floats off into the chilly darkness, these images float between figuration and abstraction. They continue my explorations into the evocative and the ephemeral as it relates to our well-being. The title, Trying to Catch Your Breath, refers to the literal process of making the images, my effort to try to record my breath in photographic form. The title also alludes to the spiritual process of trying to catch my breath, to slow down and nourish a healthier, calmer mental state.

The hectic pace and imbalance in my daily living can lead to insecurities, anxieties and fear. Breathing is more of a process than a ‘thing.’ But in cold air, the breath is made visible. In this way the breath materializes and becomes a kind of thing, ephemeral yet palpable, unstable yet compelling. This chilly, condensed form of my breath is fascinating and magical to me, and I wanted to see how it would appear in photographically. These photographs reference the Buddhist meditation practice of focusing on one’s breathing as a technique for being more present and aware. By learning to listen to my own breathing and by remembering to breathe calmly and deeply instead of rushing or holding my breath, I am able to think and act more clearly. I have found this technique to be tremendously helpful in my efforts to improve my own awareness.”

Enjoy and Happy Earth Day!

We’ve been having glorious days filled with beautiful colors and sun. The weather always inspires me to choose what to experiment with in the kitchen. I have two new favorites: quinoa and kale. Cooking them is simple, their benefits are plenty and they taste great.

I was about to write about the benefits of kale when I found all I wanted to say (and more) in the great Brooklyn blog — Butter Beans Kitchen. This is a must read blog if you love real food. I agree with what they write about their blog:

“…If we want quality lives full of goodness, we have got to learn to make good choices about the food we plant and the food we eat. We have got to spend some more time in the kitchen and appreciating the food we have.

We have to teach our children, in a way that makes them want to celebrate. What could be more magical than the colors and tastes and sights that the Earth produces with sunshine, rain and a few pairs of dedicated hands…”

And here is the information about kale:

Kale — in April’s glow by Butter Beans Kitchen. They will add kale recipes this month.

Enjoy!

Everything feels so new in the spring. My curious boy has been showing me the world from a new perspective. This weekend, we spent long hours with friends, playing in the park, and looking at fresh bits of color — trees, magnolias, daffodils. Very refreshing!

The beautiful sun has inspired me to introduce him to the magic of running. So I’m looking for a running stroller and would love to hear about your experiences. Here are some of the qualities I’m looking for:

*lightweight (mama is petite and our charming neighborhood is old — streets have different levels)
*easy storage (we live in Brooklyn = small apartment)
*reasonable price

I really appreciate any suggestions and/or recommendations.

Thanks and happy spring to all!

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
-Marcel Proust

What a pleasant surprise I received yesterday when Erin Loechner from Design for Mankind wrote about my new performance drawings. I feel honored to be part of this great community.

As many of you know and for those who don’t, Design for Mankind is an award-winning blog dedicated to showcasing the talents of the emerging art and design community. They receive over 11,000 visits per day (wow!) which makes them great hosts. I encourage all to take some time to look, read, subscribe and certainly to enjoy this awesome resource for art and design.

Muchas gracias Erin and everyone at Design for Mankind!

running with
my favorite music
creative thoughts
and a happy heart

returned home
found two beautiful smiles
and a cup of good coffee

simple things taste so good!

The last couple of weeks have been full of creativity. I found some time to draw, run outside and explore for titles. I like titles especially for abstract work. To me, titles are the little things that tell our story. They help us share ideas with others, and begin a dialogue…

Finding of the week:

“What is often overlooked in this modern world is that everything and everybody has value, that each atom in the universe does indeed have a place…”

-Aadil Palkhivala

Fresh snow makes everything look so pretty in the city…

Lately, the weather has been warmer than usual — perfect to run outside. Last Sunday morning was a beautiful and sunny fall morning. I managed to run five miles and felt I could keep going. I enjoyed the longer run, but now that the weather is changing again, I’m looking for ways to trick my brain to enjoy running in the cold.

In the I’m a Runner section of Runner’s World, I found an interview with Wolfgang Ketterle, Nobel Prize-winning physicist from MIT where he says:

“It’s quite nice running when it’s cold out. I like the contrast of the warm body, which is at a wonderful operating temperature, with the chill on the skin.”

I like the beautiful way he describes running in the cold. It also sounds like good material for a performance. I’m definitely going to remember his words while I’m out there pushing to get to the six mile…And maybe when I think of my next performance/drawings.

I’m impressed and happy to know there are abstract paintings currently on view at the White House. But I admit I would have added other media, more works by women artists, and works by Latin and Asian American artists — there are none!?

A new discovery for me was the artist Alma Thomas. Holland Cotter writes:

“If the offer were made, which artist from the White House list would I choose for my New York City apartment? I knew the answer: Alma W. Thomas.”

I agree. I absolutely loved her work and story. She began to paint when she retired from teaching at 69. At 80, she had a one-person exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. An extremely important exhibition because it was the first one-person exhibition by a black woman at the Whitney.

My favorites: Thomas used her kitchen as a studio. And for her, color was life, and life was art. Ahh, so fresh!

Image:

Alma Thomas (1891–1978)

Watusi (Hard Edge), 1963

Acrylic on canvas, 47 5/8 x 44 1/4 inches

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

A bunch of ideas for the new web/blog have been floating inside my head. I like the idea of a blog because it’s less static and could function as a sketchbook. I hope to find some time to make the changes soon.

My little Tarahumara will be 7 months next week and is already crawling fast! And while I attempt to flow in yoga class, I’m amazed to see him be so naturally flexible. He can flow from downward facing dog to plank to pigeon pose with no trouble at all. Signs that he may become a runner or yogi just like mama.

A good read for new parents is From Birth, Engage Your Child With Talk by Jane E. Brody. And Animal Playground by Putumayo Kids is a beautiful collection of animal-themed songs from around the world. The video above is from one of the album’s song The Littlest Birds by The Be Good Tanyas (Canada).

I can’t believe October is already here. Happy fall!

I’m currently reading the book, Born to Run, a book about the life and running skills of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s Copper Canyon, which are considered the greatest distance runners in the world. I began enjoying the book when I read:

“…That was the real secret of the Tarahumara: they’d never forgotten what it felt like to love running. They remembered that running was mankind’s first fine art, our original act of inspired creation. Way before we were scratching pictures on caves or beating rhythms on hollow trees, we were perfecting the art of combining our breath and mind and muscles into fluid self-propulsion over wild terrain…”

I can’t explain how it happens, but one tends to complicate life and get tangled in the “rat race”. Suddenly, what we love to do becomes a chore. The Tarahumara’s secret is exactly what I want to remember daily. To always love everything I do…including just doing absolutely NADA.

Image:

Tarahumara men costumed for rituals. Photo from National Geographic’s article, A People Apart by Cynthia Gorney. Photograph by Robb Kendrick.

The collection has four tiny books perfect for little hands: Alligators All Around (an alphabet book), Chicken Soup with Rice (book of months), One Was Johnny (a counting book), and Pierre (a cautionary tale). The simplicity of the stories and illustrations make them enjoyable for both kids and adults alike.

A couple of weekends ago, we went to an art opening in Staten Island. It was rainy and cold — June has been very wet in New York. As we were traveling back home in the S.I. ferry, I couldn’t stop thinking about Chicken Soup with Rice. When we got home, I went straight to the kitchen and cooked a warm and delicious chicken soup with rice…still laughing!

I love books and these days I’m enjoying reading with Mateo. I take him to our local bookstore where I found another great book called Open House for Butterflies by Ruth Krauss. The book, also illustrated by Maurice Sendak has simple thoughts and illustrations like the books in the Nutshell Library. Some of my favorite thoughts are:

Look! I’m running away with my imagination.

There should be a parade when a baby is born.

Suppose old people grew down as young people grew up.

Easter eggs are all different outside but they’re alike inside.

A baby makes the mother and father — otherwise they’re just plain people.

Yesterday shows another day is here.

Everybody should be quiet near a little stream and listen.

A baby dances with its feet in the air.

I think a race looks prettier when everybody comes in even.

So always take some time to look, enjoy and imagine!

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand”. — Albert Einstein

My mind and body were ready for a little stir up so last week I found myself running at lunch time in Central Park. I usually run early in the morning around my neighborhood, but I’ve been wanting to run in the park since I started to work near it.

Although it’s been a challenge to keep up with all, it’s also been great to dedicate those beautiful green miles in the park — there’s nothing like running through nature — to think about my new little family, how to train for a race, yoga inversions I would like to explore, and just getting excited about new projects…

Getting excited about new projects reminds me to mention two wonderful exhibitions I recently saw even though they closed already. I wish there were more exhibitions like the Tangled Alphabets: León Ferrari and Mira Schendel at MoMA. Wow! I’m still digesting Schendel’s amazing works and ideas. And Ernesto Neto’s anthropodino at the Armory which was a fun experience.

Enjoy!

Image:

Yoko Ono, Wish Piece, 1996

Make a wish

Write it down on a piece of paper

Fold it and tie it around a branch of a Wish Tree

Ask your friends to do the same

Keep wishing

Until the branches are covered with wishes

We all know that during tough times there is always space for positive thinking and change. But watching or reading the news lately, makes it a challenge to remember. Change doesn’t have to be huge. We can start making tiny changes in our homes, studios and work. A good place to begin is in our minds.

Here are some of my recent positive findings and highlights:

Down with the Cube!

by Jerry Saltz

“…But what’s on view isn’t really the point. “From the Archives” suggests that a gallery can be a white box but needn’t feel like a mausoleum or act like a museum. Too much purity, architectural or esthetic, is bad for art right now; that art needs to feel more connected to the world. In this way the show is a moment to remember that a gallery is foremost a test site, not a store…”

The Boom Is Over. Long Live the Art!

By Holland Cotter

“…This has happened more than once in the recent past. Art has changed as a result. And in every case it has been artists who have reshaped the game.”

“…At the same time, if the example of past crises holds true, artists can also take over the factory, make the art industry their own. Collectively and individually they can customize the machinery, alter the modes of distribution, adjust the rate of production to allow for organic growth, for shifts in purpose and direction. They can daydream and concentrate. They can make nothing for a while, or make something and make it wrong, and fail in peace, and start again.”

“…Why not build into your graduate program a work-study semester that takes students out of the art world entirely and places them in hospitals, schools and prisons, sometimes in-extremis environments, i.e. real life?”

“…Such changes would require new ways of thinking and writing about art…”

Growing Awareness

Seven simple acts to help you cultivate a happier, healthier life.

By Charity Ferreira from Yoga Journal

1. Shift your perspective

2. Waste not

3. Restore health and happiness

4. Experience silence

5. Be a creator

6. Make an offering

7. Love your body

My favorite is number 6 — Make an offering. Ferreira writes: “…Commit to one selfless act each week…These moments are a chance to share someone else’s experience of the world and see the richness of your own existence.”

5 Ways to Be Mindful and Achieve Optimal Health

By Deborah Kotz

1. Consider what’s right with you

2. Love yourself unconditionally

3. Live in the present moment

4. When life gets tough, don’t take it personally

5. Put the “being” back in human

My favorite is number 5 — Kotz writes: “If you fill every moment with frenetic activity—work, text messaging, household chores, computer games—you never give yourself a chance to simply be. Too many of us are human stuff, the sum of our actions, instead of human beings, points out Kabat-Zinn. As corny as it sounds, just sitting for a moment to contemplate the clouds, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, the pattern of stalled cars winding around the freeway, is what separates us from the nut-gathering squirrels. And science shows it’s a great stress reliever, to boot.”

Milk

Written by Dustin Lance Black; Directed by Gus Van Sant

After the movie, I left the theater with an incredible feeling of inspiration and hope. Sean Penn is fantastic. Two things Harvey Milk (Penn) repeated during the movie have stayed with me.

“It’s not about personal gain, not about ego, not about power — it’s about giving people out there, hope. You gotta give them hope.”

“I know that you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living.”

Image:

Lygia Pape

O Ovo (The Egg), 1967

Performance

“Don’t expect anything original from an echo”. -Author Unknown

“I made a pact with myself many years ago that though it would be nice to be able to support myself with my art, (money) wouldn’t be the compelling factor for creating it. Part of being an artist is you’re compelled to constantly re-create yourself. If you kept doing the same thing it would be very boring”.

-Marlene McCarty, visual artist

From I, New York, Public Eye, Time Out New York.

I wish you are already having a great holiday season and that the new year brings health, peace, and purpose to everyone!

This year, Art Movement is participating in a Virtual Food Drive for the Food Bank’s annual campaign. I understand it’s hard to give when we don’t have much, but any amount — small or large — will help Food Bank provide free meals to New Yorkers in need. $1 provides 5 meals, a $20 donation can feed 100 people. Food Bank’s mission is “to end food poverty and increase access to affordable, nutritious food for low-income New Yorkers throughout the five boroughs”.

I didn’t want to set a specific goal amount. Art Movement’s goal is simply to give and help others.

If you would like to make a donation, please visit Art Movement’s Virtual Food Drive.

THANK YOU and Happy Holidays to all!

Is it possible to order a bagel with everything and nothing at the same time? Is this a conceptual act? Is she a conceptual eater?

I’m still laughing about it, but wonder if there is ever a right way of wanting everything and nothing at the same time?

Anyway, these are the existential thoughts of a very sleepy morning.

Image:

Matthew Deleget

Everything & Nothing, 2000

Silver metallic ink and pencil on black paper, 25 x 50 inches

Private collection

After spending a wonderful holiday with family, I’m grateful for everything, but especially for all the small moments of 2008. And every time I feel my baby boy kicking in my belly…I’m simply grateful for life!

I hope you all had a great and happy holiday!

“…Recessions are hard on people, but they are not hard on art. The forties, seventies, and the nineties, when money was scarce, were great periods, when the art world retracted but it was also reborn. New generations took the stage; new communities spawned energy; things opened up; deadwood washed away. With luck, New Museum curator Laura Hoptman’s wish will come true: “Art will flower and triumph not as a hobby, an investment, or a career, but as what it is and was—a life.”

To read the complete article, go to Frieze After the Freeze

At London’s big art fair, signs of financial trouble abound. But maybe that’s okay.

By Jerry Saltz