It has been a busy time of year, with the start of a school year and my father's passing.
But - I have gotten back in the studio in the past few weeks and and think I have figured out the compositional system I was looking for all summer.

Actually I even painted over the summer work, which feels oddly okay, as I knew they were stepping stones to something new I was trying to figure out. And I think I have figured "it" out.

:)

Here are the 3-D collages.
The idea was to make something easy to store, so I made a portfolio, so they can neatly fold up.
The inspiration or starting point was Shaker furniture, which has an aesthetic of simplicity, function and intentional lack of adornment.
There is a historic Shaker colony in Kentucky, I have visited several times, and my father, as a furniture maker has made me a few Shaker inspired pieces. Furniture of this sort, are images and icons I do feel I can claim and use in my personal work.
Working mono chromatically was a goal; keeping it all very simple was my other challenge as I can get pretty fancy.
They work as a set or individually.

 

Here is the newest one based on an image/collage I made last summer.
The perspective is a little wonky, but this piece is funny to me and makes me smile.

One of the things I am working on at OCAC is a 3-D collage. It will be collapsible and housed in a portfolio. The motivation for using this structure is that storing 3-D work is a pain/difficult; this way I can just fold it up and put it on a shelf.  Clean and tidy. I am using a simple pop-up technique and Rachel in the bookarts department gave me a refresher on making the portfolio.

Here are some pics of the 5 pieces of art for the series. Portfolio making is next week.
My goal was to keep everything very quiet and simple. The inspiration is Shaker furniture, images from my father's resources. He was a furniture maker for 20+ years after his career as a surgeon. He is still making art, even at the age of 100.
So FYI:

Today
almost done:

Summer :)

Well I have been given the opportunity to be an Artist in Residence at Oregon College of Arts and Craft. This award is designated for a K-12 Art Educator. I have been given studio space and a stipend for a 6 week period and charged with using the facilities and interacting with students.  (how did I get so lucky?)

Anyway I am taking this opportunity to slow down and ask myself some questions about what I need to know and to experiment, and reflect on recent critiques and suggestions.

There are several tracks I am working on, but wanted to post something despite the risk of it looking rough and like the 1st struggle in a series.

I will be happy to share my completed projects at the end...but for right now, this a fraction of what I have been up to.

Summer is coming- and I am excited about more time in the studio!

I am trying some new things or a shift in direction. Here are a few of my recent explorations. I am excited about changing my palette and combining object intuitively in a surreal way.
maybe that is not so new to me.

Trying new ideas:

unfinished, but....

just begun....but something in it is where I want to be, or begin looking!

Just hung the show and it is packed with paintings.
Loren Hillman is a "scenic artist" who has worked on many films (the Matrix!) and at ILM and Leika, and at PCS and theatrical productions in town.
Guenivere is a professional artist who has shown her paintings more outside of Oregon than in our state.
Loren re-named the show:
3 Women Who Paint

I think that best describes us.
Come.

February Show - ArtReach Gallery

Through some good fortune, the three of us were invited to show at the ArtReach Gallery.

Its a busy time of year, work-wise, but a nice opportunity to put our paintings on display.
Please come see the work and join us for a Opening Reception- this thursday 2/5 @ 5:00-7:00pm.

February 2015 - Intersections featuring the work Loren Hillman, Nancy Helmsworth, and Guenevere Schwien
For the month of February, the ArtReach Gallery will feature the work of Loren Hillman, Nancy Helmsworth, and Guenevere Schwien. Three Portland artist have come together to share their unique exploration of the world around them. Each collection is individual and full of self expression. This is an opportunity to see a cross section of local paintings ranging from still life, figurative and narrative. The opening reception is Thursday, February 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. 

http://www.uccportland.org/artreach

ArtReach Gallery

Regular Gallery hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

First Congregational United Church of Christ
1126 SW Park Ave., Portland, OR

Lots coming up.
I have been working as my teaching schedule permits, in my studio with the goal of taking the next step with my work. My process has been to create a landscape with paint and have one central object/shape/structure added by collage. I then go back into the piece with paint or drawing and add the details to pull it all together.
My plan is to enlarge these into paintings, but that will come later, maybe in the summer. Right now is the time to explore a variety of possibilities or iterations.

Here are some informal pics of the new work.

Coming in February
Painting show, with two other painters at ArtReach gallery in downtown Portland.