I’m a creative, experienced, multi-purpose artist and art director
who can take projects start to finish in a variety of styles.

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Friday, October 10, 2014

"Octopus"



I went to Chicago for a work conference.  Lectures, vendor meetings, fancy dinners (including an octopus appetizer)... but let's get the important part -- I saw a couple of my college buddies!!  Woo Hoo! YAY!!!

Chris, Alex, and I talked and laughed.  I am so glad to see them again after so many years and my heart is bursting with happiness to see them.  I would've liked to see more college friends in Chicago, but time was limited.  We are inspired by the 1981 class' reunion and blog site and want to do our own reunion.  We don't have photos from back in the day because we were too poor for luxuries like cameras and film, but if you were at Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) around the time of the graduating class of 1983 let us know if you're interested in a reunion and/or have photos. We're inclusive and would like to see everybody we knew and loved back then, including the 1981 folks.  I'll make a blog for photos if anyone sends them.

I got to see some of Chris (Koronich) Nye's recent work when I was in Chicago.  See her website here.

Chris' work is expressive and happy, and I'll admit I'm a bit jealous that she paints what she wants and has found a market for it.  She combines her other interests in interior design, faux finishes, and yoga instruction into a cohesive plan for survival and self-expression.  She does what she wants artistically and in every other way.

I roamed around her house and contemplated her paintings, which I suppose is the real beauty of them.  They are beautiful in themselves, but they're also contemplative like Japanese landscapes which are intended to be viewed during meditations.  I wandered around in Chris' yard and stroked the lavender to get the calming scent on my hands.  When I went back inside with my lavender hands and there were the paintings again with all the colors of the garden.  They're suggestive, calming, exciting, and inspiring.

When I worked with naturalists, they liked to tell me to do things in "natureful colors".  I'd tell them that all colors are in nature, but they really just wanted tans, browns, and greens.  Chris' paintings have hot yellow chartreuses, purples, reds... an explosion of truly "natureful" colors.

Sometimes I throw paint around.  It's a happy activity that I don't take very seriously when I do it myself.  Sometimes I'll even hang one of those paintings, but I want people to notice things I've labored over, not the things I just had fun doing.  Another of my friends has scolded me for my wrong-headed attitude.  She says people enjoy it when I have fun with paint and also that other people can't do it.  No matter the people who say their kid could do it.  Let your kid try then.  There's a lot to be said for an expensive college education that taught us about color and design, right?

This all made crystal clear sense to me when I looked at Chris' paintings.  Sometimes I can do something similar, but it isn't the same, and I'll be the first to say Chris' paintings are better.  She understands things about interior spaces that I don't.  Her color choices are wonderful.  She brings flowers to life through suggestion.  I've got a blank canvas.  I think I'll follow her inspiration and throw some paint around!

Standing in front of the Chicago "Bean"
The octopus is just a doodle.  I don't want to take away from the beauty of Chris' art this week.

13 comments:

  1. How wonderful to catch up with your friends Linda, your smiling faces show what a great time you all had. I do love the colours Chris uses, stunning artwork. Have a great weekend x

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  2. Gosh, lovely post and gorgeous colours! :)

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  3. I did have a great time, and will not let decades pass by again before seeing them again. Some people matter too much. I'm happy to show off Chris' paintings too. I told her she'd go international with this blog :) Thanks for the comments!

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  4. How fun to run into good friends from college! Glad you had such a good time. Beautiful work!

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  5. What a joyful post, Linda! Being able to reconnect with treasured friends from the past is just priceless- How wonderful to discover new inspiration in the process. Hope you enjoyed the octopus appetizer! :o)

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  6. I hope you appreciate your "labored" works as well as your and other's looser expressions. I know I just need to be laborious and intricate sometimes--and sometimes not. Your friend's work is beautiful, and it does make me want to be happy playing with paint. ("playing" doesn't mean I don't recognize that it takes practiced skills to do it beautifully, and I don't think my kids can do it!)

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  7. Thanks everybody! I've had a smile on my face ever since I got to see my friends. I think you said it better Melissa about "playing" with paint. I tried to do something Chris-inspired this weekend and made bad paintings -- which only makes me appreciate her work more!

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  8. I like the connection of the octopus and the splashes of paint that look like octo arms. The paintings really do look happy and free.

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  9. I think your friend is right about your attitude. When creating I think fun is one of the most important aspect of it. And I think that is when art becomes best - even if it involves less craftsmanship. Otherwise I think the paintings of Chris are wonderful. And octopus? Not really my favourite, but they can be OK when deep fried...

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  10. I'm glad to have a little part in sharing Chris' artwork. The more I look at them, the more I like her paintings. I'll work on having more fun :) Thanks!

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  11. What a wonderful reminder - to get in touch with folks who uplift, and to encourage the creative self to come out and play, both. Once my mad prep for SCBWI Canada East is over with, going to do both these things. Keep throwing paint around!

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  12. Let's hope we all keep throwing paint around in one way or another! I hope you have a good conference too :)

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  13. I love the expressive and free mark making and the lovely vibrant layered colours in Chris' artwork. Thanks for sharing it Linda, really pleased you had such a good time.

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