2022 brought me both adventure and grounded stability. I got to gallop on horseback through the Pyrenees Mountains on the French/Spanish border, ride trains and buses through the Italian countryside, paint in a 1000 year old former olive oil and cheese cave in Chianti, and enjoy local California trips to Mendocino, Santa Cruz, and the Sierra Nevada mountains. I found out that I’m going to be a parent, and I anxiously look forward to that in early February 2023.
Artistically, 2022 has brought me a lot of shows and some sales. I have delved into new arenas of plein aire painting and beginning to using gouache paint more often. And something I’ve found very fruitful artistically: I have branched out into new opportunities with art associations and galleries to show my work.
From January to August 2022, I was exclusively showing with Studio Seven Arts on Main street in Pleasanton, CA, with the exception of my artwork at Fremont Art Association and Southern Vermont Art Center. I had a few sales of mushroom watercolor paintings with Fremont Art Association and some luck selling mini gouache paintings while demonstrating on Main street with Studio Seven. Then in June I took off for Italy with my family and spent three weeks of my summer break painting in an ancient church in Chianti. At the time I was nauseous and fatigued at 11-14 weeks pregnant, while the temperature climbed to 95-100 degrees each day. Nonetheless, I managed to complete my series of 5 oil paintings inspired by the vineyards and olive lined hills of this region. Montefioralle, an ancient village nestled on a hilltop also served as a source of inspiration, lending to a pleasing triangular format on a few of my canvases.
Once I returned from my 7 week travels abroad, I decided it was time to branch out to new galleries and art calls. So I canceled my contract with Studio Seven and soon received invitations to show with Gearbox Gallery in Oakland, Studio Gallery in San Francisco, and Marin Society of Painters, as well as showing at events with Livermore Art Association and all the while showing with Fremont Art Association in Niles. I got to demonstrate my new found skills in gouache paint, and even received some publicity on my recent work with an article in the tri-city voice written by Lina Melkonian. I won two ‘honorable mention’ awards this past year, one for Sky Trail at the Livermore Art Association’s all members show, and the other for a plein aire piece with Pleasanton Art League’s ‘Paint Pleasanton’ event. In total I created 165 pieces this year.
2022 has brought a lot of new opportunities and recognition. I feel very grateful that my move to the Bay Area suburbs from San Francisco in early 2021 has brought me so much richness and a sense of community artistically. Though I know that being a new mom is going to change my life forever, I am already gearing up for more shows in 2023. I just recently received an invitation to show with Gallery Route One in Point Reyes Station for their ‘Seen & Imagined’ show. I can’t count how many times I have driven the redwood and fern lined San Geronimo creek dreaming about my future, and two dreams will be realized on the drive to drop my artwork with my partner and my new baby in Point Reyes this February. I cannot wait to uncover what 2023 will bring!