As I traveled over 80 miles today to be welcomed into the studios of three of our artists, I thought about how each of the artists travels everyday - in their studios, in their minds, and in their hearts.  A studio is a place set aside - in a home or a building, yes, but also in the mind and on the calendar.  It takes time and commitment to be an artist, to develop skills, to prepare works of art to be sold, and to set up pathways for art to become a part of the lives of others.  

The word "studio" is derived from the Latin word "studium" which means "study", "zeal", "dedication", and that is exactly what I saw today - places set aside for the actual work and for the tools of the trade required by an artists' life.  

As I drove home, one word traveled through my mind over and over: devotion.
I thought about each artist's devotion to their craft, to their purpose, to their willingness to be vulnerable and create.  And, I reflected upon the joy that I experienced in their lives as a result of their commitment to their artistic endeavors.  And, later in the evening, I began to research the word "studio" and to think about the various professional studios that I have maintained over the last 45 years of my life. I reflected upon the fact that I have also discovered that devotion itself is a part of the work and the joy.  

As I looked up the word "studio" I found two definitions from the Latin dictionary:
"1.  devotion, pursuit, study
  2. eagerness, enthusiasm, zeal, spirit"

Indeed, it is obvious that I am not the first person to observe that it takes devotion, effort and time set aside to do the work of an artist.  It is also clear that I am not the first person to note that this devotion reaps joy.

Have you found your studio?
Do you have space and time set aside for your work?
Do you know your calling?
And, are you devoted to what it takes to bring it to life?
Are you experiencing joy brought from devotion and work?
I surely do hope so.

I saw the Texas hill country through different eyes today as I drove home after being in their studios.  My personal experience of the beauty of the hills and the sky and the trees and grasses was newly enhanced by the work of three artists.  
I am grateful for their work and that they chose to open the doors of their studios and their hearts to me.

How long has it been since you took the time to truly ponder?
To simply pause and consider?
We Search, we Forward, we Share, we Click, we Drop down, we Reply, we Delete.....
The list is so long, isn't it?

How long has it been since you stepped into a gallery and stood and stared and studied a work of art?  The textures, the colors, the titles chosen by the artists?
How long has it been since you chose to simply be with a work of art and let it touch you? and listen to it? and imagine....?

pon.der, verb: to think about (something) carefully, to contemplate, consider, review, reflect upon, mull over, meditate on, dwell upon, puzzle over, turn over in one's mind;
to think or consider, especially quietly and deeply.

We invite you to ponder the words collected below with a few selected works of art currently in our gallery.  Take the time to pause for beauty and consideration.  Take the time to ponder......

"Dream Story" was a vivid dream I had. 

The red lines were like the ruled lines in my school notebook.

The sage walls were distressed.

And the quote was a call to our country to teach everyone to come together for the good of all.

"Binding together like a ball of twine...we would eventually all embrace the world..."
-Julie Jarvis, describing some of the inspiration for this encaustic painting. 

"When The world wearies and ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden."  -Minnie Aumónier

And a garden is filled with color and textures and surprises...if we will but take the time to find them.

Textile artist-designer, Jane Bishop, cleverly brings the floral garden inside and mixes it up with fun-filled hand painted chairs and pillow designs.  Some are soft suedes.  Some hand painted.  some vintage florals.  Some with lace and embroidery from around the world. 

She gives us much to ponder quietly.

r"Wood on wood" is enhanced as these contemporary hand carved wooden boxes strike a contrast against the aged-old wood of an antique desk with patina hardware and green leather desk surface.

"Respect the old; seek out the new."
                          - Michiba Rokusabur


Keeper boxes.....God boxes......Jewelry boxes......Memory holders.

Imagine the hours of thoughtful and precise motions used to carve this wood by hand.
Ponder that it comes to us through fair trade paths of respect for each artist and owner.

by Kathy Cody Gallaway and Jeannette MacDougall

Do we need the work of artists?
Is it really hard work? Does it require much of them? Especially if they love it so?

The work of an artist requires devotion, commitment, persistence and willingness; a yearning from within that pushes artists into their studios to work through long hours into the night, to find a way to make art, to create works of art that bring to us heart, soul, energy, encouragement, inspiration, confrontation, thoughtfulness, mindfulness.

We need our dancers to dance and our singers to sing and our artists to create their art.
We need painters to paint.  We need printmakers to design and print their exquisitely detailed works.  We need the colors and textures of mixed media. We need textiles that are works of art that we can touch and use each day.  We need the pigments that blend with the heat of encaustics. We need the watercolors that blur.  We need the work of the artist.
We need the hope, the color, the beauty, the expectation of something new.
We need the presence of artists and the arts in our communities to build us and transform us, to urge us on and carry us through. 

The very heart and soul of an artists' efforts come to us from deep within the artist, and, if we will let them, they will speak to us, deep within us. 

May we open our hearts and minds.  May we listen and see and truly take in and savor the beauty that is given to us through their hard work, their efforts, their commitment and devotion, their discipline and their willingness. 

Yes, we need the work of the artist.
And yes, it is very hard work. 
And it is all gift to us.

Click on the images above to learn more about the work of each of the artists in our current collection, HEART and SOUL.  This show runs through March 19, 2017.

From their hearts and minds and through their skills and years of experience,
they bring to us great beauty and make touching contributions to our lives. 
We need the work of the artists. 
We need to support the work of the our artists.

February 12, 2017 by Kathy Cody Gallaway, Manager, Intermezzo Gallery