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| Nicole’s children |
For the past few months I've been frantically working to finish the portraits for the next Chicks with Balls show in Pennsylvania at the Luzerne County Community College. Nicole's was particularly complex with her tangled yarn analogy of motherhood, featuring her children.
Between painting and waiting for layers to dry…which was taking forever…and getting the blogs written, I was down to the wire and getting overwhelmed. I didn't moan and groan about this on facebook, or even in private to Nicole though. I just flip out at my family occasionally, and then go back to doing the work, because it's actually all good.
A week or so ago, however, Nicole, who is a very perceptive soul, sent me the following message.
Nicole said:
Hi Judy! I just wanted to reach out to tell you "you're off the hook" as far as I'm concerned with writing a blog about me. Honestly, I can only imagine how much pressure it is on you to try to summarize someone's entire essence of being in a blog post. Especially because you are already doing it so beautifully and exactly through paint... I can also tell you that a part (and sometimes a lot more) of me identifies with the things you've already written about your other chicks. If you insist on putting something in writing for me, just go back and take excerpts from the others' post and mash it all together to create one for me! Cut and paste is a beautiful thing... That pretty much sums me up anyway.. Lots of little pieces and experiences and desires and personalities and faults and talents and mistakes and dumb luck adventures and, and, and,... that have somehow ended up gelling (and sometimes not) together in one living being who's just trying to get through this life enjoying it as much as possible and sharing as much positive energy with others as possible. Maybe I could even be different and you could have me be your first "non blog" hahaha. Really, though, your very generous gift to me in all this is the painting, which, although you are just as talented with your pen as you are your brush, I know is your true love and how you, at your core, desire to connect with people. Consider us connected and cross my blog off your very long list of things to do right now! Can't wait to see it! And you xoxoxox
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| a detail from Nicole’s children |
Here's how I responded…
Judy said:
Thank you Nicole! You've just written my blog for me! I'm serious…totally serious! I'm working on your painting as we speak, hoping the white will dry in time for the shadows under the yarn to dry in time for me to varnish it and then dry so it won't stick to the other paintings when I stick it into the Uhaul! Actually, your painting is lying in the "drying room"AND, I think your "don't bother writing a blog about me" message soo OOOOO perfectly exemplifies the whole Chick with balls thing, it's perfect! So, if you don't mind, I shall quote your message more or less verbatim…no changes, no proofing, no paragraph returns, just a mad rush of very considerate thoughts. It will be the last one I post before loading the truck I think.
No better gift actually! Thank you!
The title of your painting, is "Nicole's tale of motherhood told in yarn" or something like that. I still have to polish the title a bit.
This is awesome and so perfect!
Judy
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| a detail from Nicole’s children |
And this is what Nicole thought…
Nicole said:This is so wonderful. Amazing how things just organically become what they are supposed to, right? xxoo
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| a detail from Nicole’s children |
Yes indeed…life unfolding around the art!
And now it's off to pack the U-haul and take the Chicks on the road to Pennsylvania for its showing at the Luzerne County Community College at the Schulman Gallery on October 24th!
P.S. The titanium white is dry…phew!
Mark your calendars
and if you can swing it, make your plans…
Chicks with Balls is traveling to Pennsylvania!
Chicks with Balls:
Judy Takács Paints Unsung Female Heroes
Schulman Gallery
Luzerne County Community College
Gallery Talk: Friday Night October 24th at 5:30
Opening Reception Immediately Follows until 8:30
And, I’m teaching a workshop at the college on
Saturday and Sunday October 25th and 26th.
Oil Painting the Figure and Face
with Personality and Grace…
two day painting workshop with instructor Judy Takács.
Luzerne County Community College
Schulman Gallery
1333 South Prospect Street
Nanticoke, PA
Show Dates October 24th through December 9th