More Figures Of Speech connections

Between my Figures Of Speech art exhibit and my sketchbook

A skill all humans have is the ability to choose how to view the things that happen. We're able to choose what we pay attention to and then we can choose how to respond. I illustrated several aspects of this human ability some years ago when I illustrated Dr. Bob's Emotional Repair Program First Aid Kit. https://store.bookbaby.com/book/dr-bobs-emotional-repair-program-first-aid-kit1

To this day I'm still thinking about what I learned while illustrating that book and creating new art inspired by those ideas. For example in my upcoming fine art exhibit (titled Figures Of Speech) at Burnt Bridge Cellars there is a 5 part painting I've titled “In The Rabbit Hole”. Each of the 5 parts measure 10 x 8 inches so all of the 5 together could span a bit more than 40 inches from side to side. As a subscriber you’ll probably have seen some of my rabbit sketches... Below are two of the 5 parts of the painting and 2 sketchbook pages where I practiced the ways a rabbit might paint a mural. (www.burntbridgecellars.com)

The text written in my sketchbook was what was on my mind as I thought about rabbits painting things on walls. Rabbits in real life are typically skittish and I can imagine rabbits wanting to know how they could know for certain when they're safe. This same concern is true of humans. We need ways of knowing when it's safe and who is trustworthy. This issue is also discussed in the Dr Bob's book mentioned above. So I imagined both rabbits and humans sharing the consolations of music, food, visual art and storytelling via books.

As a subscriber you may have also seen one of my artist books that has rabbits painting a Mysterious Mural. This too was a prelude to my 5 part painting series “In The Rabbit Hole".

As I worked towards this exhibit I had the “professional artist trouble” of how to document a 5 part painting and give the hanging directions for the Caplan Art Designs Gallery. www.caplanartdesigns.com

I also have the trouble of how to show the 5 parts together to you, dear reader, since the ways of putting images in Substack newsletters doesn't let me put 5 in a row! 🤪 So in the photo below you're looking at all 5 art images together on my laptop in the document I created to send to the gallery.

And these 5 paintings are now hung in the winery on the wall near the winery kitchen!

Here's a closer look at “In The Rabbit Hole" on the wall in the winery.

Also on the topic of our human ability to choose our viewpoints is my painting “Pink Elephant”. In my sketchbook page you can see what I was thinking…

Here is my painting “Pink Elephant” hanging by the bar where guests view the wine list and where they pour the chosen wines!!

Most of the 22 artworks in my exhibit are inspired by simple phrases and idioms but one was inspired by a children's poem. Both my painting and the poem are titled “This Little Piggy”

In the video below I recite the poem.

So it made me chuckle that my painting “This Little Piggy” is hung in the area of the winery where wine club members pick up their cases and, we hope, say “oui, oui, oui!” all the way home!

Here's two more views of my exhibit Figures Of Speech which opens Friday June 2nd and runs through the end of July.

Burnt Bridge Cellars has a number of award winning wines that will be poured during opening night. The chef will offer pork apple burgers, chicken breast, a salad, fries and a special brie cheese as options for dinner.

In my next newsletter I'll share the downloadable ebook I've made of my entire exhibit. I've made a printed book version too and you can find sneak peeks of everything here https://sueclancy.com/portfolio/figures-of-speech/

As you know I create art for real people not solely for profit. This is an algorithm-free, ad-free publication made by a real person with real-life art supplies. So A.M. Sketching is fueled by you. Your $ helps buy art supplies. Your ❤️’s and comments inspire me. As always, I enjoy hearing your thoughts. Thank you for all of your support and encouragement! Thank you most of all for following along as I've doodled in my sketchbook towards this exhibit!