The Spirit Made Art: Sharing the Vision Group Art Show!

Last week (yes, I'm behind), officially began the group art show, Sharing the Vision: Spiritually Inspired Art.

The venue is the Scotts Valley Public Library, which has become a cultural hot spot due to Valri Peyser's efforts and enthusiasm in curating new exhibits by local Santa Cruz County artists every three months.

The space is fantastic and if I were a responsible blogger, I'd probably get some photos of the library to post here. Hm. That's an idea (note to self...), plus I think it'd be fun to photograph interior design.

The artist reception was yesterday (again, no pics, but I was interviewed by Vanessa Stafford who produces the show, Artists, for Community Television of Santa Cruz County, which airs every Monday at 5:30 pm on Channel 27) for a couple of hours and it was fun catching up with old friends and making new ones. I enjoyed chatting with the other artists and discussing their works and influences! It certainly made me miss creating new art for the public over the last few years.

Here are the pieces I am showing at Sharing the Vision:

The Lightness of Being
Original Finger Painting

 Holy Chicken
Limited Edition Print on canvas

Meow & Zen 
Limited Edition Print on Canvas

If you're familiar with my work, you know that some of my Original Finger Paintings combine rather than cleave the idea of flesh and spirit--but that would be a bit racy for a public library! So those will have to wait until another show, at another venue.

May you enjoy, be well, and look forward to more.

Invite Beauty,

I.

To get to the other side

What, still no art?

None to show just yet. I've been busy finishing up my internships and if everything goes well, I will be done by the end of June and can resume my mantle of artist.

In the meantime, I'm researching chickens for a commission. I'm doing a mural (inside a home) of chickens based on the patron's love of my Original Finger Painting, Holy Chicken, which he received as a limited edition print years ago (only three of the small canvas giclees were made):

Holy Chicken, oil on canvas, 16" x 20", COLLECTED

There are still large prints of this beautiful fowl available on Etsy. 

And speaking of Etsy, I think once things have quieted down with my internships (as in, I'm done with them) and I've gotten my license, I may be moving my shop back to eBay. Not sure yet, but I do miss the hustle and bustle of that site compared with Etsy. 

Back to the research--I love that part of making my art: seeing things deeply, drinking them in, and then translating what I've absorbed into a painting. 

The process of painting a mural intimidated me at first. I'm used to turning around my canvas (or walking around it if it's big), but you can't do that when painting on a wall. I'll also be painting while standing on a stepladder. The patron kindly offered to build a simple scaffolding for me, which I might take him up on, but who knows. I learn different ways of doing things (and invent techniques) with each Original Finger Painting, and this will just be another opportunity to get creative about how to create. Who needs brushes?! Who needs an easel?!

So, onward with the chickens. The many breeds are fascinating. Thank you, Internet. Especially for the rooster contests.

Oh, and yes, I know, I've got to get a picture of the finished family tree painting I did. Sometime this year, I'll get that done. 

Thanks for reading, thanks for looking, and always, always--thanks for your support.

Invite Beauty,

I.

pARTy at the Library!

Wow, yeah, I'm still here, and it's roughly three months since my last post! I spent the summer recuperating from the intensity that was doing three counseling internships! Hence (sigh), no artwork to share.

However, there's a party I want to tell you about! This is the "pARTy at the Library" fundraiser, hosted by the Friends of the Scotts Valley Library, and happening this Saturday on September 22, from 7-10 pm. Tickets are $20.

What can I say? Books and art together--it's a wonderful thing. What's even better? An art auction to help support the library!

Imagine bidding on a beautiful work of art and getting to bring it home, while supporting a great cause. I've donated four pieces, featured below (please click on the images to read more about them). Here's your chance to own an Original Finger Painting by me.

The Flower of Compassion
Oil on Canvas, 18" x 36"

Make a Wish
Mixed  on Canvas, 15" x 30"

Serenata Plata
Oil on Canvas, 18" x 36"

Essence of Motion
Oil on Canvas, 18" x 36"

And there ya are! I won't be able to attend the event due to a previous engagement, but I hope you do and that you enjoy yourself!

Invite Beauty,

I.

It's summer

Hi.

Yeah, it's me again. Almost three months later. That seems to be the average time I revisit this blog and surreptitiously, not to mention guiltily, post.

I realize that some have been waiting (or forgot they were waiting) with unabated breath the final image of the commissioned tree painting. That will be forthcoming, but will require re-photographing on my part, so I apologize, once more, for the delay.

Any other news to report with contrition?

Well, it's heading into summer, and I'm both sad and happy to report that I will be finishing up two counseling internships. One internship ended at the end of May (but will resume in late August or early September), and the other internship will be done at the end of this month. Whew!

It will be nice to have a break, and be able to focus on my private practice internship.

Ideally, this will also give me time to begin painting again. It will depend on how quickly I recuperate from the intense work schedule I've had these last couple of years, but I hope to provide some beautiful artwork for your eyes this summer, before the fall comes in to sweep me back into two internships.

Oh! And I've received an inquiry about participating in an art show next summer! It's been a while, but I love this curator and look forward to sharing my work, both past and future, in her show.

In the meantime, please visit the Ivan Chan Studio Etsy shop for Original Finger Paintings, limited edition prints, and collectible greeting cards!

I think of you all often. Trust that I haven't forgotten.

Invite Beauty,

I.

Creating the Family Tree: Sketch #5

Okay, so they didn't like the trees.

I played with the branches and leaves again, and moved the rolling hill on the left over to give more space to the tree, compared with Sketch #4. I also took out one of the roots, but it wasn't symbolic, I was just sketching and trying to balance the image.

During this time of sketching, I was looking intensely at a lot of trees and artwork that focused on trees.

That's the gift of being an artist, though. You get to look at your world closely, and realize it's more than you'll ever comprehend, and then try to communicate it.

Invite Beauty,

I.

Creating the Family Tree: Sketch #4

After my patrons saw Sketch #3, they said they wanted to see all of the tree within the boundaries of the surface. I experimented with a different kind of "leaf" style and you can see that the branches are different, too--not as thick and heavy.

Also, we discussed having a more dynamic landscape than in Sketch #3, so I added a rolling hill and made the water flow, rather than have a still pond as in the previous sketch. There are also a few trees in the distance on the hill. This echoed my Original Finger Painting, I Am There:

It also reflects the landscape found from an Original Finger Painting in my Here Kitty Series, Three Cats from the Mountain:

To read about each Original Finger Painting, please click on their titles. I've made neither I Am There nor Three Cats from the Mountain into Little Beauties Art Cards, but you can find other beautiful and collectible art cards printed on eco-friendly, 100% postconsumer, matte cardstock in my Etsy shop.

Anyway, you'll see in the next sketch the results of my patrons' feedback. Only two more sketches until the final sketch, and then I reveal the Original Finger Painting!

Invite Beauty,

I.

Dance and sing, because it's fun.

I'm all about the cross-cultural, so I thought I'd share this video a friend shared on Facebook. Is it art? Hellz yeah.

Enjoy.

Invite Beauty,

I.