coconutannies

Art Chix @ Gustaf & Janvier's

   Last week's Art Chix meeting was hosted by Gus and Jan Miller. It is always such a treat to see the latest work coming from this very talented pair! Their beach home is filled with Gus' delightful wood sculptures and Jan's colorful, over-sized canvases. Please stop by their website for a closer look at their artwork.

  We created folded origami trees and boxes after holding our annual meeting. Three new "Chix" have been formally added to our group - Mary Segal, Julie Lounibos and Willi Miller - Hooray and welcome!!!!

 

 

The Thursday before last

The Art Chix met on the 3rd Thursday of this month.

This time we traveled out to green pastures - orange groves and horse country - and met at Sherry's house.

Sherry, an equestrian and former organic orange grove owner, is a landscape/garden artist whose talents have been honed first by turning her farm into a beautiful oasis of green.

Walking around her lush, tropical surroundings I snapped dozens of pictures which demonstrate the artful way in which she lives.

  These wonderful images will no doubt keep popping up on this blog as there are too many for this one post.

Sherry's home gave me such a feeling of peace and contentment - and being with her, for even a little while, you know that this is just a reflection of how she lives and views life.

 

The Art Chix gathered for a Collage materials swap and project, some of the girls worked on journal covers, some on cigar boxes - I played with a few papers and made a little mess, but my heart was not in it. I had too much fun wandering around, soaking up the beautiful day -

 

  Sherry's gardens beckoned . . .

as did her horse barn . . . 

. . . cool breezes, crystal clear skies and very pleasant company made the day just sublime.

Deena's Compound

Thursday was our monthly Art Chix meeting - this month we met at Deena's! First a bit of playing with sticks and stuff ( I say this because I was in a disruptive rather than an inspired state of mind), then a lovely lunch at Deena's "compound". Her beautiful homey homey is nestled in a lush green jungle overlooking the St. Lucie River. With separate elevated, wooden buildings for eating and working and sleeping and a series of boardwalks and pathways connecting it all, it could easily remind one of Swiss Family Robinson - especially the feeling of calm and simplicity it all evokes, however once you step inside the main living area your eyes are treated to a colorful, modern mix of art and furnishings - butter soft leather sofas in beautiful root-vegetable hues, expansive wood floors and cathedral high ceilings. A black, shiny grand piano in one far corner and a breathtaking floor-to-ceiling glass/lucite mixed media assemblage' in the other! Sprinkled between are eye-catching art pieces collected or created by Deena and her husband Joel. No pictures yet - I brought my camera but left the memory stick in my printer at home! OOPSIE!! Lee let me snap a few shots with hers so maybe I'll post  some of those when she sends them.

Deena's artful hand is seen throughout her home. Her artwork is filled with meaning. Often mechanically contructed, a common image in her work is the human body - her message of life and vitality is clear. Deena herself is a lithe woman whose healthful practices and athletic lifestyle have served her well. She is always upbeat and generous with praise and encouragement for fellow artists! It was a treat to peek into her creative home and share a yummy lunch with her and the rest of the Chix!

3rd Thursday

Yesterday was the 3rd thursday of the month and that means that the Art Chix met! I belong to an amazing group of artists here on the east coast of Florida. We met a few years ago in an altered book class taught by mixed media artist Jacquie Fort. That class was magic! Our teacher became our cherished friend and the energy we  found in each others company was something we were unwilling to give up when the scheduled class ended. We have continued to meet every third thursday of the month ever since, taking turns hosting the Chix at our different homes.

This month we met at Janel's beautiful tree-house of a home.  Climbing the stairs to the main floor of Janel's house puts you high into the branches of the Live Oaks surrounding - seemingly supporting - her gorgeous nest! Inside, Janel has feathered her haven with art created and collected over an abundantly prolific lifetime. Janel Lund, among other achievements, is an incredible ceramic artist. Her creations have a wonderful childlike quality that belie their sophisticated designs. She uses a mixture of clay that, fired and left alone, is so beautiful in texture and hue that her light touches of stain or glaze here and there almost seem unnecessary. But please Janel, don't ever stop adding those  intense washes of color or drops of crackled glaze to your work - they amaze and delight the eye!

As time goes by, I hope to tell you about each of these incredible artists that I am privileged to call my friends.

These are just a few quick  shots taken of these busy bees!