This is an amazing program with such talented individuals. I had the privilege of teaching here while living in Juneau. This video melts my heart!
Experiancing
Evening of Art and Fashion
After spending the day hanging artwork on mirrored panels and creating make shift lighting systems with duct tape and speaker stands, I managed to not have any butterflies left for the opening of Modus Union. By 7 p.m. the crowd arrived filling the cocktail hour and corridor. It was a social affair mixed with art appreciation.
None of the artists had work fly off the walls, but prospective connections were made. I did meet an art agent and Maple Syrup (my dog) may have landed a gig as a fashion dog. My favorite moment of the night was watching a gentlemen read my entire artist statement on an art card and then carefully tuck it into his coat pocket for safe keeping.
Lela Rose’s show was amazing. Her attention to shape and detail was noted.
This Weekend
&
Moving takes…
I guess moving from Juneau, Alaska to Washington, D.C. is exhausting. I didn’t think so during the actual flights and drive, but the fact that I’m still reflecting and adjusting means it’s not complete yet. I’m pretty sure I’ve forgotten how to text….and driving past the “end of the road” feels strange. Dressing up in general feels like a luxury and I still feel like I have to catch the sun while it’s out, or I might miss it for a month.
The hardest part for me so far is deciding what I don’t want in my life from before we lived in Juneau. I’m pacing myself. I think we all have opportunities to change our own pattern.
I feel like living in Juneau was a challenge and priceless all rolled up into one.
I think it’s time to start arting.
Holding onto Juneau, statement
Karen Suderman, statement
Holding onto Juneau
It’s been more than a year now since my husband and I arrived in Juneau. As a constant observer of details in nature, I feel taken back by the grandeur of it all. How could I ever take it all in, or with me?
You can’t hold onto the vast landscape, keep the snow or capture the wildlife with any one view. But you can experience it all in instants. That is all it will lend you, because in its permanence it changes constantly.
One step after another, you will never see the same horizon. You can’t recreate the force of a glacier that focuses so much energy on being compact, the soft relief that winter can bring after the rain, the innate respect of things larger than yourself, or the glory in a person’s kindness here.
You can only partake in its fullness for a moment, and then hold on to who you are because of it.
This collection is who I am, holding onto Juneau.
Christmas in Juneau
We did it. We found the perfect tree, carried it home, somehow made it stand up straight, and adorned it with homemade decorations.
I’m excited about having a white Christmas. I think the odds are in my favor.
My brother took the photo above! You can see more of his work by visiting Tracy Harton Gallery
Back from the Arctic Circle
One place I never thought I would visit.
Alan and I soon discovered just how close we were from the arctic circle on our road trip last week. We couldn’t pass by such an opportunity. Some of the most beautiful terrain I’ve ever seen adorns the Dempster Hwy, the worst road I’ve ever driven on. Rich hues of gray, purple, burnt sienna, green, yellow, and pink still linger inside my heart. At times, it was so quiet we could hear ringing.
Outside Studio
I moved my studio outside today. The porch was perfect shelter from the rain. Which is great because it hasn’t stopped raining for days! Does this count as Plein Air? The entire time I was painting I thought that bear might be under the house. I recommend this strategy to everyone. You get so much more done.
Low Tide
Not much to say, other than I’m overwhelmed by Alaska’s accessible beauty. I wish I could share it with everyone that has ever inspired me.
Karen Suderman: 