Janesville WRAP Day

Today the Janesville Art League hosted a Wisconsin Regional Artists Program show and workshop. The show was held at the Janesville Performing Arts Center, and a judge came and critiqued the paintings, photography and sculptures. Some, including my painting of two peppermint candies, qualified for next year's state show in Madison. I also did the smaller painting of an iris, though that one wasn't chosen as a winner.

There was a sobering moment when the beautiful pen and ink drawing of a spray of flowers won a state award, since the woman who created it recently suffered a serious stroke, and there probably will be no more drawing from this formerly vibrant person. A reminder of the uncertainty of life, and the need to live every day fully.

There were a couple large welded sculptures that had a real "wow" factor. This dancing couple swirls around.

Linda admired some of the many watercolors, oils, acrylics, and drawings. This show featured an abundance - a whole garden - of flowers. I suppose it's because summer here can be relatively short. People celebrate natural beauty in their artwork.

From The 2009 Wisconsin Poets Calendar:

Blue Alert!

by June Nirschl

This is a public announcement.

The sky this afternoon drained the blue

from Van Gogh's paint box. Despite

pigment excess, the arbor vitae and

ironwood remained forest green;

the black-eyed Susans and goldenrod

danced in the light; wild apples turned

upon their stems to ripen with rays,

as though this were an ordinary August

day; and Queen Anne's Lace waited

to be gathered for a bridal bouquet.

Only the bedeviling spotted knapweed

succumbed, a bit of faded blue creeping

along each mauve-colored flower's

edge. Be assured, friends, it's only

a matter of time. Only a matter of time.