Art Friends are some of the Best Friends!!

The First Gathering of the Quarterly Meeting of Our New Art Group
Yet to Be Named  at Mark Phillips and Lyman Zobell's

The gathering of artists has been more than a month ago, but what a group it was! Represented were a lot of involved movers and shakers in the Tampa Bay Area. This is a photo of the women of the group..mostly, some were elsewhere.  From left to right:  Betsy Lester, Rose Marie Prins, Leslie Neuman, Michele Tuegel, Elizabeth Gordon, and Barbara Synes. Some of the most creative and wonderful  artists you would want to meet, but great human beings as well.  Not pictured here is Nathan Mark Phillips and David Bewley, Elizabeth Suggs and many other friends of artists attending.
The next part is to be held on Betsy Lester's boat in December!!  

Barbara and Martin Stynes, British Abstract Landscape Artist
and his wife, who is also an artist in her own right

Now this may seem local and of regional interests as this blog is read worldwide, but what I want you to draw from this is the wonderful comraderie that a group of artists sharing and relaxing with art can have.  There is a spirit among artists that is so unlike any other I have known.  It is the creative spirit and the fact we all must be highly trained observers in one way or another.  That night was a close to artists perfection as one can think of, everyone shared their ideas, projects and networked with each other.  There was no agenda, just relax, eat, drink and meet other artists and share.  So there is no pressure, no competition, just being with fellow artists.
I urge you to form a group like this in your community...just get together and open your arms and homes to each other.  Artists need all the support and affirmation they can get.  This is the way to build a  community of artists, to support artist in your area, share ideas and network!

Lyman Zobell and Rose Marie Prins Sharing Art

AN ADDENDUM: No follow up was planned before this meeting, the artists participants themselves decided they did not want it to end, but to continue.  We all talked about how often to meet and how we would decide where to have the next party...funny every one was volunteering, but none of us could turn down an offer of a part on a boat!!!  Thank you Betsy Lester!!

Thought for group name...In the Company of Artists!  What do you think?

THE VALUE OF CONNECTING IN THE ARTS/AN AMERICAN JOURNEY

AN ARTIST JOURNEY

Martin and Barbara Stynes arrive in the USA.  The excitement of the adventure shows on their faces.  Martin is a British Abstract landscape artist and his wife Barbara is an artist as well.  Martin and I met on line as a result of the Rabbit's Moon Studio blog. 

Martin Stynes, British Landscape Artist

 We became friends on line and chatted for a couple of years.  We talked about art, making art, artist blocks, and idea in depth.  We began to become good friends who talked weekly.  I began to know Martin's family and friends through his posts.  It was evident he was an exceptional person and artist.  The idea began to germinate that bringing his work to America would be beneficial for him and us.  So he began to enter his work in exhibitions in Florida.  Then the idea began to form of bringing Martin to the USA.  The more we talked the more exciting it became and the more possible it seemed.  After many conversations and initial plans one plan emerged and with Kathie O'Leary's help we figured out a way to host Martin and Barbara state side.  I would pick Martin up in Orlando, he would rest a few days at my house, the we would have an art party at Lyman and Marks, they would then spend a week with Kathie and her husband Bill on the beach, I would then pick them up and off the Charleston to stay at my brother and sister in law's for a couple of days and then on to Asheville for another week.  For British who are not used to driving long distances they did very well.  Martin was able to network with artist and galleries in each area.  He was also able to see the art scene in each area and its differences.  We met other artists in each area and had wonderful discussions.  I will ask Martin to write a few post of his experiences and thoughts about his trip to put here for you to read.  

In many respects this was a risk for Martin and me, we had never met except on line, but we felt we knew each other pretty well and a level of trust had built up over the years.  And after meeting Martin in person I can tell you he is exactly the same sweet, kind, honest, thoughtful, creative person I thought he was.  

The value of reaching out to other artists, to other cultures, to exchange ideas is a highly valuable one, that is beneficial to all involved.  Consider the building of understanding, the sharing of common ideas as a creative person, the ability to see through another persons cultural lens, and to build bridges between countries and cultures.  I think the arts are the single most important way to accomplish understanding and peace in this world that is so torn with conflict and misunderstanding.  I urge you to build bridges, reach out as Martin and I have.  Let this be the beginning of a movement that creates a pathway of artists sharing and creating.  Join the movement, invite and artist to your country, host them, introduce them to other artists and galleries, put on joint shows, invite other artists, and above all build tolerance, understanding and good will!

British Abstract Landscape Artist Martin Stynes and his artist wife Barbara arrive in America.

Martin and Barbara explore the tropical

The Hosting Partners meet at the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor to plan
Martin and Barbara's American stay:starting on the right, Martin, Ann, Bill,
Kathie, Barbara, and me.

AN ART PARTY!  Lyman Zobel and Mark Phillips hosted an art party with myself and Ann for Martin and Barbara at their lovely artsy home.  Present were some of the finest artist and gallery owners in our area.  From right to left: Barbara Stynes, myself, Michelle Teugle, Leslie Neuman, Rose Marie Prins, and Betsy Lester.

Martin sharing ideas

Martin and Barbara in the foreground and James Michaels
painting in the background.  Lyman and Mark are avid collectors
of Michaels' work.

Barbara on Bellair Beach in Florida enjoying the sound of the surf.

Martin in Charleston discussing the news with April Gordon,
Charleston, S.C. host and my sister -in-law

MARTIN 

IN DEEP AND THOUGHTFUL 

DISCUSSION   

Helping to host an Asheville Deck Party

Martin and Barbara reading and relaxing in Asheville

Ann on the left, Martin, and myself eating at the Stoney Knob
Cafe, a funky artsy dinner.  Great food and fun.

The Blue Ridge Mountain air brings deep relaxation

Martin tasting a bit of mountain spirits, the real stuff, Moonshine.

Martin and Barbara in the mountains of the Blue Ridge

Martin and Barbara sitting in the Wild Berry Bed and Breakfast 

Dumont Cooke and Judy Baker host Martin and Barbara for cocktails at their
modern industrial style mountain house with a million dollar view.

Martin and Barbara enjoying meeting new friends

Barbara trying to capture that million dollar view

If you can't be a cowboy in America where can you be!?

Martin meets Botanical illustrator and artist in Asheville gallery

Leonardo Da Vinci was Barbara's constant companion,
better known as Vinci

Martin with a special liquid glow of enjoyment

Barbara finding Souther American handicrafts to take back to England

Barbara, the artist, with camera in hand

IT IS MY HOPE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF VISITS AND SHARING, THAT MUCH GOOD WILL COME FROM THIS.  ANN AND I PLAN TO VISIT MARTIN AND BARBARA IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.  WE HOPE TO MEET OTHER ARTIST, VISIT GALLERIES, SHARE OUR WORK, AND CREATE. I SEE THIS AS THE FOUNDATION OF A BRIDGE THAT WE ARE BUILDING THAT MANY MAY TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH ON. 

 IF YOU WANT MORE IDEAS ON INVITING AND HOSTING ARTISTS IN YOUR AREA, CONTACT ME AT RABBITS5@AOL.COM. I PROMISE YOU THIS IS AN EXPERIENCE YOU WILL CHERISH AS I DO!

School Bus In the Morning

                                                          Photo's by Elizabeth Gordon

On the way to take our artist friend Martin Stynes and his wife Barbara to the airport we got stuck behind this school bus.  It was very early in the morning, pouring rain and foggy.  I began looking at how the lights were blaring and the water and rain magnified the effect even more.  My favorite photo is the last, it is the closest and most abstracted of the photographs. I have been toying with an idea for a piece based on school buses and the colors used on the buses.  Did you know there is a color that is School Bus Yellow and it was voted to be the color of school buses in the 1900's?  Interesting history to look up.  So you can't go into Home Depot or Lowe's and buy school bus colored paint, it is legislated.     

A Day of Artists, Good friends, Good food and nature. Can't get better than this!

Blue Ridge Mountains from JB and Dumonts's deck

Salmon and Rocket Salad

an artfully set table

JB and Dumonts industrial redesigned kitchen

Looking from the kitchen through to the deck and the Blue Ridge

Dumont, Martin, Barbara, JB, and Ann

Barbara being the photographer

100,244 !!!! RABBIT'S MOON STUDIO HAS A MAJOR CELEBRATION!!!

100,244!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CELEBRATION!!!!

TODAY WE REACHED A HUGE BENCHMARK FOR THE RABBIT'S MOON STUDIO BLOG!  TWO SHORT YEARS AGO I SAT DOWN WITH A COMPUTER AND STARTED TYPING ABOUT MY LOVE OF ART, ARTISTS, AND ART ADVOCACY, AND NOW WE HAVE HAD 100,000 VISITORS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD.  

If you don't believe dreams can come true, you should.  If you don't believe visualization can happen,  you should.  If you don't believe if you have faith in something that it can come into reality, then you should.  This blog is a living breathing example of all of those realities that happened.  And so be it one of the artists that I highlight and met through my blog happened to be visiting this week while we reached our huge stupendous goal! 

Martin Stynes British Abstract Landscape Artist

Barbara Stynes, Wife of Martin 

 Martin Stynes, a British Abstract Landscape Artist is here in Asheville and he and his wife Barbara have traveled with me and Ann from Florida, through Charleston, to our studio in Asheville.  Artist and art teacher Kathie O'Leary also hosted Martin on Belllair Beach for a week.  What a wonderful man and what a wonderful spouse Barbara is, the most delightful of people.  It could not have happened any better than this...for Martin is a physical realization of the dream of the blog in reality.  

I want to thank you for your loyal readership, for without it there would be no blog.  I want to give back to all of you somehow and I am in the process of thinking how I can do that. I want to give you a gift as you have given me a gift of loyal reading and of the shared love of art!

SO CELEBRATE WITH ME AND RAISE A GLASS AND SAY A TOAST TO THE LOVE OF ART!!  CHEERS!

BALI, AUSTRIA, CHINA, PHILIPPINES, UNITED KINGDOM, INDIA, BANGLADESH, TURKEY, VIET NAM, NEPAL, AFRICA, SOUTH AFRICA, NEW ZELAND, PORTUGAL, BRAZIL, PERU, RUSSIA, SRI LANKA, CANADA, ICELAND, LATVIA, DENMARK, SWEDEN, GUAM, AND ACROSS THE WORLD IT CONTINUES...EVERYDAY!   

Painting is silent poetry.  Pluarch, Moralia: how to study Poetry

Martin Stynes

HANDS ACROSS THE OCEAN IN ART

ALONG CAME MARTIN

(STYNES THAT IS)

AND BARBARA NOT FAR BEHIND, LEAVING ENGLAND BEHIND THEY FLEW ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO SEARCH OUT NEW WORLDS AS THE BRITISH ARE FOND OF DOING.  

Artists have away of connecting quite unlike any other group.  The arts are a universal language, after all, that all can understand.  So art connected Martin with other artists as our common bond from one land to another.  Through Facebook and the internet we became friends and our circle grew through the years.  The love of art is a strong connector.  After sharing and talking about art for a couple of years and the awe we had in Martins paintings we planned an meeting.  Could he come to America?  What seemed like a dream came true when Martin and his wife Barbara arrived on the sunny shores of Tampa Bay.  And what a delight it has been.  The sweetest and kindest of people they have reached out to the art community with great interest and generosity. Last evening we had a wonderful art party!

Leslie Neuman, Michelle Tuegel, Betsy Gordon, David Bewley, Pete Sheppard, Bob Teugel, Martin Stynes, Barbara Stynes, Lyman Zobel, and Rose Marie Prins delight in sharing ideas about art.

Wild Girls of the Arts!!!

Nathan Mark Phillips and Lyman Zobel helped us host our British friends in their house with 15 other area artists.  It was a charmed evening where creativity flowed as generously as the wine, and art and conversation was woven like fine sparking thread into a beautiful weaving. Everyone was sharing what they had been up to and David told us he had sold one of his major pieces. Kathie O'Leary talked about taking Martin to the beach and visiting more galleries and museums.  Michelle told us how her new gallery in downtown St. Pete is going and art sales from the view of the gallery owner.  Martin talked about the difference of the British art scene to that of America. Joyce Ely Walker talked about artist residencies she had done.  Rose Marie Prins talked about her new Best of Show Award and one woman show.  Mark showed his new e-book of Southern Gothic digital collages, and everyone was in awe of his work.  Ann shared her Found Object Collage Arrows and Michelle thought they might be perfect for her gallery Christmas show.  Betsy Lester talked about her classes and teaching art and encouraged Betsy Gordon to join her classes at the Morean Art Center.  Lyman talked about yoga and his master class studies.  Leslie Neuman talked about her wonderful home and studio in Aripeka and her paintings.  Everyone brought pot luck Southern food to share with our British friends.  There was so much food that Mark and Lyman can eat for a long long time.  Pulled pork BBQ, grilled chicken, baked beans, black eyed peas, Corn bread, salads, fried okra, dips, pies galore(pumpkin, key lime, banana cream and more).  I think we will ask all the artists to share their recipes with you from this evening as well! 

Martin in deep conversation with Bob and David

Lyman and Rose Marie Prins show the delight sharing art can bring

Me and B'Easy the dog, David, Pete and Tom.

Kathie O'Leary sneaking away from Lyman and Rose Marie

AND THIS LITTLE FELLOW SAYS IT ALL, " WELL WHAT DID YOU EXPECT EXCEPT AN EVENING OF MIRACLES?!" 
AND THE LAST THING SAID BY ALL IS WHEN IS THE NEXT ART PARTY!?