Change of Season and NEW studio

Dear Friends and Collectors of Laurie Maves ART. in the new studio with new paintings photos by Kathleen Peachey              Fall is definitely here, once again, and this time I look onto the world from a new studio situtated near the 8th Avenue Exit off of I25 - right smack dab in the center of the city of Denver. This most amazing space has been created for me by my endearing husband. Yes, I was married this past summer and one of the amazing perks of my newlywed status is that my husband is part owner of a constrcution company in Denver called, Platinum Renovations. The new work space is brightly lit with floor to ceiling north-facing windows. The light is so amazing I rarely ever have to turn on a light. Many who know me from my days of having the basement studio on Santa Fe Drive in the Santa Fe Arts District in Denver will know that the space is a true change for me - even symbolizing rising from a dark time in my personal life to a new bright and brilliant existence. To Ralph Guglielmi, my husband, I am most grateful. Come see the space when you can, all you have to do is call me, email me or text to make an appointment.  We are located at 730 Umatilla Street, Denver, CO 80235, USA

More news in the art world for Laurie Maves ART (my name was officially changed to Laurie Maves Guglielmi, but for all art-related business, I will maintain the Laurie Maves ART trademark). There are two shows I would love to bring to your attention. This weekend I will have one painting of a portrait of Annie Oakley made specifically for the "Buffalo Bill DAZE" 9/11 - 9/13  event in Georgetown, Colorado. "Annie Oakley Ain't Afraid" is 24"x30"  acrylic on canvas and is currently available for purchase

The next exhibition I would like to let you know about is one of a collaboration with Erica Jane Huntzinger that will take place in the Frank Juarez Gallery in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, starting October 24-November 28. The show will be titled, "20 and Counting," as Erica and I have been friends for the past twenty years following our enrollment in the Masters of Art in Art Therapy program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) in 1995. Erica visited Denver in August and we created 20 paintings for the show, 4 being true collaborative paintings.  "intuition" 24"x30" acrylic and china makers on Tyvek all rights reserved by Laurie Maves ART Thank you to all of you who continue to support my painting. I look forward to the new works that will be created in the new space.  Come Visit!

(what happens when) waiting for the perfect painting studio

"My Warrior for the Feminine Divine" mixed media on canvas 72"x72" 2015  all rights reserved by Laurie Maves

Since my last Linked-In blog post, I have been patiently (who am i kidding - sometimes not so patiently) waiting for my new studio to come to fruition. In April I wrote the entry "Fliegen" Away on 4/15, as I was in the midst of packing up my desk, my paints, my easels, boxes of magazines, various collage materials, brushes, etc etc.  You name it, in the 2D art world of media, I was probably boxing, taping, and bubble wrapping those various materials away. I had to leave my 2000 square foot studio as my landlords were changing spaces, and I was along with them for the ride, so where they went, so did I.  At the time, I thought I might be down and out for only a month.  That was all well and good, because I was in the middle of my wedding and glorious honeymoon to one of my favorite countries on the planet, Italy. Honestly, I had many other thoughts on my mind in the month of May, than making that fourth grand 72"x72" painting of 2015, or completing the next commission on my log.

But now two months to the date have passed, and I'm still without a completed studio and boy is it really showing my over-achieving, anxiety-ridden, always need to be accomplishing something, dark side.  My newly-wed husband, who is gracious enough to cut a space out of his business's warehouse to create me a beautifully north-facing sunlit 1000 square foot studio, has been more than accommodating and supportive. "Take the summer off, Laurie. This is my busy season, and I only have spare guys to build your space when the company slows down, and we're super busy right now.  Take some time to be with your boys, relax, enjoy the summer, read some books, practice your Italian. I love you.  You know it's ok to slow down every once in awhile.  Take this time as a gift."

What??? Take the summer off??? Relax??? Enjoy the summer??? What does that mean? Is he crazy?

And the more time I went without a studio, the more I realized I was a certified downright art-making-junkie. I had been pushing my work, my paintings, my concepts, my social media so hard for so long - for over a decade - that I really didn't know what it meant to cool it.  Not to mention, I was an avid yogi as well. I have been practicing yoga for about the same amount of time I have been steadfastly pursuing my art career. So why is it that I cannot seem to practice my practice?

Why does it seem like even after all the Kris Carr, Mastin Kipp, and Deepak Chopra articles, podcasts and videos that I have absorbed like a sponge over the years that I cannot be at peace when I am not at work?

Is it because my art-making is more than a self-made job? More than a pay check and aspiring fancy career? Is it because I have a type A personality? Is it because I am a perfect example of a mom, who doesn't want to be categorized as a "soccer-mom" or "stay at home mom" because that somehow defines me as weak and less than? Is it because my over-achieving personality since childhood has its claws so deep into my guts that when the most important person in my life says, "hey honey take a break, you deserve it," that I feel guilty...almost as if that is impossible to do?

Why as 30-50 year old something women do we push ourselves to such crazy extremes only to find we are truly making our lives - even the most brilliant ones - more chaotic? Why do we beat ourselves up when we are not creating, achieving or being the best "mommy" on the block? Why is it so hard to just 'be"?

I'm still wondering about all of this about myself and about high-achieving mommies in general. And even more so, I wonder about this for creatives, artists, writers, and the like, when we seem to have the ability to have a dream job, dream husband, dream kids and it's still not enough to take the guilt away of not performing? Perhaps I need to sign up for another round of talk therapy to calm my nerves while I await my new warehouse studio's walls to go up. Maybe I should take a page out of my own Art Therapist's background and draw about my anxiety of not having a working studio I can run to. Maybe the creative process is SO innate in individuals like myself, that when people like me do NOT create, we do in fact go a little bit batty? I can't even begin to tell you I have the answer at the moment, and maybe that's life's process, to create this puzzle along the way that I am driven to put together and continually solve? Maybe I won't be asking these questions of myself 10 years from now, and maybe just maybe I can learn to chill the hell out this summer, when I don't have a shop up and running.

Is that possible?

Check back with me in thirty days, and I'll let you know. Studio or no studio, I'd better figure it out, read a book, draw in my journal, get a sun burn, and make some home-made focaccia.

Laurie Maves ARTsy VLOG 8/18/14

creating some action on eBAY and in the studio. move this work via the highest bidder on social media

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Sale item #1 for #JuneArtSale

Here's the link for more information about the first piece I am offering this month for my big June Art Sale.
The piece is called "Love Let it Consume You" 24"x24" m/m on wood. wired and ready to hang. Retail $576. What's your sale price?
Love Let It Consume You image

to see the entire gallery of items for sale from my "Entitled" series - you can visit my Fine Art America Site:
"Entitled" gallery of images for the June ART sale

New Etsy Page for Greeting Cards and Custom Orders

Hi Folks!
It's that time again, a time to start a new media/online shopping/wonderful way to pass a couple hours surfing the net of creative items PAGE.
That's right, I have joined (or rejoined) Etsy after a 5 year hiatus. I have found that the site gets a lot of traffic from many people who are not on the regular social media platforms, so I am hoping that my art will find it's way into the homes of bright and brilliant new collectors.
For now, you can purchase sets of digitally printed greeting cards of carious watercolors and paintings I have created in the past. Some are of Frida, some of Buddha, as well as poppies, daisies and a scene from lovely Venice, Italy.
I am also selling original artwork through that page, as well as taking custom orders for animal or landscape paintings. (I will always offer stylized portraits and other commissions as well, but thought to start with some examples of animals/landscapes and other reproduced paintings.)
Here's the link to the Custom Orders Page: Laurie Maves ARTsy CUSTOM ORDERS page on ETSY
and the link for the home page: ARTsy ETSY homage where you will see all the other fab fab items that are all for sale.
Thanks again for all your support, encouragement, and willingness to take part in the love for ART!