Join us at First Thursday, March 7th to meet our guest artists- Mary Duvall and Masami Kusakabe
During the March 7th, First Thursday from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, enjoy the music by Derek Reynolds, light snacks, and help us celebrate these artists’ fine work.
Mary Duvall- Painting
Mary Duvall
Experiences with nature compel me to paint: I often struggle with my attraction to an image and the limits of my skill…sometimes the magic happens and the image vibrates deep with the inner
life….sometimes not.
Surrounding oneself with images that capture, soothe, heal, challenge ….images that speak, not with words, but for the inner landscape, hold us when words fail.… elements of the sad, the fierce, the beautiful, the lonely, the delightful, the humorous, the joyous….the terrible…..activate
our inner life.
I not only make art, and live with my own images, but I buy art from local artists. Bringing their images into my home deepens my relationship to my own work as well expands the images of my inner life.
As I grow and change. the images I surround myself with change, too. Some stay a long time, some come and go.
Living with original works is a gift to ones self. They carry the life energy that created them. What a joy to hold hands with the potter as you drink from the cup she spun on the wheel: what a joy to stand beside the painter in the sun, seeing the red roof barn, the clear cut hills, the strange little trees.
Meditation, Buddhist and Christian thought, and Jungian psychology are life long influences. I have earned two master’s degrees, raised two creative, successful beings to adulthood, loved and cared for many dogs, and cats, taught on the college level, counseled in private practice, provided clinic social work for hospice. Now retired I live with my beloved in a small forest, paint and read and walk and take t’ai chi classes. I love forests, trees and birds, butterflies and bees and the earth.
Masami Kusakabe – Japanese Art
Masami Kusakabe
I was born and raised in Japan and married a Japanese man who was from the same hometown, Kobe, as I was. I have really liked many types of handcrafts since I was little and started making bead jewelry in Japan after my marriage.
Creating beautiful things is the joy of my life.
I have never thought I could live in the U.S because I could not speak English; also I loved my hometown, Kobe. However, I encountered a turning point when my husband moved to the U.S as his job required and we decided to come with our 2 children. After I came to the U.S, I was really inspired with the Japanese traditional art as well as how beautiful is the Japanese traditional paper, “Washi”. I started making the frames and cards using “Washi Paper” It is very special for me to be surrounded with Japanese art. I want to share with many people how beautiful Japanese art is. I continue to be inspired by the Japanese art and always want to make something special.
I made the traditional Japanese style of the miniature Wardrobes, Drawers and Jewelry Boxes using 和紙”Washi” which is maned 友禅”Yuzen” model that usually uses Kimono patterns and is represented by the technique of pattern spreading 友禅”Yuzen” model. The various patterns are known by the designs
as 千代紙”Chiyogami” which is called 友禅”Yuzen Washi Paper.”
和紙”Washi” is traditional Japanese paper.
The word 和紙”Washi” comes from 和”Wa” meaning Japanese and 紙”Shi” meaning paper. The term is used to describe paper that uses local fiber, processed by hand and made in the traditional manner.
和紙”Washi” is generally tougher than ordinary paper made from wood pulp and is used in many traditional arts.
Traditional Japanese Drawers
