NLAPW — NLAPW

Featured Poem: My Monet

November 13, 2019 By NLAPW Leave a Comment

Barb Whitmarsh
Bayou City II, Texas

(To Dad)

He will always be my Monet
My tired-eyed yet dutiful father
All of his paintings
Are emblazoned on my mind
Hanging on the walls of my heart
-I claim them all-
By virtue of my memories
Of every brushstroke
And resistant signature
That defined his uniqueness
Perhaps he thought I
Didn’t take his painting seriously enough
-But I did –
I admired every application of his sable brushes
That transformed paint into life
And if and when we meet again one day
I’ll reassure him with the words
“Dad, you always were and will be
My Monet.”

Featured Art: The Potato Chip Wars — Call to Battle

November 6, 2019 By NLAPW 3 Comments

The Potato Chip Wars: Call to Battle by Mara E. Levin; Wellesley Branch, Massachusetts

Oil on cradled birch panel, 20 by 16 inches

www.maralevin.com

Mara E. Levin is a fine artist, graphic designer, illustrator, and art educator. She studied with modern masters including Congor Metcalf, Lloyd Lillie, David Aaronson, David Ratner, and Nick Edmunds while earning her bachelor of fine arts degree from Boston University. Her subjects include landscape, cityscape, still life, the figure, and portraiture. She is also deeply interested in studio methods and materials, frequently experimenting with new mediums and techniques, and often constructing and finishing her own painting supports.

Artist statement

This painting is from my series, The Potato Chip Wars, painted from photographs I took at the popular Horseneck Beach in Westport, Massachusetts. The bugler calls the avian troops to assemble for the next battle. Or is he issuing a challenge?
This peaceful scene, the first of the series, is marked by the shimmering beauty of nature and the day. It evokes the calm before the stormy fight for chips.

Filed Under: Art of the Week, Featured Art, NLAPW

Featured Art: Shawme Pond Swans

October 23, 2019 By NLAPW 7 Comments

“Shawme Pond Swans” by Kathryn Kleekamp, Cape Cod Branch

Oil on Canvas, 9 by 12 inches

www.SandwichArt.com

The story behind “Shawme Pond Swans,” in the artist’s own words:

I live on Shawme Pond in Sandwich, Massachusetts. I’ve delighted in the annual event of watching our resident pair of swans build their nest while the air is still cool in early spring. The first sighting of the tiny new cygnets is usually around Mother’s Day.

Two years ago, the swans had a beautiful family of eight babies, right on schedule. Unfortunately, nature is not always kind. Our pond has many predators — snapping turtles, coyotes, raccoons, and owls. One by one, the number of cygnets diminished. However, several weeks later, I was relieved to see the pen (female swan) once again sitting on her nest.

This second nesting time seemed particularly long. I watched the pen, day after day, in rain and wind, patiently sitting on her nest, denying herself feedings and baths. My heart was deeply touched at her unwearied care. Happily, once again she had a clutch — this time, six cygnets.

A week or so later, when she and her mate came to the shore to visit, they were alone. I knew the devoted pair would never leave their little ones and once again, I was heartbroken. I can’t begin to express my agony over this second cruel blow.

As they glided closer to shore, however, the pen opened her wings and I saw a beautiful cluster of tiny, gray heads tucked in together on her back. In an instant, my tears were those of great joy and happy relief. I raced into the house to get my camera. This oil painting is from one of the photos I took that morning, happily catching the last hesitant cygnet still on mom’s back.

—Kathryn Kleekamp

P.S. Out of the six, five cygnets grew to adulthood and were quite breathtaking to see as they flew away to find a new home together.

Filed Under: Art of the Week, Featured Art, NLAPW

Featured Poem: Re-gifting

October 17, 2019 By NLAPW 9 Comments

Rose Baldwin
Palm Springs Branch, California

The book was on a list
of poetry to read
of course I bought a copy
of such a famous screed

I gave it to my sister
she gave it to a friend
who gave it to her mother
who gave it back again

I gave it to the library
to lend and lend and lend
they sold in a bargain bag
I had it back again

I gave it to Goodwill
a bargain hunter there
scooped it off the shelf
then put it out to share

Susie picked it up from there
and she gave it to Lee
who gave it to his brother
who gave it back to me

Finally, I read it
the words were like a balm
stroking all my soft spots
rhythmic like a song

So touched was I, I said,
I have a real fine gift here
I wrapped it in nice paper
and gave it to my sister

Filed Under: Featured Poem, NLAPW, NLAPW Featured Poem, NLAPW Poem of the Week

Call for Art!

October 8, 2019 By NLAPW

Active, associate and allied art professionals, you are invited to submit your work for publication in the Pen Woman and on the NLAPW website!

There is no submission fee, no deadline, and no limit to how often you may submit.

I cannot promise that your work will be published, but all submissions will receive serious consideration. All submissions will also be considered for the cover of the magazine.

We have the following opportunities for art members:

Featured Art on the NLAPW website (with or without a short article)
“In the Studio” article focusing on your process, accompanied by a few photos of work in progress and completed work.
Short article (with photo) about an individual piece of work.
Longer article (with photos) about a body of work, or your personal artistic journey or inspiration.

To submit:

Select your best work and email low-resolution digital images to arteditor@nlapw.org.

I will request larger, high-resolution files if we decide to publish your work, and will provide help with writing articles, if needed.

In your email, please include:

Your name
Branch (please note: we can only feature the work of current members)
Your website URL
Image title, medium, size
A very brief statement about yourself and the artwork
An article, if you are submitting one

If you have any questions, please email me at arteditor@nlapw.org. I’ll be glad to help.

By submitting your art to NLAPW, you give us permission to display your published work online at nlapw.org for the purpose of promoting NLAPW and our members.

Best wishes to you,

Lucy Arnold, Golden Gate-Marin Branch
NLAPW Art Editor

Filed Under: Art of the Week, Featured Art, NLAPW

Featured Poem: The Making of a Widow

October 4, 2019 By NLAPW

Mimi Paris
Boca Raton

The Emergency Room
numbers on the screen
keep on going down.
I head for the nurse.
She’s talking, laughing.

I tell her, “Look!”
Her face shows fear.
My heart beats fast
and I run back.

Stuff rolls in,
Lots of staff.
Room is packed.

Shouts heard:
“Try again!”

“Gone.”

Filed Under: Featured Poem, NLAPW, NLAPW Featured Poem, NLAPW Poem of the Week

Featured Art: Backyard Sunrise

September 25, 2019 By NLAPW

“Backyard Sunrise” by Lisa Rose, Vero Beach Branch (Florida)

18 H x 24 W soft pastel

“Backyard Sunrise” was created from an actual sunrise seen from the artist’s backyard in Vero Beach, Florida.

Lisa Rose studied design and environmental analysis at Cornell University and enjoyed a career of over 30 years as a residential interior designer. She gained national attention with features in prestigious publications including House Beautiful, House Beautiful Home Decorating, Florida Design, Interior Design, Maison Française, and Cosmopolitan.

She was recently introduced to soft pastels and became inspired by the beauty of the natural landscape. This led to the creation of her first pieces with a delicate blend of representational art and a bit of abstraction.

Lisa Rose’s artwork can be viewed at www.lisaroseart.com.

Filed Under: Art of the Week, Featured Art, NLAPW

Featured Poem: Plant

September 19, 2019 By NLAPW

Lorraine Walker Williams
Southwest Florida Branch

To place, slip seeds into moist soil,
shutter from light, incubate and wait.
To plant is the first lesson in patience.

Plant, as a particular phylum and
species, ornamental, cleansing air,
bringing outdoors in. For Feng Shui,
a plant is a lesson in placement.

Plant, as in yourself on the couch,
a park bench, or a bumpy bus.
An attempt to be rooted in time and
space, a lesson in belonging.

Plant, an implant, something foreign,
a replacement or enhancement,
as in tooth or breast. This teaches
impermanence.

Plant includes the word plan—
Making and revising,
following or ignoring a plan,
a lesson in flexibility.

Plant words flowing and growing
from the hand of a poet,
the lesson of jasmine and plums.

Filed Under: Featured Poem, NLAPW, NLAPW Featured Poem, NLAPW Poem of the Week

The Future is WITA and NLAPW

September 11, 2019 By NLAPW

In August, community members from diverse backgrounds gathered at Pen Arts, NLAPW’s Washington, D.C. headquarters, for “The Future is WITA: A Pen Arts Benefit Interest Meeting.” This call-to-action campaign seeks to encourage artists and advocates to become an integral part of the NLAPW’s evolution into a modern arts organization, spreading its reach to new generations of women who will continue to build on the NLAPW’s rich history and legacy.

Participants at the Pen Arts’ WITA strategy meeting

Noteworthy women and advocates attended the interest meeting, including Amy Bormet (host, WPFW 89.3; and founder, Women in Jazz Festival), Janea West (creator, GROWN the Web Series), Yacine Tilala Fall (GWU Corcoran Alumni and performing artist), Barbara Bennett (director, Q Street Fine Arts Gallery), Michael Blackwell (director of events, Golden Triangle), Elle Koon (author), and Liliana Dossola (NLAPW Pen Woman and poet).

The first strategy meeting was a success because:

People showed up! Thank you to all who attended the meeting.
79% of attendees completed a survey to share their input about a possible fundraising event in the future. Creating a culture of feedback stimulates growth.
There was unity in diversity. The group in attendance was cross-generational, cross-cultural, and cross-professional (as evidenced by the photo).
Community engagement took place. Everyone shared something about themselves, asked challenging questions, and interacted with new people.
The League increased its visibility. All attendees are now more familiar with the historic National League of American Pen Women, Inc. and the Pen Arts Building.

The interest meeting was intended to engage the community in planning a future fundraising event to support the future of women in the arts (WITA). Yet, based on our discussions and the feedback shared during this meeting, it became clear that the ultimate goal of NLAPW’s programming is to ensure that persons advocating for women in the arts know that they have an enriching space to gather, be seen, and be heard.

The headquarters of the NLAPW, the Pen Arts Building, is that space. The goal will lengthen the history of this longstanding organization for years to come.

Survey responses revealed that free workshops and community events are in high demand. The League is in the process of planning a series of smaller workshops and public events to increase community engagement leading up to a larger Pen Arts benefit and fundraiser — a strategy talked about at length during last week’s interest meeting.

The Future is WITA: A Pen Arts Benefit will likely be held in 2020. We will hold a second strategy meeting in fall 2019 at Pen Arts.

Filed Under: Latest News, NLAPW