Nan Rae - Brush Painter: April 2019

Sunday, April 28, 2019

LOVE IS SPELLED ELIZA AND TYLER

I don't care how you express it.... meant to be, soulmates, true love, heaven sent....any description of a perfect match has to be Eliza and Tyler. Just seeing them together makes one feel sooooo happy!

Happy doesn't come close to the love feast bridal shower beautiful sister Marine gave for Eliza at the Fig and Olive last Saturday. A beautiful setting, absolutely the most delicious food and so many friends thrilled to share Eliza's happiness. Hi Amy, I see you.

So cute!

The Fig and Olive has absolutely the most delicious appetizers...

Marine, our beautiful hostess and precious sister Eliza...

Time for the cousins...

I love this, both sisters with dear Gayane, their precious mom who I absolutely adore!

Gayane shares the love with Tyler who came by to say hi to everyone...

Here's my Love Muffin, Sweet Alyssa, Marine's daughter. I just can't get enough of this dear child!

See...

I need more hugs...

O.K., I'm good. Thank you dear Amy.

It's always fun to take a photo of the photographer! I'm so glad she was there because my few photographs barely begin to tell the story of the most wonderful, loving, perfect day. Thank you dear Marine for including me in your circle of love!

You know I'm incapable of being out anywhere without taking a photo of all sighted puppies and this was an adorable one outside the Fig and Olive!

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Los Angeles OPERA INSIGHT EVENTS

are always great fun along with learning a lot. Listening to composer Matthew Aucoin, Genius Grant recipient along with a MacArthur Fellowship, and composer of 'Eurydice', his opera to be premiered in LA Opera's 2019/20 season was no exception.

Making the evening even more memorable was spotting this double rainbow during the light reception before Aucoins talk.

This was followed by seeing the 'super moon' leaving the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Because of that I had quite a lot to talk about when Chris Johnsten from the LA Opera came to visit the studio. I was especially delighted when he said he could look at this scroll I painted all day. Imagine! Thank you Chris.

I've posted about friend Farnaz's Noruz events welcoming in the Persian New Year but must say this year she really outdid herself and everyone had such a wonderful evening. Here's her amazing Haft sin table.

Barbara to the left will be visiting the studio this week. Also seen are Sweet Maryam and Awesome Parvin!

I'm still laughing over this!

Special thanks to Sweet Nicola for the delightful lunch at The Athenaeum and for filling me in on the upcoming Caltech Associates events!

Class in the studio was super fun and delightful seeing Marilyn on the far left who drove in from Palm Springs. Marilyn was in the workshop I did at Sunnylands and fell in love with brush painting.

If you ever wonder how a lesson comes together it usually starts with someone making a request. This month it was Sweet Lynne Sims who wanted to paint Freesia's. I pull the artwork, write all the 'how to' text and then Nikka imports it all into the computer. It's a bit more complicated than that but you get the idea.

As promised, Artist Barbara, visited the Nan Rae Studio!

Always great fun getting together for our dinners with neighbors Dave and Alexis, Izabela and Wayne and Maryam and Kert.

Of course The Hanson's fur babies wanted in on the partying!

I wish you all sweet Puppy Love!

Introduction

There is no avoiding the pull of the internet, the blogs, the YouTube imaginings. It's as if we're all 'On the Road' with Jack Kerouac each in our own world of meanderings. When we tell someone to 'get a life' it might be a bit difficult when you're dragged into other people's 24/7.

I've come to realize two foundational principals, there are no accidents and everyone has a purpose. More and more I'm desiring everyone to come into a full realization of their purpose as we all find our way on this little jewel of a planet.

For me, as a professional 'Western style artist', I stumbled into Chinese Brush Painting after a trip in 1980 to Monet's home/garden. Seeing all of his collection of Japanese woodblock prints was an ahh haa moment for me and when I returned to the States I started painting in the Chinese manner and never looked back. The first year was extremely painful for me as I felt that I should be able to master the technique since I was a 'trained' artist. Not a chance ... that just gets in your way.

Now, after teaching close to 3,000 students and having my book 'The Ch'i of the Brush' published by Watson Guptill, I can say that every one of my students does better their first day than I did my first year! Why? Because I insist that they leave their critical parent outside and just enjoy the journey, respecting the work that they do. I never let anyone throw anything away because that just ingrains frustration and defeat.

We really only begin to learn when we stop and figure out how to 'save' a painting. It works every time.I am so proud of my students, their receptivity and eagerness to express themselves is a continuing blessing for me.So, back to finding your purpose. Perhaps it starts with realizing 'it's not about me'. It so easy to want our needs met and to filter everything thru this attitude. When we realize that we're here to be of benefit to every life that we touch the universe really provides the ways and means.

The best part is that it's really exciting to not have yourself on your mind all the time!I'm re-reading a wonderful book about authenticity and in my next meandering I'll tell you about it. In the meantime I'd love to hear about your journey and am here to answer any and all questions about Chinese Brush Painting.