Sisters Gets a Forever Home

Thank you to the buyer who purchased my SISTERS abstract on Friday, March 8, 2018 from the NC Fine Art & Gifts Gallery located at 3900 West Market Street, Greensboro, NC. I sincerely hope you will enjoy this painting for many years to come.

Also, many thanks to NC Fine Art & Gifts and The Art Shop for a terrific framing job. The floating frame was the perfect finishing touch. (I apologize that this photo does not adequately show the beauty of the frame and how it perfectly matched the painting.)

SISTERS is a 20 x 10 inch Acrylic Mixed Media abstract on gallery wrapped canvas in a custom floating frame.

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2018 INCOGNITO: A Public Arts Initiative

2018 INCOGNITO: A Public Arts Initiative In Aid of the Jack & Jill Children's Foundation

INCOGNITO
April 4 - 8, 2018
The Solomon Gallery
Dublin, Ireland

The 3 small 4x6 inch paintings shown below were finished and shipped to Ireland in January for the 2018 INCOGNITO: ART INITIATIVE fundraiser for the Jack & Jill Children's Foundation. The purpose of Incognito is to raise money to provide in-home nursing care for children with brain damage enabling the children to stay at home with loved ones instead of in a hospital environment.

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Promised Hope 1

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Promised Hope 2

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Promised Hope 3

Incognito is an exhibition of 1500 postcard-size artworks which will be available for the public to buy for €50 each without knowing the identity of the artist until it is purchased. In 2017, this event raised €81,000 for the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation – remember the queue to buy going all the way round the block? We want to repeat this in 2018.

Every single euro from the sale of these works will go to Jack & Jill to help nurse brain damaged children across the length and breadth of the country. Your contribution will make a difference.

JOURNEY

Commissioned painting titled "Journey" shipped to it's forever home the middle of September, 2017. I must say it was a privilege and joy to create this painting for a very special couple in Pennsylvania to commemorate their 15th wedding anniversary. As I contemplated what I should paint, the words "oceans to cross, mountains to climb" kept running through my mind. I can't say I completely understand the full meaning of that message but I hope it speaks to their hearts. As I painted, I sensed they are being drawn into a new place of freedom and that their life together is and will be a journey with purpose.

Life is a dance. Dance it to the fullest.
Relax and enjoy the journey wherever it leads.
As destiny unfolds,
There will be oceans to cross and mountains to climb.

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JOURNEY is a 30 x 40 in acrylic mixed media on a gallery wrapped canvas. It consists of shades of blue, aqua, turquoise, green and purple with patches of copper and white. Magenta/wine and orange highlights were embedded in the texture to add depth. Highlights of Metallic gold are scumbled on top.

JOURNEY is full of symbolism including two intertwined hearts, the couple’s wedding date and the number 15 to represent the years their lives have been joined…so far. There are also two interlocking circles to represent wedding rings plus 3 small circles scattered across the sky. The circles represent loyalty and the number 5 stands for grace. Mountain peaks and ocean waves were incorporated in the texture to symbolize the message, "oceans to cross, mountains to climb".

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Detail of the number 15 and interlocking circles

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Detail of mountains and interlocking hearts

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Detail of wedding date 6/29/02 and ocean waves

Testimonial and Installation Photo

ANTICIPATION

ANTICIPATION was delivered to its new home in Archdale, NC on Sept. 2, 2017.

This painting depicts how we are always in process, ever-changing and evolving while moving forward in anticipation of our destiny. The inspiration for it came from my love of aqua and green and a desire to use them while trying out a new texture product. The name came to me while the painting was in progress as my anticipation began to build.

ANTICIPATION consists of more than 22 layers (I lost count) of acrylic medium, paints and glazes. A new product I tried resulted in the first few layers being rough and difficult to work with, just like we can be at times. As more texture was applied, sanded and refined and more paint layers added, the rough edges and underlying flaws began to disappear.

The gray textured background represents difficult times we experience when we are discouraged or struggling while the aqua represents the calm that washes over us like streams of water when we find peace. The lime green signifies growth. The red and gold streaks stand for breakthroughs and ideas that propel us forward.  

This abstract has the versatility to hang either vertically or horizontally depending space requirements.

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ANTICIPATION - 36 x 24 (vertical)

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ANTICIPATION - 24 x 36 (horizontal)

New Home for Splash & Peaceful Waters

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Top: SPLASH - 36 x 36
Bottom: PEACEFUL WATERS - 24 x 30

SPLASH and PEACEFUL WATERS were delivered to their new home in Wake Forest, NC on Friday, August 25, 2017. It is always a joy when paintings find a loving home. I hope the new owners will enjoy these two for many years.

Thank you Emily & David for being fans of SJH Fine Art. 

Update on Make Lilly's Wish Come True

RETT SYNDROME
       Rett Syndrome is a rare genetic neurological and developmental disorder that affects the way the brain develops in females. It affects 1 in 10,000 live female births. The child will usually develop normally for the first six to 18 months of life, then a rapid regression phase sets in robbing them of once-acquired skills. It affects every part of their functioning body and is described as cerebral palsy, Parkinson's, epilepsy, and apraxia all rolled into one devastating disease. Most girls experience life-long motor issues, heart arrhythmias, breathing irregularities, scoliosis, digestive problems and a host of other symptoms including the possibility of sudden death. They lose purposeful use of their hands and are unable to speak. Most girls are confined to wheelchairs. It is a terrible disease that sneaks up on them slowly, the word they used to describe it is insidious. It robs them of so much and they become trapped in a body they can no longer control, but there's hope!

"We are thrilled beyond words to announce that Make-a-Wish is granting my daughters wish for a therapy pool. This is such a wonderful blessing as her aquatic therapy has been one of the most important therapies that has helped with her mobility and many other areas. We are having a Silent Auction and Dinner to raise funds for the structure enclosing it. She can't regulate her body temperature on her own and we want her to use this year round! This is truly something special and hope you can help us make her WISH come true!"   - Jaime Austyn

ABOUT LILLY'S WISH
       After months of prayers and discussions, we determined that we didn't want Lilly's wish to be something that would be over in a day or a week. Lilly's wish had to be something that would benefit her everyday life. For over a year now we've been traveling weekly taking Lilly to receive aquatic therapy. We feel this has been one of her most beneficial therapies and it's definitely the one she loves the most! You see, at a very young age Lilly learned to swim through rescue swimming lessons - before she was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome. She has always loved the water which is why we ultimately decided her wish would be for a therapy pool - something that would allow her to receive the therapy she needed in the comfort of our home.
       Our hope is to keep Lilly's mobility up for as long as we can, as we know most Rett girls become wheelchair-bound by their teenage years, if not sooner. After months of waiting anxiously to hear, we received a phone call from our wish grantors saying that Lilly's "Wish" was granted and that the Endless Pool version was to be Lilly's wish. We were thrilled for her and we could tell she was excited when she heard the news!
       Being able to use the pool year-round, especially in the winter, was a very important factor to us. Since fewer than half the girls with Rett Syndrome can walk, we wanted to make sure she has the best chance to stay mobile. Lilly's seizures are triggered by the sunlight and she is unable to regulate her body temperature, so we knew this pool would have to enclosed and full climate-controlled. Make-A-Wish will be providing the pool, but we will need to provide the structure to house it. 
       With help from the contractors, we decided the pool room needed to be located off the living room and master bath for accessibility. The proposed pool room will connect with a door leading from the deck into this new pool room. The cost for these types of enclosures varies anywhere from $60 a square foot up to $90 a square foot for about $45,000-55,000.
       Our family wants to thank you in advance for being a part of our dream . . . something truly special, where together we will help make a precious little girl's "Wish" come true!
God bless you!  -Brooks & Jaime Austyn

To read more about Lilly's story, click HERE  

"It was an honor and a privilege to be a part of something so special. The two paintings shown below were donated for the silent auction fundraiser. What a pleasure to be able to give and help this precious family as they face unknown hurdles."  Susan

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INTERSECT - 20 x 30 diptych

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CONUNDRUM - 9 x 12 (framed)

Stop the Hate

STOP THE HATE

We often fail to realize how much power words carry. Social media has the potential to reach hundreds, even thousands of unstable, angry minds. We never know when one post might trigger someone’s anger, causing them to harm another individual.

It’s true that we have the freedom of opinion, but we also have a responsibility to be aware of the result and consequences that opinion may cause. So, let's consider . . . 

Why feed anger? … Anger harms
Why slander? … Slander destroys
Why stir up hate? … Hate divides

Why plant hate that destroys when you can
plant love and kindness that heals?

Our heart is our garden
The seeds we plant will grow
They will produce fruit
We will reap what we plant

Posts on social media
Reveal our heart
They expose who we are

So, be careful what you plant
You may not like the harvest

Think and ask before posting…
Does this stir up hatred?
Could it cause harm?

Stop the hate

Plant love and kindness

© June 2017 Susan J. Harris

Oh, How Blind

Oh, how blind
We tend to be
If only we could see

Perhaps our hearts
Would open wide
Letting go of hate 
Allowing love inside
 

© 2017 Susan J. Harris

Hidden Treasure

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HIDDEN TREASURE - 10 x 10

Inspired by the joy hidden within us even when it may not be outwardly visible. Joy of the heart is a hidden treasure. This abstract is intended to be a reminder to allow your “hidden treasure” to be released from your innermost being. 

Beyond Time

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BEYOND TIME - 10 x 8 - SOLD

Inspired by those dark moments when promised dreams appear to be lost and it seems beyond time of seeing them fulfilled. This abstract is intended to serve as a reminder to never give up. Keep looking for glimmers of hope and when you see a glimmer, pursue it. 

Created using coarse copper metallic and ash mixed with gel medium for the bold black texture.

The Wind

I believe we are in a season of letting go.
Letting go of the old, so the new can come.
Letting go of all that would hinder moving forward.
Letting go of everything that ties us down, holds us back, keeps us bound.

This year the wind has consistently blown stronger and more powerful than I can remember.
I like to believe it’s a representation of what is being blown away, making room for the new. 

Let the wind blow!

TIME PASSAGE

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TIME PASSAGE - 20 x 16 x .75 in.

TIME PASSAGE is an original abstract consisting of streaks of copper shooting over bands of green on a washed background of various muted colors. It is representative of how time travels in space...unseen and untouchable.

INCOGNITO Sold Out!

SPRINKLES OF JOY - My 3 entries

I am thrilled to announce that all 1500+ works of art created for the INCOGNITO art initiative sold out and the exhibit closed on April 23rd. Each contributing artist was asked to create 3 postcard-size paintings for the exhibit. My 3 entries were titled SPRINKLES OF JOY.

It was an honor and pleasure to participate and work with INCOGNITO as a contributing artist.

ABOUT INCOGNITO: INCOGNITO is a public arts initiative in aid of the Jack & Jill Children's Foundation.

April 2017 - Solomon Gallery, Dublin, Ireland

1500 postcard-size works of art will be exhibited at the Solomon Gallery in Dublin, Ireland in April 2017 (following a public online viewing). Every single euro from the sale of these works will go to The Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation to help sick children – not to the administration of the charity, but directly to nursing-care of children with brain damage in every county across Ireland.

It is hoped that this visual arts initiative will raise €75,000 for Jack & Jill, which will be used to fund home nursing-care for children with severe development delay as a result of brain damage, children who may never paint a picture themselves, but precious children who do better at home, where they are well cared for by their parents with critical support from Jack & Jill nurses.

SIMMERING TIME

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SIMMERING TIME - 14 x 11 (canvas panel)

SIMMERING TIME is an original framed abstract consisting of textured reddish orange & pewter metallic on yellow background with a touch of pink. Inspired by a volcanic eruption with the intention of capturing the abstractness of a lava flow as it winds it's way down the mountainside.

A NEW BEGINNING

Many of my paintings are inspired by my life experiences and express the feelings and emotions I have during those times. A NEW BEGINNING is one of those.

About the painting . . . During the quiet predawn hours of early February 2011, I envisioned a painting and its title. As I meditated on what to paint, a poem began to emerge and A NEW BEGINNING (painting and poem) was conceived. Later that day I began applying the first layers of texture onto a blank canvas.

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A NEW BEGINNING - 24 x 30

A NEW BEGINNING

Out of darkness
Light emerges
Understanding awakens
Love is born

A new beginning
A second chance
Another opportunity
Love takes root

Light spreads
Darkness fades
Love absorbs all surroundings
Leaving only shadows of the past

LIQUID LIGHT

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LIQUID LIGHT - 30" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas

Out of the archives. This is one of my earlier works before I started applying textures to my canvases. 

DONATED:  In February 2008, Liquid Light was donated to the 8th ANNUAL ART WITH HEART AUCTION; an annual fundraiser for SafeAlliance to aid victims of abuse. Charlotte, NC.

About SafeAlliance:  Safe Alliance provides a continuum of critical crisis services to those victimized by domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse. They offer 24-hour crisis lines, shelter, hospital accompaniment, case management, systems advocacy, support groups, court advocacy/accompaniment and counseling for victims and survivors. Safe Alliance assists over 12,000 people annually throughout Mecklenburg County and Lake Norman. They reach thousands more through their educational and prevention initiatives as well as institutional advocacy efforts.

MORNING JOY

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MORNING JOY - 11 x 14 Acrylic Mixed Media on Cardboard - Framed

MORNING JOY was part of an art therapy project. After dealing with several losses and months of sadness, I was searching for joy. Since creating art is therapeutic, I decided to paint. While I was working on my larger painting, titled HIDDEN JOY, I used the left over paste and paint to create this small piece. As it evolved, I liked what was taking place. I am often amazed at some of the pieces that evolve and become paintings in their own right. MORNING JOY is one of those paintings.

It consists of my favorite blues and greens with coarse gold metallic that was applied with a paint knife. Comes with white mat in an 11x14 frosted gold metal frame. 

DESERT SUNSET

DESERT SUNSET is an original abstract in aqua, rust and brown. The backdrop of a clear aqua sky shows off the rust and brown patches which seem to be melting in the summer heat.

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DESERT SUNSET - 36 x 12

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FOSSIL

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FOSSIL - 24 x 8

As an archeologist searches out the treasure of an ancient buried fossil, this original abstract is representative of our continual pursuit for the treasure of joy. 

Fossil is an 8 x 24 inch acrylic mixed media on 1.5 in. gallery wrap canvas. The background is painted with layers of aqua, blue and green with a wash of white that was applied and rubbed off. The coral texture is scumbled with metallic gold to add interest and highlights.

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CELEBRATION

CELEBRATION is intended to be a reminder that life is worth celebrating every day. It was inspired by an array of fireworks lighting up the night sky on a warm July 4th evening.  

This abstract is a diptych consisting of a 9 x 12 in. canvas panel attached to a 10 x 30 in. gallery wrapped canvas. It has multiple layers of paint in red, orange, and yellow with orange and red drizzled over the two canvases. The smaller canvas panel consists of red, orange, and yellow with hints of teal, purple and white and a metallic gold scumbled over the light texture. 

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CELEBRATION - 10 x 30 Diptych

Donated to SUMMER SPLASH 2016 - A Silent Auction Fundraiser for Underprivileged Children of Jamestown and High Point, North Carolina.