It has been a while since I have been off on an artist’s date and I was feeling the lack. Something in me was missing, so I was determined to do one this weekend, even though the weekend was a busy one.  My son wanted to come along, so we snuck out Saturday afternoon and ran over to the Southern Vermont Arts Center.  I let him pick the museum this trip and he saw an exhibit of glass sculpture on their website that looked magnificent, and off we went.

Unfortunately, that exhibit doesn’t start till May, but it’s still a gallery worth visiting regularly because they have such a variety of different art, and it’s constantly changing.

Surprisingly, because normally it’s the abstract art that draws me in, Saturday it was the representational art that claimed much of my attention, like this oil painting, Tulip Time, by Arlene M. O’Connor.

I liked this one too, Afternoon Reflection by John Richards. So realistic from even a short distance. I was particularly drawn to the wine glass, and the light going through it. I have tried that before (yes, I paint things from time to time!) and never really got it right.

This painting, done in acrylic, is called African Delta, by Sandra Spahr. The tree brought back fond memories of Italy, where we often saw trees of a similar form factor. I was probably smiling widely as I stood and looked at it.

And this one by Mary Ann Duffy Goden, called High Heels with Vintage Vibe? It had me thinking both of my daughter, and the woman I love, both of whom have a serious love affair with shoes…. Yep. Smiles again. Big ones.

Yes, it was the things that drew me mostly. But there was also some quirky and abstract things as well. I have a couple of friends who make 3-D shaped books – an amazing art that combines art and sculpture and the ability to rethink book and text completely. This one, called Too Much Sugar by Carolyn Shattuck was another one of those “made me smile” pieces of artwork.

The day was full of people doing things I have been experimenting with. One of the things I have been experimenting with has been oriental inspired work. However, I have not gotten anywhere close to where I want to be. This one, Pink Birches, oil and pencil on canvas,  by Rich Gordon inspired me.

Of course, I go on artist’s dates to get inspired. And so you know sooner or later I’d end up in the abstract world. I am a sucker for impressionist painting, representational or abstract, and I adored this one, Morning Fog, Garda Italy by Lisa Mann.

Rock Fracture by Lynn Cummings sang to me too.

One thing that happens when I go on these artist’s dates is that I almost always come away with something that looks like it will inspire a poem. Sometimes I will find several things. Yesterday I found – Nada.

At least until the end. That’s when I saw this, Eckler #1 by Tim Eckler. It’s made of plaster, paint and barbed wire. The picture does not do them justice because they are big and bright and have an energy to them that jumps out at you. I have no idea what kind of poem it might be, but something will come of it. Count on it!

So that was our afternoon. Not what we expected. Not what we went to see. Not even as imspiring as some of the artist’s dates are. But a good, and deeply needed jumpstart to a stale soul. I am glad we went.

Be well. Travel wisely,

Tom