I'm Back!

ART HEALS... 
ART TEACHES... 
ART FREES THE HUMAN MIND, 
SPIRIT AND SOUL!

After a long hiatus dealing with the curve balls that life threw at me, I'm back! I hope I can keep up writing on this blog as I did before. So many things have happened since I last posted, but I will just give you a briefing.

Here's a sneak peek to what have kept me busy during the Covid-19 quarantine...

I have kept working in my art and enjoying seeing it evolve as I go through my artistic journey and research pursuits. I also continue to exhibit my work. You can learn all about it in my website and in both my Instagram accounts here and here. You will see that I have also been interviewed for my work, gotten awards, invited to present at a few lectures --that I will talk about in following posts, as well as to jury exhibitions. 

On the other hand, I have also continued teaching, now in private schools since 2015. In the school I am in now since 2017, I am the Director of Galleries as well. For which I not only get to maintain the students' galleries, but also bring artists guests to showcase their artworks in the other three beautiful galleries we have. I will write about some of the exhibitions I have curated in future posts too.

In my current job I teach Studio Art Foundation to middle school students, as well as Drawing, Painting, Studio Art, and 3D Design classes to Upper School students. In the Spring of 2018, I also started an Afternoon program for Portfolio Development to prepare my Art concentration students to get ready to apply to art colleges with successful results. 

Here are a few Valentine cards I got this year from some of my students. Precious gestures that make all I do so worth it! *

*You may also want to read my Teaching Reviews clicking on the tab in the top banner.

Last but not least, I have just finished my Master of Fine Arts in Visual Arts from Lesley University College of Art and Design. Hence my absence from this platform until now.

I'll try to post often to update you on all the exciting things I'm doing, so visit often!

Latest News from Corina Studio

It's been a while since I had the chance to write on this blog and many things have happened since.

Please, click HERE to read my October newsletter with the latest news and invitations to the current exhibitions I'm participating at, included my Solo at the Paul Mellon Arts Center Gallery at Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, CT, and much more...

Images from installation day at the Paul Mellon Arts Center

If you make it to my Solo, you'll be able to see the large paintings I did during my Artist-in-Residency at the Vermont Studio Center, last February.


Forgot to mention on my newsletter, that I was selected as one of three artists of ‪‎Latin American‬ origin to be featured on the 2015 ‪‎Hispanic Heritage Edition of Thompson ‪Unity Magazine‬. You can find this magazine across the country and online by clicking HERE. I'm featured along artists ‪James Rodriguez‬ and Carlos Mateu, both‬ from NYC.

My work and story on the far right column, center fold.

And this news didn't make it to the newsletter either, so I'm telling you here. Four of my artist's books were recently selected to be exhibited in FORM AS CONTENT at the Blue Door Gallery in Yonkers, NY. From October 17th through November 14th, 2015. This exhibition was curated by Robin Hutchinson and Arle Sklar-Weinstein and commemorates National Book month with the historical art of the handmade book as created by contemporary artists.

Here's the e-vite:

Opening Reception: Saturday, October 17th, 2-5 pm  
Location: Blue Door Gallery, 13 Riverdale Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10701

And last but certainly not least, I was selected to create a large scale woodcut for the Steamroller printing event, as part of New Haven's City-Wide Open Studios. I'll be printing during CWOS Transported Weekend, Saturday, October 17th, 12-6pm. Stop by!

I'll try to keep you posted on my progress with the woodcut, so stay tuned!

Third week - Vermont Studio Center + Indiegogo Campaing

It seems like yesterday I was getting ready to come to do an Artist-in Residency at the Vermont Studio Center, and I'm now going into my fourth and last week here. Time really flies when you're having fun!!

I started my third week experimenting with Walnut Ink and collage, as ways to add more warmth and texture to the expressive drawings I've been doing since I got here, and I like the results. I feel that by adding the brown undertones I have created more depth in my paintings. Fascinating!

Take a look at painting #5 with the walnut ink undertone...

Here's my studio wall after painting #5

And my painting #6 using collage as background, and walnut ink as an undertone...

I really like the texture in this one.

And this is how my wall looks now after painting #6

I've been also working on a relief that I'm sculpting out of paper clay, placing it on a round panel covered with silk. I'm also playing with the idea of covering the relief image with more of the same silk, that had been previously treated with an Eco-dyeing, to get those old, weathered looking shades of brown, which I very much love.

It's not a finished piece yet, still working on sculpting the figure to look the way I envision.

I also did some more postcards using the same techniques I've used the weeks before; inspired by the colors here at the Vermont Studio Center. I now almost ready to send them out to those who have donated $10 to my crowdfunding campaign. I just need to finish writing them.

I started walking around more to see my surroundings. It had been so cold before that it was hard for me to wonder around until this last week.

My studio windows at VSC

I discovered a nice area behind our sculpture building overlooking the frozen river, that I'm sure gets lots of use in the summer time...

I also walked to the Meditation house, even though I have never made it to any of the meditations that happen there early every morning. I tend to work until late, less distractions in the evening, and this makes it harder for me to wake up before 7am. Here are some images of the meditation house; a very peaceful place...




And finished the week with my wall ready for painting #7

If you are enjoying my updates, and would like to support me on my crowdfunding campaign to help me cover the costs of this residency, please go to: http://igg.me/at/corina.

Here's 3 ways you can help to make it happen. You can choose to do one, two, or all tree:

1. The obvious one, making a monetary donation of $1 or more, but there are two more ways to help that you're not probably aware of.

2. If you click on the link below to my Indiegogo page, you can click to any of the Social Media share buttons on the top of my campaign, and by doing that you give more exposure to my page, so others can see it too.

3. You can also help, by leaving a comment on that page. This will also bring my page up so more people can see it. Click on COMMENTS right above my video, right after you sign into Indiegogo.

Thank you in advance for your help and support!!

Second week - Vermont Studio Center + Indiegogo Campaing

I hit my second week mark at the Vermont Studio Center and felt a little home sick. I think it was because it happened to have fallen on Valentine's Day and it made me realized how much I missed my love ones. This is why I'm a few days late to writing this post... I survived!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I got the chance to do a lot of thinking over the weekend and I'm currently working on new ideas that I'll tell you about on my next post... and I finally came around to write my Newsletter again, after over two months of being absent!! You can read it by clicking HERE!

Meanwhile here's my second week... it was very busy one...

I continued working on my sculpture, and hand built the first figure on the ball I had made earlier:

With the left over plaster cloth I made two Artist Books, as samplers for the upcoming workshops I'll be teaching in June. [June 3-4 at the Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and June 13-14 at Creative Arts Workshop in New Haven, Connecticut]

 

...and I finished painting #4...

Expressive Painting #4
(c)2015 Corina S. Alvarezdelugo

 Here's how my studio wall looked after my fourth painting was finished!

During one of our many snow storms we have gotten so far, I practiced with a tool for encaustic that I had bought at last year's International Encaustic Conference and haven't been able to try it out until now. It's called the "Enkaustikos Flow Pen". I used it to draw on the postcards I had done the week before, and that I will send out to those who have donated $10 to my crowdfunding campaign. Here's the result:

But not all was cloudy days and snow... I had the chance to watch a beautiful sunset after all!

Last week, we were also visited by two visual arts professionals, and they were both named William. One, Will Lamson, an installation/performance artist living and working in Brooklyn, NY. The other Will Villalongo, who's currently a painting and drawing professor at Yale University in New Haven, CT. Each gave us a talk and slide show about their work, and then they visited each of our studios at VSC for a half an hour one-on-one critique. It's such a great opportunity to have professionals look at your work, and talk to you about it, opening up your mind to keep developing as an artist.

And the cherry on the top was our first Open Studios here at VSC. We got to see the studios of fellow residents and see what they have been working on thus far. Here's how my studio looked for Open Studios:

An installation I'm making with all the tea bags
from the teas I've drank so far!

And finished the week with my wall ready for painting #5

If you are enjoying my updates, and would like to support me on my crowdfunding campaign to help me cover the costs of this residency, please go to: http://igg.me/at/corina.

Here's 3 ways you can help to make it happen. You can choose to do one, two, or all tree:

1. The obvious one, making a monetary donation of $1 or more, but there are two more ways to help that you're not probably aware of.

2. If you click on the link and go to my Indiegogo page, you can click to any of the Social Media share buttons on the top of my campaign.

3. You can also help big time, by leaving a comment on that page. Click on COMMENTS right above my video, right after you sign into Indiegogo.

Thank you for your help and support!!



 

First week - Vermont Studio Center + Indiegogo Campaing

I can't believe it's been already a week since I arrived to do my Artist-in-Residency at the prestigious Vermont Studio Center, and it's already been a life changing experience. I've been able to work loosely on large pieces of paper, which I never get to do at my regular studio since I don't have the space for it. It is, after all, a messy approach, but so rewarding!

So you get an idea of how large I'm working,
look at my hand in relation to this piece.
(This is the third painting I posted on one of my
earlier posts.)

The beginnings of number 4!

On Friday night we had a Dance Party at the center. It was snowing so the views walking there and from there, looking out, where just so beautiful. Take a look!

That house at the end with the lights, it's our local Art Store.
A paradise for everyone here!!

Here's a video I took from our rec/library room during the party...

On Saturday, I took a break from painting to start working on a new approach to make my round sculptures, instead of using clay, and so far is working well. I needed to make the base of the sculpture so it's dry by the time I start making what's going to go on top of it. Hence, the importance to get it started. Can't wait to see the outcome!

Here's how it looks so far!

Today, Sunday, we got to sleep in to wake up to a nice brunch. After brunch, I did laundry...

Couldn't help to take this picture as I was
parking at the Laundromat

Then a group of us got together for a Collage Party and we all made Valentine's. People were coming and going, as they were done with their cards...

A few of the ones that came, posing for the camera.

It's been great getting to meet so many interesting people, from writers to painters, to sculptors, printmakers, video artists... Creativity as its best!

Curious Note: One of the artists' in the residency is freezing balloons filled with water to make an ice sculpture with them.
See them hanging on the tree near the building?

Please remember I still need your help to cover the costs of my residency: http://igg.me/at/corina. So, if you like what I'm doing and would like to support my efforts, here's 3 ways you can help to make it happen. You can choose to do one, two, or all tree:

1. The obvious one, making a monetary donation of $1 or more, but there are two more ways to help that you're not probably aware of.

2. If you click on the link and go to my Indiegogo page, you can click to any of the Social Media share buttons on the top of my campaign.

3. You can also help big time, by leaving a comment on that page. Click on COMMENTS right above my video, right after you sign into Indiegogo.

Thank you for your help and support!!

CPTV: All Things Connecticut – Spotlight on the Arts with Corina S. Alvarezdelugo

I've been honored with the opportunity of being featured in the Spotlight of the Arts, a segment on the TV Magazine, All Things Connecticut, hosted by the Connecticut Public Television (CPTV). For this, I was interviewed by Ed Wierzbicki, an Emmy Award-winning producer and arts writer, who's an arts & culture producer for Connecticut Public Television and WNPR.

Last October of 2014, Ed Wierzbicki wrote a wonderful article on me and my work for WNPR (you can read it by clicking HERE). Just last night, my interview came up on the air. Please, click HERE to view it.

Tweet: "When artists take a stand, people listen" Corina S. Alvarezdelugo via http://bit.ly/1zGodNi @corinadotdash

I would like to hear from you, your comments are always welcome!

Day 4 & 5 - Vermont Studio Center + Indiegogo Campaign

Carrie Brummer, from the Artists Think blog, wanted to interview me to help me with my Indiegogo Campaing for her segment, Creative Spirit. For this, she sent me a questionnaire. So, I did a lot of writing in between Wednesday and Thursday to get in just in time for her publication deadline of TODAY! To view the interview, please click HERE.

Once again, I took a break to clear all the snow that had fallen the day before on my car before it gets frozen. I also filled the tank with gas (I didn't know we have to keep the gas tank full when temperatures are this low, to avoid condensation - live and learn!)

 But I also managed to finish a third painting in my series. All of them measure  about 4' x 4'

I started my painting making marks with my
hand-made brush and Sumi Ink

Added more marks and writing with charcoal and graphite

Here's the end result

My studio wall, after this third painting...

And now it's ready for number 4!

Since I didn't have enough time to start the new painting (the process requires a wet stage in between layers), I started doing some Encaustic monotypes inspired by the colors in my surroundings. The red for the barn and studios, the white for the snow, and the blue of the sky...

In the evening, I was happily surprise to be able to view the interview that just came up on the air last night, about my most recent body of work, for the Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) – Spotlight on the Arts’ segment- Here’s the link in case you want to watch it. My interview starts at 2:03 minutes: https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=_IVSCchoKlo

~~~

And please remember, I still need your help to cover the costs of my residency: http://igg.me/at/corina. So, if you like what I'm doing and would like to support an artist, here's 3 ways you can help to make it happen. You can choose to do one, two, or all tree:

1. The obvious one, making a monetary donation of $1 or more, but there are two more ways to help that you're not probably aware of.

2. If you click on the link and go to my Indiegogo page, you can click to any of the Social Media share buttons on the top of my campaign.

3. You can also help big time, by leaving a comment on that page. Click on COMMENTS right above my video, right after you sign into Indiegogo.

Thank you for your help and support!!