Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Valerie May: Artist, Friend

"Art feeds my spirit, nourishes my soul."
Valerie May
All photos in this post were provided by and are the exclusive
property and copyright of Valerie May, 2009.
"Falcons Facing West"

"Oriental Yin-Yang Collage"

"Light One Inverted"

"Greek Collage"

I thought I would simply start today's post with an artist's quote and ART. Pure, beautiful, unadulterated ART. The type that makes you stop in your tracks to look, pulls at your heart (and checkbook!), things you want to either make or make your own.
That is the type of work Valerie produces. After a long drought of not dealing with art she joined the Community Artists Co-Op--in fact, she was at our very first meeting--and has not looked back or stopped since. (please click on all the photos to view in a larger format--there is so much detail to enjoy that can't be seen in the smaller size pics.)
Val has an art degree but has a very Zen approach to what she does. While she can produce *exact copies* (extremely realistic paintings) her view is , "Been there, done that, why go back?" One of her favorite quotes is from Picasso:
"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."
And indeed it does as is evidenced by what she consistently produces.
I envy her ability to work with abstract in an apparently easy, nonplussed manner. She says she can teach me. I am thinking that she might have met her match on that one...."Little Miss Anal-About-Details" doing an abstract??? Oh, but I want to!
I could rave extensively about what I find appealing in each piece but I'm not going to. I want you, my gentle readers, to look deep into them and see what speaks to YOU. And please leave posts here directly to Val, because she does not have a blog yet, and she will be able to read and answer any questions you may have.
And now one more little tidbit I have to admit that I had been keeping secret.
At our LAA Show, Val sold a painting called "Quilt In Oil". The buyer chose to remain anonymous. Well, Kiddo, it is hanging in my kitchen. I had looked and looked at the piece loving it more each time I saw it and knew, at the right time, it would come home with me.
So I proudly own an original, and couldn't be happier!
I hope you all enjoy this small sampling of Val's talent and her delightful use of color and composition. She is truly one of a kind!
Now go do something creative and use your day well!!! OR ELSE!!! ;)
(I'll chase you with my cane....HA!!! Okay, you can get off the floor and quit laughing now.....)

13 comments:

Val May said...

Well, Anne, I'm blown away, first by seeing my pieces online, next by your verbal tribute and lastly by your disguised purchase of my "Quilt In Oil" painting!! :>)) How's come I didn't see it when I was over there, was I just not LOOKING? You sneaky person, you...
You did a SPECTACULAR job of posting them!!!!LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!
Thank you :>))

My Vagabond Heart said...

Hi Val...Good to see your work, again. It just gets better and better.

Val May said...

Hi Vicki, thank you for the compliment. Loved your photos. When I get some time I want to give your blog the justice I know it deserves by thoroughly exploring it.
We miss you in the Co-Op.

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Hey girls, I am just happy the work is up and I think it looks BEAUTIFUL against the black BG.
Val, I did not have the painting up because one of my friends had to go get it for me due to my adventure, but we got it hung yesterday and I look at it every time I am through the kitchen. And no regrets buying it, like the one photo of Vicki's I bought.
When art speaks that loud, raid the piggy bank!

Val May said...

My piggy bank appreciates that !LOL!
I'm just glad it wasn't there; that I hadn't overlooked my own work :>)
You chose the piece almost everyone who has looked at my work says they particularly liked :>) I've made a couple of prints of it and given them to friends who had more vital interests for their money. Now that I know where it is, mystery buyer, I can come over and visit it; prints don't do it justice.
There is something about the TEXTURE of oil paint that makes it my favorite medium.
You may be too anal,Anne, but I'm not anal enough.
The oriental Yin-Yang collage was sold, but in looking at it I can see it was done rather sloppily. I love it so much that I will make a new one similar to it, but much better executed and try to be MORE anal, taking more care in placement, and adding paint.

megan mirro said...

I am a huge fan of your work, Valerie! In Falcons Facing West, and other paintings that I have seen of yours done in a similar style, I love the way your intricate, detailed graphics both contrast and cooperate with the abstract, moody colors around them. They really come alive in that interaction between the space and color surrounding them. In Greek Collage, there is so much complexity and depth to it, I could stare at it for hours. Actually, in all four of these images, I could get quite lost! Are you going to put a piece in our Members' Show at the museum in Fort Wayne? I am making a pick-up for artwork in Peru- you really should do it! If not, are you showing your artwork anywhere else this summer? My e-mail is mirro@fwmoa.org- let me know where I can get my fix for your artwork! -Megan

Val May said...

Megan, thank you for your esteemed appreciation of my work. Anne, has encouraged me to become a member and put a piece in your show. I was going to find out the deadline today and find a way to get a work up there; did not know you were doing a pick-up here in Peru. That takes the barrier to my doing it away, so YES, I have a piece to show.
In some of my works, in particular, Falcons Facing West and similar pieces with Egyptian motifs, part of my objective in doing them was to marry modern abstraction and ancient images, joining past and present,as well as juxtaposing abstraction and graphics. Thank you for getting it!!
As far as showing my work--I don't think I'm ready for that,yet, most of my watercolors were done years ago and I don't have enough NEW works to do much, but I'm working on that.I need to be producing more. So we'll see if I have that much ambition.
Again--thank you for you response.

Leslie said...

All I can say is WOW. I love the iconic images that she used. Amazing!

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Yeah, it is, isn't it???? Really cool work......

Jan said...

I'm not sure what I was expecting but not this! This is gorgeous and yes, very engrossing detail. I am especially drawn to ethnic imagery myself and love your Asian works but the first piece with the Falcons grabbed me right away. Beautiful work. I think it is your turn to create a blog:-) Maybe you and Anne can trade workshops; she can show you about blogging and you can show her about abstraction. Thanks for sharing.

Val May said...

OOOooooh, THANK YOU, ladies, for the positive feedback, it makes me feel more fulfilled and is encouraging me to try to be more productive. I have a tendency spend too much time with my computer, (Photoshop is my friend)(I also do photo restoration), and not enough time in my small, cluttered studio in the basement of the cafe Anne sometimes mentions and has a link to.
Anne has promised to teach me how to do a blog and I'm more than willing to get her to loosen up and get her wild side on paper or canvas. Maybe I'll start by blindfolding her so she has no choice but to do something abstract. I'm serious about that :>)
Thank you all for your wonderful comments.

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Blindfolds????? Are they kid leather?????? >:)
Okay--I am THINKING about how to start. Let me work in my little anal way. Thinking is a good place to begin.
Val, maybe you should offer a class on abstraction? We could always use my studio here.

Val May said...

Anne, I'll think about that, teaching a class, and it's good you're thinking, but a lot of abstraction is like Zen, NOT thinking, just doing, trusting your inner sense of color, balance, space relationships.
I'm serious, try putting some paint on a piece of paper without watching what your doing, close your eyes. Try 3 colors, light, medium, and dark.
You do a GREAT job on your box projects, use those colors on paper as maybe a background for drawing or maybe some collage work.
I know you will be doing art again SOON.

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