laura summer: art dispersed!
We at The Art Hall want to extend a very big “thank you!” to everyone who attended the Art Dispersal (and, as always, to Cedarwood Waldorf School for continuing to provide our gallery with its home). All but four of Laura Summer‘s paintings were dispersed “to live in the world and do their work” under the care of their new stewards!
The hall was buzzing with liveliness and love. It was quite a spirited evening, with an all-school concert in an adjacent wing! Nearly one hundred visitors took in the color and movement of each painting adorning our walls, carried along by the beautiful music performed by the Portland Waldorf (mostly High) School Sunday Night Cello Ensemble, the gallery’s de facto house band. A few patrons knew immediately which canvas spoke most—indeed, sang!—to one’s heart and soul. One by one each steward came to the dispersal table to claim his or her selected canvas and then, if so moved, on to the donation table to make a contribution to Free Columbia, Laura’s art school, and to The Art Hall. Stewards have left their paintings on exhibit until February 14th, so please contact Robin if you’d still like to make arrangements to see the works before they move on to their new homes.
Equally inspiring was Laura’s presentation on Free Culture: a new way to look at art and money. She offered her vision of how humanity might evolve so that artists can create freely, without the current need to create in direct exchange for money. She spoke with such equanimity and grace, warming and moving all by her devotion and passion to her vision for “art for 100% of the people”. Her presentation also included a slide show of her creative process for Tree Beings, one of the canvases dispersed. She showed how in staying with the process—being with what is right in front of you—creating art is possible for all. She also spoke to how giving paintings created out of a spiritual impulse (rather than selling the works) has the power to transform; to open the heart and soul of both artist/giver and steward/receiver; to promote healing; and to send out joy, love and radiance into the world.
Over the following weekend about twenty-five people attended Laura’s two-day workshop titled Devotional Art in the 21st Century: Drawing from the Face of God, hosted at the Portland Waldorf School. The range of participants included the accomplished to “fearful-but-excited-and-never-created-before” artists. Laura’s teaching style allowed for everyone to be in the process described the evening before with comfort and ease. Her gifts were many, including warm-up exercises and demonstration of techniques and materials most will use again, all offered with her characteristic patience, humor, warmth, and encouragement. Led by Laura we established the conditions for each of us to work and create freely, to find one’s own way into devotion.
You stirred the imaginations of many here in Portland, Laura Summer. We are deeply grateful for all your preparation, magnificent paintings, and wise teachings. We at The Art Hall look forward to the possibility of hosting you again!
laura summer: art dispersal and workshop update
The Art Hall is alive with color!
We received Laura Summer‘s unstretched canvas paintings in mid December and unrolled the thirty or more pieces to rest after their long journey from New York. We hung the show this past Sunday and the groupings of these special works have created a magnificent exhibit which we are excited to share with you.
Laura’s opening event on Friday, January 17th, will be an opportunity to experience an art exhibit of extraordinary innovation, to include Laura’s presentation on her perspective on the relationship between art and money and a slide show on her creative process. We invite you to take in this rare opportunity to explore a progressive way to think about the role of money in art and art in life.
Please see our previous post for more details and check Laura’s site, Free Columbia, for a sampling of some of the work on exhibit. The weekend workshop has only a few spaces left, so please contact Robin right away if you are still interested in participating.
We are again delighted that Corey Averill’s Cello Ensemble will entertain us. We will also be keeping up with our usual custom of providing a full table of refreshments and an art room for younger, school-aged children. We hope to see you there!
The Art Hall at Cedarwood Waldorf School 
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