This past weekend was the first weekend of Art Show Bedford.  There was a great turn out by the community and many friends.  There are 70 artists represented from our area. The art ranges from contemporary to traditional paintings, drawings, printmaking, jewelry, and pottery.  Sales have been good and it is nice to know the art will help to support many local charities in our area.  The show is at the beautiful St. Matthew’s Church in Bedford NY. The show is run by hard working volunteers every year, and all profits go to the charities listed below.

Abbott House, A-Home, Boys and Girls Club, Community Center of Northern Westchester, Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship, Hope’s Door, Hour Children, , Mt. Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry, Neighbors Link, Rehabilitation Through the Arts, Hospice Care In Westchester and Putnam VNA

The remaining days of the show it will be this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday - February 3-5 - from 11am to 5 pm.  If  you're in the area drop in, see some art, enjoy gathering with friends and family. There is a warm fireplace always stoked…rumor has it that winter is finally coming in with a blast soon :)

Yesterday I went to see Dick Rauh’s Artist Talk and Retrospective. Dick is on one of the most influential people I have ever studied under.  I was lucky to meet Dick in 2004 when studying for my Certification in Botanical Art. I had never had a teacher so full of passion and love for his subject.  His joy is infectious and I learned so much about plants and their world while taking his Plant Morphology class. We all had microscopes on our desks and tried our best to keep up with the volumes of knowledge that Dick was imparting to us. I am so thankful that I had the honor to take his classes.  When I became a botanical art teacher I invited him to come and teach some workshops on drawing trees. We gathered outside with Dick and sketched one of his favorite subjects.  Everyone that attended his workshops has memories of what special days those were. He still teaches online through the New York Botanical Garden…there is no stopping this man and his love for teaching.

Hundreds of people crowded the Westport Library yesterday to hear Dick’s talk and to wish him Happy Birthday! They brought a cake up on the stage and everyone in the hall sang Happy Birthday to this man admired by so many. He will be turning 98 this Tuesday!!!  If any of you would like to see some of  his fantastic works of art they are currently on display at the Westport Library.  For information on the exhibit to this link. They are huge…the painting pictured above it at least 3 feet x 2 feet.

https://westportlibrary.org/event/dick-rauh-a-botanical-retrospective-in-the-sheffer-gallery/

So now I’m settling into teaching, sketching, painting and woodblock printing for the rest of winter….and of course walking the doggies ❤️ Stay warm everyone…..