FROM 

THE MERRIMACK RIVER PAINTERS

Marilyn Eimon

Claudette Gammon

Terry Heinzmann

Betsy Janeway

Susan Levenson

Ann Lynch

Mary Ruedig

Ann Saunderson

Kathy Tangney

Dustan Knight Trabell

Janice Wittmer

WHAT CAN MOTIVATE US

 By SUSAN LEVENSON

For years the magnet on my refrigerator greeted me every time I opened the door with the inscription “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life” – Pablo Picasso.

While pondering for a subject to write about it hit me, this was what I had been looking for. Art therapists know that making art is a way to cope with tragedy and uncertainty. For me, it was a true experience for dealing with the insecurity of the Covid Pandemic.

My creative drive was at it’s lowest. Nothing got done. Becoming “lost” in a painting was a thing of the past.

I give thanks that our gifted MRP leader, Dustan Knight, who began art classes expertly crafted on zoom, the new medium on media, for our group. These classes, held twice a week, were a ray of psychological sunshine.

I did not feel well. They offset my fear of a long cold winter, the lockdown, the isolation… My daily calendar was empty, except for the virtual doctor appointments.

Dusty offered support to all of us during these uncertain times. How inspiring and healing it was to feel the resources within ourselves come together stronger and then blossom. As a group, we all seemed to be reaching out to one another by sharing the inner drive within us. The work the group produced during this period was astounding.

Even though I was “under the weather”, I managed to eek out a few pieces which I am showcasing here.

How blessed I was to reestablished my lost creative spirit by having had the opportunity to have had art wash the dust off the Pandemic.

 A GREAT WORKSHOP

By MARILYN EIMON

Dustan Knight always has great workshops, but this one was outstanding.

She presented a process that Lewis Noble uses to create abstract paintings. We were quickly engaged.

On location we generated quick paintings reflecting our impression and experience of the location.

Using simple supplies – acrylics, pencils, etc., and painting with our fingers on ordinary paper.

We were at three different locations – The Marginal Way, Perkins Cove, and the Ogunquit Museum of American Art in Ogunquit, Maine.

When back at the house, we tore our paintings to assemble and create collages into “new paintings”, which we pasted in a notebook.

The last morning we chose parts of 3 of our “new paintings” that spoke to us to help generate a new painting. It was fun, engaging and expanded our artistic repertoire.

 

 Besides the Pandemic

By Claudette Gammon

Here we are entering another September. After the last year and a half of the Pandemic, what more could happen?

That’s what I thought when January 2021 arrived, my thoughts were, “what else could happen”. And it did.

In April I had a day surgery for a female issue.

Then May 1^st came. Well, on May 1^st I had a stroke. Thankfully a mild one, but it included having a “Pacer” inserted under the skin, near my heart, to see if the stroke was A-fib related.

I stopped painting

I recovered by at least 99 percent. But I still couldn’t think about painting.

I was completely exhausted, had a hard time getting out of bed. Seemed as though I couldn’t get out of my own way.

We were planning a river cruise in August, and I didn’t know how I could make it.

Hubby decided we needed to go back to see my PCP. Perhaps there was something else going on.

We were able to see her a week and a half before leaving on our river cruise. Thank goodness, she took me off the high dose of cholesteral medication immediately. I started feeling better by the end of that week.

In the meantime, I was scheduled on the Friday before for a shot in my left hip. One in which I had been having problems and opted to wait till the week before our vacation to get a shot.

That morning I get a call at 7:45 am that the doctor that was going to give me the shot called in sick. I was a wild woman, the opportunity to be able to walk without pain on our trip was now not in my sights at all.

Wrote an email to the physician who recommended the other doctor and wanted some drugs to get through the trip. Instead the physician got me in to radiology to get the shot on Monday. I was very happy, waking up on Tuesday morning with no pain.

The point of all this is I did start painting again on vacation. Just a couple but it felt good to be at it again.

I certainly hope that is it for doctor visits for a while.

More paintings to come I am hopeful.

Twelve Things to Remember

 By Dustan Knight

 1 -- Gorilla glue is a very serious material

 2--It’s handy to have a flat screwdriver around to open can lids – don’t use scissors

 3--Wear an apron

 4--Use a wall picture gadgets hangers not just a nail

 5--Don’t put your coffee mug beside your water container

 6--Leave extra room

 7--Have a special place to hang your car keys every time you come into the studio

 8-- Keep handy an assortment of pokee things- nails, thumbtacks –to re-open paint containers that have dried shut

 9--A REAL staple gun is a must – with extra staples

 10--I have three big garbage cans in my space and I use them all

 11--Place a bar of soap by your clean up sink to wash out your brushes

 12--I have a big box in the studio and when I get a receipt or a note or written up in a periodical, I put them in there to sort them out later

Fall Light
12 x 12 Watercolor

          “Managing Covid”

            By Annie Lynch

Fall Woods Walk
30 x 30 Acrylic

It is so nice to see the sun and warmer weather after a long and sometimes lonely winter.

There were restriction, limits and uncertainties but it was also a time to reflect, experiment and let go!

Rainy Day
24 x 24 Acrylic

I spent a lot of time in the woods with views of trees, streams, ponds, fields and mountains with amazing skies.

Red Trees
20 x 20 Acrylic

I was on trails I never knew existed, which was very therapeutic, exhilarating and inspirational. Often I captured these experiences differently…with subtle watercolors or bolder, larger acrylics.

Spring Field
18 x 18 Acrylic

Stream Walk
30 x 30 Acrylic

These paintings reflect some of these experiences and however they came out. I enjoyed the journey!

Tucker French Forest
20 x 16 Acrylic

 

IDEAS FOR MOTHER'S DAY 

Welcome to our Blog Post for the month of May

It is designed to help find that perfect something for that special someone

Click on the painting for information

Direct your questions or interest to our general email address: merrimackriverpainters@gmail.com

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY!

MARILYN EIMON

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CLAUDETTE GAMMON

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DUSTAN KNIGHT

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SUSAN LEVENSON

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ANN LYNCH

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MARY RUEDIG

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ANN SAUNDERSON

KATHY TANGNEY

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 Reflections on a Year of Making Art During a Pandemic

By Janice Wittmer

How did we, the Merrimack River Painters, survive these many months of disruption, fear, loss, isolation and chaos?

We painted..at home alone and en plein air with others.

We learned to Zoom and discovered a new way to stay connected.

We shared our artwork, expressed our thoughts and feelings, explored new concepts and techniques…and when we couldn’t paint, were inspired by others.

In reflecting on a collection of our own artwork, that was produced in the same year, maybe we can discover some elements or characteristic that link the paintings in some way, giving us more insight into how and what we paint.

Below are some of the paintings I made during the last 12 months.