From Palma to New York City

Slooowly but surely getting back into the studio.
Here's a piece I finished (?) recently as a going away gift for a friend taking an adventurous sabbatical from Palma de Mallorca to New York City for several months.

The moving story excerpts are from "Leaving Lisbon" by Evan, thank you.

In the meantime...Sadhana Yoga Palma

I know, I know...Where have I been?!
Well, in addition to making art, I teach Kundalini yoga and meditation. So, in addition to the big changes of moving house and art studio- I have re-opened my new yoga center: Sadhana Yoga Palma. Above you see the space. It was originally the formal dining room in my 1918 Palma apartment. Tempting, isn't it...first class is free, come on over!

Now that the center is up and running and new students are coming in, I can get back to my other studio!
Thanks for your patience.

Across the Bridge

Here is the diptych I recently completed, Across the Bridge.

It's a 'moving story' (Español) about making big changes that includes writing in English and in Spanish about both the fear and relief that comes from this process. Thanks to Kristen and Xavi for providing the story excerpts. I am always looking for new stories to illuminate, so click on the links highlighted above or instructions. Thank you

Sweet Relief, back to work!

Wow. What an amazing feeling it was yesterday to finally start painting again! It has been over a month since I began the process of packing up my former residence and moving into the center of Palma de Mallorca. Here I have ample space for my art studio, a big office, and my yoga center.

The holidays are about over (are they ever really over in Spain?!) and guests are gone; so yesterday I re-aquainted myself with my materials to work on a commissioned diptych.

Words can't express the liberty that making art brings me. Ahhhh, sweet relief.

Keep looking for progress and new works on this site and a new series of Daily Paintings on my sister-site coming soon.

Light Installation at Plaça Vuit, Sa Pobla, Mallorca

Last night we celebrated the grand opening of the new site of what was formerly called E-Così. Here you see the great bar at the new restaurant Plaça Vuit in Sa Pobla, Mallorca. This is opposite an artwork I created especially for the owners. Bel and Toni worked together with an incredible team to design and transform a historic building in the center of Sa Pobla.
They asked me to create special sort of painting / light installation for the site. You can see the images below. It is a theatre-like scrim depicting the Plaza España in Rome (this is an Italian restaurant).


The installation works nicely with the many beautiful light fixtures selected by Bel.


My good friends and the owners of Plaça Vuit. The name is the street address 'Plaza # 8' in Catalan. Congratulations to them and all the folks that worked their tails off over the last few months.

Shades of Grey at ArtPropelled

Untitled (Hitchcock series) by Robert Natkin

Haunted by Sara Giannobile

Please hurry over to http://artpropelled.blogspot.com/ to see more of this comprehensive blog post about Shades of Grey. Robyn's site is great - I recommend you check it often. Thanks to Robyn for including one of my Expert Mover paintings in this post. Enjoy.

Opening Coverage at the Tesorería General, Palma de Mallorca

I really wanted to post pictures of the opening, with lots of people milling around happily , but I have none! My designated photographer, the coordinator of the exhibition space, worked the refreshment table and in the end sent me only the picture at the end of this post of himself and I!
The pictures you see here were taken in the empty gallery earlier in the week, but you get the idea.

The good news is that it was crowded and a successful night. I really appreciate all of those who came out to celebrate with me. I did get some newspaper coverage as well. It is a possibility that I will get a review from another publication. If so I will certainly keep you posted.






Coordinator, Tomeu Pinya and I.

Exhibition Open in Palma de Mallorca: The Search for Home/La Búsqueda de Casa

Just look at the sheer joy with which I work...My exhibit in the Gallery space at the Social Security Building in Palma de Mallorca is up and will be until the 13th. We will celebrate on Friday night at 8 p.m.; come by for Spanish tapas and a refreshment! I say this knowing that most of my English-speaking readership will certainly NOT be there, but a girl can dream...

Expert Mover, 1 of 8

A little sneak preview of a new series of daily paintings not yet posted over at my Dailies site. I've been a busy little bee.

Casa & Campo I/II / House & Field I/II

Casa & Campo I / House & Field I


Casa & Campo II / House & Field II

Diptych: 20 X 20 inches (50 X 50 cm) each. Collage 7 mixed media on wood

This diptych is a large scale version of the 32 abstract orange Daily Paintings featured on my other blog.

New Piece: Volver a Casa / Return Home

New Piece: Volver a Casa / Return Home

24 X 24 inches (61 X 61 cm)

Mixed media collage and painting

The composition of this piece is from a section of an enormous destroyed building in Inca, Mallorca. The wall paper and newspaper come from a building demolition in Sa Pobla, Mallorca. There are two bodies of text taken from moving stories contributed by Jose and Eusebia. Thank you both.

Pondering Weathered Walls

I received an appreciated recognition from Robyn at: http://artpropelled.blogspot.com/
where she has gathered a collection of artists who are interested in the same rich and reminiscent surfaces of aged and decrepit walls as I. Thanks to Robyn, I have had a wonderful morning of discovering new artists that make my ex-pat world feel a bit smaller.

The photograph above is by Margaret Ryall.

I am particularly blown away by the fact that I hadn't previously stumbled across Clay Ketters, whose photographic images are almost identical to so many I have taken in Mallorca. More on him later...

The High Tower (La Torre Alta)

The High Tower (El Torre Alta)

Collaboration with my 5 year old daughter, Malena, 2009

35.5 X 47 inches (90 X 120 cm)
Mixed media on wood (old Mallorquin newspaper, acrylic, graphite, ink)

New Piece: The Castle

The Castle (El Castillo)

Completed October 7, 2009
35.5 X 47 inches (90 X 120 cm)
Mixed media on wood (old Mallorquin newspaper, acrylic, graphite, ink)

The title of this piece comes from the drawing in the background created by my daughter about a year ago. Lately pretty much every piece I make either has some drawing of hers or found objects collected by her incorporated into it. The composition of rooms and open door is from a destroyed building in Palma de Mallorca. The text is from a moving story written by my yoga student, Victoria.

here's a detail of the castle drawing...

Introducing my new website!

PLEASE NOTE A CORRECTION BELOW IN THE URL FOR MY ENGLISH WEB SITE:

I have changed my website. Actually, there are two:

English version here: www.laurieapearsall.weebly.com
Spanish version here: www.laurieannpearsall.weebly.com

I am in the process of preparing lots of new work for a restaurant installation, an upcoming exhibition, and competitions in Mallorca. So, keep in touch of new work appearing regularly.

Very soon I will be launching my on-line store at Etsy.com. Stay tuned.

Set of Six Dailies

Here is a continuation of Series 2 of the daily paintings I am currently creating. Now I will begin a transition in the color scheme...stay tuned.

looking at the individual pieces I like to get lost in the intricate little microcosms. As a set or 4, 6 or more squares, they have a very different feel: more chaotic, like a locomotive engine or watch mechanics in motion. Eager to select some and re-interpret on a much larger scale.

I feel like I am back in art school, playing with so much Cubism! Gotta admit, 'passage' is so fun...

New Piece, details

These shots give a truer sense of the actual color and detail of "La vida pseudonómada".


You can see how the written stories are integrated. Some folks were hesitant to share their stories, because they didn't want their privacy compromised.

Well, as you can see, it's just between you and me ;) you'd have to be a forensic specialist to decode this story.

La Vida Pseudonómada/The Pseudo-nomadic Life

La vida pseudonómada (The Pseudo-nomadic Life)

Completed September 1, 2009
35.5 X 47 inches (90 X 120 cm)
Mixed media on wood (rusted metal, collage, acrylic)

I started this piece ages ago and have finally pulled it together. It is the first piece that utilizes some of the many Moving Stories I have collected over the last 2 months. Thank you, Jose for your contribution. The original building structure is one in Inca, Mallorca. The junk was collected on the streets of Muro and the wall paper is from the site of a renovation in Sa Pobla.

I am entering this piece today in a competition at a gallery I have been salivating over; the exhibition space is a wonderfully restored historic estate and well-suited to my work. Just being in the group show would be great, but the first prize of a solo exhibit is going to be even better! Wish me luck.

Collage: Duplex / Adosado

Duplex / Adosado

22 X 30 inches ( 54 X 73 cm) Collage/mixed-media on paper

Rejection Letters are junk mail

The following is an excerpt from How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist: Selling Yourself without Selling Your Soul, Fifth Edition. By Caroll Michels (Owl Books)

Rejection and Success are analogous for various reasons. Both Success and rejection are capable of producing an identity crisis. Some artists who attain success find themselves stripped of goals, direction, and sense of purpose. The same holds true for artists who are rejected.
Stagnation is a by-product of rejection and success. Artists who are rejected can be diverted and blocked in their creativity. Artist who attain success can lose momentum and vision.
It is possible to be unscathed by rejection or success, and continue with new goals, directions, explorations, irrespective of other people's aesthetic judgments.
The sooner you lose an obsession with rejection, the sooner your real potential develops, and the better equipped you will be to handle success.

A tip for building immunity to rejection: Each time you receive a letter of rejection, initiate a new contact, send out another presentation package, or pick up the phone. Replace feelings of rejection with feelings of anticipation.

Caroll Michels has a website for visual artists that accompanies this book; it's full of resources: wwww.artisthelpnetwork.com

New sets of dialies