The world, particularly the art world, lost a wonderful, beautiful spirit this week: Willard E. Johnson II. His family, friends, and colleagues gathered to celebrate his life yesterday at a beautiful service of remembrance at First Presbyterian Church Oklahoma City, his church home since 1947.
I was able to give Willard my gift of music, playing old gospel favorites on my flute, with John Edwards at the piano. Some of these hymns were The Old Rugged Cross, Softly and Tenderly, and one of my all-time favorites, In the Garden. Pastor Matt Meinke read meaningful scripture from Psalms 23 and 46, Isaiah 40, Romans 8, and John 14, and shared a moving meditation with the family and congregation about Willard and his faith, and Jesus' promise of Eternal Life. Robert Meister, long-time friend of Willard, and Willard's grandson Kris, gave emotional, yet humorous tributes to a man they admired, respected, and loved so much.
I met Willard only 2 months ago, seeking his help with the auction for the Shepherd Sisters artwork. Every time I called people trying to find someone to do appraisals, I got the same answer: "Call Willard Johnson of Colonial. He can help you." Consequently, he and I spent hours walking around the halls of Shepherd Manor. During that time we discussed each piece and he gave me appraisal values, comments and history on each one of them. He actually had seen the locations where some of the landscapes were painted, and had met the Shepherd Sisters. While discussing one particular painting of an orchard, he told me about the time he and a friend had picked peaches from the Shepherd family's orchard, with an angry Mr. Shepherd chasing them off the property. He laughed so hard telling that story.
During the service, Robert Meister or Kris Kanaly quoted Willard as saying: "art becomes art when one single person says it is". Let us all celebrate our own art and creativity and those of others by remembering that saying. The world would be a better place for it.
God Bless you, Willard.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Shepherd Sisters Art Auction 11/1/09
I have been asked to coordinate an auction for the sale of more than 100 pieces of art created by Oklahoma's Shepherd Sisters: Nellie, Edith, Leona, and Nettie. The proceeds from this auction will benefit Shepherd Manor Retirement Center, where most of these works are displayed. PLEASE DO NOT VISIT SHEPHERD MANOR TO SEE THE ART BEFORE THE AUCTION.
The silent auction will be held on Sunday, November 1, from 12:00 to 4:00 pm in Watchorn Hall at First Presbyterian Church of Oklahoma City, located at NW 25th & Western. Advance viewing will be available from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm beginning Tuesday, October 27 through October 30.
If you are not familiar with the Shepherd Sisters, here is some background. A very talented Impressionist painter, Nellie spent four years studying in Paris with various instructors, mostly with Henri Martin. Her most important, well-known painting from her years in Paris is a 3/4 life-size portrait of her sister Lottie, which was one of two of 800 paintings by American artists selected to hang in Le Grand Salon in Paris in the spring of 1910, and was awarded an honorable mention. In 1910, she and her friends Mrs. John Shartel and Mrs. Ed Dunn organized the Oklahoma Art League. Their dedication to preserving Oklahoma art assisted in the later formation of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. In addition to Nellie, sisters Leona, Nettie, and Edith were also fine artists, with works to be represented at the auction.
If you love art and/or Oklahoma, you won't want to miss this opportunity to view and possibly own a piece of Oklahoma's early artistic history. Starting bids range from $100 to $1,000.
For more information call 405-326-8134, or email me at linda@gottahavearts.com .
Gallery of Shepherd Sisters' Art
Here are a few more artworks created by Oklahoma's own Shepherd Sisters: Nellie, Edith, Leona, and Nettie.
The Art Auction of their works will be held on November 1, 2009, from 12:00 to 4:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City. For more information call 405-326-8134 or email me at linda@gottahavearts.com .
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Rebirth of My Creativity
In 2005 I began to write. Some journaling, dabbling in poetry, a few short stories, and continuing with a LOT of public relations communications, marketing, and advertising. I heard about a writing retreat in Mallorca, Spain, "Writing and Art as Sanctuary" with my friend Sharon Bray, and felt the tug of the place and opportunity pulling me like taffy on a warm summer's day, until I finally decided I had to see what was waiting for me in Spain.
Not only was it a fabulous personal experience and discovery of self, it gave me the creative space to write ~ whatever I wanted ~ and to take long walks with my digital camera. It became second nature for me to capture Kodak moments on the camera and then write about them. Photography and writing went hand-in-hand in my book of life. Mallorca was the birthplace of my renewed creative spirit and craving for photography and writing. The following poem gives you an idea of my incredible experience in Mallorca.
Mallorca (May 2006)
Silence hung in the crisp early air
Like smoke floating in a valley.
The cool freshness of the day
Was a perfume of eucalyptus and
morning’s refreshing breath.
Sun had gifted a clear blue sky
That would ring like crystal if you touched it.
Shadows hung from the lanky evergreen trees
Like moss in the everglades.
The still was broken by the call of the cuckoo,
KOOK-oo, KOOK-oo,
Only heard before in clocks.
The melody of its song drew one’s attention
From the peaceful silence
Of the early morn.
As the new day blossomed
The sound of goat bells drifted from the meadows,
Tinkling and twinkling in the misty distance,
Like diamonds floating in the crystal air.
My heart and my soul
Filled with joyful anticipation
At the exciting discoveries of self
to be made that day.
Like Christopher Columbus
On his voyage to a brand new world.
Early morning, so refreshing, a poet’s dream,
So still, then awaking with nature’s symphony,
My own symphony of thoughts and words,
In the lush, verdant hills of Mallorca.
Truly a gift for the senses and the soul.
Silence hung in the crisp early air
Like smoke floating in a valley.
The cool freshness of the day
Was a perfume of eucalyptus and
morning’s refreshing breath.
Sun had gifted a clear blue sky
That would ring like crystal if you touched it.
Shadows hung from the lanky evergreen trees
Like moss in the everglades.
The still was broken by the call of the cuckoo,
KOOK-oo, KOOK-oo,
Only heard before in clocks.
The melody of its song drew one’s attention
From the peaceful silence
Of the early morn.
As the new day blossomed
The sound of goat bells drifted from the meadows,
Tinkling and twinkling in the misty distance,
Like diamonds floating in the crystal air.
My heart and my soul
Filled with joyful anticipation
At the exciting discoveries of self
to be made that day.
Like Christopher Columbus
On his voyage to a brand new world.
Early morning, so refreshing, a poet’s dream,
So still, then awaking with nature’s symphony,
My own symphony of thoughts and words,
In the lush, verdant hills of Mallorca.
Truly a gift for the senses and the soul.
Not only was it a fabulous personal experience and discovery of self, it gave me the creative space to write ~ whatever I wanted ~ and to take long walks with my digital camera. It became second nature for me to capture Kodak moments on the camera and then write about them. Photography and writing went hand-in-hand in my book of life. Mallorca was the birthplace of my renewed creative spirit and craving for photography and writing. The following poem gives you an idea of my incredible experience in Mallorca.
Mallorca (May 2006)
Silence hung in the crisp early air
Like smoke floating in a valley.
The cool freshness of the day
Was a perfume of eucalyptus and
morning’s refreshing breath.
Sun had gifted a clear blue sky
That would ring like crystal if you touched it.
Shadows hung from the lanky evergreen trees
Like moss in the everglades.
The still was broken by the call of the cuckoo,
KOOK-oo, KOOK-oo,
Only heard before in clocks.
The melody of its song drew one’s attention
From the peaceful silence
Of the early morn.
As the new day blossomed
The sound of goat bells drifted from the meadows,
Tinkling and twinkling in the misty distance,
Like diamonds floating in the crystal air.
My heart and my soul
Filled with joyful anticipation
At the exciting discoveries of self
to be made that day.
Like Christopher Columbus
On his voyage to a brand new world.
Early morning, so refreshing, a poet’s dream,
So still, then awaking with nature’s symphony,
My own symphony of thoughts and words,
In the lush, verdant hills of Mallorca.
Truly a gift for the senses and the soul.
Silence hung in the crisp early air
Like smoke floating in a valley.
The cool freshness of the day
Was a perfume of eucalyptus and
morning’s refreshing breath.
Sun had gifted a clear blue sky
That would ring like crystal if you touched it.
Shadows hung from the lanky evergreen trees
Like moss in the everglades.
The still was broken by the call of the cuckoo,
KOOK-oo, KOOK-oo,
Only heard before in clocks.
The melody of its song drew one’s attention
From the peaceful silence
Of the early morn.
As the new day blossomed
The sound of goat bells drifted from the meadows,
Tinkling and twinkling in the misty distance,
Like diamonds floating in the crystal air.
My heart and my soul
Filled with joyful anticipation
At the exciting discoveries of self
to be made that day.
Like Christopher Columbus
On his voyage to a brand new world.
Early morning, so refreshing, a poet’s dream,
So still, then awaking with nature’s symphony,
My own symphony of thoughts and words,
In the lush, verdant hills of Mallorca.
Truly a gift for the senses and the soul.
The four photos above were taken during my adventure in Mallorca.
In addition to lush landscapes, cool refreshing mornings, abounding creative spirit, and attractive Spaniards, Mallorca also has GREAT PEARLS, especially the unusual shaped "coin" pearls. Not only did I buy a pair of white coin pearl earrings, I wrote a poem about them!
Okay, one more picture: the airport in Madrid. Very unusual, modern artsy-looking terminal!
FYI, this blog is not putting the pictures where I'd like them, so you get to figure them out! However, they are self-explanatory for the most part. :)
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