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Hi again and yes, it's been a "hot minute". My 23-year-old daughter says this a lot, and in case you're not familiar with Gen Z slang, it simply means "it's been awhile since...".

Personally, I had to take a breather for awhile, to step back and do a lot of soul-searching, introspection, healing and rethinking, recalibrating if you will, my life priorities and such. Sometimes, you have to take care of yourself so you can take care of your loved ones.

The past several months have seen me, like so many, question if art is necessary or relevant in such an extraordinarily chaotic and uncertain world.

Absolutely it is!

So, I'm sending along this image to remind you to slow down, appreciate what we have in the here-and-now, even if only for a few minutes each day. The world is moving at such an intensely fast pace, that taking care of ourselves will help us navigate it all. And Fall (my favorite season), is here!

                                                                Autumn Sunset in Penn Hills, oil on canvas by Joann Renner

                                                                                                          24"H x 20"W x 1"D 

                                        view here https://www.joannrenner.com/workszoom/6188392/autumn-sunset-in-penn-hills#/

                                                                                                   Photo credit: Joann Renner

Just think: Relaxing at home after a stressful day, no emails, no phone constantly on, no TV, just being in the presence of nature basking in glorious color. There's just something wondrous about sitting in the backyard or on a porch or balcony, sipping some hot chocolate or maybe tea, during the brilliant fall foliage season. Watching clouds whisk by, imagining the shapes they are shifting into.

The trees beckon us into an easy, uncomplicated meditative personal place, serving as a portal by connecting us to our deepest selves. Gentle breezes whisper through the drying leaves. They provide so much: oxygen, wood, food for wildlife and shelter from summer's heat. Without them, we could not even breathe.

The view from our backyard here in Penn Hills (an eastern suburb of Pittsburgh in case you’re new to the area), is fairly unique, at least to my experience. Our neighborhood has typical 1950s-70s suburban homes, set along meandering tiered streets on hillsides. Each row of homes is separated by mature woods, so there's lots of wildlife to enjoy watching such as squirrels, deer (the fawns are adorable in the spring, sometimes twins!), hawks, crows, woodpeckers, chipmunks, and lots of songbirds.

 And at this time of year, we get some really spectacular sunrises and sunsets in southwestern PA!

Even if you’re not into doing full meditation per se, simply taking the time to slow your breathing, relaxing in the present moment, can help improve blood pressure and reset your mood. When you feel the need to destress, take a few minutes to connect with the natural world. I love to watch sparrows play in a parking lot while I'm waiting to pick up a family member from work. It may be a temporary respite, but it is oh so restorative.

An Artsy Holiday Gift Idea:

Pittsburgh’s Avant-Garde: 60 Years Inside the Underground Art Scene

by Sheila Ali, IFCI, Director & Curator of the Irma Freeman Center for the Imagination

https://www.irmafreeman.org/preorder-pittsburghs-avantgarde/pittsburghs-avant-garde

This book examines the work and legacy of many of Pittsburgh’s highly respected avant-garde artists, as well as interviews with important area collectors and arts organizations. If you know someone on your holiday gift list this year who loves Pittsburgh art, this would be an amazing gift idea or as a special treat for yourself. And if you are new to Pittsburgh, this is an excellent introduction to the local art scene, with many of these distinguished artists, past and present, exhibiting regularly at the national and international levels.

The book is available to order (link to purchase is above). I highly recommend this book!

Despite all the noise, chaos, and uncertainty that overwhelms our attention daily, there are ways we can mitigate that stress: support and patronize local small businesses, visit arts events and exhibitions, learn about Pittsburgh’s rich artistic heritage, support local artists and arts organizations. Take time daily, even if only for a few minutes, to reconnect with nature by taking a walk or turning off the phone, especially the news, and simply sit in the present moment, soaking in life’s little pleasures that money can’t buy.

Where Does Art Emerge From?

Now more than ever for most of us, art touches us in ways that go far beyond mere decoration. Artists and cultural organizations who rely on federal funding such as grants have seen a significant loss of financial stability. Private sector funding now has become of primary importance. Uncertainty is never good. The ripple effect on the local economy is just as consequential as an artist having unexpected difficulty paying bills because a public art project was canceled midway when funding was cut. The arts and culture sector is a huge economic and quality of life contribution in cities like Pittsburgh. I can’t imagine not going to a favorite festival, concert, art event or gallery exhibition.

That’s a whole rabbit hole to go down in and of itself. But that’s not what I’m really here to talk about in this post.

Instead, I’d like to talk about the more personal relationship we have with art and nature, particularly fine art as opposed to the decorative arts.

When you walk into a gallery or an art festival, you might go with the intention of finding a lovely piece to add to your office or home. As you go through, some may be appealing or just not your thing, just nothing earthshattering.  Then you stop at one particular piece, a painting, a drawing, or perhaps a sculpture that has caught your eye. Even before reading the information label, something about it makes you stop for several minutes. You feel like you can’t leave it, but you walk around some more. Nothing else matters until you walk back to this one piece, as if you can’t be without it. It won’t let you leave without it.

That is connection!

Connection is what differentiates fine art from decoration. Decoration is subject to a whim, a trend even. It’s temporary and has only passing value, or sentimental value. It’s purpose is to look good. Antiques and collectibles fall into the decorative category. It has value as a family heirloom for as long as family members still like it. The connection is sentimental or stewardship.

Fine art goes beyond the scope of the decorative. Why do we visit a museum to see Old Masters paintings such as Vermeer and Rembrandt, the Impressionist masters like Monet and Mary Cassatt, or Picasso’s Guernica for example?

Not only have they mastered their technical skills like color theory and material handling, they have successfully expressed their own intentions, thoughts, and personal relationship with their work through their creative process. Those messages are timeless, speaking to our shared human experiences in ways that words often fail us.

Art comes from the soul of the artist.

For those who have never really picked up a brush, the artistic process is a mystery. And it’s totally okay to be shy or curious about it. Sometimes it is even mysterious to those of us who make it our life’s work. The exciting discovery of a new technique that helps us convey our message better is a huge thrill! So please feel free to ask questions, we love to talk about our work, and we will not think you are being silly or annoying. Connecting our work with people who love it is what we are all about!

As for AI generated “art”, it is done by a computer program that is trained to take images without consent or compensation to the original human creators and combine them for the user.  To create original fine art, it takes original human thought that connects us on a higher level of consciousness and shared experience. And it shows in the poor quality results of AI generated images. AI simply does not have a soul or any shared human experience. It does not feel empathy, love, grief or joy.

So if you’ve stayed with me this far, I really do appreciate it.

Despite all the noise, chaos, and uncertainty that overwhelms our attention daily, there are ways we can mitigate that stress: support and patronize local small businesses, visit arts events and exhibitions, learn about Pittsburgh’s rich artistic heritage, support local artists and arts organizations. Take time daily, even if only for a few minutes, to reconnect with nature by taking a walk or turning off the phone, especially the news, and simply sit in the present moment, soaking in life’s little pleasures that money can’t buy.

Fall is here, and there is so much to be grateful for regardless of what's happening around us.

In gratitude for your company and continuing support,

have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!