Art Break.

Though I'm desperate to get to New York and run this marathon, there is something here in Greenville that I sadly will be missing this weekend: Open Studios.

This weekend, hosted by the Metropolitan Arts Council, is one of my favorites in Greenville, as area artists open up their studios to the public on Saturday and Sunday. I love seeing the spaces where artists work; visiting their studios in some ways demystifies the whole process and makes creating art seem more approachable. In most ways, however, I am completely and totally impressed with the what and how and why of how these artists work, and typically leave their studios either wanting to buy everything in there or wanting to be their best friend. Or both.

For the third year in a row, my mom will be participating in Open Studios. A talented watercolor and oil artist, mom started painting in the 1970s when she and my dad lived in San Fransisco. Legend tells that they took a nude painting class together, though I've never actually seen any work from that endeavor.

Her studio is a wonderful space where all of her grandkids love to play and visit, paint, draw, and have tea parties (and wrestle...there are 6 grandsons, after all). She keeps telling me that she wants me to come and paint with her, but I can't seem to get my Art I professor's voice out of my head when she said to me in her Argentinian accent in front of the whole class during midterm evaluations, "Keh-lee. Dis blue is like a PUNCH in my face!" and "Dis squash. Where is dee table? Dis squash is hanging in dee middle of dee air!" I think it's safe to say that I didn't really inherit mom's drawing and painting ability, or her knack for color, design, and perspective. Anyone who has seen me try to draw a dog or bear or dinosaur for my kids will realize this sad truth about my skills.

That being said, I am a great appreciator of art and its inherent value to the creator and the public, and I hope you'll come and visit mom's studio this weekend and check out some of her beautiful work. She's a gracious host and a funny lady, and I think you'd enjoy seeing her and her watercolors. Go see Judy Verhoeven too, and Joseph Bradley and Diane Kilgore-Condon and Paul Flint at the Art Bomb. Support our area artists this weekend and get to know them; they bring so much light and life to our community.

And if you do go see mom, be sure to wish her Happy Birthday on Saturday! I'll say it now since I'll be sitting around in a panic on Saturday waiting for the starting gun to go off on Sunday morning...Happy Birthday Mom! I love you and am thankful for you every day. Have a wonderful weekend!