view of down town GR, originally uploaded by bbmarie.

This painting was done for Calvin College as a commission. I really enjoyed doing this piece as it is coming out of a long study of this particular view. I think every time I paint the city I love it a little bit more. I can’t help but wonder what GR wants to grow into and how can I be apart of it?

The painting does not represent what is there in an exact way. Things got pushed around and exaggerated. I did use my camera on this one along with a ton of drawings and a oil sketch to create the image. If anyone out there is thinking of commissioning a painting don’t put it off, contact me and lets talk. I love a good commission because it takes me beyond my own little world.

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facoty girl twins blue and gold, originally uploaded by bbmarie.

I created this little print at the farmers market down the street. I have been at the market the last two fridays and have really enjoyed the experience. There is a great vibe there among farmers and few crafter/artists tossed in. I end up having a lot of interaction with some of the people who pass through. I have a chance to reconnect with friends some of whom I’ve not seen for a long time. Also, it seems that I have some kind of different sort of creative energy that I tap into in a context like the market where it feels some what like performance. It is as if I get a special boost with people around watching that lets me do things I wouldn’t alone in my studio. It is also good to be able to let my art connect with people that would not other wise see it. I believe some thing mystical happens when people encounter art work that comes out of a life that is connected with God in a potent way.

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*Typewriter Blossom, originally uploaded by bbmarie.

I learned how to type while in high school. I had a typing class. I never seemed to do very well in that class but I did learn the basic method of typing with all my fingers while looking elsewhere. This was probably one of the only real practical skills I graduated with that came as a result of that entire silly academic experience.

I find myself writing every day. I begin the morning writing three pages in a college ruled spiral bound notebook with a sharp pencil or ball point pen. I write a page and a half with my left hand and the next page and a half with my write hand. When the note book is full I toss it into the recycle bin and begin a new one the next day. I picked this ritual up out of the Artist Way book by Julia Cameron. I do it because it helps the flow of my creativity. I am not sure how it works but it does.

I am working on writing new songs lately. We have begun working on a new CD and it has motivate be to create new material. We have our next gig at the Literary Life Book Store on the corner of Eastern and Wealthy Streets. We are doing a concert along with John Rybicki who will be reading poems from his new book, We Bed Down in Water. This all happens July 11, Friday night 6:30-9:00. John is my brother in law and has long been an inspiration for me to keep writing.

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solid geometry, originally uploaded by bbmarie.

We are playing a VIP party in Saugatuck at the Bruce Baughman Gallery this Saturday night during the Water Front Film Festival. I hope to have fun with my friends making music and wearing good outfits. Directors, actors and just who ever.

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pray for each other, originally uploaded by bbmarie.

This is a painting I did for Discipleship Journal that will be used as a cover. Praying is something we do a lot of around here. We live a life that is impossible with out constant divine intervention. God has made it this way. Either he is in the center of it or it all tumbles down. Living like this can be scary as hell. Living dependent on God is also liberating because it cuts you free from the dominant world culture and it’s toxic systems.

I really enjoyed making this painting and had help from Rose and Pearl and their friend Rose Shaw. They posed for photos that I used for reference. I decided to turn one figure into a male to make it more interesting. I still think painting is a form of prayer.

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Late spring garden, originally uploaded by bbmarie.

Our garden is underway. We are eating lettuce regularly out of the back yard now. Soon we will have kale to harvest. We are planting new lettuce every few weeks to make sure we always have some ready to pick. It is so satisfying to have food for the table coming out of our own yard.

We harvested our first rabbit last week and made a stew which was very tasty. The killing of the rabbit was very difficult for me. I do not look forward to the next one but it was important to go through with it. I have wanted to develop a greater connection with our food and there is nothing like killing a rabbit for the pot to make things real.

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kerouac460, originally uploaded by bbmarie.

I have been reading Kerouac. I haven’t spent time with his work since I read On The Road back in ‘83 while I did my laundry in Grand Rapids. That book at that time was like getting hit by lighting. I have always been a little afraid of Kerouac and his friends because of the wild abandon it could possibly send off in me. Maybe at 48 I feel like my life has enough ballast to handle some crazy beatnik energy, some transcendence, some hard hitting all of life embracing, full tilt going at it.

I got a CD of current actors and artists and writers reading his poetry with music and various sound textures underneath. I love this CD and the way the words and images come alive along with the layers of sound working with it.

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mermaid listening, originally uploaded by bbmarie.

This is a new card design offered through my Etsy shop on line. I have a batch of new cards that I have made recently that I am putting into the shop to keep things fresh.  I spend time drawing and redrawing to get designs that have a punch and poetry that excites me and then I cut the block.   The new thing that I am doing is printing the cards one at a time by hand instead of having them printed up in quantity at Kinkos.  This makes them cost a bit more $4.00 a card instead of $2.50 but they have that one at a time by done by hand vibe that is more potent and worth an extra $1.50.  (If you have already done so, check out the studiobeerhorst Etsy shop on line by clicking on Etsy in the list of links in the side bar to the right.) Etsy is such a powerful tool and global online community of people making things with their own hands and doing what they can to make a living and stay true to their authentic self.

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I am getting more comfortable with repeating my self.   There seem to be a few paintings I do over and over again.  There are certain symbols and gestures I do from painting to painting.   This is my visual language.  It is who I am as an artist.  I do not have to come up with new things all the time.  What I need to do is simple get into the studio and begin to paint again and trust that something good will eventually happen. It does often enough.   

We are moving toward our next Family Art Show and I am working with a steady focus to get ready.   I find that having a specific deadline in the future helps move me along in the studio.  It helps my concentration.  The children have been helping out more around the house in order to give me more time in the studio to work and for this I am very grateful and they are glad to have more of an allowance at the end of the week to look forward to.

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Flower Girl Icon

Originally uploaded by bbmarie

The girl holding a flower is an image that I keep returning to. All artists develope their own personal visual language that will continue to unfold as they work over the years.

The rose in partiucular is interesting to me because of he way in literally unfolds as it opens. I have always thought this is a good metaphore for the way a person opens up when they feel truely loved, appreciated, and listened to.

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