Buddha (still) Abides

Well, as you can see from this happy photo of me, our featured artist, Kim Adelman, and Thomas, we had a lot of fun Saturday. Quite an unexpectedly large turn out of artists submitted work, in fact, more than usual and wondeful art to boot! We had no idea how it would go due to all the craziness that the fire created. But we put up as many NEW posters and flyers as possible (thank you Kim and Ted), blog, emails, word of mouth, phone calls, notes on The Frameworks window and so forth.

Patti Look Lewis graciously allowed us to use her beautiful, high-ceilinged space at 25 East De la Guerra. You'll have the opportunity to see her gorgeous pastels on the First Thursday, too.

Altogether 72 works of art were presented, including drawings, prints, photographs, jewelry, ceramics, sculpture and a fabulous work made of melted glass. Thomas, Christi and I choose over two thirds. The ones not accepted usually was to do with not fitting the theme in any way we could decifer other than, 'all beings are buddha', which is true, yet in this show we have to narrow it to something a little more precise otherwise everything everywhere would be in it and it wouldn't make any sense to most people...how Zen.

Anyway, a big THANK YOU goes out to all of you who participated, because it made a huge difference to us, especially Christi. In fact, she told me that the day after the fire, she broke down and just wanted to throw in the towel and close the doors forever. Then word got out and she began receiving HUNDREDS of emails and calls and offers of help. Because of that she forged ahead. AMAZING what a little community spirit can do to give you strength, courage and joy. In the end, it's all about relationships.

Speaking of help, I also want to mention Fatima at Haggle (just behind Starbucks). She has not only allowed us to store a lot of the artwork, but also is having a Silent Auction to benefit The Frameworks. It's a great little shop filled with original art and ethnic crafts which you can, yes that's right, 'haggle' for, to come up with an agreed upon price. Check it out.

And then there's Sullivan Goss, a wide open, spacious gallery at 7 E. Anapamu. For the month of May all the Buddha Abides artwork will be displayed there. Many of the usual suspects will be shown, including: Neal Crosby, Bonnie Rapkin, Marcelino Jimenez, Lila Trachtenberg, Anne Luther, Chris Messner, Kim Adelman, Susan Seabury, Judith Geiger, Beth Amine, and more.

So, yes, Buddha (still) Abides, and we are delighted. Actually, Pema Chodron, the American Tibetan nun says that enlightenment comes when the rug is pulled out from under you...

It's gotten really bright!

Lark

Fire in the Gallery!

Last Wednesday morning there was a terrible fire in the Frameworks Gallery. It started in the little printshop and proceeded into the other four businesses, and upstairs dwelling as well. Sadly, although no humans were harmed, our dear gallery cat, Danny De la Guerra, perished in the smoke. See: www.carusowoods.com/Fire.html

Christi Westerhouse (gallery owner) has received an enormous outpouring of support from the community. Meanwhile, many connected with the gallery are still in shock and grief and I am staying in touch with them and giving what solace I can.

It is really important to Christi to keep The Frameworks as an identifyable business going, so her husband David, Brian, Thomas and I are doing all we can to have the 7th Annual Buddha Abides take place in the same timeline, if in a different, but nearby location.

Here is the current plan:
Saturday, (as before) April 28th we will still have the intake of art. This will take place at the gallery of Patti Look Lewis ( located at 36 East De La Guerra Street)
We will then store the art at Sullivan Goss Gallery on Anapamu Street
On May 3rd, the first Thursday, (as before), we will have an 'open air' artists' reception in the Casa de La Guerra just opposite De La Guerra Plaza, just half a block East from State Street.
We are figuring out how to hang the art on the three covered walkway walls that contain the space, as well as asking artists to provide easels if they have them.

The fire's personal impact to me was of course MUCH less than to the gallery:
However, two dozen Buddha Abides T-shirts where destroyed in the fire, as well as the 2,500 postcards that we usually send out. Brian and I are going to see if we can re-do some of the postcards at a reduced rate. I will have some more T-shirts done and plan to give 10% of the sales from them to the Frameworks Gallery. (5% as well still goes to our charities.)

Please submit that wonderful art you've been working on, and/or come to the opening at Casa De la Guerra, from 5 to 8pm on Thursday, May 3rd and celebrate the 7th Annual Buddha Abides (becasue he still does) and the recreation of The Frameworks, Caruso/Woods Fine Art, up from the ashes.

As the Buddha Shakyamuni said and life continues to remind us time and again, 'change is constant' and 'everything is transitory'. With this in mind I would like to say how much I appreciate all those who have helped us during this challening time and remind you to kiss the ones you love, inhale the sweeping sky and cherish the delicate moments. There is nothing you can do to keep it from changing. You can only appreciate the beauty that is in front of you and say thank you right now.

Lark

Featured Artist: Kim Adelman

For many years now Kim has shown her work in Buddha Abides to the enjoyment of many, many people. Several times, once her piece was sold, several other potential buyers were disappointed that they were too late! In fact one year, someone loved her work so much that they asked to see other works that weren't even in the show and bought one of those.

So, we are delighted to feature Kim, and her beautiful paintings, this year in the 7th Buddha Abides contemporary art exhibition.

Here is a personal profile, in her own words:

"I paint with acrylic on canvas. The subjects are familiar, particularly if you live in the Central Coast area of California. The often foggy and hazy light of the coastline and my near-sightedness influence my sense of vision, diluting forms in the atmosphere, creating new forms which are often more suggestive than precise. My intention is to create a reality which becomes a first step toward imagination, the outline of a dream, the conjunction of illusion and truth which is observed. My hope is to inspire in people a connection with nature and calmness.

I was born on October 26, 1954 in Riverside, California, where I also grew up. Between the years of 1972 and 1981 I traveled across the United States twice, Western Europe twice, and spent three months in Tehran, Iran. Through these explorations, my suspicion that people are all basically the same, and desire the same things, was confirmed.

I studied full time at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California for one year. I then transferred to the University of California in Riverside where I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Studio Art in 1992. I received the Chancellor's Award in 1991 for my paintings, and graduated with honors."

Exhibitions:
Riverside Museum of Art, Riverside, CA
Storyteller Gallery in Tucson, Arizona
Montecito Art and Frame Gallery, Montecito, CA
Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
Delphine Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
Caruso/Woods Fine Art, Santa Barbara, CA

"When I am out enjoying Mother Nature,
There is an overwhelming sense of well-being that envelopes me.
I breath more deeply.
I feel greatly connected to the Earth.
I am truly present.
My mind quiets down and my senses just... enjoy.
It feels great to be alive.
This is the experience I wish to evoke through my work."

Kim Adelman