An Art Show

Showing My Art : Poquoson Public Library  August 1-31, 2021 

Showing My Art : Poquoson Public Library  August 1-31, 2021

Showing My Art : Poquoson Public Library  August 1-31, 2021

I found I could say with color and shapes 

That I couldn’t say any other way -

Things I had no words for.

~ Georgia O’Keeffe ~

Seventeen of my paintings from this past year are on the Poquoson Public Library art wall for the month of August :) I am grateful to be able to see them exhibited all together. I hope some of you from this neck of the woods will stop by sometime this month and check our my paintings :)  As always I will donate half the sale price of any painting sold to a charity. 

 

Fleeting Vignettes

 

Showing my art at Poquoson Public Library 

       Showing my art at Poquoson Public Library

Showing my art Poquoson Public Library

Sixteen of my watercolors "Fleeting Vignettes"  are on exhibit at the Poquoson Public Library for the month of August.  In June I participated in the #30x30directwatercolor challenge to create 30 paintings in 30 days in direct watercolor without sketching ahead of time.  I would call it a success as all these sixteen paintings were from that exercise! And I even sold one painting so far :) 

I made myself paint values, shapes and entertain only a few significant details. Pushing to finish a painting a day with no preliminary drawings forced me to be very mindful of sweet spots,  compositions, and especially values. I found myself sifting through my reference photos trying to find those that I could paint without sketching (or sometimes with minimal perspective dots or markings) ahead of time. I discovered to my surprise I was not painting with abandon and it was nerve wracking at times. I definitely painted some subjects I would not have considered before and was pretty pleased with the results! I painted on 100% cotton rough watercolor paper I had bought in India couple of years ago and it was fun to see them all lined up at the end of the month and see my accomplishment. Even though I was exhausted by the end, the challenge I feel was a very worthwhile to participate in. Because of sheltering in place, I ended up framing them all myself!  

I am so glad Marc Taro Holmes started the challenge. This is my second time participating in the month long challenge which in my case extended a week beyond a month to make up for missed  days I could not help.  Surf on over to my Instagram @artbymeera to see all my 30 paintings or to the facebook group  #30x30directwatercolor (link above) to see all the attempts by hundreds of participants.  If you are in my neck of the woods, please do stop by the library and check out the paintings.  I am donating half the price of sold paintings to the Food Bank.   

Explorations

My Art at the Poquoson Public Library October 2018 

My Art at the Poquoson Public Library October 2018 

I am excited to once again show my art at the Poquoson Public Library for the month of October. It is always a great feeling to be afforded this opportunity to display my paintings. This year my paintings have been mostly 'Explorations' of various scenes, ideas and media. I brought out some of my favorite paintings from years past as well as many new pieces for this show.  If you are in this neck of the woods please do stop by the Library :)  Just realized that unknowingly I seem to have taken a two month hiatus from blogging  but I am happy to be back ! 

Showing My Art

Gentle Sway  14x10" watercolor by Meera Rao 

It's catch up time with regards to a few different places my paintings have traveled to :)  Gentle Sway in watercolors  a painting of a boatman in Zhujiajiao, a Watertown near Shanghai, China, has been juried into the Virginia Artists 2018 Juried Exhibition at the Charles Taylor Arts Center in Hampton, VA. The show will run from Aug 18- October 7.  My 'Thank you' to Juror Seth Feman, Curator of Exhibitions and Photography at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, VA.  

'Sunrise in the city'  Honorable mention, Peninsula Watermedia Society Juried Member Show Stryker Art Gallery, Williamsburg, VA. 

'Hurricane'  Also at Pennisula Watermedia Society Juried Member Show, Stryker Art Gallery, Williamsburg, VA 

"Sunrise in the city" received an Honorable mention at the Penninsula Watermedia Society of Virginia juried member exhibition.  The show will run May 21 -Aug 24 2018, at the Stryker Art gallery, Williamsburg, Va.  

I was featured on 'The Mind of an Artist' June blog spotlight at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop website:  http://www.chaw.org/blog/mind-artist-part-xxviii-meera-rao.  My painting above 'Haiku in Red'  was in the annual  Capitol Hill Art League exhibition "Winners' Circle" at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, Washington D.C. July 20-Aug 18 2018. 

Sound Reflections 2 and Sound Reflections 3 at Dr Halim's office- CHAL Juried show "Celebrate"

Two of my paintings Sound Reflections 2 and Sound Reflections 3 have been juried into Capitol Hill Art League exhibition 'Celebrate' and the show is at Washington D.C. July 13-September 7 2018. 

Magnolia in #directwatercolor  by Meera Rao

I received this photo of my painting "Magnolia" done in direct watercolor freshly matted and framed in its new home in New York state :)  I am so happy it is bringing joy everyday !

'Gift of Friendship' watercolor by Meera Rao 

'tulips'  watercolor by Meera Rao 

"Our Town"  was an Art Exhibit and Sale at Frame of Mine Gallery at Washington D.C. curated by Photo Artist Karen Cohen. It showcased affordable DC Themed art by 10 Women Artists.  My two painting "Gift of Friendship"  - painting of a Pagoda and Cherry Tree (Blossoms) - the famous gifts from Japanese citizens at the Tidal Basin, DC  and "Tulips" hung there July 2- Aug 2  2018.  

 Resplendent  watercolor on Yupo  at Artist's Choice, Capitol Hill Art League, Washington D.C. 

I had pulled the painting "Resplendent" out of it's frame and redid a part that was bugging me.  I was  then happy to have it grace the walls for the Capitol Hill Art league annual Members only Artist's Choice show June 14 - July 14 2018.

"Exuberance"  Cover photo and featured inside 

A pleasant surprise was in the mail in early June : My painting "Exuberance" is on the cover (and also  inside highlighting Miniatures and Small works by Tidewater Artists) of the Hampton Arts Charles Taylor Visual Arts Center 2018-2019 season booklet with calendar of events.  I am very  grateful for all the opportunities to showcase my art! 

Paintings and Sketches Show and Tell

Week3 sketches India 2017

Above is the third of my sketch pages from my trip to India earlier in Feb.  These were the sketches I was doing for my grandchildren :) I have couple of more pages of sketches and a Japanese style sketchbook that I am yet to scan - I just forgot once returned and plunged into my daily life here ! 

Poquoson Library artist of the Month Aug 2017

Poquoson Library artist of the Month Aug 2017

Poquoson Library artist of the Month Aug 2017

This year's collection were a surprise to me too as I put together the show for our local library.  I discovered the past year  I experimented with mixed media, collage and photography :) 

Resting Photography by Meera Rao

Resting, my photograph taken in India ,  just  returned home  after being a part of the show "Artist as Photographer" at Charles Taylor Art  Center in Hampton, Va. 

Finally, today is the opening of a group show at Velocity in Washington D.C. where "Dreamer" (shown on the flyer) and "Guest" will share the wall space :) 

Distance From Origin

A Stone of Hope watercolor and Ink 5x8 by Meera Rao

It is funny how I have inventory anxiety and then feel pangs of separation as I let go a painting that finds a new home!  I am a jumble of emotions feeling grateful and excited that someone else liked the painting enough to want it and a twinge of apprehension that I might never see it again :) Last month, A Stone of Hope, a sketch of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial at Washington DC  was auctioned off at a fundraiser for my granddaughter's school PTA.  I am grateful to be able to give back to the community in my own small way. 

Distance From Origin  colorpencils  by Meera Rao

I was honored to be invited by Katherine Thomas, an artist friend by way of the cyber world, to participate in doing a page in the Sketchbook Project "Distance From Origin"  via the Brooklyn Art Library. The sketchbook had already traveled to :Ohio, USA; Kent, England; Colorado, USA; and Nasum, Sweden.  I used color pencils to sketch a view of the NASA Langley (Lunar)Landing Impact Structure from my backyard.  It was my interpretation of the theme 'Distance From Origin' -man exploring the universe, the light and heat from Distant Sun burning up the early morning fog. And all this captured by me, who was of course quite a distance from my origins :) I wished the sketchbook happy travels and sent it back. Check out talented Katherine Thomas's FaceBook page and also the special page she created for the project 'Distance from Origin' to see where in the world that sketchbook traveling to!  

Altered States TAA Portfolio show Mixed Media By Meera Rao

My mixed media paintings on photographs have been juried into the TAA Portfolio show at the Suffolk Art Gallery in Virginia.  The theme of my portfolio is "Altered States."  The  show will be up from April 29-June 4.  At the opening, I was pleasantly surprised to see that two paintings already had red dots :) My wish for all my paintings is for them to give happiness and pleasure from whatever walls they grace ! 

A Show And A Poem

A sampling of  my paintings at the Eno Wine Bar, Washington DC 

August and September 2016

I am excited to have about 20 paintings on exhibit through Sept 30, 2016 at the Eno Wine Bar, Four Seasons Georgetown location : 2810 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC.  Please stop by and enjoy their great selection of wines or pop in for  delicious lunch and check out my paintings :)  

I am also honored that in June poet Mary Rua Felix was inspired by my painting Dreamer (Lower right corner in the photo above)  to write 'A Sea Goddess?' when it was on display at the Charles Taylor Art Center at Hampton, VA.   

Poem by Maria Rua Felix  inspired by my painting 'Dreamer' 

Halls of Art XIII

Irony  watercolors by Meera Rao 

I am very pleased that my painting 'Irony'  (on full sheet of Arches watercolor paper) is hanging in the Halls of Art XIII  show at the Hampton  Roads Convention Center. The description on their web site says: Halls of Art, a display throughout the Hampton Roads Convention Center, celebrates the talent of Coastal Virginia artists.  Each work was chosen by members of the Hampton Public Arts Steering Committee, a group of Hampton citizens from various professional backgrounds, including the business community, Hampton Arts Commission board members, and residents, among others..  The show will run till end of Oct. I missed the show opening  but I went in last week and enjoyed it very much. 

I wrote about Irony in an earlier post and if curious please feel free to check it there. 

Sharing the Joy

My India Art Sketch Journals at the Hampton Roads Artists Groups Juried Exhibition.

I am excited to be part of a wonderful and unique art show during the month of May at Hampton's Charles Taylor Arts Center!  As the Hampton Arts Magazine Diversions explains : "This invitational group exhibition features artworks selected and submitted by sixteen diverse artists' groups based in Hampton Roads.  These groups pre-selected entries from their member artists, which were then juried into the final exhibition. The exhibition presents both two and three dimensional artworks in a wide range of media, style, and content.  ......The resulting combination of talent, media and subject matter entered by our participating artist groups provides a spectacular exhibition experience."   And the exhibition is a beautifully curated feast for the senses and I feel humbled to be a part of it. 

FYI : The show runs May 3-June 1 2014 - a delightful way to spend an hour or two enjoying art :) 

Secrets of my Soul

My Paintings at Poquoson Public Library May 2014

"Art is a microscope which the artist fixes on the secrets of his soul, and shows to people these secrets which are common to all."

~Leo Tolstoy~

I am grateful once again for the chance to have my paintings displayed at the Poquoson Public Library for the month of May as the 'Artist of the Month.'  It is a very nourishing, humbling and exciting time for me. If you are in this neck of the woods, please do stop by the library!