"C'est La Vie"

"C'est La Vie", an installation of Paintings (detail)

Lots of things these past days! Could not find any time to write in the blog! I finished the installation of my show at the San Diego Art Institute last Thursday and then the days flew by.


work in progress

The painting on the 45-foot long wall took three very full days and fortunately I was helped by my friend Super Claudia - she also took care of my children when needed and that was a relief (we got very organized that week!).


Great Paint!

It was great to use the Mythic paint to paint the wall. It is totally "green" and odorless, it goes way beyond California requirements for paint safety. The color is great. But still, the wall needed three coats. That paint is quite expensive but definitely worth it.


work in progress


The installation once done

I went back to the San Diego Art Institute several times after the installation was done. Some doubts of course. Needed to see the wall again. It is very new for me.


Sketch for the installation (March 2009)

Months ago, knowing that I had that specific wall at the San Diego Art Institute, I made several drawings of the installation: the painting on the wall and the small paintings around. Finding the exact scale between the painting on the wall and the wall itself was already a challenge, then finding the scale between the painting on the wall and the small paintings.


"Here It's Peace", my solo show at the SDAI in June 2008
I have the same space this year


"Here It's Peace", my solo show at the SDAI in June 2008
This year I let these walls completely blank.

I knew after my first solo show at the SDAI last year, "Here it's Peace", that I wanted to change the scale of the work I would be presenting for this show. And I did! I am very happy about that. There is a really big difference between the way I used the space last year and this year. And even if there are flaws, I like the path I took for "C'est La Vie", it is new for me, I challenged myself, I had to solve different problems and that was thrilling!


With the class

I took my son's Kindergarten class to see the show and we had a good time!


On the cover of the San Diego City Beat:
A Time to Heal (#4)
digital print, 2008, 24"x24"
limited edition of 5

I had the pleasure of seeing the very nice cover of the San Diego City Beat with one of my digital images on it, from the "A time To Heal" series (2008). In the same issue, Katherine Sweetman wrote "Lust for Life", an article I like very much about my work and the show. She came one day to my house and we had a good time talking. She was taking notes on her laptop. It was a beautiful day, a lot of the paintings were on the deck outside, some were on the floor inside. It was kind of a mess but it was nice to see them kind of all together.

I was thrilled that there is a link to the City Beat's article in Art As Authority's blog with the reproduction of the cover!

My friend and writer/designer Jane LaMotte wrote an essay about "C'est La Vie". She wrote one last year for my solo show "Here it's Peace" at the San Diego Art Institute. She is a dear friend but I can still be objective, both essays are really interesting!

Time with the children too. Went to see "Up" which I really liked, especially the beginning, the life fast-forwarded. About the things which count and the choices we make along the (not so long) way.


Territories Series / Connections (#1) 2009, 4"x4", acrylic on wood panel

Time on the beach too, taking pictures of people while the kids were in the waves, boogie-boarding. Some people are aware, some are not. I love to take pictures on the beach, it gives me images of beautiful silhouettes I use in my work all the time.

After having taken pictures of the show, designed and printed pages to make a small portfolio to display at the SDAI, went to Kinko's to get some photocopied postcards, and get the City Beat article laminated, ordered some more postcards on internet, took time to make - and messed up with - an event guest list on Facebook, sent some personalized emails...
I am finally done!

The show is open and the opening reception is this Friday!

C'est La Vie
San Diego Art Institute / Museum of the Living Artist
Opening reception Friday, June 12, from 6 to 8pm.
1439 El Prado
San Diego CA 92101
(619) 236-0011 contact Debbie Wells: dwells@mola-sdai.org