This is the first painting completed in over two months since I began the gallery/school/studio journey. The painting was inspired by a friends photograph of the Gorge amphitheatre in George, Washington. He calls the spot "heavens amphitheatre". The green, blue and yellow palette is reminiscent of paintings that I did when I was 16 and 17 years old. The earth object that is overlapped on the foreground is actually the same object painted in the "Dubai" painting. It is from the poplar tree and looks somewhat like a spire. I chose this object for its pointed shape and majestic look like that of a kings spire. There is also a tower metaphor going on in the imagery. The sky was inspired by Sharon Antholt's Tibetan paintings. Antholt is one of my teachers who used to show her work at Anton Gallery, in Washington D.C. The gallery closed several years ago.
Some thoughts about the spire are as follows.
A spire is in the word inspire. Dictionary definitions:
a tall, acutely pointed pyramidal roof or roof like construction upon a tower, roof, etc.
a similar construction forming the upper part of a steeple.
a tapering, pointed part of something; a tall, sharp-pointed summit, peak, or the like: the distant spires of the mountains.
the highest point or summit of something: the spire of a hill; the spire of one's profession.
a sprout or shoot of a plant, as an acrospire of grain or a blade or spear of grass.
Week in Vienna The Vienna/Oakton Connection Newspaper
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Giampa Presents Retrospective, Opens New Gallery and School
Joan Marie Giampa is exhibiting her 16 year retrospective to coincide with the grand opening of her Red Caboose Gallery & Vienna Studio School on Aug. 28, 6-9 p.m. at 138 Church St., NE in Vienna. Giampa, a 16-year-veteran of the D.C. area arts scene, is known for her exhibitions such as "The Smell of Colors" and "13 Fish" at the Foundry Gallery in DuPont Circle.
She calls her studio school a "fine arts school for the new millennium." She will offer small classes and individual study in a classroom setting similar to that of the community college in painting and drawing.
Painting and Drawing Classes are forming now for September. See schedule: http://www.joanmariegiampa.com/Vienna_Studio_School/index.html
Giampa sees the Church Street as an up and coming arts scene and festival venue and feels that her Red Caboose Gallery and Vienna Studio School will be a welcome addition to the already bustling arts scene and business community on Church Street.
Giampa is a native of northern Virginia. She was born in Arlington in 1960 and has been a resident of Vienna for 37 years.
Giampa received an MFA in painting from the University of Maryland in 1998 and a BFA in graphic design from James Madison University in 1983. She teaches painting and design at Northern Virginia Community College. Giampa is advancing towards candidacy for a doctorate degree from George Mason University in the field of scholarly teaching and art.
Giampa has been exhibiting her work professionally since 1993. Her work is in private collections throughout the United States and Europe. Last year she was selected to be in Mary Washington University's annual Mid-Atlantic Painting Exhibition. The exhibition was curated by John Ravenal, curator for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Another exhibition she was invited to display her work in last year was "Virginia Painters Process Unveiled‚" Rawls Museum, Courtland, Va.
This Artist has been very busy lately. I will be opening my own studio school, gallery and studio in the heart of downtown Vienna. On July 23rd, 2009 the Vienna Studio School and the Red Caboose Gallery became official.
Some paintings seem to flow off the brush naturally as if the image was waiting to be discovered within the canvas ground. Dubai is one of these paintings where each stroke felt complete. The painting is inspired by a photographer friend of mine who shoots images all over the world. His photo, Dubai is of similar palette--a warm purple red with layers of pink overlaying. Pink is the color of unconditional love and its a color I am embracing in my own life this summer.
I bought a huge pink purse and some pink shoes along with pink shirts and underwear. I can't seem to fill my life up with enough pink and it reflects the new inspiration I have found in my life and my work.
I am opening a gallery/studio in my hometown of Vienna where I will teach students and workshops on painting. More to come on the studio and its location. Hope you are having a wonderful summer as I am having the greatest summer and adventure of my life. I just sold my house and am moving back into town. Yes I am a townie--a vienna townie and proud of it.
This painting has a slow and rhythmic unfolding. There is an exploring process that is deep and mysterious much like that of a new lover. The red purple hue denotes a passion unrestrained.
Over the next week, I am off to a workshop in Lilydale New York. The workshop is being conducted by Joseph Shiela world renowned spirit artist. This is something that has interested me for many years and I finally have the opportunity to explore this venue of artistic expression.
