Hidden Treasures

Hidden Treasures 18x24 Oil on Canvas

This painting is one of those that I thought was going to be easy but the panting itself had different ideas. I had a photo of my sister’s garden that I liked but I thought it was too much like “Daisy Love”. So I added more to the painting. I took parts from several photos to create this. It took a long time. In the end, I had a perfect green lawn and I felt it too even and bright and just didn’t work, so I had to take the brush and work on top of it to add leaves, grass, etc. That took a lot of courage, but it worked out OK. There is a purple pump in the foreground and it seemed the most important thing there to me and I didn’t know why. I still don’t, but would miss it if it were gone. I even had my sister take photos of it so I could see it better than I could in the original photo. The “ treasures” are different garden ornaments (three of them, can you find them?) but the real treasure is Mom herself. Obscured by a simple life in a working class neighborhood and a role as a homemaker, Mom was a treasure to those who had the pleasure of knowing her.

Pink Chair: Sky Blue Pink

Pink Chair: Sky Blue Pink: Sky Blue Pink Sky Blue Pink 36x36 oil on canvas I thought this was the last one. It was to be large (end with a splash!). It was my la...

Sky Blue Pink

Sky Blue Pink

Sky Blue Pink 36x36 oil on canvas

I thought this was the last one. It was to be large (end with a splash!). It was my last frame that I had purchased for the show. And the image was clearly an ending one, with a beautiful break in a cloudy rough dark sky beckoning Mom. The title was to be “Welcome Break” But as usual, Mom had other ideas and she let me know. All went along as normal with the painting. I started with just what I wanted, then got mired in the difficulties as the piece progresses. There’s something called the “chaos theory” that applies to painting and this was no exception. I was trapped in the clouds and they just wouldn’t work. So I took the photo to a black and white on my computer to see the value patterns better. Next to it was a photo I hadn’t noticed before of the same spot. What? The sky is lighter in this one? It glows! And the clouds are reflecting in the water! So I pushed it further and made all the colors brighter and took it back to the studio where I started putting whites on with a big brush and adjusting many grays to be more blue and purple. Then I got to the water, which was thinly painted over an orangish under-painting. I noticed that area looks like an expression Mom used to say “sky blue pink with orange stripes”, a color I could never visualize. As I painted the reflections in, I heard in my head: “sky blue pink with orange stripes” “sky blue pink with orange stripes” over and over until I was done and stepped back. Whoa! The sense of doom and gloom was gone and a sense of joy was apparent. Its like Mom said: Make it pretty, because I am not going anywhere so I want to enjoy it. You still have painting to do. And so I do. I already have 4 paintings in my head. There will be more chapters to this story.

Pink Chair: LAST TWO DAYS to view the pink chair show in Georg...

Pink Chair: LAST TWO DAYS to view the pink chair show in Georg...: The pink chair show is about to leave its exhibit in Georgetown and move to the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer in the Yawkey Center f...

LAST TWO DAYS to view the pink chair show in Georgetown!

The pink chair show is about to leave its exhibit in Georgetown and move to the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer in the Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care. It will stay there for 4 months.


The Committee wrote the following in their notification letter:


“As you know, the mission of Illuminations is to create a visually healing environment, offering enlightenment, inspiration, and encouragement to patients, family members, friends and staff through the visual arts,’’ the gallery review committee wrote to Schulte. “We believe your work reflects that ideal and will bring joy to many men, women, and children whose lives have been touched by cancer.’’

I am very excited about my work being placed in a manner that will help other people who may find it healing.

Pink Chair: "Full Nest"

Pink Chair: "Full Nest": Full Nest Full Nest 11x14 Oil on Linen Panel Right from an early time in the project, I knew I wanted to paint a piece with birds....

"Full Nest"

Full Nest

Full Nest 11x14 Oil on Linen Panel 

Right from an early time in the project, I knew I wanted to paint a piece with birds. I have some of them in the studio that I use when I teach classes; we use them for models. I saw them perched on the back of the pink chair, even taped them up there. I was clear on why: to celebrate Mom’s joy in singing. She was part of singing groups for many years, and would easily burst into song. As we did the dishes each night, we would sing together, all the old ones. I called them “kitchen sink songs”. Or so it was planned.  I started the piece and placed the birds on the chair in front of a tree that was in its autumn splendor out my studio window. But I could not get into it somehow; it just wasn’t right. I also had a nest I bought at a flower show and I kept putting it on the chair, it seemed to be telling me to put in. So I did, but I had to turn the tree to springtime dress, because that’s when eggs are seen!. As the green started to take over, I opened my eyes and saw what I had. Why 5 birds? Why THOSE five birds? Why was the nest so important? Ahh, the awakening. Lynne, Ricky, Paul, Georgie, Joey…I can hear her call us to dinner now. This piece is a celebration of my mother’s family, her five children. Mom loved us and was always ready to drop everything to be with us; no matter if the house needed cleaning. Our doors were always open to welcome our friends and her heart expanded to hold many foster children. The nest is still full because the door is always open. I even know who these birds are though I didn’t paint them deliberately; From the left: Me, Georgie, Joe, Paul and Rick. Rick died at age 27; he is flying away in the upper right. Mom’s children were her song, and the songs were joyful, energetic, mournful, loving, and heart lifting.

I'm in the Boston Globe!

Here's the link    

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/north/2012/01/08/georgetown-artist-carolyn-schulte-honors-late-mother-remembrance-the-pink-chair-project/zUUD5v2P68YTh75gpplsYI/story.html?s_campaign=8315#share-nav

This is a listing of my show with a great picture of the pink chair on it! Friday is the reception for the new Pink Chair show! You will see all the paintings of the first show in Topsfield with four new ones added! If you are local, I hope you can join us. The art show is at the Scala Art Center, 28 West Main St. Georgetown, MA. Hours are from 11-to 5 from Wednesday to Saturday. The show runs through the 21st but longer if I do not need to take the art to the hospital for that show. I'll let you know when we have a firm close date. The reception is this Friday from 5-7. Live music by Chris Trembley and good times!

Pink Chair: Website Update!

Pink Chair: Website Update!: Happy days! All of thepaintings that are currently on display are now on line . You can see them all together on my website. please visit!...

Website Update!

Happy days! All of thepaintings that are currently on display are now on line . You can see them all together on my website. 

please visit!

http://www.lynneschulte.com/