One of the reasons I haven’t been painting too much lately is that I’ve been spending what feels like endless hours trying to understand social media and its importance to my growing business. I have signed up on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Biznik and I’vealso  joined a few online art  groups.  I am now enjoying some really nice dialogue with other artists and good connections are being made which is totally amazing.

This week I finished two paintings  ( this one to the right is titled “Surrender to the Flow of Existence”) that will be a part of a collection that will either be displayed at Flow Yoga starting in September and/or at “The Yoga Conference” in Vancouver, Canada where I will display my YinspirationArt buddha reproductions for the weekend of October 3rd and 4th.  They are expecting over 5,000 people and North American yogi and yogini community leaders will be there showing and sharing their philosphies and practices.

Check out their website:

http://www.theyogaconference.com/sites/S2/index.php?p=72&location=vancouver

I am also thrilled to announce that my Surf and Buddha Art exhibition of reproductions at Grounds Cafe and Espresso Bar here in Hood River has been extended to the end of September, woohooo! Curator Myah Bailey of BenjaminBenjamin Art gallery got that ball rolling for me, so thanks Myah!!

http://www.groundhoodriver.com

Michelle welcoming guests to the exhibition launch at Columbia Centre for the Arts

It has been a crazy but wonderful time these past few months and so I haven’t been able to do any painting or blogging. Instead, I have been working on some pretty big events in my life such as finally after  a 14 month arduous and time consuming process in mid-May , I secured my U.S Visa. Then I got married on my birthday on May 28th and then the next day I installed my  Surf and Buddha reproduction exhibition into Sushi Okalani. My shipping container arrived a week later and so I can finally feel settled into my new home of Hood River surrounded by momentos of my  Asian  travels and buddhas. In all honesty too, I have been getting a lot of kiting in as Hood River really is “Wind sport “central and I’ll be damned if I am going to let a few kitemares deter my learning curve.  For example, being body dragged by another kiter to shore from the middle of the Columbia River because I had to ditch my kite from being overpowered in gusting 40 knot winds or the wind suddenly shutting down, good grief!!   On July 3rd, I launched my acrylic Surf and Buddha Exhibition at the prestigious Columbia Centre for the Arts here in Hood River and it was a blast!! Lots of people came and the feedback was so supportive.

Click here to view the pics:

http://picasaweb.google.com/yinspirationart/YinspirationAtColumbia?authkey=Gv1sRgCNnaksbCibuf2QE&feat=email#

I have been selling reproductions both online and out of these venues so I am super stoked about that. My reproductions will move from Sushi Okalani at the beginning of August to “Ground Espresso bar and Café” which will be fabulous exposure. Hopefully in the next week or so I can get back into the studio and continue this surf and Buddha theme.

Michelle standing with Sky Solbach, the world Kitesurfing champion and subject of this painting titled “Sky”.

Since my very successful exhibition launch of Yinspiration Surf Art with the Whistler Arts Council in 2007, a lot has happened and I have to admit that I haven’t been too prolific in the art studio. I have been moving countries ( from Whistler, Canada to Hood River, Oregon), processing Visas, starting a new family and I am getting married on my birthday at the end of May so it is pretty exciting times. I have a brand new studio space here which is my sacred retreat with views of my garden and a huge open field of swaying tall grasses.

For the work that I have done, the feedback has been super enthusiastic and I have three exhibition venues launching my newest series titled “Yinspiration Surf and Buddha, an Inner Journey” in the next few months so I am pretty stoked!  My surf art giclees will also be featured and also continue to sell well off my website and are exhibited not only in the United States now but also in British Columbia, Canada and in La Ventana, Baja.

The July 3rd  exhibition launch at the prestigious Columbia Centre for the Arts should be a total blast since Hood River will be bursting at the seams with visiting kiters and windsurfers here to celebrate July 4th and the averaging 20-25 knot winds on the Columbia River. Travis and I just got back from 8 days in South Padre Island, Texas and I can say I am now finally after two years of lessons in three different countries, comfortable on the water and able to smile and control my kite all at the same time!! This summer in the Gorge will probably kick my ass a whole lot more, while I try to avoid the barges and strong currents but at least I can retreat to the comfort and safety of my “Sacred Heart” green art studio and continue my surf and Buddha theme that I so enjoy doing. All this news is on my newly updated website:www.yinspirationart.com.

Let’s pray for warm sun!!!