New Class Schedule

I'm reworking my teaching schedule which will still be based on painting, but I plan to add a drawing class. Please keep checking to learn of the classes I will offer in the New Year.

Steamy Studio

The steam pipe in the 1928 era radiator located in my studio was frozen when the steam finally made it's way into the old system......a boiling flood soon covered the floor releasing a veritable sauna. Fortunantly nothing was damaged and there was help from maintenance, staff and board member of Lakeside to help get everything cleaned-up and under control. At this writing I'm still getting reorganized after the mess. AHHHH, winters in the Midwest!

Vet Art Project Family Theater Program

Lakeside Legacy Arts Park in Crystal Lake hosted the Vet Art Project program: Family Theater and Potluck on Saturday November 21. What an honor for the Lakeside to play host for this innovative and healing program. Many thanks to the Board and Staff of the LLAP.

Four of my completed Portraits of American Veterans Project paintings. left to right: Charles McHenry is a WW II and Korean War veteran, Matt Ping is an Afghanistan war veteran, Adam Navarro is a Kosovo conflict veteran and Louie is WW II veteran. These are some of the finest individuals I have ever met and feel honored that I have the opportunity to depict their image in my art.

Potluck dinner with Vet Art Project friends in the Sage Gallery at the Lakeside Legacy Arts Park."

"Snapshots and Memories" is a 6' x 9' triptych which is part of my "Memories of an Era" body of work, which is now on temporary loan to the National Veterans Art Musem in Chicago, I borrowed these for the exhibit during November. If you would like to exhibit "Memories of an Era" the exhibit is availble from the National Veterans Art Museum.

Lisa Rosenthal who is founder of the Vet Art Project is seated at the left and David Faigin is second, I'm seated in the far back on right with my son Alex and husband Keith on my left. This was a wonderful evening friend friends, old and new, witnessing and sharing veterans' stories. Thank you Lisa and Jessa Carlstrum for the Vet Art Project!

Jeanine (me), Lisa and David in my studio. Behind Lisa is my storage area where many years of intense work, in the form of oil paintings and mixed media sculptures are stored for future exhibitions and prospective sales.

Frances Mai-Ling plays the piano while I listen. We're in the Dole Gallery with an exhibit of paintings and photographs from the National Veterans Art Museum in the background.

Sharon Sprenger performs an inspiring yoga "dance" with David Sarkis playing his enchanting guitar tunes. Thank you David and Sharon, you made the evening so very special!

Portraits of American Veterans; A Visual Dialogue Opening Reception

The First Friday reception for "Portraits of American Veterans" and Works from the National Veterans Art Museum at the Lakeside Legacy Arts Park on November 6 was a wonderful event. With about 500 art lovers in attendance we all enjoyed an evening to connect and share art and stories and friendships new and old. Many thanks to Cheryal Callahan for sending me these lovely pictures fromt the event.

Make sure to mark your calendar for Saturday November 21 3:00 - 9:00 pm at the Sage Gallery in the Lakeside Legacy Arts Park. Lisa Rosenthal and Jeassa Carlstrum of the Vet Art Project will present a Family Theater Event, Music, and Potluck Discussion on Veterans Issues. Using improvisational techniques to recreate happy family times. Music from 5:30-7:00 featuring David Sarkis and Jake Lizzio. Potluck and discussion starts at 7:00. This evet is free and open to the public.

Portaits of American Veterans Project

Portraits of America’s Veterans Project” incorporates original oil paintings of American Veterans with the photographs and stories about the veterans told in their own words. This project is in the beginning phase with a long term goal of representing American Veterans in narrative context where the paintings and stories will provide a visual dialogue, and a connection between the viewer and the veteran.

Goal:
To represent Veterans who served in America’s foreign conflicts, and chronicle their stories, many whose lives have been defined or shaped by war. The long tem goal is to create a visual “archive”, through collaborations with the veterans and artist. The stories and painted portraits will eventually comprise a traveling exhibition.

If you are a veteran, willing to share your stories and take some time to visit the studio of Jeanine Hill-Soldner in Crystal Lake, or If you are unable to travel, arrangements will be made for a visit and interview, photo shoot and sketching session. The artist will then produce the oil painting her art studio.

Jeanine Hill-Soldner is the artist, whose Dad was a Marine Corps veteran who served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam., The artist’s exhibits include the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago, featured on PBS; the artist’s profile, documenting her family's story during the Vietnam War.

The first phase of the project will exhibit November 2 –28, 2009
Lakeside Legacy Arts Park , 401 Country Club Rd., Crystal Lake. www.lakesidelegacy.org

For more information contact:
Jeanine Hill-Soldner
Soldner Fine Art Studio
jeanine@soldnerfineart.com www.soldnerfineart.com

pilgrimage and passages

Memories of an Era

Workshop for Contemporary Artists

Front from left: Nancy Seidler, Doris Davis Gallagher, Alice White, Jeanine Hill-Soldner, Judith Nahill, Lynn Carlson, and Patricia Tanner

Here we all are after the first phase of hanging our group show in the Old Courthouse Art Center in Woodstock. Were lunching at the Petite Crepere in the lovely outdoor courtyard, in front of the old jail that houses the restaurant. Adjacent to the Petite Crepere is the Old Courthouse Art Center, which can be seen behind our group. The historic Woodstock Square is a wonderful part of the Midwest, alive with artists, and restaurants, shops and the Woodstock Opera House. We always enjoy a well attended artist reception in the many years that we have exhibited here.

Summer Break?

The next three weeks I will not teach classes in my studio. Instead I am working furiosly to complete some mixed media boxes for the Workshop for Contemporary Artist "25th Anniversary Group Show" at the Old Courthouse Art Center in Woodstock. The show runs from August 6 - September 29. The artist reception will be on Saturday September 22, 6:30 pm- 9:00 pm.

I also have several new works due in August for a show titled "Ethereal Fauna, the Artist's Muse" that will exhibit during the month of October for Chicago Artists Month at the Tom Robinson Studio Gallery 2416 W. North Ave. This looks to be a be an exciting collaborative exhibit that challenges a group of Chicago artists to create new works on a common theme. I'm enjoying the change of media and love the collaborative process.

National Exhibition in California

Winter 12"x 36" triptych


Summer 12" x 36" triptych

I just shipped these two paintings to a nationally juried show at the Galeria Tonantzin Center for Arts and Humanities in San Juan Bautista, California. I was very excited to be accepted in this national exhibition.

I love trees and find they are so full of life and change. And like people, no two trees are alike, each one developing their own characteristics over time. The trees represented above are part of a series I painted while working in my Algonquin studio of 71/2 years. The property where my studio was located has since been razed for new development, but the trees represent in these paintings are still standing proud and tall.

Revisiting the Small Format

I will show my work in a solo exhibit at the Barrington Area Library March 29- June 19, 2009. The space has only two walls large enough to accomodate my large works, so I am producing a new collection of small oils to fit the space. I'm actually enjoying the ease and speed at which I work on small pieces. The title is "Sight Seeting" and the theme is light and fun to explore. I have an enormous number of photos that I have taken over the years from my travels throughout the world, so this show opens-up an opportunity to revisit those images and paint them as I remember the scenes. The process is a relaxing break from my labor intensive, large format paintings. I find if I revisit older themes in my work I think about where I'm going to go with new works. I certainly have been having a lot of fun painting in small format.

You can read more about my show in Quintessential Barrington Magazine at QBarrington.com

Exhibition: Reclaiming Our Heritage Festival

I am continueing my work that has been developing, I think, for my entire life, with veterans and their families. I am a child of a veteran so my work is authentic, and continually transforming as I find more connections with my art and the world around me.
Through my commitment to Veterans issues and understanding that art is powerful, healing and empowering, and engages individuals in a deep and profound way. My work with veterans and their families, has come about through Lisa Rosenthal and her groundbreaking program the Vet Art Project. Lisa, Jessa Carlstrom, and all of the artists working in colloaboration with veterans to promote community building through art in all of it's forms.

On Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 6:30 pm- 9:00 pm in room 1G at the Chicago Cultural Center. I will present a workshop for veterans titled "Blind Contour Self- Portraits" . Through this relaxing, meditative process the participants will draw two self-protraits unlike any they have ever seen, or experieced. FREE


On May 30-31, 2009 my work will be on exhibit at the 8th Annual Reclaiming Our Heritage Festival located at the Zaplockiva Medical (VA) , 500 W National Ave, Milwaukee, WI. I will be the first artist to show in the newly renovated Civil War Library which is sponsored by Dryhootch. To find out more at http://www.rohmilwaukee.org/.

New Web Pages

I'm in the process of re-designing my web site, which is in dire need of an update. I hope to have it complete within the next few days. The frantic pace of getting new work completed, while preparing for upcoming exhibits, and opportunities for teaching and grant proposals, has been wonderful, but time consuming. Please be patient, and I'll have the site looking fresh and sparkling new soon.

Painting from Life

This past Sunday I enjoyed an intense 5 hours drawing and painting session with fellow artist friends. Our model was Veronica, a dear friend whose beautiful Flamenco costume was perfect with it's red hue and wonderful flowing lines. As you can see the painting is a quick study painted in oils on primed 300 lb. cold press Arches paper.

Archival Work: "Skipjack" oil on canvas 24" x 36" c 1972

I was visiting my family in Florida this past weekend, and realized that my art work is on exhibit in family and friend's homes, throughout the state. I thought it would be fun to start posting my "archival work", for those who have inquired about my early paintings.

I painted the "Skipjack" for my Grandfather in 1972, at the age of 15. Mom now exhibits the painting in her house, and tells all visitors about how much my Grandfather loved sailing, and that this painting was very special to him. I am so glad that my family always supported my art efforts, perhaps that's why I enjoy mentoring young artists, and supporting art in the community.

Vet Art Project Review

I feel very honored to have been a part of the Vet Art Project. I loved collaborating with other artists on this profound and positive project. The arts in all their forms: visual, literary, theatrical, and musical all came together on one amazing night at the Chicago Cultural Center. To be in the presence of so much positive energy was a powerful experience that I will never forget. So much was achieved by a committed group of artists who donted their time and talents to help our Veterans heal and deal with the wounds they carry from their war experience. The caring and compassion expressed by the artists for the Veterans was genuine and heartfelt. The arts heal from the inside out, by reaching our deepest and most complex sources of being. I plan to continue working with the Vet Art Project and other veteans projects that integrate art into the healing and tratment of vets and their families.

Thank you Lisa and Jessa for everything you have done to help our wounded warriors.
You can view the Flick R slide show on http://www.vetartproject.org/ go to the blog and you find the slide show.

Also check out Chicago Public Radio WBEZ 848 program for Thursday March 5 for the interview with the Veterans and Lisa Rosenthal. http://www.wbez.org/

Red

Now the painting is complete. The addition of red has completed this large and complex image. Red is a hue that has mesmerized artists since the Upper Paleolithic time when red ochres where applied to the walls of ancient, mysterious caves.

This painting will be included in the February 23 performance at he Studio Theatre in the Chicago Cultural Center as part of the Vet Art Project.

My Mom's hands, tell as much about her as her face.

Drawing in My Studio

Twice a month I meet with a group of artists to spend 3 wonderful hours drawing the figure. The quick snap shots that you see here show my son posing in his fencing uniform. We thought it would be an interesting change to draw a clothed figure wearing an intersting outfit. Here you can see some of my completed oil paintings and my most recent series in the early stages of painting.

New Work on Exhibit in February at the Chicago Cultural Center

This is my Mom, Maggie, modeling for me in my studio. I painted this in two sittings totaling about 2 hours. This simple statement I soon developed into a larger painting which has to do with women and war. This is a topic that is prevelant in my work and will always emerge in varous forms throughout my life and art.

During the month of February I will show my latest painting "The Sergeant Major's Wife, 1918-2008". This is a 4 panel oil on canvas painting measuring 48" high and 86" in wide. I painted this in less than a month. There was was a deadline for completion, but I also had to paint this fast in order to capture the intuitive quality that a subject of such importance engenders. The inspiration for this work came after I painted my Mom's portrait from life, while she modeled in my studio. Working from old, faded and out of focus family photgraphs I developed these almost life size figures into vibrant color.

Each panel represents members of my family. The left panel is my Grandmother and Grandfather circa 1918, the second panel is my Grandmother and Dad, age 15, on graduation day from the USMC boot camp in 1943. In the third panel my parents are shown on their wedding day in 1954 and the far right is my Mom, alone... thus "The Sergeant Major's Wife, 1918-2008".

Look for my painting in February at the Chicago Cultural Center as part of the Vet Art Project http://www.vetartproject.com/ and the Incubator Series.

Painting within a painting

Detail.

Detail.