“But when I can begin to experience this very moment, the true teacher—when I can honestly be each moment of my life, what I think, feel—this experiencing will settle itself into ‘just this,’ the joyful samadhi of life…”
—Charlotte Joko Beck, Everyday Zen
Artists Abigail Synnestvedt and Lauren Kindle, posing in front of their paintings in Lauren’s studio. Photo credit: Lillian June Robinson.
On Friday, November 29th, we had our opening reception for “In Plain Sight,” a two person show featuring the work of artist Abigail Synnestvedt and myself. It was a very exciting night; I decorated the outside of my studio-gallery with holiday lights and evergreens. So many people attended the opening; the little gallery was packed!
Opening Night…
It always feels so exciting for me to open my space up, a space that I usually keep private as a working studio throughout the year. Suddenly, it blazes out of the darkness with light, music, and chatter. The community gathers to interact with each other, and with the art itself. I glow with inner pride; I have created a moment in time. It is an event that is special and singular, that shines in my memory, and hopefully, in the memory of those who participate.
I am thrilled to be part of a two-person show with Abigail, an accomplished painter whom I have long admired. Abigail talks more about choosing the artist’s life in an older blog post, in which she describes her teachers and her path to become an artist. She is an inspiration to me; she models a sincere dedication to her craft. She encourages me to paint for myself, and to set aside the opinions of others, which might pull me astray from my own search for authenticity.
I truly adore Abigail’s paintings. Her thoughtful, intentional colors have been placed beside each other with great care; the relationships between the colors are subtle and infinitely interesting. The more I stare at one of Abigail’s paintings, the more I get from it. Her subject matter is unpretentious: domestic scenes from an ordinary, simple life. She paints the world around her, the interior of her home, her beautiful little dog, Piper, her kitchen sink. She paints humble objects that are commonly found lying about: dishes on a table, for instance, scissors, silverware, a cell phone…
We noticed in the paintings we chose for this show that we shared this ordinary subject matter of the everyday world around us. We chose the title “In Plain Sight” for this show because our paintings elevate these commonplace motifs into something holy or worthy of reverence. Abigail has compared her painting practice to a form of meditation, and that spirit of concentrated awareness, of deep attention, is the spirit of our show.
To pay attention to something is to honor it, and this show is our attempt to honor that which is in plain sight.
“Daffodils, Scissors, Dog” painting by Abigail Synnestvedt, oil on linen, 22x30 inches.
“Etude in D Major” painting by Lauren Kindle, oil on linen mounted on board, 7x10.5 inches
“In Plain Sight” is open to the public Saturdays in December, 10am- 3 pm.
Lauren Kindle Studio, 7B North Bank Street, Easton, PA.
Also open by appointment: 267-247-6364