Creatively Thinking

  Featured image: Goldfinch Goldfinches Her arrival Her presence The fluttering of      Her wings Yellow like the sun She breaks the monotony Of brown, a beautiful      Color yes But not yellow      Like the goldfinch She brings light Goldfinches are symbolic of joy, enthusiasm, positivity, and persistence. In Christianity, these birds have a strong symbolism and are sacred. In the ancient Egyptian culture, they were personified as the souls of dead human beings. The Native Americans consider them to be symbolic of prosperity and abundance. The goldfinch was also seen as a protector against the plague. It represents many abstract ideas: genius, innocence, captivity, history, beauty, timelessness, resilience, dignity, and truth. It represents many abstract ideas: genius, innocence, captivity, history, beauty, timelessness, resilience, dignity, and truth. No wonder I just smile when they come to the feeder.

  Featured image: Amber Poppies Embracing amber   It’s warmth It’s happiness Its vibrance It’s energy It’s lite is like The light in all of us

  Featured image: Fox III  A fox visited the feeders today. Meandering around looking for food, trying to catch an occasional squirrel. She finally found her way to the back ground feeder where she found the chunk of suet I left for her the day before. It had frozen to the ground, and it was glorious watching her pounce on it to spring it loose.  Ever so cautious, darting back and forth to make sure it was safe. And then finally she scampered off with the chunk.

Featured image: Fairy Bird Fairy-wrens, also called splendid wrens, live in Australia. The incredible blueness of this wren is like sapphires with wings. Allegories surrounding these beautiful blue male birds are that they are birds that adapt to change quickly and live beautifully.

Featured image: Chukar Recently, in our local newspaper, a local naturalist of the area wrote a column about a bird he sited in his wanderings, called a chukar.   The chukar, he stated, was not local to the area, so he was surprised to see it. The chukar is a game bird whose habitat is mountainous areas. What interested me more than his words was the picture of the bird in his column.   The bird had beautiful black and white stripes on its wings. I knew I had to paint the bird and make it part of the “Allegories of the Earth” series I have been working on for my solo exhibition at New Visions Gallery in Marshfield, WI.   In the series, I am researching and creating artwork about all things natural, the earth, and what I call my, “Yes, Yes, Yeses”.   I found that to the North Indian and Pakistani culture, as well as in Hindu mythology, the chukar sometimes symbolizes  intense, and often unrequited, love . It is said to be in love with the moon and to gaze at it c...

Featured image: Under the Stars “Butte” Mesas, buttes show that layers of history repeat   over and over again   erosion, gradual wearing away of earth by water,   wind and ice.  

  Featured image: Field of Dreams Field of Red Hibiscus Flowers Hibiscus flowers are frequently linked to matters of the heart. Their vibrant, intense colors, particularly the deep red varieties, evoke feelings of love and passion. In some societies, giving a hibiscus flower to someone can convey a romantic message or symbolize the intensity of one's feelings. The hibiscus belongs to Kali, a manifestation of primordial energy. She represents empowerment, and with that, admittedly, comes destruction, making her a fierce goddess. To understand why she is tied to the hibiscus requires delving into a bit of mythology. Kali is a form of Devi, the supreme mother in Hinduism. Hibiscus encourages us to feel safe, open, and grounded within our place in the universe. It unblocks, stimulates and encourages sensuality, sexuality, and passion.

  Featured image:  Sacred Places Exciting news! I am thrilled to announce that my artworks, titled "Along The Shore," "Elsewhere," "Sacred Places," and "As the Wind Blows," have been selected to be showcased at the highly esteemed 7th Annual ANJE Exhibition. This prestigious event will take place at the renowned Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, marking a significant milestone in my artistic journey. The Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art is a true testament to the power of creativity and perseverance in the face of challenges. Its establishment is a remarkable achievement, and I have immense respect for David Hummer, whose dedication and talent brought this vision to life in the Wausau area. The museum's mission is to inspire appreciation and understanding of contemporary art among both local residents and visitors from across the nation. By harnessing the creative energy of our region, they aim to foster meaningful conversations about the t...

  Featured image:  Along the Shore I'm delighted to announce that my artworks, titled "Along The Shore," "Elsewhere," "Sacred Places," and "As the Wind Blows," have been selected for display at the prestigious 7th Annual ANJE Exhibition. This exhibition will be held at the esteemed Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, marking the first time my work will be showcased in this renowned venue. I am truly humbled and honored to be part of this event. The establishment of a contemporary art museum, such as the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, is a remarkable achievement amidst the current social and economic challenges. I have always admired David Hummer for his dedication and talent in bringing this artistic vision to life in the Wausau area. The museum's mission is to inspire both local residents and visitors from across the nation to appreciate and understand contemporary art. By tapping into the creative energy of our region, they aim to fo...

  Featured image:  As the Wind Blows I'm thrilled to share that four of my works,"Along The Shore," "Elsewhere," "Sacred Places," and "As the Wind Blows," have been accepted into the 7th Annual ANJE Exhibition at the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art. This is the first time my work will be showcased in this prestigious museum, and I feel incredibly honored to be a part of this exhibition. I've always admired David Hummer for his dedication and talent in establishing a contemporary art museum in the Wausau area. It's no easy feat to bring together a museum, especially in today's challenging social and economic climate. The Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art has a vision to inspire both local residents of North Central Wisconsin and visitors from across the nation to understand and appreciate contemporary art. Their goal is to tap into the creative energy of our region and foster meaningful conversations about the power of art to con...

  Featured image:  Elsewhere I am delighted to announce the acceptance of 4 of my works, Along The Shore, Elsewhere, Sacred Places and As the Wind Blows, into the 7th Annual ANJE Exhibition at the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art. I have never exhibited my work in this museum, so I am honored to be part of the exhibition. I have always admired the gumption and talent of David Hummer, for putting this museum for contemporary art in the Wausau area. Not an easy thing to do to put a museum together and not an easy thing to do in our current social and economic environments. The vision of the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art is to inspire generations of North Central Wisconsin residents and visitors from throughout the nation to understand and appreciate the art of our time. Our goal is to unleash our region’s creative energy and to engage a broad and diverse audience in conversation about how art connects us, allowing us to grow and thrive as a community.” The Museum is located...

  Featured image:   Sowing the Seeds of Change In this world  the unseen has power. Apache Wisdom

  Featured image:   Roller Coaster Ride “It is not the agony of the quest,  but the rapture of the revelation” Joseph Campbell

  Featured image:  Leap of Faith “Truths never change, only their historical context.” James Nathan Muir

  Featured image:   Bottlebrush Waterlily You as a person must do your thinking, learning and development of a system you can live by.  For me, it is a system of how I relate to nature. And, in turn, how this thinking translates into who I am and how I think and create as an artist.   It’s hard work and many would rather not do the work, but you cannot be you until you do. The way you think, learn, and develop should be yours and yours alone.

  Featured image:  Eagle's Nest, River and Terns Watching two  birds soar within the energy of an air current. Their movement is wonderful, delightful,  so glorious.  And the beauty of it all is that their movement leaves no trace.  

  Tiny Lapis Ribbon Watermedia on clayboard 30x30 $1500 “Lapis Ribbon”   blue as the sky tiny lapis ribbon                 tied around her neck inspires her, gives her courage, magnifies  her creativity                 awakens her senses gives her peace   From the Earth Watermedia on clayboard 30x60 $2200 I love to look into a geode that has been cracked and opened and look into its beautiful center of glory, its hidden crystal gemstones. You know we are all like a geode. We have a center of glory that are our hidden gemstones.  Always allow others to see your magnificent gleaming crystals. And let them tell your story. This painting “From the Earth,” is of a cliff wall of quartz, solid quartz in northern Canada. It is all about the wonderful. The earth is filled with so many magnificent layers.  This work is about the layer of quartz and its ...

  The Northwoods Art Tour is right around the corner, happening this weekend, October 6-7-8! Join me all weekend long, Friday through Sunday, from 10 AM to 5 PM, and explore the wonderful world of art. To get your full guide and tour map, click here: https://christinealfery.com/pages/northwoods-art-tour-2023 Let's make this Northwoods Art Tour an unforgettable experience together! See you there!

October 3, 2023  The Northwoods Art Tour is this coming weekend.  October 6-7-8.  My studio will also be open on Thursday, October 5th, by appointment. The hours for all 4 days, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are from 10-5. Just follow this link and schedule an appointment: HERE  for Thursday. If you need directions just ask when you schedule. Make sure I confirm your appointment. I will be sharing all my new work – and the work I am creating for my solo exhibition at New Visions Art Gallery in the Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield in January 9, 2024 through March 1, 2024. I just finished these works this past week:  Sky, Land, Water Watermedia on paper 8x8 $250 “Sweet sweet holy as the day begins”  CEA River in the Fall Watermedia on paper 8x8 $250 “ You are a river reaching the depth of your spiritual seas. ” Carolyn Riker Optical Illusion Watermedia on paper 8x8 $250 “Art is grounded in the evolving, changing, formal, visual language that tries to d...

  Featured image:   Water and Sky II loving the earth, ground,  water, sky, sun is my yes, yes, yes is my truth is my reality

   Featured image:   Rose Breasted Finch finches soft sweet          chorus blue jays trumpeting each calling come          come flock of others join one by one