Life at the Center

 

Featured image: Blue Jay II

two blue jays

looking

across

at the 

feeder

Find Joy in the Journey to Christmas

 

Featured image: Pine Cones

Reflecting on the Beauty of the Season

The holiday season is here—a time of joy, reflection, and wonder. As Christmas draws near, I encourage you to immerse yourself in the joy of the season—embracing its magic not just on the day, but in every moment along the way. Like the song of a chickadee in the crisp morning or the tranquil beauty of snow-covered pines, there is magic to be found in each moment leading up to the holiday.

Art has taught me to notice these fleeting treasures, to see the brilliance in the ordinary and celebrate the spirit all around us. This season, may we all take time to marvel at the small joys—a kind gesture, the warmth of glowing lights, or the stillness of nature. Allow these moments to fill your heart and soul as we move toward Christmas Day together.

Here’s to savoring the beauty of now. 🎄

Independent Thought

 

Featured image: Her Song - She Has Always Marched To The Tune Of A Different Drummer

Everyday, do you work towards independent thought?  I sure do.

Morning Star

 

Featured image: She Leaves a Trail of Stars Wherever She Goes

morning star rises

how few see the 

enchanted woods

where sun, water

air and earth are

and where truth, love

morality, beauty

come together in

nature

and where something

delightful

and creative

emerges

Choosing

 

Featured image: Two Roads Diverged

when you choose

right or wrong,

yes or no

good or bad

when you choose

remember

one does not have

enough power

to deny

the other

one does not

exist without

the “other.”

Sweat and Tears

Featured image: Under the Stars

We are the caretakers of this land that was settled so long ago. We till the soil clear the woods of fallen trees and plant gardens. Today I feel and am thankful for the settlers who came before me. Their sweat and hard work was done for us long ago. Although I feel like one of those first settlers, long ago, saving and loving the land.  I am not but I am a caretaker of this beautiful earth.  And we need to pass it on to those who follow.

Energy

 

Featured image: Earth's Energy

You and your

Spirit 

Soul

&

fields

of energy

ARE

from the

earth

Campfire II

 

Featured image: Campfire

Fire

“I tucked the knot in among the glowing coals, where it was quietly caressed by exploring tongues of flame.  It began to burn, gently at first, the yellows, blues and reds of the resins bathing its black surface with strange lights.  Here was the accumulated sunlight of bygone days giving off its warmth once more, the sun that had shone over the Quetico-Superior centuries before we were born.  Now it was ours to share, and with it, all that pine had known throughout its life.
That pine knot  was a concentration not only of energy but of country itself.  Burning it was the climax not only to its growth but to the expedition on which I found it.”  Sigurd Olson

End of Day Accepted Into Exhibition

 

Featured image: End of Day

I am incredibly honored and thrilled to announce that my artwork, "End Of Day," has been accepted into the 2024 Center for Contemporary Arts National (CCAN) competition!  As a prestigious national juried event held in Downtown Abilene, CCAN is a platform where creativity truly shines. A heartfelt thank you to this year’s juror, Adela Andea, for selecting my piece from over 300 remarkable entries. I'm beyond excited to be part of this year's exhibition and look forward to showcasing my work alongside so many talented artists! 

Rock Jars

 

Featured image: Rocks Along the Ogami Shore

Every rock in my rock jars has meaning and is a treasure.  Every rock matters. As I reflect on each one, I remember the open spaces, the waves crashing against the shores, and endless and endless creative thoughts.  Have you ever spent a glorious day on the Lake Superior rocky shores walking along - when suddenly you stop bending over for a rock catches your eye, you pick that rock up and examine it? It was unique, like all the ones in my rock jars.  We all are like the rocks in my rock jars: unique, beautiful, and divine.

Storytelling

 

Featured image: Telling the Story

Art, any art, tells a story. The artist is a storyteller. Artists tell stories that continually adapt to a changing world; if artists don’t adapt, they become irrelevant and forgotten. 

I love, as an artist, being a storyteller. Each work of art I create tells a story, and I could go on and on for hours telling them.

Sunday Afternoon at the Park Invited into Exhibition

 

Featured image: Sunday Afternoon at the Park

I'm thrilled and deeply honored to announce that my artwork, "Sunday Afternoon In The Park," has been invited to the "Utterly Profound" exhibition, ISEA’s sixth members-only online juried exhibition. 🎨✨ This is a significant milestone, and I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity. You can explore the exhibition and see my work alongside other talented artists by visiting the link below. Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you enjoy the gallery! 🌟

🔗 Explore the exhibition: ISEA Online Exhibition

#ArtExhibition #ISEA #Grateful #ArtCommunity #SundayAfternoonInThePark

Boreal Forest Shoreline Featured Cover Art for Bramble Fall 2024

Featured image: Boreal Forest Shoreline

I am truly honored and thrilled to announce that my artwork, "Boreal Forest Shoreline," has been selected as the featured Cover Art for the Bramble Fall 2024 Edition by the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets (WFOP). This recognition is a testament not only to the beauty of the natural world that inspires my art but also to the profound connection between visual art and poetry.

The WFOP is a revered non-profit organization devoted to the reading, writing, and advocacy of poetry. With a mission to elevate poetry as a significant cultural force, the WFOP endeavors to enhance public appreciation of our poetic heritage. Their commitment to fostering a richer understanding of poetry through seminars, constructive feedback, and educational initiatives is truly inspiring. Being part of this community represents a unique opportunity to contribute to the poetic landscape of Wisconsin, a state rich in literary tradition.

I am especially grateful to Elizabeth (Beth) Tornes, the guest editor of this edition, who personally reached out to invite my participation. Beth is an accomplished poet and editor, known for her award-winning poetry collections and contributions to the literary community.

Having my work chosen by such a distinguished organization underscores the harmonious relationship between visual and literary arts. It is a privilege to contribute to a publication that celebrates the creativity and passion of poets across Wisconsin. I look forward to seeing how "Boreal Forest Shoreline" will complement the evocative words within Bramble's pages, inviting readers to explore the depths of both visual and poetic expression.

This experience reinforces my dedication to artistic collaboration and the exploration of the shared emotional and cultural fabric between art forms. I am grateful to the WFOP for this incredible honor and for their unwavering support of artists and poets alike. Together, we continue to shape a future that values creativity and cultural enrichment.

So Far

 

Featured image: Tree, Tree, Tree

fall in the woods

dry leaves rustling

beneath my

feet

you can see

so far

in the woods

in the fall

after the magnificent

leaves have

fallen

and overhead eternal

blue sky

I thank you God I

live here

"End of Day" and "Inner Compass" Invited into the 2024 West Texas Watercolor Society Signature Exhibition

 

🎨🌟 I am incredibly honored and excited to announce that my artworks "End of Day" and "Inner Compass" have been invited to the esteemed 2024 West Texas Watercolor Society Signature Show! This prestigious exhibition runs from November 29, 2024, to January 12, 2025.

The West Texas Watercolor Society has been a pillar of artistic community for 60 years, dedicated to connecting people through the beauty and creativity of watercolor art. Their mission to foster a love for water media and build a vibrant community is truly inspiring.

The Signature exhibits are designed to push artists towards excellence, offering a platform to evaluate progress and showcase their creations alongside fellow talents. I'm thrilled to be part of this enriching experience and look forward to sharing my work with you all! 🌈 

#WTWS #ArtExhibition #EndOfDay #InnerCompass #WatercolorArt #CommunityThroughArt

What Will We Find There

 

Featured image: Endless Sky

imagine traveling

to the edge

of the

horizon.

or to the beginning

of

creation

what will we find

there?

Earth's Energies Accepted Into Exhibition

Featured image: Earth's Energies

🎨✨ Thrilled and deeply honored to share that my artwork "Earth's Energies" has been invited to the prestigious 50th Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Exhibition 2025! Hosted by the West Texas Watercolor Society, this milestone exhibition will take place at the Museum of  Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. Mark your calendars for this incredible showcase running from February 1 to May 4, 2025, with the awards presentation on April 12, 2025.

The WFWS has been a beacon of artistic excellence since 1976, bringing together over 5,000 artists from across ten regional watercolor societies. Their dedication to shining a spotlight on watercolor art is truly inspiring, and I am beyond grateful to be a part of this celebration. Looking forward to connecting with fellow artists and art enthusiasts alike! 🌟 #WFWS2025 #WatercolorExhibition #ArtCommunity #EarthsEnergies #WestTexasWatercolorSociety

Happy

 

Featured image: Enchanted by the Hummer

I have found when I live in this profound state for the natural I am calmer, stiller, happier, and tranquil.

I Have Found

 

Featured image: Purple Finch in Flight

I have found

mainly because I was forced to,

but now so glad

to have found that there is

power in the

ability to

Understand life

as it is

not as I wish it to be

transformative

The Wild

 

Featured image: Instinct - Out of the Wild

The wild

The wild is calling

Let's go

Process

 

Featured image: Backyard Birds

her reality

dynamic

changing

becoming

growing

it is all a process

Small Portals of Light

 

Featured image: Chickadee in the Rain

small portals of light

keep pulling me into 

the woods to listen and watch

the beautiful mystery of life

it is raining today

long needed rain

raindrops

landing on the soft 

amber and russet leaves

form a canopy

above

i become still

listen

to the music 

of the 

natural

Have You Ever Really Loved

 

Featured image: Ocean Sunset

love

divine

mysterious

beautiful

have you ever loved?  really loved? if so, you know love is

divine

mysterious

beautiful

Outside

 

Featured image: Turn Turn Turn

Being outside provides us a moment to access our truest selves, the person we usually are.

Every breath I take when I am outside is as important as uniqueness and one-of-a-kindness.

Blue Gray

 

Featured image: July Bluebird

smoke colored

blue gray

of her wing

strive toward

the horizon

it swallows

her

Mind Untangles

 

Featured image: Over There - Singing - A Thrush

“In the vast silence, there are moments when one seems suspended between heaven and earth.”  Sigurd Olsen

the loud peacefulness

of the outdoors

little bird silently

move from branch to

branch

to the feeder

silence has it own

sound

in October, preparing

for change

peace in the autumn

woods

mind untangled

To Live Well

 

Featured image: Flowers from the Garden

“The purpose of life is not to be happy.  It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”  Emerson

Thought

 

Featured image: Along the Shore III

“The ancestor of every action is thought.”  Emerson

"Thought is the concept is the beginning of all things, it is original, it is the unique."  CEA

The Imitator

 

Featured image: The Stone Wall

"The imitator dooms himself to hopeless mediocrity. The inventor did it because it was natural to him, and so in him it has a charm." - Emerson

THANK YOU!!!

 

Featured image: Snowbird River

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported the arts within our communities and culture. I truly believe it's crucial to avoid a monochromatic culture where we all blend in with our sofas. Sharing art with you is always a joy, and having three whole days to discuss art was incredibly fun.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Blessings to all,
Christine

The Wait is Over!!!

 

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

Join us on October 11-12-13, 2024, from 10am to 5pm daily for a mesmerizing adventure through the vibrant world of art. Each stop is a gateway to extraordinary masterpieces and inspiring creativity. Meet the brilliant artists behind the works and uncover their fascinating techniques. Who knows, you might discover that perfect piece to take home!

Don't miss out—swing by and see me at stop #15! For more details and to plan your art-filled journey, check out the brochure here: Northwoods Art Tour Brochure. Let the art exploration begin!

Rolling Stones Receives Award

 

Featured image: Rolling Stones

I am truly honored to share that my piece "Rolling Stones" has been awarded 1st place by The National Society of Artists, with juror Richard Williams selecting my work. This recognition means the world to me. Juror Richard Williams had this to say about my work, "Rolling Stones":

"The person series of six works associated with Rolling Stones submitted, demonstrates a unique persona iconography, excellent in mark-making and decision-making. Their vision is similar to Kandinsky, leaving behind recognizable images and relying on sheer elements and principles of design to establish a visual dialogue. The verve, I am sure, was developed over a long period of trial and error, developing an intimate knowledge of balance, unity, variety, emphasis contrast. The reward of perseverance that drove their creativity, their muse, has finally paid off, making one's voice being raised above inter serving heard."

I am deeply grateful for this recognition and for the opportunity to share my creative journey with all of you.

View awards HERE.

Yourself, an Artist

 

Featured image: How Do I Get There

To be yourself

Who I wish to be

An artist 

I work hard

I read

I listen

I think

I observe

I trust myself

But

Does that make me 

Who I wish to be?

An artist.

I imagine

And artist for me

Sees the invisible

Feels the intangible

Achieves the impossible

And most importantly creates

Originals.

But 

Again I ask myself

Am I that?

That which I

Imagine?

"Your Inner Compass" Receives Award

 

Featured image: Your Inner Compass

I am honored that my work, Inner Compass, won first place in the Lakeland Art League's annual membership exhibition at the Center for the Visual Arts in Wausau, WI. Judge Diana Weber-Osypowski offered these thoughtful comments about my work: "You consistently challenge us to open our minds and allow the imagery to tell the story in its own way—your work and accompanying narrative work in harmony to enlighten and challenge your viewer to contemplate. I am not the first to congratulate you and compliment you on your unique and forceful way of entertaining, please, challenge, and confuse. I appreciate your talent, skill, and expertise. You are a dynamo."

I am deeply honored to receive this award and truly grateful for Judge Diana's kind words.

Good Bad

 

Featured image: Ocean Sunset

“Nothing is neither good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”  William Shakespeare

Save the dates!

 

Set off on a captivating journey through the Northwoods Art Tour, where each stop reveals stunning, exclusive works of art. Immerse yourself in the creative world as you meet talented artists and delve into their intriguing techniques. You may just stumble upon a unique masterpiece to bring home.

Join us October 11-12-13, 2024.

Learn more: https://christinealfery.com/pages/northwoods-art-tour

Wandering

 

Featured image: Lily Pads on Kasba Lake

Wandering

wandering

enchanted woods

nature's

serenity

wandering

winged

wanderer

In the pearly

Sky

wandering

patches of black-eyed

susans

scattered

about

wandering

water still stretching

far beyond

wandering

my heart wanders

in the gallery of nature's

palette

it holds new mysteries

treasures

every day

More on Surrealism

 

Featured image: Cloud Berries

Surrealism presents the familiar as unfamiliar and uncanny. Surrealism is the juxtaposition of seemingly unrealized imagery. 

Artist Marcel Duchamp said this after the father of Surrealism passed; “He was a love of love in a world that believes in prostitution.”

Oh, I love that quote—a lover of love in a world of prostitution.  

Write Your Own Story

 

Featured image: Falcon

“Be yourself; no base imitator of another, but your best self.  There is something which you can do better than another. Listen to the inward voice and bravely obey that.  Do the things at which you are great, not what you were never made for.” 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Surrealism

 

Featured image: Bluebird III

The other day, when I talked to an art lover about the inkwork on my smaller pieces, she commented, “These are so surreal.”  I had never thought of my work as surreal, so I started once again to travel down the path of surrealism. It wasn’t hard because I have so many favorite surrealist artists.  The artist Miró was the first I explored because I understand and can read the visual language in his work. It’s tough to know if he is painting a person, tree, or bird, but once you start to look at his work and study Miró, you begin to understand what he is conveying..

I went online and saw this quote: “The laws of reality don’t apply to his work.”  No wonder I relate to him; the laws of reality don’t apply to my work. Miró has his own reality, as do I.

So, I offered a couple of pieces to you all and would love your opinion. This first one is a new one called “Bluebird III.” The other one is an older one that has been accepted into several exhibitions and won prizes. One judge told me the work was surreal.

Wow, talk about listening to the voices speaking to you. So, what do you all think? I went through some of my portfolio because there are two surreal exhibitions I might enter. I found several that fit the bill of surrealism. I will share those with you all later.

image: Talisman III

Monarch

 I was so excited when I saw this monarch butterfly in my flower garden a couple of days ago. She is still flying around in the garden but is quite illusive for photos, so I am glad I got this one.  

This year, I didn't have my monarch caterpillar camp simply because I found no caterpillars.

Did anyone else have trouble finding monarch caterpillars this year? Last year, I had about 15 in my camp and released them when they were ready. Maybe this one is from one of the ones I released a year ago. I am so glad she is in my garden enjoying herself.

Captivate

 Featured image: Birds in the Garden II

Mystery, and secrets

Found in

Mr Crow your shiny

Plumage

Purple, black

Green

Captivate 

Your beauty

Your mystery

Birds in the Morning

 

Featured image: July Rose Breasted Woodpecker

Joyful choruses
Tunes from the soul
Lifting heavy hearts
Birds in the morning

The Wolf

 

Featured image: Don't Fence Me In - Wolf II

 Teachings from the wolf

ritual and

order as well as

harmony

trust

shelters

The wolf disciplines 

with respect

the wolf is extremely

intelligent

intuitive

the wolf is friends with the 

raven …go figure

the wolf understands how 

to govern with

freedom

and

wildness

in the true spirit of

freedom

we would do well to

learn from the

wolf,

Art is LIfe.... Life is Art

 

Featured image: Adrift IV

“What strikes me is the fact that in our society, art has become something which is related only to objects and not to individuals, or to life. That art is something which is specialized or which is done by experts who are artists. But couldn't everyone's life become a work of art? Why should the lamp or the house be an art object, but not our life?”

― Michel Foucault

“Life is art. Art is life. I never separate it.” – Ai Weiwei.

"The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity." - Alberto Giacometti.

Artists create their life, they give it form. Everyone should create their own lives and think it is art. Unfortunately, not many do. Christine Alfery

Light Has Dawned Accepted into Exhibition

 

Featured image: Light Has Dawned

I am thrilled and honored to have my work, "Light Has Dawned," selected for the exhibition at the Lexis Gallery at Trinity Cathedral in Sacramento, CA, running from October 2 to November 3, 2024. 

This exhibition delves into the profound theme from Genesis 1: "And God said, 'Let there be light.'" In a world where darkness often prevails, my piece seeks to interpret this divine call to light, inviting viewers to reflect on the transformative power of illumination. 

It is a privilege to contribute to this inspiring showcase which echoes the eternal promise of light overcoming darkness.

Zephyr Winds Accepted Into Exhibition

 

Featured image: Zephyr Winds

I am truly honored and thrilled to share that my artwork, "Zephyr Winds," has been accepted into the prestigious Arizona Watercolor Society's Annual Fall Exhibition. I'm so thankful to showcase my work at the Exposed Studio and Gallery in Phoenix, AZ, from September 21 to October 17.

Subject

 

Featured image: Snowbird River

What is the subject that gets me excited to create? 

It's the relationship I have and I know others have to the harmonies and discords of the natural world.