Credit to Andrew Smith, Culture On The Line. Works by Kest, Valentine, and Tompkins are part of the Hanover Area Arts Guild’s September 2022 exhibit.
Back in August I completed an artist questionnaire to be featured on Culture on the Line’s Creative Five series. I discussed how life is my medium. Art is the journey of life. The expression of self. I really enjoy expressing myself through paint, photography, henna, writing, dancing and singing… among so much more. I share my top 10 favorite books, and new ways of thinking.
Culture on the Line
An online site that brings light to local artists, and culture.
South Central Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland are separated by the Mason-Dixon Line, and this location and its settlers have had a historical impact on the arts and culture of its communities. The county lines seem to bring along their own subtle differences as well. Culture On The Line aims to share & document the area’s cultural highlights.
It is part of the Visual Realia, LLC – family, which includes the Visual Realia website featuring the art of Andrew Smith, and the Hanover-Adams-York On The Line Facebook page.
Credit to Andrew Smith, Culture On The Line. Works by Kest, Valentine, and Tompkins are part of the Hanover Area Arts Guild’s September 2022 exhibit.
Change of Perspective
I was also apart of an exhibit at the Hanover Art Guild, where artists share their unique diverse voices through their artwork. This was a beautiful example of diversity, equity and inclusion.
The founder of Visual Realia, LLC, Andrew Smith, is a true asset to the artist community here in Southern York Pennsylvania. He created the amazing online platform Culture on the Line, and facilitates so many amazing projects. I am so honored to know him and to be apart of this community!
Before Canvas Rebel, in 2021, I was interviewed by Voyage Baltimore,
Hi Raine, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers? I grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore, with my mom, dad and two sisters. My mother is Turtle Mountain Chippewa, and attended boarding school from the time she was 6 until she graduated. As a result she learned very little about our ancestral teachings. So I grew up in typical American culture in the 1980s. I got where I am today because of those who came before me. I am Turtle Mountain Chippewa and German Irish. My ancestors survived many things, and it is because of their resilience and love that I am able to be who I am today.
It all started when I was a little girl, watching Bob Ross paint happy trees and mountains. I remember setting my paper up like a canvas on an easel, mixing colors, and tapping the brush on the paper along with him. I always loved to create. I remember during the holidays I would use construction paper to create real-life scenes of fireplaces and Christmas trees with presents under them on the walls in my room. I would doodle on pages of paper and fill each space in with a different design. Or build little towns with scrap blocks of wood in the yard. Creating has always been my favorite pastime.
Canvas Rebel Interview
In October I received an email from a project off shoot of Voyage Baltimore and was interviewed by Canvas Rebel online magazine
Here are few highlights from the interview!
Is there a mission driving your creative journey?
My goal and mission is to help people to remember we are all connected, through the use of our imaginations and sharing our stories. My goal as an artist is to create art that expresses my story, which is to share with the world my experiences and how I interpret my connection to all around me. My mission is to use my art and passion for creative living to inspire others to share their stories through creative expression. Filling the world with humans who have self-awareness through a connection with themselves and the world around them helps us remember we are all connected. I often ask myself what happens when we all remember we are all connected? Simply asking the question leaves a person with the realization that we must respect each person’s part in this dance of life. Living life in harmony, with gratitude.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding thing for me as a creative is sharing my intuitive gifts. I tap into energy, to create one-of-a-kind art for each individual person. Intuitive henna readings, and birth chart paintings are a few ways I share this gift.
Intuitive Henna readings are when I spend time meditating with a person’s energy and see their energy through visuals and feelings. I use those images and the feelings of the flow of the energy to create their unique design at that moment. The design is created as a temporary tattoo which lasts anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks. When I am creating the design, I share with each person the feeling of the energy and how it relates to them. Every time I do a reading the client is surprised by the images I create, and the feeling I share with them. Being able to share my gifts with someone through art, and allow them to connect with art and themselves, is such a rewarding experience.
I love to be able to sit with another person and share my creative gifts to help them know themselves better. This is the most rewarding and the reason I started doing intuitive birth chart paintings for clients. I read the energy of their birth chart and create a piece of art that helps them see themselves better. Sharing the reading with each client helps them to know more of who they have come to this earth to be. The mission is to remember we are all connected, and I do this by helping others see themselves through art.
What does it mean to be a Canvas Rebel?
To me a canvas represents a blank slate to create new works of art. Its a new beginning and a perfect place to build a reality that I desire.
As for the word rebel, it is one who resist authority, control, or convention.
When I paint I am totally a rebel… on canvas. Resisting conventions or ideas that painting has to be one specific way.
The Teaching Artist Institute (TAI) provides an opportunity for artist to learn techniques for social transformation through artistic expression.
Their goals are :
To train artist and artisans as educators of socially engaged art.
To establish and maintain a teaching artist collective.
To advocate cross cultural communication and mutual understanding thru art
To create a platform for teaching artist expression
Kim Poole is a Soul Fusion Performing Artist and Teaching Artist, as well as a Founding Fellow of the TAI. Kim and her team of Teaching Artists are developing ways to explore Art for Social Transformation. Kim is motivated to create art that celebrates culture, resilience and connection to one another.
TAI Tours
TAI also offers tours. A unique artist-led traveling experience which allows for authentic exchanges with people of the world! They offer customized itineraries, knowledgeable artist guides, and flexible schedules.
They also offer a Studies & Cultural Exchange which is a program that focuses on curating authentic exchanges with communities for the world in order to study or contribute to the regions symbolic.
The goal of the experience is to ensure that participants receive a holistic introduction to the region by being fully immersed in intimate ways with local culture and people of different sectors and classes in the region.
Underground Railroad
August 28th, 2021 TAI will be leading a 2-day camping excursion of the Underground Railroad through Cambridge, MD. Check out this link for more info!
Underground Railroad Excursion offers an experiential learning opportunity in outdoors survival education, scouting, land navigation and mariner arts that brings African American history off the page and into a practical modern-day focus.
Interconnected
I was introduced to Kim through social media, we both worked on promoting an art conference, and only recently did we meet in person! We immediately hit it off, I knew we were going to do awesome things together! Kim is such an inspiration, has a wonderful heart, and purpose driven! On top of all that she is an amazing vocal artist! Check her out on Facebook and Instagram.
Kim also works with tribes to share their creations! I was so blessed to now own a Chungu drum! Check out the video I made of it!
We are all connected! When we allow ourselves to shine bright, we shine light on those around us <3
I have been extremely fortunate to come across a family owned printing and framing company in Hanover Pa., M2M Innovations and Martins Gallery.
Working with Adam Martin has been a pleasure. His attention to detail, and ability to explain the process is extremely helpful! Adam walked me through the process of how the prints are created and even printed examples of the different paper styles before we decided on what to go with.
The Gallery is a beautiful space where artists are showcased and frames are made! I am excited about our partnership and looking forward to working with them more in the future!
The First 7 Prints
Since I have been awarded an artists grant, I have been working on editing pictures of my paintings and creating new pieces. Learning to use my iPad and Procreate has been fun! My students have really helped me learn the program pretty quickly, middle schoolers know about all the newest technology.
Prints available for the following pieces:
There are three different size prints available, message if interested!
Giclée printed on Matte or Luster Paper 8×10 11×14
Usually I am the teacher, but sometimes my daughter Element wants to teach as well! She made the beautiful painting featured in this blog, and showed me how she did it!
The sound of water flowing always brings me back to center. Helping me to let go of all my thoughts and feelings in the moment. Showing me how quickly things change, and how no matter what… life still goes on.
Sitting in the woods at Burns Valley Herbals and Retreat has really given me a deeper realization of how important being in nature is for our being. The sounds of the earth fill my mind and heart, allowing me to be present in each breath. From birds flying overhead, to cows in the valley and peepers in the pond… the sounds of spring help wash away the cold winter.
Spending time in the woods with gratitude for each moment. Being able to see how the brown dead leaves make way for new green growth on the side of the mountain. Water rushing over the mossy rocks. Every now and then finding a back up of leaves and branches that need clearing. Just like our lives… every now and then, seeing how there is a build up of emotion or attachment to things that no longer serve our highest good.
I have been drawn to jump right into the water to clear away what is holding it back from flowing freely. Using this analogy as a reminder to keep my own energy flowing freely. Every now and then, jumping in the water to release, and to celebrate what we’ve let go of and what we have to look forward to.
Moving debris, and rearranging rocks to create a bank where we want to the water to flow. Such is life. Water is life.
“How breathtaking it is to start out on a journey into the unknown. To start off in new directions takes courage, and faith. Faith that even when there are no external signs to indicate where or how we should proceed, we are not lost.”
These paintings are dreams and visions from within, brought to life through layers of colors, lines, shapes and energy. Each painting was uncovered through a process of intuitive exploration. Five of these paintings reflect a journey to the Divine I AM inspired by a series of tarot cards. Each painting embodies and is attuned with the frequency of a specific tarot card.
Art is a powerful tool, not just for gratification of self-expression, but as a vehicle of transformation.
Art is Prayer, a sacred and vital discovery of one’s own special presence in the world.
Through creation, a person illuminates and illustrates their inner being, while creating something which also stands separate.
Through exploration and experimentation each of us can shine light on our inner world, allowing us to utilize expression as a means of awakening our Divine I Am.
“The root and full practice of the arts lies in the recognition that art is power, an instrument of communion between the self and all that is important, all that is sacred.”
My art is hanging at Reiki by Rickie‘s in Harrisburg until the end of June and last night was the wine and cheese reception! It was an amazing time sharing and communing with friends. I realized after last night that I really enjoy talking about my art process and about the images and meaning behind my paintings.
Its really fantastic to hear other people talk about my paintings. To see my work through new, different eyes. Its amazing to hear that what they feel from my work is exactly what I was thinking and putting into the painting. I am so grateful for those who showed up and everyone’s positive feedback and support. We are all on this journey together… I know when I am at my best and centered my own energy shines light on each of your beautiful souls and the amazing gifts you have to offer the world… and when you shine your light you help me see myself more clearly.
Introducing the first ever Artist Educator Workshop at Hampton Historic National Site. I am so fortunate to be able to work with such an amazing group of individuals, from fellow board members to artist educators.
Historic Hampton Inc. has had a vision for bringing together art, education, and the Hampton Historic National Site. Recently this vision has begun to bloom. The first workshop for artist educators was held on December 5th, 2015.
10 teachers from all over Maryland attended to hear more about how they can incorporate the wonderful historic site into their curriculum. The workshop began with light breakfast provided by Danielas in Hamden, and a short talk from Park Ranger Vince Vance. Then I presented the adaptable lesson plan that was created to use in tandem with a field trip to Hampton and the virtual photo gallery.
This lesson is based off of the narrative that is a requirement for the Baltimore County Public School Art program. It can be altered to work with any grade k-12, and has arts-integration options as well.
After discussing the lesson plan, we took a tour of the grounds and the mansion…which was amazing because they let us in the front door (which is very rare!)
When we returned to the orangery, our first ever artist in residence Paul Moscatt presented a little gallery talk of his artwork and shared what he did as an artist and an educator. Paul was born in Brooklyn, New York and went to Yale University Art School from 1959-63. He also attended The Cooper Union Art School, NYC from 1956 to 59. As an educator, Paul worked at Maryland Institute, College of Art (1967 to 2000), currently a Professor Emeritus.
The teachers had such an amazing time, and learned so much! We are currently in the process of scheduling a Painting Day with Paul for those who attended, as well as a second Artist Educator Workshop in the beginning of 2016.
If interested please contact me by commenting below with your email address and I will send you more information!
My student artists have completed a variety of projects, focusing on the Elements and Principles of Art along with other techniques. They have had multiple opportunities to be Ceeqers and to really personalize their learning.
Our first big project was our locker name tags. It was a group decision by our faculty to hang plastic sleeves on every locker with the first installation being a name tag for each student. So in art class, every student created their own personalized name tag that focused on an element and principle of design. The results were fantastic! Our halls went from dull grey lockers to a personalized space that the students truly feel is theirs.
The 8th grade GT Artists created puzzles to represent the Elements and Principles of Design, using multiple materials and techniques!
Student artists in my studio created Zentangle masterpieces next! We did contour line drawings of objects, then artists chose any object or image they wanted, and zentangled it in with patterns and designs. After creating their zentangle objects, artists experimented with watercolor to create a fun background.
We have had a lot of fun so far, I am looking forward to more fun!! The 8th grade GT artists are working on their Mantle of the Expert presentations where they have to create an art materials sales persona and will present their art material at an art expo. Half of the class will perform and present their materials and activities while the other half are the artists looking for art materials to work with. Each art material salesperson has to create a vendor table with at least 5 techniques, 2 art examples, a 5 minute art activity, and business cards.
6th and 7th grade artists went outside today and created nature art inspired by Andy Goldsworthy! Each group took photos of their work in progress to create a stop motion video of their art coming to life. Some artists decided that they would like to create a time-lapse video on their phones!
I hope you enjoyed our projects as much as we did creating them!!
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