Update #1: Wow - My Book is on its Way! Thank You!
Wow, after less than a week, I have 10 % funding! Thank you to all my supporters! I am so excited - and today, in my studio, I worked on a scene from a photo I took while kayaking near Gibson Island, MD. Gibson Island is a private Island - but the waters belong to everyone. How wonderful it would be if the land could be like the waters - free to all. I guess, as humans, we are not evolved enough to take on that huge of an opportunity. In fact, marinas, and certain localities charge huge sums of money to dock overnight, or even to hook up to a mooring buoy. We choose the free coves, the quiet places, where the water is calm and shallow. Sailors and large boats avoid shallow water - no captain wants to get grounded during low tide!
I have uploaded over thirty paintings for my book, and I am learning how to format the pages. Although the time I am spending on my book is taking time away from painting, it is fueling me with such new experiences, that I think my painting will benefit. When I finish my latest piece, I will post it, and I would like to hear what you think!
I hope everyone I am appealing to for support will take some time to talk with me, look at my work, and discuss my project. I wish everyone was as fortunate as I am - to be able to commune with nature in the water. Boating season starts back up in April - hard to believe when we still have huge piles of snow everywhere! But spring will come quickly, and winter will seem like a distant memory.
"When Land Meets the Sea" is the first real book I have written. Using my ship's logs, and my numerous journals, I can't wait to share my stories, and the paintings that came out of those stories.
I have posted one of my client's favorite works - "River Grasses". It is a pastel painting, that was sold to a good friend, with a new home on the water. I remember when I took the photo - I was in my kayak, and a boat went by. The wake, or the "waves" caused by the boat, initially annoyed me, as my kayak wiggled around, and I feared I would drop my precious new camera in the water. But after I got stuck in the mud, I took a shot of the grasses as they glowed in the late afternoon light. Back at the studio, I created a 24"X36" painting for a solo show. It sold on the first day. It was a defining moment for me as an artist.
For an emerging artist, selling work is still a big thrill for me. And it does not happen often, that someone snaps up a painting so quickly. I believe each painting has a home, and sometimes it just takes a while to find it. I have learned to recognize the special connection a client has with a painting. It is a little like love, but without any of the messiness!
As you go about your daily grind (and yes, I have a daily grind, too), please consider supporting my project. Even $10 would mean so much to me! By publishing my book about our fragile coastlines, and the beauty that surrounds all of us, I hope to create an appreciation for our environment, and a love for all things that get wet!
Artfully yours,
Cathy Harville
PS - I often get stuck in the mud when I am taking photos from my kayak. It's pretty fun, and I always manage to get out, even if I have to get out and get muddy. It's all good!
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Backers
$2,500
pledged of $2,500 goal
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on May 24, 2010.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
A listing on my website and blog as a contributor to my book project!
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
A listing as a a cool contributor, and a "thank you" art greeting card, suitable for framing.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
A listing as a very cool contributor, and an 8X10" matted art print of one of the paintings in the book (US delivery included).
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
A listing as a super cool contributor, and a signed copy of my book! (US delivery included.)
Pledge $300 or more Pledge $300 or more
A listing as an awesome contributor, a signed copy of my book, and an 8X10 matted art print from the book (US delivery included.)..and a reception at my studio at Historic Savage Mill in Savage, MD in honor of all the really awesome contributors! (Patrons responsible for their own transportation to my studio.)
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
A listing as an executive producer, three signed copies of my book, and a framed 11X14" art print from the book! (International delivery included.) Plus a private trip aboard our boat, and a kayaking lesson, with a friend and/or your kids or grandkids! (Patrons must provide their own transportation to our marina in Maryland.)
Project By
Connected as Cathy Harville
A life-long resident of the Chesapeake Bay area, Cathy Harville has always cherished the natural beauty of the land and sea. Since her parents convinced her that she could not make a living as an artist, Cathy pursued a career in corporate America, where she enjoyed 20 years of technical service, sales, and marketing to other huge companies. In 2000, Bipolar Disorder finally took her down, and she lost her career and her compass.
Yearning to get meaning back into her life, Cathy started painting in watercolors. She worked with Maria and George Goebel at Staub Art Studio in Catonsville, MD, where she learned techniques in water media and pastels. In 2005, Cathy opened her own studio at Historic Savage Mill in Savage, MD. An avid boater and kayaker, Cathy was appalled by the sprawling development of our open spaces, and the clear cutting of trees. Through the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, she realized that not only were our landscapes in danger - the Bay was also in trouble, from farming run-off, over-fishing, and pollution. with brush in hand, she decided to capture our precious open spaces and waterways in paint.
While kayaking, or out on their boat, Cathy photographs the world around her. Using color as her narrator, she records the beauty seldom seen by most people. She hopes that by capturing river grasses and reflections, that the public will begin to appreciate and realize the importance of our environment.
Cathy's artwork now hangs in homes and offices throughout the US. She continues to paint in acrylics, and enjoys the texture and bold strokes she can achieve. While Bipolar Disorder stills invades her progress, Cathy fights back with her expressive art. In addition to supporting the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Cathy belongs to several local art leagues, and has participated in numerous charity events. In her 52 year on this planet, Cathy is just getting started, sending the message that we are all stewards of this fragile planet we call home.
Cathy lives with her husband, Richard, in Gambrills, MD, along with their canine companion, Lucy.
