Yesterday was a wonderful high energy day for me!

Yesterday was a wonderful high energy day for me. And I would like to share some parts of it with you all. It began when I got a random text from a person that I didn’t know about my work. I get a lot of those so I usually respond and move on, but this one was different. It began this way; “Hi! I attended the Rocky Mountain National Watercolor Exhibition reception on Friday evening. I just wanted to let you know that your piece was one of my very favorites in the show!!! (heart emoji)”

My response: “Thanks for telling me. It’s people like you that will keep the arts going and rich within our culture. If you get a chance I would love to have you visit my website and let me know what you think. www.chistinealfery.com ps. Any chance that are you related to an Avon?”

Response: “No, I am not. You can also visit my website: www.chriskrupinski.com."

So I visited her website and responded to her, “Oh my gosh you are a VIP, a Dolphin Fellow with the American Watercolor Society. Wow! What an honor that you like my work. Thanks very much.”

As a side note, the American Watercolor Society is like the gold standard for all watercolor artists. I have been applying and not getting into their exhibitions for years. To be a Dolphin Fellow means that she has gone past signature status and is at the very top of the group. I share this with you because you only see posts from me regarding national and international exhibitions that I get into. However, I get as many rejections as I get acceptances. I just wanted you to know that the journey is hard and not paved with yellow bricks. But the key for me is "possibilities and just keep moving forward."

Another thing to note is that this artist, Chris Krupinski, is just about on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to style and ways of painting. She is a realist – a really really good realist. I highly recommend you all checking out her site and you can see how shocked I was to get her email and why it gave me a ton of energy.

Chris Krupinski not only “plays” things forward and celebrates the arts in everything she does, but her text was an outstanding example of how difference should work within our culture. That’s one of the things I talk about in my blogs all the time. It’s also the one thing that my series, “The Space In The Middle” and “Rugged Individualism” along with the newly emerging series, “The Landscape of the Self - Prisms of Difference,” are all about.

She was also so kind as to allow me to quote her next text to me on my website: “That painting had everything right about it. Slightly off center nailed the composition… The complementary color juxtaposition created such a dynamic look. The simplicity of the subject matter allowed me to explore the entire painting. Just love it. You should have gotten an award.”

I am honored to have had this text exchange with Chris. She just confirms what I believe in – “playing” things forward and how important arts and artists are to our culture.

No wonder I was filled with energy!

I also want to mention that Chris Krupinski received an award in this exhibition.