Fusionart Retreat

The clouds came closer once we left the hot, sunny desert floor in La Quinta for the cool mountains of Pilgrim Pines, high above the apple and cherry orchards of Yucaipa. I had been looking forward eagerly to spending this first weekend in June among the tall pines and the green meadow of this beautiful retreat center and participating in the painting workshop (a better description would be a “playshop”) led by my teacher, Rassouli. I was among the first to arrive. Throughout the afternoon, Friday, the rest of our group found their way up the rural, winding road to our quiet haven. A number of the other students were fellow Fusionartists, and we have formed a strong bond of unity over the past several years. We immediately felt the joy of coming together again to do what we love. There is always a safe, happy energy when we create together. There were some new faces as well, including beginners, and getting to know them added greatly to my enjoyment of the weekend. The clouds, by the way, never transformed into rain and the weather was lovely for the entire weekend.

After a delicious dinner in the dining hall at Pilgrim Pines, prepared with food grown at the retreat center, we gathered in one of the rustic meeting rooms assigned to us and Rassouli gave an opening talk on the agenda for the retreat. He also spoke about the interplay of music and painting as well as Fusionart’s approach as an expression of the soul. He then put on some marvelous Middle Eastern music to inspire us, and we began to paint. This music always opens my heart, and I quickly entered a meditative state in which I was experiencing a feeling of enchantment and romance. Automatically I began applying the colors I was seeing with swirling brushstrokes. I had no preconceived idea of what I would paint. I was just immersed in the process. This is the part of me that can create because it does not judge. Rassouli noticed that the strokes were creating 2 figures. He then used my unfinished painting as an example of how beautifully the soul can reveal itself when we allow it to express itself freely. I continued to develop the painting, which I titled Etheric Embrace (below), for the rest of the evening.




Bright and early at 7 o’clock, the crowing of the retreat center rooster served as my alarm clock. I thought, now I know I am truly in the country. Breathing in the fresh invigorating air as I made the quick walk down the hill to the dining hall for breakfast was a luxury that cost nothing. After enjoying a breakfast of eggs laid by the Pilgrim Pines hens, we reconvened at our “playshop” to continue creating. Mehrdad, a fellow Fusionartist, put on some of his amazing music and we were on our way again. This time my consciousness was suffused with a feeling of profound peace, and a scene in rich shades of blue appeared before me. Embracing its mystery, I was completely content in this world. I was reminded again that we must follow what we love, whether we understand it or not. Let go or be miserable. I choose surrender over resistance to love, happiness over suffering. After I don’t know how long, I returned from my creative state to observe what I had created. Below is the finished piece, which I titled Atlantis Rising because a number of my fellow students told me that it evoked the lost continent for them.




Later that afternoon I began a third small canvas. The group energy had been building and fusing to a crescendo throughout the day and I was filled with a powerful feeling of Light. My brush was expressing this on the canvas, but I had to express it with my whole body. I caught the eye of my good friend Felix, who was painting next to me, and he immediately understood. We both began dancing, paintbrushes in hand. Mehrdad turned up the music and soon everyone was painting and dancing, dancing and painting, until it all became inseparable. In our state of blissful unity, “under the influence” of divine drunkenness, we became playmates of God and the embodiment of Fusionart. I realized again that this energy, rooted in creativity and a joy beyond judgment, can truly transform the world, and we must share it. Below is the result, Transformation.




After dinner, Rassouli demonstrated for us how to transform an old painting into a completely new one by using the power of imagination. We spent the rest of the evening over a glass of wine in a sitting area next to Rassouli’s room. As we basked in the afterglow of the beautiful atmosphere, Rassouli entertained and enlightened us with Nasreddin Sufi stories and we deepened our connection with stories of our own past. It was the perfect way to end the day. The following morning we had our last painting session followed by the group critique. We had become so close in such a short time, and I left totally satisfied with the weekend, filled with positive energy and eager to continue painting. The weekend also reinforced for me some very basic but vital life lessons. Stay curious and open to the unknown. Always take time in your life to do something that makes you happy and satisfied. Share it with others. This is the true abundance of life, greater than financial well-being and material possessions. Above all, whatever it is you want out of life, “Be It.”

Reflections

Above is my latest painting, Astral Realm. Looking at it reminds me that creativity is the natural order of life. Life is energy - pure creative energy which infuses all of life and connects us with the Divine. Creativity is the expression of our true selves. When we surrender to this energy, and allow it to flow through us, we express our true selves and we grow. When we resist this energy, we are captured by our small selves and we stagnate, then contract. This painting came to me through my imagination as I was looking at the sky and the formation of the clouds. Everything happens first in the subtle realm of the Astral, and I could see the Earth gracefully circled by the energy of the Divine Mother as if protecting a child. Art is very personal, yet it also transcends the personal. We can go anywhere in our imagination, and the artist takes great joy in this process. I believe that developing the creativity of children is an essential factor in the survival of our planet. As they learn to recognize and trust their Divine connection, they will receive the resources to overcome the seemingly intractable conundrums of our time with as yet unimagined creative solutions. Nurturing the creativity of younger generation in all aspects will enable them to bring forth fresh ideas of beauty and lead mankind to higher levels of civilized development.

Rickeysart.com gets a "facelift"

I, Rickey Hoefnagel, am proud to announce that rickeysart.com has just been updated and is now better than ever thanks to the tireless efforts of my new webmaster, Jean-Louis Boers. In checking out the remodeled web site, the first thing you will notice in addition to the elegant new font is that the video of the Bridging Heaven and Earth spiritual talk show mentioned in my previous post is now available on the home page. Just click and play. We will have more videos for our visitors in the future. The Gallery features a large selection of my paintings, and is now divided into 3 categories. The Main Gallery features current works available for purchase. The other 2 sections contain works previously sold and works that have been donated. Works in each section can now be viewed as a slideshow, and each piece can be expanded with a single click. Acrylic on canvas continues to be my primary medium. Poetry now has its own area for your enjoyment. In the Artist's Statement, I discuss briefly how Fusionart and its founder, Freydoon Rassouli (see http://www.rassouli.com ), have inspired me to create art that is expressive of the heart, the soul and the Spirit. Art for me is a sacred journey. The Bio page has been reworked and expanded to include listings of recent and upcoming exhibits as well as some information on my training over the last 20+ years leading up to my current artistic incarnation as a founding member of Fusionart International (see http://www.fusionartinternational.com ). We love to hear from people who visit our site, and that is now very simple with the Contact Us page. I believe you will be impressed and appreciative as I have been with how simple and easy it is to navigate from place to place within the site with a single click. Rickeysart.com can truly be described as "user friendly." Also, please be aware that rickeysart.com has now replaced our old address, www.rickeyhoefnagelsgallery.com. Always go to http://rickeysart.com . So, please check out our new look and let us know what you think. Your feedback is always appreciated.

No Recession for Fusionart

Well, Spring is here and a lot has been going on already this year. In January one of my paintings, Creation, was featured as part of the spiritual talk show, Bridging Heaven and Earth, seen on cable television and also uploaded to youtube.com and google.com. The show is #236, and it can be seen on their web site, http://www.heaventoearth.com/. Check it out. The painting, which was inspired by and created for this project, can also be seen at their online art gallery, http://www.heaventoearthart.com/. (You can find me under "R" for Rickey.) We were invited to attend the taping in Santa Barbara, and the high energy in the room was quite palpable. It was a real joy to be able to connect again with Alan, producer/host of the show, and Bianca. They are an amazing couple, and their commitment to producing this wonderful program and contributing to the healing of the planet is truly a labor of love.

From March 13-15, I had the opportunity to exhibit my work and demonstrate painting at the Quantum Leap 2012 Conference in Burbank, California, along with more than a dozen of my fellow Fusionartists. The Conference was a gathering of speakers, workshops and vendors united in the intention to bring greater spiritual awareness, healing energy and peaceful cooperation to our planet. 2012 refers to the end of the Mayan calendar when some believe great changes will take place. Our Fusionart founder, Rassouli, was one of the featured speakers and delivered an inspiring multimedia presentation of his incredible work that transported the audience. I know it transported me. In addition to exhibiting our works, throughout the Conference we took turns demonstrating at our easels set up in a large room adjacent to the main hall. The people who wandered into our Fusionart "play room" were invited to create art too at a table in the center of the room supplied with paint and paper. Sometimes people would say, "But I can't draw," and I had to laugh when I remembered I had uttered the same words back in 1985. The point we wanted to make is that we are all artists if we allow ourselves to be, and we can bring our creativity into all aspects of our daily lives at any moment when we choose to do so. "Life is what you make it," is one of my favorite sayings. Many children of all ages joined our creativity fest and quickly became engrossed in the process once they let go of self-judgement. We even got some free publicity on the front page of a local newspaper. I was pleased with the small painting that came to me while I was demonstrating(see below). The title is, guess what, Quantum Leap.

I demonstrated Fusionart again this year for Art Night at the Amelia Earhart Elementary School in our La Quinta neighborhood. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this last year. Color often evokes a natural excitement in children, and their interest and enthusiasm is most rewarding. Art Night was March 26th.

Speaking of art for children, the Hollywood Arts Council recently contacted me. The Council is holding its 23rd annual "Charlie Chaplin Awards" evening on April 19th at the Hollywood Palladium. The "Charlies" are presented by Hollywood celebrities to honor outstanding merit in Hollywood and its arts. I was asked if I would donate a painting for the silent auction, which is part of the event. The money raised helps to fund an after school art program for "at risk" grade school kids. Since I believe passionately in the value of developing children's creativity and appreciation of art, I gladly accepted. In addition to supporting a worthy cause, the event is well attended and affords an opportunity for some good exposure. Below is the painting I donated, Branches (recently re-titled).


Ignoring the doom and gloom of the news, I continue to paint for the love of painting, as do my fellow Fusionartists. A group of us get together 2 Saturdays a month at Clover Park in Santa Monica to paint under the trees near picnic tables, basketball courts and soccer fields. People stroll through our outdoor "studio," often stopping to chat or just watch. The group energy of artists painting together is so positive that it naturally attracts. The world needs to experience the joy of positive self-expression and creativity more than ever now. By simply taking pleasure in our art and each other's company, in our own little way we make the world a better place.

Note: My new webmaster, Jean-Louis Boers, who is gifted in all things technical, is hard at work on a new, improved version of this web site. Look for it soon.

November 17, 2008

Time has flown by this year, and the holidays are almost here. I am embarrassed to admit that my blogs have not kept up with the fast pace. Let me try to redress that right now. The children's painting class was great fun on Saturday mornings during the Winter and Spring months. However, as summer approached with its hot weather, vacations and so forth, we disbanded.

Meanwhile, a number of Fusionartists had been planning an exhibit housed in a section of the James Gray Gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica for months. Bergamot Station is an excellent venue, but in this case there was very limited wall space for each artist. I decided to attend and help with the desk rather than exhibit my work. The opening night reception for the exhibit last February was one of the largest in the history of the James Gray Gallery, with the packed crowd so packed in that it overflowed out the doors into the parking lot. The event was very successful in gaining local recognition for Fusionarts as a new, 21st century approach to art. Below is a photo with my teacher, Rassouli, at the reception.

This exhibit was quickly followed by a second exhibit at a much more spacious location, Gallery C in Hermosa Beach. This beautiful gallery was a converted movie theatre with soaring ceilings and Grecian columns. I immediately decided to exhibit there. It was quite an undertaking. Even Rassouli himself exhibited for the first time with his students. We filled the large walls of the entire gallery with our work. Under the guidance of a professional curator, the effect was stunning. My work was prominently displayed near the entrance of the gallery. The exhibit ran through the month of May, and I enjoyed the chance to travel to the beautiful beach city on the weekends. This exhibit was an even greater artistic success. Collectors, art lovers and the general public flowed through week after week, mesmerized by the unique combinations of dynamic colors and deeply evocative forms arising spontaneously from the canvasses. I was interviewed by a local journalist, and I hope to be able to post some of it on this web site in the near future.


During this time, I made the acquaintance of Allan Silberhartz, who hosts a cable television show and a web site which focus on the healing power of art and the spiritual transformation of the planet. Artists all over the world are creating works of art related to this perspective, which are exhibited on his web site and featured on his television show. After speaking to Allan and learning of his vision I was moved to create the painting below, Creation, to express the healing power of creativity. Allan was very excited to add the painting below to his web site: You can see the work by visiting Allan's web site, http://www.heaventoearthart.com/,
where you will find me alphabetically in the artists list under "R".


After the Gallery C exhibit ended, I was able to spend a few days visitng my son, Marcel, and his family in the Seattle area. We had a lovely time, however I noticed that strange things were happening with my vision. Marcel had hung one of my paintings in his living room, and I commented that the colors were much darker than I remembered. In fact, the colors had not changed. I began to notice straight lines becoming curvy and letters danced on the page when I tried to read. When I returned to the desert, I made an appointment with an optician, thinking that I might need a need a new prescription for eye glasses. As it turned out, I needed much more than a new prescription. My vision continued to deteriorate rapidly, to the point where at times all I could see was a surreal collage of distorted shapes and darkness. Having always been a free spirit, my greatest fear was of becoming dependent. I was referred to a specialist who diagnosed me with central retinal vein occlusion in the right eye. Basically, I had had a stroke in my right eye. I also found out that I had the onset of macular degeneration in my left eye. I am very grateful to have received wonderful support throughout this ordeal from family, friends and fellow Fusionartists who included me in their prayers and prayer circles. At one point my deceased mother briefly appeared to me in a vision. When I told this to Rassouli, he told me to paint her even though I could barely see. He advised me to continue to paint regardless, without judging the outcome. Fortunately, through the miracle of modern medicine, the treatment I have received over the last four months has resulted in great improvement in both eyes. The great lesson of this experience for me as an artist has been to learn to trust my inner vision fully, to know that it sees the truth. Below are 2 of my recent paintings, which will hopefully soon be posted in the Gallery on this web site.

Healing Circle

Standing in the Storm

In reflecting on painting today, I know that I paint from my heart to touch the hearts of others. I still like to bend the rules. I am a rebel at heart. My favorite painting is always my last one. My paintings have an element of mystery, to catch the viewers' attention while allowing them to use their own imagination to assign the meaning. I want people to see the mystery in the ordinary and be uplifted by it.

Painting Class/Alternate Web Address/"Passage" Sold

Painting Class

In my 1st post I wrote about teaching an art class about Fusionart for 2nd graders at our local elementary school. It was one of my most enjoyable and memorable experiences last year. It reinforced for me how much I enjoy teaching, and it was so gratifying to see how eagerly the children responded to the opportunity to express their creative energy. I believe that it is very important for everyone, and particularly children, to remain in touch with their innate creativity. We are all born with it, but unfortunately it becomes buried in many of us because it is never encouraged to come and play. We need to exercise our creativity regularly just as we do our bodies and our minds in order to be healthy, whole human beings. Of course there are an infinite number of way to be creative; painting just happens to be one of my favorites.

As I thought about this, I knew that I wanted to give painting lessons as another way to explore my creativity and give to others in 2008. I am calling the classes "Painting from the Core", and they will incorporate the gestalt of Fusionart. They will be 3 hours long once a week for 5 weeks, and they will be small (maximum of 5 students) because I want the students to have plenty of personal attention and support if they wish. I will offer a class for children and a class for adults. The first children's class will begin at 8AM Saturday, February 16th. The setting will be humble; I have a large garage. It doesn't matter whether or not the students have painted before. They only need an open mind, an open heart, and the desire to create. Below is the flyer I have distributed in our neighborhood. If you, or someone you happen to know, would be interested, contact me (rickey@rickeyhoefnagelsgallery.com) for more information.

Alternate Web Address

I have heard from people recently that http://www.rickeyhoefnagelsgallery.com/ is too long and difficult to type in. So, in case you haven't bookmarked the site, or if you are on a different computer, I have come up with an alternate web address that is much shorter: http://www.rickeysart.com/. When you type this address into your browser, you will be directed automatically to my web site(rickeyhoefnagelsgallery.com) just as if you had typed in the longer address. I hope this makes it easier and more convenient to find me in cyberspace.

"Passage" Sold

I am happy to report that another of my paintings, "Passage", was sold this week to a fellow artist and collector of Fusionart. He loves the painting, and he believes that works by the original group of Fusionartists, such as myself, will become quite valuable. I hope he is right!

Well, that's my latest news. Keep your comments coming. I love hearing from you.

Creatively yours,
Rickey

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Hi Everyone

The new year has arrived, and with it the chance for a new beginning. Thus I am introducing my 2008 blog , and wishing all of you many blessings throughout the year. This is the perfect time to discard destructive old habits and replace them with healthy new ones.

Before we plunge headlong into 2008, here is a glance back at 2007. It was a busy year for me artistically. In January my work was on display at the Highway 111 Gallery here in La Quinta. In February I was invited to exhibit my paintings at the Tuscson Museum of Art as part of a concert produced by my dear friend, Donna Chernick of Chernick Productions, which combined the haunting, soulful music of Grammy-nominated composer and pianist Michael Hoppe with the poetry of Longfellow as read by his descendent, Lane Longfellow.



The event was a feast for the eyes and the ears, and I received wonderful feedback from Michael, Lane and members of the audience. One of my paintings, Mystic Shore, was also used for the poster.



In April Rassouli invited about 20 artists, including me, to a meeting in Topanga where we discussed forming a core group to develop as Fusionartists, exhibit together to promote the concept of Fusionart, and teach the approach of Fusionart to others. I was very excited by the vision and the synergy of a group of gifted artists coming together to launch the "art of the 21st century." I spent many Saturdays in various parks in the Los Angeles area, where we would meet to paint, receive instruction from Rassouli, critique each other's work, and plan for ways to promote fusionart.

Last summer, along with a number of other artists, I donated one of my paintings to a silent art auction. The proceeds were used to fund an arts program for children at an African orphanage. I was delighted and honored to find out that my painting, Wilderness, received the highest bid, $2500.



I also had the joy of introducing Fusionart to the second grade class at Emelia Earhart Elementary School just a few blocks from our home. As usual, I had no special plan. I know Spirit only works in the moment through the open heart rather than the head, and I trust that. I let Spirit guide us and the excitement continued to build throughout the class. I brought several of my paintings as well as the Fusionart posters I had made for display, a few brushes and an empty canvas. The children were immediately fascinated by the vivid colors of the paintings. I began by explaining in very simple terms what Fusionart is.



I then passed out black construction paper and small amounts of paint in paper dishes for them to share at their tables. The children immediately became very interested, and there was a buzz of excitement. They understood that it was up to them to bring color and light and beauty to the black paper, and that the darkness allowed the light and color to shine more brightly. I told them to listen inside to their hearts until their spirit spoke, and then put the colors on the paper that they were attracted to. I could feel them concentrating, and one little girl even had her hands folded in prayer. The energy rose as many became more attracted to the primary reds and yellows. In the end, I could see they were thrilled with what they had created. There was such joy on their faces as they held up their creations.



I gave from my heart and the children gave from theirs. In the process a tiny seed was planted. Who knows how it will grow? My reward was seeing the joy on the children's faces as they created and feeling their gratitude when I left. One of my goals for 2008 is to continue to teach art to children after school as well as adults.

August brought the Kenneth Village Arts and Crafts Festival in Glendale. The main shopping block of Kenneth Village had been cordoned off for the Festival from 3-9pm that Saturday. There were other painters, sculptors and photographers exhibiting. There were also various crafts on exhibit, from ceramics to jewelry. At the end of the street, a temporary stage had been constructed for live musicians, who entertained us with a variety of music throughout the event. Food and refreshments were available at both ends of the block, and the Italian restaurant behind us was selling pizza slices on the sidewalk. The weather was quite warm, typical of August in the inland parts of the Los Angeles area. Fortunately, we were on the shady side of the street, and our canopy offered welcome relief, along with the occasional cool breeze.



I saw it as a good omen when a woman came by the booth right about 3 o’clock and was attracted to one of my paintings. She was of Dutch heritage too, and we quickly struck up a conversation. She came back 15 minutes later to buy the painting. I was elated and began dancing for joy after she left. Many people stopped by and I enjoyed talking to all of them, even the lady who looked at one of my paintings and informed me, in all seriousness, that “the sky is not pink.” That amused me because apparently she had never seen a sunrise or a sunset. “I am a realist,” she told me firmly. “And I am an artist,” I gently answered.

The crowd continued to come throughout the afternoon, enjoying the cooler temperature as the sun dropped closer to the horizon. Half a dozen of my loyal friends even braved the heat to come out and support me. As dusk turned to darkness and interest began to ebb, the last song was played and the Festival came to an end. We broke down our booth and packed up the SUV again, simultaneously exhausted but still excited by the events of the day.




The Mehregan Festival in October provided a final opportunity to exhibit in 2007. It was held at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Irvine, and dedicated to Rumi in honor of his 800th birthday. The Art Plaza featured a number of Fusionartists, including me. Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperative on Friday and Saturday. The strong wind literally blew one of my paintings off the panel, its corner landing on my big toe like a hammer. Ouch! Several other artists had their paintings damaged by the overnight rain. The sun finally came out Sunday. In spite of the inclement conditions, the Festival was attended by thousands and the publicity was great. I am now officially a "published" artist.

So that's my whirlwind recap of some highlights of 2007. I hope you enjoyed it. I know I did. And now it's full speed ahead into 2008. May it be filled with growth and happiness for all of us.

Rickey

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