Hello Friends,  

The art news first up is worthy of another mention now with a statement that LELA International asked me to write accompanying my piece, Souls of Nagasaki. As one of twenty-five artists from the U.S. to have been accepted, I am more than usually puffed-up with honor:

“When I first joined LELA International not so long ago, I had no idea about the organization or its founder Hideo Sakata, who was himself a survivor of the atomic bombs the U.S. exploded on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in August of 1945. Hideo Sakata founded LELA forty-five years ago and The Bridge to Peace exhibit to commemorate the passage of this time intrigued me, but how and what does one create for such a horrific moment and call it art?

The Google machine took me to images I still can’t un-see - ghost shadows. Human beings that were vaporized when the bombs went off. Poof, they were gone, but these images of people and things somehow were imprinted onto the sides of buildings and pavements and remain until this day.

My painting, Souls of Nagasaki portrays the nightmare blasts and the souls that were obliterated from their bodies. I hope my work, which will now be a part of a permanent collection at the Nagasaki Prefecture Museum, gives pause to the cruelties that humans heap upon one another. We must never forget and we must enlighten the ignorant. And the opportunity to do it with art is an honor. Thank you, LELA.”

The bG Gallery at Bergamot Station (Suite A2 inside the gate to your right) - 2525 Michigan Avenue, Santa Monica 90404 accepted my collage-painting, Formal Attire into their annual Spectrum Gestalt show of principally monochromatic works. There will be an opening reception this coming Saturday July 20th 5 to 8pm. I’ll be there.

LELA International’s Los Angeles chapter is holding a simultaneous exhibit Expressions of Peace to their exhibit in Nagasaki, Japan from August 1st through August 25th. There will be an opening reception on Sunday August 4th from 2pm to 5pm at The Makery in downtown Los Angeles - 260 South Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. My piece Souls of Hiroshima will be a part of this show. The statement above about Souls of Nagasaki apply to this painting as well. I have also donated two pieces in a silent auction fundraiser for LELA during this show. Hope to see you there on the 4th… or you can pop in on Thursday August 1st 6-10pm during the DTLA Art Night (see below).

Currently in Los Angeles Art Association’s Summerstock online exhibit is my painting In the Pond. Proud to be in this show with such amazing work by all the artists. You can find the entire exhibit at https://www.laaa.org/summerstock until July 19th.

Downtown L.A. Art Night Thursday August 1st 6-10pm where more than 25 galleries open their doors on the first Thursday of each month for an evening of gallery-hopping, food & music. My three pieces Melange, Olivia and Martina will appear for the entire month of August at the Emerging Artists Gallery 125 W. 4th Street #102, 90014. This gallery is the recommended starting point for the Thursday evening gallery walk, close to parking and where a map is available for the galleries participating on this particular night, as well where to find eateries and drinks along the way.

Pattern & Design, juried and curated by Kristine Schomaker, where my piece Olivia was part of the quilt of art that Kristine imagined and curated in her small and mighty gallery. The show recently ended, but I’m including here all three pieces of the painting-collages I created as companions. Olivia was the one that made the cut for the show… she’s back home with me now hanging with her partners – and soon all three will be in downtown Los Angeles!

Thank you all so much for your continued support and encouragement as I continue my art journey.

Please visit my newly updated website www.SusanDukowArt.com and stay tuned for more news coming directly from my site – as this first one comes to you now.

Love,

Susan

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