Drawing of Amelia Earhart sitting on her plane at Oakland, California after her solo flight from Hawaii in 1935 by KBS student Autumn Stever, aged 14

So far this season in the young artist division, only girls have signed up for art classes at KBS (Kristy Bishop Studio.) Amazing – since our first show will be at the Kingston-Ulster Airport on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 9 am – 1 pm. Our young girls may be “daring” and one day, become pilots like Amelia; but for now, they will get a free ride in an airplane over our beautiful Hudson Valley. All nine girls will have two drawings of airplanes on exhibit in the Richmor Aviation’s Pilot Lounge: Stella Kamrass (8), Cassidi Vedder (9), Sage Fanelli (10), Sydney Henson (10), Sophia Kamrass (11) Anna Sweeney (11), Etoli Steinlage (11), Kyla Misasi (12) and Autumn Stever (14). The following adults will have paintings on display: Agnes Barber, Ruth Bach-Dhondy, Donna Newkirk, Teresa Herzog and Instructor, Kristy Bishop.

During the 1920’s and 1930’s, Amelia Earhart was the most famous woman aviator. One line in her poem reads, “Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.” I suppose we could say that about being an artist, too. I am thrilled that several girls are flocking to my studio to learn about art with courage and curiosity.

Amelia was all for women making a mark in history when she said…”…with these activities [ ex. first woman to cross the Atlantic twice by air] came opportunity to know women everywhere who shared my conviction that there is so much women can do in the modern world and should be permitted to do irrespective of their sex. Probably my greatest satisfaction was to indicate by example now and then, that women can sometimes do things themselves if given the chance.” While earning several awards, Earhart was named “Outstanding American Woman of the Year” in 1932.

I must say that she inspired me to take a flying lesson back in the year 2000 at River Aviation. In the beginning Amelia flew by sight and of course, that is what I wanted to do as an artist. As I was watching the horizon from the single engine, two-seater Cessna 152 II my instructor, Drew Marian informed me that we were descending and that I should keep my eyes on the instrument panel. At the speed of 110 m.p.h. – dials were the last thing that I wanted to watch!

I continued to hire flights for aerial photographs from which I would paint beautiful scenes of the Hudson Valley. I didn’t have the time nor money to continue with flying lessons, but I thoroughly enjoyed being a passenger with a camera.

I would like to thank EEA Young Eagles for the opportunity of free flights for children ages 8 – 17 on 10/5 and Richmor Aviation.  This is a wonderful opportunity for all children to exercise their imaginations and creativity at the altitude 3000 feet above sea level. Bring your cameras! Location- location-location: Kingston-Ulster Airport, 1161 Flatbush Road, Kingston, NY   (Phone: 845-336-8401) See you there!

“You will know by your happiness,” Mother Teresa was told when she asked the question of what, where, why and when concerning her major decisions in life. Profound joy of the heart is like a magnet in finding our “calling” or the right path for us to take.

We all have fleeting joy over certain aspects of our lives, but the enduring type of real joy will stay with us when we are doing something very worthwhile and purposeful. This is how I feel about teaching art at KBS, whether we are indoor or outdoor.

The children, (L-R) Stella Kamrass, aged 8, Cassidi Vedder, 9 and Sage Fanelli, 10 enjoyed our outing to the park and the creation of their paintings (in progress) on pre-treated canvases with black gesso while I demonstrated “step-by-step” with acrylic paint. The Chrysanthemums were in full bloom – ready for the “Mum Festival” art show this Sunday, Oct. 5 – noon – 5 pm. Their vibrant colors beckon us to paint them, even though we will be displaying drawings at the show (weather permitting.)

Painting “en plein-air” is a discipline that requires focus and adherence to the general rules of painting .  On that hot afternoon, the girls experienced a light shower from the sprinkler system during a break from the regimen.  Other times, they may play tag on the lawn. It is a balancing act to keep very young artists interested in the process of creation which is a journey…not a destination. Every step of the way needs to be fun!

My adult students and I painted “en plein-air” (outdoors) morning, noon and night – all through the spring and summer of 2014. We look forward to what the autumn season will provide for us in the manner of color and scope.

In a article written by Kelly Compton “Highlighting Women Artists” in Fine Art Connoisseur October 2014 issue, we read “Until the 1960’s, society expected most women who were trained professionally in the visual arts to teach, rather than to exhibit actively. Those who did successfully pursue a public career often started out with an independent income or privileged access to the system.”

According to a recent poll, 51% of American visual artists are women, yet only 5% of the artworks on view in this country’s museums are made by women.

Those of us who are “called” to paint, do it no matter what the circumstances are. The joy that results during the process cannot be described with words. Some of us use every bit of time and effort to develop the talent that we have been given by God. If it came down to a choice between “eating out” or buying art supplies and art lessons – the latter would always win.

Ruth Bach-Dhondy, who just celebrated her 70th birthday, does not need to make such choices. Her supportive husband Noshir understands the importance of his wife’s desire to create. He makes sure that she has everything that she needs and more. She has and does it all and I am very happy for this woman whom I have adopted as my “sister.”

We both grew up on farms; yet, Ruth continues to live on the farm on which she was raised. In front of the Bach-Dhondy home lies flat land where the horses can graze. Hay fields border the pastures. Rising abruptly behind the homestead is a giant range of mountains – part of the Catskills.  This type of farmland was not possible where I was raised in northern Maine. In Aroostook County, the land was flat with a few rolling hills. The contrast in land was what I first fell in love with after moving to Ulster County, New York in 1973.

Ruth doesn’t take the beauty of the land surrounding her for granted. She is often portraying it on canvas for the pleasure of everyone. Ruth has won many awards over the years.  Most recently, she won “Best of Show” at our KBS 24th Annual Art Show in May 2014 ( Art Judge: Carol Davis.)  She won “Grand Prize”  (Art Judge: Douglas James McGuire) at the Columbia-Greene Community College KBS art show in September 2013 with a scene that she painted of her property in winter. She said she did not have to look at it (paint it – en plein-air) …her memory has that scene recorded photographically in her mind.

Ruth is pictured here painting a scene in Teresa Herzog’s backyard one evening this summer…

It is like a melody which gets played over and over again – its tantalizing effect captures our hearts and minds. I remember Ruth’s award-winning paintings in my mind as I listen to the music of the nearby mountains.