Eleatta Diver: DurhamOriginal art and custom paintings by Eleatta Diver

Showing posts with label Durham. Show all posts

April 11, 2013

Interpreting health

Thursday, April 11, 2013 Unknown No comments

Last year, MaryAnn Black, one of the participants of Durham Dreams, invited me to be a graphic (visual recorder for the annual Durham Health Summit with approximately 600 in attendance.

Translating dozens of ideas on ways to create health in Durham filled six flip charts! (Doodling for a whole day is my idea of a fun! ) The Summit concluded with my next assignment intact. I was commissioned to "interpret the jest of the conference" into a piece of fine art which could be publicly displayed.

Graphic Recording during the 11th Annual Duke Health Summit

This was quite a challenge!

Syncing the multitude of topics discussed at the Summit into a cohesive and "readable" painting took someincubating! After pages of sketchbook entries, the final succinct concept was this:

Express a happy, healthy community benefiting from the monumental contributions of Duke University Health System.

The visual translation was to be doctors, nurses and patients joyously celebrating health. My goal was to convey this simple message: health enables possibilites.

The Summit's theme, "Weaving Durham’s Tapestries, Moving the Needle on Health" was to be portrayed by placing the happy, raucous group delightedly jumping on a parchwork "Duke Blue quilt (complete with Duke logos, of course!)

Here are a few pics of the development of the painting. I'm almost finished....I'll add face detail, shadows, highlights along with quilt logos. The blue I've used here is just the "under painting". I will, of course, add the mandatory Duke blue!!!!

As I complete facial features, great consideration will be given to represent the wide variety of ethnicities to reflect Durham's diverse population.

Stay tuned. I'll share more photos soon. I expect to be completed with the painting within a week!

Those of you who either email me or message me on Facebook, thanks so much for your continued encouragement! And...if you are not yet following The Art of Eleatta Diver, you're heartily invited!

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Posted in: Available Art, Duke Health, Durham

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The Big Idea

Thursday, March 14, 2013 Unknown 1 comment

Graphic Recording at the 11th Annual Duke Health Summit

I love working in a large format. Actually, I crave it. I confess a secret obsession with longing to fill large blank walls with color.

Faced with the challenge of interpreting the spirit of last year's Health Summit, I instinctively turned to LARGE as the chosen vehicle.

Beginning underpainting

Working on figures

I've decided to call the finished piece, "Joyful Health." It's quite a colorful composition depicting a community's relational response to a successful health care system. Doctors, nurses, health practitioners and patients literally jump for joy. It's intended to be a celebration of health. The work dances with color and line and commands a presence, filling an 8' x 4' framework.

In synthesizing the topic of the 2012 Summitt, "Weaving Durham’s Tapestries, Moving the Needle on Health." The painting captures a moment in time in which the objectives of improving the health of our community have been reached!

Symbolically incorporating the analogy of weaving together efforts that are aimed at the common causes of illness in our community, I've depicted a woven quilt on which health care providers and patients joyfully frolic. The patchwork quilt serves a dual visual purpose. It not only represents cooperative efforts, but also warmth, security and comfort.

The completed piece will be making a 'guest appearance" at the 12th Annual Duke/Durham Health Summit.

that's coming up in just a few days! It's been such an honor...and adventure to create this commission.

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Life Lessons: Hidden Truths Found in Art Parties!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013 Unknown No comments

The greatest life lessons are rarely openly expounded. Usually they are cloaked, disguised and tucked under circumstances and opportunities. Rarely do they shout, "Hey, this is really valuable stuff, Fella,! Listen up."

I've found a few of these "life lessons" even lurking in my Art Parties! I didn't go searching for them. They actually crawled out and found me! Since launching Art Parties by Eleatta , about a year ago, I've been collecting and saving these little bits of truth to share with you! Here, I've lined 5 of them up for your parusal. They're in no particular order. Just enjoy! ...and let me know if you'd like to come observe them in person at an Art Party!

- Every day is a blank canvas.
Each time we rise from bed, we have a brand new opportunity to create the color, line, theme and texture of that day. It's a new day; it's a fresh start.

- Mistakes are fixable
Most of our goofs can be wiped, fixed, altered, repaired, forgiven or forgotten. Painting is a constant reminder that Mama was right, "Don't cry over spilt milk." If there's a spot or blotch where it shouldn't be, don't panic, just paint over it!

- Lighten up
Don't take yourself too seriously. Relax and enjoy the ride. Studies show that when we try new things, we feel more "alive."Five year olds never need to be coddled into enjoying time at an easel.

- Life is a journey
Life is a process. As the paint is layered onto the canvas, step-by-step, I remind the guests to embrace the process. In a day of uploads, downloads, copy and paste, the slower pace is welcome relief.

- Be confident
Outlook and perspective can make or break a man or woman. My observation during Art Parties is that it is the mindset which is brought to the easel that determines the outcome of a painting much more than the "skill" of the party guest.
“As is our confidence, so is our capacity.” — William Hazlitt

These are the first little group of hidden truths from the Art Party room. I'll be sharing more soon. What do you think of these? Are you the type that views flubs and goofs as easily repaired or do you tend to 'sweat the small stuff?" Is it easy for you to remember every day is a blank canvas? I remind myself often of the ancient promise, "God's mercies are new every morning."

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Healthy and Happy

Tuesday, January 08, 2013 Unknown No comments

Recently, someone asked me "What do you think about when you paint? Simply put, I interpret ideas...This can lead down some really diverse rabit holes, but it's a lot of fun! From inspirational thoughts about excitement and joy:

"Celebrate" 5x7 original oil pastel $35

...to thoughts on the lonely but brave path of choosing a different life-course :

"I'll Just Go This Way" original 5x7 oil pastel $35

Several months ago, MaryAnn Black, one of the participants of Durham Dreams, invited me to be a graphic (visual recorder for the annual Durham Health Summit with approximately 600 in attendance.

Graphic Recording during the 11th Annual Duke Health Summit

This was quite a challenge!

Syncing the multitude of topics discussed at the Summit into a cohesive and "readable" painting took some incubating! After pages of sketchbook entries, the final succinct concept was this:

Express a happy, healthy community benefiting from the monumental contributions of Duke University Health System.

The visual translation was to be doctors, nurses and patients joyously celebrating health. My goal was to convey this simple message: health enables possibilites.

As I complete facial features, great consideration will be given to represent the wide variety of ethnicities to reflect Durham's diverse population.

Friends and Freebies!

Thursday, September 27, 2012 Unknown No comments

Friend "therapy"!

Spending time with friends is one of life's simple pleasures. In our busy lives, however, it's necessary to intentionaly carve out time to do so!

I've been delighted to see so many groups of friends use Art Parties as a creative time to reconnect. There have been Mom's groups, birthday celebrations, grad students, office mate gatherings, book clubs all laughing and enjoying a different sort of "ladies night out."

I don't know which is more beautiful, these paintings or these smiles!

Art Parties have also been filled with multiple date nights, with groups of 6 couples painting the night away!

Group date night!

Fall is nudging forward! Somehow I always associate cooler weather with catching up with friends over coffee or tea. So, I've been busy planning a some awesome Art Party specials that will make "friend time" even more memorable. Here are the Specials for September and October :

Returning guests: Freebies! Returning party guests receive a complementary seat when they schedule a party with a minimum of 5 new friends. (As always I can accomodate up to 12 guests.) Simply register here with your details.

And for those who have been WANTING to book a party, NOW is the time!

First time party: First time Art Party planners get a great deal in September and October. As an introductory offer, you may be a group coordinator and come for only $20 when you gather 5 friends to come along ($25 each). Beverages (wine or juice), cheese, crackers and chocolates are included, along with all art supplies needed.

Party Details! Here is where you can find out all you'd like to know about planning a party.Art Party FAQ

As always, parties come complete with hors d'ouerves, cheese, cocolates and wine (if desired.)

Art Party reservations can be made by leaving your info and contact details here.

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Fresh Paint

Thursday, September 13, 2012 Unknown No comments

Huddling up in my studio in the evenings for these last few weeks, I find myself still painting "birth flowers" in my ongoing Celebrating Life series. I've found poppies to bequite a "best seller!"Besides being bright and cheerful, the poppy packs a powerful message. During the Victorian era, it whispered a secret message, "Love at First Sight."Here's my latest rendition, below.

Being stumped for a title, I posted a querry on facebook. As always, help came in about 60 seconds. A friend nailed it with, "Poppy Promenade."Love it!

"Poppy Promenade" by Eleatta (c)18x24"acrylic 2012 Available:$225 plus shipping
eleattadiver@eleatta.com

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A Different Sort of Painting

Thursday, September 13, 2012 Unknown No comments

Over the past couple of weeks I've been volunteering my "painting time" to give a "face lift" to a local community learning center. It's been such a privilege to link arms with like minded volunteers who are dedicated to doing their part in helping to create a better learning environment for at-risk kids.

The Youth Life Center, since beginning in 1996, has impacted the lives of many children and has garnered genuine applause from the community.

"Seeing a program like this and hearing the stories of how it has changed the lives of the young families was like a light bulb turning on for me. 'This is it,' I thought to myself, 'this is how we break the decay, despair and danger." It's a win-win program for Durham."

- Melinda Stubbee, Staff Writer
Durham Herald-Sun

The Youth Life Foundation of the Triangle is an Outreach Program of Kings Park

International Church in Durham, North Carolina. The program started as a community

based summer reading program located in the predominately African-American

Cornwallis Road public housing community.

Georgina Hill, the new director for the Life Center, explains her passion as a desire is to enhance the existing educational enrichment of the center by creating a beautiful space that engages children's senses. She wants children to walk into the Center and see, feel, smell, touch and taste HOPE.

As one who is completely convinced of the power our surroundings have on us, I eagerly jumped on board to help strip, clean. prep and prime walls. The official paint crew is currently picking up where we primers left off and I can't wait to see the final results! I'll post finished pics soon. Here's just a few from our two weeks of cleaning and priming.