"Walk Not Run" - James Levy and the Blood Red Rose featuring Allison Pierce

These guys make gorgeous music that inspires me.

Slush Pile Magazine Featured Artist

I'm honored to be the featured artist in Slush Pile Magazine: Issue Twelve.

I paint your dreams

I am thrilled to announce I'm accepting commissions for portrait paintings. Email me at laurabaran@gmail.com.

I can paint a traditional portrait for you, based on a photograph, that is representational and beautiful.
I can also paint your dreams.

I painted my dream of being in a loving, soulful, fun, romantic relationship. I found a photo by Yvan Rodic and with his permission I used it to inspire a beautiful painting, 42 x 42 inches, oil on canvas.

My intention was to create a gorgeous large piece of art for myself that would generate positive feelings when I looked at it and get me in that magical space where love could appear. For the main color I used a warm hot pink-red, the color of love and passion. I love the sparkles in the girl's dress, the girl represents me. I painted her wearing my favorite shoes, Jeffrey Campbell's Lita boots. The awesome thing is, I started working on this piece, drawing it out on the canvas, about a week or two before I actually met my boyfriend. So then I asked my boyfriend to sit for me as the man in the painting.

Let's create these types of paintings for you. I'll paint your dreams and it can generate all kinds of magic, or at the very least a beautiful work of art that makes you feel good. Email me at laurabaran@gmail.com.

Louise Hay: Changing Minds, Changing Lives

I love Louise Hay. Her books and teachings have absolutely changed my life dramatically for the better. She inspired me to create Arts & Dreams and share the very simple idea of loving who you are with kids. People like Louise inspire hope and trust in me. I believe the world is filled with others like her. We can find them, or even be one. Who inspires you?

Interview on The Whirling Blog

I was interviewed by my artist friend Gene Manuel for his beautiful site, The Whirling Blog.
I went deep with my sharing about art, love, life and the other side of suffering. The interview is here.

The Dance Move for 2012!!

For those of you who want to celebrate the new year with a dance for the future, follow these simple steps: out with the old, in with the new. Celebrate 2012!

A masterpiece by my former teacher and mentor, Kam Mak

Jane Bixby by Kam Mak

Kam Mak is a hugely talented painter. Everything I know about painting I learned in Kam's classes. I used to gape at his work. It is breathtakingly delicate and full of color and feeling. He is also a thoughtful, generous and wonderful person. In 2003, he submitted a painting I made to the Society of Illustrators student scholarship competition, months after I painted it and without my knowledge. The painting won a couple awards. One was a scholarship to study at the Illustration Academy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Kam believed in me as an artist, which inspired me to work hard and changed my life. See more of Kam Mak's work on his website.

Billy On The Street

I hope they post his episodes online for those of us who don't get Fuse.

Self portrait 12-12-11

Robyn

Homeless Family Occupies Foreclosed Home in Brooklyn

You can go back

I went back to Succasunna, New Jersey, to the house where I grew up.

It was the peak of Fall. The street was peaceful and beautiful.

James Levy & The Blood Red Rose, featuring Allison Pierce

We painted a library

PS 130 X in the Bronx opened their new library this month. The teacher responsible for the library picked out the first lines from some popular children's books. Raquel, Wendy and I painted them on the walls.

I wish every child who visits the library the same unbounded inspiration I experience in libraries and books.

Chauncey Jacks - "Basement"

Meanwhile, down at Occupy Wall Street

We brought Arts & Dreams to OWS with the help of James Rose and the Arts & Culture Guild. We wanted to give anyone there a chance to express themselves, to feel good about themselves, and to depict their visions of a positive outcome. They made art that makes them feel empowered and inspired. Turns out that some schools were out for election day so we met a lot of kids and their parents. It was an honor and so much fun. And amazingly, after planning and attending OWS meetings, this came together on November 8th which was the 11th anniversary of my brother Jeff's suicide. A beautiful tribute show of love for Jeff.

 Photos © Patricia Geremia

Later that day, David Crosby and Graham Nash played some songs in the park. I agree with what David Crosby said on Olbermann abut it: "I felt fantastic. I felt like I was doing my job." 

Sunday funday - Oct 23

Yes! Arts & Dreams is teaming up with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention again with a workshop at the New York City Walk this Sunday.

I created Arts & Dreams to heal and serve people by helping them learn how to love themselves using their natural creativity. I am honored to partner with AFSP again!

Join us on October 23, 2011 to prevent hopelessness by uplifting spirits. Arts & Dreams uses art-making to grow self-love, positivity and hope. No art experience necessary. We want to empower you to lead joyful and successful lives. And we're going to have fun doing it. 

Where:

Cadman Plaza Park (click the link for Google map) Brooklyn, New York

Starts: 10/23/2011 @ 3:00 pm
Ends: 5:00 pm

Arts & Dreams Empowering Art Workshop: 
2pm - 3pm

Walk Registration:
2pm - 3pm

Opening Ceremony:
2:45pm - 3pm

Walk begins at 3pm

Subway Directions:

A, C to High Street - 2,3 to Clark Street - N, R to Court Street - F to York Street. Since it is a Sunday, be sure to check mta.info

The Out of the Darkness Community Walks are 3-5 mile walks taking place in over 200 communities across the country this year, with the proceeds benefiting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). By walking in the Out of the Darkness Community Walks, you will be walking with thousands of other walkers nationwide to raise money for AFSP's vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide and provide support for survivors of suicide loss. In deciding to walk you are taking us a step closer to making suicide prevention a national priority.  You are welcome to register for the walk here.

Arts & Dreams is proud to support AFSP! We invite you to donate to AFSP.

Chris Hedges in Times Square

Wonderful, informative.

 Occupy TVNY has this interview with Chris Hedges, who, during the major global protests on Saturday, compared Occupy Wall Street to the other movements he’s covered around the world, from Eastern Europe to the Middle East. source: Truthdig

Today's self portrait:

oil pastels on watercolor paper

Get Your Wellness On

I'm in this video, talking about Jeff Baran, my brother who died 11 years ago by jumping off the George Washington Bridge, and how I heal negative thoughts by making art. This event was a joy. It was organized by the Founder of Get Your Wellness On, Esmeralda Signore Williamson-Noble, in cooperation with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I wrote more about it here.

Crooked Fingers: "Bad Blood"

Crooked Fingers: "Bad Blood"

Alex Katz at Gavin Brown's enterprise