Body and Soul A Jazz (and Life) Tapestry Paintings by Jeanie Dooha Opening Reception: Friday, April 5 at 5:00 p.m. Exhibit remains through April 28, 2013 Elaine Jacob Foyer Gualala Arts Center

One night in dream state Jeanie ventured into a small hall where John Coltrane was on stage performing for her... sacred moment. Being steeped in the arts is a Love Supreme.

... Cometh Bird and Miles and Getz / Gilberto with their Girl from Ipanema. Entranced. This Girl from Brooklyn / Chicago / Madison and the Bay Area dancing through her days, weaving through threads of her studies in anthropology, art, art therapy, social work, guitar, piano and Afro Cuban percussion... And travels, ever in love with the diverse beautiful people of the Earth.

And mothering two sons, the firstborn emerging to Keith Jarrett's "Journey Home."

"You must make choices in order to work on and be good at the art you most desire," said her papa. "I want to do it all," said the young writer, musician, artist, and dancer. In a professional career dedicated to teaching and counseling young people, she's been able to integrate all of these disciplines and to inspire, encourage and support her students' creativity.

Her beloved watercolour process mirrors the dance of Jeanie's life. Loving the interplay of both the charted and the unexpected movements in her journey and in her painting, she then must respond and reshape at any given moment.

When the music calls - sometimes soothing, other times stimulating, perplexing, illuminating - the artist responds to that call! She breathes life into visual representations of what her mind, soul, body wish to convey. Her art is an invitation to the dance, to the jam, to the conversation - or time for quiet reflection; a call hoping to elicit a response.

The call and then the response. Energy pulses through her body, hand throbbing. Voice within (sometimes from outside) shouts, "draw it out, paint it out, shape it out on canvas, on paper, through wood, yarn, material, shells, wire, glass and beads. " Body dancing all the while; head bursting with melodies and beats; weaving / sculpting a rich, multi faceted, meaningful life.

The Gualala Arts Center, located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, CA,
is open weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and weekends from noon to 4:00 p.m.
Please call (707) 884-1138 for more information, or email info@gualalaarts.org.

Serving the coastal communities of northern Sonoma & southern Mendocino Counties.