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About My Healing Garden Series at the “Artistic Bonds” Art Exhibition

7/14/2025

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I am excited to exhibit, for the first time, my new series “Healing Garden” at the Chesapeake Framing Company in Kensington, MD, during the month of July 2025. Together with my three students, Rose, Ruth, and Blu, you are invited to enjoy a lovely variety of artworks.
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What is “Healing Garden”? Paintings in this series are done in acrylics on different surfaces (Yupo, watercolor paper, canvas, black cardboard) and are on ode to gardens. A broad topic, one could say, that started with a particular garden: that of my grandmother’s in Prague, Czech Republic. I grew up in a multi-generational home and my grandmother’s garden, adjacent to the house, was the perfect place to spend my childhood. Freshly grown fruits and vegetables filled up my belly and lovely flowers filled up vases around the house. Afternoon naps under a walnut tree, games of hide and seek with my brother and cousins, dirt on fingers that snapped strawberries my grandparents claimed were not ready for picking. The list could go on. This garden, as inspiration for my artwork, has quickly metamorphosed into any and all gardens and spots in nature that bring about a sense of joy and safety. Friends now send me photos of flowers from a local farmer’s market with notes on how much joy these bring to them. Others share images from their gardens: showing off their hard work and years in the making. We all, it seems to me, seek spaces of beauty and respite.  
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 Now that you know about the garden, let’s look at the healing part of the series title. With twists and turns in my personal life and what is going on in our world, I am creating this series to heal whatever may be healed: to journey through thoughts and hurts and joys and to keep living in a more conscious way. I focus on nature as it fills me up with hope and excitement. I focus on healing because it is crucial for a healthier way of living. I create and think of my grandmother, family, friends, and loved ones. I open space for processing of my inner life and I always, upon finishing each Healing Garden artwork, come out stronger and with a gentler heart. No matter what your story is, we can find ways to each other through beauty and pausing to heal.

The Healing Garden series looks different from my other artworks (check out my Visual Insights into Life’s Beauty and Embodiment Series): these new works can be achieved only through a slow and detail-oriented process. I reference photos and capture generic floral shapes and filling them up with bright colors and then adding lines and circles and more flowers. I am not entirely sure where this style came from. A combination of visual sights? Hand-painted eggs, Moroccan tiles, abstract art, Art Nouveau architecture in Prague, and many more things imprinted themselves in my brain. I am also playing with sizes and shapes: some paintings are on Yupo, others live on a large round canvas.
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I hope you enjoy “Artistic Bonds” at the Chesapeake Framing Company in Kensington, MD. Tuesday through Sunday, 10am to 6pm. July 1-31, 2025. Come see the artworks!
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Art Instructor’s Thoughts: Showing Art with and By My Students

7/7/2025

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I am proud to be showing my artworks with my students in “Artistic Bonds” at the Chesapeake Framing Company in Kensington, MD, during the month of July 2025. I have been fortunate to lead art workshops at the Ring House in Rockville, MD, for years. And thus, for years, I have had the pleasure of spending time with Rose, Ruth, and Blu. These women inspire me: their life experiences, gumption for life, and love of creating. I am deeply moved by their knowing me and trusting me. While we work diligently during our art workshops, we always find time to share personal stories. Moments from our lives, thoughts on living a good life, and navigating life’s ups and down, fill up the time.
As art educator, I bring a combination of art history and technique to my students. I love researching lives of artists (past and current) and sharing my findings. What does a workshop at the Ring House look like? We start by looking at images of artworks – these may be by the same painter or they may be on a topic several artists have engaged in. For instance, we have looked at intimate portraits of women by Berthe Morisot and studied how a variety of painters capture pears (indeed, many did). We then grab our tools – watercolors or acrylics – and select a work as inspiration. The workshops are not about copying an existing artwork. They are about learning what made a particular artist interesting and using the theme to bring out own unique skills. Some students merge the inspirations, others form a brand new idea. We work quietly at time; we laugh at others. The hour and a half together brings us closer together as creators and as human beings. There is much vulnerability and strength to be creating in a group.  

Artists (from left): Rose Grossman, Ruth Birnbaum, Charlotte Blu Berman
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Who are Rose, Ruth, and Blu? While age does not matter, it is of note: Rose is 101, Ruth is 92, and Blu is 96. Hence, they are all at least double my age. If they mention they learn from me, let’s just be hones: I learn much more from them. They mark their daily activities calendars and often beat me to the art room awaiting the next topic eagerly asking: what are we working on today? While Rose often jokes that she likes to “patchke”, these workshops are taken seriously. There is no lowering of stardards as one ages, there is eagerness to create well and beautifully. Rose, Ruth, and Blu ask questions: often putting my level of researching to shame. They want quality in all respects.
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Over the years, they have developed unique styles. Rose works in watercolors with lightness and in soft colors. Her artworks carry a subtle sense of humor. When she finishes her painting, she sits back and holds it up admiring her achievement. Blu brings art to life through amazing brushstrokes: I feel like I can see Henri Matisse’s aesthetic in her works. She has a keen sense of space and when her work is completed, she looks up and says: “Well, thank you for today.” It’s lunch time and she goes off to her next activity. Ruth, who prefers working in acrylics, is a meticulously attentive artist: she looks deeply at her inspiration, sketches with attention to detail, and then she delves into bright and intense colors. When she asks: “when will we see you next?” I smile: what could be a better compliment?  
Ruth Birnbaum (b. 1933, Haifa, Israel) grew up with an artist father and was always surrounded by art.  In the 1960s, she moved with her family to the U.S. where she went back to school and got a doctorate in Jewish studies. Family, work, and other matters stopped her from creating for a bit but she started painting again upon retirement. She has lived at the Ring House for 7 years: she brought along her own desk to work at and to have “her corner.” She find art to be the best vehicle for emotional relief, thus a unique expression of feelings. She paints a variety of topics: moments from her travels, photographs from her family, aspects of Jewish life. When times feel hard, she “goes downstairs to the studio and paints.”

Charlotte Blu Berman (b. 1929, New York City, NY) has been doing art work since high school and recently sold one of her paintings at a senior art show at the Bender JCC of Greater Washington. Having lived in New York and Connecticut, she moved to the Ring House 7 years ago. To her, “art is part of her identity. It’s a joy.” Blu is immersed in the art group in addition to being a life-long writer of stories. When asked why she creates, she said “it’s like asking me: why do you breathe?” She enjoys portraiture.
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​Rose Grossman (b. 1923, Cincinnati, OH) fell in love with art in high school and has been an avid art museum goer all of her life. While busy with life and her nursing career, she tested out a variety of media: pottery, collage, paper beading (jewelry), embroidery – the list could go on. She lived in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida, and moved to the Ring House 18 years ago. She loves to create – or as she labels it: she “loves to patchke. It’s a joyous expression.”
As people, we hold similar values: connection to family, curiosity about the world around us, and unwavering belief that creating art is essential to quality life. We all come from different backgrounds, yet our conversations have brought us together. Rose, Ruth, and Blu have lead lives that would make for wonderful books, and what’s more, they keep living in ways that makes these books unfinished and thus endlessly interesting.
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I hope you enjoy our art exhibition “Artistic Bonds” at the Chesapeake Framing Company in Kensington, MD. Tuesday through Sunday, 10am to 6pm. Come see our works, ask questions, and meet these fascinating women!
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Blooming Flowers: Enjoy This Virtual Exhibition

6/19/2025

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In March 2025, I taught a workshop at the IDB Art Club in Bethesda, MD. Enjoy this wonderful online art exhibition of the completed works! 
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Blooming Flowers is a virtual exhibition that blossomed from the power of connection: women from diverse cultural backgrounds, age groups, and life paths, united by the gesture of art and the desire to create in community.
Born in springtime — a season of renewal, blooming, and gentleness — this exhibit began as an experiment inspired by the workshop  3D Flower in Watercolor, led by artist Martina Sestakova. The initial goal was to create pop-up flowers using watercolor techniques, but what bloomed was much more: a shared garden of memories, exchanges, textures, and affections.
Through gatherings of our Art Club, and also in personal moments of reflection and creation — especially during Spring Break and Washington D.C.’s Cherry Blossom season — the artworks began to multiply like seeds carried by the wind. Inspiration came from the streets and landscapes of the city and the suburbs of Maryland and Virginia, from the soft rain and pollen in the air, from the pastel tones of the season mixed with the vibrant contrasts of personal histories.
We explored a wide range of resources: watercolor pads, watercolor pencils, tubes, folded/smashed paper, and collage. Each artist brought her own language and sensitivity, creating a diverse and layered visual ensemble — like a truly blooming field.
At the end of the process, part of the artworks was turned into a collaborative panel that became the backdrop for the Mother’s Day Photo Corner — a symbolic gesture that unites beauty, affection, and creation.
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Coming Up: "Artistic Bonds"at Chesapeake Framing Company

6/16/2025

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Exhibition: “Artistic Bonds” (July 1 through July 31, 2025)
Having worked together for years at the art studio at the Ring House in Rockville, MD, Martina, Ruth, Blu, and Rose, present “Artistic Bonds”. Enjoy a selection of their artworks that celebrate their creative time, love of art history, and joy they find in each others’ company. Through their varying life experiences, backgrounds, and ages (44-101), these women show the unifying quality of curiosity and artistic expression at the Chesapeake Framing Company in Kensington, MD.  
Artists: Martina Sestakova, Ruth Birnbaum, Charlotte Blu Berman, Rose Grossman
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 When?
July 1 through July 31, 2025

Where?
 The Chesapeake Framing Company
10507 Metropolitan Ave, Kensington, MD 20895
Opening hours: Monday through Saturday - 10am- 6pm; Sunday - Closed
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Art Workshops in October and NOvember 2025

6/14/2025

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Tuesday, Oct 14 at 2 pm - Self-Discovery in Collage: You As Landscape
Join art educator Martina Sestakova for a workshop, during which you will be guided to create a paper collage of a landscape that reflects who you are at this stage of your life. As humans, we seek safe and joyful spaces and you get to assemble one in magazine cutouts on a 9”x12” board. No experience needed; all skill levels welcome. All supplies provided. OASIS in Bethesda, MD.

Tuesday, Nov 18 at 2 pm - Self-Discovery in Collage: You As Archetype
Join art educator Martina Sestakova for a workshop, during which you will be guided to create a paper collage of a being that showcases what makes you a unique self. You get to assemble a collage in magazine cutouts on a 9”x12” board. No experience needed; all skill levels welcome. All supplies provided. OASIS in Bethesda, MD.
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This Healing Garden Was Entirely Created Outdoors

6/13/2025

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An avid nature lover, I am fortunate to spend time outdoors in parks, near brooks, deep in the woods, or on beaches. This new Healing Garden #28 was created outdoors: from the first sketch or the last brushstroke. A recent camping trip took me to the Savage River State Forest and staying at a camp site turned out to be the perfect inspiration for another artwork. I was sitting with a blank canvas on my knees thinking of inspiration. I looked up at the nearby creek and took into boulders pushing away rushing water, trunks laying across the water, waterfall bubbling in the background, and trees growing towards the sky. I had my inspiration right there and then.
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It’s so lovely to create surrounded by beauty, without deadlines and having to be anywhere. This painting is filled with sounds of the creek and chirping of birds. It is filled with bright afternoon light and the dimming that occurs with the day coming to an end. It is filed with reflections: those of trees in the water and those of sunlight in the leaves. Everything is interconnected in nature as it is in my painting. Colors bounce of each other, creating both contrast and harmony. What a pleasure it was to work on this Healing Garden. Enjoy!
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Before and After in My Healing Garden Series

6/9/2025

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In my "Healing Garden” series, I create vibrant abstracted floral compositions as an ode to a garden: a symbol of joy, awe, and safety. I recall moments in my childhood that I spent in my grandmother's garden in Prague and draw on the memories of beauty to combine bright colors with extensive marks and patterns.

Here are several examples of the starting point (a photograph) and the end point (my artwork!). Shop the collection HERE. 
Enjoy!
Healing Garden #13
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Healing Garden #14
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Healing Garden #15
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Healing Garden #18
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An Ode to Family: A Gift of to My Brother, His Wife, AND Kids

6/2/2025

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As I am leaving my hometown of Prague after a 3-week visit, I am grateful for all of these wonderful family moments. My brother has a lovely family and my sister-in-law is like a sister to me. They hosted me at their home and I spent such fun times with my niece and nephew. As a reminder of their hospitality and my joy, I created my biggest work in the Healing Series yet (#20). 

To make it a meaningful painting, I took the canvas into their garden and on a sunny day traced shadows of four little scenes: flowers and shrubbery. This process easily filled up the canvas with a variety of interesting shapes and made it really fun for me to delve into colors and textures. Read on to see the final artwork!
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And I had a helper! The family dog patiently watched over me as I added colors into the outlined shapes. We spent an afternoon in the sun and warmth. The work progressed and gave me an opportunity to feel my gratitude, think of the role of my family in my life, and how much I am already looking forward to spending time with then over the summer. 
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And here we go! The work is complete and ready for display in the family home. It is indeed a custom artwork as it reflects their garden and its prospering greenery. It's filled with sunshine and good times and a reminder to be outside and soak up the beauty of nature. Enjoy!
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Interested in commissioning a work of your garden? I am around! Or, check out my paintings in the Healing Series garden on my website HERE. 
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Your RADOST News Is Out In The World!

6/1/2025

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My newsletter - Your RADOST News - goes out on the 1st day of each month. Want to receive your electronic copy? Sign up on my website or send me an email and I will add you to the mailing list. Thanks for all of your support of my work!
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The Beauty of a Botanical Garden in Prague

5/20/2025

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I am from Prague and visiting the city is always just such a treat. I love history and architecture and let's just say, this city overflows with both. But, I also love nature, and a recent visit to the Botanical Gardens with my nephew and niece was amazing! One of the best botanical gardens I have ever visited, it inspired this artwork. I snapped a photo of water lilies and turned into into a colorful Healing Garden #14 piece in acrylics on canvas. What do you think? Let me know! 
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New Artwork: New York City Getaway and Its Flowery Outcome

5/5/2025

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My Healing Garden series focuses on gardens as symbols of joy and safety. Having grown up in a wonderful garden in Prague, I pay close attention to flowers and how much beauty they bring into our lives. On a recent trip to New York City, my friend and I enjoyed visiting art museums and eating yummy food, but, of course, I had to snap photos of stunning bouquets in flowers shops. This Healing Garden (#9) artwork is inspired by one of my photos. Enjoy the process: from a sketch, to coloring the background, to a finished painting with intricate patterns. 
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This artwork is available for purchase HERE. Acrylics on watercolor paper. 8x10" matted and framed in white to 11x14". $195. Enjoy!
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Spending Time in My Grandmother's Garden

5/2/2025

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My new series - The Healing Garden - is taking shape. I am delving into colors, textures, and patterns in a new way: referencing flowers and emotionally and mentally transporting myself to my grandmother's garden in Prague (or any other blooming garden that feels both inspiring and safe). In this blog, I am sharing my process: from photo to the finished product. Follow along! 

My cousin who lives in Prague and grew up with me in our grandmother's garden sent me several photos of flowers my grandmother tended to with her own hands. These flowers filled my childhood (and that of my brother and cousins) with colors and beauty. In my art practice, I am not interested in copying reality: rather, I use the shapes and composition to create a new interpretation conveying joy and vibrancy of life. 
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AVAILABLE Acrylic on Yupo, 8x10", $195
I have many memories of my grandfather mowing the lawn in the garden so that my grandmother's flowers could stand out. Running around in bare feet and smelling the blooms and later finding fresh flowers in the house: it's the little things I now cherish. My grandmother would mix flowers and create lovely bouquets for birthdays, celebrations, and everyday life. Below, you can see that I reference the photo for some identifiable shapes. I create a sketch in pencil on Yupo (my favorite medium) and then I work in acrylic markers to build the background. 
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The colors quickly become those of my imagination: I feel no pressure to stick to nature's choices. Rather, I grab a marker and let the colors contrast each other or create a sense of flow. When the background layer is finished, I add an immense amount of marks! It's a slow process but funnily enough, I feel the same way about weeding a garden. Do you, too, have a sense of monumental accomplishment when weeds are gone? And the clear space opens up? Adding of the patterns is so satisfying as I cover the larger color blocks with thin lines in repetitive shapes. It's like weeding but in reverse! 
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Et voila! Here is the finished artwork (8x10"). Hours of work that are healing: focus and quiet and rest throughout the process. I am so grateful to be able to create, to take myself to a safe space inside in my memories, and to bring back to the world a sense of joy and restfulness. What do you think? Let me know: I would love to hear from you. Check out the collection HERE. 
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CLAIMED Acrylic on Yupo, 8x10", $195
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Art Workshops Coming Up In June 2025

4/27/2025

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June 16, 2025 (2-3:30pm) at OASIS in Bethesda, MD (sign up HERE)
Painting with Light, Inspired by Berthe Morisot: Curious about watercolor? Join art educator Martina Sestakova for a fun workshop where you'll create a vibrant watercolor interpretation of a painting by French artist Berthe Morisot. You'll learn the fundamentals of watercolor painting and craft your own unique composition. No prior experience required—everyone is welcome, regardless of skill level. All materials will be provided.
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June 23, 2025 (2-3:30pm) at OASIS in Bethesda, MD (sign up HERE)
Bold & Flowing, Inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe: Curious about watercolor? Join art educator Martina Sestakova for a fun workshop where you'll create a vibrant watercolor interpretation of a painting by American artist Georgia O’Keeffe. You'll learn the fundamentals of watercolor painting and craft your own unique composition. No prior experience required—everyone is welcome, regardless of skill level. All materials will be provided.

Martina Sestakova is a wearable art designer, painter, and art educator, based in Kensington, MD. Martina's creations have been featured at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC and she has led art workshops in the DMV for public and private groups. To learn more about Martina, visit www.radostbymartinasestakova.com.
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New Art Series: Healing Garden

4/26/2025

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A friend recently mentioned that our bodies renew our cells completely every 7 years. Not sure if this relates to one's artistic practice, but here I am with a brand new series. There have been all kinds of developments in my personal and professional life and I can tell you: I am excited! Let me introduce the "Healing Garden" series to you. 

I am known for my abstract watercolors on Yupo. I love working in acrylic inks exploring the power of color, form, and textures through movement on the paper. Hundreds of paintings later, I have a body of work to my name. Yet, one wouldn't really be an artist without exploring new ideas, right? A fellow artist has inspired me to play: grab a piece of paper and see what happens. Well, here we go: these colorful imaginary paintings with hundreds of marks took shape with confidence. I would even say, I am a little surprised how powerfully they came into my life. 
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Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 9x12", $195
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Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 9x12", $195
Introducing flowers and marks into my practice may be coming out of nowhere but there is a story to all of this. I grew up in Prague in a beautiful garden my grandparents tended to. My grandmother, in particular, was a great gardener: her flowers were all over the garden and in vases in every room of the house. My grandmother was a great grandma: I have such vivid memories of her eyes looking at me, asking me to tell her about my day, making tea, sitting down, and truly being there for me. Her arms were always open to all of her grandchildren. She passed away 3 years ago and is dearly missed. But she lives on in my art and Healing Garden is an ode to her green thumb and love for her family. 
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Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 8x10", $195
I am an avid walker (and sometimes a hiker) and snap photos of flowers all over the place. Memories come up so promptly: taking me back to the garden of my childhood but also to feeling safe in the world in gardens and other beautiful places. We all have the need to feel safe and gardens to me are often places of rest and respite. In this blog, I am sharing two examples of how I use a photo as inspiration and turned in into an intricate artwork filed with lines and patterns. Sometimes I reference the overall shape of a flower or just look at the composition of the photo to create a new set up on my paper. 
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Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 8x10", $195
So, now you know about why flowers and gardens. What about the healing part of the name of this series? Gardens are inspiring to me. They are also restful to me: places to pause, to admire flowers and trees, to soak up the colors and aromas of the blooms. In my personal experience of taking care of my mental health, a sense of safety has been a huge theme and I am using these series to further my understanding of life while feeling safe inside in the world. I hope you find energy in these artworks: one that's exciting but also one, that is, indeed healing. 
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What a Lovely Review of My Art Workshop!

3/20/2025

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A wonderful workshop with Martina Sestakova that started with everyone sharing stories of joy and flowers and -- as always -- Martina reading a Mary Oliver poem about flowers that ended, "... 15 minutes of music, with nothing playing." Working with white watercolor paper, roughly torn pieces were curled, crumpled and then glued to a board topped with another white piece of watercolor paper. Once the white-on-white designs were complete, watercolor drips, drops, and strokes added details to the flower collage. Best thing about the workshop: Martina constantly encouraging everyone to remember that art is all about making decisions -- and you as an artist are free to make decisions that delight you without worrying about rules or how others might approach a project. Very joyful and inspiring!
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Decorative Pillow Cover – Rain Drops (A Set of 2)

3/1/2025

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Decorative Pillow Cover – Rain Drops - Turns out there is a world of magic in each rain droplet. After a rain storm not too long ago, I snapped a photo of rain drops resting on top of a table cover. They shimmered against the black surface and I was mesmerized by the texture and volume as I moved closer in with my camera. And then a few computer touches later, here we are with a pillow that celebrates the moment a rain drop has finished its trip from the sky and made our earth even more splendid. Shop HERE.
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UPCOMING PUBLIC ART CLASS: NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED

3/1/2025

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March 4, 2025 (2-3:30pm) at OASIS in Bethesda, MD (register HERE)
3D FLOWER COLLAGE: Do you enjoy flowers and their blooms? Are you intrigued by watercolor? Join Martina Sestakova, art educator, for a workshop, during which you will create a colorful 3D flower collage in watercolors. We will tear out shapes, assemble our flowers, and paint them in a variety of bright colors. You will learn the basics behind watercolors and create a unique floral composition. No experience needed; all skill levels welcome. All supplies provided. 

March 26, 2025
(2-3:30pm) at OASIS in Bethesda, MD (register HERE)
ABSTRACT ART INSPIRED BY MUSIC: Enjoy a relaxing workshop of listening to music and painting with art educator Martina Sestakova. Let’s pause to the music by Mozart, Louis Armstrong, Edith Piaf, and others and use their musical creations for our own intuitive visual explorations. May music’s healing aspects be interpreted as colors, shapes, and energy? Join in and see! You will appreciate the exciting interaction of tunes and watercolors in abstract compositions. No experience needed; all skill levels welcome. All supplies provided. 

Martina Sestakova is a wearable art designer, painter, and art educator, based in Kensington, MD. Martina's creations have been featured at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC and she has led art workshops in the DMV for public and private groups. To learn more about Martina, visit www.radostbymartinasestakova.com.
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SIP & SHOP AT THE RED ORCHARD ON DECEMBER 19

12/17/2024

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You are invited to Red Orchard on December 19! Maria-Elena Lazarte and I will be there. Come out to support local businesses and find fun and meaningful gifts for your loved ones. Plus, there will be yummy bites and cocktail!
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Thanks for Your Support: Past Art Exhibitions

12/6/2024

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Past Exhibitions & Events
​"Joyous Explorations, District Cafe" Kensington, MD, Nov-Dec, 2024
"Exploring Color, Shape, and Texture" 
Goldman Art Gallery, Rockville, MD, Nov-Dec 2024
​In-Person: Abstract Paintings, Slow Down Market, Washington, DC May 2023-May 2024
April 1-30: The Essence of Abstract/Ella Soroori 
* Chesapeake Framing Co, Kensington, MD
Dec 2-3: Juried Art and Craft Fair * Greenbelt, MD
In-Person: Chroma Connections Group Show * Chesapeake Framing Co, Kensington, MD
​Nov 4-5: Autumn Art Show * Private Home in Bethesda, MD
Nov 9-11: Strathmore Museum Holiday Market * Rockville, MD
Oct 21-22: Ch/Art Art Walk * Chevy Chase, MD
​Sep 30: Tenleytown Main Street Art All Night * Washington, DC
​Sept 2-3: Montgomery Art Association Paint the Town Show * Kensington, MD
Sep 10: Takoma Park Folk Festival * Takoma Park, MD
In-person: 10x10" Art Showcase, Knollwood Retirement, Washington, DC Mar 2023
In-person: Celebrating Life's Beauty Solo Chesapeake Framing, Kensington, MD Mar 2023
​In-person: Group Show at OASIS Montgomery Art Association, Rockville, MD Jan-Apr 2023

In-person: "Joyful Life" Brookland Busboys & Poets, Washington, DC Nov 2022-Mar 2023
​In-person: "Peaceful Places" Capitol Hill Art League, Washington, DC Aug 2022-Jan 2023
​In-person: "It's the Little Things" Girls Who Paint, Kensington, MD Dec 2022-Jan 2023

​In-person: "Relief from the Heat" WWCA, Gaithersburg, MD Aug 2022-Jan 2023
​In-person: "Life's Beauty" The Muse, Frederick, MD Nov-Dec 2022
​In-person: "Celebrating Color and Light" MAA, Rockville, MD Nov-Dec 2022

In-person: "Through Mary Oliver's Eyes" Little Gallery, Washington, DC Nov 2022
​In-person: "Fauna and Flora" Washington Water Color Assc, Wheaton, MD Aug-Sep 2022
Online: "The Many Altars" Watercolor DC, Sept 2022
Online: "Pink and Red" Montgomery Art Association, Sep 2022
​​In-person: "Paint the Town Labor Day Show" MAA, Kensington, MD, Sep 2022
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Online: "Stillness" Montgomery Art Association, June 2022
​​​In-person: "All Abstracts" Montgomery Art Association, May/Jun 2022
​Online: "Action" Montgomery Art Association, May 2022
​In-person: "Transitions" Washington Water Color Association, Kensington, MD Apr 2022
Online: "Self-portrait" Montgomery Art Association, Apr 2022
​In-person: "The Nature of Art" MAA at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD, Mar-Apr 2022
​In-person: "Woman's Club 46th Annual Community Art Show" Chevy Chase, MD Apr 2022
​In-person: "Visual Insights into Life" Chesapeake Framing, Kensington, MD Mar 2022
In-person: "MAA at OASIS Art Gallery" Bethesda, MD, Jan-Apr 2022
In-person: "Seasonal Inspirations" MAA at Windridge, Darnestown, MD, Jan-Apr 2022
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Online: "SheDC" Shop Made in DC, Mar 2022
Online: "Clash" Montgomery Art Association, Mar 2022
In-person: "Beauty is Everywhere" Capitol Hill Art League, Apr 2021-Mar 2022
In-person: "Renew, Refresh, Revitalize" Capitol Hill Art League, Apr 2021-Apr 2022
In-person: "Abstracts" Arlington Dermatology, Arlington, VA Jun 2021-Mar 2022
​In-person: "Ode to Joy" MAA at Kensington Park Library, Kensington, MD, Feb 2022
​Online: "BEST in Show" Emerge Gallery, Artsy, Jan-Mar 2022
​In-person: "Faculty Show" VisArts, Rockville, MD, Jan-Feb 2022
​Online: "Tiny Art Show" Shop53 Tattoo Studio, Dec 2021
​In-Person: "Solo Show" Kensington Park Library, Kensington, MD, Dec 2021​
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Online: "PETIT" Emerge Gallery, Artsy, Nov-Dec 2021
In-person: "Cultivating Joy" Nishan Halim DMD Dentistry, Jul-Dec 2021
Online: "Artist's Sunday" World Wide Web, Nov 28, 2021
​In-person: "10x10" Show & Sale" MAA at Goldman Gallery, Oct-Nov 2021
​In-Person: "Solo Show" Davis Library, Bethesda, MD, Oct 2021
In-person: Solo Show Plaza Art Bethesda, Jul-Aug 2021
​Online: "Creative Expressions"
 Montgomery Art Association, Jun-Jul 2021
Online: "
Our Stories, Our Journeys" Montgomery Art Association, Apr-Jun 2021
Online: "Out of Order" Maryland Art Place, May 2021
​Online: "
Fotographia" Emerge Gallery on Artsy, Apr-May 2021
Online: "SHE DC" Shop Made in DC, Mar-Apr 2021
Online: "Light & Hope" Montgomery Art Association, Feb-Apr 2021
Online: "12th Annual Abstracts Art Exhibition" Light Space & Time Gallery, Mar 2021
​​Online: "Virtual Exhibition" Hill Center Galleries & Capitol Hill Art League, Jan-Mar 2021
Online: "Faculty Show" VisArts, Jan-Feb 2021
In-person: "Symbolism" Frame of Mine Gallery, Washington, DC Dec-Jan 2021
Online: "Abstracts" Montgomery Art Association, Nov-Dec 2020
Online: "Portraits" Montgomery Art Association, Oct-Nov 2020
​​Online: "Self-Portrait" Ruby Projects, Fairfax, VA Nov-Dec 2020
​Online: "Latela Curatorial x Artsy: Women in the Arts Online Exhibition", Oct-Dec 2020
Online: "Creative Distance" Shop Made in DC, Oct-Nov 2020
Online: "Life's Simple Pleasures" Washington Water Color Association, Sep-Oct 2020
Online: "Urban Landscapes" Montgomery Art Association, Aug-Sep 2020
Online: "Orange Juiced" Emerge Gallery on Artsy, Sep-Nov 2020
In-person: "Making New Connections" Frame of Mine Gallery, Washington, DC Sep 2020
Online: "Art All Night" Tenleytown Main Street, Sep 2020
Online: "Natural Landscapes" Montgomery Art Association, Jul-Aug 2020
Online: "Isolation" Emerge Gallery on Artsy, Aug-Sep 2020
"Carte Blanche" Adah Rose Gallery, Kensington, MD, Jul-Aug 2020
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"Selected Artworks of Kensington" Kensington Town Hall, Kensington, MD, 2019/2020
Online: "20th Anniversary" Artomatic, Jul-Aug 2020
Online: "Creative Expressions" Montgomery Art Association, Jun-Jul 2020
"Art from the Heart" Art Watch DC, Bethesda, MD, Jul 2020
Online: "Our Stories" Montgomery Art Association, May-Jun 2020
Online: "Mother May I" Art Works Gallery Richmond, May-Jun 2020
"World Central Kitchen Fundraiser" Adah Rose Gallery, Kensington, MD, Jun 2020
Online: "Art at a Distance" Art Works Gallery Richmond, Apr-May 2020
Online: "Colorful Explorations" Montgomery Art Association, Apr 2020
Online: "Oasis Art Show" Montgomery Art Association, Apr 2020
Online: "Art & Poetry" Kensington Park Library, Kensington, MD, Apr 2020
"Solo Show" Davis Library, Bethesda, MD, Mar 2020
"Colorful Explorations" Glenview Mansion, Rockville, MD, Mar 1-27 2020
"Montgomery Art Association Show" Oasis Art Gallery, Bethesda, MD, Jan 13-Apr 10 2020
"Solo Show" Java Nation, Kensington, MD, Feb/Mar 2020
"Solo Show" Simon Says Yoga Studio, Bethesda, MD, Feb 2020
"2020 Faculty Show" VisArts, Rockville, MD, Jan 10-Feb 9 2020
"True Blue Bliss" Meeting House Gallery, Columbia, MD, Nov 2019-Jan 11 2020

​​​​"Sounds of Winter" Adah Rose Gallery, Kensington, MD, Dec 2019
​​"Paint the Town Labor Day Show" Kensington Armory, Kensington, MD, 2019
"Charmed, I'm Sure" Adah Rose Gallery, Kensington, MD, 2019
​"Seasonal Visions" Montgomery Art Association at Artists & Makers, Rockville, MD, 2019
​"Spring/Summer 2019 Exhibition" Oasis Art Gallery, Bethesda, MD, 2019
​“It's a Wonderful World” Friendship Heights Center, Chevy Chase, MD, 2019
"Visual Insights into Life's Beauty" (solo) Plaza Artist, Bethesda, MD, 2018-2019
“Creative Expressions” Friendship Heights Center, Chevy Chase, MD, 2019

"Into the World" The Daily Dish Restaurant, Silver Spring, MD, 2019
"Montgomery Art Association Show" Oasis Art Gallery, Bethesda, MD, 2019
“One House by Art Watch DC" BlackRock Center for the Arts, Germantown, MD, 2018
“Ebb & Flow” 505 North Gallery & Studio, Frederick, MD, 2018
“Rust Is An Artist” (solo) The Muse, Frederick, MD, 2018 
“1460 Wallmountables” DC Art Center, Washington, DC, 2017
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PLACE YOUR ONLINE ORDERS BY DECEMBER 10

11/25/2024

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I invite you to do your shopping on my website HERE. I will be taking orders through December 10, 2024. Your goodies may be shipped to a loved one with a personal message. Scarves, a wonderful  form of adornment, are great for comfort (e.g., during travel or for sun protection). They make for lasting gifts: my RADOST scarves come with short stories of inspiration. A scarf may be just the perfect gift for these occasions: 
  • Birthdays, personal/work achievements, and anniversaries
  • Valentine's and Galentine's Days
  • Interests (e.g., for lovers of nature, birds, or travel)
  • Groups (e.g., for book club members, or as teacher appreciation)
  • Thank You, Get Well, and Thinking of You ​
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November and December Art Exhibitions & craft shows

11/1/2024

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My artwork is featured in the "Exploring Color, Shape, and Texture" show at the Goldman Art Gallery! This fall exhibition, running from November 3 to December 24, 2024, is at 6125 Montrose Rd. in Rockville, MD. The reception is on Sunday, November 17, 12pm-3pm. Come by and experience the magic of the season through art!

I am also thrilled to have a solo show - "Joyful Explorations" (November 1 - December 18, 2024) at the District Cafe at 10540 Metropolitan Ave in Kensington, MD. I am showcasing 13 original artworks - paintings in acrylic inks on Yupo. Reception is on November 6 (5-6:30pm): would love to see you there!
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You are invited! Strathmore Museum Holiday Market (November 14-16, 10am-6pm): The 36th annual market is fantastic! Stop by Strathmore Mansion and support local nonprofit museums and arts organizations. Who will be there? Woodend Nature Shop, The Phillips Collection, Kennedy Center Gift Shop, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, Brookside Gardens, Montgomery Parks, Supreme Court Historical Society, Museum of the Bible, The Shop at Strathmore, and local makers like me! Make sure to go upstairs to experience the complete event, including a cafe. Address: 10701 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. 

And to finish the year off with a particularly festive spirit, stop by Sparkle Mart in Greenbelt, MD. This is a juried art and craft festival on December 7 (10am to 5pm) and 8 (10am to 4pm). My RADOST scarves, greeting cards, and original art makes for such colorful and meaningful gifts! Address: 25 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770. 
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So, mark your calendars:
Nov 1-Dec 18: "Joyful Explorations" art exhibit (District Cafe, Kensington, MD)
Nov 3-Dec 15: "Exploring Color, Shape, and Texture" art exhibit (Goldman Art Gallery, Rockville, MD)
Nov 14-16: Strathmore Museum Holiday Market (Rockville, MD)
Dec 7-8: Festival of Lights (Greenbelt, MD)

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ARTICLE IN PATHWAYS MAGAZINE

10/31/2024

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Yay! My article "Art Classes at Retirement Communities Improve Quality of Life" is published in the latest issue of the Pathways magazine! I will also say that my life's quality is 10,000 times better thanks to working with seniors. Pick up your free issue soon!
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Solo Art Show in Kensington: Joyful Explorations

10/31/2024

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I am thrilled to have a solo show - "Joyful Explorations" (November 1 - December 18, 2024) at the District Cafe at 10540 Metropolitan Ave in Kensington, MD. I am showcasing 13 original artworks - paintings in acrylic inks on Yupo. Reception is on November 6 (5-6:30pm): would love to see you there!
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Recently Curated Shows AT THE STUDIO GALLERY

10/28/2024

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Breath-taking sculptures by Lisa Battle and mind-provoking photographs by the Studio Gallery members are highlighted at this gallery in Washington, DC (Oct  30 - Nov 23, 2024). I am honored to have curated these two exhibitions. What a delightful experience working with these artists and exploring ways to best showcase their artworks at 2108 R St. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (Wed, Th, and Fr - 1pm-6pm * Sat - 11am-6pm). 

Interconnections 
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Lisa Battle presents a collection of sculptures, wall installations, and vases, in her Interconnections show. Lisa shares, "All living beings are connected and depend on each other and their environment to survive. In Greek philosophy, this idea was expressed as anima mundi -- an intrinsic connection between all living beings. In modern times, the Gaia hypothesis describes the Earth as a complex, self-regulating system where living organisms have a synergistic relationship with their environment. Being intertwined has profound implications in human relationships, on the international political stage, and for the survival of our planet. It is imperative for us to learn to coexist and to find balance. Installations in this exhibition highlight interactions between elements, evoking the extraordinary ecosystems that give us life and bind us together. The ceramic sculptures celebrate connectedness as a vision for a future in which the interdependence of humans and the natural world is prioritized."

Lisa and I arranged her sculptures in the show rooms to communicate a sense of ease. I hope you feel welcome in the gallery as you stroll through the space and experience the connections between the pieces and you as a viewer of these artworks. We worked together to highlight how pausing and a sense of motion coexist in Lisa's works. While working to best communicate the artist's message, I also observe my personal reactions to the works: there is so much beauty in Lisa's creations. I imagine her hands working on these pieces and her heart and mind diving deep into the theme. Her personal journey has allowed me to feel connected too: images of oceans, winds, and water came to mind. I thought of the need for rest as I observed light browns, blues, and greens. The textures in the glazes took me to sunlit paths in the woods. Lisa's theme and its execution are powerful and I hope you enjoy the show! Below: photos by Martina Sestakova.
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Something Old, Something New 
Photographic Art from Members of the Studio Gallery

Gallery member Jo Levine (shown with her photographs below), who organized this show, shared this group statement: "This show features photographic art created by members of the Studio Gallery. The theme challenged gallery members to try out new ideas. Artists took diverse approaches to the theme, such as using photo software to alter reality; switching to a different color palette or to black-and-white; choosing subjects new to them; creating photo collages; or combining digital technology with traditional media. However, language and art can be open to many interpretations. In this case, some members interpreted the theme to encompass photographic subjects that were themselves old or new (or both), such as colorful weathered sandstone, or old roots and new leaves." 

Participating artists: Bob Burgess, Judy Bonderman, Lynda Andrews-Barry, Amity Chan, 
Suzanne Goldberg, Suliman Abdullah, Gary Anthes, Beverly Logan, Leslie Kiefer, Jo Levine, Lisa Battle, Iwan Bagus, Susan Raines, Langley Spurlock, and Steven Marks.

While Lisa's exhibit focuses on diving deep into a theme, this photography show demonstrates the wonderful variety of human creativity. The photographers, as the group statement suggests, present many ways to interpret the topic. As a curator and an art viewer, I am impressed by this variety: it made me think of photography in new ways. Here are some of the innovative explorations the artists shared in their personal statements or while talking to me in terms of "something new, something old": decay and renewal, going new places, weathered natural surfaces, being inspired by an Emily Dickinson poem, focusing on black-and-white imagery, tearing up photos and incorporating them into paintings, highlighting social (in)justices and human rights, using old technology: hand gilding, using overlay, distortion, and composite imagery, focusing on light, delving into documentary photos, documenting struggle and peace, and building new artifacts out of old images. So many approaches! Each artist's display is accompanied by their statement and you will be able to appreciate their unique point of view. 

Check out the events related to these shows! I hope you feel moved, connected, and richer in mind and heart after seeing the works. Below: photos by Martina Sestakova.
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Jo Levine
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Iwan Bagus
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Susan Raines
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Steven Marks
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Leslie Kiefer
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Judy Bonderman
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Interested in working with me? I would love to learn about you and your art and assist in curating your upcoming art exhibition. Contact me for details. 
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Such a Lovely Client Review of My Art Workshop

9/17/2024

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"You gave the best explanation of what abstract art is that I have ever heard -- bringing images up close or pushing them away, choosing colors and techniques that are bold or soft to paint representations of how reality makes us feel. In other words, abstracting the obvious that anyone can see to paint what you see and feel about your world." Judy
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