Artists at the Mark Rothko Painting Symposim in Latvia. Sandisfield's Jaye Alison second row, fourth from left.

When I was accepted to the 2024 Mark Rothko Painting Symposium in Daugavpils, Latvia, I felt I was going home.

Daugavpils was Rothko's birthplace and home until his family left late in 1913, moving to the United States for a better life.

I'd never been to Latvia, but I have family ties from there. On my mother's side, my maternal grandmother descends from either 14 or 17 generations of rabbis. Before World War II, there were 40 synagogues in Daugavpils. I learned at the symposium that Mark Rothko was destined, as the youngest son in the family, to be a rabbi. His early years were spent in scholarly studies. From other reading I understood that he always longed to return home, but was unable to; the political climate wouldn't allow it.

Now you can think what you like, but I honestly think that Rothko's spirit hitchhiked with me! Being in Latvia felt wonderfully comfortable to me. It is a beautiful country with warm people. Riga, the capital is lined with wide boulevards, rivers and parks galore and fascinating museums.

At the Mark Rothko Museum for two weeks in September 2024, my symposium mates included eight fellow abstract artists: two each from Poland, Lithuania, and Germany, one each from India and Latvia, and one, me, from the U.S. We were treated like royalty and placed in nicely appointed rooms in what once was the former Artillery Arsenal building in the Daugavpils Fortress, a grand and majestic Russian Empire structure. The Rothko Museum contains changing exhibitions of many Eastern European artists as well as works by Mark Rothko.

Daily during my symposium residency, along with my fellow painters, I painted in private art studios housed in a nearby building of the same Russian Empire era. At the end of our painting time, our work was presented at the museum in an exhibition complete with local dignitaries. We really were treated like royalty and with respect, an experience as an American painter I had not previously known.

The symposium meals were all the more delicious and rich because of the time spent with Tatiana Černova, curator at the Mark Rothko Museum and Māris Čačka, the museum director and consummate artist as well. Maris's beautiful work along with those of Irena Paskali, Joanna Mankiewicz, Tomasz Kopcewicz, Kristina Mažeikaitė, and Vitalija Petraityte were shown in the exhibit. Tatjan wrote a beautiful curatorial exhibition statement for "Beyond Our Boundaries ."

Friendships and deep bonds were forged and because of that, I wanted to bring that world, and the artistic communities that I've been privileged to be a part of, to our Sandisfield Arts Center. The idea of an international show, one that demonstrated that no matter where we live, and whatever challenging times we're in, we are all part of this one great community of creators and that we Americans have friends everywhere. Several of the artists included had never before shown their work in the USA.

When I brought up the idea of Beyond Our Boundaries to our Sandisfield Exhibition Committee and then to the Board of Directors, the response was immediate and enthusiastic. Their support to host this show was invaluable. We presented this work in the newly renovated art gallery at the Center during July and September this year.

We also presented the Not So Short Film Festival, a five-and-a-half-hour collection of short art films created during the Covid-19 pandemic by artists from all around the world who were part of myTransart Community. Jean Marie Casbarian undertook the immense task of organizing and compiling the works. JeanMarie was one of my advisors at the Transart Institute and is a faculty member of the school from which I graduated in 2015. NotSoShort Film Festival was screened upstairs in the newly air-conditioned Susie Crofut and Ben Luxon Theatre.

Jaye Alison presenting the Journey to Beyond International Show which was at tbe Arts Center, July-Septemer.

Other artists participating in Beyond Our Boundaries-were several members of my Los Angeles arts communities. They are Danuta Rothschild, originally from Poland and now living in Stuart, Florida, Evelyne Barbier, from France and now back in France, Alexandra Cabri from France and remains in Los Angeles, Bonnie Cordova from Los Angeles, and now in New York City, and Natalie Kahn Aguilar now in the state of Washington. From my Berkshire arts community were Gail Gelburd, Andy Bullard, Nancy K. Harrod and Nicholas Holliday. Stephanie Reid, from my class at Transart Institute, came from Texas to attend the opening. Artist Joanna Mankiewicz travelled from Poland to see the show!

I'm pleased to hear that viewers appreciated the work, and when at the gallery, I noticed a high level of engagement with the work. Many heartfelt thanks to our entire community, the board of the Sandisfield Arts Center, our presidents Hilde Weisert and Suzanne O'Connell, and my fellow exhibition committee members Josie Miner and former chairperson, Jessica Cofrin.