Once Again

Once again I return to my blog.  I find that I actually miss it and prefer it to Facebook.  I guess it's because the entries here seem more like a personal art journal than the one-liners on Facebook....not to mention "tweeting" and "pinning" that I simply don't do!  I'm not a electronic gadget person.
 
So much has gone on that I won't even try to catch up-to-date....let's just start from today.  My posts will probably be more on a weekly basis than daily. 

I am busy preparing for a one-woman show that Generations Gallery is hosting for me.  It will be a collection of animals in oil and acrylic paintings, 'Spirits in Stone' and small wire sculptures called 'Rusty Doodles'.  I'll also have cards and prints available.  The Village at Indian Springs and the park itself are just glorious this time of year.  I hope you will be able to enjoy this venue with us!

There are more images and information on the Facebook event page, too.

Tybee and Scout

Tybee and Scout                                            16x20 acrylic on canvas

This year has been so super busy with gardening that I've failed to keep up with my blog.  I apologize, but we have two full freezers to show for it!  The fall garden is not so labor intensive, as we basically just eat out of it and don't can or freeze produce from it.... well, maybe some broccoli if we don't eat it all up!

This commission was done in early summer for a dear friend whose husband was retiring from the military, hence his boots.  The older terrier, Tybee, is sadly gone.  The new pup, Scout, is their new baby in the house.  This composition combined all the elements to tell a personal story.  I think it works well.

Starting Your Art Career When the Kids are Grown 03/08 by Artists Helping Artists | Blog Talk Radio

I had the pleasure of meeting Kathy Cousart, a very talented Georgia artist, in Madison last year. We had talked on the telephone and through email and she came by the Madison Art Guild's cottage gallery so we could meet in person. I am especially excited to hear how Kathy manages her time, as she "wears many hats" like so many of us. Here's the link for the talk at 12:00 noon EST tomorrow.

Starting Your Art Career When the Kids are Grown 03/08 by Artists Helping Artists | Blog Talk Radio

Ah-h-h....Spring!

Spring has sprung at our house... in the form of 25 baby chicks.  Just when I thought I'd be moving them outside, the night-time temps dropped, so they are still inside with us.  They are growing so fast that we had to exit the brooder and bring the 4'x8' chickie tractor into my studio so that they would have room to exercise.  My husband says that it reminds him of the Star Trek episode when they beamed a barnyard into one of the cargo bays!  Oh well, it was a good excuse to move my easel into the dining room where I'm working on portrait commissions.
Spring also means plein air paint-outs are coming up.  More on those in the next post.  Right now I need to tuck my fluffy little pooping peepers in for the night!

Catching things up-to-date

"Playing Dress-Up"             18x24 acrylic on canvas

I am very pleased that "Playing Dress-Up" earned an Honorable Mention ribbon in Arts Clayton's 11th Annual Juried Art Show & Competition.  The competition was stiff, as always!  The full list of winners is on their Facebook page.  Georgia artists of 2 and 3 dimensional disciplines submitted over 130 entries that the panel juried down to 48, based on technical merit for their mediums.  Arts Clayton purchases the Best of Show piece (up to $1000) for their permanent collection.  It was a stunning 3-D wood-turned piece this year.
I was honored to also have "All American" chosen to hang in this show.

"All American"                          24x36 acrylic on panel

Lots and lots of art activity is upcoming this year.  I have seen an increase in the number of commissions and entered 2012 with six on the calendar, so a BIG "Thank you!" is in order to my clients!  I welcome inquiries and will gladly put you in my schedule if there is something special I can create for you.

January and the first two weeks of February have been full of my other love....gardening.  My husband and I have planted 30 fruit and nut trees, grapes, muscadines, blackberries (thornless...yay!). We also prepared and fenced a new 40' x 100' garden, which already has 100' of potatoes planted in it.  I am turning my 40' x 50' little garden into perennial beds of strawberries, asparagus, herbs and such.  25 new chicks are ordered and will arrive next week to really welcome spring.

I pray for 2012 to be a blessed year for everyone. Our country is really going through some trials that are making life difficult for so many!  Lots of us are having to think outside the box and change economic game plans that were set in motion years ago.... it's definitely not "business as usual" these days.

Now that I've caught y'all up-to-date somewhat, I'll try to be better about staying in touch.  Oh....and 

 Happy Valentine's Day!   

Last two Christmas commissions

Covington                   11x14 acrylic

 Now that Christmas Day has come and gone, these last two commissions can be revealed.  It is a heart-warming feeling to know that I can be in someone's home through my art on such a special occasion.

Zoie            11x14 acrylic

Oz

"Oz"                             11x14 acrylic on canvas

Here's another commission that I can show before Christmas... a precious Brussels Griffon, my first painting of this breed of dog.  What soulful eyes he has!

Fall into Christmas

I get real quiet here on the blog during the Fall....not from inactivity, but from so much activity!  This is my busiest time of year with commissions, many of which cannot be shown because they are Christmas surprises.
I hope you all are enjoying the wonderful weather and gorgeous colors of Fall.  Here is one of the pet portraits that I can show because it was a client's present to herself...."Three Amigos"

"Three Amigos"                   14x11 acrylic on canvas

Plein Air Poker

This fall the Generations Gallery is presenting a painting competition with a bit of a twst. .....PLEIN AIR POKER. Just show up, ante up, and enjoy the day painting, Winner takes all and will be decided by participant and guest vote.

Please see the attached flyer for more details.  For more info you can call me at 478 972-2404.

Hope to see you on the 15th.

Preston King

Smoke Jumper 126

24" x 24" acrylic on deep canvas

 Don's wife, Ginny, commissioned me to create this dynamic scene of him in action during a training session.  As an instructor, Don teaches new recruits how to fight fires while keeping safety forefront in their minds.  I've watched them train and am amazed at how they can work so hard carrying the weight of so much equipment!  They must be totally dedicated to go through such rigorous training.

I was so pleased to be present at the Fire Academy when Ginny surprised Don with his painting today.  Now they are good-naturedly arguing over where it will go.... as they both have offices within the Fire Academy.  Hey, you guys....I can always paint another one!
 

Worth a repost!

Group Think

by Carolyn Henderson

Okay, okay, none of us are islands and all that and we all work together as a team and many hands make the job lighter and we learn at the master’s feet and ad infinitum, but if you are an artist driving and pushing yourself to be at the top of your form, you might find group situations a bit confining, and rather than wonder what’s wrong with you, I suggest you turn the situation around and recognize that, for highly individualized persons like artists, the group is not always the best place to grow. [...]

Read the rest of this article at:
http://fineartviews.com/blog/34977/group-think

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This excerpt appears courtesy of FineArtViews Art Marketing Newsletter by FASO,
a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists,
collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art).


For a complimentary subscription, visit: http://www.fineartviews.com

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Peter's Peppers

8" x 8" acrylic on 1.5" deep wrapped canvas w/painted edges

SOLD

I love my art group!  We continue to meet almost every week and it's the very best way to stretch and grow for me!  I painted this one on Thursday.  Here's how the day went....9:30 meet & greet at the depot gallery in Barnesville, set up painting station, lay-in sketch, cup of coffee, paint, critique each others' progress, walk to 'Slices' pizza  and meet up with three other friends for lunch, talk, laugh, plan our new year-long art adventure(more later), hurry back to the depot, paint some more, call for critique, finish painting, gel time & place for next get-together and start breaking down around 3:00. Peter was busy framing his paintings for our Fall Line Painters show coming up while Eleanor, Bambi & I were painting.  He was telling a funny tale about some jalapeno peppers at a tailgate party, so I named these peppers after him.  They aren't as hot as his story!

"Close Connections" Opening SOON!

Monroe County Arts Alliance has a very impressive art show coming up!  Thirty-five local and regional artists with over 100 artworks vie for $700 in cash prizes plus honorary ribbons in a display that showcases the area’s best.  “Close Connections” set out to encourage artists who had a connection with Monroe County to participate.  All counties that touch our borders are included, as well as artists who are connected by family, work or organizations.

As coordinator for the show, I am excited about the response from the art community. We put out the call for artists and they responded!  We hope the community will come out to support these artists and the devoted efforts of so many MCAA volunteers that desire to keep the fine arts alive. 

The opening reception is Thursday, Sept 1, 5-7 PM at the gallery at 54 N.Jackson St.

Judge, Karen Strelecki, will speak at the awards/reception evening at 6:00 PM, explaining what she looks for in a show piece and how she has come to her decisions regarding the winning entries. Not all judges are willing to give this critique and it is valuable information for artists entering the show arena as well as the general viewing public, who sometimes wonder why a particular piece has won an award.

“Close Connections” will hang from Sept 1 to Oct 21 and will be viewable during regular gallery hours of 11-4 Weds –Fri.  Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours will get to see the show, as MCAA hosts their September meeting.  The gallery will also be open during Monroe County’s annual ‘Taste of Monroe’ for the community’s viewing pleasure. 
Awards
$300 Best of Show
$100 First Place 2-D
$100 First Place 3-D
$100 First Place Mixed-media
$100 First Place Photography
Peoples Choice Ribbon - Please come vote before 6PM at the reception!
Honorable Mention ribbons at the judge's discretion.

Participating artists (over 100 artworks!):

Debbie Anderson - http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/debbie-anderson.html
Betty Arnold
Sharon Bailey
Nancy Barnes - www.metallikos.com
Dr. Steve Barnes
Sue Bond
Ashlin Breland - breland_ashlin@hotmail.com
Donna Brown - http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-donna-brown.html
Pat DeVane Burns - patburnsart.com
Hazel Caldwell - hazelcaldwell.com
Markey Duensing
Pat Freeman
Doug Fromm
Cheryl Hildebrand
John R.L.Isaacs XV
Cynthia Jenkins
Gloria Joy
Mary Leslie - http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/mary-leslie.html
Gypsy McKinna
Coni Merritt - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Merritt-Pottery
Peter Nishanian - joycines@gmail.com
Mary Parks - http://www.artfromtheheartbymary.blogspot.com/
Bambi Rogers- http://facebook.com/bambi.rogers
Bill Rogers -http://www.jacksonprogress/-argus.com/news/2011/jun/21/popular-panes-stained-glass-artist-83-earning/
Gloria Smith
Joy A. Smith - http://www.paintingsbyjoy.com/
Linda Sosebee
Alan Stecker
Eleanor Stecker
Martha Thompson - Martha Adams Thompson on Facebook
Martha Tisdale - http://www.marthahtisdale.com/
Sam Traina - myspace.com/samtraina
MJ Venrick - http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/m-j-venrick.html
Paula Williams
Julie Yamamoto - http://www.windwalkerdreams.com/ 

I invite you to visit our event page on Facebook.

MCAA is appreciative of local sponsors Jonah’s, Prime Palate and Grits, who all helped with printing promotional material for the show.  Enjoy their delicious eats and please tell them "thank you!"

Most of the artwork will be for sale, although ‘not for sale’ pieces are also entered for competition.

Gratefulness

I'm grateful my dog's foot missed these new sprouts literally by a hair!

Yesterday I got Robert Genn's twice-weekly letter about being grateful from his blog , The Painter's Keys.  I heartily thank you, Robert!  It promised to be a hectic day of artistic errands instead of painting, which usually puts a wrinkle in my brow for the day.  His letter completely changed my attitude and turned what could have been a harried day into one of pleasure.  As I finished reading his letter, I looked out the window from my computer and saw new sprouts breaking ground in a row of zipper peas in my garden due to a nice rain we'd had the previous night.  Gratefully, I took out my camera and took a picture of them. Would I have "seen" them in my previous state of mind? As I did, a photographer friend from down the street showed up to take pictures of the butterflies on the volunteer zinnias that bless my abundant garden.  We gratefully shared a brief time while I unloaded my car in preparations for the 3-hour trip I had to make to retrieve artwork from a gallery today.  I knew I would have a full load picking up a fellow artist's six pastels as well as my own ten or so paintings, several 'Spirits in Stone', some wire sculptures, prints and notecards.  The gallery is changing it's focus to double its' classroom size and promote the art of the two owners.  The economy is affecting everyone!  I am grateful that I can still do what I love to do. I wished them well, grateful that all our paperwork matched and everything fit into my car.  I made a quick phone call to Preston, whose pastels I had, and luckily he was having lunch with Peter, another of my paint buddies, not too far off my route home.  I met up with them and shared a glass of tea and some laughs while Preston retrieved his work from my car.  I'm so grateful for art friends... they 'get it'...they understand...they keep me reaching for the next level! Stopped at 'A Novel Experience', the bookstore that held a show for my plein air group, to retrieve a small painting and deliver some promotional material for the fall show I'm coordinating for my local art alliance. I'm grateful to have venues that welcome and promote my artwork!
Home again, after adding a few groceries to the car, to a full answering machine.  My husband showed up about the same time.  He is an independent cuss like me, so I'm grateful that he 'gets it', too!  We check all the mail and phone calls and head back out to meet the couple we have selected to rent our old farm house on five acres.  I'm grateful that we took applications until we found what we hope will be a responsible couple who will take good care of the property.  We have learned from past mistakes, folks!  I took pictures of the house while we were there, grateful that the previous tenant left the house in spotless condition.... and believe me, that is something to be grateful about!
Home again with a glass of wine on the porch while the charcoal fires up.  Late supper tonight, but grateful that it includes fresh veggies from our garden... grilled zucchini, zipper peas, okra, tomatoes and baby bell peppers.
No TV tonight.  We both have computer work to do to finish up the day around 10:30.  Reading a few pages in bed before gratefully dropping off to sleep.

Thank you again, Robert, for making me aware that being grateful is the key to making each day a successful entity unto itself.  I can only live one at the time anyway.  I look back on the day and can see how each thing I did could have been a hassle.  Attitude makes the difference!  Sound sappy?  So what!

Dog Days of Summer reception

There was so much to share about this fun show that I created an entire static page for it on the blog.  Just click here or on the right hand sidebar on "Dog Days of Summer".  Enjoy....I know I sure did!

Rubbing elbows with the Governor

Me with Georgia Governor Deal

July 26th, I had the pleasure of meeting Governor Deal and his wife at the Capitol in Atlanta.  My friend, Judy Neal, went with me and was such a treasure to have along.  Judy has worked in and around the Capitol for many years and definitely knows her way around!  As Gov. Deal said to me..."She(Judy) is multi-talented!"  Gov. Deal hosted a reception for approximately 22 Arts Clayton juried artists who currently have over forty pieces of artwork hanging in his and his staff's offices for a year.  He personally selected the artwork and I'm happy to report that he chose all four that I submitted.  For the next three years, the Arts Clayton group will submit new work to be selected.  Now that we have had a tour of the Capitol and the spaces where the art hangs, I have a better idea of what to submit in the upcoming years.  Many thanks to Gov. Deal for carrying on a 25 year tradition of including Georgia art in the Capitol!

Gov. Deal speaking to the Arts Clayton artists, Board of Directors & guests

Dog Days of Summer

Macon Arts invited me and five other local and regional artists to present some new artwork for their August show "Dog Days of Summer".  Never could summer weather be more appropriate than this year!  Wow, it's been HOT here.  I will be entering eight new works, which I will wait to blog until after the opening reception August 5th 5-8 PM. AC Pup, mascot for the Macon-Bibb County Animal Shelter, will be making a personal appearance.  I do hope you will join us that evening.  I'm really excited to see what the other artists have done for man's best friend! 

Scott Burdick's "Banishment of Beauty"

I AM IN LOVE  .... and I don't think his wife minds!
Where have I been that I have not seen or been directed to this fabulous artist and his fight for truth in art?!
Perhaps it's because I am one of those of the shrinking middle class that has had to scratch tooth and nail just to make it from one day to the next in bewilderment of what is considered valuable in our modern society.  In my search for meaning and direction in my own artistic journey, I gratefully (through the blessings of the internet) have found a champion who can put into words what so many artists know and feel.
I beg you to block out one hour of your precious time to view Scott's video and hear his talk concerning "The Banishment of Beauty".  It will reach into the very core of you!

"Playing Dress-up" in FAV's Top 15%

Playing Dress-Up                             18x24 acrylic

Why am I so thrilled that this painting got in Fine Art Views Top 15% for May?  One reason is because this monthly showcase of artwork is consistently great.  It pushes me to do better and better work just to stay on the same page with the artists represented.  Another reason is that the judge for May was Kevin Macpherson.
When there are many entries (approximately 695, in this case), the FAV jury chooses the Top 15% to narrow down the field of artworks that the judge needs to view to choose the winners.  I may not have placed in the finalist circle this time, but I feel like a winner knowing that one of my art heroes viewed my work in the process!

CALL for ARTISTS !

 Please click on the sidebar "CALL for ARTISTS" for full details.

You may email me if you'd like a full prospectus/application sent to you.