Month: May 2012

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Opening at Woodwalk Gallery

This Memorial Day weekend was the season opening reception at the Woodwalk Gallery.  My work is represented at the gallery along with numerous other artists.  This is my second year with Woodwalk, and once again they put on a great show.  Food, drink, great weather, art, and lots of people made this a fantastic event.  Sadly I could not stay long as the 3 hour drive each way makes for a long day.  It was totally worth it though.   I got to talk to fellow artists like Pamela Anderson and reconnect with old friends like Julia Bresnahan (my high school art teacher).  Big thanks to Allin and Margaret for including me in there gallery! For more info, visit the Woodwalk Gallery website:  http://www.woodwalkgallery.com/

 

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Art on the Walk

Ahh.. I had forgotten how fun art festivals could be.  I woke up this past Saturday morning around 6:00am and groaned when I heard the thunder.  Oh how I contemplated not getting up!  Who is going to show up to an art festival in a thunderstorm anyway?  But, like they say in Wisconsin, if you don’t like the weather- wait twenty minutes.  In this case it was three hours….

I drove to Menomonee Fals for Art on the Walk.  I set up my tent and display in a thunderstorm.  My expectations and spirits were low for the day.  By 11:00am however, the sun was out an so were the crowds!  While I didn’t see the sales I had hoped for this day, I had a great time talking with people.  It was a fun and easy festival so the lack of sales was something I could live with.  I will probably do it again next year!

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Critique

I feel very fortunate to have been included in MARN’s recent Painting Salon.  The show is hung at MARN’s headquarters at 5407 W. Vliet Street.  There are six artists represented, including myself.  Other artists are Ann Baer, Fred Bell, Jim Zwaldo, Michael Davidson, and Katherine Rosing.

We were treated to a full weekend of art conversation.  The show begain last Thursday with a private curator night.  Area curators along with special guest curator Scott Speh were invited to come and talk to us about our work.  I received a range of comments and found the experience incredibly useful and thought provoking.  Friday night was a public reception which was fun, social, and exciting.  Finally, Saturday morning peers and public were invited to come critique the work.  We had a small but thoughtful group.  Again, I left with a head full of ideas.

I know that this experience will change my work.  Plans are already in the works for a new series and I am fired up about the potential.  Maggie Sasso, who curated this exhibition, did a remarkable job of hanging the work and putting together a successful event.  The show will remain on display through June 16th.

To learn more about MARN: http://www.artsinmilwaukee.org/

 

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May En Plein Air

What a great week to be outside painting!  May now is feeling like summer and I cannot resist any opportunity to get fresh air.  Yesterday I went to Grant Park in South Milwaukee around 9am.  It seemed early but the sun was still hot.  I of course chose my painting spot in the middle of an open field with no tree cover so that I coud paint the tree line out in front of me.  I was also facing the sun.  Not ideal conditions… but I caked on the sun screen and made it work.  Three hours was about all that I could stand.  I had plenty of water and sunscreen but was still feeling drained by the sun exposure.

After packing up my easel I decided to cool off by dipping my feet in the lake.  It was one of those inspiring mornings that words cannot do justice to.  I walked the path through the park crossing wood bridges over shallow streams.  I didn’t know I was so close to the lake, but when I found it I saw it open up in fornt of me like it was waiting for me.  And best of all, there was no one else around!  I slipped my feet into the icy water and walked along the shore.  I enjoyed the sounds of birds and waves.  I found a few interesting rocks.  I thought about painting.  It was good.