Joshua Tree Art Gallery Expo

Yesterday evening I drop up to Joshua Tree for the reception for the Joshua Tree Art Gallery Expo.  The show had some awards to give from Jack Farley Art Supplies, and a people’s choice award. (I didn’t receive any, though.)  The reception was very well attended, though I think most were the artists themselves (for the award ceremony).

My second favorite was the yellow one in the middle.

White dresses must be in.

My favorite is on the left. And that was before I knew that the piece was titled the Salton Sea!

My paintings are at the back opposite the door, but there are people all around them.

….eventually she will wander off…..

…hmm di hmm, maybe take a photo here….

…eventually the girl on the phone was joined by a friend and I asked them to step aside for a minute!

A show goes up.

It has been a little while since I blogged – sorry – busy then away for a while.  Actually ‘off the net’ which pretty much equates to vanished!

Tuesday June 4th I set off for Escondido Municipal Gallery where I hung a solo show in a single room that, when I first stepped into it seemed small, but yes, the dimensions did work out as the plan said and all the paintings I bought fit in nicely as planned.  Actually I had some extra space on the outside I hadn’t know about, but that was easily handled because I brought more smaller paintings than I thought I’d have room for, so it ended up perfect!  Just took me two hours instead of one.  Then it was pedal to the metal to catch the plane (which was eventually cancelled and I ended up leaving the next day, but that’s another story entirely).

Box city arrives

…and a little table for promo materials and a bin.

Now it’s starting to take shape.  At this point one of the local artists came by and liked my work and wanted to buy a book. 

…line em up!

You can see that I like to work barefoot where possible.

Now that looks like a show

One on each side of the door

Looking good!  Books and cards went into the gift shop at the front.

The back wall is concrete and the gallerists gave me special nails that go in the wall, my regular nails were turning into L-shapes!

I spent so much time getting the quadtych level! It’s so much easier in a booth.

Almost ready. One more sign to go up, and that box of nails to go back into storage

Forever Home #2

Occasionally I get to bring a painting to its forever home in person.  Sunday evening (very late because the Strawberry Festival runs until 6:30pm) I got to stop by this client’s home to show her a painting she’d seen on my phone when we were talking about round paintings.  Theme and Variations was – is still – one of my favorite creations which explains why it spent most of its life in my bathroom – until last weekend.  Now it lives in a home office in Westlake Village.

And the lighting is just right!

Shakin up the Arts

Each year there is a ‘Shakin up the Arts’ show at the Carmen Durazo Center in Calexico.  This year the show was just about equally divided between high school students and adult artist entries.

Some of the adult entries

There was quite a crowd at the reception

Some more adult entries.

The support pillars are ideal places for the small artworks

The one on the left was my favorite in the whole show

Artist Sherry Nash and I met and discussed work – this is one of her mixed media pieces

Sherry also does acrylic pours

Some more of the student work. This young lady had no qualms about asking me whether I liked her painting!

There were some 3-d pieces also.

Another nice little surprise

Yesterday I went to pick up my paintings from the Imperial County Fair.  I often enter about 10 paintings but this year only had four that fit the categories well (you can only enter two in each category).  I was pleasantly surprised to find that ‘Arrows‘ had won 3rd place in “Non-objective or abstract paintings, any media”, and “Hope Rising” had taken 1st place in the same category.

Following the county fair, one of our local museums, Pioneer’s Museum, hosts the first and second place winners in each category, so I had to run off to drop Hope Rising at its next venue.  My good friend Ginger Ryerson who curates the art wall there and the art shows was there for the intake.  Hope Rising is a heavier piece so I helped her hang it.

Just leveling it a little more….

A nice little surprise.

When I went to pick up my paintings yesterday from the Riverside County Fair – also the National Date Festival, I had a nice little surprise. Of the three paintings I entered, two came home with ribbons, and I came home with a nice little check.  ‘The Setting Sun’ had taken an honorable mention in the Theme of the year, non-traditional, and ‘Gentle Storm’ had taken first place in the same category.  Well, the theme of the year was clouds….

Two winners at the National Date Festival.  Oooh, look at that big fat bow.

Indio Senior Center Solo Show

I have a solo show at the Indio Senior Center for the month of November.  You can drop by and see it even if you’re not a senior!  It’s on the wall of the hallway to the left of the reception desk.

Nine paintings at the Indio Senior Center

From the other direction

Director Nancy Vance took a pic of me with them. Yaay, it’s cool enough now to be not wearing shorts and a tank top!