Collage Artists of America Membership Show

The Collage Artists of America membership show, “Just your Imagination” was held at the San Fernando Valley Arts and Cultural Center.  The show runs Sept 4-29th and the reception was on Sept 7th.  As part of my contribution to the show, I sat in the gallery on the afternoon before the reception.  It was quite during much of the afternoon though there were several families turned up with kids to have an art lesson.

I had forgotten my kindle so I had plenty of time to enjoy the exhibit in detail.

My entry was right next to the front door!

Assemblage is allowed, so we have sculpture too.

My show favorite is on the left there. I also serendipitously met with a friend who came to see the show, and this was her favorite too. It did not win an award.

A lot of figurative and portrait work.

I did like the tree piece and the one on the right, which also contained a tree.

The large green creation near to us took second place. My pic of the winner did not come out well, sorry.

I talked to this lady at length as we were the only ones in the gallery early on.

Getting ready for the reception.

Loved the piece on the right, though I felt it was more painting than collage.

Great crowd at the reception!  I still didn’t win an award….

Newer work #88

Haven’t posted newer work in a while.  This is one of a series of smaller paintings on panel that have needed to work on to replace sold work.  (Darn, could use selling a few of the larger ones, I’m battling the balance between inspirations for larger pieces vs. storage space….)

#1398 Snowbirds. 9×12″ refractured watercolor and poetry on gallery-wrap panel. Poem written for and into painting is: Summer into fall we fly to our other home winter into spring

Southern California Collage Society

On Sunday after my painting class with Mary I went over to the Chaffey Community Museum of Art to attend the reception for the 10th annual Southern California Collage Society membership show.  The reception was well attended and the walls were filled with an awesome show of collage, mixed media and assemblage.

A lot of people asked whether I’d measured the space between the window before creating ‘Rose Ochre Morning’.

There had been several sales already – including one created by Janelle Lowry, who is the chief receptionist at the museum.

Someone actually played the piano for a while.  I didn’t quite have the audacity to show what a bad player I could be….

 

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.