Monthly mailing

I thought I’d try this way of reposting my Monthly Newsletter.  Nope, my html isn’t good enough to get rid of the squares…..

 

View this email in your browser There are many ways in which government can get involved in art, aside from their involvement in the creation of public art.  I had two such significant encounters in the last month, one negative and three positive. The first positive encounter was somewhat by proxy.  Ontario Airport has a few display cases in the concourse where the art of regional artists is displayed.  I was very happy to be informed recently that my application to show work there was approved and on Feb 19th five of my paintings were installed via the intermediary of Chaffey Community Museum of Art.  The paintings will be there until mid August. Art fair promoters have to work with local authorities on the locations for art fairs and any permits that are required, rules to be followed and registrations of individual artists to be processed.  I’ve done hundreds of fairs over the last decade and one of my favorites is in Palm Springs.  A few years back we had an issue where the city decided to move our venue from the center of town (loads of foot traffic and drive-bys to supplement our other advertising) to the civic center for the following season.  We appealed to the council and they relented. A few weeks ago our promoter commented that the permits for the two March shows hadn’t been approved yet.  We protested further and pointed out that the reason they’d given was no longer an issue.  Then more burning hoops were given.  This from an eblast from West Coast Artists: After meeting with the City of Palm Springs’ Special Event Team today here are the new requirements for the Desert Art Festivals. Loading: We are allowed to reserve 7 parking spaces in the small parking lot for loading at the end of the event. We are to stagger the loading process so that all of the 60 artists use those 7 spaces. There is no parking on Alejo and no parking on Palm Canyon Drive for the purpose of loading. We are not allowed to close the parking lot for loading or unloading. Cross Walks: We are to have crossing guards at the crosswalks because some people neglect to push the button for the crosswalk. This is perhaps a safety issue? Parking Attendants: We had contracted with the property owner across the street from the park, 4 acres, and we must have Community Service Officers patrolling the lot and showing people how to park during the event. Two officers at $55.00 an hour. Police Presence: We are required to have 2 Palm Springs Police officers at the event on Saturday morning for a minimum of 4 hours to make sure everything runs smoothly.  Traffic Plan: We are required to have a Traffic Plan for the parking lot across from the park where we intended to have Patrons park. The spaces in the dirt lot should be delineated so that people know how to park…. After all of these new requirements and the fact that the City Manager, Mayor, and several of the City Council Members have made untrue, disparaging remarks regarding the event to the public, I can’t help but feel like they do not want the Desert Art Festivals in Palm Springs any longer. After the meeting in Palm Springs, I attended the meeting in Rancho Mirage. They have welcomed us with open arms and are going to push the Permit application through the City at an accelerated pace.  At The River in Rancho Mirage management had very few requirements. They have opened up their facility and are very excited to welcome our events. Our events are actually WANTED in the City of Rancho Mirage. The comment was “We would love to take the events from Palm Springs!” Later on it became apparent that The River were not able to accommodate us on the 21st/22nd due to an existing event scheduled, but Indian Wells welcomed us back too, for that weekend.  Not all cities are the same! Here’s my schedule for the month: Fairs: Mar 7th: 29 Palms Art Gallery Spring Art and Craft Fair, 29 Palms, CA. Mar 14th: “Art on Main St“, Old Town La Quinta, CA Mar 21-22nd: Desert Art Festivals, Indian Wells, CA  (Their website might not be up to date yet, it’s on the corner of Cook and 111). Mar 28th: “Art on Main St“, Old Town La Quinta, CA Shows: Feb 2020-Aug 2020 Ontario Airport.  Show case at terminal displaying 5 mixed media paintings. Mar 2nd-26th: Artists 55+.  Walter N. Marks Center for the Arts, College of the Desert, Palm Desert, CA. Reception March 10th 5-7pm Mar 5th-22nd: 29 Palms Guild Members Juried Exhibition. <29 Palms, CA.  Reception  March 7th, 5-7pm.  Classes: Mar 19th: Painting for Absolute Beginners, Borrego Art Institute. $110.  Contact me to book.

Variable student levels.

This month I had a full class scheduled for my Painting for Absolute Beginners class at Borrego Art Institute.  I only accept six students due in part to space, but also because the small class allows me to give more individual attention.

On Monday I emailed my students to check they were still on boards, but one of a group of three had pulled her back and was not sure she was able to come.

So, probably five.

Then the day before the class the coordinator for the group also said that she wasn’t able to attend, and because she was the driver, the third member of the group was also grounded.

So, down to three.

As I left the house on the Friday morning, prepared for three students, something told me to go back and get some extra water pots, just in case.  As I was setting up, my phone rang.  A lady asked if there was any room in the class, she was on her way into town.  The reason she hadn’t called earlier was that she and her husband were rving in Ocotillo Wells, and they have no cell service there for their provider.

Well, as it happens not only is there space, but I have enough equipment with me!  So we had a nice group of four students who all learned a lot and had a great day.

Working on the color-distance landscape exercise.

Monthly Newsletter.

Here’s the skyscapes news for March.

Watercolor collage class

I only had two students in the watercolor collage class at sm’Art Studio on Saturday, but that doesn’t limit the amount of fun that was had.

Lost in creation

Eileen and Marilyn each created a small and then a larger collage and got so lost in what they were doing, they went almost an hour longer than we’d planned.  Creation takes time!

Look what we did!

Later, Eileen framed hers and hung it on the wall in her home.

“The sun always shines above the clouds.”

Hmm, I’d better watch out, looks like I have some competition!

 

Painting the morning in the night

Last night I guided a small group through a paint and wine class at Vanguard Gallery in Moreno Valley.  One of my students had already taken classes with me, including the Absolute Beginners class and was happy to work through this painting  of winter solstice sunrise across the Salton Sea to hone some of the skills.

We’re doing an underpainting to get rid of the white so in the final painting we’re not strugging with that aspect

We’re painting the sky part of the top coat

It’s easier to paint the bottom of the panel when it’s upside down.

Adding the sun.

All done!

 

October Monthly mailing

Here’s my monthly art news for October.

A little bit of fun.

I had bought some tshirts for a summer camp class last year that didn’t run, so I had a clump of white tshirts.  I decided to have a little fun with them over the last couple days.  Not that I need any more tshirts….  Let me know if you are interested.  All these are an adult medium, but I can recreate them in a different size. $20+tx/sh.

“So, I’m different. So?”

“Neighborhood watch”, the inspiration for this came from my chalk painting ‘The artist as part of the environment

The detail on Neighborhood watch

“Disappearing butterflies”

“Always dance in the rain.”

“Circles and splashes”. Front of tshirt

“Circles and splashes” tshirt back of tshirt.

The end of a class

Over the winter I have been teaching an intermediate watercolor class at a gated community in La Quinta.  I’ve done a number of exercises that have produced multiple paintings in a category that I don’t usually sell work in.  Now that the classes are coming to an end, I have a set of perfectly good paintings in a box kicking around the bottom of the studio.  So, Etsy time!  Here are three paintings I put up this morning, ready to go to a new home for a reasonable price. $80!

Riverbend II

Conejo Barn at Dawn II

Afternoon Nap II

Childhood friends

“Childhood friends”

My intermediate watercolor class at Trilogy gated community is dwindling as many snowbirds fly north.  Nevertheless there were a few for this Monday’s class and we painted a nursery scene, based on a couple of stuffed animals that hide in my cupboard on a little rocking chair that was once the subject of a commission.

The class all did a great job, though I think they perhaps started to understand the benefits of working in a larger format – some of their paintings had some really tricky tiny details to achieve.

Three more pairs of childhood friends.

 

Humans vs Neanderthals

Here’s an interesting article from just over a month ago about how Humans may have had the edge over Neanderthals.

Not far on its heels came this article about Neanderthal art.  I guess some aspects of art history will remain a mystery, at least for a little while.