Gallery Representation – thank you!

bonnie griffith's pastel dust...

I am honored to be able to show my work in some of the best galleries in the west.  These originals can be seen in Yachats, OR at Earthworks Gallery, The American Art Company in Tacoma, Wa, Dodson’s in Spokane, WA, Pendleton Art and Frame in Pendleton, OR, Valley Bronze in Joseph, OR, Caswell Bronze in Troutdale, OR, Wenaha Gallery in Dayton, WA, Eagle Art Gallery in Eagle, ID, The Depot in Red Lodge, Mt and Moccasin Mountain Art in Lewistown, MT.

I am very pleased to work with these galleries who in my opinion, represent their artist well.  That is so important to an artist to have a gallery or galleries that  promote your work and really try to sell the art pieces.  And ones that pay promptly, according to your agreement, when works sell.

When you are in these towns and cities, please visit these fine businesses and…

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The Art of Jurying Art…

What does a juror look for in their selection of art for a show?  Why does one great painting get accepted and another not?  What are they thinking!???

A friend of mine and gallery owner said of jurying a fine art show that to have the best process would be to have a gallerist, a collector and an artist be a jury of 3 for a show.  That way, the biases of each could be minimized by the others – potentially.  The gallerist is looking for what will sell in their gallery, the collector will choose what they like and similarly for the artist.  It does seem like a good mix and would probably work well.  Some large shows have a panel of jury members and I would think that is the best option.  However, for smaller, regional shows, it may be cost prohibitive to hire 3 jurors for a show.  So when we look for a juror we try to find someone who will be fair to all the work presented – the styles, the medium, etc.

I take on a couple of jury positions each year and I have to say, it is hard work.  Read on what Sylvia White has to say…I think these words are invaluable to both juror and artist…

Sylvia White [sylvia@artadvice.ccsend.com]writes an e-newsletter called ArtAdvice and it is filled with great information on numerous topics.  With her permission I am including this valuable information in this blog below.  Be sure to check out her site on the net and learn from this very knowledgeable person….

” Most juried shows, are by nature, an eclectic blend of a juror’s vision. By definition, this show is a subjective and singular vision, based on my personal tastes and aesthetic. So little research has been done in the area of developing a sense of taste, a style, an aesthetic preference. Mostly, we assume this is a result of our collective visual experiences. Our eye becomes trained to like that to which we have been exposed and our brains are programmed to respond to familiarity. Training in art history and looking at contemporary art, in combination with our life experiences and associations, slowly start to develop our sensibility and mold our vision.

In selecting an exhibition, I let my instincts guide me. As difficult as it is to judge work from a computer monitor, I review each image in the same way I look at actual art. There is no way I can define what I am looking for. Style, composition, content, artistic integrity all play a role, naturally. But, in each case I am looking for the artwork to speak to me, to reach out to me in some way, to touch my inner spirit,  stimulate my intellect, or visually entice me.  All the artwork I choose must communicate on at least one (preferably more) level: my heart, it has some emotional impact; my head, it makes me think about things that are important/relevant to me; my eyes, it must have visual impact, strong composition, etc.  In addition, it must be well crafted and professional, not only in appearance, but in fabrication.  Not all juror’s look for the same thing, but this is MY criteria.  It is only in this way that I can define what becomes a unifying theme of an exhibition. But, that’s not all. Jurors look for a lot of different things when putting a show together. Although the quality of the art and the impact it has on a particular juror is what constitutes art that makes “the first cut,” there are a number of other complicated factors that artists are usually unaware of.  Often times, the consideration of how a show will “hang together” becomes more important than an individual jurors feelings about a particular piece. Poor photography is the most common artists’ enemy, if the work can not be seen, it can’t be understood.  Painfully, I often have to omit pieces I genuinely love. Yet another reason why artists should not interpret rejection and a personal comment about their work. Many times, it is as simple as you didn’t select the right pieces to enter.  In other cases, size or media restrictions eliminate pieces that otherwise would have been chosen. The venue, laying out the show in my mind, and how pieces interact/speak with one another, are all important considerations. In the end, there is no way to predict how or why a juror picks specific pieces.

I believe that surrounding oneself with art, enriches our lives and nourishes our soul.  It is painful for me to think about the sadness and frustration that artists experience when they are rejected from a show.  It is unnecessary and unjustified.  Artists must continue to explore every avenue possible to show their work , regardless of the occasional rejection, and must try to understand the “juror’s dilemma.”

I hope artists and jurors alike find this valuable info…in the meantime – happy painting and keep entering competitions!

Art Defined in Textile

I love the southwestern Native American textiles. The blankets, weaving patterns of brilliant color into geometrical designs are incredibly beautiful. In the Northwest, Pendleton Woolen Mills produces woolen blankets with fabulous designs and color.  Another art form… 
The southwestern weavings are incredible…some of subtle shades of grays with perhaps red or a muted turquoise; others brilliant in color. The process of hand weaving is so very time consuming. It is with pride that these artists display their work at the Indian Fairs and Markets.

 

Twenty + years ago I was working in the Denver area and had the opportunity to go to the Indian Market that was held at a stadium in Boulder. It was a festival of Native American Art with the rugs and blankets hanging throughout the show.   It was beautiful in the display of colors and craftsmanship.

I have a few pieces, a couple of small rugs, a Pendleton blanket that serves as a bedspread in a guest room. I guess what I love about these pieces is the use of color…they are bright, lots of colors and it doesn’t matter what the “seasonal” colors are in the fashion world…these pieces use the basics of color to play one off the other…just like a color wheel.  It’s all art.

Art Stamps for the Artist’s Soul

 

What makes us do “art”?  Who knows…for me it is a something that drives me to create.  I am primarily a landscape artist, but I love nothing more than to do collages and crafty things such as using art stamps to create cards and such.  It is good for my soul.  So I guess that what makes me do art…it’s good for my soul.  I like to get a sense of accomplishing something.  Art does that. 

   Art Stamps are a fabulous way to express yourself.  Combine stamped images, some “found” objects, scraps of paper, ink, maybe some embossing powder, a heat gun, more papers, ribbon and you  have  yourself a project.  And it like when you start one thing and it turns into another project and then another and pretty soon you have a pile of cards or collage worthy of a frame and place on the wall!  When I get bogged down in painting landscapes and I want to still do something “art” like, I do just this…get in and start some projects with stamps and stuff.  Before you know it, I have several note cards done, ready for when I need a card to send the old fashion way via snail mail!   Bonus! 

Art stamps are such a great tool.  You can find a huge variety of stamps from whimsical to reproductions of fine art.  Personally I love the detailed ones of old world images, calligraphy, Asian symbols, architecture, etc.   I have  a good selection of whimsical for when I have youthful visitors joining me for a stamp session.  I have an awesome stamp collection…well over 1000 – and I use them.  I don’t buy cards for birthdays and Christmas…they get made by hand.  sometimes wrapping paper as well.  It’s my justification for collection!

I recently found a fabulous stamp store in Bellingham, WA  –  Stampadoodle.  They have an incredible choice of stamps for any want, plus wonderful handmade papers, pens, inks and more.   Other great shops are Impress in Seattle area and locally for me there is Craft Warehouse with some good stamp supply choices.  On line there are many locations to buy from dealer s and manufacturers.

 

 

 

Rubberstampmaddness is an online site that has a great choice of art stamps and supplies to please the crafters’ soul.  Somerset Studio magazine is published by Stampington and  Co.  They offer several magazines for a variety of artistic crafting through their publishing company as well as an online store.   All candy for the artist’s soul.

So grab a stamp or two, some paper, ink and embellishments and see what you can do!  Go create!!!                                                                                                                                                                              

 

 

Define Art…

Art…it’s a pretty personal deal.  My goal with this blog is to tell about something “art-like” in my world…or maybe one of my friends world.  We don’t all look at art the same way.  Thankfully!  Art can be the graffiti on the sides of freight train cars, the works of master painters, children’s projects from school, stuff you see on walks, a plate of food, a deli’s showcase, photography…So come with me on this journey.

(Jean’s wood cut images)

Art…A couple of years ago an elderly friend of mine passed away.  She was a wonderful artist who was talented in lots of mediums – watercolor, block print making, etc.  A patron of the arts, Jean was a founding member of the local Art Center and volunteered there for years.  Late in her life she brought some beautiful tiny wood block prints to the center to sell.  She said her kids had picked the ones they wanted and she had just decided to sell the rest of them.  I bought two of them and cherish them.  They hang together in my dining room in a grouping of  some small works.  Whenever I take a look at them, I fondly think of Jean, her great smile and gentle ways.  Art for her seemed to be done for purely pleasure.  She didn’t seem to care if  she made a bunch of money on her work; she did it for the pleasure of making art.

After she had passed away,  her children gathered things that they didn’t want and had a yard sale.  She had lots of interesting artifacts from around the world, but the two things that I fell in love with were two sets of wood block cuts for printing/imaging.  I am a huge fan of art stamps and have a collection that is quite extensive.  So when I saw these wooden boxes of wood blocks, I had to have them!  There is a collection of letters and numbers in different fonts, some well-worn; others hardly used.  On occasion I pick a couple and ink them up and stamp them into a project, but mostly I just take them out and look at them and remember my friend Jean…