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     When the sum comes up very early and there's no way to fall back to sleep it's really easy to just let the mind wander.  Today is Father's Day and my first thoughts this morning were about my Dad.  He passed away in 1997, but it seems no matter what is going on he always has a presence in the lives of his children.  Even today every day drama can have a happy ending if we just remember to "do the right thing".  Parents teach their children values, but being a good, no, great parent, comes from imparting common sense and a willingness to follow through on our actions.  Dad was always patient.  He never got upset (or at least outwardly so) at us for the "dumb" things we'd do.  We could always ask him his opinion because he was never judgmental and never forced us to do things as he saw fit.  He'd have suggestions on a course of action, which in the hind sight of the moment, would have been a better idea.  Once we'd experienced this a few times we'd learned he was a good source for advice.  Which gave him a chance to be part of how we built our lives.  He was approachable and non-judgmental.  What a great support system we had, and never knew it at the time. 
     Thinking about him as just a regular guy, it's easy to remember him just having fun.  He liked to repairing broken things.  He really enjoyed finding something in an antique store or garage sale that was, to most eyes a piece of junk, and would have it working again.  Not just functioning, but shiny and humming.  He loved to garden and would grow the biggest tomatoes I've ever seen.  Eating that first BLT of the season was a spiritual experience.  He was a very funny person that could see the humor in just about any situation.  Learning how to having a positive attitude and finding that we can laugh at ourselves is such a sweet gift.  He also loved to dance.  Any event that included dancing had him in the middle of the dance floor showing everyone just exactly how it's done.  He loved the outdoors.  When he went to the beach he just about burst with happy energy.   We were always welcome to go hunting and fishing with him,  if we wanted to.  We learned from him the "greater" outdoors should be cared for and respected.   Another great gift to pass along to children.
  
  So time marches on and and it's time to step up to the plate as the adults in our family.  To be there for the nieces and nephews, knowing they will not be judged, just gently guided, in hopefully, a direction that is best for them. Read More

Yesterday I stopped in my favorite art store to purchase a tube of paint and some hangers for frames.  I was also taking a necklace to one of my friends as partial payment for a painting I bought from him.  The necklace would be a gift, and I think he enjoyed picking the colors.  I made two necklaces and earring sets so he'd have a choice.  One was very funky and had lots of bright turquoise and yellow and art glass and one was Sapphire blue and more conservative.  He like the conservative piece better and hopefully, it will be a great gift.  It worked well for me to exchange something I enjoy making to help pay down the price of the painting (actually a pencil drawing, I'd seen about a year ago at a show and really liked it.)
The high point of the day however, was at the framing counter in the back of the store.  On the counter was a somewhat dog eared and yellowed map.  A fairly large sized map, about the size of a full watercolor sheet, of The Republic of Mali.  I was cautiously listening to my friends, that work in the store and frame art all the time chat with the woman who brought the map in.  I enjoy framing my work as much as I do working on it, to me it is like a relationship, the frame and the painting have to compliment one another and work together.  So framing art work is "sort-of" like being a match maker.  When I have a chance to learn about techniques for hanging large pieces or repair of older art work, or something like this particular piece an old map, I was very alert and aware of all the details, I might learn something useful.  My friend at the framing counter has some art conservation experience from another job (where they restore a lot of maps), so he really was a good person to be helping her.  Cautiously, I had to find out more about this person and this map.  My curiosity got the better of me, and I wanted to approach her with a friendly, but not "in your face" question and all that came out of my mouth was "Wow, that's a cool map!"  The woman turned and beautiful blue eyes and a big smile answered, saying that she had the map from time she spent in the Peace Corps.  Wow, didn't expect that. The soft tone of her voice was like we were in church.  She used this map to find her way around the country.  Now, I could understand in a second why she'd want to frame it.  But the conversation had been about repairing it as much a possible and taking he wrinkles out.  Possibly dry mounting it to foam core.  Did I dare intrude further?  I sensed no "please go away and mind your own business", so I mentioned it's personality, the sweat and bug stains and yellow corners where it had been taped up on a wall.  There were giggles and my friends knew, as well as I, that it really was special to her and needed something a little be different?  She mentioned she had thought about preserving it's character, could it be placed in a shadow box?  It would be large, and maybe cost would be more than she had wanted to spend.  Did she have any other little trinkets or things that could go in the shadow box with it?   One of her children came running over to ask a question.  Fast forward 40 years and I could see a map that she would tell her grandchildren about, the trip that took five days by camel to get to Tombouctou.  After her child skipped off to check out something else, she talked about some hand made fabric she brought back with her from the time spent there that was big enough to be placed behind the map.  I listened a few more minutes and wandered over to pay for my tube of  paint and hangers....never underestimate letting genuine curiosity motivate questions for you, life experience of others surrounds us everwhere and if you don't ask?  You'll never know... Read More

Well, another open studio come and gone.  As we lugged tables, totes and panels back into the house after the show, I thought about all the great people that stopped by to look at my work with warm genuine praise for what I was doing.  ( How often at work to folks come by, look over your shoulder and exclaim " I love what you do!" )  
I sold two paintings to a really sweet lady from Underhill.   A fair number of prints, cards and a scarf went home with visitors. My good friend was in the space beside me and we had a chance to visit and we also manged to go out to dinner on Saturday evening. 
It's interesting to listen to questions from browsers about painting styles and mediums.  Forming a response sometimes depends on my impression of the person asking a question.  Sometime folks seem puzzled by the questions I ask them in response before I answer.  Another artist may be gathering information about methods or materials.  Some shoppers are looking for specific types of painting for a gift.  Questions about frames and the inspiration for a painting are frequently offered up along with a smile and the chance to make a new friend.  Once a conversation begins it can be as much fun as painting.  The exchange between two people is a creative process.  An artist sees and paints something that they want to share.  Inspiration, the reason, can be very much like a conversation, that need to communicate, to share, but communicated in one glance, rather than in words.  A chance to show rather than tell.  So it can be like a moment of clear revelation when a patron discovers the subject or inspiration for a painting struck a chord with them and neither of us is too surprised to find we understand exactly how and why it was worth sharing.

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Getting ready for shows always takes more time than I can ever plan.  Being an artist is as much about running a business as it is painting and drawing.   Having prints made, cutting mats, working on the computer and pulling    together a fairly priced, cohesive body of work for shows takes a lot of time.  Like many things, to make this work,  it takes striking a balance.  On one side of the teater-toter is the business and the other is the creative side.  The best laid plans, as they say....a day that has been set aside for business plans can start with the desire to just go and paint.  Since "the muse" doesn't grace everyday, it's very easy to set aside those buisness plans and "just go paint".  Taking a deep breath and letting things just happen as they sometimes do, can lead to a great day.   There's always another day to work on business....    Read More

As an Artist I'm always looking for different and new ways to show my art work.  A few months ago a newspaper article boasted options for turning works of art into fabric designs.  The article was a definite clip and save.  When I first looked at this  it seemed like a good idea.  I visited all of the web sites listed in the article and picked my favorite.  With no shows pending, it dropped off my radar.  Time marches on and with Open Studio a few weeks away and a nagging newspaper clipping acting as a nudge, I once again visited fabricondemand.com.  With an open e-folder of possible prints and attempts to visualize how it would look I stepped through some very easy to follow instructions on their web site.  Soon my image was off to be turned into fabric that I will cut into wide strips and sew into fashion accessories.  What woman doesn't love art that she can wear!  Today arrived an e-mail from Adam at faricondemand (a real person, imagine !!!)  and included a fabric proof for my approval.  WOW!  this was amazing.  A large orange and black spider looking "X" is surrounded by a criss cross of blue batik that upon a closer inspection shows swimming fish.  I can't wait for my fabric to arrive.  Read More

Drafting a plan.  Finding Lead Curators and Venues.  Time Frame for show.  Will it be a juried show?  Will it have a theme and who chooses the theme?  Find Artists to participate.
Curators should be dedicated flexible, open-minded with some computer savy.  Budget of time is about 3-6 hours per week during planning stages.  Ideally the plans start about six months in advance, but three to four months in advance also works.
Finding venues is easy if you think about great places you've seen art shows.  Unoccupied retail space, barns, green houses, recreation centers, church activity centers and outdoor locations can work well for art shows.  Things to consider: 
1.  If you orgainization is a tax exempt club be sure you register with your state.  You'll need an EIN and a check book to carry out show business.  If you can carete your organization as a tax exempt non-profit, you may find it easier to locate venues as ovwners can "donate" the space to your organization.
2. Is parking for patrons available?  How far is the venue from parking?  Is it near resturants and other leisure activity locations?  How far will artisits have to cary art work and display panels if they are not in a gallery setting?  What will the weather likely be during the show?  Is the space heated?  How far to public restrooms?  Does your town or local municipality require any permit for additonal traffic?
Setting date for the duration of the show is liley dependant on who will be available to "sit" during the show hours.  I recomment participant sign up for sitting coincide with show duration. 
3. Each participant is usually expected to pay a fee to cover show expenses.  For general use, not rent required about $1.00 per total show particpants.  If the show has 25 artists, the $25- each will cover advertising and insurance. ($625.00 total)
    ....next forming commitees....

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   ...we are getting closer to opening the doors for our Art Show!  There has been a huge amount of work and lots of planning.  Advertising, set-up and layout, sales, cleaning and window decor have artists working on this show.  Our hosts at the Essex Shoppes have been really great providing a space rent-free in an empty store.  I'm looking forward to showing the talent of artists in the Essex Art League.  Read More

Last weekend I was fortunate to have signed up for a watercolor workshop with Katherine Montstream http://kmmstudio.com/ to benefit the Lake Champlain Land Trust.http://www.lclt.org/
The weather was fantastic, the location in Oak Ledge Park on the Lake was perfect and Katherine is a friendly and gracious teacher.  She spoke of her mentor while she demo'd and it's obvious her style and methods are worth keeping handy in a tool box of what works the best.  Outstanding.
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This is one of those luv/hate activities.  I get so excited about the energy and the art work, but so challenged by the day to day isses of making it happen.....  When I asked the fitness manager where I work out if there was a mall manager that I might ask about the possibility of holding an art show at the mall (beautiful clean mall with big wide sidewalks, flowers, trees and benches) http://www.essexshoppes.com, she said yes...low and behold it is her husband !- and he is interested!!....one thing has flowed into another and rather than an outdoor show (still would like to persue this) we will be able to use a vacant store for three weekends in December to have an Art show and Sale.  When this was proposed to the http://www.essexartleague.com/, looking for a response of those interested, all most all of the hands shot up in approval that they would like to participate.  With 70 members strong and a good attendance, this should be an awesome show.  Past two years we were able to use a converted barn for our fall shows, but this is really nice .... a heated space, with carpets and pretty good lighting....  now the committees form and the work begins...  sometimes I feel like the desk jockey for all the notes... but we are entering the high tech age and our web master just opened a facebook group page.    Very exciting.... 
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The show in Jeffersonville was a lot of fun.  I made some new contacts and sold some art work.  Lots of sun shine and I got to show off my new Studio Banner!   The local print shop made a banner from one of my images and it really looked great.  It was a challenge to hang it on the outside of the tent, but it really looked professional.  I'll need to get some new pannels at some point, the old peg board is really showing it's age.  I might be able to just paint both sides and get a few more years use of them.    
It was a really nice day, I had a lot of fun....a wonderful woman took a small bowl back to Florida and a really sweet couple bought a trout fly painting for his "man cave".  Folks from New Jersey just stopped to chat and they were so nice and friendly.  Some of the art work it really beautiful.  I can't believe how fantastic Josh's pencil drawings are in the Bryan Gallery  Wow - some of the other art work is really eye popping.... 
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