Spring 2011 Art Crawl

the view into the studio from the doorway

art just outside the studio

A few days have past since this past weekend's Art Crawl. For those of you who couldn't make it, I thought I would give a little mini-tour of my home studio space as set up for the Crawl. Welcome.

Furniture was rearranged (and put away) to make our home feel more like a gallery. This was the first time I've shown my work in our new space, so much work was done to prepare the space (including painting our outer door and entryway).  Many visitors were wowed by our space--especially with the huge brick wall and all the light pouring in through the floor to ceiling windows (even on a cold gray day like we had this past weekend).

Most artists, myself no exception, prefer to work on their art in isolation. Sometimes it's a good thing to peek your head outside the studio and see what others think. The Art Crawl provides me with that opportunity to share my work with others. It's a great time to talk about my work, talk about my process and what I'm working on...and get a feed on what people think about my work. It's exhausting and energizing all at the same time.

I had new, as well as older pieces to share. There was a lot of interest and positive feedback about a number of pieces...and that definitely felt good. 


With the Crawl over, I'm enjoying a few days in recovery mode--resting and relaxing--before I start getting ready for another show in a few weeks. This show will be at an outside studio and will be a one-day event, so a bit easier to do. 


And sometime in between all that, I hope to clean & organize my studio and start working on some new pieces.  So much for resting and relaxing.

A Day Away, A Haircut, and Crawl

Life has certainly been a juggling act lately, with not nearly enough time for working in the studio. I try really hard to spend those days I'm not working or busy with outside appointments in the studio...but sometimes a day away refuels the creative fire more than anything else can.

Last week I had a day just like that. I left home in the morning and didn't make it home till bedtime. It was a day spent with artsy friends and even time all to myself. I had time to catch my breath, treat myself just a little and just enjoy being away from the pressures of life in general. It was the kind of escape we all need once in a while.

I started off the morning by meeting with my mentor, Brenna Busse, to take a trip to Circa Gallery in downtown Minneapolis to check out the Barbara Gilhooly show that is there till the end of this month. Barbara was a Lowertown artist (she moved this past summer) that still exhibits locally. I love her work and this show was inspiring--to both Brenna and myself. For one thing, I was just amazed by how productive she is as an artist. A large chunk of the exhibit included 100 6x6 paintings--all completed this winter, I believe. Even if they were small--that's a lot of work. They were painted on birch wood panels. Part of what I liked about them was how she built layers upon layers of color, carved into the wood and even used sandpaper to reveal multiple layers of paint. 

Seeing a show like that makes you want to run right home, lock yourself in the studio and get busy. But then I remembered ... this was my day.

I said good-bye to Brenna and made a call to see if I could make an afternoon appointment for a hair cut. I've been dreaming of a new cut for a couple of weeks. I felt the need to get rid of some hair. Really. On so many levels, I just needed to get it cut off. It felt too long, too bushy, too everything. And I felt like a new hairdo would put me in a spring-sort of mood. I've just had enough of  snow and winter (I had to wipe snow off my windshield that very morning, damnit) and even if it didn't look like spring outside, I needed to feel like it inside. And hooray, I got an appointment with a new person who finally gave me the short haircut that I've been wanting to get for the past year (there were several failed attempts). I left the salon feeling like a new woman. I got my sassy back.


From there I met up with one of my WARM buddies...we hung out, talked art until it was time to go to our very first Critical Response for two of our fellow Protegees. I think I will write about this more in-depth at a later date, but basically it is a process developed by dancer Liz Lerman for artists to give one another feedback about their work that supports the artist rather than tear them down. (I do not have fond memories of critiques in college many years ago). It was an interesting experience. It definitely felt good to connect with other artists and experience a "critique" that could be both supportive and informative. 


It's been several days now, but the experiences of this one day are still swimming around in my head. I want to spend time in the studio and work on the projects in my head...and while I have done some painting, what I'm really focused on is getting things ready for the Art Crawl. Bigger projects will have to wait, cause the Crawl is next weekend!

I'm not quite sure how it's all going to come together, but I just keep going. I've made my lists, keep finishing things on those lists, and know that somehow it will all get done (more or less) and I'll be ready for another Crawl.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Waiting on Spring

This past winter I've become a bit of a blogging slacker. It's been a tough winter on several fronts. Weather wise, it's been one of the snowiest, coldest winters we've endured in several years. Besides all that, I've been juggling ongoing changes/transitions in my life...we're still settling into our new loft and I'm still adjusting to my new part-time gig at the nearby Science Museum . 


The doldrums of winter have worn me down, but things are starting to look up. For a little bit this past week, it actually felt like spring had arrived. It was so hot and humid last Sunday that I was ready to get a new spring hairdo! But alas, snow has found it's way in the forecast one more time...enough already!

It's been hard to get motivated, but as I said, things are looking up! Last week I enjoyed one of those magical days when everything just seemed to go right! I needed one of those days to get me moving in a more positive direction! 

On Thursday last week, I had an appointment with the owner of the Artist Mercantile for a studio visit to check out my work. The Artist Mercantile, located in downtown St. Paul,  features an eclectic mix of gifts, as well as the work of local artists. To make a long story short, the Artist Mercantile is now featuring some of my smaller paintings, including the work pictured above. I was very excited today to deliver these paintings today! I can't wait to take a walk downtown to take a peek at my work in the window!

The same day I was getting ready for this studio visit I received a phone call from the Mpls' Egg and I about showing my work in their restaurant. Nearly a year ago, on a lunch date with my co-workers, I got my name on their list of artists to show work. I was actually there for our final team get-together before my layoff took affect. We were actually in very silly moods, had a great time and I wrote a thank you to our server on the back of one of my postcards. She invited me to get on the list of artists willing to show their work...and so I did. Recently I've wondered if I would hear from them and had come to the conclusion that they had lost my info. And then wham, I got the call!

Originally, I was invited to be their May artist, but when the April artist failed to show I agreed to come in early. So on Tuesday, I hung some work at the Egg and I (2828 Lyndale Ave S, Mpls). They are an awesome breakfast joint, so I suggest you go down there and enjoy the kamikaze pancakes (while also enjoying my art)!

And there's more! I've gone from a relatively quiet time on the art front to super busy in the blink of the eye. I have the St. Paul Spring Art Crawl in two weeks at my home studio. And then in May, I'm participating in a one-day crawl in south Mpls (see the sidebar for details). Of course, all these events are motivating me to get busy in the studio...which is really the best cure there is for the winter doldrums.

Art Crawl...done!

I'm taking a few days to "recover" from Art Crawl weekend! It was a very busy three days. (I've decided three days is a long time to host an open studio in your home...but I can and will do it twice a year!)  

Traffic was down just a bit...probably due to the incredibly gorgeous weather outside. Highs were in the 80's--20 degrees above normal. Last year at the Fall Art Crawl we saw snowflakes (the opposite extreme)! I don't fault anyone for not wanting to spend time indoors when the weather was simply breathtaking!

But we still had great traffic thru the studio and it was wonderful visiting with so many new folks. It was great to hear such positive feedback about my work! I did a lousy job of taking photos, but here are a few to give you an idea of how things looked inside my studio/home/gallery--

a sideways view of the entryway hallway/gallery

the opposite wall of the entryway

Funky Eggplants--these three-6x8-sold!

Embracing Beauty-20x20- plus Little Birds

My jewelry and treat table just inside the entryway

Inner gallery space

Of course, offering Mabel's Molasses Cookies

I'm now spending a few days at home...cooking soup, enjoying a visit with my mom, and soaking up this gorgeous fall weather that we are being blessed with. Hopefully, my soul will be recharged in a few days and I will be back in the studio!

Mabel's Molasses Cookies

I am baking my favorite Molasses Cookies for Art Crawl. I found the recipe years ago in an older edition Better Homes & Garden cookbook. I saved a worn copy of this cookbook from being tossed when my mother moved years ago. I've since have started a small collection of old cookbooks. I love the ones from the 50-60's, because their illustrations are rather comical now--and they remind me of my childhood.

Now there is a painting to go along with the recipe! I had completed the whole painting, but was trying to come up with a plan for the background. I felt the woman looked very domestic and then creative inspiration hit! I decided to incorporate the cookie recipe in the background. I decided to name the piece Mabel was a Domestic Goddess (she seemed like a Mabel to me).

My creative wheels were still turning. I was thinking that this would make a great commissioned piece (and a great gift that will remain a keepsake for years to come!). If you have a treasured family recipe, I could use that recipe in the background. 

I am not trying to do portraits, but would certainly be open to some input on colors... Each piece would be unique. I think it would even be awesome if a broach/necklace with special meaning to the recipient could be incorporated in the piece (otherwise, I have a stash of vintage pieces).

What do you think? This piece is 10x20 (offered at $125). I was also thinking of offering it in a 12x24 size (offered at $150). I will have this piece on display during the Art Crawl and will be accepting commissions. Following Art Crawl, I may throw it out there on Etsy!


Let me know if you're interested! Oh, and here is the recipe:

MABEL'S MOLASSES COOKIES


Mix together thoroughly...
    3/4 cup soft shortening (shortening!...that indicates the age of the recipe!)
    1 cup brown sugar
    1 egg
    1/4 cup molasses


Sift together and stir in...
   (I just mix in my dry ingredients, no sifting!)
     2 tsp baking soda
     1/4 tsp salt
     1 tsp ginger
     1 tsp cinnamon
     1/2 tsp cloves
     2 1/4 cups flour


Chill dough. Roll into balls the size of a large walnut. Dip tops in sugar. Place, sugared-side-up, on greased cookie sheet. Press with fork (or meat hammer). You may sprinkle each cookie with a few drops of water to produce a crackled surface. Bake at 350-375 for 10-12 min.
   

The final stretch

This week is all about the Art Crawl. It's crunch time...the Crawl starts on Friday. I am focusing on final details...at the studio, I'm varnishing paintings. At home, I'm cleaning and reorganizing our place to turn it into a mini-gallery for the weekend.

The Art Crawl is always a big deal...well, to me and all the other artists that will be opening their studios, it's a big deal. Getting ready for it you sort of hyper-focus on preparing for those three days. It's a little overwhelming.

To be honest, this Crawl feels even bigger than some of the past Crawls. Partly because for the past four months my primary focus (occupation, if you will) has been painting. The Art Crawl is my first big opportunity to get feedback from a larger group of people. It's also an opportunity to hopefully sell some of my work...and that sort of financial validation means a little more than other times too. 

People often ask if it's hard to part with my paintings...and the answer is usually "No!" First off, I don't offer my paintings for sale until I'm ready to part with them. Whenever I have sold a painting it has been such a wonderful exchange and I've always felt that my painting has gone to a good home. There's something exciting about knowing that your artwork is a treasured possession in someone's home! And lastly, I have to sell some paintings to make room for all the new ones I'm going to paint!

Regardless, I'm ready for the Art Crawl to begin! I am anxious to start hanging my work and to put everything in place! It's always so much fun when the event gets started--there's so much energy. And I always enjoy meeting and talking with new people (and returning visitors as well!) about art, what pieces of mine they like...even if I don't sell anything, that feedback and energy keeps me going for a long time following the Crawl!

So a few more days of final preparations and the show is on! The weather forecast for the weekend is fantastic--low 70's for temps and the only chance of rain on Sunday--great Crawl weather. 


I'll let you know how it all turns out!

St. Paul Art Crawl--just a week away!

 Leaves are turning color, the evenings are getting cooler, and the art crawl is just a week away! I will have my Tilsner home studio open for the Fall Art Crawl and hope you will stop by to visit! Here are the details:

Friday, October 8th 

                                 6-10 pm
Saturday, October 9th 

                                 12-8 pm
Sunday, October 10th 

                                 12-5 pm

Tilsner Building

                             Studio 507

300 Broadway Street

St. Paul, MN 55101

 
Hundreds of Artists will open their studios to the public during the Fall Art Crawl. 50 Artists will be showing their work in the Tilsner building alone. This includes painters, potters, photographers and much more!  Many buildings will also offer musical or theatrical entertainment. There is so much happening in Lowertown this weekend...you can check it out here! There are over six additional locations within walking distance of the Tilsner that will feature open studios and art--that alone will offer an evening worth of entertainment! It is a great opportunity to view local art--and meet the artists!

 Convenient parking is located across the street from the Tilsner at the Kellogg & Broadway lot (free during the Crawl). You can even catch a shuttle bus there to take you to different locations. Yes, the roads are a bit of a mess (due to light rail construction), but we have been assured that things will be somewhat put back together for the Crawl. But it is always a good bet to park at a convenient spot (like Kellogg and Broadway) and walk between buildings.

This is the best opportunity to see all of my work. Since I have been painting full-time the past 4 months, I have lots of new work to share! Come see what I've been up to!  And as always, I'll be offering my guests some tasty treats (including home-baked goodies)!

I hope to see you sometime during the Crawl!

(For more information, check out the Art Crawl website here!)

2 weeks!

view outside my studio window

Only two weeks until the Fall Art Crawl...which means I am working hard at the studio trying to finish some paintings. After working full-time on my painting for the past four months, I have lots of new work to share...but there is always more work to finish--including these--
 

Embracing Beauty

Embracing Beauty 20x20

With the countdown to the Art Crawl on (-4 weeks, y'all!), I am busy painting away in the studio. Last week I continued working on a series that I've decided to title Embracing Beauty.

There is something calming about painting these. I hope they have the same impact on the viewer. There is enough ugliness in this world that sometimes I think we need a gentle reminder to look for all the beauty that surrounds us. 

(detail)

This would make a lovely fabric print, don't you think?

A few of these are up at my Trotter's show--which is up for two more weeks! Check it out--located on Cleveland, just off Marshall (right around the corner from Izzy's).

I also have a few small ones listed on Etsy (with more to follow). These little beauties offer gentle reminders--

Be Calm. 4x4  $20

Dream. 6x6 - $25

Embrace Beauty. 4x4 - $20

Just click on the title of each and it will take you to my Etsy shop!

Spring 2010 Art Crawl at Studio 507, Tilsner

Just a teaser...

...of a few shots of my studio set up for the Art Crawl. Still open today 12-5! Find me at 300 Broadway Street, Studio 507.