Update April 2015

Happy April!

GALLERY SIX CLOSING PARTY!

At the end of this month, my erstwhile partners Shamus Langlois and Abigail Feldman will close gallery SIX. Until then, we'll make the most of it! Please come help us celebrate on Saturday April 11, 6:30-8:00; we'll have refreshments, live music, a group show up on the walls, a Free Draw board, talk and hilarity. (I'm working on the possibilities of staying in the space myself after gallery SIX leaves-- see below.)

LANDSCAPES AT THE DRAWING BOARD

I'm calling this show "Play Dates with Piet." Pieter Bruegel the Elder did a series of paintings representing the seasons, or maybe the months-- anyway, they're wonderful, you've probably seen at least one or two. I pulled a couple of old art books out of the library and took a stab at making my own versions, in crayon, from the dinky little reproductions. Mostly I wanted to catch Bruegel's sense of acres and acres of land, valleys' worth of air and sunlight. I left out almost all the buildings and working people in favor of bright crayon-scribbles, to show how modern I am. You can come to the Drawing Board, where I work, and take a look! They're on the wall behind the front counter, through April.

WEBSITE UPDATED

You can also see the "Play Dates" landscapes on my website. I've been playing around in the back-end parts, where I can see statistics and so on-- I'm supposed to be able to tell whether you're a robot or not by your browsing pattern. So if you want to register as human, don't click too fast I guess, or make sure your comments seem intelligent (but not TOO intelligent). Of course, if you buy things I shouldn't really care whether you're human.

LIFE DRAWING SESSION WEDNESDAY EVENINGS 6 BARRE STREET

Regardless of the studio/gallery's impending doom (see above and below), we're still chugging right along with weekly drawing evenings. These past couple of weeks have been really fun-- improvised costumes, props, gossip about the vibrant Montpelier art scene. If you don't want to be gossiped ABOUT, you should come join us! Or lead a blameless and boring life.

LOOKING FOR STUDIO/GALLERY PARTNERS

Even with the gallery closing, there's a chance I'll stay in the 6 Barre Street studio after all. I can see a couple of ways of doing that-- if a few more people want to join me as Studio-mates, we can split the rent up into digestible chunks. OR if a dozen plus people want to pay smaller amounts to be Gallery Members, for a constant small space to display and sell from, we might make it worthwhile for everyone. I'm pestering a bunch of particular folks about how much they want to help out, but if you're waiting to be pestered don't wait! This is it! Tell me exactly how you'd like to help us keep a visual-art presence in downtown Montpelier and pay my studio rent; I promise I will listen attentively.

...AND/OR OTHER STUDIO SPACE

Shockingly few people so far seem to want to give me money to pay the rent here, so while I plan to stay, I'm parallel-planning an exit strategy. Despite evidence, I'm confident there's affordable art-studio space in Montpelier. If you own it or know where it is, send me a clue! But not a difficult clue. Monday-crossword level, or whatever the easy day is.

Thanks for reading!

Update early 2015

Happy early 2015!

GALLERY SIX: RAY BROWN OPENING FEBRUARY 6

Ray Brown's a generous guy, which explains why he's okay showing at our scrappy little start-up. He's the kind of painter who makes painting look like a cool thing to do. Here's the official word from the gallery: "gallery SIX proudly displays abstract oil paintings by veteran Vermont artist Ray Brown. Featuring a lovely selection of recent works that draw from the artist's observations of form, light and color while traveling in Florida and Italy. Opening reception February 6, 4-8 pm, showing through March 27, 2015." Full disclosure: Ray Brown happens also to be my employer's husband, but you should view that as "a stroke of good luck for everyone involved," and not "nepotism." Although I suppose that's what nepotism is, seen from the right angle.

SKETCHES IN OIL AT THE SKINNY PANCAKE FEBRUARY-MARCH 2015

Me too me too! I'm showing some paintings of my own around the corner at my old workplace, the Skinny Pancake. Most are imagined landscapes from a fertile week at the Vermont Studio Center back in 2010, but there are a few new things, including maybe a couple of beeswax crayon panel landscapes I did up the hill behind our house. Come to the Art Walk reception on Friday February 6th! And speaking of...

FEBRUARY ART WALK MONTPELIER WILL BE EXTRA SPECIAL

Looks that way, anyway. There are some shows up already that I've been looking forward to-- Nick Neddo, who makes his own tools and materials from scratch using things like bear fur and Japanese knotweed, is showing some excellent ink drawings at the Arts Council; August Burns is showing portraits at the Vermont Supreme Court. And looking at the publicity so far, I'm interested in the local photography showing all over the place, including the gallery at 13 Main Street, the North Branch Cafe, and especially the Washington County Youth Service Bureau's show "through the lens of the Basement Teen Center." Some beautiful work there.

LIFE DRAWING SESSION WEDNESDAY EVENINGS 6 BARRE STREET

It may be because we're in Vermont that it's easier to find people who want to take their clothes off for strangers than it is to find people who want to draw them. But the Life Drawing Sessions are limping happily along regardless. And the good news is, there's plenty of space for you these days! (especially if you want to DRAW, and not to model!) Just show up with $10 and some art supplies, 6:30-8:30 Wednesday nights. We probably have an loaner easel for you if you want.

WEBSITE UPDATED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS

Kate has a couple of citrus plants in the house that lose every single leaf over the winter. I've been startled every time when, in the spring, enough new leaves pop out to keep them going (though they do seem smaller each time). If you're the person who occasionally visits my website-- and I know you exist, because I get statistic spreadsheets showing a steep change from zero to one!-- I imagine it's a similar surprise when there are new images up. This is your warning: don't be surprised.

ON MY WAY SOMEWHERE

As wonderful as the studio at gallery SIX has been, it's not quite balancing out for me. I'm planning a slow departure for some other, less time- and money-intensive studio (possibly our guest bedroom at home). Not going to slow down my drawing. Going to speed up my taking-of-walks, museum visits, and so on. If you have any ideas about where I should look for nice studio space in Montpelier, feel free to tell me.

Thanks for reading!

October 2014 Update

Happy October!

 

GALLERY SIX: BEN PEBERDY OCT. 3-NOV 19, RECEPTION FRIDAY OCT 17 4-8 PM

Collage artist Ben Peberdy, also known as Deluxe Unlimited, will be featured in the gallery this time around. I just got my first in-person look at his work-- it's darn neat. High quality and priced so low that even I could afford it. I hope you'll have the chance to come see!

 

13@13: THREE TIMES THE SPACE, THREE TIMES THE ARTISTS, ARTSFEST SATURDAY OCT 18 4-8 PM

We have a big new space to play in! Thanks to our landlord and to a great local organization, we get a month to use the vacant space at 13 Main Street in Montpelier. Opening THIS SATURDAY OCTOBER 18th, we'll be showing new work by 13 artists including me: Toby Bartles, Michael Ciccone, Pat deGogorza, Abigail Feldman, Robert George, Katie Grauer, Glen Coburn Hutcheson, Maayan Kasimov, Katie Knoeringer, Shamus Langlois, Nicole Mandeville, John Matusz, Michael Secor, James Secor and Ashley Anne Veselis. *

 

SEE MY WORK ELSEWHERE TOO

I have a drawing in the ARA exhibit at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library this month. What a good place to show-- it always startles me to see the friezes (plaster casts from the Parthenon and the cantorie of Luca della Robbia and Donatello). The drawing I'm showing is old, from 2008; the friezes date slightly further back to about 2,400 years ago.

 

LIFE DRAWING SESSION WEDNESDAY EVENINGS 6 BARRE STREET

They're getting livelier and livelier; I'm going to have to start playing soothing music. If you're the type of person to keep things calm (and pay the $10 fee!), please join us! Wednesdays 6:30 to 8:30 at the studio, mostly short dynamic poses, bring your own materials but we may have an easel you can use.

 

DOWNING THE UPDATE

The astute among you have noticed that I skipped a couple of months. I just didn't have much to say. The Art Update will be less frequent for a while, I think; I'm working happily and making things at least as regularly as ever, but for whatever reason I'm temporarily feeling less like showing off. Maybe it'll be once a season or so. In the meantime, it'd be great if you'd take a look at the various internet things I'm connected to; some of them you can sign up for, or "like," or otherwise attach yourself.

 

* there might be more than thirteen artists for 13@13, but why are you counting? Clearly you have time on your hands. You ought to come see some art shows!

July 2014 Update

Happy July! Life is feeling full for me this month, maybe because of the greenery and heat-- there's not much more to report. Things are fine. For details, see below:

THE NEXT SHOW AT GALLERY SIX: ASHLEY VESELIS / JOHN MATUSZ
I'm excited to see what ends up in the space. Both John and Ashley make some wacky stuff, and it's all worth seeing in person. There'll be an opening reception August 1, 4-8 pm, for Montpelier Art Walk. Come help us celebrate!-- show off your discerning conversation with the artists and gallery directors, your drawing skills on the Free Draw board, and your eating and drinking abilities with me at the snack table!

UNTIL THEN, 2 MORE WEEKS TO SEE KATIE GRAUER / NICOLE MANDEVILLE
Paintings by Nicole Mandeville and Katie Grauer are featured in Gallery SIX's first show of outside artists. They're all good and strange; it's a pleasure to have them here. Up through July 18th-- come take a look! We're open more often these days, too.

SEE MY WORK
My recent crayon piece Man with a Plant will be featured in Studio Place Arts' show State of Beings. (July 22-August 30; reception July 24.) Likely the last chance to see it in public; after that it's headed to an exclusive private collection here in central Vermont. Actually you could probably still see it-- I doubt the owners lock their door. All my other new work is always available for you to see in the studio space; I'm there most mornings.

WEBSITE SLIGHTLY UPDATED
Of course, you can update it yourself since it's interactive (those big BUY NOW buttons).

LIFE DRAWING SESSION WEDNESDAY EVENINGS 6 BARRE STREET
Imagine this: after a long weekday at work, it's 85 degrees, canvas over the windows, in the studio with six other people. At least one is naked. It's quiet except for muttered curses, the scratch of charcoal on newsprint, and someone's phone-timer going off every twenty minutes. It takes two hours and almost two local beers' worth ($10) every week Wednesday 6:30 to 8:30. Believe it or not we have a nice little regular crowd these days. But I bet we still have an easel for you to use.

COMMISSIONS
Something unusual happened the other day-- I finished a commissioned drawing, handed it over, and was paid. Felt a little weird at first, but I could get used to it. Help me practice!

June 2014 Update

Happy June! Trying hard to keep the Art Update short this month; the main thing is

GALLERY SIX OPENING RECEPTION THIS FRIDAY
Nicole Mandeville and Katie Grauer are featured in Gallery SIX's first show of outside artists. The paintings are going up as I write-- good and strange, worth thinking and talking about. It'll be the kind of show to see with a friend. If your friend can't make it I'll stand in. Up through July 18th, but you should plan to come for the opening reception Friday June 6, from 4-8 PM. For those of you more interested in renovations than artwork, there's a shiny new floor too. For those of you who come just for the free snacks, yes yes they'll be there. AND live music from the composer and multi-instrumentalist Ben Cosgrove!

MY SOLO SHOE SHOP SHOW
Through the end of the month at the Shoe Horn on Langdon Street in Montpelier, go see my new abstract oil-on-canvas paintings. They'd look classy in your apartment and I bet you could afford them.

LIFE DRAWING SESSION WEDNESDAY EVENINGS
It's starting to get a little crowded some weeks, but there's always room for you and your easel. (If you don't have an easel, we probably have an extra.) $10 gets you TWO WHOLE HOURS of frustration at how hard it is to draw. Every Wednesday at the studio, 6:30-8:30 PM.

COMMISSIONS
The more commissions I take on, the closer I come to charging professional rates-- so act fast! Your idea, my execution (note that due to the current technological limitations of telepathy, my execution of your idea may end up looking somewhat like MY idea ("art")).

May 2014 Update

Happy May, everyone!

 

 

YOU SHOULD ALL BUY SHOES and clothing at The Shoe Horn in Montpelier this spring, because I have some paintings up there through June (there may be a reception June 6; see below for more on that date). I'm calling the show "Rough Geometries." It's a bunch of colorful abstracts in oil on canvas. I had fun coming up with patterns that didn't feel boring to make, and then screwing up because they were too hard for me! I've tried to price them to sell. Best to see them in person, of course, but if you must, you can also buy them on the website.

 

WE'RE GETTING FLOORING in the gallery space to replace the grey carpet. (It's possible the carpet's actually white under all the dirt.) That means pretty soon it'll be too fancy for you, so come visit quick! You've got about a week, then we're going to start turning away anyone who looks like they might mess up our floor.

 

GALLERY SIX EXHIBIT COMING UP: we have two excellent painters lined up to show work starting in June, with an opening reception on Friday, June 6 for Art Walk. I'll send another reminder, with official names and images, but go ahead and put it on your calendar now to be safe. There will be hilarity as usual, and LIVE MUSIC as unusual: my friend Ben Cosgrove has agreed to come up with his Korg and do his thing on the Gallery Stage (two flat files pushed together). Also snacks!

 

COMMISSIONS ARE GREAT fun for me, and I get paid too-- wouldn't you like to be a part of that? The part available to you is the paying part. Take a look on the "studio" page of the website to see a current example. The top three images are panels in a fifteen-foot-long oil painting in which a landscape transforms into something else, at length. For a while it was going to be a TWO-panel landscape, and at first it was just a single panel... but that's how commissions work! They come out so perfectly that you find you need triple what you thought you wanted.

 

STUDIOMATE

With our studiomate Dustin leaving, the rent splits at 6 Barre Street are looking scary again. If you know a wonderful, friendly, stable person with a regular schedule and ~$200 a month that they'd love to spend on semi-public studio space, send them my way.

 

LIFE DRAWING SESSION WEDNESDAY EVENINGS

Nothing like getting covered in charcoal dust, squinting through a thicket of easels at a nude model huddling with houseplants, hearing the muttered curses of your fellow artists at the end of a long day of work. And it only costs $10! Every Wednesday at the studio, 6-8 PM.

 

Hope you all marched on International Workers' Day, or at least didn't work.

April 2014 Update

the studio a couple of weeks ago

Happy April! This month I'm leaving for Australia to be a fireworks-handler for the artist Cai Guo-Qiang, who's having a show in Queensland. I'm proud to be one of the few selected for the privilege of juggling M-80s for his new gunpowder drawing "Division of Labor."

Not really. Staying right here in Vermont and handling fireworks only as absolutely necessary. And I'm sure Cai Guo-Qiang does all his explosives himself; otherwise where's the fun. Here's what's really going on:

ART WALK OPEN STUDIO

Come visit at 6 Barre Street this Friday, April 4th between 4 and 8 pm. James Secor and I will be saying farewell to our studiomate Dustin Smith, who's opening a deli in Barre. The three of us will have work up all over the place for Open Studio. It's the perfect time to pick up some high-class original art at a low price! And if our low prices aren't low enough for you, how's FREE cheese and crackers and drinks? I'll see you there.

MAY SHOW

I'll be hanging some new abstract oil-on-canvas paintings in the Shoe Horn this May and June. For this show, I'm trying hard to make things that are attractive and well-crafted. Who knew that was so difficult!

LIFE DRAWING SESSION WEDNESDAY EVENINGS

Nothing like getting covered in charcoal dust, squinting through a thicket of easels at a nude model huddling with houseplants, hearing the muttered curses of your fellow artists at the end of a long day of work. And it only costs $10! Every Wednesday at the studio, 6-8 PM.

COMMISSIONS

I'm constantly asking myself, "What, out of the infinite possibilities, should I make?" Or in more practical moments "What will people pay me to make?" You can answer both questions for me. I have been known to finish things. And whatever I make for you will likely be unique.

STUDIOMATE/ CSA

With our studiomate Dustin leaving, the rent splits at 6 Barre Street are looking scary again. If you know a wonderful, friendly, stable person with a regular schedule and ~$200 a month that they'd love to spend on semi-public studio space, send them my way. Meantime, you can help out yourself by signing up for a Community Supported Art share-- see the website.