look around

look around reception1

Here are some photos of my current solo exhibit, “Look Around,”  which opened on Friday, January 9 at thegallery8680.  It was a bitterly cold night (by Texas standards), but we still had a great turnout.

drinks

Robyn always has the most beautiful reception table — a work of art in itself.

food2

pano of works on paper
Works on paper in the front gallery.

reception4a

reception3a

reception7

insightful

There will be a closing reception this Sunday, January 25 from 2-4pm.

look around promo 2

I’ll be sad to take it down – I liked each piece in my studio, but hanging my art in the gallery really transformed the work into a cohesive unit.  Here are some pieces that will have a new home after the show.

Perception
Perception
Bravely Done
Bravely Done
Tree of Life
Tree of Life

50/50 solo show

50/50 solo show at thegallery8680About the 50/50 show.

As you probably know, I moved into a new studio this past year, and as I’ve been sorting through my work, I noticed I had a lot of smaller paintings and works on paper.  Many of these are either studies for larger works, small works from a larger series, or figure drawings from multiple live modeling sessions I’ve attended over the past few years.  Seeing these works, and considering the current ‘economic crisis,’ I was inspired to create a show that involved 50 works of art for only $50 each.

I wanted to make my art affordable for those who want to collect my work, but may not be ready to invest in larger, more expensive paintings.    I also personally love to see artists’ quick studies and smaller works, as I feel that they sometimes show spontaneity that larger, more deliberate works may not possess.  Maybe you’ll enjoy that, too.

About half are works on paper, and the other half are paintings.  The largest work is 30 x 22″ and the smallest work is 8 x 8″.   There are quite a few figurative works in the show, which may seem out of line with the work that is currently on my web site.  However, I have always really loved figure drawing.  (Ok, maybe not my first day of Figure Drawing 101, when I was too embarrassed to actually look around my drawing board to see the nude male model. But soon, I began to love the endless possibilities of drawing the figure, with all its angles and curves and lines).   I still attend sessions with live models as often as I can.  It gives me a great excuse to play with color and line.  These figures are going to show up in new work, too, so keep an eye out.

I’m trying to keep most of the show under wraps until the opening.  If you can’t make the show, I’ll have it posted here on the blog on Saturday (09/22/12).  Click the 50/50 link at the top of the page.

If you just can’t wait, and want to be teased a bit, here are some detail shots of some of the work.

      

art hangover

The “Color: Between the Lines” show has been success.  Thanks to all who were able to make it out so far, and thanks to all of you who live to far away to attend but sent me your good karma anyway.

Putting together an art exhibit is quite the task, and I can really appreciate the benefit of having a gallery handle it for you (although we were not privileged to that benefit in this case).   In addition to making half of the art in the show, we’ve spent weeks preparing biographies, planning the menu and trying to invite anyone and everyone we could possibly think of.  Then there was updating my web site, sending e-mails, updating Facebook, etc., etc.   I may sound like I’m complaining, but really I’m not.  As hectic as it is, I rather enjoy all of the prep work.  And I feel very privileged to have the opportunity.  It really is a lot of work, though.  All in the hopes of baring your soul to the world (or rather a small circle of friends and acquaintances) and hoping to break even.  What a romantic life, being an artist.

In addition to the reception, I’ve been up to the gallery space a few other times to show friends and family my work.  Each time I had to take my daughters, they kind of groaned under their breath, saying “But we’ve already seen it fifty times.”  Experts in hyperbole.  Not yet experts in flattering their mother.  Makes me wonder how they’ll remember their childhood……”My mother used to make me go sit still in the galleries where her art work was on display.  We’d have to look at the same boring things over and over and over.  It was absolute torture…”

The show closes this Friday.  The gallery will be open Friday night from 5-8pm, so if you still haven’t seen it and want to, please come by.  Thanks to T. Scott Stromberg and his wife Sammie for all of their work in pulling this show off, too!