Openings, Mid-Show, and Final Days

Erik Zener,"Reaching In Reaching Out", 40 x 60, mixed media

June is a great month to view art in Seattle. I've been following Erik Zener since I viewed his work at Hespe Gallery in San Francisco about 5-years ago. And now you can see some of his remarkable pieces here at Foster White Gallery in Pioneer Square. Erik combines photography, paint or dyes, gold or silver leaf, and layers of resin to create these irresistible underwater images.

Betsy Eby, "Nocturne 2", 45 x 35", encaustic

I can never resist a Betsy Eby show. This weekend I'll be visiting Winston Wachter Gallery to view her newest work on display through July 3.

William Morris, "Drum", 24 x 15 x 12, blown and hot-sculpted glass

You'll have one more month to visit the William Morris show at Abmeyer+Wood Fine Art. DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW.  Many of the pieces in this collection have been exhibited in museums, archived by the artist and only now released for sale. This is a great opportunity to see a large group of sculpture from a Northwest Master.

Junya Watanabe, "Comme des Garcons", polyester organdy jacket and skirt. Photo by Takashi Hatakeyama

June 27th marks the opening day for "Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion" at the Seattle Art Museum downtown. I can't wait!

Joyce Gehl, "be still", 52 x 48, photo encaustic

Finally, one more shameless plug for my own show at Patricia Rovzar Gallery through June 30th. Just a few days remain to see my newest work. The gallery is conveniently located across the street from both Abmeyer+Wood and the Seattle Art Museum. Come next week and you'll get the trifecta: A museum opening, a William Morris show in full stride, and the final days of Forgotten Garden.

Opening Night, Thursday, June 6th 6pm-8pm

Tomorrow is opening night, forecast is sunshine and 70's. I'm loving it. Hope to see you there.

Click on the images below to view our featured work.

Countdown

"untamed", 48x64

I have been working hard in the studio and sadly neglecting my blog.  It's now just ten days until opening night on June 6th, and all of the work has been delivered to the gallery. I have a long list of subjects to write about, so hopefully you'll see more of me on these pages very soon.

But now I'm entirely focused on the upcoming show. In "Forgotten Garden" I have released the constraints on myself and my garden to create a sort of chaotic abundance. It is a collection of fifteen new works that compositionally explore the garden as metaphor to life. By freeing our lives from self-constraint, we become more like that forgotten garden: self-propagating, self-nurturing, and self-flourishing.

This year, my paintings will be shown in conjunction with new dimensional work from Morgan Brig. I have admired Morgan's work for years, and am excited to witness the synchronicity of our two very different approaches to life's personal reflections.

Morgan Brig "sitting here risking being more me", 28 x 39 x 5

The show will be up the entire month of June, and I hope you will join Morgan and myself for opening night on June 6th at Patricia Rovzar Gallery, 6pm-8pm.  

committment

I'm hard at work in the studio producing an abundance of new work. In addition to my solo show in June at Patricia Rovzar Gallery,  I promised delivery to the ever-patient Pryor Fine Art in Atlanta for arrival this Spring. And, I'll be joining the roster of commission artists represented by Art Resource Boston.

I've completed four pieces, have one on the easel, two on the hot wax table, and one in the wings. This sounds good in writing, but the holidays and a cold that lasted months resulted in a later-than-normal start.  In addition to my studio practice, I now find myself working through persistent personal issues of confidence, fear, and self trust.

Luckily, I have a terrier personality. Once on the track of something, I won't stop until I'm satisfied.

I could still use any extra good luck wishes you have laying around.

Winter Gatherings

Winter Gatherings, catalog of the exhibition at Selby Fleetwood Gallery, Santa Fe 

December 14 2012 - January 7 2013 Winter Gatherings Interactive Catalog

I am excited to have two paintings selected for inclusion in the Winter show at Selby Fleetwood Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Santa Fe is a mecca for artists and collectors alike. 

If you happen to be in Santa Fe over the holidays, stop in and give my regards to Selby, Sam, Eddie and Karinna. Opening night reception is December 21, 5pm- 7pm. Wish I could be there!

http://www.selbyfleetwoodgallery.com

20th Anniversaries and December Art

December 2012 is a great month for art, beginning with the 20th anniversary of Patricia Rovzar Gallery. The celebration began with a reception populated with artists and collectors in a room of walls covered with brightly colored art, wine, music and high energy. I am honored to be a part of the legacy of this remarkable gallery. For more background on Patricia and the gallery, be sure to read the Seattle Times story by clicking this link:  Gallerist Patricia Rovzar marks 20th anniversary

Opening night is Thursday, December 6th, 6pm - 8pm. The paintings are already being gobbled up by happy collectors, so make sure you come early to be sure you see all the new work from all of the gallery artists.

Elsewhere in Seattle, there is an abundance of shows that I don't want to miss. Around the corner from Patricia Rovzar Gallery is Traver Gallery. I am in love with the new work from Nancy Worden.

THE REVENANTS    Nancy Worden

Many galleries call Pioneer Square home. One of my favorite photographers is Michael KEnna. New work is on display through December 22nd at G Gibson Gallery 

Tidal Pool and Posts, Berck Plage, Normandy France    Michael Kenna

Outside the downtown core lives the Woodside Braseth Gallery with new work from Jared Rue until December 22nd.

When the Bough Breaks    Jared Rue

Fall Color

The rains finally arrived, but we were fortunate to have a summer that lasted late into October. This translates to astounding colors  before the rain and wind pulls the leaves from the trees.

These images are details from my current work, and they reflect my vision of the beautiful fall days.

simple pleasures

Most of the time, studio organization takes a back burner. Until the burner starts really burning.

This is one of those projects that I should have completed years ago. When brushes are left to float in the molten wax they will slip to the bottom of the pan. When the bristles touch the metal of the pan, they burn, causing the entire tray of wax to alter color. I purchase pre-mixed medium in bulk from R&F Paints. Not cheap. So every time I discard a pan of tainted medium, a little bit of profit slips away.

I made this simple brush rack out of scraps from my studio and the workshop. The base is a piece of flat plywood. Attached are two metal brackets from one of my industrial shelving systems. I've screwed some scrap filler wood into the brackets, and attached long screws to hang over the tray of wax.

It's not very pretty, and it's incredibly basic. But I'm oddly proud of my modest handiwork.

Special thanks to Larry Calkins for reminding me how easily influenced wax is to foreign material.

One More On the Board

One more month until the opening of my show at Patricia Rovzar Gallery. I'm excited about this body of work. And nervous too. My artist ego needs these long days in the studio over the past  five months to be rewarded with lots of accolades. Both the verbal and the monetary kind.  I have two remaining paintings to complete and then I will celebrate with a much needed bottle of bubbles.

See you at the gallery on opening night, June 7th, 6pm-8pm.

Fini!

'midsummer eve'  50" x 66"

Today marked the successful delivery of this large (50 x 66) commissioned photo-encaustic painting. It travelled across two bridges and three highways, balanced in the bed of a borrowed pick-up truck.

I made a secure shipping box out of pink foam plank insulation, the kind you would use in your walls at home. But once the entire box was completed, the size was one inch too wide to fit within the covered bed of the truck. In Seattle, with a constant threat of rain, road debris and stop-and-go traffic, I was concerned about damage to my precious cargo.

But, sometimes you just have to give in to circumstance. My husband and father-in-law secured our load and we drove, carefully, to our final destination. Happily, the stars were in alignment and the painting now rests safely in the consultant's showroom where it awaits installation onto the reception area walls of St Clair Hospital in Lakewood Washington. 

Thankfully, its final delivery and installation is now in the very capable hands of licensed professionals.

midsummer eve, photographed at an angle to show hi-gloss surface

A Back Breaking Labor of Love

I'm currently working on a large (50in x 66in) commission for the lobby of a hospital here in Washington State. I love commissions. And although challenging, I love working large.

The panel was expertly constructed by Matthew Olds of Hold Studios. And this time I also outsourced my large format printing from The Color Group. All of the pieces were beautifully produced, and everything is coming together just as planned. On schedule.

And then today. Instead of waiting to ask someone in the building to help me glue the large sheet onto its substrate, I decided I could handle it myself. I slopped the glue onto the panel and quickly squeegeed it across the board to a smooth, level finish.

I carefully picked up the large sheet, and was immediately engulfed by the mass. To avoid the sheet falling onto the sticky surface, I flopped the thing over my head and blindly lined up the edges into the correct position on the panel.

Stick. Remove. Kink. Crease. Tear.

Then finally, it rolled into place and I began frantically burnishing the surface. Dabs of glue spotted everywhere. This will require sanding and covering with some R+F Encaustic gesso in areas.

Whew. It will all work out in the end, but next big project, I'll be enlisting a helping hand. For now, I need a back rub and a martini.

A Peek in the Studio

I 've been busy this year preparing for my June show at Patricia Rovzar Gallery. Which is my current excuse for not posting more regularly.

Here are a few detail shots of work in the studio. 

bamboo,

atmosphere,

 texture,

 shadow,

 shades of green and gray and blue

 lots of mark making

three on the wall.