Final countdown...

It's been a crazy April, I have missed blogging and following fellow bloggers, and I expect May to be more of the same. I want to share several art updates now and maybe by summertime I will have time to be back in the blogosphere on a regular basis!

Received notification today that all 3 of my encaustic submissions were accepted into the Danforth Museum of Art "Community of Artists" show - http://www.danforthart.org/exhibits.html       

These small encaustic landscape paintings have found a niche in a variety of art markets and juried shows. I love painting them and fortunately their juried show track record continues to grow. Once I am able to setup work space in my new apartment I will finally get back into creating new mini works. I miss having the time to paint.

Danforth Museum show accepted works -

"Rangeley Lake"

"Golden Mist"

(I painted 2 different versions of this and both are in national shows right now!)

"Beyond the Meadow"

And last week I received a copy of the advertisement that will be on the back cover of Watercolor Artist Magazine, summer issue (due out in June). Yes, the quote in the ad was actually written by me!

I am getting ready to submit work to the Copley Society summer show - and yes, I am still trying to maintain my show opportunities in the midst of moving insanity - the theme of this show will be paintings inspired by the artists that were featured in the 1913 Armory show.

The local art association hosted a farewell party for me this past weekend, (the day after my moving and yard sale) and my calendar for the month of May is filled with dates to see people that have been in my life for the past 25 years before I move to Chicago. Moving will be bittersweet but I can hardly wait to get into the next stage, city life.

Art News

Between organizing and preparing for my upcoming moving sale (now scheduled for May 4) it's hard to even think about the art world. However, last week I had a bit of good news... all 3 of my mini-works on paper submissions were accepted into a national show at Jacksonville State University.

Each piece is 3.5 x 2.5, the show requires work to be matted (not framed) in plain 8 x 10 or 11 x 14 matts. I have never presented my small works this way until now and may start using matts instead of shadowbox frames going forward.

I don't have a photo of the 3rd piece in the matt, here it is alone -

My other bit of news is a few months ago I had submitted my contact information on the Dick Blick website in hopes I would be selected to be a featured artist in one of their catalogs. I received a call from them on Friday and have been chosen to be featured on the back cover of the summer issue of Watercolor Artist magazine! I will have a copy of the ad once it has been finalized and I look forward to purchasing a copy of the magazine once it's released.

The best things happen when you least expect them.

Painting chosen for the ad -

"Lunar Eclipse"

Frames, anyone?

It has taken some time for me to come to terms with the fact that I can not move many of the framed works I have accumulated over the past 20+ years. I have slowly started the process of downsizing what goes into a May moving sale, what goes to Chicago with me, and what gets tossed. Fortunately, I have a large paper file and many unframed watercolor paintings will be safe.

Such a strange feeling... reviewing through years of my artistic growth... pulling out works that are no longer a reflection of where I am as an artist. Even some early encaustic paintings are going to be included in the upcoming moving sale. I have to admit, it feels good to be purging which offsets these feelings that I am tossing out parts of my past.

As I read about local art competitions and juried shows, I remind myself how I won't be here and for the first time I am not submitting work. Once I have settled in the Midwest I sure hope it doesn't take long for me to discover new opportunities and organizations. Next week I will be in Chicago, looking at my new apartment plus attending a reception for the National Juried show at Harper College. Maybe I will even make a new friend or two.