Friday, January 27, 2017

4th Annual Colored Pencil Student Show - At Crossroads Art Center Gallery

January 2017 "4th Annual Colored Pencil Student Show"


Animals, Wildlife and Figure Portraits
 Botanicals & Landscapes




For the last 4, of my 7 years teaching I have had the great joy of showcasing my students art in an Annual Show with in my exhibit space at 
2016 Staples Mill Road

Richmond, Virginia 23230
Telephone 804.278.8950
Mon–Sat: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sun: Noon – 4:00 p.m. 

I remove most all of my work (except a few pieces) and hang an example of the work they have done in my classes during the previous year (2016).  It's such a great pleasure to see their work hanging together opening night!  Some are artists of other media and so many of them have not had the opportunity to see their work hang in a gallery setting.  The smiles and excitement is contagious.


Some work on paper surfaces, pastel hardboard, suede mat board, Mylar and much more.  An example of one of my colored pencil pieces on travertine tile sets on a tabletop easel.  Showcasing the many surfaces colored pencil is appropriate for helps to educate the public on it's use as a fine art media.  

Helping students find skills and hopefully their voice and style within this media often brings me back to why I choose colored pencil as my favorite media.  They never cease to tickle me when the light goes off of understanding or they amaze themselves and what they have created.  

Enjoy the gallery below of a few of my students and their exhibiting work.






Some could not attend the opening but 17 student's work is  represented in my show.




The show will continue to hang thru Feb. 17th.



 

Some of the paintings  are in their own private collection and some is offered for sale.  

I wish you could have seen some of the Christmas presents they gave as gifts this year, most could not hang in the show.  

Let's just say there were some very lucky gifts received by new collectors of their work.



Check back here to see what's on the easel & happy creating! 
Gloria







Monday, January 16, 2017

2017 A New Year - With the last finished art of 2016 and Artist Planning

"Who?"  Colored Pencil on Suede Mat Board 8" X 10"
Available for Sale

The title if this painting has more meaning than the obvious subject of this piece.  You may have noticed I've been MIA for a few months.  And believe me if you haven't you weren't missing much.  

WHO?
Has been an ongoing question in my life for the last few months.  I love owls and the obvious is the lovely sound I hear from my home in the woods of VA on warm evenings. Secure and calming my soul.  They even call back to you if you mimic them, something my oldest son does better than I.  We have many owls who call from the security of our wooded lot along the creek behind my house.  Several different types but they have evaded my attempt to photograph them.  

My reference for this piece is not my own but from a great website called Paint my Photo, the photographer James Smith at  Chasing Myths Photography 
contributes to Paint My Photo.   Visit the site above to see some wonderful sharing photographers who have provided artists reference photos for use in their paintings.  


A quote from their website: Paint My Photo (PMP) is a social networking site dedicated to sharing photos for artistic inspiration without fear of infringing copyright.

Now back to that ongoing question, "Who?" the owl is asking - it's one I have been asking myself over the last few months. The new year usually has us evaluating our lives both past and future as we make plans for the new year.  Internally the Who asks me if I'm being the artist I want to be?  Have I planned for "Who" that artist is?  

Hmmmm.....

Planning for an artist involves many aspects, and if you sell and promote yourself it's a vital part of your brand and upcoming yearly tasks.  

Planning for me had me evaluating new goals (some old ones not yet accomplished) evaluating time spent on creating art and teaching as well as the new work itself.  You see most of us reflect on what we did wrong instead of what we did right over the course of the year.  To keep me from going too far down that rabbit hole, I always create a new goals list each year.  It's a great habit to get into if your an artist and can incorporate the practical along with a few lofty goals.  I personally have to watch how lofty I get, as an optimist, I can get pretty carried away! 

The Goals List enables you to look back occasionally over the year to see if your on track.  A sort of report card on how you are preforming according to your goals.  Giving you the chance to refocus your efforts if those goals are still in line with where you wan to go.  I always surprise myself how much I have accomplished when life seems to get in my way.  

While I'll not share my personal list here I will tell you that keeping up posts on my blog is very close to the top of the list.  Along with making more time for my own art creating while cutting back on my teaching schedule a little.  

What's your 2017 Goal List?  It's not too late to make one!  Make a comment and tell me what you think?  I appreciate knowing if this post resonated with you!  

Creatively Yours,
Gloria
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...