Tina Karagulian at Intermezzo Gallery in Boerne

 Tina Karagulian is a storyteller, writer, poet, artist and friend. I was lucky enough to see her recent work at Intermezzo Gallery and Studios on Saturday afternoon in Boerne, Texas. Intermezzo is an amazing art-filled space. Owner Cathy Galloway‘s mission isto bring together people and creativity, color and sounds, textures and poetry, ideas and hope, surprises and beauty.”

All of these were in evidence as Tina read her poetry and discussed her work while jazz guitarist John Lind played interpretive music to the audience’s suggested descriptive words for each of the paintings. Here’s a short video of Tina’s paintings and poetry, John’s music, and the Intermezzo Gallery.

It was, alas, the closing day of her Inner and Outer Space exhibit, but you can learn more about Tina and her work on her website. And do go visit Intermezzo Gallery and Studios when you’re in Boerne. It’s a serene and sacred space. Thank you, Tina, for your gifts and for sharing them with all of us!

 

Sunday at the Art League

I am one lucky artist – yesterday’s opening at the SA Art League was exciting. Miguel Cortinas, fellow painter in the exhibit, did a beautiful job of hanging the show, and the pottery pieces by Eloise Stoker and Nancy Pawel complimented the paintings and mixed media works. The whole occasion made me feel like a real grown-up painter! Thanks to everyone who came out – and here’s a video of me trying to explain some of the work. There seem to be a lot more questions than answers. I guess that’s how the old art game works sometimes.

PS – Congrats to Dinah Robinson, winner of the Friendship Bridge Friday Freebie!

Juried art shows – and how to make a crane (the bird kind)

Good news yesterday – one of my pieces was accepted for the International Encaustic Artists “Poetry Bleeds Rust” exhibit in at the NAWA Gallery in New York. Boy, am I surprised, first of all, because encaustic is a stretch for me, and secondly, the piece that was selected was not the one I expected to be, if any were. Here are the three pieces – which one do you think juror Jenn Dierdorf choose?

She chose the third piece, Rune and Relic – that’s the one I had to re-do because the first version didn’t fit the size retirement. I liked the one called Campfire Poems better, but there ya have it. If you decide enter a juried show, remember these things (I try to):

1. If you are rejected, don’t take it personally – put yourself in the juror’s place – it’s a tough job and opinions about art are extremely subjective and subject to one’s own taste. After all, you don’t like every piece you see in a gallery or museum, maybe not *any* of them.

2. If you are accepted, be grateful! But don’t start making every piece of art you do from then on just like the accepted piece – be true to yourself and continue on your own intuitive path, even if it veers off in another direction. Don’t let acceptance of one piece by a juror determine your limits.

3. Keep entering shows even if you don’t get in – it gives you a free critique, a new perspective, and a sense of professionalism. Both of my entries in this year’s San Antonio Art League show were rejected, but I figure they didn’t resonate with the juror. I liked them though, and I’ll keep working and submitting. So there! Neener neener 🙂

And now, for your weekend folding pleasure, here’s one from the vault, a video tutorial I did for a friend two years ago before I had the big Studio. It’s a five-minute origami crane – can you do it in five minutes? Ready – GO! And have a great weekend.

First Friday, Boston-style


Boston has a thriving arts district on Harrison Avenue
, south of Washington (SoWa). I got to check out their First Friday, and came back with a huge stash of new ideas. There was *lots* of exciting encaustic work. We were particularly impressed with Robin Luciano Beaty‘s work with wax, mixed media and found objects:

Refuge No. 24-29 Encaustic, m/m and found objects 42 x 24″

 Even more exciting was getting to meet Ellen Rolli, a Boston abstract painter whose work I love – and I’m going to have a private painting session with her on Sunday! I had contacted her by email, and the timing worked out – will send a report. Here’s a sample of her work – it’s energetic and mysterious and totally engaging:

Glimpses acrylic and mixed media 36″x 36

There were lots and lots of photographic mixed media works – here’s one I liked a lot by artist Melody Postma:

Slightly shifting the subject to using photographs in your own art work, here’s *sort* of a Friday FreebieCloth Paper Scissors magazine just send me a link to a free eBook with four tutorials on digital artmaking. They have a lot of good free tutorials, but this is one of the best if you’re wanting to know more about digital processes and aren’t an expert (who is??). Here’s the link:

http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/Digital-Art-Tutorials/

You can download it and even print it out.You do have to sign up for an account if you don’t have one, but there are no strings attached and you can access a lot more of their good information if you do.

That’s it for now – gotta rest up for the Red Sox/Yankees game today at Fenway!  More soon from your roving arts and sports reporter in Boston . . . . have a great weekend.

Kim Bernard and the Boston Sculptors Gallery

It has been a gorgeous afternoon in Boston, and I took a break from preparations for tomorrow’s Beacon Hill Art Walk to head over to the Boston Sculptors Gallery. Before I left San Antonio, I had gotten a email about an opening there and  knew it would coincide with my Boston visit. It sounded intriguing even before I found out that Kim Bernard, one of the artists, is a friend of Michelle Belto‘s, my good pal and workshop collaborator. The sculpture gallery space is wonderful – very large and light. It was dominated by Kim’s installation of 100 lead balls suspended in a 25′ line from a very high ceiling. Kim handed me The Special Glove and let me start the ball rolling, as it were, and the whole sinuous line of little spheres danced along a curving path. Pretty cool! Click here to read more about Kim and her work – and also look at the work of her exhibition partner, Donna Dodson, whose female hippo sculptures are both powerful and endearing. It is such an adventure to seek out new art in new places – –  and now, back to work for tomorrow’s show. I’ll send a report afterwards!

Working weekend (and winner)

Congrats to Dani Wildason, the winner of the Threads of Blessing embroidery – Dani’s been a SHARDS subscriber for almost a year, and she’s a wonderful creator of Spirit Dolls. More Friday Freebies to come.
It was a working weekend in the Studio – I’m getting ready for my show opening at La Vida on the 6th of December and just finished a new triptych (actually, they stand as individual pieces, too):

These small earthenware constructions always remind me of the Canterbury Tales! It would be fun to do a series based on Chaucer’s stories. Hmmm, note to self….

I also had a workshop at the Studio yesterday on Image Transfer, and it confrimed what we all know – digital transfer is unpredictable! Conclusion: The two most reliable products that we used were TAP paper with inkjet prints and TonerAide spray for laser prints. Oh, yeah, and Celine discovered that T-Shirt transfers work great on leather! It was fun, and educational, for sure.

Art Show report and poetry gig

Here’s a short video from the Art Show and Sale at the Studio yesterday – it was one of those soft, gray fall afternoons that makes ya feel all cozy inside. Lots of people came by (and shopped – yay). As usual, I was delighted to see what goodies Alison and Jan and Lesta brought with them. Take a look – so much talent and diversity!

twigYou want more? Well, check this out – Tuesday night at The Twig Book Shop, there will be a gaggle of poets and wannabees (including me) reading poems and short fiction and  words of all kinds to an assembled audience of brave folks. Jo LeCoer, who read at my first Studio poetry event is the amazingly-talended guest host/poet for the evening. Jo sez, “Readers include artists, poetry performers, song lyricists, fiction writers (one has a new book just out), journalists, current and former UIW faculty/students/alumni, and a couple of reluctant guitarist/extortionists holding out for bigger bribes.” Sounds like a literati fun fest. See you there?

Finally, Twigs remind me of Shrubs, and that reminds me of my friend Kathy Tarasovic and her new foodie venture, Well Seasoned Cuisine. They make Shrubs, an artisan beverage syrup blend of mellow vinegars and fruits. I saw her and her partners at the Quarry Farmer’s Market today – you should have a look at their web site – they have perfect foodie gifts for hard-to-shop-for people. Their business is a partnership with Good Samaritan Community Services, a highly respected community-based outreach organization – what’s not to love? Try a Shrub! It’s good in protein shakes, too.shrubs

 

 

Shared Spaces report

What a waste of me being terrified and nervous – the show was fantastic! Thanks to everyone who came out and looked and bought and talked and hugged – and Chef Michael did his usual fine job with the food and drink. Some highlights of the evening:

  • Sherrill Kahn arrived safety from Los Angeles and was able to meet (and charm) everyone, including many who are looking forward to her workshops on Sunday and Monday.
  • Checking out all of the red dots on Gloria’s paintings (and some on mine, too)
  • Seeing friends whom I hadn’t seen in ages
  • Watching Michael making extra wine runs to the HEB across the street – we had more than 150 enthusiastic guests at the opening! Yay!

Here’s a short video of the proceedings. And at the bottom of the post are links to some new workshops at the Studio. Hope to see you soon! Happy dance, happy dance . . .

September Workshops at the Studio
Sign up for new Adventures and Old Favorites!! Click below for info and printable flyers.

 

 

Gloria and Lyn (and the golden rooster)

The Friday Freebie golden rooster pendant goes to blog subscriber Sherrill Kahn! That’s really funny – Sherrill, you can pick it up when you come to visit in August, and I can’t wait for your workshops.

And speaking of August, (nice segue) please please save the date (August 16th) for Shared Spaces, an exhibit of paintings by Gloria Hill and me at my Studio. We’ve been painting together on most Wednesdays since the early spring, and you will see how two weird artistic brains can take the same media (and sometimes the same subject) and end up with totally different results. There will be the usual libations and munchies – here’s you OFFICIAL invitation.

invitation copy

 

Art Show on Sunday – you’re invited

I’m hanging on Sacred Ground – well, actually, I’m hanging my *work* this afternoon for Sunday’s Sacred Ground art opening at the Cathedral House Gallery along with a really special group of artist friends. Please come! One of my pieces in particular has surprised me. It’s the encaustic painting I did at Michelle’s workshop. I’ve been experimenting, and think it’s finished, but I’m very new at encaustic (painting with wax), so who knows. Anyway, it’s going in the show, it’s the first and one-and-only encaustic I’ve shown, and its title is Wax and Wings:

Hope to see you Sunday – it’s a beautiful place and there will be a wonderful meditation walk followed by a wine and cheese reception – truly Sacred Ground.

ALSO- the info and registration for the Transfer Workshop is up. I had a lot of interest in this. It’s a ways away (June 30) but sign up now if you want to come. Here’s a preview of what we’ll be doing – it’s super fun and fail-proof:

IMG_3573

FINALLY – (honest) – The Summer Newsletter is posted on the website. I think most of you are on that list, but if you want more info on Pablo Solomon, Eileen’s workshop, upcoming openings and such, click here.

Happy Friday dance – bye for now!!