I don't know about you, but I would LOVE to be represented by the Groovy Gallery! That looks like my kind of place. Thank you, Sage, for making me smile!
Monday, May 13, 2013
that's groovy, baby
I am SO tickled right now: my work is the subject of the lovely and talented Sage Lally's school art project! Sage is Terry's 16 year old cousin, and she contacted me a few months ago. Her class assignment was to profile an artist, and she chose me! It was to be a large, end-of-the-semester project, and I was asked to send along an artist's statement, a brief bio, and some images of my work, which I did. I had no idea what the end result would be like, but Sage's mom, Leigh, was kind enough to send a photo my way the other day...and here it is!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
because different is good
My friend Trish posted an interesting quote on Facebook this week. It said, "The easiest way to be creative: try something different, even if you don't think it will work." I took that advice a couple of times this week, and I'm glad I did!
Wednesday, April 24th was the Scoop-A-Thon at the Gelato Fiasco to benefit the Brunswick Teen Center. As I mentioned in my most recent blog post, I was asked to do face painting for preschoolers between 11 am and noon; I said "yes," even though I had no experience. The face paint, brushes, and various other supplies were being provided for me by People Plus (which is where the teen center is located). I was hoping to get my hands on those supplies a few days beforehand so I could sneak in a little practice time and then take some photos (so kids could get a sense of what things would look like). Unfortunately, that didn't happen, and needless to say, I was a bit nervous Wednesday morning. Shortly before I left the house, I figured I ought to sketch out a few simple designs. If I didn't have actual photos, at least I could give the kids (and myself) something to work with. I filled a piece of paper with things I thought might make good face painting options: a flower, a peace sign, a seahorse, a rainbow, a spider hanging off a web, etc. I grabbed my paper and headed over to Gelato Fiasco a few minutes before 11, hoping I wouldn't be eaten alive. Well, not only was I not eaten alive, but the hour went by very quickly, and the kids seemed to enjoy themselves. No one minded that I had no previous face painting experience, and everyone was happy with the wearable art they walked out with. It was a fun time for me, and I never would have experienced it if I hadn't decided to try something totally new and different.
The other new and different experience I had this week was at home. My husband Terry's 45th birthday was on Thursday, April 25th. Anyone who knows Terry knows what a huge music fan he is. I thought it would be fun to make him a birthday cake that looked like a 45 record, complete with the yellow plastic adaptor in the middle. I wasn't sure how to make this happen, so I went over to Pinterest and did some investigating. One person suggested using a paper cutout on top of the cake, but that didn't feel right. I called my friend Tim, and thankfully he's had some cake-decorating experience. He said, "You're an artist- you can do this!" He instructed me to start from the center and work my way out: a small circle of dark frosting for where the adaptor would be, colored frosting around that for the label, then more dark frosting for the vinyl. He made it sound simple, so I decided to go for it. The next step was figuring out what I would do for a cake. Terry loves chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, so I knew that had to be what I would make. That being said, Terry lost almost 60 pounds a little over a year ago. He still likes sweets, but now he enjoys them in moderation. Baking him an entire cake seemed a bit cruel and not very supportive...kind of the opposite of what I was going for. It was back to Pinterest with me, and this time, I was looking for healthy cake and healthy frosting recipes. Not only was this my first time making a cake on my own completely from scratch, but it was my first attempt at making a healthy cake. Would it work? Would it taste good? Would the frosting design come out the way I was hoping it would? Well, I am very happy to say that the answer to all of those questions is the same: YES. He was completely surprised (and quite tickled) by the cake's appearance, he loved the taste, and he was able to enjoy it guilt-free (only 100 calories per slice, not including the frosting). Once again, trying something completely new and different ended in a positive way, and I have a feeling that cake will be making another appearance before either one of us has our next birthday!
Wednesday, April 24th was the Scoop-A-Thon at the Gelato Fiasco to benefit the Brunswick Teen Center. As I mentioned in my most recent blog post, I was asked to do face painting for preschoolers between 11 am and noon; I said "yes," even though I had no experience. The face paint, brushes, and various other supplies were being provided for me by People Plus (which is where the teen center is located). I was hoping to get my hands on those supplies a few days beforehand so I could sneak in a little practice time and then take some photos (so kids could get a sense of what things would look like). Unfortunately, that didn't happen, and needless to say, I was a bit nervous Wednesday morning. Shortly before I left the house, I figured I ought to sketch out a few simple designs. If I didn't have actual photos, at least I could give the kids (and myself) something to work with. I filled a piece of paper with things I thought might make good face painting options: a flower, a peace sign, a seahorse, a rainbow, a spider hanging off a web, etc. I grabbed my paper and headed over to Gelato Fiasco a few minutes before 11, hoping I wouldn't be eaten alive. Well, not only was I not eaten alive, but the hour went by very quickly, and the kids seemed to enjoy themselves. No one minded that I had no previous face painting experience, and everyone was happy with the wearable art they walked out with. It was a fun time for me, and I never would have experienced it if I hadn't decided to try something totally new and different.
The other new and different experience I had this week was at home. My husband Terry's 45th birthday was on Thursday, April 25th. Anyone who knows Terry knows what a huge music fan he is. I thought it would be fun to make him a birthday cake that looked like a 45 record, complete with the yellow plastic adaptor in the middle. I wasn't sure how to make this happen, so I went over to Pinterest and did some investigating. One person suggested using a paper cutout on top of the cake, but that didn't feel right. I called my friend Tim, and thankfully he's had some cake-decorating experience. He said, "You're an artist- you can do this!" He instructed me to start from the center and work my way out: a small circle of dark frosting for where the adaptor would be, colored frosting around that for the label, then more dark frosting for the vinyl. He made it sound simple, so I decided to go for it. The next step was figuring out what I would do for a cake. Terry loves chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, so I knew that had to be what I would make. That being said, Terry lost almost 60 pounds a little over a year ago. He still likes sweets, but now he enjoys them in moderation. Baking him an entire cake seemed a bit cruel and not very supportive...kind of the opposite of what I was going for. It was back to Pinterest with me, and this time, I was looking for healthy cake and healthy frosting recipes. Not only was this my first time making a cake on my own completely from scratch, but it was my first attempt at making a healthy cake. Would it work? Would it taste good? Would the frosting design come out the way I was hoping it would? Well, I am very happy to say that the answer to all of those questions is the same: YES. He was completely surprised (and quite tickled) by the cake's appearance, he loved the taste, and he was able to enjoy it guilt-free (only 100 calories per slice, not including the frosting). Once again, trying something completely new and different ended in a positive way, and I have a feeling that cake will be making another appearance before either one of us has our next birthday!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
face time
I had an interesting phone call yesterday: Sarah Brayman, who is one of the Brunswick Town Councilors, asked me if I'd be interested in doing face painting at a benefit for the Brunswick Teen Center next week. Since I have absolutely zero experience with face painting, I naturally said "yes". I figured: what the heck? Why not? It's only for an hour, it's for a good cause, it's at the Gelato Fiasco, and the kids will be preschoolers. I went on Facebook today to get some tips and advice from friends, and many of them had great suggestions ("get good quality paint," "have a lot of brushes," "bring sponges, water, baby wipes, headbands, etc.," and, of course, "practice!"). I even spent a little bit of time poking around on Pinterest, getting ideas for designs and subjects that kids might be interested in. It is amazing how much is out there and how complicated face painting can be! I'm planning on keeping things simple...I don't want to get in over my head! So, if you're a local, and you're looking to support a good cause AND throw some moral support my way, how about stopping by the Gelato Fiasco on Wednesday, April 24th, from 11 am to noon? I would love to see you there!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
let there be songs to fill the air
A few weeks ago, I got a phone call from Connie Lundquist at Five Rivers Arts Alliance, asking me to be one of the music coordinators for this year's Second Friday Art Walk season in Brunswick. My job would be to book musicians to perform at two different sidewalk locations (in front of the Bank of America building, and in front of Cool As A Moose, both right on Maine Street; Peter Alexander was already booking acts for 98 Maine Street and The Gelato Fiasco). At first, I was a little nervous, but then a couple of things dawned on me: 1. This could be a nice way to get involved in making Second Friday Art Walk a little bit nicer, and 2. This could be a great opportunity to help out some of the wonderful musicians I know. I said "yes", and I am happy to say that I was able to book all three of my dear friend Erica's bands (The Intergalactic Yurt Band, Thornapple Scrub Brush, and Cumberland Crossing), as well as Terry's aunt's husband, Bruce Grover, who is a singer/songwriter.
Being one of the music coordinators has involved lots of emails and several meetings, including one on Monday night at the Brunswick Town Council Chambers. Five Rivers Arts Alliance needed a representative to show up and ask for permits in order for the musicians to perform on the sidewalk, so I was asked to attend. Connie had already sent in a letter of request, but in case there were any questions, she thought it would be good to have someone there.
I thought I might be nervous speaking at the meeting, but since I'd done it before back in January when Hati Modr and I had our paintings on display, I was a lot more relaxed as I was waiting. That's a good thing, because I did a LOT of waiting that night...two hours and forty minutes worth of waiting, to be exact. By the time I was called up to speak, my stomach was growling, everyone was exhausted (councilors and spectators alike), and the room was mostly empty. I walked up to the podium, introduced myself, said why I was there, and then exhaustion took over. I said, "Please grant our permits, because I've been here for over two and a half hours and I'm starving." Thankfully, everyone laughed, and the permits were granted. They thanked me for my tenacity, and one of the councilors mentioned what a great idea it was to have music on the street and that the art walk made the town fun. I headed home, feeling tired but positive, secure in the knowledge that the Thai lentil chili waiting for me at home in the Crock Pot was going to taste wonderful.
Being one of the music coordinators has involved lots of emails and several meetings, including one on Monday night at the Brunswick Town Council Chambers. Five Rivers Arts Alliance needed a representative to show up and ask for permits in order for the musicians to perform on the sidewalk, so I was asked to attend. Connie had already sent in a letter of request, but in case there were any questions, she thought it would be good to have someone there.
I thought I might be nervous speaking at the meeting, but since I'd done it before back in January when Hati Modr and I had our paintings on display, I was a lot more relaxed as I was waiting. That's a good thing, because I did a LOT of waiting that night...two hours and forty minutes worth of waiting, to be exact. By the time I was called up to speak, my stomach was growling, everyone was exhausted (councilors and spectators alike), and the room was mostly empty. I walked up to the podium, introduced myself, said why I was there, and then exhaustion took over. I said, "Please grant our permits, because I've been here for over two and a half hours and I'm starving." Thankfully, everyone laughed, and the permits were granted. They thanked me for my tenacity, and one of the councilors mentioned what a great idea it was to have music on the street and that the art walk made the town fun. I headed home, feeling tired but positive, secure in the knowledge that the Thai lentil chili waiting for me at home in the Crock Pot was going to taste wonderful.
Friday, March 22, 2013
tasty
It was a beautiful, sunny day today, and Terry and I both happened to have the day off, so we decided to walk into town for lunch at one of our usual spots. We weren't sure where to go when we first left the house, but as we walked and the chilly wind started to hit our faces, we decided to go somewhere relatively close: Scarlet Begonias, a favorite choice in any weather. We ordered our lunch, and just as our food was served, Doug (the owner) came over to our table. He said, "Hey, are you interested in having another show here?" I was thrilled. I said, "Well, I would love to, but I'm pretty booked up through the summer with Second Friday Art Walk and a couple of different solo shows. Is is too soon to think about September or October?" He thought for a moment and said, "Actually, that would be perfect. How about October and November?" He had me write my information down just so he had it again, and then it was official...another solo show all lined up, and I didn't even have to go looking for it. Four months ago, I lost my free First Friday space and I was filled with fear and uncertainty...now every month of 2013 is booked. My delicious lunch became that much better before I even had the chance to take a single bite.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
the jury is in
I'm happy to report that I will have paintings in two different juried shows coming right up! The first is the Maine Open Juried Art Show at the public library in Waterville, and the second is "Play" at the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell. I have never participated in either show or had my work on display in either of these towns before, so I really don't know what to expect...but I'm looking forward to finding out. The opening reception for the Maine Open Juried Art Show is Tuesday, March 19th, from 6 pm to 8 pm (show runs through April 19th), and the opening reception for "Play" is Friday, April 5th, from 5 pm to 8 pm (show runs through April 27th). If you're curious about checking either show out, here are some links: www.watervillemainstreet.org
| http://www.harlowgallery.org |
Thursday, March 7, 2013
pecha kucha #2
Well, Pecha Kucha was Tuesday night, and I have to say, it was a fun and exciting experience once again! There were eight presenters in all (seven visual artists and one author) speaking in front of the crowded theater at Frontier Cafe in Brunswick. I was up second, which I was relieved about...I didn't have to go first (which seems to me like a tough slot), and I got to get my presentation out of the way so I could relax and enjoy the others.
I did Pecha Kucha once before, back in August 2010, so I knew what I was getting into. Having this previous experience made preparing a bit easier. Of course, I still had to choose twenty pieces to talk about, make sure I had good photos of those pieces, and figure out what I wanted to say about each one, so it's not like it was a walk in the park or anything. Plus, I was still really nervous. Speaking in front of a large group isn't exactly comfortable or easy for me. I prepared the best way I knew how: I wrote (and timed) my entire presentation, and then I practiced, practiced, practiced. Twenty seconds may not seem like a long time, but it can be painfully long if you have nothing to say, or ridiculously short if you have too much to say. Throw in a room full of people staring at you, and you've got the makings of a nightmare on your hands.
Thankfully, my six minutes and forty seconds went smoothly. I managed not to talk too fast or too slow or stumble over my words. No one I spoke to afterwards seemed to realize that I was nervous while I was up there, which is a good thing! I got some wonderful feedback, including several kind compliments from a woman who I'd never met before. She came to talk to me during the halftime break, and she said the funniest thing: "I thought artists had to be tortured!"
I did Pecha Kucha once before, back in August 2010, so I knew what I was getting into. Having this previous experience made preparing a bit easier. Of course, I still had to choose twenty pieces to talk about, make sure I had good photos of those pieces, and figure out what I wanted to say about each one, so it's not like it was a walk in the park or anything. Plus, I was still really nervous. Speaking in front of a large group isn't exactly comfortable or easy for me. I prepared the best way I knew how: I wrote (and timed) my entire presentation, and then I practiced, practiced, practiced. Twenty seconds may not seem like a long time, but it can be painfully long if you have nothing to say, or ridiculously short if you have too much to say. Throw in a room full of people staring at you, and you've got the makings of a nightmare on your hands.
Thankfully, my six minutes and forty seconds went smoothly. I managed not to talk too fast or too slow or stumble over my words. No one I spoke to afterwards seemed to realize that I was nervous while I was up there, which is a good thing! I got some wonderful feedback, including several kind compliments from a woman who I'd never met before. She came to talk to me during the halftime break, and she said the funniest thing: "I thought artists had to be tortured!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)