thank you, sir...may I have another?

It's New Year's Eve, and the natural thing to do today is to reflect on the year we'll be ushering out in a few hours and to set intentions for the year we'll be welcoming in at midnight. I don't know about you, but 2014 has been very, very good to me. I've been blessed with good health, lots of love, great friends, and a wonderful family. My art was on display somewhere every month, making this the fifth year in a row I've reached that goal. I joined Curtis Creative Spaces and donated a tiny painting to a raffle supporting Curtis Memorial Library; I also donated a tiny painting to the Portland Public Schools Multilingual & Multicultural Center's "Rock Around The World" event. I painted a chair for the UU Church of Brunswick's "Chair-ity" Auction benefitting The Oasis Clinic and MidCoast Hunger Prevention. I painted faces at the "Scoop-A-Thon" for People Plus and the Brunswick Teen Center. I facilitated a painting workshop at Maine Behavioral Healthcare, and I designed a tattoo based on my "Weathervane, Bowdoin College" painting for Matt Dyer, who survived a polar bear attack. My work made the paper three times (The Cryer, The Coastal Journal, and Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram). The Coastal Youth Orchestra used "Retro Tree" as the cover for their winter concert program, and "Polar Bear, Bowdoin College" was on the Brunswick Second Friday Art Walk poster in July. I've sold a bunch of magnets, several prints, a handful of holiday note cards, some ornaments, a few mixed media pieces, and eleven paintings! Hey, just like Spinal Tap: I can say 2014 went up to eleven!

I am so, so grateful for everyone who has been supportive of me this year. Thank you for buying my work (no matter what form it's taken), thank you for coming to my shows, thank you for giving me kind words of support and encouragement, thank you for believing in me. It is an honor and a privilege, and I hold you in my heart every single day. I am grateful for the many blessings I've received, and I'm grateful for the many blessings that are on their way. Thank you, 2014. You kicked ass. Welcome, 2015...let's make things awesome.

celebrate the season of giving

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who came to (and participated in!) the Holiday Open House! I had a BLAST. It was wonderful to have a chance to connect with other artists and to be a part of a show in such a beautiful and relaxed atmosphere. HUGE amounts of gratitude go out to our gracious and generous hosts, Mark and Louanne Schoninger. Their hospitality and warmth was second to none. The lineup of artists was very well-balanced and thoughtfully laid-out. Just to name a few of us (and our wares!): I had paintings, mixed media, magnets, prints, and cards; Christine DeTroy had her pillows and different fabric creations; Heather Atwood had silver, copper, and bronze jewelry and ornaments; Susan Perrine had her looms and different wood and woven items; Emily Marquis had burned and painted wooden creations; and Dorette Amell had drawings, prints, and mixed media. Of course, the belle of the ball was Jennifer Moscone of Interactive Tarot! Jen barely had any downtime...she stayed late both days and made quite an impression on everyone who got a reading from her! She had a private room upstairs, so everyone who treated themselves to a reading was able to do so away from the hustle and bustle of shoppers and merry-makers! 

Interactive Tarot has gift certificates, too! 

Besides being a fun and different type of show, the Holiday Open House was well-attended, and the people who came were there for a purpose: to shop and engage with the artists! I am so grateful to have been a part of this event. Not only did I sell a bunch of magnets, some ornaments, and a few cards, I sold a painting, too! Yes, "Divine Eagle Friend" has gone to a very good home where I know it will be loved and appreciated. A special someone will be unwrapping "Divine Eagle Friend" on Christmas...how exciting is that?

"Divine Eagle Friend": SOLD!

Another wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season is with music, and I was rather tickled to have been approached by Cicy Po to use my artwork on the cover of the Coastal Youth Orchestra's Winter Concert program! Every year, they use a local artist's work, and this time, Cicy reached out to me. Interesting sidebar: Cicy and I went to high school on Long Island together, and both somehow ended up in the Brunswick area. Funny, right? Anyway, I figured "Retro Tree" would be a good fit, so I said yes to the opportunity. I was even able to make it to the concert, and it was wonderful! Not only was I able to see Cicy at the concert, I ran into Clay from El Camino as well (both lovely ladies had children performing in the show)! Cicy said she had received a ton of compliments on the program, including one from someone on the Coastal Youth Orchestra board, who said that "Retro Tree," beyond being a great piece, has a sound-like vibrating effect, making it fitting for the occasion. Perfect!  

music + art = happy together

The Holiday Open House show may have been my final fair of the 2014 season, but I still have my solo show up at Mister Bagel on Pleasant Street in Brunswick, which means you can still get last-minute art Christmas gifts while treating yourself to a cup of coffee or a tasty snack! I was happy to get a phone call from Robin (one of the owners) on Tuesday, saying that another signed/numbered/framed giclee print of "That Heavenly Coffee" had been sold to a Mister Bagel customer! Robin asked if I would be able to drop off two more prints of "That Heavenly Coffee": one to replace the one that had been sold, and another one so she could buy it! Woo hoo! 

coffee + bagels + art = yumminess

Speaking of Christmas, I wonder how many stockings in the greater Brunswick area (and beyond, for that matter) will have my magnets in them? Hmm...I think that might be like asking the age-old question, "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop?"! Seriously, I am grateful to each and every person who has been supportive of my art this year. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I hope you have a beautiful holiday season...and if you're someone who receives (or gives!) my art in one form or another as a Christmas gift, please let me know! I would love to hear all about it! 

fair play

Many, many thanks to all the brave souls who came out to the UUCB Holiday Arts Fair this past Saturday in spite of the less-than-stellar weather! I had a wonderful time. Everyone at the UUCB was kind, welcoming, and friendly, plus the food was fantastic, too! Live music kept us entertained all day long, and traffic was steady, even though it was cold and wet outside. 

That is one happy moose! 

I had a couple of people recognize me from the Maine Sunday Telegram article (how funny is that?), one person recognized my work from Mister Bagel, and several fair-goers remembered seeing my work at ADAA and the Small Business Saturday pop-up shop. I sold a bunch of magnets, a signed/numbered giclee print of "That Heavenly Coffee," and four little ornaments! Yes, ornaments! The UUCB show organizers suggested we have something inexpensive to offer to kids, and initially, I wasn't sure what to do. I was speaking with Lonie Ellis about it during ADAA, and she suggested getting some clear, flat, domed acrylic beads from the dollar store...she said the beads would magnify an image, so if I glued an image to the back, it would appear larger than it actually was. I liked this idea, so I had tiny color copies made of "Retro Tree". I cut the images to fit the different beads, and glued them down with Mod Podge; then I glued an ornament hook to the back of the "Retro Tree" image, followed by decorative paper over the back of the whole thing to cover the hook. They're not perfect, but hey- they're only a dollar! I don't plan on making them again once they're all gone, so if you want one, let me know! 

Cheapie ornaments! 

I have one more fair before Christmas this year: the Holiday Open House in Topsham on Friday, December 12th, 5pm-8pm, and Saturday, December 13th, 10am-2pm! This is going to be a slightly different kind of group show, because it takes place in someone's home! Get your last-minute holiday shopping done in a unique, warm, and inviting setting, all while supporting local, independent artists. Treat yourself and the ones you love to handmade, unusual, one-of-a-kind gifts you can feel good about giving AND getting. There will be fine art & crafts, food, music, a cozy fire, Tarot readings, and more! Visitors and participants alike are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to a local food bank (items such as canned tomatoes, peanut butter, baked beans, canned fruit, and canned soups are some of the items on the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program's wish list). Stop by for a fun and unique holiday shopping experience! I hope to see you there! 

small business saturday = a very big deal

WOW. I am happy to report that Small Business Saturday turned out to be a VERY big deal! I had an absolute blast at the artisan pop-up shop at 90 Maine Street, Brunswick (the former Agren Appliance building). There were two rooms filled with artists and craftspeople of all kinds, including Beth Carr of Windewillow, Christine DeTroy, Heather Atwood of H. Monique Designs, Allison Price, Ken Wise, and many more...over twenty artists were on hand, offering their unique creations for your gift-giving pleasure!

Follow the signs! 

As you can see from the sign above, the show was from 9am to 5pm, which is a long day as far as art shows are concerned. Set up time began at 7am, which meant my alarm went off at 5am. YIKES! Did I mention we had been in New Hampshire for the Thanksgiving holiday from Wednesday through Friday? Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a morning person, so waking up at such an early hour after three days of travel and merriment was a bit of a challenge...but the effort was most certainly worth it, and I would do it again in a second. 

Shoppers began arriving shortly after the doors opened, and the flow of traffic was steady and enthusiastic all day long! I sold a bunch of magnets and holiday note cards, and I was happy to see a bunch of friends and friendly faces throughout the course of the day. My most popular item was the "Old Fat Boy Sign" magnet, and I heard all kinds of interesting stories regarding where they were going: one was headed to Ohio, one was headed to Colorado, and one was headed to Panama! Also, one was being given to a couple of grandparents who first met at Fat Boy as students at rival local high schools! 

Michael Gorzka stopped by to show his support, and he included my booth in a Curtis Memorial Library Facebook post all about Small Business Saturday...thank you, Mike! I saw a cameraman from Channel 8 news over by Christine DeTroy's booth, and a couple of people from the Portland Press Herald were walking around and chatting with artists. I spoke to a photographer named Whitney (she had snapped a photo of me while I wasn't looking!) who took my name and asked me a couple of questions; then I spoke to a reporter named Craig who also took my name and asked a couple of questions. I thought, "Wow, that's cool," and then went on with my day. It wasn't until late Sunday afternoon while I was at home doing yoga when I thought, "Hey, I wonder if I ended up in the paper?" I looked up the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram website and saw THIS! I quickly ran around the corner to pick up an actual copy of the paper, and when I saw the size and placement of the photo/article, I bought two copies! 

Holy cow! That's me! 

  

What a wonderful experience! I am grateful to the Brunswick Downtown Association for putting this free and very fun event together in such a fantastic way. Missy and Patti were great to work with, and their efforts (and the efforts of the entire BDA) are very much appreciated. Now, it's on to the next show: the UUCB Holiday Arts Fair is Saturday, December 6th, 9am-2pm! Stay tuned!

big love for shopping small

As I mentioned in my previous post, the holiday art show season is up and running! ADAA kicked things off, and I've got three other shows coming right up: the Brunswick Downtown Association's Small Business Saturday "pop-up" show, the UU Church of Brunswick's Holiday Art & Craft Fair, and the Holiday Open House show! Mark your calendars: the UU show is Saturday, December 6th, 9am-2pm, the Holiday Open House show is Friday, December 12th, 5pm-8pm, and Saturday, December 13th, 10am-2pm, and the BDA Small Business Saturday "pop-up" show is November 29th, 9am-5pm...otherwise known as THIS SATURDAY! Small Business Saturday should be quite the event...just look at the poster!

Supporting small businesses keeps Brunswick COOL. 

Downtown Brunswick is going to be hopping! Check it out: horse and carriage rides, hot chocolate and cookies, Santa and Frosty the Snowman, the annual tree lighting ceremony, sales and promotions at neighborhood shops and restaurants, and LOCAL ART! What more could you want? The "pop up" venue looks like it will be a good one, too: we will be at 90 Maine Street, in the former Agren Appliance building! Not only is this space big, it has great windows, wonderful visibility, and awesome neighbors, including the Gelato Fiasco and Big Top Deli! Take a peek at the list of participating artists...better yet, come and see us in person!  

Thanks to Mike Gorzka for snapping this photo! 

I am excited to be a part of Small Business Saturday, and I hope to see your smiling face on November 29th! Don't forget: shopping small has a BIG impact! Let's face it, Brunswick has a LOT of great independently-owned shops and restaurants. Supporting those shops and restaurants (and artists!) is what keeps Brunswick cool, different, and unlike any other town. Give Brunswick big love by shopping small! 

Shop small for BIG FUN! 

kicking things off!

Arts Downtown and All Around was last weekend, and it was a wonderful way to kick off the holiday art show season! I had a great time...and if you weren't able to make it out to ADAA, don't worry: I have three other shows coming right up! We're in the swing of things now, aren't we? First things first, though...allow me to do a little recapping! 

My heart is filled with gratitude for everyone who made ADAA a wonderful experience. Thank you, thank you, thank you to my fellow artists, to all the show-goers, to those who couldn't make it out but still offered their love and support in other ways, and to the event's very hard-working organizers and volunteers...as the kids are saying, "mad props" to Catherine Worthington, Lily Roy, and Joan Carney in particular. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, this year's ADAA group show was in the former Coleman Burke Gallery space right next to Frontier. This location turned out to be fantastic! The room itself was beautiful, with high ceilings, exposed brick, large windows, and good lighting; plus, the proximity to Frontier got us a lot of traffic that we may not have otherwise had. People started arriving while we were still setting up on Friday afternoon because they were either on their way to or coming from Frontier, and on Friday evening, when diners were waiting for their tables, the Frontier staff encouraged their patrons to make good use of their wait time by checking out the art! Thank you, Frontier peeps, for supporting local artists (and for making awesome food, too)! 

Twinkly lights make everything nicer, don't they? 

Things were busy right from the get-go, and the traffic all weekend was fairly steady. Not only were people in a good mood, but they were in the mood to shop! They were also in the mood to chat...allow me to share some stories that were shared with me!

*A couple bought an "El Camino" magnet and an "Old Fat Boy Sign" magnet to send off to their daughters who are currently living in California, but are homesick for Brunswick.

*A woman told me the magnet she bought was going to be the "pickle present" this year. I told her I didn't know what that was, so she filled me in! Evidently, this is a tradition in Polish families: you hide a pickle ornament in the Christmas tree, and whoever finds the pickle ornament gets the "pickle present"! I've seen pickle ornaments in stores before, but I just figured they were made for people who loved pickles (such as myself)...I didn't know there was a story behind them!

*A woman bought an "Old Fat Boy Sign" magnet as a stocking stuffer for her adult son. She told me that when he was a child, her son would get very upset when anyone in the family would say "Fat Boy," because it wasn't nice to call someone "fat". He insisted they refer to it as "The Restaurant By The Airport." It didn't stop them from eating there, of course! 

*A woman bought a couple of magnets and a mixed media piece from me. We started talking, and it turns out she is a collector of my work! She lives in the Gorham area, so we first crossed paths at the Gorham Art Fair a few years ago. I remembered that one of the pieces she bought from me a while back was called "You Are Eternal," and when I brought that up, she told me something that made the hair on my arms stand up: she gave "You Are Eternal" as a gift to her brother after he had been diagnosed with ALS. "He keeps it in his man-cave," she said, smiling. 

Not only am I grateful for the excellent turnout and for the great sales I made at ADAA, but I feel really good about all the wonderful interactions I had with show-goers and artists alike. It is a privilege to be able to connect with others through my art, and for that, I am thankful...and if you're reading this blog, I am thankful for YOU! 

no office? no problem!

In addition to being an all-around awesome guy, my brother-in-law, Marc, is a patent attorney in Boston. Marc is also a big supporter of my artwork. Here is some photographic evidence:

Case in point!

He recently changed firms, and although Marc is much happier where he is working now, he doesn't have the private office (and therefore, the walls) he used to. Thankfully, that hasn't stopped him from enhancing his work space with my art! Check this out: 

Art transcends the gobbledy-gook of everyday life. 

"Oil And Water" is now suspended between Marc's two computer monitors. Not only is that a super-clever solution to the "no walls" issue, but the painting's placement allows Marc to enjoy it pretty much any time he is sitting at his desk! Smart, right? I told you he was awesome.

If you have a small space that you'd like to adorn with some tiny original art (or some magnets, or prints, or larger original art!), please come and see me at one of my upcoming shows! This weekend is Arts Downtown and All Around! This three-day holiday art show and sale usually takes place in December, but this time, it's in November...and it's in a new location, too: the former Coleman Burke gallery space (right outside of Frontier), Fort Andross, Brunswick! Kick off your holiday shopping season right: support local, independent artists! 

The holidays are coming...