Week one... Scottsdale

....One week down, one left to go...

I am having a bit of trouble doing any postings- as I am working with an ipad rather than my laptop. In no particular order ...(I am not able to rearrange / delete any pictures...and had to have my daughter post the pitures to my blog) ... are pictures from my first enjoyable week at the Scottsdale Artists School in Arizona.

Several of the photos are demos in progress by Kobayahsi as well as some finished works of his. There are also a few photos taken at the wonderful home of an art collector.

Each class day starts at 10 am with a demonstration that runs until around noon. After lunch the students paint with live models ... (some are shown below)... class time ends at 5 pm.

The hotel that I am staying at is directly across the street from the school, an easy walk.

I am not sure how many galleries there are in Scottsdale... it seems to be an endless amount. I am quite sure I will not make it to all of them. The highlights of my gallery hopping today included wonderful Russian and Ukraine artworks, Renoir works (both drawining and sculpture)... original Picasso works.. (and was tempted to bring one home at 1.5 million,... just not too sure where I would put it... darn, had to leave it there.) I also got to see many Warhol and Rockwell artist proofs, which were fun to see.

Temperatures have been in the high 80's to low 90's... not as muggy as back home... The weather has been wearing me out a bit... as I am a bit forgetful to fill up on water.

I am looking forward to continuing my studies next week, though I am getting anxious to get home and try evolve my work a bit and put some new ideas that I want to try to the test. I will have to save that for another week or so.

p.s..... had to share the photo with the 'robes'... as I seem to remember them in some of Milts work... they were fun to see and recognize.

Humble Pie & Celebration Of Arts......

This past week the Five Wings Arts Council held the first of what I assume will be an annual event with great success and rightfully titled the 'Celebration of Arts'.

The celebration began with a social and processioned with a wonderful dinner and was held at the Prairie Bay Restaurant in Baxter, MN.

Amidst the attendance numbers of 150 was a few featured guests. The Executive Director of the Minnesota State Arts Director, Sue Gens. The Director of Arts Programs from the McKnight Foundation, Vickie Benson, and the Executive Director from the Minnesota Citizens For The Arts, Sheila Smith. I was fortunate to have reserved seating with these ladies that play a very important roll in the arts, and very much enjoyed their company thru the event.

The event held an entertainment of vocal performances, followed by an onslaught of well deserved awards with applause to those who have played their part. The beautiful awards were created by artist in Pine River, Minnesota and went to support in the following areas. Community Arts Leadership Awards, Distinguished Arts Organization of the Year Award, Arts Advocacy Award, Past FWAC Board Service Awards, and the Student Artist Grant Recipients. Also beautifully created by a local artist, the impressive Master Nominee Awards and the Guilded Feather Award.

I had chose to hope that I wouldn't be put in a position to sweat profusely and humiliate myself by giving a speech, and rather than preparing one ahead, I had to deliver on the spot.

The accomplished presentations by the featured guests thru out the event were entertaining and put me in some sort of a mood. The sort of mood that makes an artist grateful to be touched by the warmth and caring support in every form.

I wish you had been there, so you could have heard. Not that the 'on the spot speech' was a revelation, but because I want you to know. (and I really need to add a few more )...

The beginning of an attempt went something like this.... after getting a bit accustomed to the microphone...

"I wasn't planning to say anything, but as I sat, listening as the awards were handed out, I began to understand a bit what it feels like to be a celebrity. Not that I think I am a celebrity, but, because I understand why they would cry. So with that I would thank all those previously mentioned tonight, in their part they have played. Mark, Vicki, the McKnights Foundation, for help along the way...."

As I drove away, I understood what it then felt like to be a bit of a celebrity who had forgot to mention some very important names, which is why I wanted to create this post in the first place.

Some of the following were remembered publicly, however, I want to mention them again.

My parents... you are the first on my list, who, when I think of whom to be grateful, and my family... for continued support and encouragement. Thank you for always being you.

For those who have pulled from their pocket to put in mine, large and small amounts, thank you ever so much. It is your support that enables me to continue living and working toward my goal.

For those who have supported the arts in ways of appreciation and acknowledgement and community events. Thank you for caring, and giving the arts recognition.

The FWAC, Mark, Vicki, Nancy.... past and present board members, and the Mcknight Foundation... For your hard work and the grants I have received along the way.... I only dare take a lid off of what your assistance has done... Thank you !

The States Arts Board, for constant improvements, and giving me reasons to dream of grants that would help me achieve the steps along the way.

The Minnesota Citizens For The Arts, for your dedication and hard work.

The First National Bank of Menahga & Sebeka, as well as the Cottage House, for sharing often, your public space.

To the Kurtti's for continued support. An attempt to express my appreciation would be understated. Thank you.

There are so many more, that play their part. The hard work of curators, support systems, and effort of galleries. Artists who have openly shared and know what it is like to have 'been there', and who 'are there'.

Last, but not least, a personal favorite and good friend, Artist Raymond Wattenhoffer, and another artist, who I regretfully did not mention publicly, Nancy Leaseman, who I appreciated often during her employment at the FWAC.

I also shared upcoming information, such as my attendance at the Scottsdale Artists School with artist Milt Kobayashi... (I will be leaving the 1st of April and fly back on the 16th)
The subject of leaving UGallery was lightly touched, with the intention of continued purpose and meaning towards the Guilded Feather Award.

Desert was not humble pie, though it well could have been, as my 'speech' had slated for last.


* I will be updating this post with the artists names and links for their work next week*

To view the workmanship of the 'Guilded Feather' award... click on the image for full screen...

....Backers Blog....

... The Backers Blog is available only to those who financially backed my kickstarter project.... I promised them a link on my public blog so they can easily access the site... ...but just for looking I will share a little treat.... a recent painting of mine available on the Ugallery site... follow the link here to view the details .

Remember you can always click on the images on this blog to view fullscreen.

** a little provision** if you have purchased, or in process of purchasing ..(monetarily supported my work) ... send me a message and I will send you the password if you like.


..To view a selection at my DPW Gallery Site....use this link.

A Fair Review

Totally frustrated. Similar to how I would feel, had I been on a much needed, have to drop 5 sizes- diet, half way there I wander into the bakery and eat 10 deep fried doughnuts with every imaginable calorie oozing out of them.

Only in this case, I am not talking about a diet that I have been on for a short amount of time..., but half of my life. Half of my life I have been working for this day. Granted, half of my life, I have also been raising 6 children, so not every waking moment, but I have thought about this day ALOT.

It has been roughly 20 years that I have been studying, first watercolor, and a few other medias in between, and then not quite 4 years ago I found a deep connection to exploring with oil.

Then the day finally came. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to send my paintings with Ugallery to the AAF 2011 spring show in NYC. I was only able to 'see' the show from photos online.

A few of my paintings were sold . I am always happy to have the opportunity to try something new... and if it goes well, then great.. but if it could be better, the shame would be in not taking the opportunity to learn and grow.

The director, Alex Farkas, and I had a review after the show to help me understand the reaction of the Manhattan crowd towards my work. One repeated comment is the source of this frustration. 'Her work reminds me of Malcolm Liepke, and/or Milt Kobayashi.'

Now, don't get me wrong. I am honored. A few years back I would have been like, YES!! Arms pumping, likely not in the coolest of fashionable ways. Both are widely studied and their work can unzip some hefty sized wallets.

It wasn't exactly news to me, I have heard it before.... 'have you studied with Milt...or Malcolm?".... no, I found Malcolm's work and instantaneously fell in love. There are many reasons why I fell so hard. Some reasons I likely didn't understand, though one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to create as well as him. At one time I had received a grant for a mentorship with him, the timing didn't work out. I have yet to see either of their original works in person. Advantageously, I have a mentour relationship with Ray Wattenhofer, an artist whom I confidently say is a master and a dear friend of mine.

Malcolm and Milt are masters of their own kind, I am not the first to say it, nor will I be the last.

I want now only to be an artist who has mastered my own signature style. That alone, to me, would feel like a prize worthy of being mentioned in comparable conversation toward masters. An equivalent of finding the treasure chest on a great hunt. The only clues I have right now are...likely buried under a very large rock, and it's not in a doughnut bag.

ANY help is greatly appreciated.

Paintings available at Ugallery.........

"NOT ON THE LIPS #3"

SOLD

... click on title bar for Ugallery.......

The Velocity Toward Common – Part 1

The Velocity Toward Common – Part 1

This is another great article calling out the quacks from the ducks.
A duck with the most 'soul' often most noticeable. I apologize for the
short post, have to go practice my quacking!