Judge and Jury

Photo by David Lee

The Parkland Art League, a large and active organization in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, asked me and Nancy Bea Miller to jury and judge their Annual Juried Show at the Allentown Art Museum last Thursday. It took more than an hour to drive there, which made me realize the long commute a couple of my students have who live out in that area and belong to this art league.

Since Nancy Bea and I have slightly different styles and different taste in art, we wondered on the trip up to Allentown whether our difference would make the selection process more difficult--but it actually went smoothly, though it took a lot of thought. There were so many good paintings! Going through this experience makes one appreciate what jurors go through, and how tough it is to decide.

Here I am with Nancy Bea on the steps of the museum.

A Semester of Color

Ellen in cool light
Ellen in warm light

For the past three years I've been teaching a class in portrait painting at the Wayne Art Center. This class has been rewarding in so many ways. When I was in my twenties I never imagined that I would like teaching, and I couldn't understand how my parents, both architects, could enjoy it so much. But my attitude gradually changed. I began to take on private students, then a friend asked me to take over his portrait class, and the rest is history.

I have a wonderful group of students (some of whom are professional artists) who ask such great questions. Last spring I noticed they were asking a lot about color, so I decided to devote a few classes to painting with a limited palette. The few classes turned into a whole semester of painting with six colors--two reds, two yellows and two blues, plus white--and it has been a real learning experience for me as well, since I normally paint with lots of colors on my palette.

Our last exercise was to paint the same model twice, once in warm light and once in cool light. My friend Ellen Cooper, a portrait painter, posed for us. I was able to do very quick oil sketches of her in each light. At the end of the class we all compared our paintings in warm and cool light, and the results were exciting.

Star-Studded Cast

James Toogood and I standing in front of our paintings.
Outside/Inside, oil, 42" x 50"

The Philadelphia Sketch Club is celebrating its 150th year with an exhibit of paintings by past and present members. As one of the present members, I was invited to be in the show, and I have to say it really knocked my socks off to see my painting hanging in the same room with an N.C. Wyeth, a Thomas Eakins, a Rockwell Kent, a Daniel Garber, a Thomas Moran. . . the list goes on and on. A humbling and awe-inspiring experience!

You might notice something about these illustrious past members: they are all male. That's because the Sketch Club just started admitting female members very recently. think I'm one of four women artists in the exhibition.

The show comes down tomorrow, and I'll be sad to see all those amazing works go back to their permanent homes.

Beaver Farm Opening at Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia

Garth Herrick in Fedora delivering calendars, Lynne Campbell on right.
Carla Tudor and Eliza Drake Auth trying the delicious food
Ani and Guy Alma, who live at Beaver Farm and run the program there, with Nancy Bea Miller
Giovanni Casadei and Marianne Mitchell talking
Here I am with my paintings.
I'm still coming down from the euphoria and excitement of a packed gallery, enthusiastic crowd, and brisk sales--an unusual sight these days. Tuesday evening was the culmination of our Plein Air Day at Beaver Farm event. Nancy Bea Miller organized the painting events and the one-day group show at the Rosenfeld Gallery in Philadelphia. At least 25% of the sales went directly to benefit the Camphill Special Schools, and some artists donated the entire purchase price of their work to the school. The energy in the gallery was palpable, all the more so because the space was packed to the gills. I wish I had better photos to show of the crowd. There was a man with a TV camera who hold to hold the camera high to get through the crowd.

As we packed up the remaining work the following morning, the gallery owner Richard Rosenfeld was answering calls from more people interested in buying art! In all, over 50% of the work was sold and more is expected to sell. Not bad for a recession! Some of the best artwork is still available, so check out the online gallery if you are interested in seeing it. Garth Herrick and I made calendars which will be available for purchase. They contain lots of images of the work, and of artists hanging out together and painting at Beaver Farm. Information on how to purchase the calendars will be posted on the school website.

Beaver Farm Paintings: Exhibition and Benefit

PLEIN AIR AT BEAVER FARM EXHIBIT

Please join us for a reception and sale featuring art created en plein air inspired by the landscape of Beaver Farm, home of Camphill Special School's Transition Program for young adults with special needs.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 5:00-8:00 p.m.

The Rosenfeld Gallery
113 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

www.therosenfeldgallery.com
215-922-1376

Encore for "The Duet!"

I'm going to have to stop teasing one of my artist friends (he knows who he is) for getting so much mileage out of a painting (it was a very good painting), because for some reason I'm getting more mileage than I expected out of my painting The Duet.

This painting was chosen for a show of figurative work at Susquehanna University, north of Harrisburg, PA. I don't want to bore anyone by posting the painting again. . . but here's the information:

FIGURATIVE DRAWING AND PAINTING JURIED SHOW

Lore Degenstein Gallery, Susquehanna University
Show Dates: October 24th--December 21

Opening Reception and Awards Presentation: October 24, 7-9 p.m.

Painting at the Red House

Sunset from the Red House
The cemetery in fog
Nancy Bea at Lobster Cove
Mary painting on the porch
At the Barnacle
Two Houses
Edges in Light
Ferry Dock in Afternoon
This was the Maine Landscape Guild's third summer on the island of Monhegan off the coast of Maine. We stayed in the Red House, famous for its bright color and its connection with artist Rockwell Kent. The view from the house was magnificent in all directions, and we were tempted to just stay there and paint, but the cold wind drove us to find good painting spots in other, more sheltered corners of the island.

Our system of meal preparation and chore-sharing, which we planned out beforehand, worked beautifully, allowing us a hassle-free week of painting, delicious food, and good company. We met a few other artists, but due to the fact that we came later in September we missed the crowds of artists that we encountered all over Monhegan last year. I'm not sure which I like better: solitude or artist-mania!

Here are some shots from the trip, and a couple of paintings.