White Oak Studio

I have been researching the Till Midnight Gallery www.tillmidnight.biz this summer. This gallery is situated in the Till Midnight Restaurant in the newly renovated Baker Lofts complex in downtown Holland, MI.

My reason for pursuing this gallery are numerous. I like that the Baker Lofts have created a big city feeling with the eclectic collection of shops and coffee houses all within the loft complex. I like how the gallery hangs 2D work in their restaurent window so that residents and shoppers can view art even when the restaurant is closed. And lastly, I really like how they promote their artists and artwork. Someone truly knows what they are doing!

In early July, I attended a show there for encaustic artist Susan Mulder and although it took a bit of doing, I was able to scout the correct contact person’s name and phone number. Repeat telephone calls did not glean a return call but dropping off my newly updated “Artist Portfolio” (a classy binder with 7 plastic sleeves filled with artwork and artist statement) did.

Today I received a phone call from the gallery director who would like to hang my work in the gallery. YEA! Holland is a very artist friendly community and there is a lot of money and large, fantastic homes there.

This gallery sponsor’s “Featured Artists,” hosting an artist reception publicized by a 4-color post cards and a full page feature article in the bi-monthly, local Urban Street magazine.

While I have still not been able to find an “Up North” gallery to take my work, this is the third new gallery I have interested in my work this summer. There is something to be said about galleries within a two hour drive, considering the price of gas this year.

My artwork did NOT get accepted into the Holland, MI 44th Juried Fine Arts Competition. Of course, I was disappointed.

But what is even  funnier is that the piece, “Whisper in the Woods” that I submitted WAS accepted into the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 2007 Area Show and WON the $100.00 Hand Papermaking Guild (cash) Award.

It is possible that in order to exhibit one must be a “Holland Friends of Art” member, although the “Call for Art” form did not state that…

It all goes to show you that art and art exhibitions are truly a subjective process.

I have been searching for an armature/sculpture/papermaking workshop for several years. I have found several interesting workshops on the internet but unfortunately, they have always been after the fact or were workshops located half way across the US.

Then two weeks ago I “fell” into a local workshop sponsored by the Handmade Paper Guild of Kalamazoo www.kalamazooarts.com.

I read about this opportunity on the yahoo paper list and was able to sign up. The presenter was Dick D’agostino www.dickdagostino.com from Maryland who creates unique fantasy sculpture using handmade paper and many dififerent mediums as his base.

The two-day workshop was economical, only $68.00, and I was able to learn to work with chicken wire as my aramature and used my handpainted tissue papers as the surface treatment. I created an organic sculpture for my garden. Imagine a large rock in the colors of Monet’s Garden (my projects title.)

The key to Dick’s method is a product called Paverpol a finish that is durable enough to allow artists to display their final project in their garden, porch or front door. www.paverpol.com Paverpol can make paper waterproof!

The workshop was very interesting and the most exciting thing for me was watching others create in totally different mediums - including, reed as aramature, a wire sheep covered in felted wool, sculpting in clay and casting and so on. Each artist attending adapted their specialty area using Dick’s new methods and suggestions. Very enlightening!

I have been working on the publicity for the October 8, Saugatuck/Douglas Art Club meeting taking place at White Oak this fall.

I wrote a “media release” and have been sending jpegs (trying to send but having dial-up computer trouble) for the clubs publicity chair to use for newspaper coverage. I hope to send jpegs of the outside of White Oak, my publicity photo and photographs of my artwork.

The event takes place on the morning of October 8 at 7:15 p.m. Members will take a stroll through our gardens, visit the studio and see an artist demonstration of papermaking and finally view my artwork.

This will culminate in some local publicity for me as an artist and, hopefully an interesting and informative meeting for club members.