White Oak Studio

Four pieces of my artwork were juried into the Fiberplay 2007 exhibition at the Creative Spirit Center, Midland , MI. www.creativespiritcenter.org They accepted three paper on canvas collages and a scroll with calligraphy.

Gene and I delivered my work yesterday and visited the center for the first time. What an amazing space! The wonderful brick structure was originally designed by Alan B. Dow (of the Midland Dow family) for the Salvation Army. In 1993,  it was sold to a church and then to the CSC and they opened their doors as a site for art exhibits, arts workshops, and yoga. They offer classes and outreach programs for corporations, schools, hospitals, health care centers, hospice groups and seniors ...What a wonderful mission!

The Fiberplay: From These Hands exhibition opens June 10, with a reception from 3 to 7 p.m. and runs through August 18. Artwork has been submitted from all over the US and abroad including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Florida and Germany.

Much to my surprise when I arrived I found that "All Things Fall," was one of four works of art pictured on the full color poster! I am thrilled! This will be a great addition to my portfolio. You can see the poster at http://www.creativespiritcenter.org/index.shtml

More information on the show can be found at http/www.fiberplay.info

Today I had two appointments with outlets and spent the day on the road with a friend.

The first appointment was at Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph, MI. The gallery director Patrice took the 12" X 20" piece I made specifically for them, the one with the image transfer of the St. Joseph Lighhouse. She hung it in a prominent position in the gallery and I took digital photographs of it hanging.

My second appointment was with the co-owner of Local Color Gallery, in Union Pier, MI. This gallery showcases and sells the works of around 45 MI artists. The co-owner took 9 of my canvas pieces in various sizes and is giving me a wall of my own to display like a "collection." This is great! 

Even more exciting is that she mentioned a "designer" who has come in twice already this season looking for work to use in the grand lakeshore house he decorates. She picked work specifically with his needs in mind. How exciting for me.  (Hope springs eternal!)

I also explained that I create custom pieces with specific flora and fauna or to meet to a specific color need.

Well, not double dipping really - just an organized delivery system!

While working in the gallery this week it occurred to me that I should take a new canvas with the St. Joseph Lighthouse "image transfer" on it to Krasl Art Center on my way to Union Pier. When I consigned at Krasl approximately 3-5 years ago they were able to sell almost everything with the lighthouse on it.

This canvas panel is bright (with red, white and blue color tones) that would look wonerful in a summer cottage. This piece pictures a panel of my original color photograph trasnferred onto handmade paper and fit into the canvas as its centerpiece.

 A couple of telephone calls later and I have an appointment (on my way to my other appointment!)

This is totally new style of work than what I sold there previously and I am hoping that they will like the paper on canvas work and ask for more. And, I'll just happen to have a trunk load of canvas's with me to share, should they ask.

I'll keep you posted!

You know the old saying "You can't see the forest for the trees." Well, that happened to me recently.

I have been thinking my work should be in the Chicago market (it seemd logical tome as that's where the money and the people are...) UNTILL a friend/artist pointed out to me that my work is too earthy, too midwestern for the "contemporary" Chicago marketplace and it belongs instead, "Up North." Talk about a lightbulb going off! I was too close to it to see it, but she is absolutely right.

While I had tried earlier this winter to get my work placed a Northern MI, "artist friendly" gallery called Syncronicity (they said "no thanks," too much fiber right now) so I turned my focus to other promotional tasks.

In hindsight, I would have to be honest enough to admit that I did not try hard enough to find another northern gallery. So I have expanded my energies again this week to find an appropriate gallery in a tourist area with luxury second homes. Time is now short as the 2007 tourist season is just now beginning!

My 2007 Consignment Goals: (Besides have my gallery filled with canvas) ACHIEVED

1) A Kalamazoo gallery (Tap into the community where I lived/worked for 30 years and close enough for interested persons to make the drive out to my studio see more of my artwork) ACHIEVED

2) A Harbor Country Gallery (Location of tourists and many vacation homes owners for IN and Ill folks) ACHIEVED

3). Northern Michigan Tourist area (pending)

4) Submit work to 2007 Fiberplay: From these Hands ACHIEVED

I'll keep you posted.

I've been off-line for some time. I have instead been in the studio creating new work. As a writer, this is an act of tremendous self discipline on my part with so many pressures pulling me this way and that. I created 16 new works on canvas (from 4" X 4" to 22" X 28") to build up my consignment inventory.

This work was delivered yesteday to my photographer, Robert M. Soltysiak, Pullman, MI who will use his Canon EOS digital camera to take digital images for me. I will pay him to also do the internet ready/digital imaging that I need to put thejpegs onto my website. This will be a $400.00+ investment that I am hoping will work out in additional sales over the 2007 season.

This work  will be taken to Local Color Gallery, a new-to-me gallery located in Unior Pier, MI in an area that is called, "Harbor Country." I have been in the gallery space several times a few years ago however I personally have not taken work there. Since this is our first face-to-face meeting, I am unsure of what to expect. The owner, Jennifer has seen my work on my website and says that "it will fit in the gallery mix" so I suspect that she will take several canvas's in various sizes since she has the wall space available. I will also take my "crafts line" just in case.

Give me a few weeks and then visit the website to see the images of my newest work.