1-2-3 Grace in ANAC Travel Show

1-2-3 Grace

1-2-3- Grace is making it’s way around the state of Nebraska as part of the 2013 Association of Nebraska Art Clubs travel show.  I got to see it at the Noyes Gallery in Lincoln this week.  It will be in Falls City after Thanksgiving, and Fremont from December 11-28.  You can get the full schedule through June at nebraskaartclubs.org

ANAC Conference

We had so much fun...so much success...and so much rain in Aurora, Nebraska last week for the Association of Nebraska Art Clubs Conference!  My friend, and fellow member of The Art Society, Tina Simeon won Best of Show with her drawing of three young boys looking through the fence at their upcoming rides for the Mutton Busting contest (the sheep rodeo for kids, so popular  in county fairs around here).  Susan Hart, a friend from Cozad, won the Museum of Nebraska Art purchase award.  

View from classroom at The Leadership Center

The juried competition is a highlight of this event, and Paul Leveille had the difficult task of choosing 24 pieces of art for the show that will travel around the state throughout the year, as well as 24 honorable mentions from over 300 entries.  Paul drove all the way from his home in western Massachusetts to teach portraits in oil, watercolor, and pastel.  All those art supplies wouldn't fit in the limited luggage allowed on an airline!

Art is a Verb by Linda Jorgensen

I taught classes in altered books and collage, and am so pleased with the student results.  We worked on history, composition, criticism and techniques.  They got an overload of Patti Digh, and other people and things I love!  This painting shows the Patti influence. We were able to frame several collages by Saturday.  What a thrill to take something home, ready to hang! 

Now it's time to clean my studio so all those traveling supplies can fit back in!  This was an amazing growth experience for me.  It was overwhelmingly intimidating to be teaching my peers.  The situation required overtime planning and preparation, which led to success.  Can't wait to figure out what comes next!  

A Work of Giants

I just finished an exciting painting that will be entered in the NebraskaLand Days art show in North Platte this week.  The theme of this collage is (subtly) railroad.  You may not guess it if I didn't point it out.  But, it has a nearly hidden image of the Union Pacific crest, tiny words "Pacific Railroad Act", and the date 1862 stamped on it.  Once you hear railroad, the vanishing lines with cross bars become obviously, tracks.  This one has abundant colors and textures.

Also this week will be the Association of Nebraska Art Clubs Conference at the FFA leadership center in Aurora.  I will be teaching altered books and collage at this event!  Much planning, practicing, and preparing has been required, and I think I'm ready!  I hope it will be a blessing and inspiration for every student.  If you are interested in attending, you can still register.  Check out the ANAC website, or call  Jean Cook at 308-382-5591.

Crossing Over

This painting is titled Crossing Over...originally because of the color and texture "crossing over" a line and blending together.  Then, I realized the circular glow on the right could be seen as the tunnel of light described in near death experiences...as in "crossing over" into the other world!  That seemed, at first, a bit too cliche, but it has grown on me.  The intense color and heavy texture make me smile.  This painting was one of the first I did using Behr Interior Texture Paint, as suggested in an ANAC workshop at Halsey.  It sat for nearly three years with the eerie blue blending  in the top, and including the circle which was mostly ivory. I just couldn't decide what to do with it, but I knew it was an interesting start to something.  Where it is now golden on the bottom part, was originally ivory with some blue and brown stain wiped over it to show the texture.  So, in the last couple of months I have added a lot of color, and a lot of oriental papers, as well as adjusted the composition by cutting 6" off the top side, and 4 " off the left side.  It is in a wide black frame with no glass, and can be seen for the next month at The Color Box in Imperial.   Then, it will be in the Governor's Mansion show in Lincoln February 10-March 11.

Golden Mean

I'm teaching a basic painting class at the local community college this semester.   A discussion of composition is part of this week's lesson.  It always makes me think of Deon Bahr, a painting friend I met at the ANAC camp in Halsey a few years ago.  The painting to the left is one he started at Halsey.  Deon is an architect, and his geometric paintings and sculptures are often based on his fascination with the number Phi, known as the "Golden Mean," or the "Golden Number."  At camp, Deon explained to us the basis of the "Phi-nomenon."   I have a copy of the sketch he made in his graph paper notebook, showing the mathematical formation of the nautilus shell design.  Check out his website.

I found another site, in my research for class, that has a great visual explanation for the nautilus concept on it's homepage.  Check out  this graphic.

Let's work on great compositions!

Quasquacentennial

What a word!  Our little town , Imperial, Nebraska, is celebrating 125 years of existence this year and the party is set for this weekend.  There will be singing, water games, turtle races, fireworks, history displays at the county museum and the city library, cake decorating and pie eating contests, a quilt show, Miss Nebraska, carriage rides AND...and art show!  We will have at least 15 local artists displaying work in the Catholic fellowship hall on Broadway, Saturday 9-5.  A vote will be taken for the people's favorite choice of artwork.  One of my works, shown at left, will be Brome Forest, which won an honorable mention award at the recent Association of Nebraska Art Clubs Convention Juried Competition.  Come and enjoy!