Last Show, Next Show, Miles, and Memories

 Just had to share a couple more photos from the Nebraska Governor's Residence.  You can see how the space is used for a variety of meetings with a completely different table configuration when I took these photos compared to those I posted the week before.  The show came down last Friday.  It was such an honor to have my art in this space and a pleasure to work with the Residence Staff. 

The next showing of my art will be during the month of April at The Most Unlikely Place, a wonderfully fun art gallery, espresso bar, and luncheon cafe in Lewellen, Nebraska!  Tentative plans call for a reception on April 23rd...the Saturday afternoon before Easter...possibly with live music!  This wonderful space is owned by three sibling artists: Dennis and Rex Miller, and Jean Jensen.  I have painted with Dennis at the Autumn Art Workshop at the 4-H Camp near Halsey.  The cafe is open Wednesday-Saturday, with special menus that change every week!  They have parties once a month and host classes in art, dance and music.  Sure hope you can make it to Lewellen.  You will be amazed.

Lots of miles were covered last weekend.  After the trip across the state to Lincoln, I drove to south-central Kansas to paint a bathroom for my mother.  The extreme winter got the best of some pipes, which flooded their guest house, requiring new drywall and a restoration service.

I ran into a couple of high school friends while I was there.  It was fun to have my art along in the car to show Arlene, an active artist, who was in Richard VanSickle's art class with me--was that 38 years ago? (Yow!)  I found a trace of Mr. VanSickle on Google...teaching on the potter's wheel at Wichita Pottery.  I still have the large acrylic painting I did as a senior in high school--an impressionistic attempt to copy a painting I loved that hung in our high school library! I ran from the basement art room up the stairs to the third floor library many times as I tried to capture the composition...no digital cameras to help out!  After all the moves, it has a small hole in one spot, and is a bit warped, but is in pretty good shape.

Governor's Residence

I am so honored to be showing my artwork in the Nebraska Governor's Residence Exhibition Program this month.  The show was hung on February 8th, and will be there until the afternoon of March 11th.  My daughter toured the Residence today and sent these photos.  The colors in the drapes coordinate so well with six of my sunflower paintings on the north wall!  On the South wall, along with a fireplace and two china cabinets, the photo shows eight of my non-objective paintings. The show includes a total of 18 works.

This program, sponsored by the Nebraska Arts Council, awards exhibition space to 10 Nebraska artists each year. I am grateful for all the efforts of Arts Council and Governor's Residence staff that have made this opportunity possible.  If you can get to Lincoln before the 11th, try to get in and see it.  The Residence is open to the public on Thursdays 1-4 and at other times by appointment when it doesn't interfere with meetings scheduled in the room.  Call 402-471-3466  for more information on tours.

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.

Governor's Residence Exhibit February-March

I just received word from The Nebraska Arts Council that my time slot for the Governor's Residence Exhibit will be February 9-March 11, 2011.  Yea!  This gives me time to complete a few more pieces and hopefully won't interfere with too many other family activities.  Be sure to get to Lincoln during those dates to see the show and enjoy the beautiful building where our Governor lives.  Regular tours are scheduled for Thursdays, but if that doesn't work for you, it's fairly easy to schedule a special visit.  Check out the Residence web site.  photo of residence:  http://www.governorsresidence.ne.gov/images/mansion_main.jpg