Interview coming soon!!!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Interview with Brooke Stone Jewelry
Wolf Rug
-Where are you from? Where do you live now?
Brooke: I was raised outside of Boston, spent a short while in Southern California as a young adult and came to Eugene in 1969 as a young mother. I was part of the "Back to the Land" movement, although I did not realize it at the time. Jim was raised in Eureka, California, in the redwood forest. He came to live in Oakridge in 1974. We have been working together manufacturing our line of animal totem jewelry since 1990.
-When did you first become interested in the arts and what mediums did you work with initially?
Brooke: As a child I started out working with blockprinting. An artist friend of the family gave me some tools and a piece of battleship linoleum. My first blockprint said "Noel" and much to my surprise, when I printed at, it said "leoN"! It was an important lesson....also, I have always worked with fiber. All the women in my family sewed, so I learned from them.
-What mediums do you work with now?
Brooke: I had a first career making wearable art which incorporated batik, applique of many different materials like felt, velvet, leather, fur, old buttons, etc. I made fitted vests and jackets, which I sold at Saturday Market, then at 5th Street Market and then I began doing the east coast shows organized by the American Crafts Council. I did wearable art for about 15 years, then switched over to metal. I got my metals education at LCC, in Dan White's program. (He was a fabulous teacher)! I have been making my living in jewelry-making since 1987. I work with animal totem images, using lost wax casting and many other processes. For a complete explanation of these processes, see the Studio Tour on my website: http://www.brookestonejewelry.com/studio-tour.php To see the jewelry which Jim and I make together, follow this link to our Art Gallery: http://www.brookestonejewelry.com/animal-totem-jewelry-online.php I have also been making hooked wool rugs since 1999; working with Dyed in the Wool Rug Hookers Guild here in Eugene. Like most hookers, I do not sell this work, but hook for the fun and the joy of it!
-How have you evolved as an artist?
Brooke: My vision has matured. I don't have any trouble thinking of new ideas. What I have found is that working with the medium brings ideas to the surface. You might say that the imagination and the medium are inextricably intertwined.
-What do you do if a work turns out differently than expected or you do not like how the piece is coming together?
Brooke: I think of designing a new piece as an exploration, so I expect the process to undergo many changes from beginning to end. I welcome problems as opportunities to "struggle creatively". I don't expect the process to be easy...
-What/who are your inspirations?
Brooke: Nature and its processes are my inspirations. I study natural history, botany, zoolology, mythology and anthropology to understand something about the animals I work with as subjects.
-When did the two of you first meet? How did your relationship impact your respective artistic careers?
Brooke: Jim and I met as students at LCC in the late 1980's. I would say that our lives as husband and wife and as working partners are completely inter-connected. I don't see any separation between the two parts. We have division of labor in the business, each working on parts that we feel comfortable with. We have our own small foundry on our land where Jim does all of the casting. I design new work and we both work in the manufacturing ....we do all of the processes ourselves in our shop.
-When did you start Brooke Stone Jewelry together? Why did you choose to name it after just Brooke?
Brooke: I already had a business called "Brooke Stone Jewelry" when Jim and I started working together in 1990 and the business already had name recognition. Also, when we first started working together, we weren't sure we could actually make a living that way. So we left the name that the business already had. As it turned out, we were able to make a living selling our jewelry and have been doing that since 1990.
-Has being a member of Oregon Arts Alliance helped you? How?
Brooke: I think it is necessary to support the arts in our community and OAA's mission is an important one. OAA has helped us gain exposure, even though we've been around for a long time. The facebook workshop recently taught by Diana Richardson was very helpful to me.
-What are your plans for the future, either personally or as artists?
Brooke: I plan to forge ahead and make art as long as I possibly can. I can't imagine life without art!
-Anything else you would like to add?
Brooke: For young artists planning to make a business of their art, I would advise: Take deadlines seriously. Never miss a deadline, no matter what! You might have 3 kids sick at home with nasty colds, but if you miss the deadline, you will lose the account!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
DRAWING MARATHON DRAWS A CROWD
Drawing Marathon Draws a Crowd
Drawing + Artists + You = Fantastic Fun
The Oregon Arts Alliance (OAA) hosted its first drawing marathon at the OAA Gallery on Friday, November 5, 2010, in Eugene, OR.
In case you missed the drawing marathon, here’s how it worked:
Artists drew throughout the evening, working from live models or imagination. Immediately after a drawing was completed it was placed on the gallery wall for viewing pleasure and purchase as a benefit for OAA workshops and exhibitions. Visitors witnessed artists at work and chatted while solo musicians and Honest Connie & the 5 Finger Discount provided music. Ninkasi Brewing Company and Territorial Vineyards provided beverages while the Creative Duck Store at the U of O donated art supplies for the event. Each model’s fashion sense could be captured in drawings, be it a furry hat, cat-eye glasses, a hat à la Robin Hood or Queen Slugasana’s trail of rainbow balloons. It was fantastic to see artists’ different interpretations of the models.
Roger Rix, court photographer for Queen Slugasana, liked the energy the drawing marathon produced. "This is wonderful. It’s exciting to see this many artists and different mediums," Rix said. By the end of the night, the gallery walls were covered with drawings; no space left uncovered!
Pencils, Charcoal, Pastels, Oh My!
Over 30 artists participated in the drawing marathon, and artists used an assortment of mediums: pastels, charcoal, colored pencils, watercolor, pencils and chalk.
This was graphic designer, illustrator and writer Stephen Stanley’s first drawing marathon. “I thought it would be a fun thing to do,” Stanley said. During the drawing marathon, Stanley worked from the models with pencil and white pastel. Whether the technique is tight or loose “depends on my mood,” Stanley explained.
I chatted with Halley Anderson, a student at the University of Oregon, as she worked on a linear colored pencil drawing. Anderson found out about the drawing marathon while on the First Friday ArtWalk. Anderson decided to participate because she “saw everyone else doing it, and it looked really tempting.”
Brandi York of Springfield, OR, sat on the floor working on a pastel portrait, and we talked about her evening thus far. “It’s one of my favorite atmospheres to be surrounded by other artists and just drawing,” York said. York enjoys portraiture and figure drawing and works in all mediums, though her primary and favorite medium to work in is pastel.
For Nicola Calvert, the evening was full of charcoal and pastel drawing and running into old friends. “It’s the social highlight of the week, maybe of the month,” Calvert said.
Art is “moving back into being an integral part of my life,” Calvert explained, who works with mixed media. Calvert liked seeing other artists’ work. “The drawings are very inspirational…” Calvert said.
Emily Pesek, a portrait artist, worked on portraits in pencil, smudge pencil, and woodless pencil.
“You see reality a little more clearly,” Pesek said of drawing. Pesek expressed admiration for the OAA and its mission. “I think it’s beautiful that the Oregon Arts Alliance is so devoted to honoring the artistic process and genuinely supporting art for art’s sake,” Pesek said.
Farley Craig is a full-time artist who teaches figure drawing and figure painting at the Maude Kerns Art Center in Eugene, OR. During the drawing marathon, Craig drew with charcoal and chalk, though he also likes to work in oils.
Chandra Valli Paetsch, a freelance artist, illustrator and photographer, registered for the drawing marathon because “it sounded like so much fun.” Valli Paetsch worked from the models using mixed media: ink and colored pencils, in her drawings. “It’s great to watch other artists work. I’ve never had that opportunity,” Valli Paetsch said. Valli Paetsch is up for another drawing marathon. “I really hope it happens again,” Valli Paetsch said.
We are Thankful for… You! It was great seeing such an awesome turnout for the event. Thank you for coming and supporting artists and art!
Thank you:
Artists
Models
Solo musicians and Honest Connie & the 5 Finger Discount
Sponsors: Ninkasi Brewing Company, Territorial Vineyards and the Creative Duck Store
For photos of the event, go to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/oregonartsalliance.
Upcoming Event:
OAA Fine Arts & Crafts Show (formerly the Oregon Crafted Sampler Show) begins Friday, November 12, 2010, at the OAA Gallery with an opening reception from 5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The show features 30 of our member artists representing a collection of mediums: Glass, Wood, Ceramics, Painting, Jewelry, Fiber Art and Sculpture.
Opening reception is Friday, November 12, 2010, from 5 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
The show runs November 12 through 21, 2010 at OAA Gallery, 881 Willamette St., Eugene, OR.
Regular hours Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11 am to 5:30 pm.
Drawing + Artists + You = Fantastic Fun
The Oregon Arts Alliance (OAA) hosted its first drawing marathon at the OAA Gallery on Friday, November 5, 2010, in Eugene, OR.
In case you missed the drawing marathon, here’s how it worked:
Artists drew throughout the evening, working from live models or imagination. Immediately after a drawing was completed it was placed on the gallery wall for viewing pleasure and purchase as a benefit for OAA workshops and exhibitions. Visitors witnessed artists at work and chatted while solo musicians and Honest Connie & the 5 Finger Discount provided music. Ninkasi Brewing Company and Territorial Vineyards provided beverages while the Creative Duck Store at the U of O donated art supplies for the event. Each model’s fashion sense could be captured in drawings, be it a furry hat, cat-eye glasses, a hat à la Robin Hood or Queen Slugasana’s trail of rainbow balloons. It was fantastic to see artists’ different interpretations of the models.
Roger Rix, court photographer for Queen Slugasana, liked the energy the drawing marathon produced. "This is wonderful. It’s exciting to see this many artists and different mediums," Rix said. By the end of the night, the gallery walls were covered with drawings; no space left uncovered!
Pencils, Charcoal, Pastels, Oh My!
Over 30 artists participated in the drawing marathon, and artists used an assortment of mediums: pastels, charcoal, colored pencils, watercolor, pencils and chalk.
This was graphic designer, illustrator and writer Stephen Stanley’s first drawing marathon. “I thought it would be a fun thing to do,” Stanley said. During the drawing marathon, Stanley worked from the models with pencil and white pastel. Whether the technique is tight or loose “depends on my mood,” Stanley explained.
I chatted with Halley Anderson, a student at the University of Oregon, as she worked on a linear colored pencil drawing. Anderson found out about the drawing marathon while on the First Friday ArtWalk. Anderson decided to participate because she “saw everyone else doing it, and it looked really tempting.”
Brandi York of Springfield, OR, sat on the floor working on a pastel portrait, and we talked about her evening thus far. “It’s one of my favorite atmospheres to be surrounded by other artists and just drawing,” York said. York enjoys portraiture and figure drawing and works in all mediums, though her primary and favorite medium to work in is pastel.
For Nicola Calvert, the evening was full of charcoal and pastel drawing and running into old friends. “It’s the social highlight of the week, maybe of the month,” Calvert said.
Art is “moving back into being an integral part of my life,” Calvert explained, who works with mixed media. Calvert liked seeing other artists’ work. “The drawings are very inspirational…” Calvert said.
Emily Pesek, a portrait artist, worked on portraits in pencil, smudge pencil, and woodless pencil.
“You see reality a little more clearly,” Pesek said of drawing. Pesek expressed admiration for the OAA and its mission. “I think it’s beautiful that the Oregon Arts Alliance is so devoted to honoring the artistic process and genuinely supporting art for art’s sake,” Pesek said.
Farley Craig is a full-time artist who teaches figure drawing and figure painting at the Maude Kerns Art Center in Eugene, OR. During the drawing marathon, Craig drew with charcoal and chalk, though he also likes to work in oils.
Chandra Valli Paetsch, a freelance artist, illustrator and photographer, registered for the drawing marathon because “it sounded like so much fun.” Valli Paetsch worked from the models using mixed media: ink and colored pencils, in her drawings. “It’s great to watch other artists work. I’ve never had that opportunity,” Valli Paetsch said. Valli Paetsch is up for another drawing marathon. “I really hope it happens again,” Valli Paetsch said.
We are Thankful for… You! It was great seeing such an awesome turnout for the event. Thank you for coming and supporting artists and art!
Thank you:
Artists
Models
Solo musicians and Honest Connie & the 5 Finger Discount
Sponsors: Ninkasi Brewing Company, Territorial Vineyards and the Creative Duck Store
For photos of the event, go to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/oregonartsalliance.
Upcoming Event:
OAA Fine Arts & Crafts Show (formerly the Oregon Crafted Sampler Show) begins Friday, November 12, 2010, at the OAA Gallery with an opening reception from 5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The show features 30 of our member artists representing a collection of mediums: Glass, Wood, Ceramics, Painting, Jewelry, Fiber Art and Sculpture.
Opening reception is Friday, November 12, 2010, from 5 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
The show runs November 12 through 21, 2010 at OAA Gallery, 881 Willamette St., Eugene, OR.
Regular hours Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11 am to 5:30 pm.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Drawing Marathon this Friday, November 5
by Sara Bishop
Yikes! Friday is drawing near, what are your plans? Why not come to the Drawing Marathon presented by the Oregon Arts Alliance (OOA) at the OOA Gallery from 5 – 9 p.m.
The Drawing Marathon is a FUNdraiser (emphasis on the fun!) to benefit OOA workshops and exhibitions. Observe artists at work and have the opportunity to own one-of-a-kind pieces of art.
30 artists will be creating drawings in an array of mediums working from still lives, costumed models, including Queen Slugasana, and from imagination. An exquisite corpse (a collective drawing) will also be created.
After a drawing is completed it will be placed on the gallery wall and will be available for purchase for $25. Music from Honest Connie & the 5 Finger Discount will be provided along with solo musicians. Food, drink and merriment are also on the agenda for the evening.
Art supplies are donated by the Creative Store @ U of O. Thank you to our sponsors, Ninkasi Brewing Company, Kent Anderson & Associates, and the Creative Store @ U of O.
See you Friday!
Who: You!
What: Drawing Marathon, a FUNdraiser
When: Friday, November 5, 2010 (during the ArtWalk)
Where: 881 Willamette Street
Monday, October 25, 2010
Interview with Sheila Roth
Interview took place Saturday, October 9, 2010
Can you describe your first encounters with art?
My mom was a designer and my father was a chef at his catering business and restaurant; I saw and tasted creativity all around me. My interest in art was instilled into me in my childhood. My mother would take me to the museums and plays in New York. Art was an early love for me. My aunt and uncle owned the Chelsea Hotel where many artists lived and because of its permissive atmosphere, artists, writers, musicians, and dancers were allowed to do most anything they wanted. I heard wonderful stories and saw the works of many artists from the hotel. The most famous was Andy Warhol.
As a young woman, I started selling my work in a parking lot on La Cienega Boulevard, which was the home to all the major art galleries in Los Angeles in the 60’s and 70’s That is where I really learned about selling art. I was also a frequent visitor to those galleries and I was able to develop my own taste and aesthetic based on the seminal shows I saw over a fifty year period.
Have you taught any courses?
I started teaching in 1973 at Los Angeles High School. I was in the art department and taught printmaking, intaglio, lino cuts, and collography with my teenagers and some of the staff. After the earthquake of 71, the school was moved into a temporary structures and then we had a chance to reconstruct the art department. We researched the records and were able to restore the department to its previous status and that is how I got the etching press. We were dealing with kids that were really underserved and the teachers in the department were able to offer a bounty of selections which enabled our students to flourish. I also taught ceramics and did a lot of sculptural work with them. I established a fabulous art gallery at our school. A local artist with a large format camera taught kids about photography and we got to have a gallery for a whole year before they made it into an office. This gave students with little art exposure a chance to curate shows for professional artists as well as themselves. At the same school, I insinuated myself into a performing arts workshop and taught a stagecraft and art production. I knew very little about the craft, but with my students, forged ahead and helped create sets, lights, costumes, and promotional material for such plays as: Hair, Anything Goes, Godspell and others. This experience added to my understanding of the use of space and light on images.
I took classes in printmaking at UCLA as part of its professional printmaking program. Then I purchased an electric printing press for my own use and ran a workshop for professional printmakers, mainly in intaglio in a store front established by a friend. There, I was able to observe some fine artists use their skills and create series of prints to sell in galleries.
I’ve heard you talk about owning gallery in California. Can you tell us more about that and your Collector’s Club that you started?
I left teaching because my father died and mother had a stroke, in a sense, they were both gone in about a period of one day. I knew I needed more money to take care of my mother who was in a convalescent hospital and whose special care was left to my sister and me. We started out with a picture framing store, I had worked in several throughout college, which sold art, but mainly offset prints. After a year, I took over and expanded to an art gallery and picture framing business. The art scene was graphics in those years because Los Angeles was a hub of burgeoning workshops and ateliers. I sold serigraphs, intaglios, mono prints, and lithographs. There were many ateliers, which were like studios, but much more. I started out slowly and purchased pieces and then convinced the ateliers and wholesale galleries to let me take things on memo. In one evening, I may have had over a $100,000 in borrowed art because the workshops saw my sales records and trusted me with their work. I invited people to look at them, and then brought back what didn’t sell. Purchases started slowly at first, until I started educating clients on the process and demonstrating how some of these pieces of art were made. Then collectors began to purchase more than one piece at a showing and the business grew from our visits to ateliers and artist’s studios. We went all over Los Angeles looking at the top of the graphics market, viewing and discussing local artists as well international artists. My clients became very inquisitive. Some of them had 30 or 40 pieces. Eventually I started to branch out and I made contacts with ateliers in Europe. I brought in original Matisses, smaller ones around $5000 in range, and Chagals. I also was able to buy several legitimate works by Dali, some were images from the book of Dante’s Inferno.
One reason the gallery was able to be solvent during some tough financial times was that the gallery did a lot of picture framing and display work. I framed all of the gold, silver, and platinum records for Warner-Electra-Asylum records. Also, I did display work for an famous eye surgeon who wanted to take samples of his surgical process to conferences. We framed a wide variety of work for all types of businesses and it always astounded me that people found me in that small corner of Valley and trusted me with some rather major projects.
I also got a chance, through Title Nine, to compete for contracts. I worked as an art consultant for the Southern Californian Gas Company. Every person at regional offices selected a piece of art for their respective areas. I traveled all over with prints and catalogs to assist them to create a pleasant work environment. Then, I did consulting with restaurants and selected art for their businesses.
I also worked with the historian for the archives of the Catholic Archdioceses of Los Angeles at the San Fernando Mission. I helped restore the works after another major earthquake. I helped set up the displays and reframed damaged documents and art in the gallery as well as the archives. We made sure everything there was properly conserved. I was thrilled to work with Father Weber, the historian, and learn so much about the history of Los Angeles. During that period, I was hired to lecture on printmaking and collecting by a major department store as part of a series of lectures for their employees.
Did you ever return to teaching?
I went back into teaching, while still working at the gallery, when the recession hit; that recession was not quite as bad as what we are in now. I was only going to go back for a year, but I was enjoying myself so much that I stayed. When I left my business to my brother in the 90s, I went back to teaching full time.
I became involved in the Humanitas Program, a national interdisciplinary teaching program. We were trained year after year to connect all the main disciplines to show how they were all linked. Art was one of the major parts of the program at San Fernando High School, were I worked when I returned to teaching. We designed a concept where we would raise money and then take our students all around the Los Angeles area to experience special venues because some of them had never been out of the San Fernando Valley. We started by taking them to major museums. It was so exciting to watch our students makes the intellectual connections. We were trained by the Getty with their scanning method, showing students what to look for in a painting, how to see rather than just evaluate.
Here at Oregon Arts Alliance, you are heading the Collector’s Club. Can you tell me more about that?
The idea is to allow people to feel less intimidated and select things that they like. It could be based on a process they find intriguing or an artist’s demonstration which piques their interest. I hope they will find something new that will open up their eyes. For me, I couldn’t live without my art. If I didn’t have furniture, I would still have art. I would like to pass on that real connection I have…a connection to make collectors out of them. You don’t have to be rich to buy art in this area because the prices are affordable. This is the best time to collect! You can buy it slowly, carefully…lovingly.
What made your decide to leave California? How have you adapted to the changes once you transitioned from a big city to Eugene?
I came to Eugene to escape the frenetic pace of Los Angeles. Sometimes, I really miss all that energy. I miss the selection of plays and films, and most of all, I miss the shows at the museums I frequented. This area is beautiful, but I miss the connection with the art world and major players and major exhibits. Eugene is a university town and I thought that there was a lot going on in the art world, and there is, but it still has much room to grow. I want to be a part of that growth. Eugene has culture here, but artists are not able to make a living. To be a real city of the arts, artists must be able to make their living doing art. Residents seem to leave the city to purchase art elsewhere. Our Art Collector’s Club will focus on artist and sales here, in the Eugene area.
What mediums do you work with now? How have you evolved as an artist?
I’m not doing printmaking because I don’t have any place to work. Now I am working in watercolors because they are so very vibrant. I am trying to rid myself of everything I have done in the past and I have spent the last year experimenting. I have taken a quote from Paul Klee which says, “For me art is taking a walk with a line.“ I don’t want to repeat the same idea of landscape or figure representation. I want to start an image and let the painting take me somewhere instead of me predicting the outcome. I do fractured images which dissect a piece and reconstruct it.
Can you describe your experiences with Oregon Arts Alliance?
First of all, I think the people who work there are so gracious and capable. I was asked to be on the Exhibits Committee. And I joined immediately. The minute I started to serve on the committee, I was so impressed by the openness and willingness to help artists. I got to meet other artists and became involved with the first sampler show. I took part in the 6x6 show too. Since the move to the Willamette gallery, this is one of the most dynamic organizations of its type in Eugene. For me, it’s where the action is! I want to promote art sales and collecting with some of the most vibrant artists I met in the Northwest.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
A Celebration for our New Space and our New Name!
(blog by Sara Bishop)
A Grand Opening - With excitement and enthusiasm we unveiled our new space at 881 Willamette Street and our new name, Oregon Arts Alliance (formerly Oregon Crafted) on Friday, Oct. 1, 2010. We held our grand opening celebration and reception in conjunction with the First Friday ArtWalk. Late afternoon sunlight streamed in through the gallery windows as upbeat and eclectic music performed by Accordions Anonymous welcomed visitors. As art-goers danced and wandered through the spacious gallery, they enjoyed regionally crafted beverages by the Ninkasi Brewing Company and wines donated by Market of Choice. And, of course, there is the art! The right side of the gallery encompasses the show, [Hold] Baskets, Boxes, Bowls and Containers and features work by over 15 artists with a special selection of ceramics by artisans from Clay Space. The left side of the gallery contains art by more than 30 of our member artists.
The extraordinary array of art in the gallery could satisfy even the most persnickety person, provoking among many things, admiration and conversation.
Here is just a sampling of the mediums exhibited:
Light sculptures
Fused glass
Watercolor & sumi ink stick
Ceramics
Pastels
Weavings
Multimedia collages
Poetry
Handmade lampwork beaded jewelry
Collage scarves
Mixed media fiber
Acrylic and paper collages
Mixed media photographs
Photography
Bronze sculptures
Stoneware
Gourds
Chatting with the Artists - I got the opportunity to speak with some of the artists whose works are on display. The artists expressed excitement about our new space and new name.
Shannon Weber has four works in Hold:
Trapped, beaver stick, sea grass roots, bull whip sea kelp that has been carved, stitched woven wax linen, thread, ostrich eggshell, clam and pooka shell beads Star Chart, fire pit wood wax, linen, thread stitched bullwhip sea kelp reed, stitched river rocks
Crab Pots, fire pit wood, wax linen thread, stitched bullwhip sea kelp, river rocks, clam shell beads
Orbit, random woven painted material: rattan, found metal, drip line, metal tape, vinyl disk beads, waxed lined thread
Weber had multiple reasons to celebrate: it was her birthday, and her work is going to be shown work at the Cavin Morris Gallery in New York City. She summed up the night quite fittingly: “excellent.” Weber feels “privileged” that she has been able to create her work for the past 25 years. Also, be sure to catch Weber on a future episode of “Oregon Art Beat” on Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Karin Richardson made her Eugene debut with her “Guardian Remains” series in Hold: Guardians Remain Series: Redwood, wood, sand-cast flat glass, steel Guardians Remain Series: Fire w/ Green Vessel, wood, sand-cast, flat and blown glass, steel Guardians Remain Series: Fir, wood, sand-cast and flat glass, steel Guardians Remain Series: Red Cedar, wood, sand-cast and flat glass, steel
Richardson studied at the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, WA. A person asked Richardson concerning her work: “It’s all on purpose, right?” which begs the age-old question, is it intuition, planned or by accident? She also enjoyed the bringing together of artists and art in the gallery.
Katie Swenson’s Untitled is a part of Hold. Untitled is created of porcelain/stone, porcelain, wire and glass beads. As we talked about her work, she explained that she can’t exactly put her work into words. Swenson wants people to unearth their own interpretations in her work.
Death Valley during winter inspired Sheila Roth’s four oil compositions:
Study in Green
Study in Blue
Study in Orange
Study in Red
“People say that there’s no color like that in Death Valley. It’s what I see under the rocks,” Roth explained, “Color is something I love to work with.” Roth currently is working with watercolor. Roth is also in charge of our new Collector’s Club.
Photographer David Simone’s work consists of “natural and super urban settings” and is also “abstract and realistic at the same time.” “I like to travel and do adventure things, and I like to go to cities,” Simone said. His photographs Sea Ranch and Molokai Backside are examples of his work in natural settings. Simone also serves on our Board of Directors.
Wrap Up + November Events - During the evening I overhead clips of conversations, most centering on enthusiasm for our new space: “it’s beautiful” to “this place is a wonderful addition.” Thank you to our artists and sponsors: Goldworks, Kent Anderson & Associates, P.C., Ninkasi Brewing Company, Pacific Continental Bank, Market of Choice and Sweet Life Patisserie. Thank you to all who came to the opening; the evening wouldn’t have been a success without you all!
Hold: Baskets, Boxes, Bowls and Containers will be on display through Oct. 30, 2010.
Pencil in your calendar our November events!
Drawing Marathon, Nov. 5, 2010, 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Witness and purchase new drawings by Eugene artists created in front of you as a benefit for Oregon Arts Alliance. Infamous models will be posing – including her majesty, Queen Slugasana.
OAA Fine Arts and Crafts Show, Nov. 12 through 21, 2010, 11:00 – 5:30 p.m. Formerly the Sampler Show, this Fine Arts and Crafts Show will showcase art from 25 of our member artists, each displaying their art in a separate space within the gallery.
(blog by Sara Bishop)
A Grand Opening - With excitement and enthusiasm we unveiled our new space at 881 Willamette Street and our new name, Oregon Arts Alliance (formerly Oregon Crafted) on Friday, Oct. 1, 2010. We held our grand opening celebration and reception in conjunction with the First Friday ArtWalk. Late afternoon sunlight streamed in through the gallery windows as upbeat and eclectic music performed by Accordions Anonymous welcomed visitors. As art-goers danced and wandered through the spacious gallery, they enjoyed regionally crafted beverages by the Ninkasi Brewing Company and wines donated by Market of Choice. And, of course, there is the art! The right side of the gallery encompasses the show, [Hold] Baskets, Boxes, Bowls and Containers and features work by over 15 artists with a special selection of ceramics by artisans from Clay Space. The left side of the gallery contains art by more than 30 of our member artists.
The extraordinary array of art in the gallery could satisfy even the most persnickety person, provoking among many things, admiration and conversation.
Here is just a sampling of the mediums exhibited:
Light sculptures
Fused glass
Watercolor & sumi ink stick
Ceramics
Pastels
Weavings
Multimedia collages
Poetry
Handmade lampwork beaded jewelry
Collage scarves
Mixed media fiber
Acrylic and paper collages
Mixed media photographs
Photography
Bronze sculptures
Stoneware
Gourds
Chatting with the Artists - I got the opportunity to speak with some of the artists whose works are on display. The artists expressed excitement about our new space and new name.
Shannon Weber has four works in Hold:
Trapped, beaver stick, sea grass roots, bull whip sea kelp that has been carved, stitched woven wax linen, thread, ostrich eggshell, clam and pooka shell beads Star Chart, fire pit wood wax, linen, thread stitched bullwhip sea kelp reed, stitched river rocks
Crab Pots, fire pit wood, wax linen thread, stitched bullwhip sea kelp, river rocks, clam shell beads
Orbit, random woven painted material: rattan, found metal, drip line, metal tape, vinyl disk beads, waxed lined thread
Weber had multiple reasons to celebrate: it was her birthday, and her work is going to be shown work at the Cavin Morris Gallery in New York City. She summed up the night quite fittingly: “excellent.” Weber feels “privileged” that she has been able to create her work for the past 25 years. Also, be sure to catch Weber on a future episode of “Oregon Art Beat” on Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Karin Richardson made her Eugene debut with her “Guardian Remains” series in Hold: Guardians Remain Series: Redwood, wood, sand-cast flat glass, steel Guardians Remain Series: Fire w/ Green Vessel, wood, sand-cast, flat and blown glass, steel Guardians Remain Series: Fir, wood, sand-cast and flat glass, steel Guardians Remain Series: Red Cedar, wood, sand-cast and flat glass, steel
Richardson studied at the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, WA. A person asked Richardson concerning her work: “It’s all on purpose, right?” which begs the age-old question, is it intuition, planned or by accident? She also enjoyed the bringing together of artists and art in the gallery.
Katie Swenson’s Untitled is a part of Hold. Untitled is created of porcelain/stone, porcelain, wire and glass beads. As we talked about her work, she explained that she can’t exactly put her work into words. Swenson wants people to unearth their own interpretations in her work.
Death Valley during winter inspired Sheila Roth’s four oil compositions:
Study in Green
Study in Blue
Study in Orange
Study in Red
“People say that there’s no color like that in Death Valley. It’s what I see under the rocks,” Roth explained, “Color is something I love to work with.” Roth currently is working with watercolor. Roth is also in charge of our new Collector’s Club.
Photographer David Simone’s work consists of “natural and super urban settings” and is also “abstract and realistic at the same time.” “I like to travel and do adventure things, and I like to go to cities,” Simone said. His photographs Sea Ranch and Molokai Backside are examples of his work in natural settings. Simone also serves on our Board of Directors.
Wrap Up + November Events - During the evening I overhead clips of conversations, most centering on enthusiasm for our new space: “it’s beautiful” to “this place is a wonderful addition.” Thank you to our artists and sponsors: Goldworks, Kent Anderson & Associates, P.C., Ninkasi Brewing Company, Pacific Continental Bank, Market of Choice and Sweet Life Patisserie. Thank you to all who came to the opening; the evening wouldn’t have been a success without you all!
Hold: Baskets, Boxes, Bowls and Containers will be on display through Oct. 30, 2010.
Pencil in your calendar our November events!
Drawing Marathon, Nov. 5, 2010, 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Witness and purchase new drawings by Eugene artists created in front of you as a benefit for Oregon Arts Alliance. Infamous models will be posing – including her majesty, Queen Slugasana.
OAA Fine Arts and Crafts Show, Nov. 12 through 21, 2010, 11:00 – 5:30 p.m. Formerly the Sampler Show, this Fine Arts and Crafts Show will showcase art from 25 of our member artists, each displaying their art in a separate space within the gallery.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Interview with Geraldine McMahan
Interview with Geraldine McMahan on 9/19/10
1. Where are you from? What is your background? Where do you live now?
I was born in Portland, Nov 1947, but grew up in Puyallup Washington. This small town about 30 miles south of Seattle, sits in a lush river valley; lots of daffodils, hyacinths and tulips, berries of all kinds…lots of color and nature and summer jobs for kids. We were avid campers and fishermen; I spent a good part of my childhood putting up tents, launching boats, and cleaning fish. I majored in math and journalism in college and worked in the healthcare computer industry all of my professional career, first as a programmer and then as a quality assurance analyst. My job took me from Seattle to Los Angeles to Minneapolis to Orlando, and finally to Tucson. My husband John and I moved to Florence Oregon in 2001, to get back to moss and tall trees and a little more rain; I guess we both forgot just how much rain!
2. Have you always worked with clay? How have these elements affected you as an artist?
In the mid 1970s, I took off from work once a week and took an afternoon neighborhood park department pottery class as a way to use up the overtime hours I had accrued. I was immediately hooked on the techniques of pottery making and the, what I call ‘zen’, of just getting your hands in clay. For the next 15 years (Seattle, LA, Minneapolis, Orlando), I potted just for my own amusement and for xmas presents for family and friends. When I moved to Tucson, I had a job that took all my time and my pottery equipment languished in packing boxes; all work and no clay!
When I moved to Florence, my husband was still working and doing a lot of traveling, I knew no one…so I signed up for the pottery class at the local community college, just to make friends. I still take this class every quarter, for the studio space but mostly for the camaraderie of being around other potters. In 2005 I was invited to join the Backstreet Gallery artist’s co-op; having to think about inventory makes one get much more serious about their craft.
I worked on the wheel until moving to Florence; now, I use hand building techniques for all of my pottery. Yes, the wheel is still packed!
My pottery has a distinctive ‘southwest’ look. I use mostly browns and blacks and teals in my glazes and in the last two years, have decreased my use of glazes, using the look and texture of the raw clay itself as a decorating technique. My years in Tucson, even though I was doing no clay work, define my current style.
3. What other mediums have you experimented with?
I have always been fascinated with little boxes; I’ve actually moved empty boxes all around the U.S.! A couple of years ago, I bought a particularly nice box, about 3”x3” at an art gallery, and thought…could I do this? I checked out a book at the Library, Making Memory Boxes and taught myself. Now, in addition to my pottery, I also show at Backstreet tiny handmade boxes. Most are 2”x2”, no larger than 3”x3”, covered with a variety of decorative papers, with bead feet and spacers, and always with some embellishment as a topper. They are colorful and whimsical, and, are totally opposite from my pottery. I joke that this is the ‘mary engelbreit’ in me coming out. I love the ‘mathematics’ of making a box and wrapping paper around inside corners, the feel and look of diverse papers…and just the raw joy of something that makes you smile.
4. What do you do if a work turns out differently than expected or you do not like how the piece is coming together?
My years as a software analyst convinced me that planning is the key to success. So, if a pot turns out badly, that’s a learning experience. One of the joys of clay is opening the kiln…you always have to be prepared for something awful, or, for something unanticipated. If it’s bad…it goes in the trash. Pottery keeps you humble.
5. What/who are your inspirations?
In pottery, everything is an inspiration. I devour books and magazines showing other potter’s work; I get ideas from mail order catalogs. To me, clay is a malleable material that waits to be formed into shapes; it is a canvas that can hold a multitude of decorations. Anything, a thought, a word, an object, a view…can be an inspiration. You just have to think, ‘how would this ‘thing’ be interpreted in clay?’
There is one potter who has seriously inspired my work; Patrick Horsley, a studio potter from Portland, Oregon. His pieces make me want to get to work!
6. What has surprised you about being an artist?
I am always surprised when people say “I’m not creative; I can’t do anything artistic…” I think this is leftover from my computer days. When people say that they can’t work a computer...I always think, “can you turn on your car, can you drive, can you make a cake…what makes you think a computer is anything other than just another tool?” Yes, there are some among us who are artistic geniuses but the vast majority of us just haven’t tried it, just haven’t tried to learn.
7. Has being a member of Oregon Arts Alliance (formerly Oregon Crafted) helped you?
I am associated with OAA because Backstreet is a member.
8. Can you tell us a little bit about Backstreet Gallery and how it started?
Backstreet Gallery is a local artist co-op, established in May 2005 in Florence, Oregon, by a small group of local artists. Currently, there are 26 members. Members pay dues and work at the store; there are essentially 26 owners. We have a board of directors and a set-up of committees that perform the tasks of the business. Every member has a vote on decisions; every member is responsible for the smooth running of the gallery. One of our goals is to encourage and support arts in the community. We have two monthly events to which we invite the public and supply food and beverage. We have an ‘artist of the month’ that is celebrated at these events.
A co-op gives an artist the chance to show and sell their work without the overhead of the typical gallery commission rate. And more importantly, it gives the artist a chance to interact with other artists.
9. What is your role there? How has that helped you as an artist?
I have served a term as president and treasurer of the gallery. If an artist wants to sell their work, it is important to know the business side of art, and a co-op provides that experience in a relatively ‘safe’ and cost-effective environment.
10. What is your opinion of the current state of the arts?
As is true in most walks of life, we artists would be better off with a little more humility. I suppose that this has always been true, but it seems to me that artists who sell their work, or, want you to think they sell their work, are incredibly arrogant. When you read the artist profiles in Ceramics Monthly…you wonder if these people are from the same planet! What on earth are they talking about? As opposed to Pottery Making Illustrated, where artists share their techniques, answer questions, talk like real human beings. The act of making something with your hands, your mind, your soul, is such a human joy…we should all encourage this. I personally don’t ‘get’ altered books, but bless their hearts, altered book artists are making a ‘thing’ out of nothing, that brings joy to themselves and to others, and that’s worth celebrating.
1. Where are you from? What is your background? Where do you live now?
I was born in Portland, Nov 1947, but grew up in Puyallup Washington. This small town about 30 miles south of Seattle, sits in a lush river valley; lots of daffodils, hyacinths and tulips, berries of all kinds…lots of color and nature and summer jobs for kids. We were avid campers and fishermen; I spent a good part of my childhood putting up tents, launching boats, and cleaning fish. I majored in math and journalism in college and worked in the healthcare computer industry all of my professional career, first as a programmer and then as a quality assurance analyst. My job took me from Seattle to Los Angeles to Minneapolis to Orlando, and finally to Tucson. My husband John and I moved to Florence Oregon in 2001, to get back to moss and tall trees and a little more rain; I guess we both forgot just how much rain!
2. Have you always worked with clay? How have these elements affected you as an artist?
In the mid 1970s, I took off from work once a week and took an afternoon neighborhood park department pottery class as a way to use up the overtime hours I had accrued. I was immediately hooked on the techniques of pottery making and the, what I call ‘zen’, of just getting your hands in clay. For the next 15 years (Seattle, LA, Minneapolis, Orlando), I potted just for my own amusement and for xmas presents for family and friends. When I moved to Tucson, I had a job that took all my time and my pottery equipment languished in packing boxes; all work and no clay!
When I moved to Florence, my husband was still working and doing a lot of traveling, I knew no one…so I signed up for the pottery class at the local community college, just to make friends. I still take this class every quarter, for the studio space but mostly for the camaraderie of being around other potters. In 2005 I was invited to join the Backstreet Gallery artist’s co-op; having to think about inventory makes one get much more serious about their craft.
I worked on the wheel until moving to Florence; now, I use hand building techniques for all of my pottery. Yes, the wheel is still packed!
My pottery has a distinctive ‘southwest’ look. I use mostly browns and blacks and teals in my glazes and in the last two years, have decreased my use of glazes, using the look and texture of the raw clay itself as a decorating technique. My years in Tucson, even though I was doing no clay work, define my current style.
3. What other mediums have you experimented with?
I have always been fascinated with little boxes; I’ve actually moved empty boxes all around the U.S.! A couple of years ago, I bought a particularly nice box, about 3”x3” at an art gallery, and thought…could I do this? I checked out a book at the Library, Making Memory Boxes and taught myself. Now, in addition to my pottery, I also show at Backstreet tiny handmade boxes. Most are 2”x2”, no larger than 3”x3”, covered with a variety of decorative papers, with bead feet and spacers, and always with some embellishment as a topper. They are colorful and whimsical, and, are totally opposite from my pottery. I joke that this is the ‘mary engelbreit’ in me coming out. I love the ‘mathematics’ of making a box and wrapping paper around inside corners, the feel and look of diverse papers…and just the raw joy of something that makes you smile.
4. What do you do if a work turns out differently than expected or you do not like how the piece is coming together?
My years as a software analyst convinced me that planning is the key to success. So, if a pot turns out badly, that’s a learning experience. One of the joys of clay is opening the kiln…you always have to be prepared for something awful, or, for something unanticipated. If it’s bad…it goes in the trash. Pottery keeps you humble.
5. What/who are your inspirations?
In pottery, everything is an inspiration. I devour books and magazines showing other potter’s work; I get ideas from mail order catalogs. To me, clay is a malleable material that waits to be formed into shapes; it is a canvas that can hold a multitude of decorations. Anything, a thought, a word, an object, a view…can be an inspiration. You just have to think, ‘how would this ‘thing’ be interpreted in clay?’
There is one potter who has seriously inspired my work; Patrick Horsley, a studio potter from Portland, Oregon. His pieces make me want to get to work!
6. What has surprised you about being an artist?
I am always surprised when people say “I’m not creative; I can’t do anything artistic…” I think this is leftover from my computer days. When people say that they can’t work a computer...I always think, “can you turn on your car, can you drive, can you make a cake…what makes you think a computer is anything other than just another tool?” Yes, there are some among us who are artistic geniuses but the vast majority of us just haven’t tried it, just haven’t tried to learn.
7. Has being a member of Oregon Arts Alliance (formerly Oregon Crafted) helped you?
I am associated with OAA because Backstreet is a member.
8. Can you tell us a little bit about Backstreet Gallery and how it started?
Backstreet Gallery is a local artist co-op, established in May 2005 in Florence, Oregon, by a small group of local artists. Currently, there are 26 members. Members pay dues and work at the store; there are essentially 26 owners. We have a board of directors and a set-up of committees that perform the tasks of the business. Every member has a vote on decisions; every member is responsible for the smooth running of the gallery. One of our goals is to encourage and support arts in the community. We have two monthly events to which we invite the public and supply food and beverage. We have an ‘artist of the month’ that is celebrated at these events.
A co-op gives an artist the chance to show and sell their work without the overhead of the typical gallery commission rate. And more importantly, it gives the artist a chance to interact with other artists.
9. What is your role there? How has that helped you as an artist?
I have served a term as president and treasurer of the gallery. If an artist wants to sell their work, it is important to know the business side of art, and a co-op provides that experience in a relatively ‘safe’ and cost-effective environment.
10. What is your opinion of the current state of the arts?
As is true in most walks of life, we artists would be better off with a little more humility. I suppose that this has always been true, but it seems to me that artists who sell their work, or, want you to think they sell their work, are incredibly arrogant. When you read the artist profiles in Ceramics Monthly…you wonder if these people are from the same planet! What on earth are they talking about? As opposed to Pottery Making Illustrated, where artists share their techniques, answer questions, talk like real human beings. The act of making something with your hands, your mind, your soul, is such a human joy…we should all encourage this. I personally don’t ‘get’ altered books, but bless their hearts, altered book artists are making a ‘thing’ out of nothing, that brings joy to themselves and to others, and that’s worth celebrating.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Jessica Watson interviews David Simone, Oregon Crafted Board Member and photographer:
-Where are you from originally? How long have you been in Eugene?
I grew up in California and Hawaii. I wanted out of the frenzied life of the Bay area so moved to Southern Oregon 37 years ago and to Eugene four years later. I've been here ever since.
-When did you first become interested in photography? Were there any gateway mediums prior to finding photography?
I enrolled in an industrial arts program in High School - in a print shop program. I liked the copy camera and darkroom and soon also got involved in photography classes. I'd always liked taking pictures but learning about complex cameras and darkroom work engaged me in making images in a way I'd never experienced.
-What/who are your inspirations?
Some of my inspirations come other artists and some from the natural world. The work of Paul Strand, Minor White, Paul Caponigro, and many others, put a spin on the natural world revealing the unusual within the ordinary. For me this spin is most interesting when images are both simple and elegant. I build on the visual vocabulary of painters, printmakers and photographers of the ages in presenting landscape and abstract photography of this amazing planet. I am very fortunate to be able to travel in the natural world as much as I do. Many of my travels are on water. Kayaking the rivers of the west and sailing with friends in Centeral America has been a great pleasure. Hiking and photographing on these trips is very rewarding.
-When did you start Lightworks Photography?
After receiving a BFA from the UO, I continued making images and showing in local exhibitions and in helping to run two photographic galleries. I made most of my income from work in a aerial photography business doing mostly large format lab services. In 1993 I launched Lightworks Photography doing commercial and architectural photography and portrait work. This wide range of photographic experiences honed my skills in my personal work as well.
-I see that you work with both film and digital photography. What are some of your favorite qualities of each? Do you have a preference between the two?
In 2002 I began working with digital photography but I was very skeptical the quality would ever be as good as film. In 2010 it's startling how good it has become and as startling are the changes to the medium and the profession of photography. It is wonderful how photography has become much more accessible to the "the common man." However, in print and on the internet, I see a lot of poor quality images. Those who want to get consistently good photographs, must still work to achieve technical proficiency and artistic vision. A problem arises when a person or company isn't there yet but chooses to use slightly or clearly substandard images to represent themselves or their company. If this practice is wide spread enough it leads to a dumbing down of the visual standards that are acceptable in the marketplace. This can create an opportunity for those who make or acquire higher quality images to really stand out from the crowd.
Which do I prefer? Digital has many advantages. Often in the studio, I photograph connected to the computer. The photographs come up large on screen. With film we had to shoot with a polaroid back connected to our camera to get a preview of what we were getting through the lens. With digital the image processing possibilities in Photoshop and other programs are truly amazing. However, medium and large format film still has the edge on image quality. Film is used primarily for high end magazines and the uncompromising photo artist.
-Your website shows you photograph machinery, architecture, people, and artist portfolios. How has this diversity influenced you as an artist?
As a professional photographer, I strive to bring out the best in the client's products or artwork. I really enjoy photographing architecture or making a portrait that shows the essence of an individual or group. Now 17 years later I have the equipment and technical abilities to do these things but it is all trumped by the vision an artist must have to create fine images. I feel I have grown in this aspect also. It has been a challenge to have enough time to work as an artist while photographing for clients. I am enjoying working on my own images more over the last few years.
-Has being a member of Oregon Crafted helped you? How?
As well as being a member, I am on the Oregon Crafted board of directors. I am helping to steer the organization in new directions that I am sure are going to benefit the membership. It's exciting.
-What is your opinion of the current state of the arts?
The state of the arts is fantastic - people are making wonderful and creative things. However, not enough people are buying them. That makes it hard. Artists want to both create and prosper. We have to become more effective at marketing our work.
-Are you excited about participating in “Descending Light,” a photography show at Olive Grand that will be taking place in the month of August? I am excited about the show at Olive Grand this August. I am also excited to see how my work will interact with the other artists and the nice interior of the Olive Grand. I will be showing two color images I made while on a canoe trip in Southeastern Utah a few months ago. One is an image that's rather abstract and real at the same time, and the other a representational view of an amazing pool. I will also be showing two Black and white infra-red landscapes from that same trip. Shooting infra-red film has always intrigued me for it's other worldly qualities. But infra-red light has a habit of recording in unexpected ways and shooting IR film is fraught with challenges. With IR film, an opaque filter was placed over the lens to block visible light rays. This made a tripod a mandatory piece of equipment. I now have a digital camera body that only captures BW infra-red images. Now I can see if I'm getting a proper exposure.
-What are your plans for the future, either personally or as an artist?
I have many ideas and techniques I want to work on over the next few years. Stay tuned at www.davidsimone.com.
-Where are you from originally? How long have you been in Eugene?
I grew up in California and Hawaii. I wanted out of the frenzied life of the Bay area so moved to Southern Oregon 37 years ago and to Eugene four years later. I've been here ever since.
-When did you first become interested in photography? Were there any gateway mediums prior to finding photography?
I enrolled in an industrial arts program in High School - in a print shop program. I liked the copy camera and darkroom and soon also got involved in photography classes. I'd always liked taking pictures but learning about complex cameras and darkroom work engaged me in making images in a way I'd never experienced.
-What/who are your inspirations?
Some of my inspirations come other artists and some from the natural world. The work of Paul Strand, Minor White, Paul Caponigro, and many others, put a spin on the natural world revealing the unusual within the ordinary. For me this spin is most interesting when images are both simple and elegant. I build on the visual vocabulary of painters, printmakers and photographers of the ages in presenting landscape and abstract photography of this amazing planet. I am very fortunate to be able to travel in the natural world as much as I do. Many of my travels are on water. Kayaking the rivers of the west and sailing with friends in Centeral America has been a great pleasure. Hiking and photographing on these trips is very rewarding.
-When did you start Lightworks Photography?
After receiving a BFA from the UO, I continued making images and showing in local exhibitions and in helping to run two photographic galleries. I made most of my income from work in a aerial photography business doing mostly large format lab services. In 1993 I launched Lightworks Photography doing commercial and architectural photography and portrait work. This wide range of photographic experiences honed my skills in my personal work as well.
-I see that you work with both film and digital photography. What are some of your favorite qualities of each? Do you have a preference between the two?
In 2002 I began working with digital photography but I was very skeptical the quality would ever be as good as film. In 2010 it's startling how good it has become and as startling are the changes to the medium and the profession of photography. It is wonderful how photography has become much more accessible to the "the common man." However, in print and on the internet, I see a lot of poor quality images. Those who want to get consistently good photographs, must still work to achieve technical proficiency and artistic vision. A problem arises when a person or company isn't there yet but chooses to use slightly or clearly substandard images to represent themselves or their company. If this practice is wide spread enough it leads to a dumbing down of the visual standards that are acceptable in the marketplace. This can create an opportunity for those who make or acquire higher quality images to really stand out from the crowd.
Which do I prefer? Digital has many advantages. Often in the studio, I photograph connected to the computer. The photographs come up large on screen. With film we had to shoot with a polaroid back connected to our camera to get a preview of what we were getting through the lens. With digital the image processing possibilities in Photoshop and other programs are truly amazing. However, medium and large format film still has the edge on image quality. Film is used primarily for high end magazines and the uncompromising photo artist.
-Your website shows you photograph machinery, architecture, people, and artist portfolios. How has this diversity influenced you as an artist?
As a professional photographer, I strive to bring out the best in the client's products or artwork. I really enjoy photographing architecture or making a portrait that shows the essence of an individual or group. Now 17 years later I have the equipment and technical abilities to do these things but it is all trumped by the vision an artist must have to create fine images. I feel I have grown in this aspect also. It has been a challenge to have enough time to work as an artist while photographing for clients. I am enjoying working on my own images more over the last few years.
-Has being a member of Oregon Crafted helped you? How?
As well as being a member, I am on the Oregon Crafted board of directors. I am helping to steer the organization in new directions that I am sure are going to benefit the membership. It's exciting.
-What is your opinion of the current state of the arts?
The state of the arts is fantastic - people are making wonderful and creative things. However, not enough people are buying them. That makes it hard. Artists want to both create and prosper. We have to become more effective at marketing our work.
-Are you excited about participating in “Descending Light,” a photography show at Olive Grand that will be taking place in the month of August? I am excited about the show at Olive Grand this August. I am also excited to see how my work will interact with the other artists and the nice interior of the Olive Grand. I will be showing two color images I made while on a canoe trip in Southeastern Utah a few months ago. One is an image that's rather abstract and real at the same time, and the other a representational view of an amazing pool. I will also be showing two Black and white infra-red landscapes from that same trip. Shooting infra-red film has always intrigued me for it's other worldly qualities. But infra-red light has a habit of recording in unexpected ways and shooting IR film is fraught with challenges. With IR film, an opaque filter was placed over the lens to block visible light rays. This made a tripod a mandatory piece of equipment. I now have a digital camera body that only captures BW infra-red images. Now I can see if I'm getting a proper exposure.
-What are your plans for the future, either personally or as an artist?
I have many ideas and techniques I want to work on over the next few years. Stay tuned at www.davidsimone.com.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Carolee Clark, interviewed by Jessica Watson
Featured Artist of the Month: Oregon Crafted Artist Carolee Clark answers questions from new Oregon Crafted staffer Jessica Watson
Where are you from? What is your background?
I was born in a very scenic part of British Columbia. My mother was a hobby artist and my father owned an auto parts store. Even though I grew up with crayons and pencils in my hand to keep me quiet, I was dissuaded from pursuing an artistic career. My sisters and I were encouraged to become professionals so we could earn a living. I floundered between trying to earn a business and economics degree to driving a cab, and finally owning an executive office complex.
All along the way I continued to draw, and enjoy the visual arts. My mother gave me a set of watercolors in my 20’s which re-opened the world of color for me. I bought my first painting for $1,000 when I was 27, on time, paying $100 each month, and realized that owning art is within everyone’s reach.
As I enjoyed that painting every day, it continued to spark my interest in painting. Every time I went into a gallery or art museum I came home enthused to recreate that feeling I had while viewing the paintings that I admired so much.
When I sold my business, I realized that I didn’t want to reinvest in another business to delay my desire to follow the things that make me happy. I want to enjoy life doing the things that I love. I decided that I would live more frugally, but focus on only the things that I love to do, with painting and drawing very high on that list.
Where do you live now?
I met my husband during a bike ride in British Columbia and he persuaded me that Oregon was a nice place to live so I moved here about 10 years ago. We live in Philomath. I am very lucky to now have a beautiful, calming and peaceful place where I spend my time painting and working. I look out my windows to see a small family farm with cows and sheep to the south, and I look west to see the hills and Marys Peak.
How have these elements affected you as an artist?
I have been exposed to art my entire life. I grew up with an artistic mother who encouraged drawing and coloring from a very early age. She had her paintings around the house, and enjoyed sharing the experience of creating artwork with her daughters. Both of my sisters are very creative.
I believe that everyone is very creative in different ways. It might manifest itself in cooking, gardening or creative thinking. I am a spatial, visual person and even my learning throughout school was influenced by this proclivity. The way that I view the world is spatial, noticing colors and patterns. We played a card game when I was young called “Concentration” where you lie the cards face down on the table and take turns trying to find pairs. I was very good at the game because I could remember the space or angle that the card was returned to on the table.
When did you first become interested in the arts? What mediums initially attracted you? What mediums do you work with now? Other materials or processes?
I started painting in watercolor, with supplies gifted to me by my mother. For many years it was my only medium, and I still have a soft spot for it. When I went to galleries, watercolor paintings were the only type of art that I liked. However, the more art I was exposed to, the greater my appreciation grew for all types of painting and artwork.
I began to love the vibrancy of pastels and for a brief time worked with soft pastels. I moved away from these because of their delicacy when it comes to framing, storing and shipping.
Ultimately, between my frustration with the cost and time needed to frame artwork, along with a gallery's persuasion to move away from artwork needing glass protection, I decided to work with acrylic on canvas.
Each medium has its benefits and drawbacks, but for now, I am very happy using acrylics.
How have you evolved as an artist?
Sometimes we cannot see our progress forward but it is occurring. I have often heard that the more that you know as an artist the more you realize how much you have to learn, to do and experience. This is so true. I have always been brave with my work and tried new things. Each of these steps has influenced where I am now and contributed in building a platform for the next step. I think that we all want to be a master quickly however it really does take a lifetime. That too is wonderful as we have the experiences that come with the effort, the joy, the good paintings and the flops.
What do you do if a work turns out differently than expected or you do not like how the piece is coming together?
Sometimes a piece doesn’t work because you cannot see the problem, or the solution. For me, the best way is to put the piece aside and come back to it with fresh eyes, or new knowledge. Sometimes this might be the next day, sometimes it might be several years.
I have also done an interesting project with a gifted artist and friend, Donna Beverly. We have each started a painting then swapped and continued working on the other’s painting. We continued doing this until we both deemed the painting was finished. It was a wonderful way to see solutions through another person’s eyes.
What are your inspirations?
I always start with drawing. I sketch every day, always carrying my sketchbook with me. I’ll draw people in cafes, airports, and restaurants, I’ll draw cars in parking lots or while I sit in a traffic jam. When I have my sketchbook with me, there is no wasted time, and always something to draw no matter where I am. Only recently have I started to take reference photographs, and even these I will sketch first, and then paint from my sketches.
With the sketch, I have already worked out what I liked about the scene, people or subject matter. I have worked out the composition and the value patterns. This simplifies the painting process as all I need to do is figure out the temperature and hues to use. I am free to play with the colors and figure out what excites me.
I have unending inspiration for paintings. Doing errands this morning I was walking down an alley and saw about five paintings that I wanted to do, and driving home I saw at least three. There is an unending amount of inspiration everywhere I turn.
Has being a member of Oregon Crafted helped you? How?
Absolutely. Because of the Oregon Crafted show with Opus 6ix, I was asked to be one of their artists and had a successful relationship with them for a couple of years. I have also taken some very good workshops helping me with the business side of selling my work.
What is your opinion of the current state of the arts?
This is an interesting question. Obviously there is not a lot of art education in public schools right now; however I really do find a lot to be praised. There are a lot of caring individuals and arts organizations that are trying very hard to bring visual arts, theatre, and music to children. For adults, when I moved here, I was amazed at the number of art classes available through the community colleges, private artists and other organizations. People are flocking to learn how to scrapbook, quilt, paint, play an instrument, and write. Many wonderful artists are willing to teach and it gives them another revenue stream. Oregon’s Percent for Art program has put art in public spaces and it is inspiring! Walking around Corvallis there is all sorts of sculpture that I love.
People love art, and many caring individuals are making a difference in getting it out there.
What are your plans for the future, either personally or as an artist?
One year ago I gave myself the "painting a day" project. The year is up and I painted 306 daily paintings. That is almost 6 per week!
One of the things I thought I would learn is how to paint more quickly, but this sadly didn't happen. I had the idea that I would whip up a small painting in an hour or two and have the rest of the day to work on larger and more complex pieces. Ha! What a fantasy.
That being said, I ordered 60 more small canvases to continue "daily paintings." I have scaled back to about four paintings a week so that I might have more time for larger works.
To see my progress of my daily paintings, go to my blog caroleeclark.workpress.com
Where are you from? What is your background?
I was born in a very scenic part of British Columbia. My mother was a hobby artist and my father owned an auto parts store. Even though I grew up with crayons and pencils in my hand to keep me quiet, I was dissuaded from pursuing an artistic career. My sisters and I were encouraged to become professionals so we could earn a living. I floundered between trying to earn a business and economics degree to driving a cab, and finally owning an executive office complex.
All along the way I continued to draw, and enjoy the visual arts. My mother gave me a set of watercolors in my 20’s which re-opened the world of color for me. I bought my first painting for $1,000 when I was 27, on time, paying $100 each month, and realized that owning art is within everyone’s reach.
As I enjoyed that painting every day, it continued to spark my interest in painting. Every time I went into a gallery or art museum I came home enthused to recreate that feeling I had while viewing the paintings that I admired so much.
When I sold my business, I realized that I didn’t want to reinvest in another business to delay my desire to follow the things that make me happy. I want to enjoy life doing the things that I love. I decided that I would live more frugally, but focus on only the things that I love to do, with painting and drawing very high on that list.
Where do you live now?
I met my husband during a bike ride in British Columbia and he persuaded me that Oregon was a nice place to live so I moved here about 10 years ago. We live in Philomath. I am very lucky to now have a beautiful, calming and peaceful place where I spend my time painting and working. I look out my windows to see a small family farm with cows and sheep to the south, and I look west to see the hills and Marys Peak.
How have these elements affected you as an artist?
I have been exposed to art my entire life. I grew up with an artistic mother who encouraged drawing and coloring from a very early age. She had her paintings around the house, and enjoyed sharing the experience of creating artwork with her daughters. Both of my sisters are very creative.
I believe that everyone is very creative in different ways. It might manifest itself in cooking, gardening or creative thinking. I am a spatial, visual person and even my learning throughout school was influenced by this proclivity. The way that I view the world is spatial, noticing colors and patterns. We played a card game when I was young called “Concentration” where you lie the cards face down on the table and take turns trying to find pairs. I was very good at the game because I could remember the space or angle that the card was returned to on the table.
When did you first become interested in the arts? What mediums initially attracted you? What mediums do you work with now? Other materials or processes?
I started painting in watercolor, with supplies gifted to me by my mother. For many years it was my only medium, and I still have a soft spot for it. When I went to galleries, watercolor paintings were the only type of art that I liked. However, the more art I was exposed to, the greater my appreciation grew for all types of painting and artwork.
I began to love the vibrancy of pastels and for a brief time worked with soft pastels. I moved away from these because of their delicacy when it comes to framing, storing and shipping.
Ultimately, between my frustration with the cost and time needed to frame artwork, along with a gallery's persuasion to move away from artwork needing glass protection, I decided to work with acrylic on canvas.
Each medium has its benefits and drawbacks, but for now, I am very happy using acrylics.
How have you evolved as an artist?
Sometimes we cannot see our progress forward but it is occurring. I have often heard that the more that you know as an artist the more you realize how much you have to learn, to do and experience. This is so true. I have always been brave with my work and tried new things. Each of these steps has influenced where I am now and contributed in building a platform for the next step. I think that we all want to be a master quickly however it really does take a lifetime. That too is wonderful as we have the experiences that come with the effort, the joy, the good paintings and the flops.
What do you do if a work turns out differently than expected or you do not like how the piece is coming together?
Sometimes a piece doesn’t work because you cannot see the problem, or the solution. For me, the best way is to put the piece aside and come back to it with fresh eyes, or new knowledge. Sometimes this might be the next day, sometimes it might be several years.
I have also done an interesting project with a gifted artist and friend, Donna Beverly. We have each started a painting then swapped and continued working on the other’s painting. We continued doing this until we both deemed the painting was finished. It was a wonderful way to see solutions through another person’s eyes.
What are your inspirations?
I always start with drawing. I sketch every day, always carrying my sketchbook with me. I’ll draw people in cafes, airports, and restaurants, I’ll draw cars in parking lots or while I sit in a traffic jam. When I have my sketchbook with me, there is no wasted time, and always something to draw no matter where I am. Only recently have I started to take reference photographs, and even these I will sketch first, and then paint from my sketches.
With the sketch, I have already worked out what I liked about the scene, people or subject matter. I have worked out the composition and the value patterns. This simplifies the painting process as all I need to do is figure out the temperature and hues to use. I am free to play with the colors and figure out what excites me.
I have unending inspiration for paintings. Doing errands this morning I was walking down an alley and saw about five paintings that I wanted to do, and driving home I saw at least three. There is an unending amount of inspiration everywhere I turn.
Has being a member of Oregon Crafted helped you? How?
Absolutely. Because of the Oregon Crafted show with Opus 6ix, I was asked to be one of their artists and had a successful relationship with them for a couple of years. I have also taken some very good workshops helping me with the business side of selling my work.
What is your opinion of the current state of the arts?
This is an interesting question. Obviously there is not a lot of art education in public schools right now; however I really do find a lot to be praised. There are a lot of caring individuals and arts organizations that are trying very hard to bring visual arts, theatre, and music to children. For adults, when I moved here, I was amazed at the number of art classes available through the community colleges, private artists and other organizations. People are flocking to learn how to scrapbook, quilt, paint, play an instrument, and write. Many wonderful artists are willing to teach and it gives them another revenue stream. Oregon’s Percent for Art program has put art in public spaces and it is inspiring! Walking around Corvallis there is all sorts of sculpture that I love.
People love art, and many caring individuals are making a difference in getting it out there.
What are your plans for the future, either personally or as an artist?
One year ago I gave myself the "painting a day" project. The year is up and I painted 306 daily paintings. That is almost 6 per week!
One of the things I thought I would learn is how to paint more quickly, but this sadly didn't happen. I had the idea that I would whip up a small painting in an hour or two and have the rest of the day to work on larger and more complex pieces. Ha! What a fantasy.
That being said, I ordered 60 more small canvases to continue "daily paintings." I have scaled back to about four paintings a week so that I might have more time for larger works.
To see my progress of my daily paintings, go to my blog caroleeclark.workpress.com
Monday, March 29, 2010
6x6 Show a Huge Success
When we first began to develop the idea of a 6x6 fundraiser for Oregon Crafted, we wanted to provide the community with affordable art without asking the artists for a huge donation. We also wanted to get the community involved with the art community by not only purchasing art, but by creating and contributing art as well. We set a goal of 100 pieces and received more that 140. Not only did our member artists donate 6x6 pieces, local art students, art enthusiasts, crafters and creative community members created and donated pieces as well. The quality and diversity of the art we received was way beyond our expectations. In hanging the show, we were continually amazed and pleased with how fun and fashionable the show became and we began to realize what a bargain these pieces were at just $20 apiece. Some of the pieces by established artists have well over $100 invested just in materials, let alone labor and creative design. Others represent the priceless, varied, unique and sometimes quirky nature of Eugene and Willamette Valley residents - like the VW Bus, the beaded Willamette Valley Rain, or the sock monkey face. There truly is something for everyone at this show.
While most pieces sold during our opening reception on March 5th, a few gems still remain for sale and three prize pieces remain to be raffled. The show closes this Friday, April 2nd, and those who were lucky enough to purchase an art piece will be able to pick up the art then. The raffle drawing will be held the evening of April 2nd, during our closing reception. If you want to see what amazing artistic talent the Eugene area possesses, please stop by our gallery and view the show in its final week.
Thanks for helping keep art alive in our community.
When we first began to develop the idea of a 6x6 fundraiser for Oregon Crafted, we wanted to provide the community with affordable art without asking the artists for a huge donation. We also wanted to get the community involved with the art community by not only purchasing art, but by creating and contributing art as well. We set a goal of 100 pieces and received more that 140. Not only did our member artists donate 6x6 pieces, local art students, art enthusiasts, crafters and creative community members created and donated pieces as well. The quality and diversity of the art we received was way beyond our expectations. In hanging the show, we were continually amazed and pleased with how fun and fashionable the show became and we began to realize what a bargain these pieces were at just $20 apiece. Some of the pieces by established artists have well over $100 invested just in materials, let alone labor and creative design. Others represent the priceless, varied, unique and sometimes quirky nature of Eugene and Willamette Valley residents - like the VW Bus, the beaded Willamette Valley Rain, or the sock monkey face. There truly is something for everyone at this show.
While most pieces sold during our opening reception on March 5th, a few gems still remain for sale and three prize pieces remain to be raffled. The show closes this Friday, April 2nd, and those who were lucky enough to purchase an art piece will be able to pick up the art then. The raffle drawing will be held the evening of April 2nd, during our closing reception. If you want to see what amazing artistic talent the Eugene area possesses, please stop by our gallery and view the show in its final week.
Thanks for helping keep art alive in our community.
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