October 24, 2008

Yesterday, accompanied by a friend who owns a pick-up truck we headed to Pittsburgh (2-1/2 hours southwest) to pick up my artwork from the Fein Art Gallery. Showing at this gallery was an expensive though useful experience and had the article in this issue's, Art Calendar about "vanity" galleries come out a month and a half sooner, I might have learned the same thing at a much reduced cost. Anyway onward.

As we were driving through the dark mountains away from the city to our rural community of darkness we imagined my art work in the bed of the truck, in particularly the menstruating puppet from the Menstruation Theatre, flying out of the bed and landing in a well lit (preferably) intersection (Super Sheetz, McDonalds, strip mall at a stop light). I recreated the scene in the road in front of my house to pass on the full illusion.

Peace Always

Sharon

September 7, 2008

Lavender Clematis
photo by Sharon Lee

As I was painting today I was thinking about the contrast of my work as seen by a gallery viewer and my work as seen by me in my studio. When I paint I rarely consider the audience as for me painting is an expression of whatever is on my mind at the time. For instance I have a dream; the dream shows up in a painting soon after, I have issues with a friend or family member; that issue is somehow created visually for me to think through and work out.

When my art is in a gallery it is in a clean uncluttered space with good light. My studio is rather small (9' x 10'). All the light comes from five windows (facing West and North) and the shop light I've installed. Although I store my paintings in my studio they are stacked vertically and are covered with a dust cloth so I really only see one painting at a time.

For only brief moments do I ever view my art in its entirely. Generally this is with the initial drawing. The final few days and for a day or two when it's completed. The painting then is sent of to be recorded and framed then stored until needed.

Peace always
Sharon

September 6, 2008

Yesterday was the opening reception for my participation in a two person show at the Fein Art Gallery in Pittsburgh, PA. The Fein Art Gallery is a beautiful space in an eclectic neighborhood in the North side of Pittsburgh. I shared the space with a well known Pittsburgh artist Kathleen Zimbicki. Kathleen and I share similar color palettes. Her work has a beautiful flow and I was honored to share space with her.

This was the first of several things for me including: a non-group show in Pittsburgh and seeing 25 pieces of mine spread out side by side in one space. My relationship with my art work is mostly from only 12" away. It is exhausting to be part of a show where more of you and more of your work is needed. The opening was four hours and for the majority of that time I was being introduced to people who had come out for the expressive purpose of seeing Kathleen and my pieces. There are many introductions made at these types of events. I struggle to retain the names but more often than not do not succeed.

The "Friendly Funk" show at the Fein Art Gallery continues until mid October 15, 2008.

For more information call the Fein Art Gallery at 412-321-6816.

September 3, 2008

Just Another Fact of Life
2005
acrylic on wood
20" x 22"


Yesterday was spent driving to Pittsburgh to deliver 25 pieces of art work for the show at the Fein Art Gallery. The space is very nice in a section of Pittsburgh that has a mix of old architecture with new restortations. Driving a 10' U Haul was a bit of a challenge on the road to Pittsburgh as there is construction most of the way so you are continually dealing with no shoulder, orange construction barrels and temporary cement walls. With day light the drive was considerably easier but once it got dark I had some issues that made the drive seem more frightening for my passenger as well as myself.

Although my mission was simply to drop off artwork I never miss a chance to explore and re-explore Pittsburgh and had a delightful day at Construction Junction (building salvage), East End Co-op (so much like the coops of the 70s), a great meal at my favorite Ethipoian restaurant (Abay) and a look see at one of the most enjoyable consigment shops Avalon. Even found a vegan cupcake at a Dozen Cupcakes in Squirrell Hill (Yummy).

Today I spend several hours making a detailed instruction/catalog for the gallery reiterating anything that important for hanging my work including thumbnails of each piece so it is easy to label for the show. Painted for about an hour today but weariness took over and I had a nice long nap in front of the fan on a hot summer day. Very relaxing. If only my brain would forgive those days that I need to take off and not beat me up too much for skipping walking in the woods and doing yoga. Too hot to garden. Did manage to make some more yoga props and wrap a yoga chair, two blocks and an eyebag to be shipped out.

Peace Always

Sharon

September 1, 2008

Rabbit (An ex friend's family says "Rabbit" on the first of each month for good luck). Sort of adopted it.

Painted a bit today although the beautiful weather outdoors was calling and calling. Started the next to last circle. It's meaning comes from: strong locally brewed beer, B & B and a dish of fresh pineapples.

You all can do the math.

Early morning tomorrow as I have to pick up a U Haul first thing, fourth set of headphones. Both the Menstruation Theater and "The Making of the Wall" have audio that has been split for two people to listen to the audio tracks simultaneously. Then off to Pittsburgh to deliver art work and accessories for the show.

Peace Always

Sharon

August 31, 2008

Besides getting ready for the show at the Fein Art Gallery in Pittsburgh, I have two pieces (framed and ready to go) for the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art Biennial, and a small solo show at a local coffee shop, Websters on Aaron in State College during the month of December. The space at Websters is fairly small and I'm planning on making at least a couple of paintings site specific (one of the line at the coffee counter and something reflective of life in State College, PA). I also would like to show some of my photographs, most of which are nature photographs taken either at the local state game lands or in one of my backyard's gardens. My plan is to have 10-15 photos double matted at the frame show and then find simple pre-made frames that will suit the photographs. Because the space is small I also would like to paint a few "tiny" photographs. The photo at top is the size and simplicity of the statement the paintings that I see myself doing for this show. Today I had some editing experience as I selected music for the background of "The Making of the Wall" DVD that I am showing at the Fein Art Gallery. There were about 100 options in the library music I was looking through. At first it seemed slightly overwhelming and then I began to get a feel for what was needed and I choose pieces that felt right to the scenes the music will serve.

August 30, 2008

Final few crunch days before pieces have to be delivered for show at Fein Art Gallery in Pittsburgh. I dug out an antique ipod to load on the sound track for the Menstruation Theater, purchased a portable dvd player to present "The making of the "Wall". I went back and forth with whether or not to show this dvd as there will be no monetary transaction for either me or the gallery as the actual piece is unable to be shown. Finally decided it could offer a painting break should someone need to divert their attention a bit.

Tomorrow I need to chose some music from a music library to play softly underneath the original soundtrack which is talking and tool noises. Also an audio transfer from cassette to cd will be made. My final chore of today is to recheck my list of things to bring to painting drop off including: artwork, staple gun, dvd player, ipod, headphones, tape, epoxy and directions.

August 29, 2008

A brief trip to the local frame shop and $750 later, I have all the paintings I'm bring to Pittsburgh for a show framed and ready to go. There's just a few small tasks left for this weekend-get the audio for the Menstruation Theater onto an ipod, attached the ipod in a discrete location on the theatre (under or behind), transfer VHS to DVD (the actual footage of "The Wall" being removed from the back of my house and purchase a portable DVD player to play it on.

There are many hidden and not so hidden costs in doing a show like this. Gallery fees upfront have to be paid, framing, two-u haul rentals, purchase of DVD player, hotel cost for opening night, gas to get to Pittsburgh (three times-drop off, opening, pick-up) and the obligatory lunch on delivery day. Even so a two person show in a city gives me more visibility than I get in the group shows that I usually do.

Peace Always
Sharon

August 25, 2008

Although some may argue with this statement, I believe I am a moderately organized person. I make lists, write appointments, events, etc on my house calendar, keep all my art slides safely in a binder, save receipts and on a irregular basis clean up my computer's desktop. However I found a major hole that I had overlooked in organizing for art shows and it finally came to fruition that not being better organized would result in a bite in the ass.

Whenever I find a show I wish to enter I mark the date (about 10 days before the deadline) of the show submission on my calendar. I then put the application, whether from a mailed announcement or one I've printed from the computer in a "special" spot on my dresser so when the time comes I can easily find the necessary paper work. A few days after a painting is finished I send it to be photographed with a local photography studio. Slides are kept in plastic slide sheets in a binder. Business and manilla envelopes (all recycled materials) are kept with paper clips with several fine point black sharpies that are just used to label slides.

The one important thing missing is that no where in my records do I list which pieces are being submitted to which show. I have, once before submitted the same piece to two shows both being held simultaneously and had to called, apologize and chose which show the twice juried piece was to go into. This weekend I hit a major snafu with one piece entered in in two simultaneous shows and another piece in three.

It is uncomfortable and embarrassing to have to call gallery and museum staff and admit my organizational error and make a decision where to show the piece. You can bet that before I enter another show I will have made sure that I will have set up a reasonable system for avoiding such a problem

August 4, 2008

Steph and Sharon
2001
acrylic on plexiglass
48" x 30"

Several hours were spent today running errands for the upcoming show. I needed to drop a slide for printing at the photography house. The print will be an 8" x 10" image of a painting "Things Are Better With Soup" which I painted a few years ago, had photographed and then decided I did not like, turned the painting 180 degrees and painted "Summer '07". I left as many remnants of the earlier painting as possible. For this show I thought I would include this photo, framed to match the painting it goes with.

Also a trip to Old Main Frame Shop was needed to frame one more piece that I uncovered this weekend. It is amazing how different a painting looks with each frame you try. I was down to five frames ultimately choosing a frame that compliments most of the other pieces of art as they would be shown together.

The last errand was to Home Depot to buy a piece of chain to make a hanger for Steph and Sharon which is acrylic on plexiglass. The chain is to be wrapped around two large bolts that I inserted through the plexiglass and tightened with nuts.

August 3, 2008

Hermit of Halfmoon Valley
2006
acrylic on canvas
18" x 24"

When you think of art you rarely thinking about dusting yet that was exactly what needed to be done in order that I get my artwork ready for a two person show I've been invited to do at the Fein Art Gallery in Pittsburgh beginning immediately following Labor Day weekend. I've committed to bring twenty - twenty-five pieces of art. Simultaneously I have three pieces in another art show which runs at a concurrent time.

Hours bled into hours as I pulled paintings from a variety of storage spots and wiped off the dust on those pieces that were not wrapped in brown paper or packed in shipping crates. At the first pass through I counted twenty pieces, then reassessed the unchosen pieces to see if any of the remainder would qualify. The last two additions were "Not Quite Dead" a piece about racism, sexism and bigotry and a small painting I created in 2001 called "Red Riding Hood".