Self-Employment in the Arts Conference

Friday was the opening of the 13th SEA Conference out in Lisle, IL. Altho the snow and ice made for some late arrivals and a couple of cancellations, it was another great event. Designed for college students in all the various arts disciplines, it offers something for everyone to think about and implement into making a successful career in their field when they leave the nurturing college world for reality. Thanks to everyone that works so hard to fund and plan this important event!

Union Station Sketching

Last Monday we were at Union Station for our first venture out for 2013. The Great Hall is a huge space and a challenge to draw, most of us choose to focus on the people passing thru or sitting for awhile on the long benches. Those that fell asleep made especially good models! I was across the room from my subjects so decided to keep my sketch on the small scale as detail was difficult to catch. We had a nice turn out with some members of Urban Sketchers Chicago joining us.

Little Projects During A Busy Week

It was a rather busy week for me but I made sure I got some time in the studio everyday, for the first time this year. I have several paintings started but this one is part of a series of small 4x4 paintings continuing to experiment with pouring, painting and printing. I used some gold paint and several different processes in this one.

Atrium-Thompson Center Exhibit

This week I had the honor of showing four of my watercolors on display in the Atrium of Thompson Center. This was a one week show of work by twenty 2D artists sponsored by the Illinois Artisan program. I sat with the show on Wednesday from 9-1 along with the very talented Mark McMahon and we got to talk to some of the interested viewers. This afternoon from 4-6 was a reception but a nasty cold has kept me at home all day. The work is on display thru tomorrow and a selection of my paintings and notecards are always available at the Illinois Artisans Shop on the second floor of Thompson Center.

Monday Sketch Group-2013

Yesterday we met to kick off a new year of sketching and painting, enjoying a lovely lunch at the condo of one of our members. We then discussed locations we wished to visit this year and scheduled meeting dates. That did not leave much time for work! But we all attempted to do something. I opted for the view out the windows of the lakefront. It is a very quick and loose painting but it was fun start to the new season of work.

Ready For Framing

These two paintings, Sunset and Mesas, are matted and ready for framing today. These works along with two larger pieces, will be on display all next week, January 28 thru February 1, in the Atrium of the Thompson Center. This will be an exhibit of 2D works by members of the Illinois Artisan's program and I will be sitting with the exhibit and working on watercolor sketches on Wednesday morning, January 30, from 9-1 am.

Painting With 4 Year Olds!

I had a great time this morning as visiting artist to my grandson's class at daycare. While I have visited his class many times in the past 4 years, I have never been there in this official capacity! First I showed them some of my paintings, all wrapped so they could hold them, and then talked about my tools; paints, brushes, palette and water. Then we did drawings with white crayon on paper and applied paint with brushes and eye droppers. The eye droppers were the big hit and the kids created some beautiful colors. It may take a while for their watery creations to dry, but I truly enjoyed watching them play creatively! The photo shows two of the student works.

Christmas Tree at Macy's

Somehow November and half of December has passed.... Life is moving too quickly! Our Monday Sketch group had one last outing for 2012, meeting at the Walnut Room for lunch and sketching the second week of November. We had a lovely time, a nice lunch with friends and time to work, inside! Our waitress was quite interested in our work. So now we are on break until mid January, which will be here soon enough!

Last Project for HATCH

I have spent much of the last two weeks working on these small images. Each of the artists in the about to end 2012 HATCH Project at the CAC are creating an edition of small 2D or 3D pieces. In December we will meet as a group for the last official time for a potluck dinner and to exchange work with one another. We are to create an edition of 20, all of which are to fit inside a cardboard box we have been given. There will be a few extras in each edition which will go to the CAC for a future fundraising event. These are 4 of the 20 small abstracts I have been working on. I have enjoyed working on these smaller pieces and think I may do some more!

Outside at Navy Pier

This was our third visit to sketch at Navy Pier and we were determined to work outside this time. Our first two visits the weather forced us inside. So despite a very brisk southerly wind and temps in the low 60's, we found some tables and chairs in the sun, zipped up jackets and pulled up hoods and set to work. I decided to look back at the city and get some of the skyline with the pier. It had to be quick, the chill eventually got to us but our mission was accomplished!

Tipsy in Old Town

Last Monday was our day to go sketching. We met in front on Nookie's restaurant on Wells St. and then spread out from there to find our subject matter. This is the second sketch from that day, I did the pencil drawing on location and then finished it at home with some ink and color. Someone or something must have hit the back lamp post and left it askew. Only a few more outings left before we take a break for the weather and the Holidays.

Layers, Paths, and Channels Exhibit

Our small group show opened September 14 at the Chicago Artists Coalition Gallery. We had a well attended opening and I appreciate all that made the effort to attend. Our curator, Anna Kunz, did a wonderful job putting this show together. It is an interesting mix of both 2D and 3D work filled with vibrant colors and intriguing shapes. The show is open thru October 2, including this Saturday from 12-6 pm.

Install

Last weekend was very busy, between several social events, I installed my part of the next exhibit at the Chicago Artists Coalition Gallery. Opening today from 6-9 pm, Layers, Paths, and Channels is work by 5 of the Hatch Project artists and combines both 2D and 3D work into a dynamic and colorful exhibit. I am showing 51 small watercolors, all done in the past 4 months. The exhibit runs thru October 2 and on Sunday September 23, we will be doing demos at the gallery, mine is scheduled for 12-1 pm that day.

Keep Off Rocks

Beautiful weather returned today after yesterday's torrential rains and it was our Monday to meet for outdoor sketching. This afternoon 6 of us met at Olive Park, not far from Navy Pier. During past visits to this location, I have positioned myself to paint the skyline but today we walked to the northern edge and sat in the shade and worked on the view on the lake. I chose an angle that gave me a view of the border wall and rocks in front of the lake. I need to get out a bit of white to put in a few of the distant sail boats.

Bright Colors on a Cloudy Day

I have spent a great deal of time in the studio the last two weeks trying to complete work for the small group show coming up in September at the CAC gallery. This show is being curated by Anna Kunz and includes the works of five of us from the current group of Hatch Project Artists. "Layers, Channels and Paths" will open on Friday, September 14. We will also have an afternoon event on September 23 when each of us will do a demo at the gallery. Pictured here is one of the many new pieces I have been working on for this exhibit.