Tag Archives: AWA25

Happy New Year!

Harmonica Mark
Finalist in 2015 Richeson Portrait/Figure show – Carolinas Got Art Show at the Elder Gallery

Happy New Year!! I have so many mixed feelings this time of year. Holidays are fun, but so distracting that I feel I have to completely regroup to get back to some sense of normalcy. So I’m slowly getting back on track.

I had an amazing 2015. It was the first year that I really tried to enter some shows and had great results. All of this happened in 2015!!!

Finalist in the American Woman Artists National Juried 2015 Show at Bonner David Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Selected as one of 30 artists to participate in the 2015 Piedmont Paint Out in High Point, NC. Received “Artists’ Choice Award”
Finalist in the Richeson75 Figure and Portrait Show 2015
2 Honorable Mentions in the Guild of Charlotte Artists, 2015
Honorable Mention, “Colton’s Choice” award and “People’s Choice” award in the Matthews Art Guild, 2015 – Matthews Alive Festival
Finalist and Award of Merit in the 2015 Spring Online Show for the American Women Artists
Selected for the Carolina’s Got Art Show at the Elder Gallery, June 2015

Kalvin, Portrait of a Young Man
AWA National Juried Show, Award of Merit

I love painting people, but up until now I’ve pretty much stuck to portraits. To make a living at that though I need to really market myself as a portrait painter. So that is part of my next step I believe. Also I’d like to take that passion for painting people into some figurative paintings that aren’t so “face specific”. I’m hoping to do that some with my musician paintings. So far I’ve pretty much focused on their faces, except for “Harmonica Mark”. I’m doing studies that are recognizable, but thinking in the bigger paintings that I’ll try to take them to a more abstracted direction. All musings at this point until I make it happen.

Artists’ Choice Award, Piedmont Paint Out

Also love the balance of my plein air paintings. So that will be another part of the puzzle. Hoping to do some larger paintings to appeal to some galleries. It seems most are not as interested in the small 8×10 or 11×14’s that we typically do as plein air painters.

The other big nemesis for me is the marketing part. If I had my druthers, I’d just paint. But it’s crucial to get your name out there to reach potential clients and galleries. So that’s probably the biggest piece of the puzzle for me this year. Putting together a plan that helps me accomplish that.

“Lucci” People’s Choice Award at the Matthews Alive Festival

Any ideas, suggestions welcomed!!! Once again Happy New Year to you all! I hope that 2016 is a wonderful one for you and yours!!

American Women Artists

#AWA25 Show at the Bonner David Gallery in Scottsdale, 2015.

This has been an amazing year for me and American Women Artists has played a significant role in that for me. This photo was taken by my sweet daughter, Katie, who flew in to help me celebrate having a painting in the AWA National Juried Show in Scottsdale. I was thrilled that my painting garnered an “Award of Merit” from the judge, the curator of the Scottsdale Museum of the West. Adding to the excitement our paintings were shown at the Bonner David Gallery! Very happy to be in the same gallery with Michael Carson and Max Hammond, among others, even if it’s only for a short time!!

This was also the American Women Artists’ 25th year so there were lots of events concurrent with the show. Workshops and a symposium addressing all those myriad of marketing issues we face as artists. I am so impressed with this organization. American Women Artists is a non-profit organization dedicated to the inspiration, celebration, and encouragement of women in the visual fine arts. I had no idea it existed until an artist friend, Lesley Powell, encouraged me to join. I encourage all my female artist friends to join. To quote their website:

“Since its inception, American Women Artists has worked diligently to bring women to the attention of the art world through museum shows, juried competitions in leading galleries around the country, festivals, symposiums, workshops and an international exchange. Our goal is to increase the number of professional opportunities for women in the visual fine arts by creating the kind of opportunities that lead to greater inclusion.”

I was so impressed that Bonner David Gallery deliberately focuses on including women artists as part of their gallery. It’s a beautiful gallery, with a warm personable staff — and incredible artwork!

And to add to the fun, AWA had one day workshops all week prior to the show at the Scottsdale Artists School. I had a wonderful day with Jane Barton, who taught a plein air workshop. Loved her approach and the opportunity to learn some more craft while I was there. The colors there are amazing — red rocks, incredible sky. Can’t wait to go back and paint!

All and all I feel honored and humbled to have been included. Thank you American Women Artists for providing such a wonderful opportunity for us. Looking forward to participating in the future!!

Happy Painting! All the best!! R

http://www.americanwomenartists.org

http://www.bonnerdavid.com

http://www.janebartonstudio.com

http://www.scottsdaleartschool.com

American Women Artists 2015 National Juried Show

Kalvin, Portrait of a Young Man

Recently I got an email announcing that my painting “Kalvin, Portrait of a Young Man” had been juried into the American Women Artists 2015 National Juried Show. Needless to say I was excited, humbled, overwhelmed and even a bit weepy. Being an artist is such an emotional roller coaster. Constantly painting and working… trying to improve. Trying to create something that feels right, conveys some emotion, is visually compelling in some way. It’s a huge challenge, one that I don’t think you ever “reach”, but so compelling for me that I can’t stop. And then on top of that, if you want to make a living at it, you have to put it out there for the world to see and hope and pray that some like it — hopefully love it.

So I’m thrilled that this painting will be part of the AWA25 show at the Bonner David Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ, November 12-30, 2015. There were close to 1000 entries from 400 artists and 60 paintings were chosen to be in this show. There will be a week of festivities since this is also the American Women Artists Organization’s 25th year. American Women Artists is a non-profit organization dedicated to the inspiration, celebration, and encouragement of women in the visual fine arts. I so appreciate their mission and am grateful to get to be a part of their celebration!