Art for All Seasons - Maude Kerns Art Center

I received my invitation in the mail to the Maude Kerns Art Center's "Art for All Seasons" art show but even better Karen Pavelec, executive director of Maude Kerns Art Center, invited me to show two of my Giclee' picture's at the show.

I liked the post card and the diversity of art it showed.

The Maude Kerns Center looked a bit eerie in the dark and despite low light and no tripod I tried a picture without flash and liked the effect.

The billboard in front of the Center gave the information on the show and it's sponsor Oregon Family Dental. The show is a members works, show and sale that is the product of the work done at MKAC. It's not just a gallery but a working studio and art education center with lots of hands on focus.

Inside it was bright and full of great creations.

One of these really nice yellow figures was on the post card for the event.

There were great still life paintings ...

... and portraits and landscapes.

There was also great music by Amey Herrman on violin and Doug Haydon on Guitar.

What a great setting for soft and sweet music.

As the show started more and more patrons showed up to browse.

I had to be patient to get shots of the art without being blocked.

But I managed a few like this wall of art.

I did, however, enjoy taking shots of the patrons viewing the paintings.

Another of the paintings on the postcard invitation was this great landscape by Mark Clarke.

I was fascinated by this piece by Tom Boyden titled "Cotton Candy Afloat" a recycled lamp.

In the ceramics room I was amazed at the diversity ...

...and beauty of these works from the artists at "Club Mud" located behind the MKAC gallery.

I especially liked the statue of the man with ducks. One of the MKAC folks in the room secretly titled it "Aflac in the Rain"

I'd have to say very creative and very well done to these artists.

I then caught a visitor who was either admiring my pictures, the framed one's to the left or else tasting the cheese and crackers.

Yes it was a full house.

Some friends showed up also. That's Vern and Renee wearing black coats in the center of the picture.

I even got them to pose and was impressed with Vern's suspenders and Renee's colorfully patterned dress.

Sharyn looked pretty classy in her Navy coat. I did miss getting a picture of our friend Carol Campbell which I regret. Sorry Carol you looked in that red jacket. I was pleasantly surprised to see Jim and Yolanda Moon two great neighbors from Creswell.

What a great piece this was using an old freestanding mirror.

One of the most commented on paintings was this one of goats at the round barn.

There were so many techniques and such a diverse showing I plan to go back and take more time just viewing.

One corner of the show centered on unique lighting fixture art.

This irregular lantern was graceful and very calming to look at and ...

... this really cool piece was both simple and wonderfully complex - I just loved it.

Being an old baseball player I really liked the home plate with a colored bat.

I got a picture of Karen Pavelec taking a picture with my pictures in the background.

Even a nice one of MY pictures behind this smiling patron.

The top mixed media piece is titled "It Doesn't Paint a Pretty Picture" by Mike Walsh and the lower piece is "The Inner Sea" by Anita Browning. Very thoughtful and very nice.

If I have a favorite piece it's this one by an artist named Jerry Ros... titled "Portrait of Ang..."

*{I'll have to go back and fill in the dots I didn't get all of the title or artist.}

Sabrina is one of the great staff members at Maude Kerns Art Center. - Great smile

There is Karen and Marsh talking over the success of the show and maybe Karen's excitement about the tickets she received for her birthday to the Joan Baez Concert she is going to a little later.

After the show I ran by Creswell Coffee for some java and really great music and to say thank you to Jim and Yolanda for coming to the show.

Scrabble Score - Scrabble Queen 328 - The Contender 319

Quote of the Day ~

“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” ~ Oscar Wilde (Irish Poet, Novelist, Dramatist and Critic, 1854-1900)

Silly me

Last night I was bored - yes I'm a political wonk, junkie, groupie, follower and finally someone I wanted to win won an election. 

I was so bored last night I went out on the front porch and took a nighttime picture of all the leaves on our neighbor Serena's back yard. 

In the morning I took some pictures of tiny mushrooms growing in the back garden...

Then I took another picture - oh I must have taken 10 pictures by final count. 

Some excitement however came in the mail. Maude Kerns is having a show and sale called "Art for All Seasons" and I was invited to enter two pictures in the show. After the show I'll post them. Until then you are invited, if possible, to come to Eugene, Oregon between November 21st through December 19th for the show. I hope my artist friends from this area will be there as well. 

The show is at a perfect time since Aunt Vivian and Monica are coming from Texas and Jilly is coming up from California. Now if we could only get the Massachusetts Sox Fans  and the family from San Diego and Belgium and Virginia here  I'd be in seventh heaven. 

Scrabble Score - Scrabble Queen - 332 - The Contender 329

Quote of the Day ~

"The ability to make a truly artistic photograph is not acquired off-hand, but is the result of an artistic instinct coupled with years of labor." - Alfred Stieglitz was an American photographer who was instrumental over his fifty-year career in making photography an acceptable art form alongside painting and sculpture. Many of his photographs are known for appearing like those other art forms, and he is also known for his marriage to painter Georgia O'Keefe, most famous for her large-scale paintings of flowers.

First Friday Art Walk Margaret Coe and Shanna Trumbly

It's another First Friday so it's time for another Art Walk here in Eugene.

Karin Clarke gallery was featuring Margaret Coe an absolutely wonderful artist.

I walked around here in Eugene, Oregon and almost felt the pull of Europe. I've always wanted to visit Toledo, Spain and this painting took me there. After talking to Margaret Coe I discovered it was actually France near Paris I believe. That didn't matter though the feel was the same.

Something I like in so much of her work is the figures of people almost hidden but always drawing my attention.

This painting has a great quality it took awhile and a hint from Ms. Coe before I realized the darker left side of the painting and the lighter more brilliant right. It really is a play on night and day - just lovely.

Another figure amidst swooping rooftops and splashes of color gave me the feeling of movement like time pulsing perhaps like a heartbeat.

Gallery visitors stood for long looks at the work. Lingering has always been to me a great compliment for an artist and there was a lot of lingering tonight.

The Karin Clarke gallery was awash in color and form for this truly remarkable show.

I enjoyed very much the work of Margaret Coe.

I walked down Willamette to Fenario Gallery to see if Hank was there tonight. I'd taken two pictures in to be printed for the Maude Kerns Member show and wanted to see how they had turned out. That's one of then on the table just a little right of center at the bottom of the picture.

Shanna Trumby was showing tonight and I really love her creative nature. This owl is marvelous. There is a saying on the painting that says "It wasn't her stellar beauty and intense gaze that drew the love seekers to her"

Then there is the Queen. "One glance at the giant red beet, and the queen fell madly in love" is the message beneath the beet.

This work is titled "Beeting Hearts"

"Wishing Adeline and the Shooting Stars," depicts a rabbit and wonderful purple flowers in the wind.

I headed back north on Willamette toward the Karin Clarke Gallery Annex noting how dark it was at six-thirty.

On the way I passed by a martial arts dojo where they appeared to be having fun.

When I go to the annex Vern was there heading out for a walk in the cool air (not cold - cool)

During the Art Walk when my I get tired I like to stop off at the Karin Clarke Gallery and sit on the very soft black sofa for a rest. When it's not too busy I say hi to Renee who watches over the Annex gallery for Karin.

One of me favorite artist often shown in the Annex is Adam Growsowsky and he had some new pieces I just loved like this one that was above the sofa...

... and this one titled "Yellow Landscape." I'm not sure yet why his work appeals to me so much. It might be the color or the excellent use of dark spaces to highlight the bright and vivid color.

I especially like this one - I have no idea why but it made me smile.

Another of my favorite artists at the Karin Clarke Gallery is Robert Schlegel. Robert is another artist I really enjoy and I have no clue why.

On my way back to the car I caught this woman dancing in the hallway across the street. How great it is to feel so free you dance in the night.

Scrabble Score - We didn't play tonight but last night I took a real beating from Scrabble Queen. I think she beat me by a number only comparable to the size of the recent corporate bailout.

Quote of the Day -

“Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching." ~ Satchel Paige