The artist talk you didn't go to - Catherine Mulligan and Jenny Kanzler

It's not surprising that at noon on a Wednesday the auditorium at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts isn't full. It is a shame that more of the students don't take advantage of the Art at Lunch talks.  Well, I suppose the real shame is that I didn't take advantage of the Art at Lunch Talks nearly enough as a student.  The students will look back and wonder what on earth was so important that they didn't catch an emerging Mulligan and partially emerged Kanzler.  Lucky for them the show in the Alumni gallery is up until January 25th.

This is what you missed:
First, Jenny, whose work I've followed for several years. I've had a bit of a crush on her for some time...I even fainted on her once at an opening.  I'm still trying to figure out if the crush is because she's a lovely person or a wonderful artist.  Instead of being a crazy stalker person I've tried to promote her art as often as possible.  No, it's not because she is a wonderful person, but because she is an excellent painter. She explores her life in a very raw, truthful and open way. Her talk was from the heart.  You missed the stories behind the paintings, but lucky for you, you don't need the stories to enjoy her art. I believe she only let us peek a tiny bit into her life today, and that tiny bit was very powerful.  She is an old soul.  She has the sense that she's been here before, but is grateful for the opportunity. (I'm sorry I don't have an image of one of Jenny's paintings. Jenny- email me a jpg)

                      i very much want this painting --->




Second was Catherine.  I'm going to brag now.  I bought one of Catherine's paintings for $75 a few years back.  I had sold a painting and went to collect the check at the wonderful Beth Medoway's house.  Catherine had just dropped off two squares for the Square Art Deal that Beth used to run. I had to have one.  My only regret is not buying both.

 

The painting I got for a steal.  8x8" Still Life with Pea Soup

She almost sold out her show at FAN Gallery this past month.  Her prices are still reasonable, for the moment, but that won't last.  I've never had more then a few passing words with her, if ever... I vaguely remember telling her I bought one of her works.  I even tried to get her for Rodger's Gallery but she was all ready committed to showing at FAN.  Bragging aside, her talk was as charming as you'd want from a youth (Catherine, if you read this, it's ok for you to hate me for saying that).  I won't ever forget those dark eyes and lovely blond hair that she tried to tame into a pony tail... (ugh, new art crush). She clearly explained where she was from and where she was going (in the art since).  I think that when she lives a little more, searches a little harder, she will sprout wings and fly.  Her paint is the kind you want to eat.  Her ideas straightforward.

If you are an artist, this show will make you want to make art.  If you just love to look at art you'll be high for a week.  And if you are a collector... NOW IS THE TIME! Seriously. One of Jenny's works was $450.  I don't think a work in the show was above $2000.... and I want to buy them ALL.

Here is the facebook invite.  Reception TOMORROW
 https://www.facebook.com/events/1471270096484535/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

A Night with Gianandrea Noseda and the Philadelphia Orchestra

I've been staring at the calendar trying to figure if it was Saturday or Friday night i went to the Orchestra with Nick. My good friend Beth was sick and couldn't use her subscription tickets so we benefited. the sketchbook page says the tenth but that is wrong. it shows how bad i am with dates and times of things. This was only a few days ago. I'm pretty sure it was... no I'm not sure. that's the benefit of working a Monday through Friday job. you know what day it is when you do things.

Enough gabbing about that. Here is what this blog is really about:

 We got in to the hall and were sat in the fifth row back. What was awesome about this was that i still had enough light on me that i could DRAW THE DURING THE WHOLE  PERFORMANCE. This is rare usually i get a few sketches in during warm up and then they start. i can't see the page to put my pen on and i put it away. I love the dude with the Skrilla hair cut. he's playing... a Viola i think.  But the absolute best part was Gianandrea Noseda- the conductor! OH MY GODS! his movement. he was like a fledgling bird trying to lift off. Not some easy idea of flight. The organic struggle that makes it hard. he didn't stop moving! i couldn't catch his movements at all.

 I tried and tried. I could hear his harsh "DAH! DAH!" his sweat flying from his fore head. his ARMS! defied anatomy. They bent in places we don't have joints! But with strength, fluidity, and grace.

 His legs came together or apart bent and shot up. None of it i could capture with my pen.

 It looks like a dance on the paper. It was so much more. A dance of a professional.

 I had taken many more pages of my sketchbook and switched to a new one. The old sketchbook pages used up. (lucky i came prepared!) i tried to take my eyes from the conductor to get more of the players.  in the upper right hand corner there you will see the little organ player. the whole thing seemed to be about the organ, but it was used sparingly and with great effect. it wasn't some showy complicated solo of ego.

This is one of the last pages. i couldn't keep my eyes from the conductor. i'm getting more and more frustrated at the inability to express the energy the movements.  They were both subtle and great so when i lifted my eyes back to him everything was changed. It was not like drawing an animal who will go back to the same position over and over. Even a human will. HE WAS NOT HUMAN WHILE CONDUCTING. maybe he was just extra human. Needless to say, i am in love with Gianandrea Noseda now.

The pages here represent less then half of what i drew that night. Scanning is a pain in the ass, but really it is more of the same sort of drawings.

It's ok to change life goals.

A change in life plans...

I'm not as sure of where I am going in life as I used to be. I used to have a very sketchy plan of how to live life as an artist. With the very secret plan that i would become known enough not to have to move my own works of art, push for sales, or worry about paying rent. Part of that dream included being known a little bit.  people would want to talk to me at parties. I'd have to choose between what parties i went to. folks would stop by the house to chat. I'd get a gallery in NYC if it killed me.  Every little scrap of paper i scribbled on would be precious. Except... I don't really like going to a lot of parties. I like to be in bed by 11. I really like Philadelphia.... And the art world has changed so much does NYC matter all that much?

I've become even more lazy. I don't have to fight for time in my studio anymore. Whether with a loved one or with splitting studio time with work. Or maybe what I have been doing in my studio isn't very exciting. I don't need gobs of people praising my work. But what am i working towards? Another show at Rodger's? and don't get me wrong I am very grateful for those opportunities. But I do a show that i think is very thrilling and it's a tiny blip on the radar. Do i need to change people's lives and have them talk about my work?  

I was paper-making the other day and i fell in love with doing a processes. that rhythm you need to gain to make it work and the all most mindlessness combined with problem solving aspects of it. Maybe I need to do more print making.

I better figure it out quick. What ever it is. I have a show in June.

Sell Out

The radio told me that there are no 'sell out's' anymore. If you were a musician up into the 2000s and sold a song to a commercial you were a 'sell out'. Despite the difficulty to make a living as an (any) artist. It's even harder to make a living as a Visual Artist. maybe. I guess. I'm not sure. I suppose it mostly has to do with talent and luck in both fields. So I'm going to try and sell out some. Art on mugs, and puzzles etc.

Betsy Cat in Cone Mug Extra Large Mugs by JeanineLeclaire
Look for more mugs at Zazzle

 I know lots of cool folks who can't afford art but would love to own some. It's hard to put hard cash down on something that will hang on the wall because you like it. The artist needs to have a high enough price because they split the price of the work with the gallery. And they might have spent months on something that sells for only a few hundred dollars. Sure we do it out of an indescribable need, but if you appreciate it, there is no reason for you not to pay real money for it. I say that, still being (I think) a reasonably priced artist. I have artist friends who's work I love and I sigh when I see what small prices they can expect for works they've spent long hours or even just a few moments on but with much imagination and talent.  And there are the years that go into all the work and experience leading up to where they are now.  Some will think I'm a sell out just for selling the original work on Amazon. But I also work at a gallery. And when you sit there and realize in a week that 10-20 people walking in the door is normal you must wonder.  Do people not care? They are probably caught up in their own lives. I know when I haven't had much I hated window shopping. Maybe that's it. I was told just 10 years ago. 2003 we would get that many in one day. Is it the economy? The personal electronic devices? I don't know if I'll ever figure out the answer.

Another thought. The work I am adding to products have been sold. Most in private collections. I retain the rights as the artist to the work. The originals will probably not be shown in public again. 

Lil Sneak Peak

Wow! it's almost show time.
I'm not going to apologize for ignoring my blog to get my show done. nope won't do it. i'm planing on taking the heart on my sleeve and sticking it on the blog soon. it's gonna be messy. in the mean time. SNEAK PEAK!!!!

Paul's Beautiful Man

Accepting Punishment

Aftermath

What is it? Painting in progress

Random Sketchbook Page of the Day

Here is a sketch I think I did last July. Riley, is now my room mate. and a SnuBu finds a light bulb

Jeanine Leclaire is a Square

Just because I put this on my calendar two minuets ago doesn't mean I haven't been working towards this show for the last couple of months.

On view: February 10, 2013 - March 9, 2013
Gallery Hours: 10am- 3pm

Cheltenham Center for the Arts announces its newest exhibit DownSized featuring artists from A Square Deal, opening from 2pm – 4pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013.

The exhibit features works by painters, photographers, sculptors and street artists who construct work in a format smaller than a piece of paper, all members of A Square Deal, www.artsqs.com.DownSized is an exhibit that demonstrates each artist alteration of their personal vision by thinking small. Each artist created work is executed on a 20cm (7.8) inch square masonite panel. In addition, each artist will have examples of their customary artwork on view.

Participating artists include: (look at all these cool artists!)

Joe Brenman

Justin Duerr

Marybeth Chew

Jeanine Leclaire

Julia Blaukopf

Sarah Hunter

Deborah Gross Zuchman

Philip Zuchman

Colleen Hammond

Anthony C and Karen M

BethMedoway

http://www.cheltenhamarts.org/downsized-featuring-works-square-deal

AND I'll be doing this too.

SUNDAY SQUARE OFF

February 24, 2013 12:30 - 2:30pm

Create your own work of art with A Square Deal artists:

Colleen Hammond 

Beth Medowy 

Jeanine Leclaire  (see. look. that's me!)

Joe Brenman

Paper Mosaic * Multi Media Quilt Blocks * Urban Stenciling EQUAL SIDES=EQUALS FUN

ug.... all these words! need more pics! later later i promis.