ORVAG members have been invited to participate in Bethel, Ohio’s Art and music festival. More information is available here:
http://www.roborigs.com/RoboRigsProject1/bethelohevents/index.html

A fun bunch of artists met in Old Washington for a day of still life painting.  The theme was musical instruments.  We had a banjo, mandolin and guitar as models.

Betsy Adams working in pastel.

Philip Saunders sketching with pastel.

Mary-Louise Dean working in oil.

Ruvonna Bevard painting in acrylic.

Ken Swinson worked on a monotype of each instrument.  You can see a short video of his prints going through the press below:

if you don’t see the video above, follow this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbQVUSMFOwQ

I finally have my printing press up-and-running!  I am still learning how to use it, but would like to share the experience with my artist friends…so this Wednesday, (Jan 13) you are invited to join me for an afternoon of creating monotypes.  I’ll have everything you need to make a monotype, but you might want to bring your favorite brush and an idea or photo to work from…and don’t dress in your  Sunday best…it might be messy!

We’ll either meet at my downtown studio or the Art Guild’s Building  in Old Washington (depending on the number of participants)

Let me know if you are interested so I can plan accordingly.

I haven’t been able to hang out with my friends during the holidays, and this will be a fun way to catch up. 

Here’s a few pictures of my latest monotypes to give you an idea of the process.

Here’s a link to a great series of videos by the Smithsonian Institution demonstrating the process:

http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/monotypes/video.html

We have had a great weekend at ORVAG with Frontier Christmas.  Artist’s showing their creative work,  the smells and sounds of the Holiday’s, good friends stopping by to shop, chat, enjoy the spirit of the season and well wishings to all.  If you left before the bagpiper arrived, he was great and you missed a treat.  The Guild will be open on the 9th and the 16th from 1:00-7:00 pm  for all of the community and members to get together and share in the “Holiday Spirit”.  Refreshments will be served. 

First, thanks everyone who participated in the Big Read Art show. There was a good turnout, and everyone seemed impressed with all of the talent in our community.

I have to leave town Wednesday, and will not be able to moderate our monthly critique on our normal date and time, so let’s reschedule for Thursday, October 27 at 6pm.

This will also be a good opportunity to have the building open to the public so that anyone who missed the reception can still see the art show. Can someone let the teachers and students know that the building will be open until 7pmon thursday.

Betsy Baltzer has offered to be in the building for the Kentucky Arts Council Arts District Group’s visit and until critique. (1-6pm) If anyone else can be there, it would make it easier on her.

If you have not been to one of our critiques, Thursday will be a good time to start. Once a month, our local artists meet up to share and talk about their latest work. You don’t have to bring anything to enjoy the conversation. As an artist, I have found these meet ups a good opportunity to get advice on new work.

Please use the blog to leave a comment or ask a question about Thursday.

As you know, all the entries are at the guild for our Edgar Allan Poe exhibit. Monday from 6-9, many people are going to visit our building for the first time. We need to make the best impression possible. It will be a good opportunity to show the community what kind of space they can expect to see when we move downtown to the Cox building.

If you have any work that you would like to display, please bring it Friday afternoon. Our art building should be filled with our artwork.

Later the next week, members of the Kentucky Arts Council, city of Maysville, Berea, and Horse Cave are going to visit our building. The KAC is one of our largest sources of funding. We need to look as good as possible and there are many ways you can help. BRING SOME ARTWORK TO DISPLAY, help with the lighting, straightening up/decorating, etc.

Sorry for the short notice. I will be at the guild tomorrow (Friday) somewhere between 1:30 and 2. If you can help, it will be appreciated. If you want to meet for lunch before , I will be at Margie’s Southern Café on Market street Friday at noon.

Some photos from our October Still Life Painting session

Our Still Life for this month…my favorite table with pumpkins and a guitar

Mary-Louise Dean with her painting

Rob Weingartner with his painting

Ken Swinson with his painting

We have been meeting every second Wednesday at the guild to paint still life. Each month, a different artist sets up a still life…providing a different style.
We meet at noon, and everyone is welcome!

Thanks everyone for working together and creating such a great art show. I put a few video clips together to let others see what they missed!

Here is the plan of the Rosemary Clooney Festival Weekend: We have been given the Conference Center to use from Fri. 9/25 through Sat.9/26.
Fri. hours are from 5-8p.m. and Sat. hours are from 10am-5pm. We must come up with a floor plan for the exhibit. Therefore we need to know exactly how many artists are planning to participate.
Visual artists will need to bring their own hanging panels.  Any tables you may need for small prints, sales/breceipts, etc. will be set up for you if you let me know! All artists should plan to set up  their art on Thurs, afternoon 9/24 and take down on Monday, 9/28. I will be here to help with all the preliminary arrangements, but Jim and I are leaving for Charleston SC early 9/24. Toby will be communicating with the potters and Ken with the  visual artists. Duff Giffen will delegate the key to the conference center to either Toby or Ken.  The City is doing all the set-up of tables and area arrangements for us.  It is the busiest and most popular weekend of the year in Maysville.  The city is also including the art show in all of its advertisements and publicity for the weekend.  If I have not already heard from you – tomorrow is the deadline.  I will be calling Pam, the Conference Center coordinator and setting up a meetin with her this week.  Stay tuned to this site for more details.  Lastly – potters, contact Toby if you want to display your beautiful work – it is a great opportunity!