Last weekend, Studios was treated to a wonderful concert by young pianists as part of the 2010 Paderewski Festival. Their talent was incredibly moving. Here is a quick sketch I did of one of the performers, Miss Lindsay Reed.
I am pleased to report that two of my paintings were accepted into the Sierra Pastel Society's biennial "Pastels on High" show.
At right is my "Universal Angel," the painting for which I received an Award of Excellence.
Last week I was lucky! When asked if I would create a piece to benefit the upcoming Paderewski Festival, I agreed on the condition that I be able paint his original property in the hills of Adelaide. I had painted the neighboring ranches and vineyards but not this one. It's a gem! Beautifully cared for by the Armstrong family, its rolling hills are covered with vines. One cool morning I was lucky enough to paint atop a hill surrounded by ancient almond trees. The view was spectacular: a classic Adelaide composition!
Hi Folks!
I'm thrilled to report that my small watercolor "Hillside" was accepted in 42nd Annual Watercolor West exhibition at the City of Brea Art Gallery. This is my seventh showing in Watercolor West, of which I am a signature member. Only transparent watercolor on a single piece of untreated rag or wood pulp paper were considered by juror Frank Francese. Pencil was permitted but only for planning marks.
I'll also be participating in the Plein Air Painting Festival beginning September 27 in San Luis Obispo. Come say "hi"!
I'm so excited to be the featured artist at Orchid Hill Tasting Room for the month of September. The tasting room is located at 1140 Pine Street, Paso Robles, CA (805-226-8022).
I'm super proud to be "Artist of the Month" for Citra Solv, LLC. This company is a treat to work with. I have been using their products to transform Nat Geo Magazines into an art material since 2005!.
Visit the Citra Solv Artist Page
I'm jazzed to be the Featured Artist for August on Art & Art Deadlines. Here's what R.L Gibson had to say about me:
INDULGENT WHIMSY
I find the sacred in everyday objects and appreciate the indulgence of artists that do. My house is filled with odd tidbits that have called out to me from here and there–things with which I cannot part for reasons unknown.
Peg Grady is a kindred spirit.
July marks the first month of the $2 Art Contest. The purpose of the contest was not to get rich, but to force myself to regularly review the work submitted to me by artists. Now you will get monthly Featured Artists, not quarterly or whenever the mood strikes me.
When choosing to force myself to be more diligent about posting Featured Artists, I neglected to account for how hard it would be for me to chose only one. I contemplated giving 2nd and 3rd place, but felt it somehow took away from the true winner–Peg Grady.
PEG GRADY
When I started investigating Peg Grady’s work, I was immediately drawn to her paintings and drawings that often take on the appearance of oil pastels and often incorporate a whimsy of color and typography. But once I found The Perfect Word Series, I was hooked. The work was, well, reverential…from a distance.
I noticed a statement on Grady’s site apart from her Artist Statement specifically for The Perfect Word: “An old thesaurus’s yellowed pages containing outdated phrases such as ‘apple pie order,’ ‘pretty kettle of fish’ and ‘tittle-tattle’ evoke a sense of history that delights me, sending me back to my elementary school classroom where the teacher told us of the value of Roget’s (not the dictionary style) thesaurus and how it branched off with differing shades of meaning, leading you to the perfect word.”
This led me back to the work, where I used the built-in magnifier to examine the details that tied it all together.
The simply whimsy in sacred found objects is all tied together in the simplicity of The Perfect Word.
Some of you may recall that I send out a questionnaire to all of my potential Featured Artists that asks a variety of questions from favorite foods to artistic influences, and I couldn’t wait to read Peg Grady’s answers to see if I really could have developed a picture of who she was based on this short series of work.
Artistic influences? Betye Saar, famous for her assemblage work, seems fitting. Robert Rauchenberg reinforced assemblage as Grady’s true love. Romare Bearden rounds it out.
Foods? Dark Chocolate and Almonds–indulgent. I would expect no less.
When asked if she liked to collaborate with others, she matter-of-factly explained that she doesn’t “play well with others. But I do run with scissors.” A woman after my own heart.
I have fallen in love with The Perfect Word series, and my heart is singing to hear that The Perfect Game series featuring a vintage book of solitaire layouts is in the works.
How did Peg Grady develop into the artist she is? Maybe it all ties back to her childhood…
“I was born in New York City where I appreciated the dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History much more than the Monets at the Modern. Finally I got older and (hopefully) wiser, became a California girl and fell in love with art.”
Thank you, Peg Grady for the reverence with which you treat the written word and for creating work that makes us think. Thank you for artwork that both celebrates and believes in the ability of the child in all of us to remember the whimsy of our childhood with the sacredness it deserves.
Discover Peg Grady’s artwork on your own at:
www.PegGradyArt.com
Just a side note, Peg Grady embodies many of the tips that I preach in “The Art of Cooking (aka How to Get an Art Show)” Investigate and learn.
We've got two new signs here at Studios on the Park! Thanks in part to the generous support of the Hind Foundation, we enlisted the talented team at South Paw Sign Company of San Luis Obispo to put our name in lights! Both signs stay true to our building's automotive roots while bringing color and life to our historic facade. Wow!
Hi Folks!
I'm thrilled to report that I was awarded 3rd place at the reception for the Brushstrokes Show held at the Morro Bay Art Center last Saturday. It was for my pastel, "The Magnificent Oak."
Art lovers can meet and view the works of artists Sarah Winkler, Heidi Franscioni, David Foster Evans and Mary Ratner.
Opening Reception and Meet the Artists:
Friday, June 25th. 5-7pm
The free event will feature wine tasting, cheese and olive tasting.
The Haub Gallery at Morovino Winery is located at 550 First St, Avila Beach, CA.
The gallery and tasting room are open from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday,
noon to 7 p.m. Friday and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday.
For more information, call 627-1443.
Exhibition runs:
June 25th - Sept 1st
Haub Gallery
at Morovino Winery
550 First Street
Avila Beach, CA
Smudge has a great many friends here at Studios on the Park but topping her list is one of Studios best volunteers, Jan. Here's the latest of Jan and Smudge at a recent event!
I'm very excited to be showing a painting at the Bike Lane Gallery located on El Camino Real by the Carlton Hotel in downtown Atascadero.
The Bike Lane Gallery will be open the whole month of May, Thursday – Sunday, with live music Thursday – Saturday nights. Art work is still being accepted. 70% of sales go to the artist and 30% donated to the San Luis County Bicycle Coalition. Call The Artery @ 464-0533.
There are also other exciting events happening throughout the county:
May 15th, Polish Your Ride classic bike show/Bike Swap meet 10:00 am at the gallery.
May 21st, 6:00 pm: Grand Opening Event /artist reception: Live music, fun, & food.
May 29th : Techno Party/Bike Fashion Show.
Underground events include Bike Movie nights, bike sumo, pixie bike demolition derbies, fun rides, and more
For the full events schedule from Central Coast Today, click here.
The 2010 Paso Robles Festival of the Arts is quickly approaching! Studios on the Park is thrilled to be co-hosting the event along with the City of Paso Robles and several generous sponsors.
In preparation for the Follow the River, Paint the Dream exhibition, which will be held inside Studios from Festival Day (May 29) thru June 20, local artists met at the Salinas River yesterday to gather inspiration.
We were thrilled to be featured on KCOY TV. Please click here to view their wonderful piece.
And for more information on the Paso Robles Festival of the Arts, please visit www.pasoartfestival.com
THE FAIR
Cotton candy, thrill rides, carnies and the madness of the midway.
The California Mid State Fair is an American classic.
This series, taken over the past several years, features iconic images that capture the incredible energy and humanity of this unique event.
Greetings Everyone!
I'm thrilled to be showing my contemporary acrylic paintings in two exhibitions this Spring.
For the month of April, I'll be at Kiamie Cellars Tasting Room (1111 Riverside Avenue, Suite 102, Paso Robles, 805.226.8333).
In May, I'll be having a solo show at K-Jon's Jewelers (5255 El Camino Real, Atascadero). I'd like to invite all of you to the reception on Saturday, May 8 from 2 pm to 5 pm.
I'm also proud to share that my painting was selected in a national contest for the 2011 Calendar of the American Association of University Women.
Hope to see you soon!
Pat
Elizabeth “Libby” Tolley is taking a leave from the Studios while she prepares for her 2010 exhibitions, participates in two plein air events and teaches a plein air and studio workshop. For more information or invitations to her exhibitions please visit her website. www.elizabethtolley.com
We hope to see her back in the studios by late summer, possibly sooner as her schedule allows. During this time we will continue to exhibit and sell her paintings as they become available.
A note from Libby: I have enjoyed working in the studios the past year and meeting our visitors. In order for me to create the paintings that I do, it is time for me to get out on the land and create the plein air paintings and field sketches.
I hope my work has been a inspiration to those who have visited. Thank you to all of you who have collected my paintings.
My book, Oil Painters Solution Book: Landscapes is available for sale at the front desk.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
May Exhibitions
May 1, 2010
“A Sense of Peace"
Elizabeth Tolley Solo Exhibition of New Paintings
Vault Gallery 2289 Main Street Cambria, CA 93428
Paintings will be available for preview and sale starting April 29 on the Vault Gallery website: www.vaultgallery.com
Tel: (805) 927-0300
E-mail: Laylon@VaultGallery.com
May 29, 2010
Follow the River Paint the Dream
Invitational Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture based on the Salinas River
Studios on the Park
Paso Robles, CA
June Exhibitions
California Gold Medal Exhibition
Pasadena, CA
Exhibiting Beautiful Day, 9x 12 oil
Painted on location at Cuesta Inlet, CA
August Exhibitions
Sierra Foothills Plein Air Invitational
A Year Long Study by 15 Nationally Recognized Landscape Painters
Reception and Sale
August 7, 2010
Acadia Invitational Exhibition 2010
Saturday, August 7th
Bar Harbor, Maine
www.argosygallery.com
Smudge had a fabulous time at the opening reception of Raining Cats & Dogs on Saturday, March 20. After a wonderful demonstration by talented artist Denise Schryver and her Belgian Tervuren, Gunner, Smudge had her chance to take a turn on the floor. She loved working with Denise and even learned a few new tricks! Come and see her and the whimsical exhibition. It runs through April 11.
I'm happy to report that my "It's About The Color" class is progressing nicely! A few days ago we visited Adelaida Cellars for some plein air painting. What a day!
