Watermedia 2015

OHMYGOSH!!!!!!!!! Could Watermedia be any cooler this year??? *****Prepare yourselves....this is going to be a long blog post***** First things first. This was my first year as being part of the Montana Watercolor Society Board. Wow, what an experience. I decided last year that after being a member for a decade (I know, right....crazy how time flies) that I should give back and volunteer. There was a little box at the bottom of the membership renewal form that asked if you were interested in being part of the board. I checked it and boy did they put me to work! They stuck me as chair for Watermedia....the BIG annual show for MTWS! YIKES!

But thankfully, they all held my hand pretty much! LOL and I learned a LOT about what really goes on in MTWS and how much planning and preperation goes into it from all aspects. Very cool. Oh, and if any of you readers out there are ALSO MTWS members, you should volunteer and help out. It's actually a lot of fun. I've gained some awesome friendships by being on the board. Ok, back to the blog.

So, besides being part of the board and helping plan the event (I got to find the juror for next year, the banquet location for this year, reach out to vendors for merchandise awards, etc), I also entered the show. I've had a couple of people ask me if that was legal and I assure you it is. The Juror (Jean Pederson and she is AWESOME) is sent only the images with numbers....no indication of who painted them. There were over 200 paintings submitted this year and 47 paintings made the cut with 3 alternates. My piece 'The Edge' made it in!

Days before the opening reception, the juror spends time looking at the exhibit, getting to view the pieces in person instead of as a small digital image. I was able to watch the process. We cover up the name cards on the wall next to the paintings with sticky notes and she picks paintings off the wall and studies them, arranging them in order of ranking she sees fit for awards. I held my breath as I watched her pick 'The Edge' and put it with 20 or so other paintings. Would she put it back? Or would she keep it? And if she kept my piece, where would she rank it??? I was screaming inside my head. AGHHHHHHHHHHHHH :D AGHHHHHHHHHHHH! We had SO many amazing awards from incredible vendors, I wanted to win them all (hey, starving artist here....I want a LOT of supplies! haha!) I ended up with a merchandise award from the University of Montana with $150 worth of art supplies! HOW COOL IS THAT???? WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! It ended up being 11th place. Not bad out of 47 paintings :)

As part of Watermedia Chair, the board and as social media gal for MTWS I became a little fly on the wall and took a TON of pictures at the workshop and the banquet. I'll share some pics from the reception with you in a bit. My darling friend Angie agreed to be my date for the evening (I enticed her with a rocking free meal from Grille 459). It was such a wonderful evening. The opening reception was held again at the Bigfork Museum of Art and History and our Juror Jean Pederson gave a gallery talk and spoke about the award winning paintings and why she chose them. Jean mentioned that she really like the luminosity that was present in 'The Edge' and felt that I captured the essence of the sheep. She said she liked the look of the sheep standing in a hot sun. She felt there was a story and wanted to know did he just climb steep terrain to stand where he was? Where was he going? Why was he alone? She said my piece reminded her of Walter Phillips, a deceased canadian artist. She said to continue on my journey and to paint what I love because it shows in my work!!!! :D

After the gallery talk about 30 of us went to the Grille 459 which was just about a 1/2 block down the street from the exhibition. It was awesome. It couldn't have been a nicer venue, the staff was AMAZING, the food was divine (Mediterranean Chicken - pesto excrusted chicken with kalamata olives and feta served with grilled asparagus, White Cheddar mashed potatoes and ended with a Lava Cake! YUM

It was such a great evening to be spent with friends and fellow watermedia artists! I can't wait for next year! :D

Looming Deadlines

I have a LOT of deadlines approaching for art competitions so I'm painting like a mad man trying to get some more pieces done from which to choose (like I need more decisions to make!). Here is one that I finished just this morning. I have a couple more Bison I'm working on.

Where I Stood, 13x22

The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival

Gosh, It has been awhile since I've had the time to do a post!

I just got home from my LONG drive across the nation (north to south at least) and what an adventure it turned out to be! I went to the Woodlands (Houston area), Texas for an art festival. The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival. It was SO COOL! My fabulous friend Melissa came with me for most of the trip!

But, before I begin my review, I must first tell you about my drive down. As luck would have it I had another crazy car experience. (remember the exciting adventure from my art festival to Logan, Utah?) Well, I was alerted to a leak in my oil coolant line just before my departure. I was told that if I just filled up those fluids that were leaking almost everytime I gased up, I'd be A-ok. So I went to the Laramie, WY walmart to buy some fluid, after spending the night in the fabulous college town, and as luck would have it they were completely sold out of ONLY the type oil I needed! Melissa & I then spent a good while looking for an auto parts store but had no luck locating it due to a LOT of construction so I pulled into the Laramie Chevy dealership. I bought some oil and they were going to make sure I was putting it in the right spot and when I popped my hood, they immediately knew I needed help. They could smell that my engine had already overheated (from driving around in town for 20 min) and saw some signs that showed my engine needed a little TLC. The service department was able to get me right in and were able to replace my water pump (which had gone bad) and my oil coolant line in a couple of hours! Thank heavens everything worked out the way that it did....I can only imagine the frustration & despair I would've had if my engine overheated and given out in the middle of nowhere on a two laned highway. Yikes! So a HUGE shout out to my angels at Laramie GM Auto Center. You saved the day and the road trip!

It was so neat watching the landscape change through the trip! Here are some photos!

The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival was AWESOME. There were SO many amazing and talented artists. I was fortunate to meet some and make friends! I was next to a great Printmaker, Mel Fleck from Taylorsville, KY. He does these fantastic works with egyptian hieroglyphs. Across from me was Mixed Media Artist Laura Junge from Chicago, IL. Just down from me was oil painter Charlene Marsh from Nashville, IN. The weather mostly cooperated all weekend (a little rain on Sunday). Everyone that helped with the festival was SO nice. Plus, I was able to meet a lot of wonderful people...including Kim Shirley! Yup, I got to meet another Kim Shirley on this planet. How cool is that? Here we are!!!

I really really hope that I get to go back next year. Here are some pictures from my area. There were over 200 booths of amazing artists...I wish I would've taken some pictures of the rest of the event grounds. Oh well! The park area will have to do.

I'm so glad I was able to go to this art festival and to travel through 7 states (ID, UT, WY, CO, OK, TX, NM). It was a great and epic road trip! Next time, I'm going to allow a little more time so I can stop and REALLY visit some nifty sites such as Billy the Kid's Grave, The 4 Corners, Mesa Verde, and other awesome stops along the way!

But as cool as it is to go new places, there really is no place like home!

A Rambling Sort of Post

Whew! It has been awhile since I've been able to do a post. This might be a long one....

So first is my SUPER EXCITING NEWS!

I'm going to do an art fair in TEXAS! Yup, I was accepted to one in The Woodlands and decided to go for it. I'm going to drive 4000 miles (round trip) but I figure if I'm unable to recoup my expenses, it'll make one heck of a road trip! I've never been to Texas and am very excited to go visit.

The show is the Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival. It will be April 12th & 13th, 2014. I'm very excited but nervous too. The drive will be close to 30 hours one way (I google mapped, it's 2001 miles from Whitefish). So! If ANY of you fabulous followers, art lovers, horse lovers, and friends are in the area, please stop by and say hi! So, Those of you from that area in Texas, what is the weather like? Windy? Cold? Warm? Hot already? Do you recommend any cool places to visit? Eat at? AGH! I'm so excited

I've been working on a commission and I finished it. But I'm not happy with the result. I go back to it every few days and just sit in front of it and stare. It doesn't have that it-thing and I'm not happy with it. So, I've started over and in a different direction to too. I just hope my patient client isn't getting annoyed with me! As always, I'm not just working on one piece. (I often have several pieces in different stages going at the same time). I was able to finish one over the long weekend...partly because my epic plans of snowshoeing/hiking/running were foiled by an unexpected eye infection. Apparently my eyes don't like old contacts >:( So, I hid in my dark den of an apartment with all the shades/curtains drawn and kept the lights on low and finished this piece. I'm thinking I'm going to go back and punch it up a bit with a few more darks but am SO happy with how it turned out. This is one of those pieces that I based 98% off the photograph. It was just so awesome I couldn't think of much to change. *photo taken by nature photographer, rulon gardner*

Caught My Attention, 30x22

The last little bit is I participated in the Holiday Food & Gift Festival in Billings, MT a couple of weeks ago. I was able to see some friends and make some new ones! The best part is I was able to spend some time with my fabulous parents and my Grandma. I haven't seen them for several months so it was a great way to spend the weekend with them. Lots of fun...Although, my car decided it needed a new battery. 2013 was not my year with traveling to art festivals. Lets hope I won't have any issues with driving to the Texas show next year!!!!

Watermedia 2013

I attended the opening reception for the MTWS annual national juried exhibition, Watermedia. It was held at the Bigfork Museum of Art & History in downtown Bigfork, MT. The show runs the entire month of October.

Over 200 entries were submitted and only 50 were chosen. I had the opportunity to hang among some AMAZING works done by some fabulous painters. This is the 9th time in 10 years I have been accepted into Watermedia.

The juror for this exhibition is a very talented watercolorist, Sue Archer. Her works are stunning. Be sure to click on her name and check out her work. I'm pleased to announce that she awarded me the MTWS Founders' Award (4th place) for the amount of $500!!!! THANK YOU SUE!

OMG!!!!!!!!!!! I can't contain my excitement. I seriously keep doing a happy dance...kinda like the one Katherine Heigl does in the Ugly Truth

Yeah....that's how excited I am.

Well, here are some images from the exhibition. If ANY of you are in the area of Bigfork during October, 2013. YOU REALLY NEED TO GO. The works of art are fabulous.

Sue is discussing the reasons why she chose my painting. She said I took a big risk leaving so much white space on the left side of the painting...a risk that paid off. :D

Me posing by my 4th place piece!!!

My FABULOUS friend Elena who came with me to the show!

River City Roots Festival

I finished up the summer outdoor art fair season in downtown Missoula at the River City Roots Festival, a two day bluegrass/folk/rock music festival with a small outdoor juried art show, food booths, kids events, and a 4 mile fun run. This was the 5th year I've done this event. Bands play throughout the day Saturday and the main headliner plays Saturday night. More bands play during the day on Sunday.

The weather was actually great! It wasn't as hot as it has been in years past (although 4 years ago was the exception...it was FREEZING). I was worried about smoke (from a raging forest fire burning in Lolo) but it never really came. Saturday evening, just before it was time to close, I noticed there was ash on my tent and table, but the smoke wasn't thick and it didn't smell like a campfire.

I had some great neighbors, got to see a lot of friends and familiar faces, and was able to listen to some great bands. My favorite was Lil' Smokies. I could've listened to them all day.

Unfortunatly I closed up early on Sunday. The show went from 11am - 7pm. I started packing up around 5:30 because I noticed some meanacing clouds coming closer and getting darker. I had just put all of my pictures in the parking garage (where my jeep was) when the downpour started. Two friends just happened to show up and helped me break down. A good Samaritan also helped out! We were all drenched by the time we had my tent and display units/hardware packed down and put in the garage. I did need a shower that day LOL!

Here are some pictures from the festival, when the skies were nice and blue

Adults & Kiddos could have fun at the Clay Studio live art booth. It was fun watching people of all ages play with clay on a wheel!

Lots of people heading down to the main stage area where they could listen to the bands play...the band playing at this time was Dead Winter Carpenters. They were pretty good too.

Huckleberry Days

This past weekend was Huckleberry Days. This is one of my favorite art festivals because it is in my hometown so I get to walk to the festival each day (except for the last day when I load up). LOVE IT!

The weather was great...infact, perfect. It wasn't as hot as it has been like the last few years. I was able to meet up with some great friends (like Linda & Ken who make the coolest Teepees & more for kiddos, Buzzy Gamble an oil painter, John & Kim of Rosworks, Johnathan of the Copper Spinner, Jewelry by Linda of Moon Cradle, or jewelry by Deborah of Designs by Deborah). I love getting to see all my artist friends.

And I got to meet some wonderful people too. I always have such fun conversations with the people I meet that come to my booth. I love it!

Here are some pictures of the art festival. Enjoy!!!

I love those hammocks. Someday I'm going to get one!!!

My booth!

Bigfork Festival of the Arts

I know I'm more than a week behind posting, but it has been a crazy week!

The first of the most recent two art fairs was the Bigfork Festival of the Arts in downtown Bigfork, MT. This show is fun and feels really big. There are more than 150 artist stretched through the main two streets of downtown Bigfork. I did the art fair by myself this time and never had a chance to walk the entire festival to see all the booths. I wish I had that opportunity, but it was probably for the best. I always find WAY to many things to buy (for myself or others) and can get myself in trouble. I'm addicted to original works of art, what can I say!

This year I was along Grand Ave, or near the beginning of the fair. I had a north facing tent (south side of the street) which meant I was in shade most of the day and thank heavens, it was w a r m! This art fair is unique in that you can't leave your tent up the whole time. You have to take down each night, which makes for a long day and a lot of work. I slept like a rock at the end of each night.

I had some great neighbors (I'm so lucky that I keep getting awesome neighbors) and a lot of fun meeting people.

Enjoy the pictures!

I had to show off one of my pieces framed in the new frames I've been getting from pictureframes.com. They have been a fabulous company to work with and really give me more options since my dad isn't so close to me any more. He makes such fabulous frames but I don't have the access to his talent that I once did so pictureframes.com has been my go to frame source! I love them. I framed this piece just days before and then ended up selling it at the Bigfork Art Festival! :D

Hockaday Museum, Arts in the Park

Here are some pictures from the Arts in the Park put on by the Hockaday Museum of Art in Kalispell. It was a good show. I had a nice shady spot that stayed shady ALL day long! Oh yeah! It was REALLY hot in the afternoons. I had a spot on the street a couple of years ago. I vowed never again. It was miserable over there. So this year I opted for the park. It was soooooooo nice and cool compared to areas not in the shade.

I was able to see some vendor friends and got to make new ones. Plus, the biggest exciting thing is I met a couple, Steven & Karen Boyd, who put on the Art Show at Teton Village...an invitational only art show in Jackson Hole. AGH!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D I can't wait for next year just for this show. I'm still on the wait list for the Jackson art fair in Miller Park....still. Oh well. Now that I have this invite I'll finally get to be where I've been trying and trying for!

Enjoy the pictures!

Summerfair

Summerfair was a blast this year. I think this is the 5th year I've done this fair...I'm loosing track! It was great though...it's always a warm fair but unlike a couple of years past, it wasn't that hot. Upper 80's, low 90's...that's doable! :) This is an art fair I always look forward to. I have family in town and it's just nice to be in Billings. The Yellowstone Art Museum puts this event on and they always do a fabulous job. They are so great to work with!

I got to meet some great new people as well as meet up with some familiar faces. It was great to see everyone again, vendors and patrons. I so enjoy this art fair. My mom was so sweet and hung out at the art fair with me both days. She's such a trooper. It really helps to have an extra person there and it was fun that it was my mom.

Here are some pictures from the art festival. It is in such a beautiful park with lots of trees...although, a lot of the trees are cottonwoods and this year the cotton sure was flying! At one point, underneath one of the trees, it looked like a herd of sheep strolled through! You can kind of see it in the last picture near the bottom right!

Summerfest Arts Faire

Well, Summerfest Arts Faire was a real interesting experience. Here is my story...

I ran into two very intense thunderstorms with hail. The first only being a mile outside of Whitefish with quater sized hail. I had to stop in a driveway lined with tall pine trees because I couldn't see. The trees provided some protection. The size of the hail soon changed to pebbles but it wasn't any less intense. Once it cleared up (20 minutes later), I was on my way!

I took a slight detour to Rexburg, Idaho to visit a cousin I haven't seen in a year. I had lunch with her and her little boy. It was so fun spending time with her but it was a quick visit because I had to get back on the road. There are two exits in/out of Rexburg. Instead of going out the one I came in, I decided it would be easier and faster to take the other exit (as I had already traveled through town and instead of backtracking would just continue onward to the other exit). You have to cross some railroad tracks before you get to the onramp and as soon as I crossed, I heard the distinctive THUMP THUMP THUMP of a flat. I pulled over and hopped out of my jeep and heard the loudest hissing I've ever heard. UGH! Thankfully, I was only a 1/2 mile from a dealership and had slowly thumped my way to them. The guys in the service department were so kind and put my spare on and got me going again. A shout out to the guys in the service department of Taylor Chevrolet Buick Cadillac. They saved the day. This is what popped my tire.

I decided I'd better get a new tire and not drive on my spare so I hightailed it to Pocatello, Idaho. About 8 miles outside of town I got caught in another wicked thunderstorm. Lightening was flashing every which way and the hail...not that big...was coming down fast and hard! I pulled off the side of the highway (as did several other vehicles) and I waited and waited. Thankfully, the intense part of the storm only lasted ten minutes or so and I was, once again, on my way!

I made it to Logan, Utah two hours behind schedule and thankfully was still allowed to set up my tent. The wind was blowing a lot harder than I liked so I didn't set up completely. The next day, I was excited for the show. What would it bring? Well, the first day it brought wind. So much so that is blew just hard enough that a large painting blew away from the display and caused my display unit to put pressure on the tent frame and bend it in such a way that my tent collapsed. Thankfully, none of my paintings were damaged and none of the frames &/or glass broke, but several frames were dinged up :(. I don't know everyone that helped me but a lot of people shopping ran over and helped me out. They were angels waiting in the wings! I don't know what I would've done without them. My friend, who I was staying with, was kind enough to run to the nearest sporting goods store and find a tent that would allow me to finish the next couple days of the show. I arranged everything as best I could on the ground while waiting for the new tent to arrive.

Before she returned, I did have the cutest family stop by my booth. Michelle & Remington. Remington was drawn in by my paintings of horses. He sat down on the ground in front of the paintings and just stared at them. His mom came over and sat down and he crawled on her lap. He pointed at the picture to show his mom. "Horsey". It was soooooo cute.

The wind didn't stop though and I was so paranoid that my new little tent would suffer the same fate so I took everything off, including the top! Boy, my booth was an odd site to behold.

(notice my sign off to the right hand side of the picture. UGH! WIND)

It was a bit embarassing, but everything was safe...or so I thought. With a 1% chance of rain, guess what the weather decided to do! Yup. It rained for a bit...well, it was more like sprinkles but still! Too much moisture falling from the sky I say! I covered everything up best I could. Thankfully, that day of selling was near a close and I just started packing everything up for the night.

The next day was pleasant. A tad chilly, but at least I was able to confidently set my booth up and sell some art. I think I might try this art fair again next year. I didn't do as great as I wanted but hey, I have a new tent for the next couple of shows, none of my work was damaged, I got to chat with a lot of fabulous people and I got to explore a fun town! OH! And before I forget, I want to give a shout out to my AWESOME neighbors! Catherine Novak - who makes the most beautiful stone creations and Armik Malekian - a large format painter who loves movement!

Here are some pics from the other two days

Oh! And one of the coolest things is I got to see a bunch of friends that have moved away from Missoula (my hometown) and all happen to be in Logan! It was such a wonderful surprise to have them drop by my booth. TOTALLY made my days! :D