What if there Were No More Art Galleries?

I loved this article so much! Inspired and motivated me out of this 

little slump I was in. There is always a way to move forward, 

but we must find it within ourselves.  

"What Lies Beneath"
24" x 36"
Oil and Mixed Media on Canvas
Avaialble,
Fine Art giclee Prints available here

What If There Were No MORE Art Galleries?

by BAANG AND BURNE on MAY 5, 2011 · in ART MARKETING, INSIDE THE MIND OF A GALLERIST

What if there were no art dealers, no “art reps”, and no commercial galleries to sell our work?

What if we summoned the courage to take full responsibility for our careers instead of placing our future in someone else’s hands?

What if we used our creative abilities to think up new and exciting ways to market our work?

What we embraced the very real fact that artists are entrepreneurs?

What if we stopped making excuses, and started making choices?

What if we worked harder at building relationships with people who have shown interest in our work?

What if we were less afraid to step into the spotlight and stopped hiding behind our work?

What if we stopped expecting our art to “speak for itself” and became the passionately vocal champions of our own work?

What if we stopped worrying about accumulating lines on our resume and focused our energy on building relationships with would-be collectors?

What if we told everyone we met that we are artists and confidently invited them to see our work?

What if we stopped blaming the economy?

What if instead of spending money on entry fees, we invested in marketing classes?

What if we stopped waiting for external approval?

What if we worried less about “the art world” and focused more on creating a productive and consistent studio practice?

What if we finished what we started?

What if we stopped searching for a quick fix?

What if we developed discipline?

What if we stopped treating out profession like a hobby?

What if we talked less about what we want to do, and skipped right to the actual “doing” part?

What if we stopped apologizing for being artists?

What if we asked for help when we needed it?

What if we stopped feeling afraid/ashamed/nervous about making money?

What if we learned to price our work in a way that doesn’t under-valued our skill and experience?

What if we stopped comparing ourselves to others?

What if we were less afraid?

What if we spent just as much time marketing our work as making our work?

What if we reached out to help other artists instead of seeing them as competition?

What if we stopped waiting to be rescued?

What if we rescued ourselves?

Hecho En Dallas

 

So excited my paintings, "Connected" and "Detached" (above) were selected to be featured in the Hecho en Dallas Exhibition, currently on display at the Latino Cultural Center in Deep Ellum.

Hecho en Dallas

Exhibition is open until April 29, 2011

Hecho en Dallas 2011 features 46 artworks by 42 artists from Dallas and North Texas and includes a variety of themes and media. Over 100 artists submitted more than 300 artworks for review, making this one of the most popular juried shows in the history of the LCC. One reason this show is particularly significant to me is that two years I submitted some pieces, but they were not selected to show, and this year it was very special to receive notice that I was accepted. It really demonstrates the progress that is being made on this little creative journey that I'm on. 

The jurors for Hecho en Dallas 2011 were: Marty Ray, Professor of Ceramics and Sculpture and Art Programs Coordinator at North Lake College and founder of the White Rock Lake Artists Studio Tour; Elizabeth Mellott, professor of Photography and Book Arts at Collin College; and Awadh Baryoum, professor or Drawing and Painting at the Creative Arts Center of Dallas.

Me and my mom at the opening reception.  Mom is an Artist herself, specializing in custom murals, and has always been my biggest cheerleader.

I love watching people look at my paintings at openings.  Kind of stalker-ish? Maybe, but I could have literally sat here all evening and observed people looking at my paintings and the feelings it evoked in them.

Detail of "Detached"

The 8th Annual Hecho en Dallas (Made in Dallas) is a juried exhibition designed to showcase the recent work of professional artists who reside and are active in the artistic environment of the Dallas area. The exhibition is presented annually by the Latino Cultural Center in recognition of the talented pool of artists whose creative endeavors give vitality to the cultural movement in North Texas.

Thursday's Other Creative Soul: Jill Nononemacher

  As a creative person meself, I love to see what makes other like-minded souls think. Thank you for joining me today as we get to know Dallas-based Artist Jill Nononemacher. Jill and I will be having an exhibit together entitled, "Made for Love", this weekend along with a few other Artists at the Cameron Gallery on Dragon Street in the Dallas Design Disctrict. Here's Jill's story...

Name: Jill Nonnemacher (JillyArt)

JillyArt Studios

973.975.3426

Location: Native from New Jersey, now calls home Mansfield, Texas.

Education/Training

FIT, NY - Textile Design Degree

The School of Visual Arts, NY

 Fordham University, NY - MSW   

About JillyArt

JillyArt is best known for her wildly colorful palette. My style is best described as expressionistic and figurative which captures the essence and spirit of people and playfulness. 

My normal day is jumpstarted with a pot of coffee along with getting my 2 sweet pugs,   Mozart & Fiona walked & fed before I can even think about starting anything else.

 After taking care of business related stuff I turn usually settle into my studio by mid morning or early afternoon, turn on my rock & roll music and begin painting for the day.

  

My passion is to create art that is full of life. Art that is filled with color and is emotionally provoking to my viewer. 

 

My goal is  to paint 5 days a week creating new, exciting, stimulating art to share with the world. 

JillyArt aims to  create a world full of passion, celebration and seduction that evokes a sensory experience and emotional response within her viewers.  My subjects include expressive solitary figures, whimsical collective figures, and socially provocative figures.    

My inspiration comes from people, life experiences, music, fashion, design and my training as a psychotherapist.  I am also very inspired by other artists and spend lots of time looking at art and enjoy collecting different styles of art for my own art galley. 

My working style is to paint nonstop for 6 - 8 hours at a time. I do take a few breaks to play with the dogs and try to squeeze in  a mid day walk around the block.

If I am working on a deadline I will  take a couple hours off, share dinner with my husband and go back into the studio to continue painting.

If I get into my painting zone again I will paint  for several more hours before retiring for the night.

 I like to paint in collections. Each painting has a story to be shared and is part of a larger series.  It is fundamental that my paintings radiate with liveliness, movement and a playful spirit.

A few of my favorite artists that have greatly influenced my style and appreciation for art are the 20th century expressionistic painters: Picasso, Matisse,  Klee and love the colorful art of Peter Max.

 

Social Links:

www.jillyartdesigns.com

    facebook.com/jillyartstudios

    jillyartdesigns.blogspot.com

    linkedin.com/in/jillnonnemacher/jillyart

    twitter.com/jillyart

Features:

JillyArt is cited in Art Calendar (Professional Artist), March, 2011

http://www.artcalendar.com

Jillyart is featured on: Manhattan Arts International - The Artrepeneur blog (Sept.22,2010) http://reneephillips.blogspot.com/2010/09jill-nonnemacher-featured-artist.html

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JillyArt is included in the CityArt Cal Engagement Book 2009.    http://www.cityartcal.com

JillyArt is featured in The Art Buzz Book, The 2009 Collection of Contemporary art for Emerging Artists.    www.atbuzz.com

JillyArt is featured in the John Hopkins Art and Addiction Book, 2010.  www.press.jhu.edu

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jillyArt has been featured on many magazine covers including: Sasee Magazine, South Carolina, Rising Women Magazine, Canada

JillyArt is represented by The Cameron Gallery, Dallas, TX

New Painting, "I Love You as Big as the Sky"

12" x12"

Watercolor and Mixed Media on Canvas

There is nothing that makes me happier than hearing my children say these words to me.  They inspire me even more than I think I can begin to realize. I always tell my 4.5 year-old that the biggest gift God gives you when you become a mommy is that He helps your heart open and grow in ways you never thought possible and you learn to love more and more each day. I love it when paintings just flow from a happy place, and this was one of them.  

This painting will be on display at The Cameron Gallery in February at their "Made for Love" Exhibition.  Preview for this show is 2/10 and opening reception is 2/19.  The Cameron Gallery is located on Dragon Street in the Design District.

Fine Art Show at BJB

Dear Friends, 

I hope you can attend my art show this Thursday evening. I will be featuring several new works. Along with cocktails and light bites, The Blues Jean Bar is offering a 10% discount on purchases that night.  

Best, 

Gina Dunn

Website: web.mac.com/utopiapkwy

Find me on Facebook here.

Gallerina on the Scene

Being a mom of three kids under four affords me very little time to be social, that's just life right now. However, last weekend we had a sitter, I threw on whatever clothes are fitting me right now at 12 weeks post-partum, and and Mr. D and I made it out to RISING Gallery for the opening of their newest show, "Love them Now, Always", featuring the works of Chris Panatier and Kathleen Wilke.

As we were leaving the house, my 3.5 year old daughter, who is in an I-only-want-to-wear-tutus phase, asked where I was going, and when I told her, "an art gallery", she said, "Oh, so I'm a ballerina and you're a GAL-lerina?" Come on....it really doesn't get any cuter than that.

I hadn't been to RISING in several months, but now that we live just a stone's throw away, I really hope to make it in more often. The Owners, brothers Bryan and Taber Wetz, have knocked down some walls of what used to be an adjacent retail shop and have created even more of a wonderful space than before. Art can be captured in a variety of design mediums and RISING brings them all together in its gallery off Knox.

The works by both artists were fantastic, both beautiful, mysterious and ethereal. They were very complimentary of each other. I had the pleasure of meeting Artist Chris Panatier, who I had interviewed online for my blog last week, and viewing his works in person. I am still dreaming of his painting, The Cotton Mandate"...both hubby and I fell in love with it. Something about the softness haunts me. I wonder if it has already sold?

Three Year Old Art Prodigy Debuts on Dallas Gallery Scene

Ok, ok , ok....part of the fun of having a blog is that you can write anything you want. And my little headline was just a mom getting carried away with pride at my 3.5 year-old daughter's Art Show opening at Uptown's Artisan Style Gallery this weekend.



Here she is hamming it up in the studio...cuteness personified.

Art Stop, a private children's art school in Preston Center, has partnered with Artisan Style Gallery in Uptown to present, "Budding Young Artists", a juried children's art show featuring exclusively the works of Art Stop students.

Artisan Style Gallery has generously opened their doors to our families for this event. “We are excited to host Art Stop’s students at our gallery and feature these talented kids,” said Brandon Lynch, Co-Owner of Artisan Style Gallery. “It’s my hope that by reaching out to the children and inviting them to participate, this gallery show will be an unforgettable experience for them that incites a lifelong love for the arts.”

The show will be divided into two openings divided by age to fully showcase each group’s abilities. May 8 will feature the works of children ages Pre-K – 7 (including my little Picasso!), and May 15 will feature children ages 8 – 16. The Opening Reception time for both is 5 – 7 p.m. Both age groups’ art will hang at the Gallery for a week following the opening reception.

In addition, I am pleased to be a part of the panel of professional judges that includes Margie Sibrizzi, Early Childhood Specialist at the Museum of Nature and Science, and Jenny Grumbles, Co-Owner of Uptown Country in Snider Plaza. It is our privilege to select the most outstanding works in each age group and award those students with scholarships for future art lessons. In the spirit of children helping children, we will also be raffling off an Art Stop Summer Camp scholarship at the Opening Receptions, with the proceeds benefitting Heart House Dallas, an program dedicated to providing a safe haven and artistic enrichment to children of low-income families in the densely populated Vickery Meadow community in Dallas, Texas.

This is a one-of-a-kind gallery experience that will be sure to create lifelong memories for you and your "budding young artists." Even if your little artist artist did not participate, this is a wonderful opportunity to expose your child to the art world in a kid-friendly gallery setting. It is never too early to incite a lifelong love of the arts in your child. Please join us!

Shots from the Opening Reception

Here are a few pics from Friday's opening reception of my art show, Uncommon Ground, at Artisan Style Gallery. I feel so lucky to have great friends that came out to support! Kudos to owners Brandon Lynch and Steve Iha, for putting together a great show. The turnout was very impressive, and I can only hope everyone had as much fun as I did. My paintings, along with beautiful art by the other featured Artists Debbie Carroll, Michelle Stroescu and Kate Wickham, will be on display until 4/3.

I'm Getting Published Again!

I received word yesterday that four paintings from my abstract cellular series were selected to be published in Brookhaven College's Literary Journal, The Moulin Review. I am stoked about the publication, as an artist it is always exciting to see your work in print.

I submitted them for consideration last May, and getting the good news yesterday was like finding a $20 bill in your pocket that you had forgotten you ever stuck there. I love when that happens! Along with the two pieces above (one which has sold at Artisan Style Gallery and one which is in my private collection), they selected the two pieces below, which I have always thought were a little taste-specific and have had trouble selling to this day, so it's nice to see them critically recognized. Just goes to show you that there is audience out there for everything, and if one person rejects your work, just keep on trying to get it seen until someone sees it as you do.

Locked and Loaded

Here is my Volvo, usually reserved for grocery-getting and toddler-toting, all loaded up with paintings to go to Artisan Style Gallery for my upcoming art show, "Uncommon Ground", which opens this Friday. There is a great group of women artists in the show, and I feel lucky to count myself among them. I am so excited to be displaying my new works and wonder how they will be received. Only time will tell!

Thursday's Other Creative Soul: Debbie Carroll

This week's Creative Soul is the multi-talented Artist and Jewelry Designer, Debbie Carroll. She loves color as much as I do and will be displaying her paintings at our upcoming show, "Uncommon Grounds", opening next month at Uptown's Artisan Style Gallery.




Name:
Debbie Carroll

Education:
BS in Fashion Merchandising with an Art Minor from Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois, Graphic Design Certification at the Art Institute in Houston, Texas

Current City/Hometown:
I currently live in Austin, but have lived in both Dallas and Houston - twice! I mostly grew up in Washington state and Illinois, before moving to a(sometimes) warmer climate!

Tell us about your work in one sentence.
I feel like my work is pretty much driven by color; I'll see a scene or object that I want to depict and play with the colors to make it my own interpretation - still recognizable but a little different.

Describe your normal day.
A normal day for me is getting everyone off to their respective destinations - school for the boys, work for my husband, then I feel like I can regroup and figure out what needs to happen. Every day is different depending on my mood, and lately on the natural light - it's been so gloomy! I generally try to do a few daily chores, walk the dog, etc...then I can think about what I'm working on, be it painting or making jewelry - my other pursuit. When painting, I like to do a few preliminary sketches (VERY sketchy) before starting to paint. One of the best tips I've learned is to completely underpaint my canvas or paper before starting, there is nothing worse than staring at a big white blank page! I am finding it is best to paint for 2 to 3 weeks, then switch gears and work on my jewelry for a week or two, before going back to painting. An ideal day for me would be a bright sunny day where I could work completely undisturbed from the moment I got up in the morning until late into the night, to really get into & stay in the "zone".



What are your passions?
My family, our dog Cutter, friends, travel, vintage "stuff", decorating, walking, and, of course, painting and many other creative pursuits like jewelry and sewing!

What are your goals?
I would love to be able to earn a good living by painting and help put our kids through college. My husband and I would love to retire to New Mexico or the west someday, where I could paint and he could fish. I would also like to spend some time delving into printmaking and trying my hand at Plein Air oil painting and pastels.

Who are your creative influences?
Georgia O'Keefe, the Taos School of Painters, Gustave Baumann (printmaker), Vincent Van Gogh, Degas, Monet, some contemporary artists - Stephen Kilborn, Leigh Gusterson, and Jerry Jordan to name just a few, the Pre-Raphelites. The list is pretty long actually....I also really love the very graphic poster art of the 1920's and 30's, especially the WPA art done for the National Parks during the depression.

Are there any other relevant experiences that shaped who you are today and what you do?
I have always been into art since I was a very small child. My teachers really championed me along the way and I was lucky to have some very, very good teachers in high school. In college I truly loved art history, and learning about other artists. I was lucky enough to travel to Europe after graduating, enabling me to see some of the very works we had learned about - very inspiring! For a "milestone" birthday a couple of years ago, I treated myself to a painting workshop and that really helped me get back into my art after neglecting it for several years - I find it very necessary to have a creative outlet to keep me sane!

Is there anyone that you really look up to as an inspiration?
I look up to all the artists who have to make sacrifices in order to pursue their dream. I'm lucky because my family is very supportive and encouraging of my art.

What motivates you on a daily basis?
I have a need to feel like I accomplished something every day, whether it be painting, cleaning the house (not that it gets done often enough), making jewelry or working on my Etsy sites. My guilty pleasure is an over-indulgence in caffeine - I LOVE my coffee, and lot's of it :) I also love to get in a walk each morning - it clears my head and helps me focus my nervous energy into a more positive direction.

What's your working style?
Given a preference, I'd love to have big time blocks of time to do my work, but this generally doesn't happen, so I try to fit the task to fit the time I have available - prepping and underpainting canvas/paper when there's little time, major designing or painting when I do have the time. I don't do well with interruptions. I used to get a lot done late in the evening after everyone went to bed, but my eyes just don't function well enough for that any more!

What are your websites/social networking links?
Website/Etsy Sites:
debbiecarrolldesigns.etsy.com/ for my art
debbiecarroll.etsy.com/ for my jewelry

follow my blog:
debbiecarrolldesigns.blogspot.com/

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/debbiecdesigns

facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Debbie-Carroll-Designs-Art-Jewelry/171141211086?ref=ts