Open Studios 2006

This past Saturday and Sunday was my annual Open Studios art event, which I have done at Fort Mason the past 4 years. It is always held during October and different neighborhoods throughout San Francisco have their Open Studios on different weekends so art lovers have a chance to get to see the maximum number of different artists throughout the month.

The weekend went well. Saturday was a little slow and I was worried but there was a decent flow of people on Sunday and I sold enough in the end to make me feel it was worth the effort. I also enjoyed watching which paintings people respond to and I'm still learning from finding out that people are liking my encaustics more than I do right now (I'm still seeking my own voice and what I want to do in working with the new media). So that was quite pleasing. Of course, everyone liked my barn painting (of course) and 3 different people walked in, looked over my work quickly, turned to me and said, "What - no cows this year??" Guess my reputation proceeds me!

I took some photos of my setup before people came. Here is a shot of my encaustics to the right and a vineyard and barn painting to the left.

Here is a photo of my table of original miniature oil paintings on gallery-wrapped canvases (people love these and were moving them around and re-arranging them like they were game pieces, it was quite amusing!) and a painting of koi fish to the left.

And finally a photo of the table where I processed my orders, with some abstract paintings to the right and some seascapes to the left. I also had some prints available on the table to the left.

So overall, I was pleased. I always wish I could get rid of more paintings so I have room to paint new ones, but the art sales I made this past weekend and meeting people who have a good experience looking at my art made the whole weekend successful. I guess I'll do it again at Fort Mason next year, but I'm also looking to share a studio space with another artist or group of artists in the Mission or down at Hunter's Point. I have a whole year now to figure that out.

This is also the time of year I consider the end of one year art-wise and the beginning of a new. So I sat down yesterday and reviewed the goals I made this time last year to see what I accomplished and what I did not get to. It is always an informative process for me.

Then I set all new art goals for the upcoming year - what new things I want to try, what subject material I want to explore, how I want to continue to expand my experience with encaustics and career goals around exhibits, sales, and participation in various art groups.

It allows me to be tired from the weekend but full of great hope and inspiration for the new year!

Technorati tags: art , painting , oil paintings , abstract paintings , encaustic paintings ,Open Studios , Fort Mason

Wax Works : An Encaustic Exhibit

This week, the wax group I belong to - The West Coast Encaustic Artists, opened their first encaustic exhibit at the O'Hanlon Art Center in Mill Valley, CA. The exhibit runs from now until November 3, 2006. There was a great variety and high quality art work in encaustics there and if you are local and have time to stop by the Art Center, you'll really enjoy the exhibit!

There was an Artists Reception that I went to yesterday, October 7, 2006. Here are some photos I took:

As we walked up to the Art Center on Throckmorton Avenue, there was this amazing buck who had settled down in the shade and didn't seem phased by people at all. Almost looked like a statue, until he would turn and look you straight in the eye. Locals say there is a family of deer who seem pretty acclimated in that neighborhood. This buck seem to be wanting his cultural event on a Saturday night.


There is Elizabeth on the left and some of the art work on the lower level of the main building.


There is Gail Steinberg (the WCEA president) on the left chatting with Eric, probably about something VERY deep.


This is what my pieces looked like within the exhibit. I think they looked better being all displayed together like that.

Rodney Thompson's work is on the left, Cyndy Goldman's three pieces in the middle, and Nancy Pollock is there discussing artwork with some people.

Technorati tags: art , painting , encaustic paintings ,encaustic artists , west coast encaustic artists ,o'hanlon art center ,mill valley