Art Fair Application Season

It's time..  probably my least favorite time of the year.  I pick through various art fairs, listen to recommendations from my friends, look at my family calendar and other commitments and select several art fairs.  I always apply for more than my inventory will support because I know the inevitable rejections are only a month or two down the road.  My goal.. Be admitted to at least three solid fine art shows with good attendance.  I am trying to branch out because the Madison area audience is becoming familiar-- perhaps too familiar-- with my work.  You begin to get comments similar to --oh it's you again.   Traveling means added expenses and requires that I have good sales so I am shooting for the moon and trying for some really great art fairs in the Midwest.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!    I will be making many new pieces and will have many on exhibit in the mean time,  

The official announcement! 

These are photos of my newest work.  The lower photo gives you a close up of the work.  The upper photo shows the art after it has been mounted on suede mat board and framed with a birchwood veneer framed.  I really love the total affect.   This piece will have it's grand debut at the fiber art exhibit in Sturgeon Bay on January 18th along with 8 other pieces of framed 2 D felt art.   

I have been selected to participate in this fiber art exhibition at the Miller Museum in Sturgeon Bay.   The artists reception is January 18th from 3 - 4:30    I will have eight pieces of 2 D framed felt art included in the exhibition.  

miller art museum announces 

44^th Juried Annual Exhibition 

—Miller Art Museum presents Textile Tableau: An Exploration of Painting with Fibers

Opening January 18-February 24, 2020

Opening reception is Saturday, January 18^th from 3:00pm -4:30pm, and is free and open to the public.  

Textile Tableau: An Exploration of Painting with Fibers present artists who are usurping the use of paint by incorporating the methodologies and canons of painting as starting points for their greater exploration into fiber-based work.   Painting with needle and thread, these artists create textile tableaus that explore established genres like portraiture, abstraction and landscapes.  Using a variety of mediums, works display techniques in quilting, weaving, embroidery, felting and wearable art.

This exhibition features works by eight participating artists including: Susan Hoffmann, Sister Bay; Wendy Carpenter, Fish Creek; Sandra Martinez, Jacksonport; Heidi Parkes, Milwaukee; Sandra Wysock, Madison; Pam Collins, Staples, MN; Peter Horjus and Laura Shrewsbury, New Orleans, LA.

Also debuting in the Gerhard C.F Miller Gallery on the museum’s upper level is a permanent installation recreating Gerhard C.F. Miller’s painting studio featuring Miller’s studio furniture, personal library of art books, painting equipment, unfinished works and more on loan from Miller’s Grandson, David Utzinger

The Mezzanine Gallery highlights works from the permanent collection and new acquisitions.  On view are works by Curt Frankenstein, Austin Frasier, Doris White, William Pribble and spotlighting the art and life of Ruth Grotenrath. 

The museum is located within the Door County Library, 107 South 4th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay. Hours are Monday 10-8, Tuesday through Saturday 10-5. Closed Sunday. Admission is free; an elevator is available 

to access galleries on the Ruth Morton Miller Mezzanine. For more information about the exhibit or the museum, call (920) 746-0707 or visit www.millerartmuseum.org.

Update for Fall of 2019

Art Fair season is drawing to a close.... at least for me.   I won't be participating in holiday fairs this year.   If you are interested in particular pieces I can open my studio by appointment.

Agora Art Fair in Fitchburg was a great art fair and to make it even better, I was awarded the Award for Excellence.   I also have a request to provide art to a textile exhibition in Sturgeon Bay and a commission that will keep me busy in the coming weeks.   I am actually receiving invitations for next year's art fairs already so time to think ahead to 2020.

Thank you for all of your encouragement and support throughout the past year.  

New art 2019

Art Fair Season is coming and I am working on new art.  This year I am working on integrating new fibers, textures and techniques with an emphasis creativity over productivity.    As a result, I am taking a bit of a breather.   My work will be displayed in various locations but I will participate in fewer art fairs.   My first art fair this year is Art Fair Off the Square.   Attached are examples of new work.  The birch trees incorporate a new shading technique that relies on the different types of sheep's wool felting at different rates.  I also used many silk fibers to add a shine.    The second piece is wool completely covered in china silk.  The silk traps various fibers and silk worm cocoons between the wool and silk.  The result is a wonderfully textured surface.   I am looking forward to creating some larger pieces using this technique.  

Art Fairs coming up and I realize that I have neglected this site.  I have kept up my Facebook Page.
I will be in Spring Green Wisconsin.  I seem a bit stuck on yellow field but I absolutely love them.  The wheat fields of the Palouse roll and roll.  They are mixed with chick peas and lentils.  The patterns are amazing.  I also love the canola.  It is brilliant yellow and when it blooms next to the fresh green spring grass it is stunning.   I have been making more cranes this year as well .. they sell as soon as I complete them so I will keep making a few cranes.  I would love to complete a larger scenery picture with whooping cranes before Art Fair off the Square.