Connecting with Technology

This afternoon Florida Department of Cultural Affairs hosted a teleconference "Connecting with Technology" with David Rowell (http://www.theatre.fsu.edu/) and Jeri Goldstein (http://www.performingbiz.com/). The topics they covered were: Target Your Audiences, Maximize Your Email Campaigns, Optimize Your Web Site, Write Focused, Audience Specific Copy, Use Social Marketing to Build Audiences and Drive Traffic to Your Main Site and Blog Effectively.

This was the second conference I have attended put on by this department and they both have been outstanding AND Free! I highly recommend that everyone go to http://www.florida-arts.org/ and register to receive quarterly notices for everything from these types of conferences to calls to artists. So easy!!!

Show Schedule

Florida Cracker House - Evinston, Fl

I painted the "Florida Cracker House" during the Heart of Florida Plein Air Paint Out this past April. This is a pioneer home just down the street from the Wood and Swink Post Office and Country Store in Evinston. If you havn't visited there you should. Evinston is just north of MacIntosh off Hwy 441.

My show schedule is beginning to fill up already. As I mentioned previously, my solo exhibit at Thornebrook Gallery in Gainesville will run September 5 -20. I stopped by the gallery yesterday to drop off two paintings that had been purchased by collectors who live in the area. Gallery owner, David Arrighi, allows me to leave paintings with him, making it easier for those in the area to pick them up there, instead of traveling to Ocala. I took this opportunity to discuss the upcoming show, refresh my memory about the space and have a better idea about how many and what sized paintings I will need.

October brings three juried Festivals I have applied for: Thornebrook Mall-Oct. 4-5, Winter Park Oct. 11-12 and Ocala Oct. 25-26. Also, if I can split myself in two there is the Invitational Crescent Beach Plein Air Event Oct. 21-25.

Disney Festival of the Masters is November 7-9. And I just received a call yesterday from the A.E. Backus Gallery in Ft. Pierce inviting me to exhibit November 25 - Jan. 3, 2009.

In addition to building my collection for these shows I have several commissions I need to finish. As you see, the work never ends. Remember the old saying "a person never works a day in their life if they are doing something they love". Wow! I sure am lucky!!!

April, May, June Events

Classic Florida - MacIntosh


The Heart of Florida Plein Air Paint Out was outstanding. I highly recommend this event as THE one to see. The quality of art produced during the event is some of the best plein air paintings out there...and to actually WATCH the artists create these master pieces is extraordinary. If you would like to know about the next one email me. My painting Classic Florida was done during the paint out.

The Elliot Museum exhibit was also first class. The OUT OF HAND ARTISTS SALON had been invited to exhibit as a group. The art ranged from my Florida landscapes painted in oil, to equine paintings by Sharon Crute and Moe Hahn, portraits by Merrill Andersen, and landscapes and still life paintings by Nancy Moskovitz and Mary Verrandeaux. If you did not get a chance to see this show let me know, when we have another group show I will send you the Where and When.

For those of you on the east side of Florida and those who might like to visit, the Elliot Museum is an extension of the Historical Society of Martin County. They have an extensive collection of items recording the history of the area. While there, take a few minutes and visit the House of Refuge Museum located right on the ocean. This is a great place to learn about some of Florida's history.

LeMoyne Museum of Art sponsors the "Chain of Parks Fine Art Festival". This is a wonderful show in a charming setting in the heart of Tallahassee. My husband went ahead of me on Friday to set things up because I had to attend the Heart of Florida reception Friday night. I was up very early Saturday morning and on my way, getting to the show before it opened at 9 AM. It was well worth the effort when I was presented with an Award of Merit at the artists dinner Saturday night. Wow! Winning an award sure is fun!

Wednesday, April 23 found me on the road again. This time I was headed for Ft. Pierce to participate in their first "Souvenirs of Downtown Plein Air Invitational Event". RL Davenport, owner of Brush Strokes Gallery & Framing, and Pam Gillette of Main Street Ft. Pierce, Inc. were Co-Chairs for the event. A portion of the sales went to benefit the Platts/Backus House Renovations and Main Street Fort Pierce, Inc. The weather was great and lots of people came out to see the artists at work and to purchase paintings.

So ends April. As you see this was an extremely busy month for me, but so much fun! Thank goodness things have quieted down as far as shows go.

The Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, offers many opportunities to artists from exhibits to workshops. Go on line (http://www.florida-arts.org/) and sign up for their notices. I applied for (by sending my portfolio) and was selected to participate in a workshop in Tequesta May 3. Yep, back in the car AGAIN. This was an all day workshop aimed at promoting our art work or "Doing the BUSINESS of your art". I made some great new friends and contacts in addition to learning lots.

May also found me in THE VILLAGES as the invited Judge for an art show there. All the art was well done making picking winners difficult. Congratulations to those who did win a ribbon and a hearty "pat on the back" for everyone who participated. It is hard to put your art out there for all to see, but exhibiting is a great chance for growth.

May brought a couple of graduations in my family. My older son, Chad, graduated from college with his Bachelors Degree in Business Management and his daughter, Damie (my only granddaughter) graduated from 4 Year Pre School, replete with cap and gown. Needless to say I am very proud of both of them.

My painting "Southern Skies" was juried into the Museum of Fine Art Bienniel in Deland. The Artists Reception was Friday, June 6. This is definitely a show to see. It fills two galleries, one downstairs and one upstairs. If you go, my painting hangs on the wall behind the reception desk in the downstairs gallery.

Well, that catches us up to the present. The summer is my major painting time to build my collection for the coming season starting in September. As I finish new paintings I will post some for you to preview.

Solo Exhibition

I am pleased to announce that Thornebrook Gallery in Gainesville now handles my work. And...David Arrighi, owner of the Gallery, has invited me to have a solo exhibition. The opening is scheduled for Friday, September 5 and runs through Saturday, September 20. I will fill you in on the details as things progress. In the mean time drop in to see a few of my paintings he currently has available:

Thornebrook Gallery
2441-6D NW 43 Street
Gainesville, Florida 32606
1-352-378-4947
1-800-449-4947

I still invite people to visit my studio in Ocala to see paintings and make purchases. The Gainesville gallery just makes it more convenient for those of you in that area to see my new work.

April was extremely busy

I am up early because I have a lot to do today. My granddaughter is having her 5th birthday party at my home tomorrow because we have a large swimming pool with divingboard, slide and waterfall. So, since my husband is away (remember the bowling tournament in Albequerque?) I need to get the grass cut (we have about 1 acre). Then I will help my daughter-in-law clean up the pool deck (from yesterday's swimming) and screened porch, check out the bar-b-q grill, and make sure the bathrooms are presentable. All of this before 2 this afternoon.

I have to be on the road by 3PM heading for Deland. The Museum of Florida Art Bienniel Artists Reception is this evening from 5PM-7PM. My painting Southern Skies was juried into the show!

Having filled you in on all that let me tell you about April:

April was one of my very busiest months starting off with the Sante Fe Community College Spring Arts Festival. This is usually a great show with good weather, but we had rain on and off all weekend with the show closing mid-afternoon on Sunday.

I had a couple of days to recover before the Heart of Florida Plein Air Invitational Event began on the following Friday (April 11-18). Annie Pais and Stewart Thomas once again put on an outstanding event; hundreds of people came out to watch the artists and BUY paintings, enjoyed hay rides to the various locations on private farms and ate great, locally prepared southern cooking in the Evinston Town Park next to the Wood and Swink Post Office and Store. Go to my web site to see a few of my paintings I created during the week. If you can't pick them out email me and I will tell you which ones they are and where they were painted.

I was invited to exhibit at the Elliott Museum in Stuart. Because I was at the paint out another artist in the show - fabulous equine artist Sharon Crute - delivered my paintings to the museum for me along with her own work. As luck would have it, the Museum Artist Reception was Friday night (April 18) in addition to the Heart of Florida Artist Reception the same night and time in Gainesville at the Thomas Center. I could not be in two places at once so, I opted to attend the paint out reception. I had to be in Tallahassee early Saturday morning for the Under the Oaks Art Festival and it was closer to travel from Gainesville than Stuart.

There is lots more to tell, but the lawn mower is calling me. I will continue the saga on Sunday and add in a few photos.

Birthday

Today is my birthday! I won't tell you the exact number but just admit to over 50 and that I qualify for the Senior Discount many places.

I have had a delightful day. Both of my adult sons called and sang Happy Birthday to me (tradition in our family). My husband called from Albuquerque (on a bowling tournament jaunt) and sang, but more importantly told me where to find my gift! My wonderful daughter-in-law came over with the grandchildren and we all swam in the pool. Now I am getting ready for them to pick me up and take me to dinner! Things could not be more perfect.

I will be back here tomorrow to fill you in on last April's shows.

Finally, a new posting

Wow, I can't believe it has been so long since I last published an entry!

If you are wondering what I have been doing here it goes:

March 1-2, I was in Ft. Pierce for the A. E. Backus Fine Art Festival. Because Beanie Backus was my friend and mentor for many years I always participate in everything that honors his memory and outstanding work.

Monday, March 3, I headed to Apopka for the week long Wekiva State Park Invitational Plein Air Event. I had a great time painting and visiting with many artist friends I had not seen in a while. Linda Blondheim, Elizabeth Ferber and I shared a cabin which quickly became the place to be each evening after it became to dark to paint. And of course, Larry Moore suggested s'mores around the roaring campfire, so off went Peter Carolyn to get all the necessary supplies.
We all gained about 10 pounds each that night.

Here are two of the paintings I did that week.



I could not stay the entire week at Wekiva because Thursday March 6, I headed to Vero Beach for the three day Under the Oaks Fine Art Festival, March 7-9.

Then back down to Ft. Pierce March 28 to attend the artists reception at the Backus Gallery. My very good friend Susan Cassens was exhibiting her work for the first time! I HAD to be there!!!

Tomorrow I will fill you in on my April schedule: two more festival shows, two paint outs and a museum exhibit.