Promoting an Art Show - 101

As previously mentioned, my best friend Karen, my best friend Shirlie and I – (all being around the age of those who remember when Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland became bored and declared – “I know, lets produce a show!”) thought it might be fun to produce our own art show. 

It would be a very upscale event.  We would handpick the artists.  We would have door prizes. We would serve refreshments. All those with a true appreciation of original and fine art would seek us out.

So we did.  And we called the event Savor the Arts and – guess what – all the above came true.  WOW – was that ever fun.

Or not.  We forgot one little thing – that four-letter word that I never use and do not wish those around me to use – WORK

So lets discuss how to really promote an art show.

Lesson No. 1 - of course – location, location, location.

Since our best friend Karen lives in Marlbank and had access to the Marlbank clubhouse that decision was easy.

Lesson No, 2 – pick a date.  One that does not interfere with any other art show being held on that date – not so easy.  But doable.

Now we have made it to the fun part – selecting the artists.

In my not so humble opinion – the most important part of the show.  And a perfect segue to the introduction of the artists you will meet in this years show.  

In our 2011 show my best friend Noreen Dobratz earned the title “Queen of Fiber Art.”   One picture - thousand words!

Talk about upbeat and uninhibited!  Both Noreen and her jackets!   Shouldn’t we expect that from someone born and raised in San Francisco?

We are ever so grateful that she and her husband Duane moved to Williamsburg. Noreen is a member of the American Sewing Guild and both the Yorktown Art Gallery and Blue Skies Gallery in Hampton, Virginia show her jackets.   She has won four national creativity awards.  Noreen continues to build her skills through classes in design and fiber art techniques.

I first met Angela Stroup through the Peninsula Fine Arts Center in Newport News, VA.  – (better known as PFAC.)  When I saw her display of fine art I knew she would fit right in.  Not only is she multi talented, she is one of the most caring, sharing and giving persons I have had the pleasure to meet.  Please click on her name, go to her website, and read Angela’s full story.

My meeting Angela proves that if you spend your days in galleries and museums and surround yourself with fine art you will meet only the best artists.

(Okay – so it was the PFAC Girl’s Night Out and along with showing her art she was giving belly dancing lessons – could it get any better than that?)

This is Angela's  painting chosen to grace the front of our postcard:

Until next time and more artists to meet  - remember - chocolate makes your clothes shrink.

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

Some people collect salt shakers - I collect best friends. Collecting best friends is a lot like any other collection.  Sometimes you look and look and find nothing and then comes a day when you strike pay dirt!! 

My big pay day came when I joined the Tidewater Art Guild . This amazing group of women was formed after a few of us met at an Art and Soul Retreat.  My best friend Catherine suggested that those of us attending the retreat from the tidewater region of Virginia form a local group and meet regularly to indulge our artistic endeavors.  Thus was born TAG.

Salt shakers are sometimes pretty - sometimes witty - sometimes just plain cute,  But can they do anything?  Perhaps - if you need salt to pour on a wound - but how often does that happen?

I prefer the salt of the earth.  According to the Oxford Dictionary of Idioms, the phrase "salt of the earth" is now used to describe a person or  persons of great kindness, reliability and honesty.  Although Oxford didn't mention it - also a perfect description of my best friends.

About now I need a picture - worth a thousand words and all that.
But I don't have one.
And that leads us back to the first posting of this blog where I admitted I did not have a clue as to how this whole thing works.  Especially how to post pictures - or even how to take a good picture - among other things - like followers, and links.

Enter my best friend Pam.    Pam spent the afternoon with me and patiently led me through the ins and outs of gadgets for the blog.  Now I can add links, my friends can become followers of the blog and even put in their email so they will be notified when I have a new posting.   She also put in a link to my Picasa Gallery.  Now the problem is getting the pictures to the gallery in the first place.

Now that those gadgets are in place I thought I would tell you a bit about the past weekend spent with some of the TAG members at my best friend Catherine's house.  Pam should have stayed longer - I can't seem to grasp that whole photo thing.

Enter my best friend Dawn.  Please click on her name (see how well I learned) and you will be led to her amazing Blog which completely covers our Tag Art Camp - with pictures and everything.  WOW - what an amazing woman.

Good Heavens.  This Blog thing is a piece of cake -   All I have to do is put in a link to all my interests
and my followers will be entertained forever.

Can you hardly wait to see who I link with tomorrow?

By the way, as days go by  you will no doubt learn to take a lot of what I say wih a grain of  salt!!

Imagine My Surprise

Early this morning, while basking in the glow of actually getting my blog online at last, I foolishly clicked on Savor the Arts.  Ready to post again – eager to see if I remembered anything I learned yesterday!

Apparently Not!

I was immediately led to a nice manly, but blank, page – listed as belonging to my George.   I asked him how that happened!

Guess he doesn't know either. 

My intentions were good.  Today’s blog would have been the first of my  “Lessons learned promoting your very own art show”

The above pic is from the very first one!  And the one and only picture from that event that  I have been able to upload.

So - Lesson No. 1 - Get help from your friends!!!!  And I will.  This upcoming weekend I will be traveling to Virginia Beach to teach a class in metal etching,  a technique learned  from my best friends Linda and Opie O'Brien and Melissa Manley.

Aside from teaching, I will be learning how to fine tune my Blog from a few of my friends in the Tidewater Art Guild.  And then I will be able to take better pictures, post them, add links,  and make comments.

 Really??    Trust me!

In the meantime, since I didn't talk about my artful passion in the last blog, this one is going to be all about me!

 

Okay - so the pictures are really from a Halloween party.   But, believe me, I have seen that look on his face  many, many times!!!!

After exhibiting in art shows for 20 years I retired from that career, sold the van and all the accouterments.  No more the days and nights of painting to get ready for a show – no packing – no driving long distances– no setting up – no taking down.

Peace and quiet at last.  How boring.  My fingers were itchy.   My mind was stagnant.   And then I saw an ad for Art and Soul – in Hampton – in Virginia - just down the street  - almost.

How fast can you sign up for not only a full day class every day of the retreat – but the night classes as well?  Bless computers – 15 minutes max!

Although all the classes I took were painting related – I met Susan Lenart Kazmer.  Oh the inspiration, the envy, and the desire to own every piece of jewelry she ever made.  Don’t know how to add a link to her site.  Please Google her name and see for yourself.

I did speak to the people at social security about my need to increase the amount of my checks.  They looked at me askance - As I said above, I get that a lot - and suggested I learn to make my own jewelry.  So I did!

And this is a sample of my passion 

Until next time - 

Blessed be the cracked, for they shall let in the light

Savor The Arts

Welcome friends - old, new and yet to meet

This is my first attempt at blogging.  So far - not one of the things I savor - 

However, I am assured it will become easy for me, please bear with me until then.

Altho I am not yet an accomplished blogger, I am most definitely a Savorer.  Mr. Webster informs me the word means "one who savors".   And I do!  So many things - the arts (hence the title of this blog) music - travel - creating - decorating and design - gardening – art retreats - the list goes on and on.

Did I mention shopping?

Above all, I savor friendship.  And it was the friendship of two women who started this latest adventure in my life.

Meet my best friend Shirlie

And my best friend Karen

Both friends retired from careers in the education field and are now enjoying living the artful life.

Shirlie is a most wonderful artist.  She has participated in many Art Shows throughout Virginia.  Her paintings are now on display at the Gallery at York Hill In Yorktown, Virginia.  She is a new member of the Hampton Art League.

Karen’s passion is jewelry. Her designs use semi-precious stones collected from her travels across the United States and Europe. She joined with her sister, my best friend Sandy, to create their business – Designs 2 Wear –featuring one of a kind pieces that have been featured in museum shops and boutiques   in three different states.   

Wouldn't you just know this new adventure  led me to becoming one of the 3 promoters of a fine art show.  And trying to learn about bloging - and taking  really good pictures - and - oh my goodness - the agony of actually uploading anything I did.  


You are invited to learn more about Savor The Arts - when, why and where - and of course who.  
Tomorrow for sure (?) I will  be telling you a little about how we started our adventure and as the days go I will also be posting pictures of our participating artisans and telling you a little about them also.


In the meantime - 


Have a blessed and blissful day!!