Seasons On St. Croix- Oct Show

Hi people. Next weekend my show opens! Seasons is the most beautiful gallery. If you haven't been there recently- they've moved across the street into a completely brand new space and it is AMAZING. I can't wait to see how my stuff looks in this fabulous setting!

How would you like waking up to this every morning?

Hint Hint-- This view could be the last thing you see at night, and the first thing every morning.

Like mixed textures? Bringing natural elements into your home or office?

Hint Hint-- You may want to be sure to attend the opening if you want a crack at some very cool, unique, and scarce (These are one-off's, and there are only a few) occasional tables.

See you there I hope, but if not, the show runs all month. Back to work for me. I have a TON to do in the next week!

Feel free to share, forward etc, as always-- and sign up to be a follower if you want a chance to win some free art!

Oct 2nd Opening!

Hi everyone. People always ask me if I work well on a deadline. This is probably because as one approaches I'm increasingly disheveled and crazed. I guess I'd have to say yes.

I wish it weren't so. I wish I was one of those people who can pace themselves, but anytime I get a gap in my schedule where it would be good to simply work at a sane pace, I manage to fill it with another obligation. As show deadlines approach, particularly for gallery shows, I find myself raising the bar continually, making for some very long workdays.

All I can tell you is that while things aren't going as quickly as I'd like, I am very happy with the results so far. I think this might be the best show I've ever put together. We'll see.

I got the proof for the card the other day. Nice huh? The piece of steel featured will be hanging on a wall at the opening.

I hope you'll all be able to make it. Remember-- a fun night out with free wine and snacks, plus me and a bunch of other cool people hanging out in Hudson for couple hours-- What's not to like?

Please pass this info along to anyone you think might be interested. (Share on FB, forward, etc) Thanks!

Hi People. Last week I made a mad dash to the north shore (an over 4 hour drive each way in one day) to deliver the first batch of "Groves" and some swoopy, delicate looking, almost sea creature-like steel and driftwood sculptures to Kahneetah Gallery between Lutsen and Grand Marais. Be sure to stop in if you're going up.

I've actually added a link list of all the galleries I do business with over on the right. Check them out-- all different, all cool.

Second order of business-- the drawing for two tree sculptures is only a few weeks away. Two of the "followers" of this blog will win-- sign up over on the right. It's private and safe, plus, even if you don't win you'll be known far and wide as a cool in the loop person. Who else would follow this blog?? Get on it people.

As far as my work goes, preparations continue for my next show which opens Fri Oct 2nd at Seasons On St. Croix in Hudson WI. Oh- excuse me, got a little loud there. But I'm getting so excited!

I've had birds on the brain. I think there will be some birds present. Also some trees. Yesterday I went for a little walk around my woods and it was like some magical faerie land. I have visions of the canopy I'm working on being like a midnight garden- full of roosting birds and bursting with life.

These- okay I don't even know what they're called but they came from inside water heaters- are mysterious shapes I've been looking at for almost a year. I'm seeing them becoming some kind of cool modern shelves now, we'll see...

This next show will be a melding of my past work- things taken from nature, and of course what's going on with me right now. I really love the material I work with, and my skill level has really gone up in the last few years as far as welding etc.

I love the process of coloring the steel, even when it's being uncooperative as it has been this week. I have about 4 tables I'm pretty psyched about, but the tops are being very stubborn.

The process I use isn't easily controlled. The layers of color need to be like veils- just the right amount of moisture to let the rust come through. Sometimes the steel just doesn't want to oxidize as fast as I want it to and I use salt and vinegar on it.

Sometimes it looks perfect, but when I go back an hour later to check it the rust has completely obliterated the beautiful color I had gotten just right. Layers. Layers and layers of rust and color not always cooperating.

Stay tuned... (Remember to mark your calendars for Oct 2nd, sign up to be a follower, and pass this along to anyone you think might be interested. Thanks!)

Hi people. I'm working furiously to get things ready for my next show which opens in Hudson WI at Seasons On St. Croix Gallery (click link) Fri Oct 2nd.

I thought I'd talk a little about why I show my work various ways and tease you with some close-ups of the beautiful material I work with-- steel. You'll have to come to the show to see what becomes of the steel pictured in these shots.

Recently I had a show at my place, an open house. It was the first time in years I'd done any such thing and it was a good experience. It gives me a chance to meet some of the people who enjoy my art and get direct feedback. That's why I do the 50 on 50th show every spring and fall too.

Another motivation for doing DIY (do it yourself) shows is that aside from paying an entry fee- you keep whatever $ you make on the art. (Well, kind of. We artists generally give back about 37% of our income after self-employment, income, and soc sec taxes are taken out.)

When you show at a gallery, you as the artist pay them a cut, anywhere from 35 to 50%. If they are a good gallery (as all the ones I work with are) they more than earn this by running an attractive, friendly, beautifully maintained space, displaying and lighting your work to its best advantage, and putting it before many sets of eyes that may otherwise never see it.

There's a different kind of pressure when preparing for a gallery show. Your work will be shown amid other top notch artist's works, and it needs to stand up. Sometimes you finish creating a piece and while there's nothing wrong with it, it just doesn't have "it". I don't bring those pieces to galleries. Only the very best examples of my work make the cut.

Why is it worth it to you- as an art appreciator to attend both kinds of shows? DIY shows give you a chance to connect personally with the artist if you choose to, and to see some smaller, more value priced pieces you might miss if you stuck only to galleries.

Gallery shows usually have opening night parties that are free and very welcoming and fun to attend. Going to see work in a gallery gives you a chance to see the very best of that artist's efforts, and be exposed to other great artists, new things you'd not see at a DIY show, and you can get ideas for creative ways to group & mix art in your home or office.

Look for sneak peeks in the coming weeks, and don't forget to sign up to be a follower of this blog (on right) and be eligible for the drawing for a "Grove" sculpture.