I submitted a couple of pieces to the Hott Sheet show at the Wonder Fair gallery here in Lawrence. I don’t show much of my “art” all that often, so I thought I’d post what I submitted to the show. The show’s opening sounds like it’s going to be a big party, so if you’re looking for something to do on Friday, you should definitely stop by!

Hott Sheets Art Exhibition
When: Friday, June 25, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Where: Wonder Fair: Art Gallery, Shoppe and Studio, Lawrence

I’ve been thinking about starting a series of flat, graphic African masks since I really love working with the shapes, colors and emotion. This piece is an initial exploration of this concept, painted in acrylics.

This piece is based on the nursery rhyme:
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.

There are some very colorful explanations of what this nursery rhyme means, so I thought I’d work that into the piece as well! I also wanted to work on some drawn type, so this seemed like a great place to experiment with that.

For the first studio tour of 2009, I visited the workspace of artist and illustrator, Lora Jost. I first met Lora when we worked together on a poster for the River City Reading Festival and I was so amazed by her illustration that I asked if I could visit her studio to see her workspace and more of her beautiful art. Lora uses several unique techniques in creating her work including scratchboard, ceramic mosaic, and collage. Her pieces draw from personal experiences and collected stories which are depicted with elements of beauty, whimsy, darkness, and joy. From her artist statement:

“I am drawn to experiences that are mundane, whimsical, and socially urgent. I like to mix these themes, and find how they link in spirit. I hope that viewers will identify with the stories my pictures tell. I hope that my art, in some small way, deepens our collective appreciation and compassion for each other and for life itself.”

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Above image courtesy of Michael Krueger

This is just a quick post to point you to a nice interview with University of Kansas art professor Michael Krueger. You can see more of his artwork on his website.

There’s one more show I’d like to encourage everyone to go check out! Heather Smith Jones has some of her beautiful work up at The Merc at 901 Iowa St. in Lawrence, KS. The show ends on February 1, 2009, but if you can’t make it to the gallery, be sure and check out her Etsy shop.

Also, if you didn’t see it, I did a studio visit with Heather recently and showcased some of her great artwork!

I have to say that it’s been a power week for gallery shows. There’s a lot to see right now, so get out there and support some artists!

Just wanted to mention another great art opening happening this week. On Friday, December 5th, 2008, Tad Carpenter and Dan Padavic are showcasing some of their new paintings, art prints, clothing, stationery, and gig posters at 1800 Baltimore (formerly Habitat Shoe Boutique) in the Kansas City Crossroads Arts District from about 6-9 p.m.

I’ve known Tad for a few years now and his stuff is amazing. I definitely recommend checking out this show and even if you can’t make it this Friday, the work will be up until December 28th, so don’t miss it!

Also, while you’re down there, you might check out the University of Kansas Art Department’s new Red Door Art Gallery, a gallery designed to showcase work created by current and former KU students and faculty.

Above image courtesy of Tad Carpenter