Sweetheart Fever at Paseo smART Show
Sweetheart Fever, acrylic on canvas, 9 x 4 inches, 2013 by Sarah Atlee.
The title of this piece comes from a song by Scout Niblett. About the Oklahoma City Paseo Art Association's annual smART show:
Do you enjoy attending art shows but haven’t seriously considered purchasing art yourself? If so, the smART show is designed for you! Featuring more than forty small works (15” x 15” x 15” or smaller) by emerging and established Paseo artists, the smART show aims at encouraging art admirers to become art buyers.
Purchasing original artwork is a fantastic way to support artists directly, as well as offering purchasers a chance to live with something they love. With works priced between $45 and $199, the smART show is a unique opportunity for artists and collectors alike.
The smART show will open on April 5, from 6-10pm, as part of the Paseo Arts Association’s First Friday Gallery Walk. Come for the smART show and stay to enjoy opening receptions in twenty galleries scattered along the Paseo Arts District.
This year's juror is Thomas Batista, who is the founder, owner, and manager of the Batista School of Art located in Oklahoma City's own Paseo Arts District.
The Art I Can Show You Now
These paintings were created for the 2013 edition of Money Talks, Art Walks benefit auction at IAO Gallery in Oklahoma City. (Read more about that in my previous post, The Art I Won't Show You.) This year's auction is over now, so here they are.
Boomerang, acrylic on Bristol, 6.5 x 5 inches, 2013 by Sarah Atlee.
Not Here Right Now, acrylic on Bristol, 6.5 x 5 inches, 2013 by Sarah Atlee.
It's So Quiet, acrylic on Bristol, 6.5 x 5 inches, 2013 by Sarah Atlee.
The Art I Won't Show You
Shhh, it's a secret! No, not these. The two paintings pictured here are from last year's Money Talks, Art Walks benefit auction at IAO Gallery in Oklahoma City. You can't see my 2013 contributions yet.
Francine, acrylic on paper, 2012 by Sarah Atlee.
Aww, but I wanna!
In this show of sculptures and works on paper, all 8.5 x 11" or smaller, the artists' names are hidden. People attending the show may purchase tickets for $100, $75, or $50, and when they do so, their names go into the hat. When a name is drawn, that person has 30 seconds to pick out the piece they want to take home.
The $100 ticket holders get to pick first!
Inappropriate! acrylic on paper, 2012 by Sarah Atlee.
You have to show up to see the new paintings.
What: Money Talks, Art Walks: A Different Kind of Art Auction
When: Saturday, March 16, 2013, 7-10 pm
Where: IAO Gallery, 706 W Sheridan, Oklahoma City
How Much: Regular admission is $10, then it's $100, $75, or $50 to take home the art.
Why: Other than because it's wicked fun? You'll be supporting one of the best contemporary art venues in Oklahoma, and you'll get to take home an original work from one of scads of talented Oklahoma artists.
See you there.
My Lavender Standby
Purple (Dinosaur, Peter, Duck and), acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24 inches, 2011 by Sarah Atlee.
"She's not as concerned with immediate issues of physical self-defense, so I gather that she's in a safe living situation. However, her new guardian must be an emotionally distant sort, because she frequently seeks solace under the wings of Duck."
Carl looked funny. "Duck?"
"One of the four personages who accompanies and advises Princess Nell. Duck embodies domestic, maternal virtues. Actually, Peter and Dinosaur are now gone - both male figures who embodied survival skills."
"Who's the fourth one?
"Purple. I think she'll become a lot more relevant to Nell's life around puberty."
- Stephenson, Neal. The Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer. Bantam Dell, 1995.
Click on any image to view its source.
Winter storm over the Northeast (night time thermal image) from NASA Goddard Photo and Video on Flickr.
Untitled by Flickr user Peregrine Blue.
Untitled by Flickr user Billy Plummer.
Untitled by Flickr user Billy Plummer.
Norfolk Lavender 10-07-2010 by Flickr user Karen Roe.
Read about the various uses of lavender on Wikipedia and the University of Maryland Medical Center.
So I Can Put A Buffalo On It
Rooster Study, after Seabourn, acrylic on masonite, 12 x 8 inches, 2011 by Sarah Atlee.
Hey, artists. We all know that we should never stop learning, right? Good, I'm glad we're on the same page about that. I love your hair that way.
I've been taking a painting class taught by beloved Oklahoma artist Bert Seabourn at Oklahoma Contemporary (which, until last week, was called City Arts Center). This is the second time I've taken Bert's class, which is really more of an open workshop. The images in this post are from the first time I took his class in 2011.
I've been to art school. Why am I taking a painting class?
Dancer Study, after Seabourn, acrylic on canvas, 18 x 12 inches, 2011 by Sarah Atlee.
Because it's seriously fun.
A little bit of influence can go a long way. In Bert's class, I always paint something completely different from what I would have made on my own. There's no pressure - I'm not painting for a show, and I'm not getting any grades. As students, we get an open class format in which to experiment, ask questions, try new things, and get input from a master painter. We also learn by watching other students paint in our individual styles.
So I can learn by watching Bert.
Bert begins class by handing out copies of a sketch, a previous painting, or some other image that interests him. He invites each student to interpret the image in their own way.
Bert also paints along with us. He brings a new canvas to every class, makes a sketch (usually with vine charcoal), and the paints a painting. It's a little bit magic. Also, he's been doing this for awhile. You can see from his work that he paints in an energetic, spontaneous way, which makes it all the more wonderful to see him in action.
He walks around the classroom and makes suggestions, helping us if we get stuck or mired in a difficult spot. But, even more than his direct feedback, I love having an environment where I know I can try anything.
Seated Man Study, after Seabourn, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 10 inches, 2011 by Sarah Atlee.
So I can dedicate time to paint.
When I'm in class, I stand over a canvas and paint on it for two hours, without thinking about much else. I don't know what I'll paint before I get into the room. When I leave, I take a painting with me that may not be finished, but it's off to a solid start, and it's something I didn't expect.
Paint Chip Buffalo, acrylic on masonite, 10 x 8 inches, 2011 by Sarah Atlee.
What is the Ninja, Kung Fu, and/or Vulcan weapon equivalent of this class?
It would have to be that awesome two-in-one sword that Michelle Yeoh uses in this fight scene. Working with Bert slices straight through what I know about painting, then comes back and hits me from the side with things I didn't know I could do. Excellent question, thank you.
Oklahoma Contemporary has an excellent education department, with classes for adults and kids in all media. They are a great asset to the OKC Metro - check 'em out.