Brookgreen Fall Festival 9 '10

It's been a busy year for art and cultural activities, many of which require a lot of effort to participate in.  When when Brookgreen Gardens opened it annual Fall Family Festival,  the chance to have some fun,  without a lot of work,  sounded very inviting.  As always,  looking at all the handmade  scarecrows were our favorite thing to do .  This year's entries had real character!

I'm now officially an Exhibiting Member of the Charlston Artist Guild 9 '10

Hurrah!  I am soooo happy.  I have been officially upgraded to an Exhibiting member of the Charleston Artist Guild


It's been a long week /month.  I  belong to four different art guilds.  Beicoming a member of the guilds is easy... Just pay your dues,  But becoming accepted as an exhibiting artist in each of them, and putting things into each of their shows, requires an effort over and beyond what the wallet will buy.  The most difficult for me has been the Charleston Artists Guild.   Not only do  members have to pay their dues, be active in the organization, and attend the meetings, but they have to be accepted in  through a rigorous jurying process which only occurs twice a year. 

So???? you say... 


The catch is that all of the above takes place in Charleston which is a 75 mile drive ( one way.)  So this past week I put 150 miles on my car hauling three paintings down to the guilds gallery on a Sunday morning. I  had to drop three, original, framed paintings off between 9 and 9:30 am.  Then while the paintings were being judged on composition, brushwork, consitency of style, theme etc, I had to wait around for four hours in the heat to pick the paintings up again. 


Two days later I  make another 150 mile trip to  Charleston to attend the Guild's, first membership meeting of the year.

Then , after two days of nail biting wondering whether I would be accepted.....Hurray!  The acceptance letter just arrived.   I am so happy.

"So why all the bother?", you ask.

Answer:

(1)  Exposure:  The Guild's Gallery is right on the main tourist drag in the heart of the arts and historical district.  In addition they sponsor and participate in manyhighly visible art shows all around the city.

(2) Prestige:  Because they are picky about who can be an exhibitor, they have a reputation for high quality work, so just saying you are an exhibiting memebr improves my resume.

(3) Personal Growth:  They sponsor all sorts of lectures and workshops with well known instructors, and just there is much to be learned just hanging out with other high califber artists.

And (4) $$$ is always a consideration.  Just look at the prizes for an upcoming exhibition being help next month...

Awards:

People’s Choice (determined by public voting) - $500

Purchase Award - $1,800

Best in Show - $900

First Place - $400

Second Place    - $300

Third Place - $200

Honorable Mention (4 awards) - $50

Winning one of those ought to pay for the gas to Charleston and back.

Butterfly Migration 9 '10

 BJ and I  just realized this year that we are living on the Eastern butterfly migration route.  From September through October there was wave after wave of butterflies floating through on their way south.   We counted at least nine different species.  Sometimes there were so many in the air that it looked like falling leaves… except that the leaves hadn’t changed colors yet.  It was especially noticeable near the ocean where there were not trees to force them into higher elevations.  Walking along the beach was like being on a freeway of colored wings.

Behind the scenes: Brushstrokes Exhibit at Prevost Gallery 9 '10

The Brushstrokes Water-media Exhibit at the Prevost Gallery was a huge success, but 'success', did not 'just happen'.  Both the museum gallery and the members of the Georgetown Water Color Society put a lot of work into this exhibition and it paid off.

First both  the Guild and the gallery sent out invitations to everyone we knew.   As a result, we had a huge turn-out and the gallery was packed. (Below)










Unlike a art competition where the shown work is an judged and prizes are awarded to the winning artists, this was an exhibition.Tickets for door prizes were handed out to the attending artists and guests. The Georgetown Water- media Society Janice Cowan drew the winning tickets for the door prizes of gift certificates for dinner for two at local restaurants (below). Needless to say one of our members had to solicit those door prizes.

Saying it was not a judged show,  doesn't mean there were not any requirements to get ones work into the show:

• Each member was allowed to only one entry
• The quality had to be sufficent to gain approval of the Prevost gallery director.
• The work had to be less than 30" in any dimension including the frame ( There's not a lot of wall space in the gallery).
• The work had to have been painted in the last year.
• The work could not have been shown before within Georgetown County.
• The work had to be for sale, and
• The  price had to be commensurate with the quality of the piece.
• The work had to be watermedia....  (This was the hardest requirement  for me to as I am primarily a oil painter.)

Someone then had to sort , arrange the entries, and hang.  Others had to help with the food service at the reception.  In short it tokk an all hands on deck approach to make the event successful.  What better way for a new artist to learn about the behind the scene activities  necessary for selling art, than to get involved in one of these local art events.

Georgetown Rice Museum "Brushstrokes Exhibit 9 '10

The Rice Museum, known locally as The Town Clock, is located in the Old Market Building and is a prominent symbol of Georgetown County. Through dioramas, maps, artifacts and other exhibits, visitors to the Museum are enlightened to the history of a society dependent on the rice crop. In 1750, George Town became the center of rice production in the South Carolina colony. By 1840, the Georgetown District (later County) produced nearly one-half of the total rice crop of the United States. The 1850s proved to be the most profitable decade for the rice planters. The Rice Museum chronicles this most important American time line and its impact on not only South Carolina, but internationally as well.

The Prevost Museum Gallery is located next door to the Town Clock in the Kaminski Hardware Building. The upstairs museum contains maritime and colonial artifacts from the rice production era.  The downstairs gallery and  gift shop is filled with high end antiques and  locally made decorator items.  In addition the downstairs gallery walls regularly sponsor low-country art exhibits and judged art shows . It is a major center for art and culture in the community.

This month I entered an acrylic on watercolor paper scene of an egret into the Prevost Gallery's Brushstrokes Exhibit..  While it  and exhibit, not a judged show, there were some serious per-requisites for entry.   I was pleased  just to be accepted into the exhibit.

Many of our friends and neighbors showed up for the reception

( above: Jim Sullivan and Noreen Sneed. Below: Noreen Sneed and the Blades)

My artwork drew a lot of positive comments during the receptions and I felt honored to be in such good company.

Yellow Fringed Orchids and Plantation Houses 8 '10

Using  a very old forestry map, Bruce and I  a drove through the Frances Marion NF yesterday. We criss-crossed the area, going though miles of Long leaf pine flats, across bogs, and into dozens of two church/three house communities.

On the way out of the forest we stopped at Hampton Plantation State Landmark. The house has been preserved in beautiful condition, and it was a pretty place, but the mosquitoes, no-see-ums, and deer-fly were swarming. We were getting chewed up so badly that we decided not to stick around for a tour. I would like to go back in the winter when the skeeters are gone to plein air paint the place.









The Pine forest was a bit monotonous, but there were some interesting wildflowers in bloom... My spouse was flying down the roads so I didn't get any pictures of the large  bright patches of purple blazing star  blooming  under the trees, but when I saw these blooming in a roadside runoff ditch, I made him pull over. It's a Yellow fringed orchid ( Actually its color is closer to orange than yellow) . We were really excited. It's the  first wild orchid we've ever seen. And there were dozens of them blooming in the disturbed soil along the forest and town roadsides. Apparently they spread from tubers under the ground. )I would guess that the road work has aided their spread by dividing and redistributing their tubers.)  Cool, heh?  I am thinking of including them in as color spots  in a painting of a road leading to  an old AME church in the woods ( Saw lots of those scenes on this trip as well.) .

Egret in the Morning 8 '10

 Egret in the Morning

Fall is a busy time of year for me. In addition to feeding the Island Gallery ten new paintings a  month,  have a lot of independent  art shows coming up in the next couple of months. I just took one large painting to the Prevost Gallery in Georgetown, and have two other shows to enter next month.  Most of  the local art organizations only allow one juried entry per show,  but one up-coming show allows three entries.  The thing is -- that show is being held in the center court of shopping mall.  I'm disappointed.  In the past the show has always been held in an art gallery.  The art organization that is sponsoring the exhibit decided that rent was less expensive and the works would get more visibility if the show was out in the open.  I am not so sure that was wise.  I suspect that most shoppers associate center court mall vendors with  low quality/cost items.  Not the best way to attract a well heeled buyer.  Plus the work is more at risk from inquisitive greasy fingered kiddies.  I'll have to think carefully about what to put in that show  (if I enter it at all).

Visiting with the Neighbors 8 '11

Dinner with the neighbors at La Playa Mexican Cantina

Front left  to rear, Mary Paul and Robert LeClerc, Bruce, 

Center Joe D'amore, 

Right rear to front: : Joe Blade,  Julie D'amore, Patty Blade 

New Paintings on CC's Website 8 '10

I finally got around to posting the past two months worth of new paintings on my website.   There are new oils paintings in the "Local Landmarks" series, and in the "State Parks" series.  And  you can check out some of the new work I have been doing with Golden's Open Acrylics in the "Nocturnes" and "This Side of Paradise" Series.  Enjoy.

Duh! There's a reason it's called an art business ' 8 '1010

It' been a long week... filled with lots of tedious business activities.

My business plan calls for my spending one day a month updating my website  with photos of the newest paintings.  But I was on a roll and let it slide for nearly three months... FIRST MISTAKE.  By the time I got around to it  there was so much work to do that I decided to use my outdated but familiar Frontpage Publisher software.... SECOND BIG MISTAKE.   There's a reason that MS replaced Frontpage with Sharepoint.  Frontpage is so full of bugs that I wound up redoing each page  multiple times.  What should have been a two day effort took three and a half.  Next time I will stick to the plan with monthly updates and take the time to learn Sharepoint... It will be faster in the long

run..

Then it took me another day and a half to update all my business records ( Inventory, quickbook accounting, mileage reports, state quarterly tax filings, etc.)  Ugh... It is SO BORING .. but necessary if I want to run this as a business.   DUH!  There's a reason it's called a art business.

Visiting with the Neighbors - After Dinner 8'10

Look who we met on our evening walk around the Pawleys Plantation Golf Course this evening.  Guess they wanted an after dinner stroll as well.

WACG Beach Wash Workshop 8'10

The Waccamah Arts and Crafts Guild sponsored a workshop on learning to do beach washes as backgrounds for artwork.

 The workshop leader came prepared with all of the materials we would need to learn the skillset

We all chose a spot on Myrtle Beach to listen to her directions

Then she had an experienced member demonstrate how to get a nice sand wash  resist pattern on the water color paper using the smaller waves at the edge of the tide.

Back on the dry beach we practiced pouring diluted acrylics over the sand wash

Until we were surrounded by a rainbow of brilliantly colored beach washed paper

Isopod is coming ...eeeeek...... run! 8 '10

  Georgetown, SC * is about 10 miles South of us. It's a pretty little river town with a main street facing the river, and moss draped oaks lining its residential neighborhoods. It's soon to be over run by giant isopods ( that is sorta like a underwater sow bug)... or at least it will in the horror flick being filmed there. Locals are all a-twitter about being in a movie.   Bruce was really disappointed that he couldn't get the time off of work to try out as an extra.  And he was even more disappointed that I wouldn't haul my paintings down there to be part of the  a mayhem in the street  scene.  Not quite what I had in mind when I said my paintings could use more visibility

(Georgetown has been the scene for several previous movies, including The Patriot and The Notebook.)

Angel Oak Tree 'Aug 8'10

Today we visited the Angel Oak Tree on John's Island, SC. 

The Angel Oak Tree is a Southern live oak located in Angel Oak Park, on Johns Island near Charleston. The Angel Oak Tree is estimated to be in excess of 1500 years old, stands 66.5 ft tall, measures 28 ft  in circumference, and produces shade that covers 17,200 square feet. From tip to tip Its longest branch distance is 187 ft. There is no way these facts can do this ancient giant justice.  Only when I was standing beneath its gnarled arms did I appreciate just how magnificent and special this tree is.

 The Angel Oak Tree is thought to be one of the oldest living things in the country. Standing below it  one gains a sense of how god must view time. The land where the Angel Oak Tree stands was part of Abraham Waight's 1717 land grant.  The Angel Oak's name can be traced back to the original owners Martha and Justis Angel. The tree and surrounding park have been owned by the city of Charleston since 1991. The Angel Oak is located at 3866 Angel Oak Road on Johns Island, SC

 Development is beginning to encroach on the site of the Angel Oak. In 2012, plans to build a 500-unit apartment complex that would be as close as 160 yards (150 m) to the Angel Oak. While the Oak is not in danger of being cut down, arborists caution that  the surrounding forest protects itst giant root system, shelters it from storms, affords if moisture and drainage, and filters out harmful pollutants before they reach the trees roots. The proposed development will be challenged in court by the  Coastal Conservation League, based upon concerns about the construction's effect on available groundwater and nutrients . 

Charleston Tea Plantation Aug '10

Today We visited the Charleston Tea Plantation which
is the home of American Classic Tea; the only tea grown in America.

It is located on picturesque Wadmalaw Island in the heart of South Carolina's Lowcountry.  The Plantation is located off of the Maybank Highway.  Driving down Maybank is like taking a step back in time. Wadmalaw has not and cannot be commercially developed, therefore much of the land remains untouched . Our first reaction to driving through the miles of classic sea island landscape  is  that we might be lost.  But then we found a small sign directing us down a classic oak tree allee and then we were in there.

 Our first stop was the charming Plantation Gift Shoppe where we purchases tickets for a guided tour of the plantation..

 The adventurous and educational Trolleythat  explores the scenic grounds that produce American Classic Tea

 The knowledgeable tour guides give guests and understanding of the history and process of producing Tea in the United States and freely answer all questions asked.

The Plantation grounds include 127 acres of Camellia Sinensis tea plants.  One of the most frequently asked question is how do you keep it watered.  The answer is Mother Nature.  Wadmalaw Island averages over 100" of rainfall annually.  That is fully as much rain falls here as in the rain forests of South East Asia,and the warm winters, and  fast draining soil makes it a perfect location for growing tea.

 Of Course the plantation does keep several large retention ponds for use in irrigation during  periods of drought, but throughout most of the year these are primarily used by the migrating water fowl.

Another question is "How do the owners afford the cost of labor?"
The answer is that most of the process is mechanized.  The plantation has even developed a specialized harvesting machine so that tea leaves do not have to be harvested by hand. Labor is used however for pulling rogue hybridized plants from the crop fields.

We were also shown the grown area.  Most of the tea used to produce both black and green teas for sale comes from only a few varieties of the Camellia Sinensis plant.  The plant easily cross pollinates and hybrids form readily. There are over 320 varieties on the grounds of the Charleston Tea Plantation. The owners are constantly experimenting with these new varieties to produce the best tasting tea that can be grown in the USA.

Last we toured the  tea drying room and saw the large machinery that dries and sorts the tea in preparation for packaging.

To  read more on this fascinating place and its history

Click Here

Open 7 days a week, with the exception of a few holidays, the Charleston Tea Plantation is the perfect place to take a day trip. Bring the family, pack a lunch and enjoy the beauty of the tea fields. The experience is not only educational but more importantly one-of-a-kind. It is located at:
6617 Maybank Highway  Wadmalaws Island, SC 29487

CC visits Charleston Aug 11, 2010

CC has been debating  with herself about  whether she should be seeking representation in second gallery.  In the end, the answer  boils down to economics.  Would a second galley  be likely to turn a profit, or not. ? So on On Aug 11th she headed into Charleston for a walking tour of the Art Galleries along King and Broad Streets.  What she found is that the fees charged by the galleries in this section of the city are really very high, and that sales are slow.  So it is probably best for me to to continue looking.

 

 But that didn't spoil the day.  Along the way she got to  admire the city's beautiful architecture, and  explore the Unitarian Church's historic graveyard.

and got some beautiful reference photos for future paintings. Hmmm maybe a graveyard series  for October???

Bulldog Mascot ? '10

I was in a local garden center a few days ago, taking photos of statuary to use as reference photos for still life paintings, when I ran across this adorable little statue of the Georgia’s Bulldog Mascot.  Now I’m not much of a football fan, but I am probably the only person in South Carolina who isn’t passionate about our local football teams.  Even I know that putting out  a statue that might be mistaken for Georgia’s  bulldog mascot   in the heart of  Clemson U and South Carolina U territory is a sure fire invitation to war.  I could just imagine  the owner of the nursery showing up in the morning to find the  Bulldog  ripped to pieces with Clemson Tiger footprints all about the remains … Or maybe it would be carried off entirely with  a few only South Carolina’s Gamecock feathers where the Bulldog had sat.  What is that nursery owner thinking?

Photo of statue at the True Blue Nursery

I laughed so hard that I had to paint a picture of the little guy while he was still in one piece.

My 12" x 12" oil painting of Bulldog Statue