Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Featured Artist at the Lincoln Gallery in Loveland, CO

It has been about two years since I picked up my brushes and pencils again. In that two years, I have created over fifty framed pieces of art which have been shown in galleries in Northern Colorado and now Wyoming.

As much as I enjoy autonomy, much of my motivation has come through meeting other artists and joining art organizations like the Artists' Association of Northern Colorado (AANC) and the Thompson Valley Art League (TVAL). The organizations provide regular hanging opportunities for Artists all over Northern Colorado and their members have come from as far south as Longmont, north to Cheyenne, WY, as far East as Sterling, CO, and as far West as Red Feather Lakes and Estes Park.

The Artists' Association is celebrating its 60th year this year, having started out as the Poudre Valley Art League. For quite a few years it has held a National Show which drew entries from much of the Western United States. Last April, I was honored to be selected as the Featured Artist for its June Go Figure! Show, a display of figurative works created by participants in the open studios it provides for both figure and portrait studies each week. Participating in these figure sessions as well as some with The Loveland Wild Life Sessions were instrumental for me "getting a start" in the professional art world. Had it not been for the encouragement of the other artists in the studio, I am not sure I would have had the courage to hang my work in a gallery.

Early in 2014, my friend Mary Giacomini encouraged me to go through the jury process at the Thompson Valley Art League. TVAL has existed for 50 years, and members are juried into the organization by the Board of Directors on each medium the member wishes to display in their Lincoln Gallery. I brought examples of my watercolor, pastel and oil painting and am able to display all three media. In addition to these traditional 2D media (and more), the gallery has juried photographers, sculptors, potters, and innovative mixed-media artists in its membership. Each year it holds an art fair concurrent with the Sculpture In the Park Festival called Art In the Park. The event is well attended by people from all over the country, due to Loveland's firm place in the United States Arts Community which was secured by the sculptors here so long ago. Sculpture in the Park is America's Largest Outdoor Juried Sculpture Show and Sale.

Thus, I am extremely honored to have been invited by TVAL to be their March 2015 Featured Artist in the Lincoln Gallery. Right now they have a large selection of my work and prints of my work available for sale. So, if you're in the area between now and April 1st, stop by and you can see them in person. The gallery is open from 11-5 Tuesday-Friday and 11-4 on Saturday.


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