Art-Filled Days

The last few days have been filled with making art, teaching art, and seeing art - quite a good way to spend some days.

It all started Friday night with an opening for good friend, Steve Loya's Endangered Species exhibit at the Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery in Washington, DC. Over the past year, Steve created 50 drawings of endangered species on colorful backgrounds as a way to learn more about these threatened animals. It was great seeing all the work presented together in such a wonderful space. It's an impressive collection!

Congratulations, Steve! Awesome job!

I then spent Sunday afternoon teaching my Artful Layers mixed media class at the Round Hill Arts Center. Eleven awesome students spent 3 hours exploring watercolor, watercolor pencil, collage, and image transfers. I loved seeing all of the different artwork created by the students. I am so grateful that they chose to spend the afternoon making art with me.

Finally, today I trekked to Harrisonburg, VA to check out and exhibit by David and our good friend Sam Peck. As part of their collaborative journal project, they spent the weekend installing their exhibit Draw and Play Here: A tet[R]ad Project at the Institute of Visual Studies at James Madison University. They transformed the space into an immersive art experience where viewers can spend time flipping through the many collaborative journals, create work in some of the blank journals, or simply take in the expansive artwork.

Congratulations, Dave and Sam. Very impressive.

The Tet[R]ad Project: An Exhibition at JMU

If you're anywhere near Harrisonburg, VA over the next month and a half, make certain to check out the Tet[R]ad exhibit at James Madison University. David and our good friend Sam Peck are having an exhibit of their ongoing journal collaboration project. The opening reception is January 29th from 11am - 1pm.

I'm so excited for them, and I can't wait to check it out!

Art Exhibit: Cascades Library

Today, I was fortunate to hang twenty-four pieces at the Cascades Library in Cascades, VA. It's a nice large space, and if I do say so, I think my work looks pretty great in the space.

Much of the work was from the past year, but a couple of pieces were from 2007 a few from other recent years. Although my work has undergone some stylistic changes over the past nine years, the bright colors tie everything together quite nicely.

If you're in the area, make certain to to stop by and check it out. The work will be hanging throughout January and February. Hanging an exhibit is a great way to kick of the new year.

Art at the Mill

Photo from the Clarke County Historical Association

I am pleased to announce that I had eight pieces accepted for the Art at the Mill exhibit at the historic Burwell-Morgan Mill in Millwood, VA. This annual event brings together approximately 1000 works of art by 300 artists, and I am excited to be one of them this year.

Along with some older artwork, I have Meditate (above) and Radiate (below) in the exhibit. If you want to see it along with a whole heck of a lot of other art, the exhibit is open daily now until October 16. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but I'm hoping to get there before it closes. I hope you can make it out!

Splotch Monsters Invade Old Ox Brewery

Last night, I had a fun evening attending an artist's reception for my dear friend Steve Loya at Old Ox Brewery in Ashburn, VA. Steve has been one of my best friends for nearly 25 years, and we met as freshmen at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania back in the Fall of 1991 as art education majors. Several years after moving to teach in Loudoun County in Northern Virginia, I convinced Steve to apply for a teaching position in Loudoun, and he was able to quickly find a job teaching art at one of Loudoun's many elementary schools.

I have really enjoyed watching Steve grow as an artist over the years. Like many art teachers, Steve got disconnected from his art the first few years of teaching, but he has since dedicated himself to getting back into his art. His series of Splotch Monsters is just one form that his art has taken, and he put many of them on display at Old Ox.

For the reception, Steve even brought some pre-made splotches and encouraged folks to add their own details to convert them into monsters. If you're in the Ashburn area, make certain to check out Steve's work. It will be hanging through May.

Congratulations, Steve!

Artists' Reception at Old Ox Brewery

If you're in the Northern Virginia area, come out Friday, January 23 from 6-9PM, to Old Ox Brewery  in Ashburn, VA from 6-8PM. We're kicking off the inaugural exhibit of Loudoun Arts Council's artWorks program. Come out, enjoy some great local art, and have a pint of great local beer.

Hope to see you there!