Saturday, May 17, 2008

BIRDS!

Suspense and shock beyond anything you have seen or imagined!






Rather, charm and whimsy - Birds have taken over Three Graces! Our feathered friends are perched throughout in the form of acrylic, clay, soft-sculpture and wax...



"Options Abound" by Robin Luciano Beaty (encaustic and mixed-media)


details of handbags by Becky OH!
























Soft Sculpture by Abby Glassenberg........"Birds on a Red Line" by Tiffany Torre (oil on wool)



"Blue Vermont Dusk" by Rachel Paxton (acrylic on canvas)

"Curious Bird" by Stephanie Young (terracotta)

















Bird tile and free standing Birds by Leah Murphy





"Dream of Flying" by Johanna Finnegan-Topitzer (scultural book)


sculptural bird pendant by Erin Moran (clay/sterling silver)

Saturday, May 10, 2008

shiao-ping wang: new paintings

Last night was the opening reception for a beautiful exhibiton of new paintings by Shiao-Ping Wang and sculpture by M. Turner. The gallery was pleasantly packed with friends, family, artists and art enthusiasts alike. It was also pleasure to see many of my old, errhhh, former professors from UNH!

The show will be up thru June 9th, in the meantime, you can also take a look at the works from the show
HERE.




...

Shiao-Ping was born in Taiwan and immigrated to the United States in 1981. She studied both Western art and Chinese art in New York and earned a MFA degree from Queens College, City University of New York. She works both abstractly and from observation in various painting media. Her work has been exhibited throughout the US and China. She has taught painting and drawing in various colleges including the University of New Hampshire. In 2007 Shiao-Ping won a Fellowship at Vermont Studio Center.



"I am most interested in growth and change when I make art. I find patterns fascinating: when a few shapes accumulate in large numbers the appearance and energy of the image becomes wholly different.More often than not the gathering (or “swarming”) of shapes develops intuitively without planned organizations on my part. However, nature often emerges in my work through the movements and textures I see in the environment around me. The layers of paint and material I use generate the physical change in the process that is very interesting to observe, just like the change of seasons.I see a color either “float” or “sink” on the flat surface of the canvas, always moving and changing in many directions. For this reason I use acrylic paint and a vinyl paint, called Flashe, to obtain both glossy (acrylic) and matte (Flashe) surfaces for a vision that is constantly changing."

...

Melissa earned a MFA degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art in MI and has taught at Mass Art and most recently Sanctuary Arts in Eliot, ME.


"In making art, as in any language, we strive to find a way to understand our environment and to connect through our experience. Interpretation becomes the focus of an idea. Through inquiry, series of conflicts arise and choices are made that dictate formal result. But resolution is difficult when endless other options lie as unused raw material. I do not set out to produce a particular piece. With the accumulation of coils, I draw these shapes in three dimensions. It is from within the ongoing process of examination and drawing that the art object truly emerges. It is the rare and exquisite result of an intense interaction with one’s deepest interests."

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Money doesn't grow on trees?

Last night I installed a window display at G.Wilikers for the Buy Local program. The theme of the display is "Plant your money locally and watch it grow." I had a lot of fun creating a kid friendly environment and props, including a giant 4 foot flower with leaves made out of dollar bills (faux dollar bills from the toy store, of course!). It took the physical strength of Jody (the owner of G.Wilikers) and her daughter Zoe to stuff the portly teady into the Buy Local t-shirt - perhaps I should have gotten him a bigger size! The display will be up for the entire month of May in an effort to further educate our community about the Buy Local program and the importance of spending their money at local independent businesses as it strengthens the local economy and sense of community and reduces harsh impact on the environment. Check it out!

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Tanya Zaryski

I just received a package containting an amazing assortment of hand painted hand blown works by glass goddess Tanya Zaryski! I first fell in love with Tanya's work while vacationing in Woodstock, VT this past winter.


Here's a snipit from her artist statement:


"I have always considered myself an image-maker, and a decorator of surfaces. Attracted to the highly colored and densely populated surfaces of folk art images, textile designs, and ancient enamelled glass ware, I have striven to create the same "look" but in the context of my own experiences. Rows of town houses replace traditional abstract borders, and familiar faces stand in for figures of mythology."


In many of the pieces, Tanya has added remnants of spoken/written words (the "Speak" series). "Some faces utter words, distorted by molten glass overlaid in the comic-like speech bubbles, others speak in images. Bits of conversation, nonsense words and poems are painted deep within the glass."



Tanya began her art training at the University of Toronto, studying art history, painting, drawing and sculpture, before discovering glass blowing at Sheridan College. She completed three years working as an artist-in-residence at the Harbourfront Glass Studio in Toronto. She currently lives with her partner Mark Lewis, and their young son on a farm in the Beaver Valley near Georgian Bay (Canada). After 18 months of renovating, they have completed work on their century barn, creating a functioning hot glass studio and gallery space (Beaver Valley Glassworks).


More of the works that are now available at Three Graces can be seen here.

Shiao-Ping Wang: New Paintings

The postcards just arrived for the next show! "Shiao-Ping Wang: New Paintings" opens next Friday, May 9th! A sneak preview of some of the new works can be seen here.


Monday, April 28, 2008

New Hampshire Folk Festival & Jazzmouth

My love for this little city by the sea grew stronger this weekend with the celebration of the New Hampshire Folk Festival and Jazzmouth!

I am a proud member of the "Buy Local" program here in Portsmouth. The Seacoast Buy Local campaign highlights the connection between shopping at locally owned, independent businesses and retaining our community's distinctive character. Cuzin' Richard invited us to have a table at the Folk Festival. Bob and I represented; we had many interesting conversations with people regarding the importance of buying local as it is better for our community, our economy and the environment.


The Folk Fest was held at the South Church on State Street and featured three great perfomers: Antje Duvekot, Cormac McCarthy and the Jake Armerding Band.




After the concert we headed over to the Press Room to catch the tail end of an amazing performance by Jazz great Sheila Jordan with the Harvey Diamond Trio.

Friday, April 25, 2008

through the looking glass

Wow, I can't believe an entire month has gone by since my last post! I've been a busy busy bee...I took an inspiring trip to Boston a few weeks ago where I spent most of my time admiring various window displays, I came home with lots of ideas and got right to work!





Saturday, March 22, 2008

Happy Easter!


Saturday, March 15, 2008

Warm and Woolen

Last night we celebrated the opening of "Warm Woolen Paintings", recent works by Tiffany Torre. The exhibition features four-legged critters, birds on a red line and a few landscapes - all painted on wool.



Tiffany was present and privy to answer questions about the work and especially her process.


"Warm Woolen Paintings" will be on display thru April 7th. Do drop in for some warm wooly wonder and if you can't, all of the paintings from the show can also be viewed here.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

In like a lion...

It is now March!? February has come and gone, taking with it much of my energy - the Teeny Tiny Art Show II has been great and all consuming! One week of the show remains so if you haven't yet been in to see the overwhelming wonder, do drop in. Here are some photos of the installation:





more photos can be viewed here.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Roses are Red...

As Valentine's Day nears, Three Graces is feeling the love! In addition to the abundance of teeny tiny art now available, the gallery is full of hand-made one of a kind items sure to seduce or affirm your affection...


Shown above: fabulous one-of-a-kind handbags by Becky OH! and jewelry designs by Sara du Long.

Shown above: Heart pendant and matching earrings by Erin Moran (also available in pink and fuscia)

Alvin Ailey at the Wang

Exhausted by the recent barrage of tiny art in all it's small-scale splendor, Bob extended a thoughtful invitation to a relaxing night out of town. The destination was kept top-secret, the only clues given: that we would sit and watch something in Beantown!?


To my surprise he had made arrangements for us to see the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Wang Center.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from the now fabled performance in March 1958, at the 92nd Street Young Men's Hebrew Association in New York. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African-American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the perception of American dance. Today, led by Artistic Director, Judith Jamison, AAADT has gone on to perform for an estimated 21 million people in 48 states and in 71 countries on six continents, including two historic residencies in South Africa. The company has earned a reputation as one of the most acclaimed international ambassadors of American culture, promoting the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance.
Performances included 'Firebird' (choreographed in 1970), 'The Groove to Nobody's Business' (choreographed in 2007), 'Unfold' (choreographed in 2005) and 'Revelations' (choreographed in 1960 by Alvin Ailey himself).














*photos couresty of www.alvinailey.org

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Smart and Sassy

More tiny art...Nicole Maloof's work just arrived! She will be exhibiting a small series of drawings and one painting inspired by Vladimir Nabokov's Ada or Ardor, A Family Chronicle.



"The drawings retain their own independent story but draw elements from Nabokov's novel such as forbidden love, an obsession with the natural world, and innocense...After the seed of influence was planted, separate stories evolved and when combined with absurdity the imagery became its own entity."


Nicole was born in 1983 in Seoul, South Korea. She received her BFA with a concentration in Painting and her BA with a concentration in Chemistry from Boston University in 2006. She first exhibited her work at Three Graces in the original Teeny Tiny Art Show this past September.
View all of the works from this series here.

new postcard!

Front: i can't resist from using art historical references - Danae being showered by Zeus in the form of gold coins!


Back: tiny montage of works by exhibiting artists

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Hail to Hybrids

The Teeny Tiny Art Show II draws near...it pleases me to announce two more participating artists, Sarah Ogren and Bailey Saliwanchik. Both artists will be exhibiting fantastic works featuring invented composites.


Three Graces welcomes Sarah Ogren who will be exhibiting in the gallery for the first time. Sarah lives in a very small, rural, town in Southern Illinois in the middle of the Shawnee National Forest. "It is a very peaceful and quite place. I am surrounded by nature, and see many types of wildlife on an almost daily basis. This has greatly influenced my work." Here is a sneak preview of Sarah's work, "playful, sarcastic and whimsical", see the entire series here.



I have had the pleasure of working with Bailey Saliwanchik over the past year, I love the new series of tiny paintings she is sending (as I have a personal fascination with hybrids and things with wings myself!) Here is a sneak preview and you can see more of Bailey's work here.




Tiny Art keeps coming in, so I will do my best to keep you posted! Remember, the Teeny Tiny Art Show II will be up by Wednesday, February 6th and the opening reception is Friday, February 8th, 5-8pm. See you soon!

Monday, January 28, 2008

from the West!

While I am very passionate about exhibiting local talent in the gallery, I am equally passionate about exposing the local viewers to art from beyond the borders of our lovely seacoast. The Teeny Tiny Art Show II has been the perfect opportunity...

Amy Huddleston lives in Seattle, Washington. I absolutely love her work and was delighted to hear that she would participate in the February show! Her acrylic paintings feature invented "portraits", experimental in color and texture. Powerful in content, the paintings make me think about the life cycle juxtaposing childlike innocence with foreboding death.

Here are some of the paintings that Amy will soon be sending, and you can see more of her work for the Tiny Art Show
here.




Hadley Hutton hails from Portland, Oregon - her paintings just arrived to the gallery and they are absolutely beautiful. She creates an environment of delicate pattern and soft color in which sweet little deer, birds and butterflies reside. Below is a sneak preview of some of Hadley's paintings, you can see more of her work for the Tiny Art Show here.


Teeny Tiny Two

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Winter Wonderland

I've just returned from a relaxing respite in Vermont - it was my Christmas gift from Bob! We escaped the Noreaster by leaving a day early, gaining twenty-four hours of pure winter delight. We stayed at the Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm, "an historic Vermont inn offering an inspiring blend of natural beauty, colonial elegance, country comfort, outdoor activities, and romantic hiding places to curl and relax."











Located right up the street was the Simon Pearce shop and restaurant (marketing genii) located in a beautiful old mill. We were able to watch the glass-blowers down in the basement creating some gorgeous stemware. *Simon Pearce Glassware is also available in Portsmouth at Nahcotta!



A personal highlight of the trip was my fist experience on skis. On our first day, Bob and I got a quick cross-country ski lesson from Marty at the Queechy Inn (he is one of the kindest and knoweldgeable outdoor enthusiasts I have ever met). Then it was on to Suicide Six in Woodstock to pursue downhill - much to everyone's surprise I quickly graduated from the "J-bar" to the "easy mile".





















...I remained graceful in all of my outdoor endeavors...


Also in Woodstock we visited some art galleries. I particularly liked the Woodstock Folk Art Prints & Antiques gallery located on Elm Street. I fell in love with the work of Tanya Zaryski.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Web Designs

I recently finished three new websites:

Christopher Gowell is a true renaissance woman. In addition to being a talented sculptress, she owns and runs Sanctuary Arts in Elliot, ME. Visit her new website (designed by yours truly): http://www.christophergowell.com/


George Beland is a furniture designer + maker (he recently delivered a lovely selection of pieces from his new line!) George's tables feature elegant lines and are perfectly proportioned to fit in small spaces. Visit his website: http://www.georgebeland.com/


Jen Hodges is an amazing abstract artist, represented in Portsmouth by Nahcotta. Visit her website: http://www.jenhodges.com/


I have enjoyed working on these websites and find it compliments my work here in the gallery. If you are an artist or have an artist friend that may be interested in having a website created please let me know! Here are some of the other sites I have worked on in the past year...

Rose Umerlik is another amazing abstract artist, also represented in Portsmouth by
Nahcotta. Visit her website: http://www.roseumerlik.com/


Lily Devine makes handbags and accessories out of vintage fabric remnants. Visit the website: http://www.lilydevine.com/


Donna Harkins is a prolific painter, she offers a variety of prints featuring cats, the figure, landscapes, seascapes, gardens, Tuscany and Provence to name just a few! Visit her website: http://www.donnaharkins.com/


The Portsmouth Art Galleries collaborate to host a gallery walk on the 2nd Friday of every month (Art 'Round Town). The website provides a list of all of the participating galleries in addition to info regarding current and upcoming exhibitions. Visit the website: http://www.artroundtown.org/


And of course, my own website for the gallery: http://www.threegracesgallery.com/

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Tiny Toggery

More previews of Tiny Art! Liz Tran of Seattle, WA just sent some jpegs of the paintings she will be sending for the upcoming 'Teeny Tiny Art Show II' in February:





In her statement, Liz explains the series of daily dresses:
"This series of paintings began as a project for Art o Mat in which I created 50 themed cigarette pack sized paintings to be vended through restored cigarette machines. I have a large amount of thrift store vintage dresses and decided they would make a good subject since they hold their own as unique handmade objects. By painting them I am paying tribute to the women who lovingly spent many hours making them only to have them end up at a Salvation Army forty years later for $3. In return I am making something commemorating their work that, like the dresses themselves, takes me a great deal of care and time to create."

To view more paintings by Liz and other participating artists of the upcoming 'Teeny Tiny Art Show II' look here.