3 graces

Shiao-Ping Wang teaching at Sanctuary Arts this Fall!

2011-09-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

Shiao-Ping will be offering two workshops at Sanctuary Arts this fall! Pictures of Words:Painting & Drawing Using Chinese Characters and Color & Collage in Abstraction, teaching methods of abstraction, the use of color, symbolism and pattern.

Sanctuary Arts is the home of a visually inspiring teaching studio, private arts studios, and gallery — all located in a converted 1861 New England church in Eliot, Maine. The fall class schedule was recently posted to their website, check it out here!

how does she do that!?

2011-06-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a look at Robin in the studio ...

... love the roller skates;)

opening July 1st ...

2011-06-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

We are just weeks away from the opening of our upcoming exhibition, "Reclaiming the Current", featuring new works by Robin Luciano Beaty!

Robin's work is driven by the intuitive journey of discovering the reminiscent through process rather than rendering an explicit space. "My intention is to spark personal recollections in the viewer from an unconventional perspective using unexpected materials. I'm communicating more of a memory than a representation with the use of texture, neglected everyday objects and forgotten mementos of the past."

"Though the fluvial and sculptural qualities of wax , I navigate memory. Scraping, tearing, building up and burning down multiple layers to reveal internal compositions brought out only by this tactile and physical experience. Sublime and unpredictable, additive and subtractive, translucent and textural, the medium of encaustic strongly influences the direction of each painting."

In her most recent work, Robin strives to capture the universal and emotional connection to water embedded within our life memories. Oceans, rivers and lakes are instilled in our subconscious scrapbook, creating an undeniable feeling of nostalgia and escape. Robin is able to reclaim these memories in a significantly more personal way by incorporating vintage photographs, letters, textiles and found objects.

"There is something about water that entices us all, luring our own flesh and imagination towards it. The seductive reminiscence brought on by the ghostly mirror of a fogged lake or the lap of wave that leaves its white lace along the shore is what inspires me. Water is the epitomal symbol of metamorphosis and philosophical recycling. It symbolizes transformation, intuition and resurrection."

"Together the elements of water and reclaimed object entrenched within the atmospheric and ancient medium of wax, elicits the deepest sense of past, while offering a renewed vision of the current."

Join us at the opening reception Friday, July 1st, 5-8pm in conjunction with art 'round town

memories...

2011-06-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the opening of Quiet Memory this past Friday! The gallery was packed, and the crowd spilled out on to the sidewalk. I failed to get pictures of the actual opening, however, I did take some photographs of the installation over the weekend.

Along with everyone else who has come in to see the show, I am reminded of my own childhood. I cherish the memories I have of my grandparents in the yard. Life seemed simple, slow and so sweet. I recently came across this series of photographs of my grandparents in their garden ...

I have been working on a new painting inspired by the series -- more on that later!

A life without love is like a year without summer. ~Swedish Proverb

New! Contour Collection by My Sunset Road

2011-06-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to receive a package from My Sunset Road yesterday! Courtney has been working away on a new collection based on a series of line drawings. The "Contour Collection" is much more minimal & modern than the previous (and also fabulous) tribal pieces ...

Courtney Filer-Dougal is the designer and metal-smith behind My Sunset Road.

"One day, about 10 years ago, I decided to make a necklace as a gift for a family member. This is worth mentioning since I was a painter at the time! Making that very first piece sparked a love of a craft I had never considered and I now do it every day.

As a young mom I look for pieces that are both special and everyday wearable. I'm a t-shirt and jeans type of girl but I like my t-shirts modern and edgy and my jeans to take me from day to evening. So that's what I make. Each design from My Sunset Road has it's own story, is inspired by a recent trip to a museum or my love of history and ancient cultures. Each piece is also extremely easy to wear and really and truly goes with just about everything in your closet.

I am committed to being a socially responsible and eco-friendly business. Most designs are made with recycled sterling silver. I also reuse and recycle all of my scrap metal and ship your items in 100% recycled gift boxes and mailers.

I love what I do and hope that will comes across to each of my customers in the quality of my work as well as in my customer service. My Sunset Road strives to bring you original designs that you reach for everyday."

A wide assortment of the new earrings and necklaces are currently available in the gallery and also thru our online shop!

something special in the works!

2011-05-29T13:57:00.000-07:00

Drop off for Cindy's solo show is tomorrow and just when you thought it couldn't get any better - there will be the addition of a special installation! here are a few hints ...

We hope everyone is enjoying the long holiday weekend and we look forward to seeing you Friday at the opening of "Quiet Memory", cheers!

Sneak Preview!

2011-05-27T12:50:00.001-07:00

In response to the many requests we've received, here's a sneak preview of works from our upcoming show, "Quiet Memory" featuring new works by Cindy Rizza...

Works are now available to view and purchase in our online shop, enjoy!

**Not all of the works from this show are online -- we will be adding a few more in the next few days, so be sure to check back...

Shiao-Ping's Political Painting

2011-05-27T12:07:00.000-07:00

“Our Town” by Shiao-Ping Wang is one of the paintings from our current show. It is 30”x40” and in acrylic on canvas. Recently this painting took an unexpected turn of development – it changed its introverted personality into an extrovert.

Like many artists Shiao-Ping pursues beauty in distilling personal observations in an ordinary life. She always admires artists who paint heroic themes, such as Picasso’s Guernica about the Spanish Civil War, but she never had the drive or vision on that scale. Not until a recent issue woke up the inner community advocate in her...

The issue: the controversial reuse of the Historic Hilltop Elementary School in Somersworth.

As one of the oldest elementary schools in the state, Hilltop’s life as a school will end this June when the school moves to a new location. The future of the historic building is undecided. In a Study commissioned by the City it concluded: “The community has always expressed a strong desire to maintain the building as a school to fit into the existing urban fabric of the area of the city and maintain a civic presence on the site. The city presently intends for the building to remain a public use. Out of the fifteen options presented the following five were chose by the community as possible The five were an Art School with Housing, a Community Business Incubator, a Charter/Private/Second Start School, a Performance Arts building, and a Park with Bandstand. (Quoted from Hilltop Elementary School Reuse Study, “Report Summary”)

All sounds fine until a few months ago. A developer from Massachusetts proposed to purchase the site and turn it into a 50-unit rental property in an area zoned as single-family use. They proposed to add a bigger building behind the original one. Dismay erupted. Opposition from residents went up when the City Council proposed a resolution to draft the sale and purchase contract. Many residents spoke passionately at the council meetings and formed an organization called Friends of Somersworth.

When “Our Town” was conceived in 2008 it meant to reflect Shiao-Ping's experience of settling in Somersworth the year before, and it contained several maps that alluded to a life of multiple transplanting experiences. The painting was gradually ignored among many projects in her studio. Two months ago when she noticed it again, she saw half painted maps strewn over discordant colors, honestly projecting the creators’ confused mind. Yet at the same time it was urging her, "You can figure out a way out of the discord. I may look very different if you keep trying."

As she became more involved in advocating the community use of the Hilltop School, her vision of the painting became clear – "it is an image of what a community can do if people reach out to one another. The streets on the map turned into threads that knot together. The weaving pattern alludes to the textile industry past of Somersworth."

In April, Shiao-Ping brought the painting to Weir Farm National Historic Site as the Artist-In-
Residence, in Wilton, CT. "There I learned about the decade long process that established the site, with much hard work and generosity of many people. Inspired, I focus on the hopeful vision of a brighter future of my town. When the painting was finished at the end of the residency, I realized that I have done my first political painting. It is now titled Our Town."

new window display!

2011-05-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

I've been taking advantage of the rain-filled forecast and working on new window displays for the summer! I've been trying to come up with ideas using materials found in the gallery -- I'm a bit of a hoarder, and so thankfully there are plenty of materials to choose from (a few months ago I utilized torn strips of leftover matboard that have been piling up in the basement). This past week I came upon a tall stack of bright yellow paper plates and an assortment of clear plastic and white paper dixie cups that have been taking up precious cabinet space in the backroom for perhaps three or four years (they are no longer needed at the opening receptions as we've opted for finger foods), so there it began. Some staples, a few hole punches and a little silver ribbon completed the transformation.

"There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transfer a yellow spot into the sun."

--Pablo Picasso

Cindy Rizza - Where She Works!

2011-05-21T13:56:00.001-07:00

One of the best parts of being a curator is visiting artists' studios! The process of creating is as important as what ultimately gets created. In anticipation of her upcoming solo show, Cindy has sent some photos of her work space for me to share with you...enjoy!

"My passions are art, design, fashion, food, travel and pretty much anything I can create with my hands. I have several half-finished knitting projects around the house, and culinary creations in my fridge that spawned from a spontaneous fusion of ingredients into a pan. My main passion though, which has stayed true for all my life, has specifically been painting."*

"I miss when life was so black and white and when my biggest troubles were being made to go to bed at a decent hour."*

"I still remember my first set of watercolor paints -- there was something very magical about those little tubes. I began painting in elementary school using water-based media and painting still lives of fruits and vegetables. At that time I had already made up my mind that I wanted to be a painter and I still carry that drive."*

*The quotes were taken from an interview with Cindy. Check out the full interview, "Wwwe Could Be Next: Cindy Rizza" by Amanda Mooney, at PAPERMAG.

and stay tuned for a sneak preview of "Quiet Memory" which opens June 3rd!

Opening June 3rd...

2011-05-21T11:41:00.000-07:00

We are getting very excited for the upcoming show, "Quiet Memory" featuring new works by Cindy Rizza! here's a little sneaky peak...

Cindy’s recent works explore the power of memory and attachment in ethereal tributes to common things. Her film-like paintings are bittersweet – haunted by the sense of fleeting time, yet rendered eternal in all of their comforts. Inspired by her own memory and longings, she hopes to connect the viewer with a lingering human presence intimate to their own past.

Cindy has an eye and technique well beyond her years. She received her BFA, summa cum laude, from the New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester, NH in 2007. She has exhibited her work throughout New England and won numerous awards, most recently the Spotlight Award for “Outstanding Representational Artist” in the Seacoast in 2011. And although she realizes the challenge of being “one single voice in a very noisy art world,” she is already catching the eye of critics and collectors on a local and national level.

... more to come about "Quiet Memory" and Ms. Rizza herself!

L's Time Story

2011-05-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

One of the paintings in "Resonance" was inspired by a short story by Linnea Feldman Emison. (her last name may be familiar to you as she is the younger sister of artist Chloe Feldman Emison!)

Time Story

Mrs. Ruddleford was a very nice old lady. She lived on a big house on a hill, where she liked to give lovely tea parties. There was nothing particualy unusual about Mrs. Ruddleford, except one thing, that she had never told anyone about. It was something that she owned, something very special. Mrs. Ruddleford owned Time. Mrs. Ruddleford couldn't really remember where she had gotten Time. She thought she might have bought it in a shop somewhere, but she wasn't sure. Her memory wasn't as good as it had been. Mrs. Ruddleford had owned Time for a very long while. She had never told anybody about it. She kept Time in the attic so that people wouldn't see it and ask about it when they came to her tea parties. Mrs. Ruddleford couldn't control Time just because she owned it. Everything happened for her in exactly the same order it happened to everybody else. Mrs. Ruddleford just left Time by itself up in the attic, and didn't bother with it much. She thought it must be awfully hard work, keeping everything that ever happened in it's proper order. Mrs. Ruddleford was very proud of owning Time.

One day, Mrs. Ruddleford decided that she had owned Time long enough. She wasn't very young anymore, and she thought it might be nice to let someone else take care of Time. She knew it was very important who she picked to give it to. If Time wasn't properly taken care of, everything would get out of order. But she couldn't pick anyone to give Time to. Nobody seemed good enough. Mrs. Ruddleford loved Time, and she wanted it to go somewhere very nice. Finally, Mrs. Ruddleford decided not to give Time to anybody. She just went up to the attic and opened a window. She let Time drift out, and oat away from her over the trees. Mrs. Ruddleford smiled. "Maybe somebody will find Time", she thought, "maybe somebody will find it and take very good care of it. That would be nice." Mrs. Ruddleford closed the window.

the end

- Linnea Feldman Emison

Shiao-Ping Wang: Resonance

2011-05-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

We are currently featuring new works by Shiao-Ping Wang. "Resonance" features paintings picturing the intangible experiences of travel and listening to music. Using map as a metaphor for journey, Wang combines maps with abstract shapes and patterns to evoke the sense of time when such experiences occur.

Drawing inspiration from her recent residency at Weir Farm Historic Site in Wilton, CT, Wang also incorporates stitching and beads as part of the painting.

"Resonance" runs thru May 30th! and all of the works from this show are available to view and purchase in our online shop! cheers,

Kim

ps. this is our first blog post since last August! crazy, i know. and while i am so sorry to have not posted about all of the amazing shows we've presented in the past nine-ish months, i am super excited to share with you what is up and coming...

Robin's Studio Tour in Apartment Therapy!

2010-08-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

Tanya Lacourse visited Robin's studio this past sunday! She writes "It was love at first site when I parked my car across the street from Robin's art studio in Byfield. Her barn — set on an angle 50 feet from the road — is loosely landscaped with natural rock and wild flowers. A vintage blue Vespa sits out front adding to the warm, countryside feel. The backyard is equally charming with a small farmer's porch and a chicken coop that houses three friendly chickens..."

read the entire article here on Apartment Therapy! Congratulations Robin, you built your dream and it is gorgeous!

Sneak Peak: Robin's studio tour

2010-08-16T13:17:00.001-07:00

from behind the scenes ... Tanya Lacourse (of Violet Marsh Photography) visited Robin's studio for Apartment Therapy!

the post will appear tomorrow!

Dustan Knight: Garden Party

2010-08-14T07:33:00.001-07:00

This month we have a very special show featuring works by Dustan Knight -- It's a Garden Party!

"I can feel the plants growing around me, their breath sweet , their heartbeats fluttering in the heat of this summer afternoon I can hear them whispering with the cicada and shifting slightly as they dig deeper into the hot dirt I'll water them in the morning, while they still have tiaras of dew and snip off their flowers as offerings to august. I have been painting this subject for way too long but it seems to be growing more intriguing rather than less, so there will be more flowers, and more koi pools." - Dustan Knight

Dustan Knight has an MFA from Pratt Institute and an MA from Boston University in Art History.

"My artistic sensibility is strongly influenced by my post graduate years in New York City. I was involved in the Expressionist movement of new artists in the eighties. Like them I believe that art should be a passionate statement from the artist’s innermost self. My subsequent study in Art History establishes a framework of artistic ideas and ideals giving my work depth and context within the historic dialogue of art and culture. I feel comfortable using various mediums. Materials and technique are simply vocabulary to express whatever I feel is important to communicate."

"I have been working with watercolor during the last ten years and am fascinated by the brilliant fragile color, physical peculiarities and speed with which you can move it. It is a really fun exciting medium that reacts immediately (and not always in a predictable manner) to every thing I do or refrain from doing."

"I continue to work toward a distillation of concept (the elusive perfection of ‘not too many notes - not too few ‘) drawing on themes which mean something tremendously important to me, which I attempt to convey as eloquently as possible to my viewers."

Dusty lives and works out of her studio in New Castle, NH. She has won numerous awards for her work and exhibited throughout New England for over twenty years. She also offers workshops, writes regional reviews for Art New England and teaches as an adjunct professor at several local art colleges.

"I am not a gardener and my garden is very messy, which distresses me everytime a 'real' gardener comes to visit....

...But the tangle of weeds and perennials look alot like my paintings. I Like the way the watercolor paint pools and melts into different shapes and I like the way the spaces, become shapes then become spaces, just as my garden does."

Garden Party runs thru August 29th. All of the works from this show are available to view and purchase in our online shop!

Painting of the week ...

2010-08-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

Swooping Down by Chloë Feldman Emison, watercolor + inks on paper, 9 x 12 inches learn more

... inspired by the journeys that have been and will be and also because we LOVE it!

"Be joyful because it is humanly possible" - Wendell Berry

Rabbits & Humanimal

2010-07-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

I am so very pleased to present our second Satellite Exhibition in the main lobby of the Portsmouth Museum of Art in conjunction with their new show:

'Humanimal' presents a range of works representing both humans and animals... and the "in-between". Artists explore the many different relationships that humans have with animals in the world and within the human psyche.

"What makes a human human? How much of the animal remains in the human mind and body? The show includes artists' portraits of our animal selves as well as
animals taking on human-like personas, fantasy depictions of human-animal
combinations, explores the relationship between humans and animals, touches the
question of the future of animal species and references the presentation of
human-animal metaphors in literature and poetry. Images, sculpture and video
works range in content from mythic re-interpretation to sharp-eyed views on
contemporary life."

We have selected seven paintings by Fleur Palau, from her ongoing series "Rabbit World"...

"The Rabbit series is a whimsical, yet sometimes moody reflection of the human psyche set in the natural world.

The full meaning of these paintings is of course open to speculation and does not concern me, though I recognize the symbolism and irony that is the vehicle in which to reveal some useful message about ourselves.

I would hope that in these rabbbit portraits we may recognize the better attributes of our own nature, that of love, friendship, loyalty, and that the renewed recognition of this will at once empower and inspire." - Fleur Palau

In addition, this exhibit includes a sneak preview of two of the paintings to be published in a new children's book by author Bruce McMillan ...

All of the works from this show are also available to view + purchase in our online shop!

*Join us at the PMA for the public reception, Thursday, July 29th, 5:30 - 7:30pm in conjunction with the new show ... Enjoy a 'Beast Boy' at the bar accompanied by appetizers, courtesy of the Black Trumpet. And look, but don't pet, the live humanimals!

Painting of the week...

2010-07-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

"Always on a Roll" by Denise Duong, mixed media on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

this painting was part of the satellite exhibition at the Portsmouth Museum of Art and now it is back in the gallery! learn more

... inspired by my new bicycle (thanks George!) and also because we LOVE it!

"When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race." ~H.G. Wells

Painting of the week...

2010-07-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

... inspired by the weekly forecast and also because we LOVE it!

"It Rained Today" by Linda Cordner, wax + oil on panel, 10 x 10 inches

and it just so happens to be available in our online shop!

"Into each life some rain must fall."- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

...remains of the day

2010-07-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

This past friday we celebrated the opening of "Remains of the Day" a solo exhibition of new works by the lovely Robin Luciano Beaty. We had a beautiful evening and the gallery was packed with friends, family and encaustic enthusiasts:)

Robin is an award winning painter out of Newbury, Massachusetts. (2009 International Encaustic Painting Conference Award for Best in Show in the exhibition curated by Nicholas Capasso, chief curator of the Decordova Museum; winner of the "Spotlight on the Arts Award" for 'Outstanding Abstract Artist of 2009'). Robin concentrates primarily on the ancient wax based medium of Encaustic paint, a molten beeswax mixed with resin and dry pigments, which she incorporates mixed media, vintage materials, textiles and found objects.

Robin's newest work is significantly large in scale, mainly 3ft to 4ft square , a huge expansion in comparison to her previous series "Above and Beyond, made up of over 200 individual 6" x 6" paintings. This particular series differs in the fact that scale commands you to be physically encompassed in the atmospheric emotion translated so seductively in wax.

Confluence #9, encaustic, oil, aluminum and glass on braced birch, 48 x 48

Each painting in this series contains within it an obvious and ethereal seascape at first glance. Upon a second look, an extended sense of light bursts through bossy cumuli or slight shards of sunrise cut through a rebellious horizon. They remain ambiguous, yet curiously nostalgic, pushing the viewer to revisit images from their own recollections. Painted intuitively, and not from reference, these pieces translate an individual perspective of space, evoking an ebb and flow, the constant conjoining and separation of ocean and land, calm yet anxious, peaceful yet frightening, reserved yet dominant; interchanges so indicative to life they are discernibly "tidal".

Divergence #2, encaustic, oil and aluminum on braced birch, 36 x 36

Confluence #11, encaustic, oil, copper and yarn on braced birch, 36 x 36

Confluence #7, encaustic, oil, aluminum, glass, fabric and bark on braced
birch panel, 48 x 48

This convergence of opposites is unconventionally translated by the juxtaposition of Robin's chosen medium: thick ethereal wax on cold sheet metal, soft childhood yarns meandering through shards of broken glass, thick copper remnants layered with delicate antique lace.

Above and Beyond #320, encaustic and mixed-media on braced birch, 6 x 6

Though the sculptural elements of wax and organic lines, themes and contemporary concepts pervade this work, so does the artists own intimacy with them. Incorporating family heirloom crochet, bark fallen from the trees around her studio, pieces of her handmade sari wedding dress, nails found in the basement of her father’s workshop, vintage love letters salvaged from a relatives attic, this work elicits a deep sense of the past and future all while keeping them benignly impersonal.

Although familiar as "landscape" or "seascape", this work is confounded by becoming more of a memory than a representation, incorporating the salvaged elements of emotion and object or fundamentally, that which "Remains of the Day." This show runs thru August 2nd!

Opening this friday, July 2nd...

2010-06-29T09:24:00.000-07:00

"Art is a guarantee of sanity"

2010-06-01T07:28:00.000-07:00

I just heard that Louise Bourgeois passed away yesterday, what an incredible woman. She lived an incredible life of 98 years and I am so thankful that I got to see her retrospective in London (blogged here).

I love this description from Stella Vine "She said there was a juxtaposition of sinister, controlling elements and full-on macho materials with a warm, nurturing and cocoon-like feminine side that appears within Bourgeois' art."

Louise Bourgeois said "An artist can show things that other people are terrified of expressing." She was bravely honest, smart and quite sassy. Repose en paix.

Opening June 4th ...

2010-05-31T09:32:00.000-07:00

I am excited as today is the drop off for our next show! Three Graces is delighted to present "Kaetlyn Wilcox: The Woodland Chronicles".

In her upcoming show “The Woodland Chronicles,” Kaetlyn Wilcox presents a whimsical group of 44 mixed media paintings that range widely in scale, from monumental dreamscapes on paper, to tiny, one-inch portraits rendered painstakingly onto wooden eggs.

In all of her images, Wilcox seeks to create mysterious, open-ended narratives that explore imagined relationships between human and natural worlds. People encounter tangled forests of tree-size beanstalks growing up out of finely wrought birdcages...

Enormous animals burrow under tree-lined New England streets.

Women transform into wild birds...

and bird-headed people appear, matter-of-factly, dressed in their Sunday best.

Kaetlyn combines elements of gouache, watercolor and graphite works on paper to explore themes of innocence, disillusionment, identity, desire and repression. Her subject matter derives from fairy tales, myths, children’s stories, historical writings, nature publications, field guides and found domestic photography.

She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wellesley College in 2001 with honors in Studio Art and went on to study painting and drawing at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Tufts University, where she earned her MFA in 2004. In addition to teaching, Kaetlyn is currently branching out into the world of book illustration.

Join us for the opening reception this Friday, June 4th, from 5-8pm. It's Art 'Round Town (portsmouth's first friday gallery walk) and also the kick off for "Shop Portsmouth Friday Nights" (Local businesses are joining together to stay open late every Friday night through October and warmly greet Portsmouth visitors with our unique shops). We will also have some live music -- Cole and the Make Out Scene will be here!

At the Edge ...

2010-05-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

The Portsmouth Museum of Art (they recently dropped "Fine") held its grande opening in June of 2009. In the past year, significant changes have been made. Former curator, Ruthie Treadwell who helped launch the museum is out, and artist Katherine Doyle is in. The new mission and vision statements define the museum as an institution of education. This clarification will end an earlier practice of selling art. Their current goal is to enrich the local cultural landscape by developing partnerships, creating collaborative opportunities among artist and art organizations an by presenting a complete art experience that includes literature and poetry, performance art, film and other technologies and to initiate an on-going public dialogue around art.

This past Thursday evening marked the official opening of their current exhibition, "At the Edge: Subversive Ideas and New Forms".

This show explores intent and expression created with a range of materials and techniques. Each artist sets their sights on an 'edge' with his or her own visual language. They challenge viewers preconceived notions about familiar objects and art forms. Walter Martin and Paloma Munoz take the expected kitch of snowglobes and transform them into vulnerable little worlds. The tables are turned with Tony Oursler's sculpture as digital images of eyes peer out from an amoeba-like splat. Tseng Kwong Chi's 1983 photograph of choreographer Bill T. Jones, painted by Keith Haring, celebrates art and movement with the body as living canvas. Ray Caesar digitally creates incredibly detailed and strangely haunting worlds in beautifully rendered images that are both delightful and disturbing. 'My Mother's Legacy' is a series of bowls presenting a poem that commemorates Boston artist Sarah Hutt's mother's life. Commentary on current political and social events is presented with a wry sense of humor as Daniel McDonald's band of bobble-head mummies struggles with 'Restricted Access to Medical Care'. A sampling of Judy Chicago's iconic plates, a print by Jeff Koons and a story quilt by Faith Ringgold are among the gems in this show that you won't want to miss.

I was thrilled by the opportunity to curate a small exhibition in the main lobby space in conjunction with the new show! Three Graces is very pleased and proud to present works by Denise Duong, Amy Gross, Nicole Maloof and Kelly Vivanco.

Here are a few photos of the show (starting in the main lobby) ...

... and to the main exhibition ...

More pictures from "At the Edge" can be seen on our flickr.

All of the works in the main lobby are indeed for sale! You can view all of the works by Kelly Vivanco, Denise Duong, Amy Gross and Nicole Maloof here in our online shop!

The Portsmouth Museum of Art is located at One Harbour Place (in between the Seacoast Repertory Theatre and Prescott Park). "At the Edge" and our Satellite Exhibition run thru July 11th.

Olive Tree Web Studio

2010-05-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce the launch of my website for my websites: "Olive Tree Web Studio".

I am a formally trained oil painter and a self-taught web maker -- you may wonder how this relates to Three Graces!? Well, my first site was for the gallery, and it has gracefully evolved from an embarrassment to a source of creativity and confidence.

... and of course, I couldn't resist the shameless opportunity for a plug!

Behind the Curtain!

2010-05-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely night for the opening reception of the new show, "Behind the Curtain" featuring recent works by Chloë Feldman Emison, thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us!

I just posted a few pictures to our flickr, taken by Trisha and David. Above is Chloë, reluctant at having her photo taken at the end of the night...and below, Shiao-Ping Wang performing "Behind the Curtain"!

For those of you who didn't make it out, the show runs thru May 31st -- its a compelling body of work, featuring over 40 pieces!

And I am pleased to report that I am finally finished formatting all of the images, so all of the works from this show are also available thru our online shop!

the stage is set...

2010-05-06T12:42:00.001-07:00

progress

2010-05-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

To cover the brick or not to cover the brick...that was the question. And though I love it for its natural beauty, the color and busy pattern is not an ideal backdrop for paintings. So, the answer -- COVER THE BRICK! (at least some of it)

Three trips to the hardware store and we're finally making progress!

Still much to do...

Opening May 7th...

2010-05-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to annouce our next show, "Behind the Curtain", an exhibition of new works by Chloë Feldman Emison, featuring three series of images...

Harlequin performers stand rather disconsolately in front of curtains with massive, sometimes surreal clasps holding them shut.

In a second series, girls sail over landscapes dotted by toy villages, held aloft by billowing red sheets.

And in the third, sad, sagging humans in simple grey shifts sprout wings, only to find themselves in chains.

Over forty images are included, ranging from 10 x 8" to 19 x 14" (framed).

"If the task of an artist today is to find an alternative to, on the one hand, the showmanship of a Saatchi artist, and on the other hand, the endless stream of pleasant but unchallenging pictures, watercolor is a daring medium to choose. These works on paper, with their relatively small scale, lend themselves to close looking rather than attempting the bold, big presence of much of modern art. Some of the images impinge on the naive; they feature girls with messy hair and quaint if slightly bizarre clothing. They may remind the viewer at times of children's book illustration. Yet in many cases their themes are quite adult: fear, frustration, pain." (Patricia Emison, Professor of Art History at the University of New Hampshire)

For many years Chloë was a self-taught artist, although she grew up in the company of artists at the University of New Hampshire and is now majoring in Fine Art at Williams College. She had her first solo show at age 16, and has always favored watercolor or pen and ink. In the fall of 2009, she was was awarded Best Mixed Media at the Cambridge Art Association by Joseph Ketner II of Emerson College.

"Behind the Curtain" opens May 7th, with an opening reception from 5-8pm in conjunction with the 1st Friday Gallery Walk.

hand-made by these beautiful people!

2010-04-23T09:59:00.000-07:00

As my technical skills improve, I find myself improving our website!

About a year ago, I began adding photographs of the artists I work with to their bio/statements. The response has been great! Everything in the gallery is one-of-a-kind and hand-made, and I find it helps to engage with the piece when you know a little more about its maker...so I decided to add the pictures of the artists to our website:

The photographs were fantastic! Some are taken by professionals while others are candid shots -- here are some of my favorites...

Becky OH! (courtesy of Violet Marsh Photography)

Peter Donovan (courtesy of Michael Penney Photography)
Elsa Mora wearing hand-made paper necklace, portrait inspired by Frida Kahlo (courtesy of Elsa's blog "The Hidden Seed", a blog about personal style)

Double Parlour (a.k.a. Ernie + Cassandra Velasco)

Some of the photographs feature artists in their studios...

Rachel Paxton in her newly renovated studio in Jamaica Plain

An intimate portrait of Jessica Pisano working in her studio

Fleur Palau and one of her muses surrounded by paintings in the artist's studio

And I especially love these approaches as I HATE having my picture taken. I am inspired...

Allyssa Spry behind a bunch of daisies

Amanda Atkins behind a book, painted by the artist

and Samantha Wilcox wrapped in a soft pink scarf.

I am so grateful to be working with so many amazing artists -- not only talented but extremely supportive and inspiring. Now, you can see all of their smiling faces here!

Hmmm. I'm inspired to attempt a self-portrait, perhaps in the guise of a Saint...Lucy perhaps!?

Robin Beaty & Where Women Create...

2010-04-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

I recently visited the very new and absolutely amazing studio of Robin Beaty, built by the artist herself along with master carpenter George Abetti. (Robin documented the entire process on her blog.)

During my visit, Robin showed me a wonderful magazine Where Women Create featuring "inspiring work spaces of extraordinary women". It is a lovely publication with beautiful photographs and represents a variety of spaces and styles...

I think Robin's studio is worthy of a profile -- this is where she creates:

Ventilation is very important when working with encaustic -- there is a trap door so that Robin can open and close her venting as needed.

And continuing upstairs to the office loft...

Complete with a bed she actually made out of old doors!

Wow. I cannot find the right words to communicate how much I LOVE this space. Well done Robin + George! I drove home with big ideas of how to transform my own studio space, which is in the attic of our new home....hmmm.

Oh, and I almost forgot -- Robin wrapped up a beautiful new painting for me to bring back with me...

Confluence #10 (36x36), now available.

George Beland @ Apartment Therapy!

2010-04-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to read this post by Tanya Lacourse in Apartment Therapy today -- introducing George Beland to AT readers! Thanks Tanya ;)

Tanya is an amazing artist herself, she is a photographer based out of Manchester, NH. (it's a small world -- she actually took Becky OH's portrait that I recently uploaded to the new artist page on our website!) You can see Tanya's portfolio on her website.

Nominees: Robin Beaty and Fleur Palau

2010-03-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

The 16th Spotlight on the Arts Awards is coming to the Music Hall on April 15th -- so as a follow up to announcing the nominees, I'd like to specially congratulate Robin Luciano Beaty and Fleur Palau as I have the pleasure of working with both of them!

Robin Luciano Beaty...

Robin has been nominated for "Outstanding Abstract Artist of 2009". She concentrates primarily on the ancient wax based medium of Encaustic paint, a molten beeswax mixed with resin and dry pigments, which she incorporates mixed media, vintage materials, textiles and found objects. Her work has been described as "beautifully conceptual, satisfying mind and spirit simultaneously" and "deliciously collectable". Robin has had an ongoing presence at Three Graces Gallery in Portsmouth - Her solo show this past August ('09) was a huge success, featuring an impressive body of work in her medium of encaustic. Last Spring ('09), Robin was awarded the Award for Excellence in Mixed Media at the NAA's 12th annual Regional juried show as well as the prestigious International Encaustic Painting "Conference Award" for Best in Show in the exhibition juried by Nicholas Capasso, chief curator of the Decordova Museum. *I'd like to also mention that she built her own studio, which is gorgeous and impressive in and of itself -- she's prolific, professional and a delight to work with.

Fleur Palau...

Fleur has been nominated for "Outstanding Narrative Artist of 2009". She was trained in both Florence and New York, she has lived and worked in Italy for over 20 years where she maintains a home and working studio. She is currently living in New Hampshire and has an ongoing presence at Three Graces. She is best known for her narrative paintings depicting a world of Rabbits. Her paintings are a whimsical, yet sometimes moody reflection of the human psyche set in the natural world. Fleur admits "The full meaning of these paintings is of course open to speculation and does not concern me, though I recognize the symbolism and irony that is the vehicle in which to reveal some useful message about ourselves. I would hope that in these rabbbit portraits we may recognize the better attributes of our own nature, that of love, friendship, loyalty, and that the renewed recognition of this will at once empower and inspire." Fleur recently finished a series of paintings to be published in a children's book!

Architectural Digest HOME DESIGN SHOW

2010-03-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

The 9th Annual Architectural Digest Home Design Show in New York City opened yesterday! Our dear friend and fabulous furniture designer/maker extraordinaire, George Beland, is exhibiting work from his Foundation Line. "Acceptance into this juried show testifies to Beland’s artistry." (Andrew Lieb, Portsmouth Herald)

The show features a world of design inspiration...

Exhibits from nearly 300 premium brands

Antiques and mid-century section, presented by 1stdibs.com

Design seminars presented by The New York Times and industry associations

Cooking demonstrations and tastings by celebrity chefs
Complimentary one-on-one consultations with design professionals

Curated tours with members of the American Society of Interior Designers

Here are some photos of last year's event courtesy of Architectural Digest:

George has been working very hard preparing for this show! He has added two new pieces to his foundation line, a television console and a "not so small" small table...

Here is George in his studio - he was recently interviewed by Andrew Lieb for the Portsmouth Herald.

"In his workshop at the Button Factory, furniture builder George Beland is at
work on a custom kitchen set he’ll exhibit at the Architectural Digest Home
Design Show from March 18-21 at Pier 94 in New York City." more

The Architectural Digest Home Design Show is Thursday thru Sunday. For those of you who won't be able to make the big show, George's work is, of course, always on display at Three Graces. Congratulations George! Work it!!

My Sunset Road!

2010-03-18T13:18:00.000-07:00

I just received a package from Courtney of My Sunset Road -- I love her jewelry designs (have admired necklaces and earrings on the beautiful Becky OH! for over a year now) and I am delighted to have them here at Three Graces! Courtney's designs are a perfect blend of organic and elegance.

making her ideas and designs come alive in metal...

The latest collection Sunset Road hints at ancient cultures from faraway places. Courtney has found inspiration in history and design from Africa, Asia and South America - intrigued by the form, function and significance of the ancient designs. "The original artisans crafted these pieces for both ornamental and symbolic purposes. They were adornments that were meant to seduce and were also worn as emblems of power. I wanted to keep the historical context and communicate it in my modern adaptations."

This is her favorite collection to date! "My love for modern design and history have come together in a collection that would feel at home in both the Museum of Natural History and the MoMA! These pieces are meant to be everyday favorites. You can wear them alone for a subtle look but the clean shapes and design are perfect for layering as well as mixing and matching with each other for a bolder statement."

The Spring collection from My Sunset Road "honors women who are conscious of trends but want quality pieces with timeless appeal."

Jewelry designs by My Sunset Road (a.k.a. Courtney Filer-Dougal) is now available and coming soon to our online shop!

16th Annual Spotlight Awards -- Nominees Announced!

2010-03-12T07:52:00.000-08:00

I was recently asked to be on the visual arts jury for the Spotlight Awards!

The nominees were officially announced in this week's Spotlight, here's the link: http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20100311-ENTERTAIN-3110307

Congratulations to all of the nominees -- I feel really good about our nominees as they are not only an extremely talented group of artists, but hard working. The things that each of them has accomplished in the past year is inspiring and should be acknowledged. Here are our picks for the awards:

Outstanding Abstract Artist of 2009

Tim Beavis
Kim Bernard
Robin Luciano Beaty
Gail Spaien
Rose Umerlik

Outstanding Representational Artist of 2009

Sydney Bella Sparrow
Amy Brnger
Tom Glover
Adeline Goldminc-Tronzo
Christopher Volpe

Outstanding Narrative Artist of 2009

Megan Bogonovich
Katherine Doyle
Julee Holcombe
Fleur Palau
Jocelyn Toffic

Outstanding Public Artist of 2009

*People's choice — nominees for Outstanding Public Artist of 2009. The public will vote for the winner at seacoastonline.com/spotlightvote

Emile Birch
Gordon Carlisle
Barbara Rita Jenny
Gary Haven Smith
Susan Schwake
Nathan Walker

The winners will be announced and awards will be presented at the 16th Annual Spotlight on the Arts Awards Show at the Music Hall in downtown Portsmouth on April 15th -- I sincerely hope that you can make it to the event! It begins at 7:00pm. The event is FREE and open to all Seacoast performing and visual arts enthusiasts and their guests.

FUTURAMA

2010-03-12T07:37:00.001-08:00

We just celebrated the opening of our new show, FUTURAMA, featuring encaustic paintings by Kimberly Curry!

"As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Romania many years ago, I spent my time teaching at the local university and searching through second-hand stores, which were loaded with musty-smelling merchandise from Germany, Holland and other parts of Western Europe. It was like a treasure hunt for me. The gold nuggets were fabric from the 1950s: Stained tablecloths, faded curtains, and scraps of material from long-forgotten projects.

The images in the fabric tugged at my heart along with the hopeful story the items seemed to tell. It was the excitement of the images: Space exploration, scientific advances, and hope for a bright new future.

With its translucent and opaque qualities, the medium of encaustic painting is used as a vehicle to capture the images of the times." - Kimberly Curry, 2010

Kimberly Curry was raised in Southern Maine and attended Newbury College and Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston for interior design. She now resides in Portland, Maine.

While driven toward artistic expression and appreciation all her life, she did not find her true creative voice until she coached a group of young artists in Romania while living there on a Peace Corps assignment. There, Kimberly witnessed first-hand what it really means to have a spiritual need for artistic expression, even over above-base survival, with only the barest of supplies on hand. Artists in Romania worked with recycled posters, shoe polish, and fingers when brushes weren't available. Kimberly's work within the Peace Corps was to help procure supplies and funding for these young artists, and to provide moral support for their callings and endeavors.

Kimberly is the president of the board of SPIRAL Arts, Inc. and teaches intergenerational water-color classes through SPIRAL Arts in Portland, Maine.

Futurama is up thru March 29th!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T09:56:00.001-08:00

I LOVE photoshop :)

in the news...

2010-02-11T10:40:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Anne Bryant for coming in and writing about our Teeny Tiny Art Show!

"...Curator Kim Ferreira has done a great job of hanging a massive amount of work in such a way that it draws you further into her gallery to discover all the paintings, sculptures, and drawings that have been tucked, hung, encased in glass, neatly stacked and gently displayed...."

"...Absolutely stunning are Amy Gross' shadow box treats filled with botanical doppelgangers. She uses what she calls "imitative materials" to make these microcosms of mimicry. Right down to paper bees and ribbon moss, a close look at these incredible pieces reveals not one piece of craft store flora. Beads, fabric, paper, and other simple materials pretend so well, and Gross' skill makes me hope we see more of her in the future...."

"...I can't help but be drawn to the funnier side of this show. Greg Stones' sweet little watercolors and prints of penguins, zombies, aliens, Bigfoot, flashers, and nervous penguins' poop are really hilarious..."

"...Sarah Sharp's snapshots of scenes where little plastic toys are having adventures, mostly on food, are well executed as well as fun to look at. "Grand Day Out" turns a plant pot into a place for wee plastic hikers to take a nature walk and "Cows of Monte Cristo" makes a pasture of a sandwich..."

"...Gianna DiBartolomeo's paper and thread pieces resemble cross stitch, and hold snarky commentary between the words and the simplified images. From the recognizable one liners found in classic novels to her funny icon-type images paired with funny statements — you'll read them all if you read one.'I love ponchos.' 'Yoga is my sport.' 'Dependency Anonymous: We'll have a bus come pick you up'...."

"...Kaetlyn Wilcox has some killer little bird portraits she's done on wooden eggs. The birds, of course, in their Sunday best. Kelly Vivanco's well dressed little moles in "To the Market" and "Coin Purse" are very sweet and chock full of personality..."

"...I have just brushed the surface of this show. Be sure to stop in for all the rest of it — the lumberjacks, the spray paint, the Shakespeare, the fabric birds, and so, so much more."

Thanks again Anne! read the article in its entirety here.

TT6 now in our online shop!

2010-02-07T14:50:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful opening friday night -- the gallery was jam packed with people and teeny tiny art!

I am very pleased to be done hanging and also to announce that all of the works from the Teeny Tiny Art Show #6 are now available to view + purchase in our online shop!!

Enjoy...and stay tuned for posts on participating artists...

Teeny Tiny #6

2010-01-30T07:47:00.000-08:00

February is upon us...more snow, valentines, my birthhday and the Teeny Tiny Art Show!

The sixth in the ongoing series of Teeny Tiny splendor this show includes old and new friends -- 36 artists from all over the country!

The show opens Friday, February 5th, with an opening reception from 5-8pm. For those of you who just can't wait -- feel free to check out a preview of many of the work in the show here.

I'll be sure to follow up with more in-depth previews and interesting tid bits about participating artists and their new works for this sensational show!

Cheers,

~Kim

New Year, New Show!

2010-01-16T08:45:00.000-08:00

Today I write about a fabulous new show that just opened last friday featuring two talented and dear friends of mine -- Tiffany Torre and George Beland!

"Three Graces arranged the clever, yet natural pairing of wool installations by Tiffany Torre and wood furniture by George Beland. The softness of Torre’s fabric, like elegant tweed upholstery, ideally complements the modern, hardwood furniture. Both have minimal, but graceful lines and curves, and together the work reinforces the gallery’s welcoming, homey feel." (Chloe Johnson, the Wire)

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Like everyone else, the past few months have been very busy -- we moved into a house, which has been extremely exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Having lived in a very small apartment for the past ten plus years I am very grateful. (and Bob has given me free reign on picking paint colors, so I've been busy painting all of the walls...perhaps I'll share some photos a little later...)

i'm back!

2009-11-21T08:23:00.000-08:00

The past few months have been crazy busy despite and also resulting in my lack of posting! My guilt has passed and i realize the blog must go on!

The gallery is currently featuring a beautiful show of recent paitnings and works on paper by Shiao-Ping Wang..."Musings"

"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." - Shiao-Ping Wang

Shiao-Ping Wang 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.

Shiao-Ping 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 and in 2008 she was the winner of the Spotlight Award for "Best Painter". (Here she is with her husband and fellow painter, Brian Chu -- Brian was one of my professors at UNH!)

Shiao-Ping Wang: Musings runs thru November 30th, so stop in and say hello -- and if you can't, all of the works will soon be available in our online shop!

PICNIC

2009-09-11T13:57:00.001-07:00

Three Graces has a booth at Picnic tomorrow!

the Festival begins at 11 am rain or shine ... stop by and say hi if you are in the area! I'll be there with Bob (and the lovely and talented Tiffany Torre will be in the gallery.)

Cheers

opening this friday!!!

2009-09-03T06:47:00.001-07:00

Come one, come all! this show is amazing, I am so excited to have so many amazing artists to work with, unfortunately there is so much that still needs to be done between now and the opening tomorrow night, that I don't have time to go into the details...however, you can check out the Teeny Tiny Art Blog which features pictures and interviews with many of the participating artists and will continue to do so thru the month!

See you on friday, the opening reception is from 5 to 8pm -- and for those of you who can't make it, the online shop will be launched Friday afternoon!

Luminous Landscape

2009-08-08T12:22:00.000-07:00

Last night we celebrated the opening of "Luminous Landscape", a new exhibition featuring encaustic paintings by Linda Cordner, Charyl Weissbach, Janet Bartlett Goodman and Tracy Spadafora. The artists in this show have employed diverse encaustic-based means for exploring the subtle and mesmerizing affinity imparted by our surroundings. The use of pigmented wax, with its vivid color and translucent properties is uniquely able to convey nature's vastness and its mysterious allure, creating an illusion of timelessness.

Linda Cordner has exhibited at Three Graces on multiple occasions, in the Teeny Tiny Art Shows and most recently in "Making Their Marks in Molten Wax. Linda was raised in Connecticut and received a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the University of Connecticut with concentrations in Graphic Design and Painting. She also spent a semester studying in London. An early interest in art lead her to choose this path without hesitation. After college she settled in Boston and has explored many areas of art and design throughout her career.

"I am very drawn to wax and its tactile qualities, the smell and viscosity of the medium are very different from other painting techniques. Creating organic forms is a natural extension of wax's origin. Coming from a background in graphic design, I am drawn to certain color schemes and shapes, the repetition and placement being important to the composition. My paintings are made by layering multiple coats of wax which can completely obscure the under layers at times. I use collage or incised patterns and lines to show the translucency of the wax."

Janet Bartlett Goodman currently resides in Oakland, California. A native of Boston, Janet received her BFA from Massachusetts College of Art, with a major in Industrial Design.　Her early work as a Product Designer honed her eye for color, line and form.

"My father was an Artist. So the smell of linseed oil and turpentine always floods me with memories of my childhood. The work that I am doing is about people and places that are important to me. The power of imagery to evoke emotions and create memories has always fascinated me. I use color, line, and depth to create a lyrical aesthetic. Each piece holds a single moment in time. In some of the works the viewer is invited to wander in. With the grid pieces, the viewer sits firmly outside the scene, and the image is allowed to stand-alone.　

My background is in product design so, for me, material and processes are very important. Wax is a wonderful medium to work with and I love the challenges that come from working in this very ancient technique. Encaustic is a mixture of bees wax, demar resin and pigment which is heated and applied to a substrate than reheated and each layer is fused to the one below. Once fused you get a very rich, deep, luminous surface. The process of making art should not be routine; it should make you continually question and experiment. Each piece should build on the success and failures of the last."　

Tracy Spadafora works and lives in Boston. She is exhibiting paintings from her "Persistance of Nature" Series.

Tracy is exhibiting paintings from her "Persistance of Nature" Series. "Images of nature came into my work many years ago. Intrigued by the elegant and complex patterns of leaves and other flora, I began incorporating them in my work as symbols of our natural environment. In my paintings these organic forms are juxtaposed with symbols of our man-made environment, represented by schematic diagrams and architecture plans of the "Big Dig" artery project in Boston, MA. The leaves, pods, flowers and seeds often take on a whimsical quality as they hang, float, and blossom from a background of roads, parking lots, and industrial parks, ultimately reshaping these structured surroundings.

I work with an ancient wax painting technique called encaustic, which allows me to layer images and preserve them underneath the surface. The obscuring and burying of images within the layers of wax and paint helps to extend their meaning into the realms of memory and intuition. In these works natural structures and man-made structures converge and collide, creating a dialogue between these opposing forces. The natural environment has suffered greatly as a result of commercial, residential, and industrial development. Nature struggles to survive and find new life within the continuous sprawl of these man-made environments.

With these paintings I intend to convey a sense of the poetry and endurance of nature as a force - a force that seems to persist in spite of man's actions. In this work I seek to address larger questions concerning the lineage of our natural and man-made environments."

Charyl Weissbach is a Boston encaustic painter. She has a BFA in Painting and Art History from the Massachusetts College of Art. Her painting technique involves the use of hot wax(encaustic)in combination with oil paints.

"Color, texture, and light placed within familiar settings such as a landscape or seascape can evoke feelings of inspiration.　These locations contain intriguing compositions, color rich in texture, and unusual shapes that, in collaboration, emit an aesthetic sensation of harmony, and the illusion of timelessness.　The imagery of my work does not accurately represent nature, as we know it.　With this, I am able to convey nature's vastness and its mysterious allure, which is a significant theme in my compositions.　Therefore, I try to unveil an abstraction of nature's character, attempting to capture some of its infinite variations of color, shape, and ethereal beauty.I derive great pleasure from satisfying a viewer's yearning for visualizing the complexity and beauty of our natural surroundings.　It is my hope that these feelings, which have formed the basis of these paintings, will be in some way conveyed to those viewing them."

"Luminous Landscape" is on view thru August 31st. You can also view all of the paintings from this exhibition in our online shop!

flea market finds + Amy Gross!

2009-07-19T12:11:00.001-07:00

Bob and I got up extra early this morning so that we could drive to Rowley, MA to check out the Todd Farm Flea Market...

It was much larger than either of us had expected, but we managed to cover the entire thing in about two hours -- taking our time and looking closely at first then quickly scanning by the end. There were some wonderful things and lots of, well, crap (literally, there was a guy pedalling plastic poo!)

We made two small purchases - the first was a lovely little della robbia, we have one that I made Bob for his birthday two years ago, but I love these things, and I need all the luck I can get in the kitchen! I also purchased some doilies...

I have big plans for the doilies...I recently came across this photograph in Amy Gross's flickr photostream:

She covered the cat scratches on her sofa with flea market doilies, Solomon (her cat) soon lost interest in the sofa as scratching post. Personally, I'm going to need many more doilies, however, it's a start...

Amy is a brilliant artist and textile designer. She is participating in the upcoming Teeny Tiny Art Show #5 in September! In fact, I just posted an interview with Amy to our Teeny Tiny Art Blog. You can read about Amy and some of the other participating artists HERE!

Teeny Tiny Art Blog!

2009-07-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

The Teeny Tiny Art Show #5 is coming in September!! Forbidden Fruit leading us into temptation...

AND I've created a special blog dedicated to this special show.

In the coming weeks I will be posting about participating artists - interviews, pictures, random things...more than you would ever need to know!! Read all about 'em here.

i heart wide-angle lenses

2009-07-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

Robin came in and took some shots of the gallery with her fancy wide-angle lense, they came out great! The space looks huge...

And here's Robin with the work!

Robin Luciano Beaty: Above and Beyond...

2009-07-13T08:28:00.000-07:00

We have the most beautiful show in the gallery right now! "Above and Beyond" is an exhibition of encaustic paintings by Robin Luciano Beaty.

Robin works in the ancient medium of encaustic: a molten beeswax paint mixed with resin and dry pigments. She describes in her statement how the medium allows her to escape the confines of everyday artist's techniques and provides her with more exploratory means of expression. “Its qualities are sublime and unpredictable, additive and subtractive, translucent and sculptural, which strongly influences the direction of the painting.”

“My process is driven by the visceral journey of discovering something reminiscent rather than recording a specific space. The act of scraping, tearing, building up and burning down the layers of wax from the surface of the painting to reveal distinct compositions and texture is metaphor for digging into memory, and allows me to navigate that internal journey. It is the intention of my work that the viewer see the personally familiar in the most foreign, exploring the deeper roots of beauty with a new set of eyes; those above and beyond the surface or that which goes unnoticed.” ~Robin Beaty, 2009

Robin Luciano Beaty is an award winning painter out of Newbury, Ma. Her work has been featured in multiple solo exhibitions. Represented in many private and corporate collections internationally, her work can also be found in galleries around New england and numerous group and juried shows. Most recently Robin was awarded the Award for Excellence in Mixed Media at the NAA's 12th annual Regional juried show as well as the prestigious International Encaustic Painting "Conference Award" for Best in Show in the exhibition juried by Nicholas Capasso, chief curator of the Decordova Museum.
Robin's highly collected work has been described as "a compelling intersection between painting, sculpture and installation" and "beautifully conceptual, satisfying mind and spirit simultaneously".

"Above and Beyond" is up thru August 3rd - don't miss it!! If you are too far to make the journey, you can see all of the works here and here in our online shop! Enjoy.

Sara du Long + Market Square Day

2009-07-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

Also in June...Sara du Long was here in the gallery for a Trunk Show featuring lots of new pieces. She was working away all winter to create some amazing new designs...It was great for folks to have the opportunity to meet Sara in person, and hear her talk about her process and inspiration!

Though Sara is not here everyday to share her secrets, her fabulous jewelry designs are a permanent fixture. Check out some of the new work in our online shop!

**We will be having a Trunk Show with Erin Moran in August - details coming soon!

Also in June, Portsmouth celebrated Market Square Day! Three Graces participated with a booth - thanks to the amazingly talented and generous Erin Moran for her help! It was a fun and successful day...

June was busy...Nicole Maloof!!

2009-07-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

Dear blog, i am so sorry to have neglected you for so long! I looked at my calendar the other day and was shocked to see that june had come and gone and july is upon us...I'll write about current goings on in a following post, however, I feel the need to share with everyone the happenings of this past june...

Three Graces featured "Love Letters to Kafka", an exhibition of recent works on paper by Nicole Maloof. The exhibition was extremely well received, it challenged many viewers and made others giddy with excitement!

“Drawings for the current show were made in the spirit of Kafka's literary works. The imagery touches upon a nightmarish and fantastical world where coherency and meaning is not seemingly present. Strange creatures interact in a stage-like world, though insufficient information is available to piece a full story together. My starting point begins with the questioning of social constructs that exist around us. Man-made concepts of power, punishment, the existence of the Other, etc run through the work. Machine guns, ramen, schoolgirls, and executioners coexist. Strange relationships are forged, creating humorous but unnerving images that the viewer is left to decipher. These implied narratives are aimed at inducing an investigation of their meaning, a process reflective of our own search for meaning in the absurd and potentially godless world that we reside in.” ~Nicole Maloof, 2009

The above painting is called "The Courts Were Too Powerful for Dracula and Frankenstein". Nicole is juxtaposing historic evils (in the form of executioner and clan member) with fictional evils (Dracula, Frankenstein and blue vampiric blob)...the latter are saddened and can't bare to look...

Nicole Maloof 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 currently resides in Boston, MA. In July, Nicole will be travelling to South Korea on a teaching Fulbright. For the next year, she will be teaching English, investigating Korea's contemporary arts, and continuing to make art as well. An account of the trip will be posted on her blog (http://nicolesyearofkimchi.blogspot.com).

"Love Letters to Kafka" came down this past Monday. Many works from the show sold, however the remaining works will be available thru Three Graces. Check out our online shop for more details. Enjoy!

Robin Luciano Beaty

2009-04-27T13:29:00.001-07:00

Finally, Robin Luciano Beaty is fabulous and the fourth artist in our upcoming exhibition, "Making their Mark in Molten Wax"!

Robin concentrates primarily on the ancient wax base medium of encaustic paint, a molten beeswax mixed with resin and dry pigments, which she incorporates mixed media, vintage materials, textiles, metals and found objects. Her work has been described as a "compelling intersection between painting, sculpture and installation" and "deliciously collectable".

In her own words: "I believe its the artists job to communicate an impression in a voice most have not heard. Traditional landscape painters strive to create a reproduction of place. My encaustic paintings derive from my own intuitive perspectives, pulling inspiration from emotion, imagination and memory, concentrating on the often over-looked and unconventional."

"My process is driven by the visceral journey of discovering something reminiscent rather than the recording of a specific space. The medium of encaustic provides me with that exploratory means of expression in a way everyday artists techniques can not. Its qualities are sublime and unpredictable, additive and subtractive, translucent and sculptural which strongly influences the direction of the painting. The act of scraping, tearing, building up and burning down the layers of wax from the surface is metaphor for digging into memory and allows me to navigate that internal journey."

"I'd like the viewer to discover a new perception of space while possibly revisiting images from their own recollections, sparked by the sensory experience of texture and touch. I choose to render this experience in a way that can be both understood and confusing. Just as one would feel walking down the corridors of a foreign market in a far away culture, making discoveries and unlearning misconceptions. Allen Ginsberg said "Others can measure their vision by what we see". It is the intention of my work that the viewer see the personally familiar in the most foreign, exploring the deeper roots of beauty with a new set of eyes; those beyond the surface or that which goes unnoticed."

Linda Cordner

2009-04-27T13:10:00.000-07:00

Three Graces has had the honor of exhibiting works by Linda Cordner twice before, in the Teeny Tiny Art Shows #3 and #4, third time's a charm! Linda has new work in our upcoming exhibition "Making Their Mark in Molten Wax". Here's a sneak preview...

Here's a bit from her artist statement: "I am very drawn to wax and its tactile qualities, the smell and viscosity of the medium are very different from other painting techniques. Creating organic forms is a natural extension of wax’s origin. Coming from a background in graphic design, I am drawn to certain color schemes and shapes, the repetition and placement being important to the composition. My paintings are made by layering multiple coats of wax which can completely obscure the under layers at times. I then scrape away areas of the wax to expose the compositions below."

Linda was recently featured in the new book Embracing Encaustic by Linda Womack, check it out here...and be sure to check out her new work in our show, opening this coming Friday, May 1st. The opening reception is from 5-8pm, refreshments will be served and stimulating conversation will be had.

Tim Yankosky

2009-04-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

Three Graces also welcomes Tim Yankosky to exhibit for the first time. He is one of the four artists being featured in our upcoming "Making their Mark in Molten Wax". His series of goldfish are charming, handsome and amazing in their sculptural quality (the fish bowl actually curves out beyond the surface of the painting)

Tim thinks of his own paintings as a highly personal narrative - often employing birds and fish as his central characters and symbolic self-portrait. The constant play between text, texture, and the character are central to his work. Tim paints with acrylics and oils, frequently applied over a background of collage. Natural beeswax and resin are then painted or thickly poured over the surface of the paintings before he skillfully etches into the wax and colors the etchings with more paint. The multiple layers veiled and obscured by encaustic simultaneously distance the viewer and incite curiosity.

Originally from New Jersey, Tim currently lives and works in San Francisco. He has exhibited around the Bay Area, with shows at Soul Arch, SF State Gallery, and Space 743 Gallery. In 2004 he was included in the Heart and Soul citywide installation with his piece now displayed at Mo Mo’s restuarant.

Gina Adams

2009-04-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

I am excited to work with Gina Adams for the first time. She is one of four artists in our upcoming show, "Making their Mark in Molten Wax". Her work is beautiful, highly sophisticated in form and content. I would like to share with you snipits from her artist statement as it is heart-felt and informative.

"I am the grand daughter of an Ojibwa Native American and a Lithuanian woman. My grandfather was removed from his White Earth Reservation at age eight and taken to the Carlisle School in Pennsylvania, or, what he referred to as "white man’s training school". He never returned to his reservation, nor saw any of his native family again. As a child, I spent many hours with my grandfather as he recanted to me the "old ways". He had lived a hard, honest life that he was grateful for and it was extremely important to him that I would know who I was and where I came from. When I was seven, my grandfather took me to a stream, tossed in a pebble, and as we watched ripples spread across the water, he told me that the choices I would make would create ripples throughout my life. He taught me that I could embrace my Ojibwe heritage. He taught me that life was best lived by the seven Ojibwe teachings of truth, wisdom, peace, respect, bravery, honesty, and humility. I have always held this knowledge deep within my heart, and because of that deep connection, I’ve worked toward reaching my heritage on a spiritual level through my studio practice."

"My Lace Bead Heritage body of work comes both from the time spent in the studio and from the research and extensive traveling I’ve done for both my Native American Ojibwa and Lithuanian cultures. I have been learning my Ojibwe language for seven years now and was very fortunate to be invited to participate in Language Immersion at Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota, which is a sister reservation to my grandfather’s homeland. To my physical experiences, I add the rich, detailed memories of my youth. My lace beadwork weaves together my grandfather’s oral traditions with the craft that was so lovingly made by hand. My work is process oriented; the intention being to create work that evokes layered possibilities. The beauty that my ancestors made was not about perfection; instead it was meant as a way to honor both what has come before and what may lie ahead. By creating little bits of beauty in my lace beading, I’ve discovered how very similar I am to them."

"Megwitch sa migiwewin nind ki jawendagogiwin tchiwi apagijiwe bekanisid assin pindig nibikang. "

(Ojibwa translation: Thank you for giving me the chance to cast another pebble into the water. )

Upcoming Encaustic Show

2009-04-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

With the relatively recent resurgence of artists working with encaustic, I was inspired to put together a group show of four artists working exclusively in the medium of molten wax. I have admired the work of each of these artists for awhile, and I am quite pleased to announce this upcoming show: "Making their Mark in Molten Wax", featuring works by Gina Adams, Robin Luciano Beaty, Linda Cordner and Tim Yankosky.

Join us at the opening reception this Friday, May 1st, from 5-8pm...and stay tuned for posts about each of the participating artists!

!New Spring Designs by Erin Moran

2009-04-25T15:06:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung, and with it comes New Designs from Erin Moran!

Erin was a busy little bee in her studio this winter. The new designs are in keeping with previous work, but there are new forms, patterns and lots of color ...

The new cups feature brightly colored interiors with scribed patterns on the outside, not to mention she is now making goblets! (cups $28, goblets $32)

She is offering platters with graphic designs ("Cattails" is shown in group shot, "Branch" is shown directly above; Graphic platters $160)

...and also with scribed designs ("Marsh Plants" is shown in group shot, "Weeds" is shown directly above; Scribed platters $110).

Coasters have also been added to the line. There are 24 in all, each representing available colors and patterns. (coasters $20, set of 4 $70)

All of Erin's new designs are currently available in the gallery along with the tiny bowls, cereal bowls, dessert plates and vases we have been enjoying already. They will also be available in our online shop sooner than later!

back from the city of brotherly love...

2009-04-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

Bob and I just got back from a brief trip to Philadelphia (Bob's brother Chris lives there and he was a wonderful host - he spoiled us both!)

Though rain clouds persisted, we made the best of our time in the city. We toured Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, enjoyed lunch at the Reading Terminal Market, strolled the the Historic Antique Row, and finally explored the Philadelphia Museum Art, followed up by cocktails at the lovely Water Works.

This was my first time in Philadelphia, so I had to make time for the typical tourist to-dos...first stop Independence Hall! I was particularly interested in seeing this because Bob and I recently watched "John Adams" the HBO mini-series.

I learned that what I always thought was the crack in the Liberty Bell, was indeed the repair.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art was wonderful - it was much larger than I expected, and I later realized I missed entire sections - sadly much of the European Art (1500-1850).

We entered the museum from the back entrance, and so we walked down the famous stairs that Rocky ran up. I did step inside of his shoes for a moment.

I was personally very excited to see some paintings by Henri Rousseau, who until now, had not been someone I looked to for inspiration. (Below are "The Merry Jesters" and "Carnival Evening")

The armory was incredible!

On the way to the airport, Bob's brother took us to Fort Mifflin. The fort represents the only pre-Revolutionary fortification.

While I found the Fort fascinating, I couldn't help but feel sad and disturbed - knowing that so many people had suffered and died within the walls. I asked a woman working in the gift house about spiritual entities - she went on in detail about experiences she and others had. She also told us that the folks from the show "Ghost Hunter" had been there and reported significant findings. Read more here.

*Star Island off the coast of Portsmouth was also investigated by the "Ghost Hunter" crew. Read their findings here.

Spotlight Awards!

2009-04-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

The 15th Annual Spotlight on the Arts Awards was held last night at the Music Hall! I would like to congratulate my friend and artist Shiao-Ping Wang for winning the award for Best Painter!

I have had the honor of working with Shiao-Ping for over four years in the gallery. Her paintings are beautiful - the perfect balance of control and expression. (In addition she is a wonderful person - wise and radiating with a possitive energy, and she has opened my mind and belly to the most delicious Tiramisu!)

Congratulations also to my friend Michael Winters (Best Photographer) and all of the other winners and nominees. We are so lucky to live in a place where the arts truly thrive, and it is so nice for the community to take the opportunity to acknowledge this creative spirit each and every year!

Between the Lines

2009-04-10T13:32:00.000-07:00

Three Graces is currently featuring "Between the Lines", an exhibition of recent paintings by Marilene Sawaf and stained-glass panels by Monica Wing!

Lines of Paint ... Marilene Sawaf was born in Egypt. She studied fine arts at the ABC School of Fine Arts in Paris and is a graduate of Interior Design & Architecture at the University of Saint Esprit in Lebanon. She has exhibited her work extensively throughout New England and abroad.

"My first series of women goes back to 1981, after my recent move to New England. My inspiration was a luminous stained glass window that used to cover an entire wall of my grandmother's home in Egypt. I try to create an illusion and mystery that makes you wonder - who are these women and what are they doing? Products of my past culture, of my present taste for rich colors and enigmatic effects, my paintings of women are a mysterious reflection of my most subconscious dreams."

Lines of Lead (and Copper Foil) ... Monica Wing is exhibiting four stained glass panels. Each panel features sections of highly detailed paintings (church-window technique) alongside brilliant patterns and bold textures.

Humor + Whimsy - Shown above is "Her Feet Are Too Big" and below - "Losbster Dance" featuring the said red crustacean taking a pink seahorse by its "human" hand.

Please stop in if you are in our lovely Seacoast, and for those of you who are not - all of the works from this show are available to view + purchase in our online shop...here...and here.

Animation by Greg Stones

2009-03-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

I just came across this new animated short by Teeny Tiny Art Show participant Greg Stones...he cracks me up!

and there's two more...

Elsa Mora: Why Should People Buy Handmade

2009-02-17T09:04:00.000-08:00

I came across Elsa Mora's answer to this question a few months ago and I would like to share it with you as I think her words are so warm and genuine...

Why should people buy handmade?

I think that buying handmade is a way of expression and communication. You express yourself through the objects that you choose to live with and with the objects that you give to other people. Handmade objects have a different meaning compared to industrial objects because they carry a human energy. The thing that most impacts people is other people. That’s why we experience something nice when we get anything handmade. When you buy handmade you are not only buying an object but you’re also buying a concept, an idea that has to do with the appreciation of what’s human. By buying handmade you are saying in a subtle way that you care about other people and that you are open for them to bring something into your life, it is an exchange, it is human connection.

~Elsita Mora

Elsa's papercuts are currently in our Teeny Tiny IV, view all of them here.

Why Buy handmade?

2009-02-17T07:11:00.000-08:00

I am an active member of the Buy Local program in Portsmouth and last night we just had our first meeting for a new sub-group focusing on the Arts - educating people on the importance of supporting local artists and local art galleries.

Especially in this challenging economy, it is important to make smart decisions as a consumer, and in doing so you can feel good about protecting the diversity, freedom, and economic solvency of where you live and love.

One of our greatest challenges is education. I focus on the strong connection between buying local art and the "Buy Handmade" movement. Here a few great reasons: (courtesy of www.buyhandmade.org)

Buying Handmade makes for better gift-giving.

The giver of a handmade gift has avoided the parking lots and long lines of the big chain stores in favor of something more meaningful. If the giver has purchased the gift, s/he feels the satisfaction of supporting an artist or crafter directly. The recipient of the handmade gift receives something that is one-of-a-kind, and made with care and attention that canbe seen and touched. It is the result of skill and craftsmanship that is absent in the world of large-scale manufacturing.

Buying handmade is better for people.

The ascendancy of chain store culture and global manufacturing has left us dressing, furnishing, and decorating alike. We are encouraged to be consumers, not producers, of our own culture. Our ties to the local and human sources of our goods have been lost. Buying handmade helps us reconnect.

Buying handmade is better for the environment.

The accumulating environmental effects of mass production are a major cause of global warming and the poisoning of our air, water and soil. Every item you make or purchase from a small-scale independent artist or crafter strikes a small blow to the forces of mass production.

You can take the pledge to buy handmade here!

Tiny Tokens of Love

2009-02-12T11:26:00.000-08:00

Love is in the air...or maybe not, in any case Velentine's Day is days away and many of the artists in the Teeny Tiny Art show had romance on the mind. For those of you still looking for the perfect gift, here are a few things to consider:

Tell her how you feel, "Pink About You" by Linda Cordner ($350. - this and other paintings from Linda's Blush and Bloom series ($100 - $250) available here.)

For those of you lucky enough to be falling in love...in Chinese culture two butterflies flying together are a symbol of love (tiny 3-d butterfly paintings by Tiffany Torre $34. each, available here.)

Or perhaps you are in need of giving someone a cautionary warning, Erin Moran's heart rattles advise "Fragile, Handle with Care", "Dangerous Curves Ahead", "Stop When Flashing" to name a few. ($34. each available here.)

Over 400 pieces...finally hung!

2009-02-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

Well, actually, the last piece was hung by the opening last Friday. It has taken me until now to take photographs of the installation - which I thought I would share a few with you...

You can see how all of the works in the show were hung here.

Opening Reception tomorrow night!

2009-02-05T11:59:00.000-08:00

...still working on hanging the last few works for the Teeny Tiny Art Show #4, opening tomorrow night with a reception from 5-8pm.

H(EAT) Restaurant Night - Tonight!

2009-02-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

Dinner Plans?

For one night - tonight, Thursday, February 5th - several Seacoast Local restaurants will donate 10% of sales toward (H)EAT to raise money for 10,000 meals and 10,000 gallons of heating oil for Seacoast residents in need of assistance.

Please come out and do your part while enjoying dinner and community at some of the area's premier local, independent restaurants: Victory, Jumpin' Jays, Black Trumpet and Anneke Jans.

tiny preview: Kim Ferreira

2009-02-02T12:56:00.001-08:00

The installation of the Teeny Tiny Art Show has finally begun, but I thougth I would take a small break and share with you my new series of paintings done for this show...

I am currently re-reading "The Once and Future King" by T.H. White - the novel chronicles the raising and education of King Arthur, his rule as a king, and the romance between his best knight Sir Lancelot and his Queen Guinevere.

My paintings are loosely based on the fist part in which Merlyn, knowing the boy's destiny, teaches Arthur what it means to be a good king by turning him into various kinds of animals: fish, hawk, ant, owl, goose, and badger. Each of the transformations is meant to teach him a lesson, which will prepare him for his future life.

In my paintings, I have referenced vintage Alice in Wonderland illustrations in place of young Arthur, in an effort to place my younger self in the paintings...

okay, enough self-indulgence, back to the hammer and nails...remember, the Teeny Tiny Art Show opens this Friday, with an opening reception from 5-8pm. All of the work from the show will soon be available to view + purchase online in our online shop...'til then.

truly tiny - portraits by Craig Hood

2009-01-31T11:22:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled when I heard that my former professor Craig Hood was willing and able to participate in TT4! Craig's work is amazing - examining the role of the human figure as a narrative image in landscapes. "His graphite drawings are a blur from a distance, like a foggy dream or the memory of a black and white photograph."

Craig dropped off some truly tiny portraits - they are the tiniest of the teeny tiny - some measuring 1"x1" square!

Craig Hood lives and works in Portsmouth, NH. He has taught painting and drawing at The University of New Hampshire since 1981. He has a national exhibition record and has won a Ford Foundation Grant, been a finalist for the Rome Prize in Painting (1987), and was nominated for a Louis Comfort-Tiffany Award (1999). His landscape paintings have been exhibited in many venues from Portland, ME to New York City and Naples, FL. In recent years he has focused more exclusively on the figure-in-landscape images he has made since the early 1990s. In Sept.-Oct. of 2006 one of his works in this genre was included in an important exhibition at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, The Figure in American Painting and Drawing, 1985-2005.

You can preview these and other works from the show here.

Web site review!

2009-01-31T08:49:00.000-08:00

I was delighted to open this week's Spotlight to read: "Web site review: John Shore gives his first perfect score"! Thanks so much John!! (I'm not worthy)

The review is especially satisfying because I've been working very hard to teach myself web skills, endless tutorials and exhaustive google searches - I actually began designing my website three years ago in Microsoft Word, cutting and pasting (it looked awful!) ... so this review is a HUGE compliment. Read the review here.

a bit of a stretch...

2009-01-31T08:25:00.000-08:00

The Teeny Tiny Art Show #4 is less than a week away! Small packages containing tiny art are coming in from all over the country - I just received some new work from Bailey Saliwanchik, her recent portraits are a refreshing departure from her "playful portrayals of traditional female archtypes reflecting on themes of spirituality, sexuality, beauty and a gentle relationship with nature".

Here is a tiny preview of her "Distortraits"...

"Bailey Saliwanchik hails from the deep woods, swampy fields and blue skies of Maine, emerging with a belief in plant magic and the enchanted female. Her subjects are borne from a process of intuitive visual construction and combined interests in contemporary illustration, fashion illustration, classic figurative painting, ancient ideologies, goddess worship and fantastical female characters : gypsies, princesses, witches, mermaids, cowgirls, nuns, dancers queens and mediums. She loves big hair, books by Tom Robbins, ambiguous symbolism, gin, curls, and pumpkin muffins. She is currently based in Brooklyn, NY."

teeny tiny preview: Nicole Maloof

2009-01-23T09:16:00.000-08:00

Coming soon to a Teeny Tiny Art Show near you:

Ravenous beets ...

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your ... noodles!?

... a tale of knightly virtues, honor and courtly love.

You can see the other drawings from this series by Nicole Maloof, along with other works from the upcoming Teeny Tiny Art Show #4 here!

Nicole Maloof 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 currently resides in Boston, MA.

*Nicole has participated in all four tiny art shows and she has a solo show at Three Graces scheduled for June 2009.

Hail to the New Chief!

2009-01-20T07:31:00.000-08:00

Happy Inauguration Day! The entire world has the highest hopes for Obama right now. Public expectations for his performance in office far exceed those for any president in a generation. I am going to watch his highly anticipated speech at the Music Hall in just a bit...

...before I go, I thought it would be appropriate to share another teeny tiny preview: Jodie Baehre (who exhibited a fabulous series of "saints" in the TT3 in September) has been working on a series of portraits of figures from pop-culture!

Above is of course, our President Elect Obama and below - Bono!

"As a rock star, I have two instincts, I want to have fun, and I want to change the world. I have a chance to do both." ~ Bono

The series is based on influential people of this century. Some of the other portraits include: michael phelps, tina fey, sarah palin, robert downey junior, hillary clinton, the hudson hero, bush, dalai lama, brangelina, heath ledger, oprah, nelson mandela, jesus...

tiny paintings by Kelly Vivanco

2009-01-19T13:00:00.000-08:00

It's that time again! I just got an email from Kelly Vivanco with images of the paintings she will be sending for The Teeny Tiny Art Show! (This will be Kelly's third Teeny Tiny showing) Here's a sneak peak...

“Old photos, vintage things, quirkiness, decay, animals, colors and moods inspire me. I try to get a certain feeling going in the look and atmosphere of a painting so I naturally gravitate towards art that echoes likewise, even if it has an entirely different effect. I am seeing gobs of exciting work being produced by people today and I am always inspired by past masters like Hans Holbein and NC Wyeth, pre-raphaelites, Van Gogh and so on.” ~Kelly

Kelly received her BFA in Fine arts from the Laguna College of Art and Design. In addition to painting, printmaking and sculpture, Kelly has created a comic called “Patches”. She currently works and lives in Escondido, California.

You can preview Kelly's other works in this tiny series along with other works from the show here.

wee wax works by Robin Beaty

2009-01-16T13:29:00.000-08:00

Another teeny tiny teaser - here are two images of new works for the Teeny Tiny Art Show #4 by Robin Beaty.

They are "Ode to my winter socks" ...

...and "Waiting Patiently"...

Robin concentrates primarily on the ancient wax base medium of encaustic paint, a molten beeswax mixed with resin and dry pigments, which she incorporates mixed media, vintage materials, textiles, metals and found objects. Her work has been described as a "compelling intersection between painting, sculpture and installation" and "deliciously collectable".

Teeny Tiny Sculpture!

2009-01-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

It's time for another teeny tiny preview of what's to come in the fast approaching Teeny Tiny Art Show #4!

I have admired the work of Cassandra + Ernie Velasco, aka Doubleparlour, for awhile now...so I was overjoyed when they both agreed to participate in TT4.

Above is "Mattie", one of six polymer clay sculptures that they will be sending. She is truly tiny - measuring 2.5 x 4 inches!

Doubleparlour, born in 2007, is a creative collaboration between Ernesto and Cassandra Velasco. Both are artists who like to explore a variety of subject matters with different mediums. Some works are done as a joint effort and others are solo works. They like to mix it up in a variety of mediums to create sculptures, paintings, drawings and prints.

Three Graces will also have a bunch of their prints available during the Teeny Tiny Art Show in February. *All works from the show will be available in the gallery and in our online shop!

Hop to it

2009-01-16T09:37:00.000-08:00

As I was leaving the gym last night I picked up a copy of this week's Wire. I was delighted to read the review of Fleur's show written by Chloe Johnson. read all about it. Thanks Chloe!

...And while you're on the site check out the upcoming RPM challenge to music makers! You can also go directly to the RPM website. "This is the challenge: record an album in 28 days, just because you can."

"Rabbit World dreamy and absorbing..."

2009-01-15T11:49:00.000-08:00

I was so pleased to pick up this week's Spotlight and see a review of "Fleur Palau:Rabbit World" by Ann Bryant!

"This "Rabbit World" is not just a collection of rabbits, but rather a place made more real by echoed landscapes. The window in "The Investigation" looks out on the same field and mountains where "The Secret" is told. A consistency of colors shows that even when landscapes are simplified, that we are looking at the same flora and fauna."

You can read the review in its entirety here. Thanks Ann!

Teeny Tiny Preview!

2009-01-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

The Teeny Tiny Art Show (#4) is coming!! I was delighted when Elsa Mora said that she would be exhibiting some more of her papercuts in February's show - here is a sneak preview...

... from the series "Red Riding Hood"...

...and from her series "Bird Carrying a Friend"...

I was thrilled to hear that Elsa was willing and able to make 8 new papercuts for TT4, amidst her busy schedule. You can have a look at the other pieces here. (Elsa is also in the process of making a book about papercuts! You can read about this adventure and many others in her warm and inspiring blog)

Stay tuned for more teeny tiny previews. Cheers!

Hopping into 2009...

2009-01-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

Last night was the opening reception of "Rabbit World" recent paintings by Fleur Palau. Her whimsical theme of rabbits in Italian landscape verges on the surreal. Rich color and tone predominate, the compositions take on a dynamic tension as Fleur creates a world that evokes elements of the human condition. States of being and emotion are explored in a world that is real and unreal at the same time. It is an examination of our interior life set off against the antique world of cypress trees, empty houses and ambiguous paths of no return.

"The full meaning of these paintings is of course open to speculation and does not concern me, though I recognize the symbolism and irony that is the vehicle in which to reveal some useful message about ourselves. I would hope that in these rabbit portraits we may recognize the better attributes of our own nature, that of love, friendship, loyalty, and that the renewed recognition of this will at once empower and inspire."~Fleur Palau

Fleur Palau is an American artist, trained in both New York and Florence,Italy. Fleur has lived and worked in Italy for over 20 years where she maintains a home and working studio. She is currently living in New Hampshire, and is known for her work in landscape painting, rabbit theme, and stone carving.

"Rabbit World" is on view thru February 2nd. I will also be posting all of the images from the show to our online shop later today!

Happy New Year to all!

Behind the Image

2008-11-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

I am excited about a new exhibition "Behind the Image", now showing at the Suffolk University Art Gallery. Exhibiting Artists include: Hannah Barrett, Dana Clancy, *Lisa Costanzo, Heather Hobler, John Guthrie, Cristi Rinklin and Joe Wardwell.

*Lisa just sent me an image of her "wall" with one of the more "elaborate" hairpieces - the painting in the center is "Hunter", oil on canvas, 30"x40"; the painting is exhibited alongside Lisa's reference material/inspiration/studies ...

Behind the Image is an exhibit of seven well-established artists who live and work in the Boston area. The exhibition reveals some of the investigations, processes and inspirations these artists used to produce specific artworks. The highly crafted paintings and drawings created by these artists are shown side-by-side with the sketchbooks, digital mock-ups,photographic studies, art history books, and color studies that informed their decisions during production. In addition to preparatory sketches, the curator attempts to re-create the “studio wall” of each artist - surfaces covered with inspirational objects, unexpected images, postcards, photographs, magazine pages, album covers and news clippings. The creative act itself is on view in many ways. The finished work is given a history through this “contextualizing” of the artwork with early stages of thought and jumping off points in evidence. Students, other artists and the public get an opportunity to see what is “Behind the Image” in each of these diverse artistic practices.

Behind the Image
November 6, 2008 - January 3, 2009

75 Arlington Street, Boston, MA

Gallery is free and open to the public: M-F 8am-11pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 12pm-6pm

Telephone: 617.573.8785
Email: gallery@suffolk.edu

*Lisa recently exhibited these three small paintings from her "Nest" series at Three Graces.

They are currently available in the gallery and here on our New Online Shop!

New! ErinMoranDesigns.com

2008-11-18T09:05:00.001-08:00

I am thrilled to announce that ErinMoranDesigns.com has been launched! I finished the site for Erin last night, which features her hand built pottery and jewelry designs.

* Erin's pottery and jewelry are always availble at Three Graces ...

... and in our NEW Online Shop!!!

Rachel Paxton Online!

2008-11-09T12:25:00.000-08:00

This past Friday we celebrated the opening of "The Moment/The Eternal", an exhibition of recent works by the fabulous Rachel Paxton! All of the paintings can now be viewed and purchased online here.

For those of you too far to make the trip, here are a few photos of the installation...

Restaurant Week in Portsmouth!

2008-11-09T11:35:00.000-08:00

I just received this email from Karen of Seacoast Buy Local and I wanted to pass along the info...

Please join Seacoast Local in dining out for Restaurant Week Portsmouth,this week! Events run Nov. 10-16, with deliciously detailed menus online at http://www.portsmouthchamber.org/restaurantweek.cfm.

We're proud to live in a place where so many restaurant owners arepassionate about what they do, and are working hard to create businesseswith incredible reputations. We're also honored that proceeds from the eventwill help support Seacoast Local's work in building strong local businessesand sustainable agriculture.

Take a break with friends or loved ones before the holidays, explore newtastes, help stimulate the local economy, and enjoy your community—we'll seeyou out there!

Upcoming: Rachel Paxton

2008-10-30T12:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak preview of our upcoming show: "The Moment/The Eternal", Recent works by Rachel Paxton...

Rachel’s paintings and collages blend archetypes of nature and spirituality to explore life's universal rhythms and its contradictory journey. Fragments of maps, music, and historical motifs merge with natural phenomenon and Jungian symbols to create an altered visual world. - evoking memory, the passage of time, and the cycle of life.

"The Moment/The Eternal" opens Thursday, November 6th. Please join us at the opening reception on Friday, November 7th from 5-8pm. (In conjunction with the Art 'Round Town gallery walk)

New! New! New!

2008-10-30T11:10:00.001-07:00

The gallery has been graced by new works from Abby Glassenberg, Dustan Knight and Robin Luciano Beaty in the past few days!

All Abby's work is hand-made in her home studio in Wellesley, Massachusetts. For the past year she has been making a series of bird soft sculptures including owls, wading birds, larks, chicks, canaries, penguins, swans and raptors. Abby likes to incorporate vintage and unusual fabrics and found materials into her work...

Dustan Knight continues to work toward a distillation of concept - "(the elusive perfection of ‘not too many notes – not too few’) drawing on themes which mean something tremendously important to me, which I attempt to convey as eloquently as possible to my viewers." Influenced both by the emotion and physicality of the expressionist movement and the imagery and delicacy of traditional methods of Asian Art...

Robin Beaty's work is gorgeous!! each individual painting is sophisticated to stand on its own, but it is the combination of these works that commands attention. In fact that's what makes them so fun to collect, you can start out with one, then add two to display in a row of 3, then perhaps a grid of 9, and then one can always dream of a big beautiful grouping of 20!

It's been brought to my attention that I always use the same words to describe deserts when speaking of Robin's work, well, I confess and maintain that they are delicious...

I am in the midst of creating an online shop!! It is taking a bit more time than expected (as I am committed to posting EVERY single piece of artwork, jewelry, handbag, furniture, cup, bowl, etc. )

I recently uploaded the "Jewelry" and "Paintings and Works on Paper" sections, so take a look - all of the new works by Dustan Knight and Robin Beaty, among many others are now available to purchase online here!

From Italy to Paint

2008-10-25T07:19:00.000-07:00

This month has been crazy busy!! I almost forgot to post about the current show "From Italy to Paint", an exhibition of recent paintings by Helene Farrar.

Helene was in Italy this past summer - her amazing trip inspired the recent body of work. Here are some images of the show...

Helene also brought three triptychs...

Everyone has been so excited to be able to actually touch the doors and open them to reveal the inside (shown "The Humble Sheep of Spannochia")

All of the paintings from the show can also be seen here!

Autumn in New York

2008-09-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a very brief visit to New York City! Bob had to go on business, and since his trip coincided with my day and a half off, I decided to tag along. Our time in the city was short and went by so fast, however it was great to get away, explore the city and see some amazing artwork...

...Glittering crowds and shimmering clouds in canyons of steel...

...while Bob went off to work to attend to business...

...I attended to the pleasure with a morning stroll thru Central Park...

...then off to the Museums - the Met was my favorite, I spent most of my first day there...

...they have the most incredible collection of Egyptian artifacts...

...an ancient obelisk dating 1450BC...

...and encaustics (just like the ones I mentioned in a previous post)...

...I particularly enjoyed seeing works by Raphael, Vermeer and Ingres...

...my dark side - I have a strange fascination with severed heads...

...I also ventured to the Guggenheim, the current exhibition was Louise Bourgeois (which I saw in London)...

...so I decided to move on to the Frick Collection, which I greatly enjoyed. My next morning was spent at MoMA...

...at which point my small memory card was full...with my last picture, I captured the Statue of Liberty...

...well, sort of.

Bats

2008-09-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

4:58 p.m. — A Market Street caller told police a sick bat flew into a store and was "flopping around on the floor." The bat was gone when police arrived. (Portsmouth Police Log, September 15th)

Background: I recently moved to a new apartment with a bonus attic studio space. I am thrilled to have the extra space to paint in, however, for the first few weeks I had to share the space with a little brown bat. We finally figured out where the little guy was getting in and out and sealed the hole (so I like to think he found a new warm dry dark home to sleep in throughout his days).

I couldn't believe it when yet another bat flew into my life, rather, flew into the gallery - right thru the front door!

A Long Story: It was around 5:15 pm when a woman standing out on the sidewalk outside the gallery was pointing in and telling me "you have a bat in there". What!?

Sure enough, I turned around to see a little brown bat on the floor in front of my desk. The bat tried to fly, but quickly fell back onto the floor. His second attempt failed as he flew into a pedestal and fell back onto the floor. He crawled on his elbows (?) into the dark corner.

I was paralyzed with fear. I know they are wonderful creatures, but I admit they scare me, ALOT. Also, this little bat did no seem "right". My purse (containing my cell phone) was still on my desk, 10 feet and the little bat separated me from it. The kind passer-by who had sited the bat was kind enough to stand guard while I ran off to my neighbors, Macroscopic/MacroPolo. We put our heads together and first tried calling animal rescue - closed...animal control - closed. Finally we tried the police department, who at first said that they could not come because of a bat, "sorry, but you're on your own", I told the dispatcher that the bat looked sick, and she said she would send an officer down.

A few minutes later, a handsome young officer came to my rescue, rather, he seemed as afraid as me and took a quick look thru the gallery with no findings. He did rescue my purse containing my cell phone. (Thank you for that!) He suggested I close the gallery and call animal control in the morning.

I didn't like that idea. Thankfully, Amity (of the Odd Showroom) and her boyfriend Josh were walking by. I told them of the bat and they marched right in - no fear! Amity quickly spotted the little guy clutching to the back of a pedestal up against the brick wall. They acted quickly, she brought back a small tupperware container and Josh gently cupped the container over the little bat then slid a postcard beneath, trapping the bat inside. He was soooo cute.

We then decided we should free him, so we walked him down to the gardens of the Moffat Ladd House right up the street - at this point we also decided he probably wasn't sick, but sleepy, dazed and confused.

I still can't believe how many encounters with bats I have had as of late...

...more bats - on display in the Teeny Tiny Art Show#3 - encaustic/bat transfers by Dorothy Imagire. ( I am going to purchase one as a gift for Amity and Josh for coming to my aid!)

New! Teeny Tiny Online SHOP

2008-09-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

Three Graces is thrilled to announce the grand opening of our Online SHOP!

Following the opening reception of the Teeny Tiny Art Show 3 (last Friday), I've been busy uploading images of all of the works from the show.

For the first time, my friends and art enthusiasts, you can view the entire show, and make purchases online! click here

The Morning After

2008-09-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

Last Friday's opening for the Teeny Tiny Art Show 3 was fabulous! It was a pleasure to finally meet many of the artists I've been emailing in preparation for the show. Unfortunately all of the pictures I took at the opening were out of focus! I did manage to take some pictures of the installation the morning after...

You can see more pictures of the installation here.

HOPE

2008-08-31T12:39:00.000-07:00

Artist Robert Indiana, known for his iconoclastic "LOVE" painting, unveiled a new work of art, "HOPE" at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. A 6-foot-by-6-foot stainless steel sculpture of the word, instantly recognizable as Indiana’s, was created by Lauren Holmgren and Josh Dow.

Josh and Lauren run Green Foundry, part of Sanctuary Arts in Eliot. There, they cast sculptures in bronze and other materials.

The "HOPE" project, includes a number of different mediums, including prints, that Indiana has created in support of presidential candidate Barack Obama. Indiana’s donating all proceeds to the campaign. read more

Congratulations Josh and Lauren! I hope you'll still be my friends now that you're famous!!

itty bitty and witty

2008-08-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in the previous post, Studio Visit Magazine, is a new series of artist books. Each volume features approximately 150 artists from all over the country who have been selected by professional curators. I was given a copy of Volume 1 this past spring by Nicole Maloof, as she was one of the artists featured. I was delighted to see a painting by Lisa Costanzo on the cover - I first fancied Lisa's work when I visited her studio in the South End in Boston during the SoWA art walk a few years ago.

Both Nicole and Lisa will be participating in the Teeny Tiny Art Show 3!! Here is a sneak preview...

Shown above: "Is this all we really have in common?" by Nicole Maloof (acrylic and ink on paper 4"x4"); and "Track Drifter #2" by Lisa Costanzo (watercolor, gouache and graphite on paper, 7"x9").

Preview more works by Nicole and Lisa here.

"Turn My Knobs"

2008-08-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

The Packages keep coming in as TT3 draws near!! Yesterday, I received works from Abby Glassenberg and Denise Duong!

Abby made eight little birds in all - Three Blue Birds (with teeny tiny hands for feathers!) and Five "Drab" birds in earthy brown and warm grey tones - you can see them here. I love Abby's soft-sculpture, her craftsmanship is AMAZING and her use of pattern and texture to creat various stylized birds is brilliant. I also enjoy reading her blog, "While She Naps".

I also received a package from Denise Duong! I originally came across Denise's work thru Studio Visit, as she was one of approximately 150 artists from across the country featured in the first volume. Denise creates her lyrical mixed media paintings on canvas. She studied at the Chicago Art Institute, and currently lives and works in her resident studio in Oklahoma City.

Three of Denise's pieces are quite special - I was perplexed when I pulled them out of their package to see a tag inviting me to "Turn My Knobs". As I did so, the center panel began to shift revealing more of the image...

How cool is that!? I love the Teeny Tiny Art Show!!

Animal Behavior

2008-08-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

The time has come for another preview of things to come in the upcoming Teeny Tiny Art Show 3...

Kelly Vivanco first graced the gallery with her series of birds in the Teeny Tiny Art Show 2. Like their feathered friends, the creatures featured in this small series have much emotional depth while sporting party hats and warm woolen sweaters.

"Serious Knits" (shown above) is my favorite!

Kelly received her BFA in Fine arts from the Laguna College of Art and Design. She currently resides in San Diego, CA. In addition to painting, printmaking and sculpture, Kelly has created a comic called “Patches”.

More of Kelly's paintings can be seen here along with other works from the Teeny Tiny Art Show #3 here.

Tiny and Trim

2008-08-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

I am super excited to give you another sneak peak of the upcoming Teeny Tiny Art Show #3 in September! I am in love with the work of artist Elsa Mora, and was elated when she accepted my invitation to exhibit some of her papercuts in the show.

The above piece is called Rain Girl.

"Here is a rain girl carrying some little drops of water in order to keep her personal nature alive. You can see how she walks and holds a plant and animals with her hands at the same time. They are her universe and they go wherever she goes. This papercut is dedicated to all the girls and boys (little ones and grown-ups) who work hard in order to develop their personal worlds. The drops are a symbol of all those little things that we can do everyday in order to keep our imagination and creativity alive."
~ Elsita

shown below: Tree House. More works from the Teeny Tiny Art Show 3 can be seen here.

Elsa was born in Holguin, Cuba. She attended the Professional School of Visual Arts in Camagüey, winning the prestigious Amelia Peláez Art Prize in 1990. In 1992, Mora won the Grand Prize in the First Biennial of Cuban Drawing. Interested in all media including painting, photography, ceramics, porcelain, collage, bronze and mixed-media, she has exhibited in numberous solo and group exhibitions around the world. Her first solo exhibition in the US was in 1998, “The Ego’s Other Dimension”, at the Phyllis Kind Gallery in New York. Other important exhibits include Ejercicios de Silencio at the Carmen Montilla Gallery in Havana in 2000, Vulnerable at Phyllis Kind Gallery in New York in 2001, Proceso de Adaptacion at the Bourbon & Lally Gallery in Montreal in 2002, Elsa Mora at the Havana Galerie in Zurich, Switzerland and Ni el Principio ni el Fin Existen Espacio at 304 Gallery in San Juan Puerto Rico in 2004 and BIRTH at the Phyllis Kind Gallery in 2005. Elsa currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

Above is an image from her solo show at Couturier Gallery. Los Angeles, CA 2007. Each butterfly represents a famous woman.

I am in LOVE with Elsita's work, her ability to express her passions thru beautiful forms and genuine content. If you haven't already, I highly recommend you check out her blog, it is one of my favorites - as it is warm and endearing, a personal glimpse into the life of this multi-talented and loving artist, wife and mother.

Wee Wax Works

2008-08-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

Following my previous post explaining encaustics, here's a sneak peak of some more work to be in the upcoming Teeny Tiny Art Show #3...Robin Luciano Beaty and Linda Cordner describe their creative process and fascination with the medium of encaustic.

shown above: Above and Beyond Series by Robin Luciano Beaty (encaustic and mixed-media, 6x6 panels)

"The medium of encaustic; a molten beeswax paint mixed with resin and dry pigments, allows me to escape the confines of everyday artist's techniques and provides me with more exploratory means of expression. Its qualities are sublime and unpredictable, additive and subtractive, translucent and sculptural, which has strongly influenced my departure from realism to abstraction. This ancient technique has become my method of navigating the obscure terrain of imagination and memory." ~ Robin Beaty

shown above: Reaching by Linda Cordner (wax, oil and collage on board, 8x8)

"I am very drawn to wax and its tactile qualities, the smell and viscosity of the medium are very different from other painting techniques. Creating organic forms is a natural extension of wax’s origin. Coming from a background in graphic design, I am drawn to certain color schemes and shapes, the repetition and placement being important to the composition. My paintings are made by layering multiple coats of wax which can completely obscure the under layers at times. I then scrape away areas of the wax to expose the compositions below." ~ Linda Cordner

The Teeny Tiny Art Show #3 opens Friday, September 5th, with an opening reception from 5-8pm.

More previews of the show can be seen here.

Encaustic = Hot Wax Painting

2008-08-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

The gallery has been graced with more and more wax works as of late (by the fabulous Liz Tran, Robin Luciano Beaty, Kate Phillips, and Helene Farrar) - and more and more gallery goers are asking me, "What is encaustic!?".

A Brief History of Encaustics:

The ancient Greeks developed encaustic over 2,000 years ago. The word encaustic derives from the Greek word enkaustikos, meaning “to heat” or “to burn”. It is an ancient painting medium that mixes molten wax with dry pigments and resin. Encaustic was used among Greek artists as far back as the 5th century B.C. where it was applied in portraits and panels of mythological painting. Encaustic is impervious to moisture. This main preservation property was instrumental as a way of weatherproofing Greek ships. Later, pigment was added to the wax and encaustic was also used to decorate Greek ships.

In the 1st through 3rd centuries A.D., Greek painters settled in Egypt and adapted the common custom of honoring the dead. It was common to place a portrait of the deceased in the prime of their life or after death over the person’s mummy as a memorial. These mummified portraits, known as the Fayum funeral portraits, are the only surviving encaustic paintings from ancient times. Their fresh color and vibrance attests to the durability and resistance to moisture that wax encompasses.

Encaustic was also used during the Renaissance by Rembrandt, who touted encaustic for portraiture, claiming that it was akin to painting "with liquid flesh." Its fluidity yields an almost animate image, suggesting movement, more living face than mask.

Encaustic has returned from obscurity as modern tools have made the process more practical. Diego Rivera used encaustic in the 1930's on his murals. Jasper Johns is credited with the current renaissance of encaustic fine art with his work that began in the 1950's.