tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58104143782298418022024-03-13T08:42:43.635-07:00At last...making art full-timeBarbara Kemp Cowlin's Random Thoughts on Art, Being an Artist, and Other Art Related TopicsBarbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-25593087570028071722011-04-06T16:57:00.000-07:002011-04-06T17:01:47.114-07:00Moving Day Has Come to My BlogI now have a beautiful new website which includes my blog, galleries, a workshop schedule and other stuff. Be sure to click on the RSS feed so you'll know when I do new posts. Here's the new <a href="http://www.barbarakempcowlin.com/blog/">address</a>Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-73008488786722386562011-03-23T11:37:00.000-07:002011-03-23T11:50:19.562-07:00A Day in a Computer Frenzy in PhoenixYesterday I drove to Phoenix to meet with Patricia Sahertian, artist and friend, who also happens to do web design work. I'd been thinking for some time about creating a cohesive look for my blog and website galleries. The idea of having it all in one place, easily accessible and all my own really appealed to me. A month or so ago, Pat and I started working together to come up with a design. As it turns out, the whole thing is way more complicated that I had imagined even though I should know, having seen Jim at work on our newly designed <a href="http://www.usroute89.com">US Route 89 blog</a>.<br /><br />Pat's patience with me is amazing. She really deserves a medal. We worked real hard all day and made lots of progress. There's still some stuff for her to fix (coding, a total mystery to me) and lots for me to rewrite, plus images for me to upload into my galleries. The whole process has been hard to me to grasp, but now I'm able to envision the end product, and I'm excited.<br /><br />The two hour drive home was spectacular. The desert was gleaming, the air was crystal clear, and there was a beautiful sunset. A nice reward for a long day.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-53254904207406958902011-03-16T15:04:00.000-07:002011-03-16T15:20:47.762-07:00A Book About Death–MementoI just sent my postcard submission to ABAD–Memento. In a previous blog post I mentioned this exhibit, which is being organized by Patricia Sahertian in Phoenix. For information on how to get involved, and/or to see the postcards Patricia has received so far, you can look <a href="http://abad-phx.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br /><br />My submission is an original intaglio print I created a few years ago, showing my Dad sitting beside my Mom right before her death. The other side is a poem I love by Lucie Brock-Broido. I typed out the poem on the typewriter that was a Christmas gift from my son Jeremiah and Corinne. It took me a few tries, while my fingers adjusted to using the right amount of pressure on this old-fashioned typewriter, but once I did, it felt great. And I love the way the text looks.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f1UuTvJHi1U/TYE24i-lA9I/AAAAAAAAAtg/u4m6EZezfrE/s1600/ABAD%2BFront.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f1UuTvJHi1U/TYE24i-lA9I/AAAAAAAAAtg/u4m6EZezfrE/s400/ABAD%2BFront.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584805358005978066" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fd4l9U2TMnI/TYE2xjWELVI/AAAAAAAAAtY/D9wA67YJQWQ/s1600/ABAD%2BBack.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fd4l9U2TMnI/TYE2xjWELVI/AAAAAAAAAtY/D9wA67YJQWQ/s400/ABAD%2BBack.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584805237845405010" border="0" /></a>Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-32103856277905293032011-03-14T08:52:00.000-07:002011-03-14T09:03:01.407-07:00Springtime in Oracle Arizona<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E548D6ISr20/TX46IAvCBjI/AAAAAAAAAtA/xbnIaZTVsks/s1600/Anna%2BApple%2BBlossom.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E548D6ISr20/TX46IAvCBjI/AAAAAAAAAtA/xbnIaZTVsks/s400/Anna%2BApple%2BBlossom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583964497296623154" border="0" /></a><br />Planting trees is an act of hope. Especially if they are very young trees. We planted four bare root fruit trees in January. They looked like no more than twigs. Shortly after planting them, Oracle experienced some of the coldest weather in its history. 12 degrees. Nothing compared to lots of places, but for some of the plants growing around here, it was way too much of a shock.<br /><br />Consequently, I've been watching these four like a hawk. They're right outside my studio door. Finally, several weeks ago, I thought I could see some buds forming. Then there were actual green leaves and some tiny pink buds. It got so that I was going outside every few hours to check on their progress. At last several days ago, blossoms! It seems miraculous that these dead looking branches have burst into life.<br /><br />Life is peaceful here in Oracle. I wish we could send some of this peace to other parts of the world.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-88808474568464512582011-03-05T12:32:00.000-08:002011-03-05T12:57:32.609-08:00How Old is an Old Painting and When Does It Die?A funny thing happens in the art world. Really, really old paintings can be worth quite a lot of money. This is particularly true if the artist is no longer living. In fact, even not so old paintings become more valuable after the artist dies. It makes perfect sense from a market standpoint because there were a limited number of pieces of art produced by the artist within his/her lifetime. And as that limited number gets sold, there are even less available making the remaining work even more valuable.<br /><br />On the other hand, a living artist just works away and who knows how much work will be made in his/her lifetime. Strangely, art by a living artist that is more than a few years old is considered old work, at least by the art world. And old work isn't as desirable. Artists who enter shows almost always encounter the rule that the work can't be more than two or three years old. Those older (more than three years old) unsold pieces tend to hang around in storage because they just aren't shown anymore. There they sit. They are probably perfectly good, maybe very good, maybe excellent. But they're "old".<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IZk7fPbYIg4/TXKhwcDq1gI/AAAAAAAAAsw/jRiFpZ2lw_s/s1600/Reed%2BCalligraphy%2BI.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IZk7fPbYIg4/TXKhwcDq1gI/AAAAAAAAAsw/jRiFpZ2lw_s/s400/Reed%2BCalligraphy%2BI.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580700741802841602" border="0" /></a>Reed Calligraphy I (circa 2008)<br /><br />A while back, I was ruminating on the "older" paintings hanging out on my painting rack. And I got to thinking. One painting in particular, Reed Calligraphy I, had a fairly successful life. It was in several shows, but alas, no one opted to make it their very own. The fact is, there was something about it that had always bugged me. So I thought, well, why not see if I could make some changes to it just to see what might happen. So off the rack it came, and I began my attack.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oHvv_E1ideY/TXKh583VUbI/AAAAAAAAAs4/r8yGLtb0GXc/s1600/Reed%2BCalligraphy-600px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oHvv_E1ideY/TXKh583VUbI/AAAAAAAAAs4/r8yGLtb0GXc/s400/Reed%2BCalligraphy-600px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580700905228292530" border="0" /></a>Reed Calligraphy I (2011)<br /><br />As you can see, I made significant changes. So I added the recent date to the painting. I think that should make it eligible as a new painting. Anyway, I'm satisfied with the changes I made. What do you think?Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-78546456920480316872011-02-27T08:55:00.000-08:002011-02-27T09:23:43.429-08:00A Scarcity of Snow Shovels<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yb7wRmZFA6Y/TWqE2Fi8ZII/AAAAAAAAAsY/2KelF_gsZHc/s1600/Snow%2BFeb%2B27%2Bcourtyard%2Btable.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yb7wRmZFA6Y/TWqE2Fi8ZII/AAAAAAAAAsY/2KelF_gsZHc/s400/Snow%2BFeb%2B27%2Bcourtyard%2Btable.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578417153188324482" border="0" /></a>View out the bedroom window this morning (my studio is beyond the table)<br /><br />It snows in Oracle every year, or so I'm told. And as nearly two-year residents of Oracle, it has indeed snowed each winter. The thing is, it snows, it goes away, and it's hard to believe it's ever going to happen again. Today, we woke up to snow. It's really quite pretty, and I'm not complaining (too much),after all, this is nothing compared to what the people on the East coast and in the Midwest have had to deal with.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UCIULNbwR6o/TWqGspd5tMI/AAAAAAAAAso/lDhuQDzf8xU/s1600/Snow%2BFeb%2B27%252C%2Bwindow%2Bview.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 143px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UCIULNbwR6o/TWqGspd5tMI/AAAAAAAAAso/lDhuQDzf8xU/s400/Snow%2BFeb%2B27%252C%2Bwindow%2Bview.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578419190055417026" border="0" /></a>View out the window in our TV room<br /><br />One thing, though. I bet they all have snow shovels galore. And even those neat little snow plows. Granted, we should have investigated the issue of the snow shovel before this latest snow event. Neither one of us did. So Jim got on the phone this morning. We discovered that obtaining a snow shovel in this part of the world is quite an elusive endeavor. Jim started with the logical place, our local hardware store. Alas, they had some kind of big shovel for the removal of horse manure, but no snow shovel. On to the hardware store in Catalina (about 10 miles down the hill from us). Nope, no snow shovels there either. Ever persistent, Jim tried the closest Home Depot, located close to Tucson. He was told that they never ever carry snow shovels.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qjbksFnc4lI/TWqFP9RZ9zI/AAAAAAAAAsg/55rq_CNMV1c/s1600/Snow%2BFeb%2B27.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qjbksFnc4lI/TWqFP9RZ9zI/AAAAAAAAAsg/55rq_CNMV1c/s400/Snow%2BFeb%2B27.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578417597643880242" border="0" /></a>A vast expanse of driveway, and this is only part of it<br /><br />I suppose we could drive up to Flagstaff (about 4 hours away) and be certain to be able to buy as many varieties of snow shovels as exist in the world. Or, perhaps the most logical thing would be to order one online. Of course, by the time we get it, the snow will be long gone. But at least then we'll have it for the inevitable next time.<br /><br />Meanwhile, a warning to visitors: watch your step. We'll be having lots of snow and ice on the driveway for the next few days!Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-23627630069296857812011-02-17T11:15:00.000-08:002011-02-17T11:23:48.074-08:00Studio PS and A Book About DeathPatricia Sahartian is a Phoenix based artist with a lot going on. In addition to creating wonderful hand-constructed books, creative collages, and films, Patricia has a knack for getting involved in interesting projects. Her most recent book, now on it's way to a show in Italy, <a href="http://studio-ps.blogspot.com/2011/02/book-about-death-italy.html">can be seen here</a>. Be sure to watch the short video; it's great to get to see each page and listening to the music puts you right in the mood. What a creative way to exhibit a book online! More information about the contents of the book and the research that went into it can be <a href="http://studio-ps.blogspot.com/2011/02/book-about-death-italy_13.html">seen here</a>.<br /><br />Currently, in addition to her own work, she is hosting a show called A Book About Death. This is a postcard show that anyone can get involved in. The idea originated in New York City at the Emily Harvey Foundation in 2009 and a series of postcard shows have been produced all over the world since then. Patricia has created a <a href="http://abad-phx.blogspot.com/">blog</a> with information on how to participate. She's also posting images of the work as it's received. The Willo North Gallery in Central Phoenix will be the place in which the work will be shown, May 23-28, 2011.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-1255375511549892262011-02-16T10:19:00.000-08:002011-02-16T10:43:58.845-08:00A Stack of Figure Drawings and Aching FeetMy Saturday afternoons have been reserved for figure drawing sessions with a group of artists in Oracle. A lot of hard work, aching feet, and a pile of figure drawings are the result. And what is the point, you might ask?<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hCfv_BAgzj8/TVwY68kGE0I/AAAAAAAAAsQ/pjhI6FTPUzo/s1600/Allison%2B3.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hCfv_BAgzj8/TVwY68kGE0I/AAAAAAAAAsQ/pjhI6FTPUzo/s400/Allison%2B3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574357839746831170" border="0" /></a>Well, I view this as an exercise in training my eye, brain and hand to cooperate. It's really the process that's important to me, more than the actual product. When I do figure drawings, I stand at my easel and work with my whole body engaged in capturing the movement in the model's pose.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DX3dZZiC2Rw/TVwYmzgXiQI/AAAAAAAAAsI/chhPmbyn02U/s1600/Allison%2B6.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DX3dZZiC2Rw/TVwYmzgXiQI/AAAAAAAAAsI/chhPmbyn02U/s400/Allison%2B6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574357493717895426" border="0" /></a><br />The process works best when I'm not worrying about the outcome. When I get back to my studio, I look at the results of the three hours of drawing. Above are a couple of examples of gesture drawings from last Saturday's efforts. Below are several examples of drawings from longer poses. 15 minutes each, I think. All the drawings from this session were done in compressed charcoal.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-awYgwjAacxA/TVwYQA_MeII/AAAAAAAAAsA/47Qr6bz9_cs/s1600/Allison%2B2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-awYgwjAacxA/TVwYQA_MeII/AAAAAAAAAsA/47Qr6bz9_cs/s400/Allison%2B2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574357102199863426" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uAIF3EUigKM/TVwX3KxVixI/AAAAAAAAAr4/Y7MCH8CL1C0/s1600/Allison%2B1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uAIF3EUigKM/TVwX3KxVixI/AAAAAAAAAr4/Y7MCH8CL1C0/s400/Allison%2B1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574356675329362706" border="0" /></a>Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-52555997087639289822011-02-09T12:33:00.000-08:002011-02-09T13:08:46.599-08:00Figure Drawing: A Nude Human is in Front of Me...What Next?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TVMAgq4dtFI/AAAAAAAAArw/pEjeqvE3L64/s1600/Gesture%2B1%252C%2Bgraphite.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TVMAgq4dtFI/AAAAAAAAArw/pEjeqvE3L64/s400/Gesture%2B1%252C%2Bgraphite.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571797725254366290" border="0" /></a>A 30 second gesture drawing using a graphite stick<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TVMAbu7ShuI/AAAAAAAAAro/zz1Pi-UFRzQ/s1600/Gesture%2B2%2Bconte%2Bcrayon.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TVMAbu7ShuI/AAAAAAAAAro/zz1Pi-UFRzQ/s400/Gesture%2B2%2Bconte%2Bcrayon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571797640440612578" border="0" /></a>A one minute gesture drawing using conte crayon<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TVMAXD0GW3I/AAAAAAAAArg/FTj5hAaeqk8/s1600/Gesture%2B3%2Bcompressed%2Bcharcoal.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TVMAXD0GW3I/AAAAAAAAArg/FTj5hAaeqk8/s400/Gesture%2B3%2Bcompressed%2Bcharcoal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571797560148253554" border="0" /></a><br />Another one minute drawing, using compressed charcoal<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TVL_zjRqROI/AAAAAAAAArI/xQRb3ecaBNw/s1600/Gesture%2B1%252C%2Bgraphite.jpg"><br /></a>As I mentioned in my last post, I started figure drawing years ago. After taking a series of classes in art school, I've continued the practice intermittently over the years. It's a great way to challenge yourself. The human figure is infinitely complex.<br /><br />Having a good model helps the process. Good models are people who have graceful and fluid motion and conversely, are able to hold a pose without moving. Try it sometime. Find a position and try not to move an iota for a whole minute. You may find it feels like a lifetime. Then imagine sitting/standing/laying in the same pose for 20 or 30 minutes. Just thinking about it makes me start to itch.<br /><br />Warming up is usually the first step for the artist in any figure drawing session, starting with gesture drawings. A good model is able to make a fluid gesture and hold it for anywhere from 10 seconds to a couple minutes and then change to a new pose without pausing between. It's a bit like a cross between dancing and that old statue game, where you freeze in mid-motion. The idea is to draw quickly and capture the sense of movement. Gesture drawing is also used to loosen up (kind of like stretching before going for a long run). It's hard to worry about how the drawing is coming out when you're basically scribbling like crazy on your paper. And that helps, too, because the minute you get self conscious about what you're drawing, you tighten up and can no longer capture the gesture.<br /><br />I like to use a variety of media during this process because I'm never sure what's going to work for me at any given time (if anything does). Yes, there are days when nothing works well. That can be frustrating to say the least, but it's like anything else. There are good days and bad days. Just as with everything else in life...<br /><br />P.S. A reader sent me a link to his website, which lists various figure drawing venues all over the country. Here 'tis–http://www.artmodelbook.com/figure-drawing-directory.htm. Thanks, Andrew, for the great tip.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-48550929201485842532011-02-07T13:08:00.000-08:002011-02-07T13:28:18.673-08:00Figure Drawing? One Time and I Was HookedThe ongoing or sometimes occasional foray into figure drawing is something many artists do. Surrounded by myth and mystery, I daresay the ordinary (that is non-artist) person on the street would find the practice of drawing live, unclothed human figures unsettling, to say the least. And I'm sure that to the uninitiated it would be.<br /><br />My first encounter with figure drawing happened oh lo those many years ago, during my first studio art class at U.C. Santa Barbara. Although prepared for what was happening, it was still something of a shock to set up my easel and have a male model drop his robe. I think this was a first for just about everyone in the class.<br /><br />After a few instructions from the teacher, we all started drawing. First, are the gesture drawings. They can be anything from 10 second to one minute drawings wherein the artist strives to capture a sense of movement in the figure. It's hard work to look and draw that fast. Next comes longer, 2 or 3 minute poses. After that, a series of longer, 5 or 10 minute poses. Within a few minutes, I was totally absorbed in drawing. The next thing I knew, the three hour studio class was over. I was hooked. And totally exhausted.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-16222355935052934512011-02-02T12:24:00.001-08:002011-02-02T13:54:24.417-08:00Amos Lee at the Rialto Theater in Tucson<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TUnJOQbeOoI/AAAAAAAAArA/2OPUMnty5Ro/s1600/Amos%2BLee%252C%2Bthe%2Bcrowd%2B600px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 323px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TUnJOQbeOoI/AAAAAAAAArA/2OPUMnty5Ro/s400/Amos%2BLee%252C%2Bthe%2Bcrowd%2B600px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569203660985875074" border="0" /></a>The crowd lining up at the Rialto Theater in downtown Tucson.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TUnJHuCtpGI/AAAAAAAAAq4/UoiqqYLAsNc/s1600/Amos%2BLee%2Bon%2Bstage%2Bcropped.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TUnJHuCtpGI/AAAAAAAAAq4/UoiqqYLAsNc/s400/Amos%2BLee%2Bon%2Bstage%2Bcropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569203548676007010" border="0" /></a>Amos Lee surrounded by the band.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TUnI-luNHXI/AAAAAAAAAqw/AGf9a9ZI6TA/s1600/Amos%2BLee%252C%2BVusi%2BMahlesela.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 231px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TUnI-luNHXI/AAAAAAAAAqw/AGf9a9ZI6TA/s400/Amos%2BLee%252C%2BVusi%2BMahlesela.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569203391823682930" border="0" /></a>Vusi Mahlesela (in the light colored shirt) with Amos Lee on his right side, singing together.<br /><br />Jim and I had an afternoon and evening on the town last Sunday. We don't go to concerts often, so this was something I'd been looking forward to.<br /><br />In order to make the trip into Tucson multipurpose, we decided to stop by <a href="http://www.tohonochulpark.org/wordpress/">Tohono Chul Park</a> to see a couple of art exhibits.<a href="http://www.tohonochulpark.org/wordpress/"> </a>Of particular interest was the Family Ties exhibit, which runs through April 3. It was interesting to see the way in which the relationships between husband and wife, father and son, etc. influenced each person's work. A number of the artists in the show live in Oracle.<br /><br />From there, to the <a href="http://www.tucsonmuseumofart.org/">Tucson Museum of Art</a>, where we planned to see the Lewis and Clark exhibit. It helps to check the calendar. The show was gone and most of the museum was closed for new installations. Since we're members, we went in anyway and spent a little time roaming around. Sure is a lot of neat stuff in the gift shop. Way too many temptations.<br /><br />Hunger struck, and we proceeded to <a href="http://www.elcharrocafe.com/">El Charro</a>, the oldest continuously family run Mexican food establishment in the country. The food is really good and the atmosphere is great. Always a treat.<br /><br />We decided to cruise by the <a href="http://www.rialtotheatre.com/">Rialto Theater</a> to check out the scene before going to get a bit of dessert. Lo and behold, there was already a line at 6:30 (show scheduled to open at 8 pm). So we cashed in the idea of dessert (probably not a bad thing anyway), found parking, got our tickets and got in line. Fun people watching. I dare say we were among, if not, the oldest people in line.<br />The doors opened at 7 pm and in we went. As I said, we don't go to concerts very often. Things change. I have no idea if this is standard or not, but the theater was set up with a handful of chairs in the back and lots of open (standing room) space in the front. Since we'd toughed out the wait, we got seats. Not that most people seemed to want to sit. Lots of toing and frowing of the audience, moving about, jockeying for position, all in a most friendly way.<br /><br />At last the concert started with the opening act, a man from Africa, Vusi Mahlesela, with a great voice and interesting things to say about his part in the political scene in South Africa.<br /><br />Then<a href="http://amoslee.com/"> Amos Lee</a> came on stage. I was enthralled. We really do miss out when we don't see live performances. It's good to be reminded of this. Kind of like looking at art on the internet versus looking in person. So much is lost in the translation. Anyway, it was a wonderful experience. I felt like I was transported to another place. Of course, I couldn't leave without buying his latest album. I proceeded to give myself a concert of all four of his albums yesterday while painting in my studio. I'm sure my work was brilliant as a result.<br /><br />So you see, Tucson is a great place to live near. A short drive from sleepy Oracle gets us to a vibrant city with plenty of interesting cultural opportunities. All located on <a href="http://usroute89.com/">US Route 89</a>!Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-79748443911258257102011-01-26T14:27:00.000-08:002011-01-27T07:08:12.686-08:00A Visit to the Studio of Phoenix Artist, Carole Hanks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TUC0bnD5PoI/AAAAAAAAAqk/ZxCXMxzkdK8/s1600/Carole%2B1-600px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 360px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TUC0bnD5PoI/AAAAAAAAAqk/ZxCXMxzkdK8/s400/Carole%2B1-600px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566647525864717954" border="0" /></a><br />Carole with Week #52<br /><br />Artists for the most part aren't the frivolous lot the media makes them out to be. Part of the purpose of this blog is to give my readers a chance for an inside view of art in the making. And art in the making is so much more than just making art. It's making the time to do it, having the training, putting in the years of practice, making connections with other artists, galleries, maintaining relationships with collectors, marketing online and off, keeping up a mailing list, entering shows. Not to mention needing to make a living.<br /><br />My friend, Carole Hanks has been working on a project for the past year. She completed 52 weeks of "<a href="http://comics200e.blogspot.com/">comics</a>", gorgeous line drawings which were published every Monday for the entire year, 2010. In order to do this, she gave up travel (including visits to yours truly), and most social engagements to stay on her grueling self-imposed schedule. True to her word, she managed to publish one large piece of this series each and every Monday, come rain or shine, in good health and bad. The results are magnificent.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TUC0Vtd2OsI/AAAAAAAAAqc/otzZ9NLMXpQ/s1600/Carole%2527s%2Bstudio%2Bwest%2Bside-600px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TUC0Vtd2OsI/AAAAAAAAAqc/otzZ9NLMXpQ/s400/Carole%2527s%2Bstudio%2Bwest%2Bside-600px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566647424504969922" border="0" /></a>A not so clear shot of three of her pieces hanging in her Phoenix studio. Click on "comics" above to get a clear look at the work and find out what it's all about.<br /><br />Her next step is to figure out her next step. She already has a show lined up for this June/July, at the <a href="http://www.willonorth.com/">Willo North Gallery</a> in Phoenix. And she's getting ready to start her next big year-long commitment. She gave me a few hints, and it sounds just as exciting and demanding as the previous year-long project. You can check out more of her work at <a href="http://studio200e.com/">her website</a>. And be sure to check back on her blog in late February, for the new series.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-58202041467359055092011-01-10T09:56:00.000-08:002011-01-10T10:31:25.283-08:00Gone Missing, Back Now<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TStLda31eiI/AAAAAAAAAqM/egssoWhJ4zk/s1600/Snapshot%2BReflection%2BII.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 398px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TStLda31eiI/AAAAAAAAAqM/egssoWhJ4zk/s400/Snapshot%2BReflection%2BII.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560621133720812066" border="0" /></a>Snapshot Reflection II Acrylic on panel 12" x 12"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TStK0qSSAeI/AAAAAAAAAqE/yPt2u7-uLIw/s1600/Calligraphy%2Bon%2BPe%25C3%25B1a%2BBlanca%2BLake-600px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 399px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TStK0qSSAeI/AAAAAAAAAqE/yPt2u7-uLIw/s400/Calligraphy%2Bon%2BPe%25C3%25B1a%2BBlanca%2BLake-600px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560620433483629026" border="0" /></a>Calligraphy on Peña Blanca Lake Acrylic on panel 12" x 12"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TStKZa5eD-I/AAAAAAAAAp8/HTgSrM0Cqa8/s1600/Palisades%2BPanorama-600px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 96px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TStKZa5eD-I/AAAAAAAAAp8/HTgSrM0Cqa8/s400/Palisades%2BPanorama-600px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560619965496561634" border="0" /></a>Palisades Panoramic Acrylic on panel 6" x 24"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TStJ6EZ04BI/AAAAAAAAAp0/Ux-EKX-fuY8/s1600/Early%2BMorning%2Bon%2Bthe%2BDock-600px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 399px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TStJ6EZ04BI/AAAAAAAAAp0/Ux-EKX-fuY8/s400/Early%2BMorning%2Bon%2Bthe%2BDock-600px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560619426882314258" border="0" /></a>Early Morning on the Dock Acrylic on panel 16" x 16"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TStJTV0mdmI/AAAAAAAAAps/VgQV1v1xW3s/s1600/Morning%2BDawning..600px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 399px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TStJTV0mdmI/AAAAAAAAAps/VgQV1v1xW3s/s400/Morning%2BDawning..600px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560618761543120482" border="0" /></a>Morning Dawning Acrylic on panel 12" x 12"<br /><br />Hard to believe (for me) that it's been well over a month since my last blog post. Been doing a lot of painting. Plus the holidays and other stuff. Above are a selection of completed paintings from the series of reflection paintings I've been working on. There are more. Plus three I'm currently working on and three panels awaiting my brush.<br /><br />My classes at Tohono O'odham Community College start in a few days. Plus I'm committed to applying for a show opportunity, due on January 14. This application is for a joint show with my husband, James Cowlin. The proposal is for a two person exhibit relating to our <a href="http://us89society.org/">US Route 89 </a>project. All of the reflection paintings are located at sites along US Route 89. I also need to get with the program and apply for a residency or two (another part of being a professional artist that I've neglected to pursue).<br /><br />I need to get back into my routine. It's always a balancing act to do the blogging, grant and show applications, marketing my work, work on the 89 project, teach my classes and make time for painting. Artists talk a lot about the dilemma of trying to do it all. Other (non-artists) tend to be envious of the so-called laid back life style of artists. Interesting how the public perception differs from reality.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-2893984867035756152010-12-02T08:44:00.000-08:002010-12-02T09:52:13.724-08:00Been Busy Painting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TPfcNPq0JfI/AAAAAAAAApg/jq_aiyPLW7I/s1600/AAA-e-card.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 278px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TPfcNPq0JfI/AAAAAAAAApg/jq_aiyPLW7I/s400/AAA-e-card.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546143586232575474" border="0" /></a><br />For the last month, I've been painting non-stop, preparing for a couple of opportunities. One is the annual Art on American Avenue show/sale here in Oracle. Last year, our first in Oracle, Jim and I were invited to participate in this event. Each year, a temporary location is leased by a group of artists who get together to display and sell their work. It was a great way to meet Oracle artists last year and we're both happy to be able to participate again this year. We have a great space, wonderful light, and it's heated, which is a big improvement. I bought nearly all of my holiday gifts at Art on American Avenue last year.<br /><br />In addition, a Small Works exhibit is opening tonight at the <a href="http://www.duleyjones.com/">Duley-Jones Gallery</a><a href="http://http//www.duleyjones.com/"></a> in Scottsdale. I will have at least one, maybe several paintings of water reflections in the show. The gallery is located on Main Street and the opening is from 7 – 9 pm tonight. The work will be up through December 23.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-74339090046208544192010-11-02T12:37:00.000-07:002010-11-02T12:48:58.043-07:00Can a Painting Be Too Pretty?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TNBoysXjUcI/AAAAAAAAApY/Bp624_lFqk4/s1600/Palisade+ref.+pano+11-10.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 190px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TNBoysXjUcI/AAAAAAAAApY/Bp624_lFqk4/s400/Palisade+ref.+pano+11-10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535039162151031234" border="0" /></a>A painting in progress, part of the Water Reflection series I'm working on<br /><br /><br />As I was motoring along, painting enthusiastically, an unbidden thought came into my head. I had a clear memory of doing a paint-by-number painting of a lake with a swan floating in it, complete with a reflection. I was probably about 10 years old. Usually, I'd get frustrated with those things, as I didn't particularly like staying in the lines, and I'd end up tossing the unfinished masterpiece into the garbage. I stuck with this particular one, and once completed, my proud mother had it framed.<br /><br />So here I am, painting away, and it suddenly struck me that this image had some similarity to that old paint-by-number. Can a painting be too pretty? When does a painting become a cliche? I can't tell if I've crossed the line or not. What do you think?Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-62267991869195907052010-10-27T13:37:00.000-07:002010-10-27T14:20:25.576-07:00New Temporary Home for Nooks & Crannies Series<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiTQJCFvPI/AAAAAAAAApQ/Sa8bvPJH0pA/s1600/TIA7.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiTQJCFvPI/AAAAAAAAApQ/Sa8bvPJH0pA/s400/TIA7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532834047736528114" border="0" /></a><br />A group of my paintings across the hall from the rest of the exhibit.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiORz3bCCI/AAAAAAAAApI/fcrTumq9b4w/s1600/TIA2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiORz3bCCI/AAAAAAAAApI/fcrTumq9b4w/s400/TIA2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532828578856241186" border="0" /></a><br />Welcome to "Nooks & Crannies" at the Tucson International Airport Lower Level Gallery. I'm proud to have my work shown with the drawings of Rhod Lauffer, Tucson artist.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiOLtQvgfI/AAAAAAAAApA/oPOZXANC2kU/s1600/TIA3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiOLtQvgfI/AAAAAAAAApA/oPOZXANC2kU/s400/TIA3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532828474004177394" border="0" /></a><br />Here I am, taking a closer look at one of Rhod's interpretations of "Nooks & Crannies". His drawings are beautifully rendered in graphite.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiOE1rCC-I/AAAAAAAAAo4/CcDo--ZEyp8/s1600/TIA4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiOE1rCC-I/AAAAAAAAAo4/CcDo--ZEyp8/s400/TIA4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532828356002843618" border="0" /></a><br />A view of five of my paintings.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiN-URITrI/AAAAAAAAAow/lQ8_-SLVVEU/s1600/TIA5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiN-URITrI/AAAAAAAAAow/lQ8_-SLVVEU/s400/TIA5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532828243956616882" border="0" /></a><br />Four more paintings.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiN3znwIMI/AAAAAAAAAoo/O9V-zK4-k74/s1600/TIA+6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TMiN3znwIMI/AAAAAAAAAoo/O9V-zK4-k74/s400/TIA+6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532828132113916098" border="0" /></a><br />Another view, with Rhod's drawings, too.<br /><br />Thank you to Jim for taking the photos. The show will be up until December 10.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-27972932904818473702010-10-19T09:26:00.000-07:002010-10-19T10:07:48.358-07:00Captivated by the Reflections<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TL3PN_gR4UI/AAAAAAAAAog/JONgMFS7YSA/s1600/Bigger+ptg+600+px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TL3PN_gR4UI/AAAAAAAAAog/JONgMFS7YSA/s400/Bigger+ptg+600+px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529803756772909378" border="0" /></a>Painting in progress<br /><br />I took a bunch of snapshots of rowboats at a dock at Pinnacle State Park, in Utah (on US Route 89) this past summer and am only now starting to work with them. I love to paint reflections, any kind of reflections. In fact, I remember trying to capture the edges of a dock and water reflections in a painting when I lived in Santa Barbara and was taking my first studio art classes. Painting something like this turned out to be way beyond what I was capable of at the time (okay, it was 30+ years ago). Way more than 10,000 hours of practice later, I'm still finding the process challenging!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TL3O3sxk4PI/AAAAAAAAAoY/YAhkPyIvpZU/s1600/Smaller+ptg+detail+600px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TL3O3sxk4PI/AAAAAAAAAoY/YAhkPyIvpZU/s400/Smaller+ptg+detail+600px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529803373788061938" border="0" /></a>A detail of a painting in progress.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TL3NwahCiTI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/qPz1Zja4wME/s1600/Smaller+ptg,+overall.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TL3NwahCiTI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/qPz1Zja4wME/s400/Smaller+ptg,+overall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529802149116152114" border="0" /></a>An overview of the same painting<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TL3Na7XywzI/AAAAAAAAAoI/6_X5svEWSvc/s1600/In+progress-600px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TL3Na7XywzI/AAAAAAAAAoI/6_X5svEWSvc/s400/In+progress-600px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529801779978617650" border="0" /></a>The two paintings, waiting for me to get back to work, as soon as I've posted this blog!Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-82918667255844902462010-10-14T18:49:00.000-07:002010-10-14T19:24:09.650-07:00Tucson Airport Reflection Painting at Tucson Int'l Airport<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TLe4l4_artI/AAAAAAAAAoA/Zw6FK365Tsc/s1600/TIA+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TLe4l4_artI/AAAAAAAAAoA/Zw6FK365Tsc/s400/TIA+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528090028713619154" border="0" /></a>A few paintings resting before installation takes place.<br /><br />A few days ago, 16 of my Nooks & Crannies series of paintings made their way via our intrepid Honda Element to Tucson International Airport.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TLe4BeMSvUI/AAAAAAAAAn4/pATY1m9nkX4/s1600/TIA+installation+1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TLe4BeMSvUI/AAAAAAAAAn4/pATY1m9nkX4/s400/TIA+installation+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528089403044576578" border="0" /></a>More paintings.<br /><br />My work is being shown with <a href="http://www.tucsonartistsgroup.com/lauffer/index.html">Rhod Lauffer</a>. He had already dropped his drawings off, so I didn't have the opportunity to meet him. The trolley on the left has Rhod Lauffer's work stacked on it, ready for installation. His website shows some of his wonderful paintings. You'll just have to come to the show to see his drawings of airport/airline related Nooks & Crannies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TLe3ZiYgwQI/AAAAAAAAAnw/CAK-wQYm3Do/s1600/TIA+3.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TLe3ZiYgwQI/AAAAAAAAAnw/CAK-wQYm3Do/s400/TIA+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528088716974801154" border="0" /></a>Yet another view of the gallery space.<br /><br />It was fun to see the Tucson Airport Reflection painting in the gallery space since the painting was created especially for this exhibit.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TLe0LoJrNfI/AAAAAAAAAno/4l82tREn4i8/s1600/Tucson+Airport+Reflection-600px.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TLe0LoJrNfI/AAAAAAAAAno/4l82tREn4i8/s400/Tucson+Airport+Reflection-600px.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528085179470132722" border="0" /></a>The exhibit is located on the lower level of the airport will be up until December 11. I'm anxious to drive back down there to see how the work looks on the walls!Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-12404007109812006872010-10-06T11:28:00.000-07:002010-10-06T12:54:28.800-07:00GlowLiving in Oracle for a year and a half makes us virtual newcomers. We have found this to be a welcoming place. In particular, the artists here (and there is quite an artist community for such a tiny town) have been generous and welcoming.<br /><br />One of our favorite regular activities in Oracle is to visit the <a href="http://www.trianglelranch.com/">Triangle L</a> Ranch on Saturday mornings to enjoy the local farmer's market. You never know what you might find there; friends, interesting veggies, live music.<br /><br />In addition to the usual Saturday activities, the annual Glow art festival at the Triangle L is a must see and do. A labor of love by volunteers in the community, orchestrated by Sharon Holnback owner of the Triangle L, Glow takes place on the first full moon (around late September or October) in the Fall.<br /><br />Jim has been doing some video using his super dooper Canon 5D Mark II, and has been experimenting with sound. In fact, he's taking a class at Pima Community College on incorporating sound into video. Glow was the perfect place for him to bring his equipment and have some fun experimenting. Now you can have fun watching his 6 minute video. And keep an eye out for Glow next fall. It's well worth the visit!<br /><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" width="425" height="344"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/okup7bzKFew?hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/okup7bzKFew?hl=en&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-65604957807369867312010-09-29T08:47:00.000-07:002010-09-29T08:57:22.668-07:00Glitter, Glitter, EverywhereThere is glitter and then there is glitter. This is what I found out last weekend while visiting Old Town Cottonwood, in the Verde Valley.<br /><br />After a great lunch at Bings, a redesigned gas station in retro style, where I had a burger, fries and a chocolate malt (the malt was to die for), we wandered across the street to The Art Institute Glitter.<br /><br />My association with glitter is probably like yours–messy glue and hunks of red or blue glitter everywhere but where you want it. This is one of my earliest memories of art making in elementary school, and not a fond one. Other memories are of glitter and my own children. Again, mostly what I remember is their frustration and a big, big mess to clean up.<br /><br />So, with some trepidation, I approached the rather large Glitter Institute. Jim practically needed to shove me through the door. My image of heaps of glitter to wade through could easily become one of my recurring nightmares. So in we went. What I discovered was an awe inspiring array of colors of glitter so fine it was almost powder, subtle and gorgeous. There are 400+ colors of ultrafine, microfine and glass glitter in addition to glass beads and other cool stuff. A <a href="http://http://www.artglitter.com/retail/Rartglitter.html">series of charts</a> give an idea of the range available.<br /><br />While there were the expected examples of Halloween pumpkins and glittery Santa Claus in the snow scenes in the shop, there were also samples of work using glitter that was quite inspiring, moving across the line from tacky into art.<br /><br />The friendly president of Art Glitter, Barbara Trombley, explained how the glitter is made and gave a little demonstration of how it's used. There is a special glue that can be applied with great control in thin lines. It is permanent and the glitter adheres to it without going all over the place (at least when Barbara uses it). Barbara offers classes and has even written a book.<br /><br />It seems that there is an alternative to tacky, tacky glitter. Any material of good quality, when used by an artist, can become a thing of beauty. So much for my snobbery. I'm currently brooding about how I might add glitter to my array of art tools.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-12937561874941707252010-08-31T13:48:00.001-07:002010-08-31T14:37:37.774-07:00Anxiety Attack<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TH119kPrQ0I/AAAAAAAAAnY/zJcIbIVu7tQ/s1600/WilloNorth1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TH119kPrQ0I/AAAAAAAAAnY/zJcIbIVu7tQ/s400/WilloNorth1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511691219533251394" border="0" /></a><br />Funny thing. I make the art because I love doing it. It piles up in my studio. In order to justify doing more painting, I need to give the finished paintings a home. So I enter exhibits and make sure my work is out there, being seen and being purchased.<br /><br />In a group show, well, there are a group of artists, who in turn have a group of friends, and friends of friends, and collectors, family members and so on. You can show and still be fairly inconspicuous. If no one comes to see the work, well, whose fault is it?<br /><br />A solo show is a different kind of animal. It's just all about me, me, me and more me. The questions that arise are: will anyone at all show up? Or will the gallery be full of people (almost as frightening for a social phobic like me)? It'll be a little hard to hide when all the paintings on the wall are mine. And here I am with a solo show, opening on Friday night!<br /><br />There are a lot of people out there, helping with publicity for the show. I just discovered several wonderful posts by Kristin Shears, owner of <a href="http://willonorth.blogspot.com/">Willo North Gallery</a>. Patricia Sahertian has been sending out press releases and doing lots of social media, and my husband, Jim Cowlin, just put me on our (hot off the press) <a href="http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs018/1101336189858/archive/1103649672658.html">US Route 89</a> newsletter. Todd Daniel has been schlepping postcards all over town in the heat and humidity.<br /><br />It humbles me to think of people going all out for me and for my work. It's funny, alright. It would be so nice to just be able to hunker down in my studio and never, ever leave. Of course, then I'd miss out on meeting all the nice people I'll be meeting on Friday evening. I hope you're there, too. I hear the food is going to be great!Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-43762336534293120762010-08-24T08:56:00.000-07:002010-08-24T09:22:45.077-07:00A Bevy of Postcards<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/THPr6UN91NI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/ZP7J8LC6QDY/s1600/Postcards.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/THPr6UN91NI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/ZP7J8LC6QDY/s400/Postcards.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509006156296475858" border="0" /></a><br />In several previous blogs, I've talked about what it takes to get a piece of artwork out the door, into a gallery, and last but not least, seen by someone other than the immediate family and close friends. One of the traditional ways of doing this is through postcards.<br /><br />Of course, a postcard doesn't just drop off of the nearest tree. First comes the decision of what painting (or paintings) to put on the front of the card. Hopefully, it will attract the recipient's attention enough to flip over and read the details. The wording on the other side of the card is generally just the basic facts about the show. If you've never tried to do this, you'd be amazed at how easy it is to goof up an address, a date, a time. Even when other people proof it, it's always a relief to receive the printed card and see that all is okay.<br /><br />I should have mentioned that one of the first steps is to choose a company to do the printing. In my case, friends Pat and Jacob recommended a <a href="http://www.gotprint.com">printer</a> I hadn't used before. It's important to know who's doing the printing, because different companies have different specs for getting images and text ready to be printed. I'm lucky that husband Jim is an expert at all things technology, so he did all of the technical preparations for me. Voila! Off the information flew over the internet and landed at Got Print. After a few days, I received a proof via email. I noticed a few items I wanted to change on the text side. After doing this, about a week or so later, a box of 1000 cards arrived via UPS at my door step. I am very pleased with the quality of the printing.<br /><br />With the postcards in hand, I proceeded to work on my mailing list. This is another of those time consuming yet important jobs artists need to do. A good mailing list is critical. It's made up of friends, acquaintances, collectors, people who have signed guest books at shows, business associates and others. At 28 cents per stamp, it's important to have accurate and current addresses.<br /><br />Next step, getting the stamps. An easy yet painful ($) part of the process. I like to hand address my cards rather than print out labels. It seems more personal, plus I get a chance to look at the list again to catch errors or do some last minute eliminating or adding of names. It's slower but it works for me.<br /><br />Finally, the postcards are sent off to their destinations. This time I remembered to get my return address printed on the cards. Any that come back to me can then be corrected on my mailing list. What happens to a card when it reaches its destination? Well, I don't know, but I hope at least some people look at it and are intrigued enough to come to the opening or check out my website. Mostly, I'll never know.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-76491088873431823192010-08-17T13:55:00.000-07:002010-08-17T14:44:32.962-07:00My Tweet FriendAbout a year ago, the confluence of a brand new laptop computer and a workshop on social media by photographer <a href="http://www.lighting-essentials.com/">Don Giannatti</a> caused me to start tweeting. Now, for those who know me as a person who is phobic about all things technological, you might be surprised to hear of my involvement in Twitter. Don literally (practically) forced me to sign up and give it a go.<br /><br />So, I started. I got involved with a group of 32 artists doing an art postcard exchange. I made 32 unique postcards and sent them out. In return, I got wonderful postcards from people all over the US, UK, Canada and Australia. I'm still in touch with a few of them.<br /><br />A Twitter book club, started by <a href="http://www.artbizblog.com">Alyson Stanfield</a>, got me caught up in the recent autobiography on William deKooning at about the same time.<br /><br />Last but not least, I met my friend Pat. It started with a tweet from Pat, after I'd posted the news of my solo show at the Burton Barr Central Library last September. She told me she's an artist in Phoenix and would come to my opening. And guess what? She did, along with her husband Jacob. We hit it off right away. And began to communicate via email.<br /><br />I introduced Pat to my good friend <a href="http://web.mac.com/smokeandshadowsbych">Carole Hanks</a>, another Phoenix artist. They became friends. They came down to visit me in Oracle. We've had lunch at a half-way point between Phoenix and Oracle. Jim and I have had dinner at Pat's home. They've had dinner here. Pat and I either talk on the phone or send emails on a regular basis. In short, we've become good friends.<br /><br />And now, I'm in a solo show at the Willo North Gallery, all thanks to <a href="http://www.thestudio-ps.com/">Patricia Sahertian</a>! That's another whole story. Here we are, talking, talking, talking at the first First Friday at the gallery.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGr6N1SxUuI/AAAAAAAAAnI/RI6Wsu6MIow/s1600/Pat+and+me.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGr6N1SxUuI/AAAAAAAAAnI/RI6Wsu6MIow/s400/Pat+and+me.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506488609964905186" border="0" /></a>And am I still tweeting? Well, no, Don, I'm not. But maybe I should start again. So many good things came of it.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-55596388777401221882010-08-13T09:20:00.000-07:002010-08-13T11:34:59.197-07:00What Do People Think?In the last couple of blog posts, I've shown a series of photographs of the sequence of physically getting art out of the studio and onto the walls of a gallery. One of the reasons I started this blog several years ago was to demystify the process of making, viewing, marketing and exhibiting art. Many people have no idea how to talk to artists, how to talk about art, how to come to understand the process in any way. Part of the problem is the mysteriousness deliberately cultivated by the art world. Part of the problem is with the lack of education around art.<br /><br />I can't begin to say how often, when I tell someone I'm an artist, they tell me about how much fun I must be having and wish they could be having such a luxurious life, too. The other response I've been getting lately (now that my hair is a frank, non-dyed, gray), is about how lucky I am to have a nice hobby now that I'm retired.<br /><br />Full-time, serious artists must be amongst the most misunderstood of professionals. A recent development in terminology is to refer to one's work as an "art practice". I have come to like this and hope it adds some dignity and weight to what artists do. I think those of us who work in the arts have an obligation to try to demystify what is involved in the process. Who can blame people for being confused when we don't offer art education in schools on a regular basis and when the media sensationalizes the shenanigans of a few art stars.<br /><br />When people walk into any kind of art exhibit, they may or may not like the work that's being displayed. By being more informed of what goes on behind the scenes, my hope is that the viewer will appreciates the effort involved regardless of their feelings about the art being displayed.Unless you've been involved in the process of getting from point A (getting the idea, making the art) to point B (the viewing of the art), it may be either a mystery as to how the process happens or have never occurred to you. And since a really well displayed show should look seamless and fit so well together that it seems effortless, who can blame the viewer for not noticing the effort behind the scenes?Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810414378229841802.post-69283476974893101622010-08-11T13:52:00.000-07:002010-08-11T14:24:05.812-07:00Willo North Solo Show: August First Friday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMMQ_7PIrI/AAAAAAAAAnA/Re3bJ12TvVI/s1600/Outside+looking+in.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMMQ_7PIrI/AAAAAAAAAnA/Re3bJ12TvVI/s400/Outside+looking+in.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504256655754207922" border="0" /></a>The View from Outside Looking In<br /><br />Last Friday evening was a Phoenix First Friday and the Willo North Gallery was open, showing my work. The actual reception will be the next First Friday, on September 3. I'll be sending out cards and the gallery will be doing advertising for the opening. There was a nice crowd last Friday, and with more advertising, there should be even more people next month.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMMH0mQuQI/AAAAAAAAAm4/vd8tgKvrSfg/s1600/Willo+North+2+people.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMMH0mQuQI/AAAAAAAAAm4/vd8tgKvrSfg/s400/Willo+North+2+people.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504256498094618882" border="0" /></a>Another view from outside looking in.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMLlmeU5RI/AAAAAAAAAmo/0_FWBQCvkXc/s1600/Installation+view+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMLlmeU5RI/AAAAAAAAAmo/0_FWBQCvkXc/s400/Installation+view+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504255910187689234" border="0" /></a>Installation view of the north end of the gallery.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMLSDeMlkI/AAAAAAAAAmY/Zw_6TsP4t-w/s1600/Installation+view+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMLSDeMlkI/AAAAAAAAAmY/Zw_6TsP4t-w/s400/Installation+view+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504255574374389314" border="0" /></a>The southeast side of the gallery.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMLLfLE0BI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/hUkOs753FJw/s1600/Installation+view+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMLLfLE0BI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/hUkOs753FJw/s400/Installation+view+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504255461551296530" border="0" /></a>Another view.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMKcMA6wsI/AAAAAAAAAmI/kQ7ZHu1Mzb0/s1600/People.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMKcMA6wsI/AAAAAAAAAmI/kQ7ZHu1Mzb0/s400/People.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504254648954569410" border="0" /></a>People.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMKLm1OSnI/AAAAAAAAAmA/MTuHj6d9DH8/s1600/Todd,+Dan+and+Stacy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8PISB7bpiu0/TGMKLm1OSnI/AAAAAAAAAmA/MTuHj6d9DH8/s400/Todd,+Dan+and+Stacy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504254364095498866" border="0" /></a><br />Todd, Stacy and Dan, checking out my use of perspective in a painting.<br /><br />Thanks to Jim for the photographs of the evening. There were a lot more good shots, but son Mathew told me that any more would just be boring. So there you have it.Barbara Cowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01369912438102500553noreply@blogger.com1