ArtGalleree

As I struggle to make ends meet as an artist. I teeter between what pays the rent and what I want to create. Hopefully, one day the two will meet. But for now, the rent is due. Today I will paint and draw landscapes and still life, as these are what the masses are looking for. I have researched that nudes are also a big request. However, I am just…

Open submission exhibitions are such a great way to get your work out there in front of a captive audience. They are easy to apply for, and the gallery takes charge of all the curating, admin etc. There are some points you need to consider beforehand though… I always used to see them as a big profit machine for the gallery that hosted the show. Some galleries are so well…

During the slower months of winter I feel the gentle pull toward my jewelry bench. November and December are gift making months around our home. When Elaine is not plucking the strings of her beautiful harp or playing an old familiar melody on the piano she’ll be busy creating amazing had knitted cell phone cases, scarves, and cool eye pillows filled with home grown lavender. One of a kind hand…

As I search the web for places to market my art, I am inundated with artists claiming to make raw or outsider art, or primitive art. And as these are all legitimate art genres, how do we really define them. If you look up the definitions of each, you will read similarities in all of them, but the main contributing factor is “self taught”. A lot of great artists were…

C. Dreher is ArtGalleree’s Featured Artist for December & January. If you haven’t yet seen C. Dreher’s art, you can click here to view her work. Q: What was the moment you knew you were meant to be an artist? A: I was four years old. I came upon my beautiful Mother’s journal. She had doodled some effortless sketches, of a boat sailing on the sea with a gull sailing…

It is around this time of year that many people start to worry that they won’t be able to find the perfect gifts for their friends and family. The real gift giving difficulty stems from the fact that many people are simply looking at the wrong types of gifts. If they truly want to give something that is unique, instead of turning to clothes, electronics & gift certificates, they should…

Art Therapy is an advancing method for enhancing the mental, emotional, and physical states of individuals. Art therapy combines the creative process with psychological understanding to aid in resolving, “conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.”(AATA) The American Association of Art Therapy (AATA) and the Art Therapy Credentials Board are responsible for the regulation of certification, education, professional and ethical…

Understanding how the art world works and where you fit within it isn’t something you can learn overnight. Looking back it seems so long ago, but it was actually only three years ago when I began to take myself serious as an artist. Prior to that I had spent many years going through my studies at college and university, always being guided by my tutors with the idea that a…

For over two decades I worked with precious metal and gems. I loved the tedious practice of carving wax and setting stones. I would spend weeks some times designing and manufacturing a single piece of jewelry. Then one day I picked up a brush and started painting again. I had painted off and on after high school and wile attending art school but the realization that I had not painted…

I awoke and the cabin was cool so I turned up the heat put the coffee on and looked out the window. It was still dark at 7am on that late September morning. As soon as the coffee was ready I filled my two cup thermos and made sure I had my camera. Picking up the leash was the signal to Mortimer our basset hound that it was time to…

Art stimulates more than our visual sense, art becomes a means of connecting and conversing. An article posted on ARTnews by Gail Gregg titled ‘The Persistence of Memories,” describes the great impact art can have on those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. A pioneering program at the Museum of Modern Art began in 2009 with a grant from MetLife Foundation, demonstrates the connectivity Alzheimer’s patients experience during a guided tour. The tour…

Here in Boise artists, teachers and crafters are fortunate to have a large independent art supply warehouse. I much prefer to buy art supplies in person rather then on line. Plus there is no waiting or shipping costs. An often overlooked source for many items that artists use can be found at your local building supply business. For instance costly gesso a white primer used on canvases and panels can…

That afternoon I noticed the cloud formations were ideal for a fireworks sunset. I put my gear in the truck and grabbed two large panels. I already knew which one I would use. The place I had in mind would be about a one hour drive. I pulled up on top of the hill and wasted no time in setting up. I tied the easel to the truck so if…

Expansion of the arts in the past several decades shows a greater definition of acceptance for individual style and content. No longer bound by stifling intellectuals or patrons, free to express and challenge oneself. I see the contrast and beauty in the old versus new art due to my position as a gallery assistant at a gallery focused on the collection and sale of 16th to 19th century Antiquarian print…

The first image is a plein air study from a few weeks ago while on location in the Saw Tooth Mountains of Idaho. Deeply influenced by my surrounding on a beautiful warm fall afternoon I was impressed to paint all that was before me. It was like a cornucopia of delicious foods and I wanted to eat every thing in sight. I thought by subordinating the foreground it might allow…

How do you pick the colors you use in your art? The colors you select can be a driving force behind the meaning of your art. Do you think consciously about the deeper meaning of color during your creative process or when you’re looking for a piece of art to purchase? Individuals’ reactions to colors are not always the same. What evokes one reaction in one person can evoke a…

For years I practiced not using color straight from the tube; that is to say no white or neutralizing. Needless to say you can find your self in unfamiliar territory using full strength pigment especially with a limited primary palette. Taking the path less traveled invites the possibility of becoming lost. Most of us can recall the feeling of being lost and how humbling it is. Life teaches us to…

The aesthetic quality of artwork in homes create responses from those who encounter it. Pleasing appearances arouse emotion, thought and hopefully conversation. For example, a date at a museum or gallery is always a safe bet because once the basic 20 questions ends you can seamlessly transition to openly discussing the artwork, therefore eliminating any awkward silences. Posing the idea to the date partner that this date was a success!…

The Saw Tooth Mountains live up to their name sake and of all the mountain ranges I have gazed upon these are among my favorites. To make it even better they are only a wonderful three hours scenic drive from our front door. This painting was done in 2005 from a place we try to visit at least once a year. Like an old friend this particular view is waiting…

What inspires you? This past week a huge thunderstorm came through town. I, of course, went out on the porch to try and catch the lightning on camera. Many deletes and adjustments to the aperture and shutter speed, I got something. The quest for one image lasted much longer than I had anticipated because I was enthralled with the beauty of the powerful lightning. One good image leads to thinking…

1966 at age eighteen just out of high school I made a bold move to beautiful but often soggy Seattle. Twenty one years later I was very happy to be living in shall I say somewhat dryer Idaho? Another twenty three years swiftly passed and today my love of painting Idaho can be found hanging on more then a few walls. I decided to take a nostalgic look back ten…

Some might say this reminds me of the black light stuff from the seventies; call me an old hippie, I loved it then and still do. Andy’s soup can paintings blew us away and reminded artists of the day that art is bought for many reasons including chicken noodle soup. Mr. Warhol would no doubt shudder at my comparison but perhaps Vincent might have approved the use of rare earth…

Today I over painted Night Flowers with rare earth phosphors in an acrylic vehicle; this effect I call my Cosmic Light Series, Lights Off – Lights On because one painting can be viewed in both light and dark. Typically I would use this medium to create a STARSCAPES ® bedroom night sky wall or ceiling mural. In this case it was used to create a more interesting multi functional work…

Sometimes I paint the same way I cook, whatever is in the fridge goes in the pot. A stew can be a wonderful meal of acquired ingredients all mixed together in a great tasting sauce. Pulling out old painting techniques and combining materials with dust on their lids can taste wonderful to the soul. Revisiting the first time you tried this or that stimulates warm creative feelings. It’s a lot…