I drove down to Rochester, New Hampshire this weekend, where my friend Susan and I put on an exhibit called "O Canada, O New England" at her lovely gallery there -- artstream studios.
Canada -- a vast, dreamladen landscape ... full of sweet darkness, haunted psyches and femme fatales. While New England is famous for its loneliness, fishermen and Whoopie Pie. It's a fact!
The scene of the crime, taken early Saturday morning, before we'd even hung anything.
My half of the show was five very new pieces (which you can see in previous posts below or here), a good handful of ink drawings and then five older paintings which still fit my (arbitrary, fictitious) themes.
Like this painting, called The Whole Morning -- a wonderful painting whose story speaks to darkness, dreaming and being blue ... all at once! (FYI: the second photo was taken by Susan's husband, Rainer. Good perspective!)
And these -- I looked, Markov and poor girl -- these great paintings that fit with the show and needed a new lease on life after prospective buyers fell through (it happens all the time -- someone contacts me about wanting a painting, but then trying to arrange for payment or delivery is like trying to catch a cloud). So now they're in a nice gallery where people can easily access them, to purchase or just view. And this makes me happy.
Same goes for this fellow, fell for you.
Susan's figurative work always has this decorative, folk-art kind of quality -- very warm and comfortable. Not many paintings can go just about anywhere in a house, but these can. And her work is so affordable.
Speak of the devil.
And so we opened the doors and waited ... and waited ... and suddenly there was a crowd, all at once. Isn't that how it always goes? I remember throwing a party in university, and telling people to come for 9, and no one being there at 9:30, and proceeding to get drunk, and then being in no shape to host when everyone showed up at 10:30 (in fact, I had to 'designate' a host while I proceeded to become the kind of guest I'd tell to leave). (Note: the bottom photo is Rainer's again. It's in focus!).
We were part of Rochester's Art Walk that night. This is exactly the kind of thing that Susan does and organizes and promotes all the time, and it's this kind of generosity that explains why she'd invite a Canadian down to exhibit in her gallery, and why she's such a great host (and friend).
If you like any of the work you've seen here, please contact Susan at shop@artstreamstudios.com -- she's a professional! Her husband is German! He demands precision!
* * * * *
Canada -- a vast, dreamladen landscape ... full of sweet darkness, haunted psyches and femme fatales. While New England is famous for its loneliness, fishermen and Whoopie Pie. It's a fact!
* * * * *
The scene of the crime, taken early Saturday morning, before we'd even hung anything.
* * * * *
My half of the show was five very new pieces (which you can see in previous posts below or here), a good handful of ink drawings and then five older paintings which still fit my (arbitrary, fictitious) themes.
* * * * *
Like this painting, called The Whole Morning -- a wonderful painting whose story speaks to darkness, dreaming and being blue ... all at once! (FYI: the second photo was taken by Susan's husband, Rainer. Good perspective!)
* * * * *
And these -- I looked, Markov and poor girl -- these great paintings that fit with the show and needed a new lease on life after prospective buyers fell through (it happens all the time -- someone contacts me about wanting a painting, but then trying to arrange for payment or delivery is like trying to catch a cloud). So now they're in a nice gallery where people can easily access them, to purchase or just view. And this makes me happy.
* * * * *
Same goes for this fellow, fell for you.
* * * * *
Susan's figurative work always has this decorative, folk-art kind of quality -- very warm and comfortable. Not many paintings can go just about anywhere in a house, but these can. And her work is so affordable.
* * * * *
Speak of the devil.
* * * * *
And so we opened the doors and waited ... and waited ... and suddenly there was a crowd, all at once. Isn't that how it always goes? I remember throwing a party in university, and telling people to come for 9, and no one being there at 9:30, and proceeding to get drunk, and then being in no shape to host when everyone showed up at 10:30 (in fact, I had to 'designate' a host while I proceeded to become the kind of guest I'd tell to leave). (Note: the bottom photo is Rainer's again. It's in focus!).
* * * * *
We were part of Rochester's Art Walk that night. This is exactly the kind of thing that Susan does and organizes and promotes all the time, and it's this kind of generosity that explains why she'd invite a Canadian down to exhibit in her gallery, and why she's such a great host (and friend).
* * * * *
If you like any of the work you've seen here, please contact Susan at shop@artstreamstudios.com -- she's a professional! Her husband is German! He demands precision!
congratulations DJ! I love the piece 'I Looked' - it's really strong and stunning - so nice to see your work in perspective - someday I will see it in person! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that I found you through Susan's blog. First, Congratulations on your art exhibition! Second, your artwork is terrific! I particularly like that you paint characters that look like they come with a good story. Do you write, too? Third, lucky you for meeting Susan in person! And fourth, I have family living near Kingston! Small world, eh?!
ReplyDeleteSO MANY RED LETTERS.
ReplyDeleteSrsly, though: Good show, old man. And good post.
Jeane: thanks again -- you're always so supportive.
ReplyDeleteSusanna: I'm glad you found me, too! It *is* a small world. And yes, I do write -- there's a link to my book at the side.
Flying Indie: You.
it must be nice to see your artwork in a gallery. the paintings are bigger than I imagine. I guess my little computer screen does no justice to your work.
ReplyDeletehave a lovely october.
Fantastic!! Love looking at all the photos. Really Love seeing your work this way as it gives a nice idea of size, which gets easily lost with up close images and nothing around to compare. Congrats to you both!
ReplyDeleteEvery comment of mine is so repetitive, but i cant help but always tell u ure awesome now can i?!
ReplyDelete