eARTh - One Very Amazing and Spectacular Art Exhibit!

Question:

*What do you get when you add four friends who are all artists armed with inspired energy and vision?

Answer:

The most amazing, spectacular, energy-filled art exhibit!

Ken (right) and neighbor David Dahms saw the bottom of a piece
of river driftwood on its way to becoming a beautiful sculpture.

But, there was MUCH work to do before our magical opening reception last Friday night.

When last I wrote, I was in the creative frenzy of art-making--which continued and escalated until the last minute and the work was set up inside the beautiful galleries of the Art & Heritage Center in Windsor.

My to-do list finally gets accomplished!

You can see from my final week of creative work that my to-do list had a crazy array of tasks--from setting sculptures on their bases to creating yupo paintings for a mixed media to using alcohol inks to paint about 75 metal washers to then tie to the three-panel screen of driftwood.

Somehow it gets finished.  I'm not always sure how.  Some people take multi-tasking as a way of life.  Not me. I like to focus on what I'm doing--give it my full attention--and that's not easily done with a zillion little tasks all wanting attention at the same time.

Finally, Thursday, Feb. 16 arrived and it was time to load the cars and deliver art to the gallery.

Two overly tall sculptures receive special transport in Ken's convertible!  

The work arrives!

How fortunate Susan, Annie and I were that Suzette took on the many administrative tasks like making sure we had advertising, artist biographies, signage and labels for each piece of work.

Each of us distributed posters locally and sent invitations via emails, Facebook and other web sites.

Art begins to find its place as Annie and Suzette test various combinations.

Susan sets out hand-embellished gourds.

My individually hand-dyed "Sky Flags" hang high in the south gallery as an installation work, fluttering gently
with air from a discreetly placed fan.

Suzette ponders placement of her photography
in the hallway that joins the two galleries.

A thousand decisions....

What to combine with what?
What colors to enhance?
Textures to highlight?
Messages to convey?
Quiet?  Playful?  Moody?

By the second day, we had a good idea of what was going where and how our story unfolds.

My two driftwood sculptures, "Five Rusty Rings" (hanging) and my free-standing 3-panel screen, "Wind Break,"
combine with Susan's abstract metal photography of rust, a salvaged portion of buckboard and delicate paper bowls
in the north gallery.

Suzette's dune photography, Susan's gourds and my driftwood sculpture
fill another space in the north gallery.

Suzette's photography and Annie's convergent media combine for a study in black and white.

The four elements greet guests to the south gallery just before we set up for our opening reception.

Guests arrive for our opening reception!

Once the artwork was placed and hung, finishing touches were added before the exhibit opened Wednesday, Feb. 22.

On Friday the gallery was host to not one but TWO receptions!!  

The first followed an afternoon ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate quiet train crossings in Windsor.  

Once that reception concluded we re-set for our opening reception that evening.

Guests mingle in the north gallery.

There was an incredible energy that filled the galleries, creating a space that was warm, festive, welcoming--an ideal winter night to enjoy art and share in the beauty of our world.

Suzette, me, Annie and Susan take a moment to celebrate installation successes.

Yes, it's an amazing thing what four friends who happen to all be artists can accomplish when armed with creative inspiration and each other!