Colored Pencil Society of America 2012 / 20th Annual International Exhibition -- from the back side

Goodness; how this month is flying by!  Though it seems like I just finished unpacking, it was over two weeks ago that I returned from the 20th Annual International Exhibition of the Colored Pencil Society of America. 

This year's exhibition will be on display at the Carnegie, Visual and Performing Arts Center through August 30, 2012.  Juror Jamie Markle, Publisher and Editorial Director Fine Art Community, F & W Media, Inc., put together an extremely strong show of about 120 pieces from hundreds of submissions.  My piece, "Dust and Thunder", received an Award for Excellence, and the CIPPY Award / Best of Show went to Liz Guzinski for her work, "September Hydrangeas".  All of the award winners can be seen here.

The week consisted of the Awards Banquet, Opening Reception, the National Membership Meeting and Silent Auction (during which I won the bidding in order to bring home Jeffrey Smart Baisden's lovely drawing, "Steinhatchee Backwater"), workshops by artists Eileen F. Sorg and John Ursillo, and seeing great friends as well as meeting new ones.  Given that this year's convention week was within a reasonable driving distance from my home, several good friends from Michigan and out-of-state joined me at my family's lake cottage prior to the convention -- where we embarked on two days of 'middle-aged-artists-gone-wild' prior to traveling to the convention.  No details about that, though: as Dianna Soisson so aptly stated, "What happens on the island, stays on the island!"  Lets just say that........ohhhhh, never mind.

Below are several photographs taken during the pre-convention at the lake, as well as the CPSA convention week.

Born to swim: our lake mascot, sweet Ellie



With Kendra Bidwell Ferreira of Rhode Island



First time on a jet ski for Elizabeth Patterson of California.  Though I think she is trying to hide it for the camera, I think the only person more frightened than her was ME -- when SHE was driving!  (Just KIDDING)

Puppy Love: Deborah Friedman of Massachusetts with Ellie

We clean up pretty well for the Awards Banquet.  From left to right: our adorable CPSA President Cindy Haase of Colorado, moi', Deborah Friedman, Elizabeth Patterson, and fellow Michigander Dianna Soisson (and Kendra looked lovely -- but she was taking the picture!)

Always a sweetheart, Gemma Gylling of California

Dianna Soisson with her piece, "The Path Less Traveled": it's inclusion in the exhibition garnered Dianna her CPSA Signature Status!

Deborah Friedman and her work, "Beach Stones in Lapis Light"

In the coming weeks I will be starting a new equine piece that is currently in the planning stages, and continuing to work on a large drawing that has been in progress.  In addition -- and a first for me -- I will be completing preparations for a 2-day workshop that I will be teaching in October for Michigan's chapter of the CPSA, which will focus on creating textures on sanded pastel paper.

Thanks for stopping in.

CPSA International Exhibition, 2012 ARC Salon, and Strokes of Genius 5

In about two weeks I will be headed off to another convention week for the 20th Annual International Exhibition of the Colored Pencil Society of America.  This year's host city is Covington, Kentucky.  The exhibition can be seen at The Carnegie, Visual and Performing Arts Center through August 30, 2012, and the artists' reception is from 4 - 6 p.m., on Saturday, August 4.  My piece Dust and Thunder (shown above as one of two works used on the CPSA's promotional postcards) has been juried into this exhibit.

In addition, Dust and Thunder was chosen as a finalist in the Art Renewal Center's 2012 ARC Salon.  The Art Renewal Center is dedicated to the perpetuation of traditional art, as well as the knowledge and techniques of the artistic masters from the late-19th century.  The ARC Salon finalists and award winners can be viewed at http://www.artrenewal.org .........and I highly recommend this website in general, as it is a 'good read'.  

Wyoming Grey

Finally, both Dust and Thunder and Wyoming Grey have been chosen for inclusion in the book, "Strokes of Genius 5: The Best of Drawing / Composition".  (I will admit, I have coveted a spot in one of these editions for some time.)  The volume will include the work of 93 artists, and will be published by North Light Books in 2013.  More to come as the release date approaches. 

I guess every once in awhile nice things happen in groups of nice things.    : )

Work-in-Progress: Wyoming Wild Bay Horse

On the drawing board currently is a small piece similar to Wyoming Grey, which was sold at the silent auction for the Colored Pencil Society of America last month.  This piece is the first of two or three works of this type that I am doing for an area gallery.  I have just begun to put down the layers of detail, and have yet to punch up the darkest values.

I can barely believe that the summer is winding down already.  The barn swallows' final broods of the season are about to fledge, and the sand hill cranes are frequently found snacking in the fields as they approach time for their migration.  In  another week my son -- who has been here all summer diligently attending to his part-time job and full-time social life -- will return several hours north for his second year of college.  Sniff.  Life holds few guarantees, but change is certainly one of them.

Dallas, The American Plains Artists Exhibition, and a little bit of drawing

Tomorrow I will be leaving for the Colored Pencil Society of America's International Exhibition and convention week near Dallas, Texas.  This event always proves to be five days of great fun and lots of laughter with good friends, as well as a tremendous source of inspiration.  A cowboy boot shopping expedition planned originally by several members, seems to have morphed into a virtual CPSA field trip -- so much so that we may do well to rent a bus. (And grant me a 'whine' for a moment:  I think I broke a toe yesterday, who's swelling could prohibit me from being able to properly try on boots this week.  This could be a catastrophe.)  So stay tuned for photos of wild, middle-aged women.  Okay, well............ maybe not so wild.     : ) 

My piece Dust and Thunder has been juried into the American Plains Artists 27th Annual Exhibit.  The show will be on display in Las Cruces, New Mexico, from September 9 - October 30, 2011, at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.  The exhibit can also be viewed on the American Plains Artists website.

Finally, the entire grisaille is completed on my current work-in-progress -- (except for that pesky ear area near the right-hand margin that I decline to show in its entirety at present, and which I have redrawn three times ..........it is a little irritating when I find myself stuck on something in that way, but occasionally it seems simply the nature of the beast) -- and I have begun to put down the heavier layers upon which I will build the details later.  After I return from Dallas, I may set this piece aside for awhile in order to work on a couple of smaller equine pieces that need to be completed first.

So, see you on the other side of the convention -- and thanks so much for reading.

"Wyoming Grey" Completed, and Exhibition News

Wyoming Grey

8" x 12"

Colored Pencil on Uart Sanded Pastel Paper

Each year the Colored Pencil Society of America invites a group of artists to donate a piece to their silent auction, "Small Works of Great Magnitude".  This year, Wyoming Grey will be among 36 small colored pencil works auctioned off during the convention week of the 19th Annual CPSA International Exhibition.  In addition, my piece Canadian Cowgirl has been accepted into the exhibition.  The show will take place from June 29 to July 31, 2011, at the Charles W. Eisemann Center in Richardson, Texas, near Dallas.  (I think I foresee a Dallas shopping excursion for more cowboy boots in my near future.)  More information, as well as the list of accepted artists, can be found at the CPSA website.

So now, it is back to the drawing board.  I have two or three potential ideas swirling around up there, and will probably take a couple of days deciding upon and working on the layout of my next project.  Though I would like to develop a portrait or figurative piece of my nineteen-year-old son, he is a rather uncooperative 'model'.  It may be necessary to resort to bribery.    : )   

Thanks for reading.