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.
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