New Blog

Hey, thanks to all those who still visit this blog, I know it hasn't been too exciting of late because I haven't been posting pictures etc. I'm starting a new blog which I hope you'll check out here. Thanks for all your interest and support thus far!

I'd like to let anybody who still reads this blog know about an artist named Nick Stephens, I discovered his work recently when... well actually a while ago but I didn't realize it, but this past fall he got an award for a show that I was also a part of and I became better aware of him. I really like a lot of his work, especially the pieces he's got up in his mixed media gallery. Check him out.

One or two?

So maybe I've written about this before, but right now I'm getting applications for shows etc. ready and that means going through my work to decide what to use or how to represent myself. Applying to a gallery, with as few as three pieces to represent a body of work years in the making, it's really tricky. What's this galleries' MO? Do I even fit with this gallery? Which pieces best fit with this gallery? Have I ever made anything worthwhile? Did think these were great, why was that again? These are some of the things that go through my mind. It's a little like going to the optometrists for an eye exam, one or two? Which looks better and is there really a difference?
Or for a show opportunity, which series should I go with? Which might they show? Which pieces best represent the series? So many questions, so little certainty.
Anyway, I should get back to work.

Straight Lines

I remember Wulf saying in a class (probably an earlier drawing class) that part of being an artist in the days of apprentices, journeymen and masters etc. were expected as a part of their training , to draw straight lines and circles without the aid of rulers or compasses. Yesterday I was drawing out lines on graph paper and I was thinking about that. I tried drawing straight lines over the lines on the graph paper, they were mostly not so straight, maybe a little (or a lot) wobbly. I was wondering if it's actually possible to draw a completely straight line without a ruler etc. or if it's just another skill that's been lost over the years.
Oh yeah, thinking about all that also made me wonder, how did people ever make the first straight lines to make rulers or whatever? Also, what about the first 90 degree angle?

Thoughts as a juror

So this week I've had the opportunity to judge/jury an art show at a school where a friend from BYU teaches, we had some classes together, she was art ed and I was art just plain. It was really interesting to see all the projects that had been worked on K-9. It warmed my heart to see pieces where the kids seemed to really have grasped the concepts being taught, like watercolor washes, perspective etc.
The actually decisions were a little daunting at first, I don't want to crush young dreams, on the other hand, it was pretty cool to get to chose the pieces I liked, reward those that I found to have merit (I did take into account project guidelines where given). It was fun over all and I reakky do love art and what I do, so thanks for the opportunity Jordan!

Artist Bio

So I've been working towards some goals and in the process I've had to update my...pr materials(?). I generally don't like the thought of having to write an artist bio but it was required for something I want to do, so I buckled down and wrote one. I cannot say enough how helpful The Artist's Guide by Jackie Battenfield has been to me in several such occasion in helping me figure out how to market myself/my art. Anyway, here's the bio:

J M is a native of Utah.  After loving art growing up she studied painting and drawing at Brigham Young University and was fortunate enough to study with noted artist Wulf Barsch.  While at BYU M was introduced to techniques used by ancient Greek and Renaissance master artists, such as sacred geometry, the golden section and symbolism, all of which have become an integral part of her artwork.  Often M’s art draws inspiration from the likes of ancient Egyptian art, Classical Greek architecture, masonic art and symbolism, as well as Islamic geometric designs.

Since graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in Visual Art in 2009, M’s work has been shown nationally in Connecticut and Georgia, and throughout the state of Utah in solo and group exhibitions including at the Springville Museum of Art.

Thoughts?

Check out the 28th Annual Spiritual and Religious Art Exhibition! I've got a piece in it and I'm so excited to be included in such a great show.