PSWC Magazine Art Collectors Edition January 2019

Pa s t e l

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Volume 12, Issue 1

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W e s t

C o a s t Winter 2019

PSWC magazine

Art Collectors Edition Artists on Their Art

Willo Balfrey, Jen Evenhus, Terri Ford, Alejandra Gos, W. Truman Hosner, Gary Huber, TaiMeng Lim, Kim Lordier, Nancy MacDonald, Jan Miller, Clark Mitchell, Debbie Patrick, Laura Pollak, William Schneider, Aaron Schuerr, Vianna Szabo, Daggi Wallace, and Kimberly Wurster

Special Contributors: Eric Rhoads, Lisa Ober, Alan Bamberger and Ginny Burdick PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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PSWC magazine

TABLE OF CONTENTS State of the Arts 6

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The Passionate Pastelist

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Willo Balfrey

Lisa Ober on The Power of Pastels

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Jen Evenhus

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Terri FOrd

The PUBLISHER Speaks

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Alejandra Gos

Eric Rhoads on Trends in Plein

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W. Truman Hosner

Air, the Artists who Collect,

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Gary Huber

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TaiMeng Lim

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Kim Lordier

Alan Bamberger on How to

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Nancy MacDonald

Collect Art like a Pro

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Jan Y. Miller

The Gallery Owner’s Advice

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Clark Mitchell

Ginny Burdick on How to

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Debbie Patrick

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Laura Pollak

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William SChneider

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Aaron SChuerr

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Vianna Szabo

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Daggi Wallace

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Kimberly Wurster

and Collectors who Make Art

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Artists on their art

The Collector’s PhilosophY

Become Gallery Ready

PSWC BUSINESS 3

Issue Contributors

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Letter from the Editor

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About the Issue

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Workshops

PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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Issue Contributors

CONTrIBUTORS to this issue Alan Bamberger is an art consultant, advisor, author, and independent appraiser specializing in research, appraisal, and all business and market aspects of original works of art, artist manuscript materials, art-related documents, and art reference books. He is the author if The Art of Buying Art: How to Buy Art Like a Professional Collector.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED? There’s always room for more.

Let us know what you want to do, and we’ll find a spot for you!

KEEP IN TOUCH & FOLLOW US!

ABOUT THIS ISSUE This magazine was produced in Adobe InDesign. It was designed and formatted by

Ginny Burdick, PSWC lives and works in the foothills of the beautiful Sierra Mountains in Coarsegold, California. She is known for her strong use of color and imagery in pastel, oils, and watercolor. In December of 2012 Ginny opened a fine art gallery in Fresno, The Sense of Place, where she represents artists from throughout Central California. She teaches both pastel and watercolor workshops and classes.

Lisa Ober, PSA, IAPS MC is a portrait and still life painter, workshop teacher, and owner of OA Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri. Ober’s work has appeared in publications including The Pastel Journal and Southwest Art. She has enjoyed numberous awards in the Pastel 100, and also received a top award in the prestigious IAPS 2015 PastelWorld.

Sabrina Hill.

Fonts: Sabon, Bebas Neue, and Open Sans All photos are property of the artists and may not be reproduced without permission.

Proof Readers: Susan Goodmundson, Ashleigh Hill, & Cynthia Riordan

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Eric Rhoads is a career entrepreneur, with 30 years of launching companies and media brands, creating startups, and building businesses, including over 40 years’ experience in the radio broadcasting field, 25 years in the publishing business, and a decade in the art industry. Rhoads serves as chairman of the board of Streamline Publishing, Inc., a company he founded in 1986.

Letter from the editor & President

Hello Pastelists, This issue is a little different from previous issues. We wanted to highlight some of the extraordinary artists in our membership and asked them to talk about their art.

In addition to insights from 18 amazing artists, we are extremely lucky to have four contributing guests prepare articles for us: Eric Rhoads, an artist and entrepreneur is a name you may see pop-up in your email in box or on your hard copies of the PleinAir Magazine, Fine Arts Connoisseur Magazine and a host of other publications. He has noticed a trend in plein air painting, as you will read on page 8. Since pastels lend themselves to plein air painting so beautifully, this will be of great interest to our members. You have earned our gratitude!

Lisa Ober is a portrait and still life artist, teacher, and gallery owner. Her article on the Permanence of Pastels will be of great interest to galleries and collectors as well as pastel artists. Lisa has a wonderful gallery in Kirkwood, Missouri.

They currently have an exhibition of small works called Many Minis, which is having some big impact. Lisa and her friend Rob Weinblatt have spearheaded an artistic movement called the BiArtisan Project which is bringing together multiple pairs of artists to work on the same painting. For more information visit www.biartisan.com. Thank you, Lisa!

Ginny Burdick is an artist, teacher, and gallery owner, and one of our very own members! Her gallery, A Sense of Place was home to the PSWC PASTELS USA Exhibition in 2016. She hosts workshops and her gallery is delightful. If you are in Fresno, Califonria, please stop by and see it! She has written about what artists should consider when they are looking for gallery representation, a must read for the professional artist!

Alan Bamberger is an expert in the business of art. His website ArtBusiness.com has a wealth of information for art collectors, buyers, and artists. Do youself a favor, grab a cup of coffee and a pad and pencil and take a look at the website; there is so much to learn and so much great advice! He has also written a book about buying art called The Art of Buying Art: How to evaluate and Buy Art like a Professional Collector.

We are immensely grateful to the contributors who lent their expertise to this issue. We encourage you to follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We are also immeasurably thankful for our advertisers who made it possible to cover the costs of getting this issue printed and out to so many people. This is the largest run we have ever done of the magazine. If you are looking for a terrific legal firm, compensation software company, or galleries and artists, we suggest you check out this issue’s advertisers.

As always, our goal is to entertain, inspire, and educate our members and readers on why pastels evoke such passion-filled paintings and passionate participation in this craft.

Sabrina Hill

Editor, PSWC Magazine & President of the Pastel Society of the West Coast

PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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State of the Arts

The Passionate Pastelist It’s Not Your Grandma’s Pastel World. Let’s Spread the Word!

by Lisa Ober Artist & Owner of OA Gallery, Kirkwood, Missouri

In my travels as a workshop teacher and gallery owner I endeavor to visit galleries in the towns I visit. Time and time again I run into the same challenge; it is difficult to find galleries willing to carry soft pastel paintings.

Gallery directors see the medium as far too fragile to display and handle let alone ship. This is nothing new and perhaps is rooted in some truths from days gone by, but lots of things have changed in the past few decades and galleries need to hear the good news!

When I first started out as a pastel artist the materials available were fragile indeed. Paper surfaces were limited, unforgiving and didn’t do a superb job of grabbing and holding on to pastel strokes. A small breath, a sneeze, or the slight touch of a tissue could alter a painting and cause it to require serious repair. Glazing (glass) options were limited to the diffusing and blurring non-glare glass or regular and UV glass. Pastel brands were few and artists were mostly restricted to harder pastels. The risk of shipping paintings caused even the bravest to think twice. Galleries were fearful and artists were frustrated.

It’s not your grandma’s pastel world.

Thankfully, in recent decades we pastelists have seen an explosion of options and solutions! We have outstanding new surfaces from Uart Sanded Pastel Paper to PastelMat (and many others), papers that grip the pastel so well that many of the objections to the fragility of pastel have been mitigated. Framing “fall-off” of pastel dust has been reduced and the need to use a fixative to keep pastel in place has been nearly eliminated. Perhaps the most exciting developments have been in the manufacture of a wide variety of pigment-rich pastels of all sizes, shapes, and textures to suit a variety of needs. Most quality brands contain (nearly) pure pigment, providing depth of beautiful color that will last as long (or longer) as any other works created on paper.

Museum glass is more affordable than ever and many artists are even framing right up against the glass using the Passe P a r t o u t method.

With regard to shipping, we now have reusable insulated boxes such as the Strong Box from Airfloat Systems or similar. This takes the fear out of shipping framed pastel paintings. Big changes!

I see it as my personal mission to educate our patrons and the public regarding the permanence and durability of the soft pastel medium and to share the recent advancements in materials.

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As owner of OA Gallery in Kirkwood, Missouri, I see it as my personal mission to educate our patrons and the public regarding the permanence and durability of the soft pastel medium and to share the recent advancements in materials. I hope to do my part to address the misconceptions that have shadowed pastel art for years. Approximately 25% of the

State of the Arts

OA Gallery, Kirkwood, MO

artists we represent are pastel artists and we regularly accept (and encourage) pastel works as part of our special exhibits. It seems a shame to restrict the availability of our unique medium and ignore potential customers because it has been misunderstood.

Perhaps you can help spread the word to painting groups, universities, and other galleries by urging them to include pastel works in their exhibits!

Once we break through the myths about pastel paintings we can work on assigning the proper value to pastel paintings, but that is a subject for another day…

LISA OBER is a gifted portrait and still life artist. She teaches around the country and is the owner of a successgul art gallery in Kirkwood, Missouri. See her work at www.lisaober.com Resources:

Key points: •

Soft pastels are created with the same skill, care, and vision as any other medium and deserving of representation at galleries

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Professional pastel papers/surfaces have improved greatly in recent years and do a great job of “gripping” pastel and retaining its beauty

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“Fall-off” is far less of a problem and can be mitigated with proper framing

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Newer pastel brands boast incredible quality

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Pastels are made with nearly pure pigment and rival any medium in terms of depth, range of color, and permanence

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With proper framing, hanging, and care, pastels are as durable and long-lasting as any other works created on paper

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Shipping can be easily managed by using AirFloat boxes or similar

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Offering pastel works at shows and through galleries enhances the art viewing/acquiring experience for customers.

Introduction to the French Method of Passe Partout Framing by Richard McKinley/ Artists Network https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-mediums/pastel/pastel-pointersblog-passe-partout-framing/ Airfloat Systems Shipping Boxes for Artwork https://airfloatsystems.com Pastel Framing Tips by Frametek Frametek also sells framing for spacers https://frametek.com/assets/images/articles/FT-Pastel-Article-for-printing-interactive.pdf

PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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State of the Arts

The Publisher SPeaks A New Plein Air Trend Discovered

by Eric Rhoads Artist & Publisher of PleinAir Magazine.

up painting, I’m starting to see a substantial number of painters under 30 and 40 coming into the movement, and lots are showing up at the Plein Air Convention.

There has been an explosion of awareness of the term plein air. Years ago, almost no one knew the term, but today, more and more people seem to be becoming aware of it.

There is a new, booming plein air movement in watercolor and water media, including acrylic and solvent-free painting. We’re seeing more and more people coming in to join us.

“Uh, Eric, we need to talk. I’ve discovered something I think you need to know about.”

This was the message on my voicemail from someone we would all consider a leader in the art world.

Once we talked, this is how the conversation went: “We’ve discovered something that is an important trend in the plein air movement. We discovered it from some research we did, and from a lot of conversations.”

OK, I was hooked. I wanted to know.

“Before we start, can you tell us about any trends you’re seeing, to see if you are seeing any of the same things?”

So I started telling him about the trends I was seeing...

The plein air movement is exploding. More and more people are discovering it every day. Probably because of the huge number of people facing retirement who are seeking ways to stay mentally challenged and use their creativity.

Not only am I seeing a lot of baby boomers taking 8

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We’ve been surprised to see the PleinAir Podcast reach a half million listens. Because of the podcast, 200 new people showed up at the last Plein Air Convention who had never before painted outdoors.

Several plein air shows are reporting record sales.

Those are the trends I’m seeing, I told him. There was a long pause... “Anything else? Like anything to do with collectors?”

Hmm. I wasn’t sure what he was fishing for, but there was one trend we discovered starting about two years ago, where a lot of plein air painters are buying paintings — more than we’ve ever seen.

In fact, in a raise-your-hands survey I did on stage during a recent convention, we found that about 90 percent of the room said they had bought one or more paintings in the last year, 50 percent had bought five or more, and about 10 percent raised their hands for 10 or more paintings purchased in a year.

“That’s it.” he said. “We thought maybe we were the only ones seeing it. But there is more to it than you mentioned,” he added. “We’re seeing buyers and collectors becoming painters.”

His theory was that because of all the plein air

State of the Arts shows around America (I estimate there are about 300 now) where people get to watch painters in action, these people are becoming so enthralled that they want to learn to paint.

“Not only are we seeing people who come to a show and buy a painting or two and who we don’t consider collectors, we’re now seeing people who are major collectors wanting to become painters.”

He went on… “I was thinking if they ended up painting for themselves, they would end up not buying, but the opposite is true. They are buying more because they have a better appreciation for how good some of these painters actually are. Most don’t intend to become professionals or even professional-level amateurs. Most just want to be a part of the movement and paint. And most are affluent and able to buy paintings.”

He went on to tell me that things are blending. Painters are becoming collectors, and many collectors and art buyers are becoming painters. “I think this is huge. This is going to fuel the movement even more. It’s going to help everyone.”

How do we do it?

1. Get people excited about plein air painting and bring more people into the family.

2. Interact with people when you’re out painting, explain what plein air painting is, and give them a feel for what you do. Maybe even suggest they try it, or consider paintings for their home. This may breed new painters or new buyers.

3. Teach, demonstrate, or speak at local community centers, schools, and events to let people know about plein air painting. A couple of years ago we launched PleinAirForce so you can have free materials to hand out, easel stickers, and there’s even a free documentary we created about plein air painting that you can show at events. (And every plein air painter should watch it to understand the history of plein air painting.) You have our blessing to link to it on your website to inform collectors.

Painters are becoming collectors, and many collectors and art buyers are becoming painters. I think this is huge. This is going to fuel the movement even more. It’s going to help everyone.

As you can imagine, I was pleased to hear this because it’s important that art buyers and collectors be part of the overall ecosystem of the plein air movement. And I think show organizers who don’t yet understand this will be thrilled to hear it.

This discussion reinforces the need for all of us to be an active part of and grow the plein air community. Plein air painting changed your life and mine, and we can help others discover it.

How You Can Help the Plein Air Movement As you have probably heard, Jean Stern, art historian and director of the Irvine Museum at the University of California, says that plein air painting is the largest movement in the history of art.

It’s important that we keep this movement strong.

4. Expose plein air painting to young people. Kids and teens could grow up and become artists or collectors. Since they often get zero art education, plein air will stand out — if they see you in a class or assembly at their school, that may be the only art they are ever exposed to. Pro soccer is hot today because every kid in school is exposed to it. We need to think about the future.

5. Stay active in local plein air groups and make them easy to find. If there is not a group in your town, consider starting one. People need to attend things regularly to thrive. A weekly paintout in your town is always fun. Because the PleinAir Podcast is up to almost a half million listens, more people want to find people to paint with and are seeking local groups. I hear from people all the time, and I point them to PaintOutside.com, which offers some free lessons, but also has a directory of artists so people can find them in their area or when traveling. (You could consider registering there so you can be found.)

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6. Become a part of the plein air community. For those of you who have attended the Plein Air Convention, you know it’s like a family gathering where you can see all your new and old friends every year. But it also builds confidence, helps you understand the plein air world, and helps you grow faster because it’s got education, community, and painting as a group. People grow to the highest level when they become a part of the community of painters. Too many people feel alone and cooped up in their studios, and it’s a good feeling to paint with others, which, of course, also promotes growth.

7. Encourage growth. Stale painters get frustrated and lose interest. Growing painters stay engaged. Point people to workshops and learning events like our convention. Point them to videos and other resources.

keep quality in mind.

12. Strive for personal growth as a painter. Be the best you can be. Though it never happens overnight, just being dedicated to growth toward improved quality is important.

13. Give some free lessons to get people started and feeling they can learn. Let them pick up the brush and do a couple of strokes for you.

Or point them to the free lessons we offer on PaintOutside.com. They may end up attending your classes or workshops.

14. Keep it fun. We all do this because it’s fun, so make your outings fun. People who see you having fun will want to join in.

15. Be encouraging. People drop out when they’re frustrated with the process of learning.

People grow to the highest level when they become a part of the community of painters. Too many people feel alone and cooped up in their studios, and it’s a good feeling to paint with others...

8. Work the charity events. By doing so, you will expose affluent people to plein air painting.

Offer to do demos at events, or find ways to speak to charity groups.

9. Seek ways to gain publicity for you or your group. Look for ways to get in the local paper, websites, TV, etc.

10. Drag someone to the convention with you. Maybe offer to share your room. People who have not attended don’t know what to expect — they often envision something like a giant political convention. Let them know it’s a safe, welcoming environment, that all levels of painters are welcomed and encouraged, and that they’ll learn so much that they’ll thrive in many ways.

You might even encourage your whole group to go. This year we had a huge number of people from a couple of different plein air groups, and they shared the experience together.

11. Embrace the idea that plein air painting is about quality. With thousands more people taking up plein air painting, tens of thousands more people will be exposed to plein air painting. Always

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Every week I encounter people who are taking up plein air painting and who are not even aware of workshops, events, conventions, even magazines like PleinAir.

In every town across America there are painters who want to connect and become a part of our world, yet they are not aware of the various resources or the plein air community. Seek ways to reach out and connect.

Together we can grow and strengthen plein air painting. Every person painting plein air, every group member, every event organizer, and every gallery supporting plein air painters should be thinking about these things.

You have my blessing to forward this to those you think may not have seen it.

Eric Rhoads is a career entrepreneur, with 30 years of launching companies and media brands, creating startups, and building businesses, including over 40 years’ experience in the radio broadcasting field, 25 years in the publishing business, and a decade in the art industry. Rhoads serves as chairman of the board of Streamline Publishing, Inc., a company he founded in 1986. He also serves as a consultant and adviser to companies in media, technology, digital media, and art. (From EricRhoads.com) Published with Permission. B. Eric Rhoads, PleinAir Magazine Publisher PleinAir Magazine. www.outdoorpainter.com.

State of the Arts

Xactly One Foundation Supports the Arts.

When artists create, we are all inspired.

Xactly Corp, 505 S. Market Street, San Jose, California 95118 408-977-3132 | www.xactlycorp.com PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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State of the arts

The Collector’s Philosophy How to Collect Art Like a Pro - Building a Collection

by Alan Bamberger

There’s a big difference between buying art and collecting art. Buying art is more of a random activity based on likes, preferences or attractions at any given moment, while collecting art is more of a purposeful directed longterm commitment. In both cases, you buy what you like, but if your goal is to collect art and do it right, you have to master two additional skills. The first is being able to effectively research, evaluate and decide whether or not to buy whatever works of art attract you. The second is being able to choose each individual work in such a way as to form a meaningful grouping aka a collection.

If you’re like most people, you know how to buy art on a piece-by-piece basis, but may not be all that accomplished at formulating a plan for making multiple acquisitions over time, or in other words, building a collection. You can find art you like just about anywhere you look and in a seemingly endless array of subject matters, mediums and price ranges, but sifting through it all in a systematic manner can be overwhelming and even intimidating. So how do decide where to focus and what direction to go in?

How do you relate one purchase to the next? How do you organize or group your art together in ways that make sense? How do you present it? And most 12

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importantly, how do you do all these things well? This is what collecting is all about; it’s the ultimate case of controlled purposeful buying.

Great collectors are often as well-known and widely respected as the art they collect. Take the Eli Broad collection, the Barnes collection or the Chrysler collection, just to name a few. Collectors like these are famous because they demonstrate just as much talent in selecting and grouping their art as the artists show in creating it. Likewise, each work of art in a great collection commands premium attention as well as a premium price not only because it’s good, but also because of the company it keeps.

What makes a great collector great is his or her ability to separate out specific works of art from the scrillions of pieces already in existence and assemble them in such a way as to increase or advance our understanding of that art in particular or of the history and evolution of art in general. In any mature collection, the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts, the collector comes to be accepted as a respected authority and in exceptional cases, goes on to set the standards, determine tastes, trends and influence the future of collecting for all.

I’ll give you an example of how this works on a small scale. For years, I was a specialist dealer in rare and out-of-print art books. Many of my customers were art collectors, dealers, curators, libraries and institutions. The best of them spotted art world trends before of the rest of us and requested materials about certain artists or art movements ahead of everyone else. In many cases, when I found what they were looking for, I’d study it before selling it to learn why

State of the arts

they regarded it as significant, educate myself, and then locate similar materials for anyone who wanted to follow their leads. So in this instance, those who made the initial requests influenced the makeup of my stock and the direction of my buying as well as that of other collectors.

Regardless of how you view your collecting, whether serious or recreational, there are techniques you can use to maximize not only the quality and value of your art, but also your own personal enjoyment, appreciation and understanding of that art. Step one is being true to your tastes. This means acknowledging that you like certain types of art regardless of what you think you’re supposed to like or what seems to be the current rage. All great collectors share this trait; that’s one thing makes their collections stand out. When personal tastes and preferences are ignored in favor of the status quo, one collection begins to look just like the next. A few people dictate, the masses follow, everyone walks in lockstep, and the art you see from collection to collection becomes boring and repetitive.

ed, whether you’re totally satisfied or you just want to take a moment to see what’s new, suspend your buying for a bit and take a look around. Don’t confine yourself to the same old museums or galleries or wherever you’ve been looking at art. Get out there and see what else is going on at galleries you’ve never been to, places you’ve only heard about, and so on.

Explore the less conventional if that’s what you’re curious about. Look at art you think might attract you, but that you’ve always steered clear of. Don’t be afraid to experiment. You may end up right back where you started, reinforcing your chosen path, but then again, something new and truly unique may thrill you at some point along the way. Periodic reassessments of your tastes are always a good idea. What excites you today could easily bore you tomorrow (and vice versa).

A quality collection is always evolving and never static. And of course, don’t forget to hit the Internet; when it comes to art, it’s a vast and fantastic place. Places like Instagram and Facebook in particular can be great places to search for pretty much every kind of art imaginable.

Buying art is more of a random activity based on likes, preferences or attractions at any given moment, while collecting art is more of a purposeful directed longterm commitment.

Collectors who aren’t afraid to express themselves yield exactly the opposite results. Take, for example, the artist who put together a collection of paintings bought exclusively at second hand stores and garage sales, often for little more than a few dollars each.

His collection ultimately toured the country and was published as a book. Many of us were not only entertained by it, but it also helped to broaden our definition of what could reasonably be considered art. He taught us that interesting looking art can be found just about anywhere, not only at the major museums or in the best galleries. Now he would most likely never have put this collection together if he had chosen to mimic the tastes of others rather than be true to his own.

You may or may not be well along in your collecting, but if you have any nagging doubts about what you’ve been buying, what you’ve deliberately avoid-

While we’re on the subject of beating the bushes for art online, perhaps the most revolutionary change between collecting today and yesterday is the level and ease of access that everyone now has to artists.

Way back when, collectors were pretty much limited to acquiring art through dealers and galleries but today they can buy from just about anyone anywhere, especially directly from artists themselves. Getting a basic art education from professionals like gallery owners is still generally recommended before heading out into the online wilds to explore other options.

There are also numerous blogs, websites and platforms devoted to specific types of art and artists where you can really get up to speed on the art and artists you like the most, and focus in on happenings and trends in those areas. But get that education first, before you start buying, because the Internet PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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can be a pretty risky place if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Regardless of how much you know about what you collect already, always remember that the educational process is an ongoing one. Be an informed buyer.

Learn from the pros. Take every opportunity to discuss the fine points of what you’re looking at with as many different experts, curators, artists, collectors, gallery personnel and other informed art people as possible. Not only does this improve your abilities to separate out the great art from the good from the not so good, but you also learn how to protect yourself against being taken advantage of in the marketplace-- which brings us to this next point.

Hand in hand with knowing the art goes knowing the marketplace--and this is where many collectors fall short. The great collectors know just about everyone who sells what they collect; they’re on top of the market and the market knows them. They’re tuned in to the late breaking news and when something exciting is about to happen, they’re usually among the first to find out and act on it. The top collectors go to great lengths to scoop the competition when the best art comes up for sale because it doesn’t come up all that often.

They also know how to compare and contrast what’s available in the marketplace or whatever they get offered in order to assure that something is as good as they’re led to believe it is.

Knowing the marketplace and how to comparison shop both at galleries and online also prevents you from overpaying. Simply put, Gallery X may offer you a painting for $10,000; you might find a comparable piece online priced at $7500; and gallery Y might have one for $6500. If you only shop Gallery X and you don’t know Gallery Y exists or ignore online options, you waste dollars. It’s also not that unusual to find the same or very similar works of art available from multiple sources at different prices. Due diligence pays dividends when it comes to making sure you know who’s selling what before going ahead and buying.

Regarding the art that does make it into your collection, most novice collectors will tell you they buy what they like. That’s definitely the best way to buy, but as you gain experience, the reasons why you buy what you like should become increasingly more conscious, detailed, sophisticated and purposeful. For example, you might hear an advanced collector say something like, “Not only do I love this sculpture, but it’s also a prime example of the artist’s best subject matter from his most productive time period and it fills a major gap in my collection.”

as you gain experience, the reasons why you buy what you like should become increasingly more conscious, detailed, sophisticated and purposeful.

What amazes me about art collecting in general is the lack of comparison shopping and market savvy that a significant percentage of art buyers often show.

Far too many establish relationships with only one or two dealers, galleries, artists or online resources and rarely if ever stray. This may be a good strategy at the start, especially in terms of getting a basic education, but the danger in continuing this over the long haul is that your overview of the market suffers. If inadvertently subjugate yourself to the tastes of a very select few, over time your collection becomes less of what you originally intended it to be and more of what a handful of others tell you it should be.

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The best collectors show this sense of sureness and direction in their overall plans. And here’s where we get into the essence of collecting, of what distinguishes a superior collection from an inferior one. In a superior collection, every piece belongs; nothing is random or arbitrary or out of place. A less experienced collector, on the other hand, may know plenty about each individual piece of art they own, but lack an overall understanding how they relate to one another or even whether they relate to one another at all. You don’t want to look around the house one day and wonder, “What have I been buying all these years? I’m not quite sure. I never really thought about it.”

What an experienced collector essentially does is pose a problem and then illustrate the solution to that problem by piecing together a collection. That way, everything fits and it all makes sense according

State of the arts

to the master plan. Take this problem for instance: What is the history of abstract painting in Southern California? The solution is an art collection consisting of abstract paintings by Southern California artists that date from the early days right on up to the present (or from whatever time period the collector is focusing on).

Pose your problem as soon as you can, as soon as you begin to get a decent feel for where your passions and interests lie. Take the randomness out of your buying. Look at what you’ve got so far in your collection; reflect on what all those individual pieces you like so much have in common and proceed from there. Ask questions like: •

Why do I like the kinds of art I’m buying?

•

What about it satisfies me?

•

Do I like it for the subject matters, what it represents, what it communicates, its originality, the techniques, the colors, the historical aspects, the regions where it’s made, the lives of the artists?

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Does it make me think about things I’ve never thought about before?

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Does it make me feel a certain way or see things in a different way?

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Do I admire its technical qualities the most?

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Do I like it for the concepts, ideas, themes or philosophies it embodies, communicates or stands for?

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Does it alter or inform my perspective on some aspect of life?

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Does it portray or present things in ways they’ve never been presented before?

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Is it that it’s old, new, local, foreign, big, small, round, square, whatever?

putting together a mission statement or clearly and specifically defining your goals... and a collector with a specific mission or goals is always more effective at acquiring art than one who rarely questions why they buy what they do. By the way, if the answers to your questions sound like these-- “I buy what my friends buy; I buy for investment; I buy only the big names; I only buy bargains”-- consider returning to square one, determining what kinds of art you really REALLY like, and then starting all over again.

Another essential aspect of good collecting is documenting your art, not only for authentication and ownership purposes, but also in terms of value. You can see best how documentation really pays off in the markets for older art. Suppose, for instance, that two 19th century landscape paintings by John Doe come up for sale at the same time. They’re virtually identical in size, quality, condition, subject matter, date painted and other details. The first is described as a “Rural Landscape,” and that’s it. The second is documented as being titled “Looking North from Smith’s Point, Maine, September 23d, 1876. Exhibited at the National Academy of Design in 1877. Originally purchased for $100 by Robert Bob from ABC Gallery, New York City, 1879. Sold to Mary Miller in 1922 for $500, descended in the Miller family.” Assuming you find both paintings equally appealing, which would you rather own? Which do you suppose will be priced higher and end up selling for more money? The second one, of course. It’s like choosing between a mutt and a pedigree. So keep good records on every single work of art you own; good documentation adds value, sometimes lots of value.

a collector with a specific mission or goals is always more effective at acquiring art than one who rarely questions why they buy what they do.

Once you begin to identify the common threads, you can refine your buying to zero in on additional pieces that share those characteristics. It’s almost like

An interesting aspect of the art business is that when art with little or no documentation comes up for sale, experienced sellers at least do their best to make up interesting titles for it. They know that even when little or nothing is known about art, good titles sell better than boring ones or no titles at all. continued on page 74

PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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STATE OF THE ARTS

THE Gallery OWNER’s ADVICE What Artists Need to Know About Being Gallery-Ready

by Ginny Burdick Artist & Owner of A Sense of Place Gallery, Fresno, California

Second, the gallery business is a business: Every inch of wall space and counter space must earn its keep, which means that no art hangs just for the joy of having an artist see his or her art on the walls. It must sell so the rent can be paid, the lights can stay on, and the air conditioning (especially in Fresno) can chug along through the summer months. Art must sell so I can pay for the advertising campaign, the food and wine for the receptions, and the insurance on the art. And like all businesses, a gallery has a thematic or conceptual base, a clientele (the people who buy), and a local community presence which must be nurtured.

Every week, artists approach me to be represented in my gallery, A Sense of Place, in Fresno, California, and they nearly always make that approach incorrectly because they do not understand the gallery business. I hope a bit of education about how a gallery functions will help those artists find homes for their art in galleries.

First, the gallery is a passion project for the owner.

It is hard to create and maintain a gallery, and it isn’t a way to get rich. I created A Sense of Place because I am in love with landscapes and hand-made art (jewelry, sculpture, and pottery) that is connected to Central California in some way. I have a strong sense about what does and does not fit, not only because of my own preferences but because of the theme: My clients seek out my gallery because they know what they will find there, and I hope they will be surprised at the variety of art and the connections to the unique California landscape. When I look for a new artist to represent, my vision for the gallery is the first thing that matters.

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If you want your art to be represented by a gallery, those expenses are your concern. A thriving gallery benefits you. The sale of a painting keeps the doors open, whether that painting is yours or not. Your art must fit the theme or concept for the gallery, and it must be sellable, which not only means that the quality of the art is exceptional but that you fully “buy in” to the gallery’s mission. That means that you, as an artist, are responsible for supporting the gallery in any way possible: Yes, bring in the best art you can produce and refresh it on the gallery’s schedule with new work. Be sure that your art is ready to be hung, that you have used the best materials for framing and matting, that they are not dirty and that there are no dings. As a gallery owner I cannot hang art that must be fixed or reframed before a client can hang in their home. But also, network with your own clients and invite them to visit.

Show up for receptions and chat with the collectors because people tend to buy art from people they know. Offer to demonstrate your techniques during events. If you are interviewed, remember to talk up

STATE OF THE ARTS

the gallery. When you exhibit elsewhere, remember to talk up the gallery. And include a link to the gallery on your web pages.

Third, the partnership between a gallery owner and an artist must be based on trust, and trust generally is developed through friendly and collegial discussions, fair dealing on both sides, and mutual respect.

Do not try to sell to a gallery client yourself to avoid pay the gallery commission. One consideration is that I do not want to do business with difficult people—life is just too short to play psychotherapist or mediator or babysitter for an artist who needs to be difficult or who wants to be the exception.

The Approach If you are interested in showing in a gallery, there are some first steps, and each step is a two-way consideration: You want to be sure that you are choosing the right gallery, and the gallery owner wants to be sure that you are the right artist. Dress the way you would dress for a gallery opening. This is, after all, a sort of job interview. Visit the gallery and take a long hard look at the work already on display. Does your work fit? That isn’t the same question as, “Is your work good?” Some fine artists do not fit into my gallery because they do not fit the concept and theme – or their work may not appeal to my community. A gallery is curated the same way a museum show is: The works must tell a story, complement one another, and yet be distinct enough to create variety. Be truthful with yourself: Does your work fit this gallery?

If you think it does, ask to set up an appointment to bring in some sample works and discuss the possibility of representation. Unfortunately, often the answer will be no—again, this isn’t about the quality of your work but because galleries have limited space and often long lists of artists who are waiting to join.

But if the answer to the request is yes, set up the appointment and prepare a professional presentation: samples of your work, properly framed, any marketing materials you’ve used in the past, including your website, your artist’s statement and biography, and a record of sales, shows, and awards.

Include any other galleries you are represented by or any other sale venues (web pages, shows, etc.) so these can be discussed. Most importantly, tell the story of your paintings, which will be the same kind of stories you will be able to tell collectors during receptions and shows.

What if you are new to showing your art? Be honest, and don’t let that discourage you. Gallery owners are often looking to discover talent they can nurture and introduce to the community. You can still provide a solid artist’s statement, biography, and stories– and a body of work that demonstrates your talent. Especially, you can bring your enthusiasm for supporting the gallery.

It might be that you should explore joining a cooperative gallery where you can show your work and act as a docent, thereby learning the gallery business from an owner’s point of view. You might also look for showing opportunities: street fairs, competitions, and special events at venues like wineries and museums.

The presentation may lead to a discussion of com-

missions and appropriate pricing, insurance for the work in the gallery, and responsibilities (both the owner’s and the artist’s). This is an opportunity to come to an understanding of the relationship, and the details should be agreed to and written down. If work is accepted for the gallery, there should be an inventory receipt provided so there are no misunderstandings later.

But the presentation might also lead to rejection, and though it is hard not to take rejection personPSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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State of the Arts

ally, it is essential to listen carefully to the reasons to use those to refine the art or the presentation. Sometimes, it just isn’t a good fit. Professional artists recognize the creativity involved in both sides of this conversation: the gallery owner is curating a collection that fits a specific niche; the artist is creating a collection that fits a specific vision. Sometimes, magic; sometimes, disappointment. Disappointment isn’t fatal – it is just a spur to scout for another gallery that is a better fit.

Gallery Do’s & Don’ts From Ginny Burdick

Galleries are built on relationships. Good manners, professionalism, trust, and kindness go a long way in this business.

Do remember that the gallery owner knows her market and the value of your work in that market. Don’t ignore the gallery owner’s guidance on pricing.

Ginny Burdick is an artist and gallery owner of A Sense of

Do remember that you have a contract with the gallery. Don’t forget your responsibilities to the gallery.

Place in Fresno, California. She has served on the Board of

Do contact gallery and set up an appointment to present your portfolio. Don’t show up to a gallery unannounced with a portfolio in hand. Gallery owners meet with collectors, buyers, and vendors and have lots of people vying for their time.

Do contact galleries through email first, introducing yourself in the body of the email. Don’t cold call galleries.

Do remember to be consistent in pricing at all galleries you work with. Don’t compete with the gallery by doing side deals or selling the same work at different prices in different venues

the PSWC and is actively involved in the art community.

Do maintain a good relationship with the gallery owner and/

www.ginnyburdick.com

or contact person. Don’t forget to stay in close communication with the gallery owner.

www.asenseofplacefineart.com

A Sense of Place Fine Art Gallery and Workshops Award winning pastel artist

Christine Obers Pet/Animal Portraiture in Pastel April 11-13, 2019 from 9am -4pm each day $375 A Sense of Place Fine Art Gallery in Fresno, California Call 559-392-6775 for more information Learn from the master on how to create an accurate representation of a favorite pet or do a commission for a special client. Learn to develop the story that will help to guide a painting. Composition and editing--what to leave in and what to leave out--will also be covered.

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artists on their art

Artists on Their Art Almost a year ago this issue was conceived at a kitchen table in Auburn, California. Our Pastel Society is graced with many, many exceptional artists, and we wanted to do a little humble-bragging about them.

After many phone calls, countless hours on the internet browsing websites, and eighteen interviews, we give you the Art Collectors Edition of the PSWC Magazine. Do not think for a moment that this was like shooting fish in a barrel. It was not. The hardest part was narrowing down the list for the first eighteen. This issue could easily have been five hundred pages with a 10-page spread on every artist plus thirtymore!

We are truly a fortunate society blessed with many talented people.

The next problem was selecting the art for the magazine. We have tried to select the paintings that best represent each artist, but we recommend that you check out their websites for a more complete picture of their talent.

We asked each artist five questions: 1. What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

2. Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

3. How would you describe your style?

4. What is your favorite medium and why?

5. What would you do if you couldn’t paint?

As interviews were conducted, it became clear that each artist’s voice was significant and different. And so we decided to publish their responses to the questions in their own words. What follows is this section, Artists on Their Art. We hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as we have.

Willo Balfrey Jen Evenhus Terri FOrd Alejandra Gos W. Truman Hosner Gary Huber TaiMeng Lim Kim Lordier Nancy MacDonald Jan Miller Clark Mitchell Debbie Patrick Laura Pollak William SChneider Aaron SChuerr Vianna Szabo Daggi Wallace Kimberly Wurster PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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artists on their art

Willo Balfrey

PSWC-DP, IAPS-MC, PSA

and painted animals in a photorealistic style. I soon realized I wanted to place those animals into their environment and began learning to paint landscapes. Now, I no longer include the animals in my paintings. I want the viewer to place themselves in the scene and enjoy the walk.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

One word – BIERSTADT. One year as an adult, I had the opportunity to visit the Oakland Museum and was mesmerized by the large paintings and the light in each of his pieces – taking me back to the area of interest in the painting. At that time I didn’t know I wanted or could be an artist – I was just in awe of the feeling of distance and majesty one could get on a flat surface. I didn’t know that he would influence my work when I began painting but it must have been engraved in my subconscious because when I paint now I want to paint the landscape and draw the viewer into my piece by placing the contrast between dark and light, the atmosphere, and the peacefulness of the scene.

-When I first began painting I started with acrylics

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Actually at times it is both. As my work progresses I find I am more drawn to a mood of quiet spaces.

But that doesn’t keep me from the suggestion of a storm coming, a trail leading off into the distance or footsteps in the sand. I enjoy the mood of a sunrise suggesting the energy of the day or the mood of the setting sun relaxing us from the days’ activities.

How would you describe your style?

I paint in various styles depending on the subject or the mood I want to depict – but in an impressionistic style. At time I am a realistic landscape painter – depicting the scene ie, a lake, mountain, or meadow in a certain area- it is recognizable. At other times I like to let my painting take me into a drifting of movement, design and color. I always have an idea of what I want to paint but the painting may lead me in another direction and I can let that happen or choose to do another painting and go in the direction the painting is talking.

What is your favorite medium and why?

I paint in both Pastel and Oil but find Pastel as the medium that speaks to me as a favorite. There are advantages of both mediums and I find when I am using pastels I wish I were using oils so I could mix

News & Notes

Property Line Beauty by Willo Balfrey-

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Willo Balfrey

artists on their art the right color and value. Even though I have a great selection of pastels from various companies I sometimes can not find the right pastel. But, when I am doing oils I wish I were painting with pastels as I know the stroke and touch I need to enhance the work. I feel my pastel work enhances my oils and my oils enhance my pastels. They each work together to make me a better artist.

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

I would still be in the creative field. I would do glass blowing, sculpture, woodcarving, pottery and of course as much activity as possible to be in the open air and part of nature. One of the reasons I enjoy plein air painting is the joy of hearing, smelling, seeing what nature

Morning on the Canal by Willo Balfrey

has presented for our enjoyment and appreciation.

GALLERY REPRESENTATION The Gallery in Mt. Shasta 201 N. Mt. Shasta Blvd. Suite A Mt. Shasta, CA 96067 530-926-2334 AWARDS: Pastel Society of America Acceptance 2018 Award: Art du Pastel, France Pastel Society of the West Coast Acceptance 2018 International Association of Pastel Societies Acceptance 2018 Web Show International Association of Pastel Societies 2018 Juror of Selection, Tacoma WA Show International Association of Pastel Societies Master Circle Award www.willobalfrey.com

Turquoise Quiet

by Willo Balfrey

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artists on their art

Jen EVenhus

PSWC, IAPS-MC, PSA-MP, NPS-DP, KA

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

I find it is the light that falls on the subject that catches my eye more than the subject itself. Having said that, I am drawn to certain subjects more than others. I love rocks and streams, rushing water and forest clearings. I am always drawn to lily ponds – the shapes and colors are endless. There was one in Italy that I painted several times while there, enjoying the frogs that played hide ‘n seek with me.

We travel to Scottsdale each Spring so the guys can watch baseball. I usually take my pastels so I can paint cacti and palm trees, more favorites. I’m doing a series of palm trees right now, using reference from my workshop trip to the Tampa Bay area last February and our September trip to Kauai. I like to use unusual color combinations, exaggerating and changing hues to emphasize different areas of a palm or group of palm trees. I’ve recently tried my hand at capturing the surf on the beach of Kauai. I love the myriad colors as each wave breaks on the shore, sunlight filtering through the crest.

Then there are the still lifes – I usually set the timer at 10 minutes and turn the music up loud, enjoying the process and the adrenaline as the time counts down. It still amazes me the effects one can get with painting fast and furious! Radishes are my favorite – I have ten or eleven that I’ve done as demos in my workshops, and apple slices, oranges, strawberries and grapes are favorites, too, using bright colors and interesting underpaintings to create unique works of art.

And the florals – who doesn’t love flowers? My heart sings when I paint flowers – they are God’s gift to the earth … endless variety and color, shapes and aroma. One of my favorites – the simple daisy – is

often the most difficult to paint. It is so easy to want to paint each petal, but the best way to describe a daisy with pastel is to paint just the full shape, concentrating on the light and shadow area and adding a few little details to give it some sassy character.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

I have always worked to create mood in my paintings, mostly my landscapes, but didn’t realize how important telling a story can be, until recently. Not every painting tells a story, but I am working on including that important element in my work more often. I realize that for a painting to speak to someone, it must touch an emotion or stir up a memory. I am currently working on a series of paintings of Blewett Pass, an area in Washington State where my mothPSWC Magazine Magazine |Winter |Summer 2018 PSWC 2019

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artists on their art happy little accidents that happen during a short session, creates wonderful ‘unfinished’ masterpieces. They tell a story and allow the viewer to see how I put the strokes down and leave them – how the layers are erratic – allowing the underpainting to peek through, giving the painting instant harmony. I am well-known for my 10-minute paintings, an exercise my students learn to love because it forces them to stop before they can cover up a really good little painting. I have noticed a lot of other instructors have added my timed exercises to their tool-box of techniques as well.

What is your favorite medium and why?

My favorite medium is the saturated, colorful soft pastel. I work in oils as well, but I love the tactile feel of dragging the stick across the paper, with a heavy hand, filling up the tooth with bold strokes, or gently, as if dusting a butterfly’s wing, creating layers that allow those below to peek through in scintillating hues.

Path on the Bay by Jen Evenhus

er grew up, running up steep mountainsides, fishing deep pools and panning for gold. As children, she took my siblings and me up to ‘the creek’ many times each summer, where we loved to hike, fly fish, and pan for gold. She instilled in us the love of nature that continues to this day and is evident in my Blewett Pass paintings. This year I started fly fishing again, renewing my passion for wading in a creek or river, searching for the perfect spot to catch a big Rainbow!

How would you describe your style?

I describe my style as “The Beauty of Imperfection,” which I have trademarked. I have always painted in a loose impressionist style, but six or seven years ago, my style became more ‘imperfect’ – I discovered that painting fast and stopping before I covered up the 24

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I began as an oil painter, but as a young woman raising a family, I found that I wasted a lot of oil paint that dried on my palette because I couldn’t get back to the studio for days on end. I decided to try pastels and immediately fell in love with the rich colors and they just seemed to fit my loose impressionist painting style. The best thing about pastels is you don’t have to ‘mix’ the colors – they are all just sitting there waiting for a chance to create your next masterpiece – and they don’t dry on the palette!

Another fabulous reason pastels are my favorite, is the addition of so many new brands and colors of pastel sticks and pastel paper.

My collection continues to grow as I explore new offerings.

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

I would be a full-time writer. I love to write!

Back in 1999, because I couldn’t find a novel that would hold my interest more than just a few chapters, I decided to write my own novel. How hard can it be, I asked myself, as I sat down and began my novel. I fell head

artists on their art over heels in love with writing. With making things up. With creating images with words. I even love researching the locales that are in my novel. I traveled to Italy with a painting group, knowing we would visit Lucca – a town in my novel. I nearly gave up painting because I was spending lots of time writing, had a day-job and was raising a family. The novel is at 250 pages, but I haven’t worked on it for a couple years because I had to make a choice – painting or writing.

I am so glad I chose painting – my first love. I still write – editorials for Northwest Pastel Society web page and other articles as they present themselves.

I will eventually complete my novel and look forward to that challenge. Beside writing I would ride horses more and find the best streams and rivers to fly fish.

GALLERY RESPRESENTATION OA Gallery 101A W. Argonne Dr. Kirkwood, MO 63122 314-821-6241 Two Rivers Gallery 102 N. Columbia Street Wenatchee, WA 98801 509-888-9504

RECENT AWARDS 2018 PSWC “Pastels USA” Juried Exhibit “Spirit of Blewett” Royal Talens Award 2018 NPS 32nd International Open Exhibition “Ruby Dawn” Juror’s Award FASO February 2018 Outstanding Pastel “Ruby Dawn”

Morning Melodies by Jen Evenhus

2018 19th Annual Pastel Journal Magazine Pastel 100 5th Place Still Life - “Just Another Apology” 2017 NPS 31st International Open Exhibition - “Just Another Apology” Juror’s Award 2017 18th Annual Pastel Journal Magazine Pastel 100 - 2) Honorable Mentions - “Lemon, Cobalt and a Hooker” and “Sage Ablaze” 2016 30th Annual PSWC Pastels USA Juried Open Exhibit - “Pup Den” Atlantic Papers Award 2016 44th PSA Annual Exhibition “Enduring Brilliance” “Midnight Magic” Show Submit Award 2016 Pastel Society of the West Coast Online Members Exhibit “Midnight Magic” 2nd Place, Signature division www.jenevenhus.com

Opaline Dream by Jen Evenhus

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artists on their art

Terri Ford PSWC-DP , IAPS Eminent Pastelist, PSA-MP , PSNM, SPS

I tend to want my paintings to capture a mood. That goes hand in hand with the more intimate approach to painting that I take.

How would you describe your style?

My style is impressionistic/representational. Some paintings are more realistic than others, but I do try to keep them as fresh as possible.

I’ll be taking a workshop at IAPS from Marcia Holmes titled …“Free the Abstract within you”. There is a part of me that wants to take my work in a more abstract direction, so I am excited to see what will come of that endeavor.

What is your favorite medium and why?

My favorite medium is pastel of course!! I love the feel of them, the sounds of them, the vivid colors, the variety of mark making/calligraphy possible.

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

What draws me to the subject matter I paint is probably texture and light. I can find interest in the landscape nearly anywhere.

I am usually not seeking out a grand scale or epic “scene” to paint, but prefer more intimate portrayals of nature where the focus is on the relationship between the light source and the leaves, or sand or other elements that are catching the light.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

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They are such a multi-faceted medium. You can draw with them then do am underpainting with a brush which is always a lot of fun but also creates exciting groundwork paintings. Then the layering of color has endless possibilities.

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

If I couldn’t paint I might do collage or assemblage work. I already collect things for possible assemblage pieces. Outside of the creative process I would love to be a travel planner. I love to travel and have always planned my own trips and helped organize trips for others…and I could paint still just for fun!

Palm Glow by Terri Ford

Sometimes mood and story go hand-inhand. The intersection between texture and natural light also tells a story of a relationship.

Dappled Dune by Terri Ford

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Terri Ford

artists on their art

RECENT AWARDS IAPS 2018 32nd Juried Exhibition American Art Company Gallery- Honorable Mention - “Lily Pads sur Ciel Bleu” Pastel Journal Pastel 100 Competition - 4th Place - “Lily Pads sur Ciel Bleu” Will appear in the 2018 March/April issue of Pastel Journal Art du Pastel en France 2017 Giverny Exhibition- Invitee de honneur - May 27-June 4 California Art Club 2017 Gold Medal Exhibtion - “Dappled Shadows” Pastel Journal Pastel 100 Competition - HONORABLE MENTION- “Dunes in Shadow” & “Pear Tree” Article in the 2017 March/April issue of Pastel Journal UArt 2016 Online Competition - HONORABLE MENTION - “Desert Blues” Los Gatos 2016 Plein Air - HONORABLE MENTION “Valley V ista” California Art Club 2016 Gold Medal Exhibtion - “Autumn Shadows”, “ Dark Waters”

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Lily Pads sur Ciel Bleu by Terri Ford

Mexico, and an artist member of the California Art Club.

She was the “Invitee de Honor” of the Art du Pastel France in 2017

Pastel Society of the West Coast 2016 Annual International Exhibition - TERRY LUDWIG AWARD - “A Walk in the Park”

She is a popular instructor across the U.S. and abroad and has juried and judged many exhibitions.

Ford is a Master Pastelist with The Pastel Society of America and “Distinguished Pastelist” with the Pastel Society of the West Coast and Pastel Society of New

www.terrifordart.com

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Baylands Gold by Terri Ford

artists on their art

Alejandra Gos

PSWC, NPS

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

My main subject is the landscape. I love the mountains (prefer that over the ocean). They give me a sense of how small we are in our planet. Water is another common subject in my paintings. I have always found water, rivers, lakes, to have a calming effect. Reflections and the sound of water give me comfort and are very interesting to me.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

When someone buys one of my paintings, they tell me they feel like “they are right there.”

That’s what I go for when I paint a scene. I want to convey a sense of presence but also contemplation of the landscape in the viewer. I want you to feel like you are surrounded by the landscape and the depth, immensity of it.

How would you describe your style?

I am certainly a representational artist. I dont go for realism but for an impression of what’s there. I tend to enhance color in my pieces and my marks are quite bold. I like to put a mark down and leave it as is.

What is your favorite medium and why?

My favorite medium is pastel. I was introduced by them during my childhood (a set of nupastels from the year 1968 or so). One of my favorite artists is Marla Baggetta (my main mentor) and she paints with pastels.

Pastel has a unique brilliance that I don’t think you can achieve with other mediums. I enjoy the sound it makes against sanded paper as well.

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

If I could not paint, I would probably be playing the piano or another instrument. Sometimes I have done this (lots of music lessons during my school years) and do occasionally immerse myself in music.

I also love dogs, and every time I see a dog walker I wish I could do that. Yes, I think I would be working with animals if I could not paint.

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Glowing by the Road by Alejandra Gos

artists on their art

Emerald Fascination by Alejandra Gos

GALLERY RESPRESENTATION Scott Milo, Anacortes, WA

Blueberry Fields Forever by Alejandra Gos

Christopher Framing and Art, Edmonds, WA AWARDS: 2018 Southeastern Pastel Society - 18th International Juried Exhibition. Merit Award. Juror: Dawn Emerson.

2018 Pastel Society of Colorado Mile High National Pastel Exhibition, Elizabeth Mowry Poetic Landscape Award. Juror: Marla Baggetta.

2018 Pastel Society of the West Coast Annual Members Show, 3rd place award.

2018 Northwest Pastel Society International Open Exhibition. Juror’s Award. Juror: Stan Sperlak.

2018 Pastel Society of Colorado Online Show5th place award. Juror: Aline Ordman. www.alejandragos.com PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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artists on their art

W. Truman Hosner PSWC-DP, IAPS-MP, PSA-MP, SPC-MP

W h a t draws you to the subject matter you paint?

I have staked my artistic life on the idea that great art can be made under the open skies as well as in the studio.

Often it is an atmospheric mood or pattern of color that catches my attention. I then look for how these may play out in the psychology the scene. In other words I try to paint what I feel and think about what I am seeing.

cause of his understanding of color and simplification in open-air. I like Wyeth because he is distinctly an “American painter” . . . so is Edward Hopper.

What is your favorite medium and why?

Without a doubt pastel is. Pastel just seems to explain things better for me . . . it is an easier dialect to express what I want to say as a painter.

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

In my wildest dreams I would be a tenor. For me the human voice when properly trained is the most beautiful of all musical instruments.

My second choice would be to be a writer. I love writers who are able to paint with words. We make art to know we have a soul. We read to know we are not alone.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

Foremost I want them to express the exuberance of life I feel outdoors. Many times I find it both in a mood, and a story.

How would you describe your style?

I am not conscious of style when I paint. But if you corner me on the subject, I would tell you that I have taken influence from both Sorolla and Andy Wyeth. I like Sorolla be32

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Salinas River At Day Break by W. Truman Hosner

Silver Surf Slipped Her Heel by W. Truman Hosner

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W. Truman Hosner

artists on their art

Everything Old Is New Again by W. Truman Hosner

GALLERY RESPRESENTATION Claggett/Rey Gallery in Vail, Co AWARDS Award for Distinctive Accomplishment in Pastel -Pastel Societies of the Midwest/ Pastel Society of America Annual Exhibition National Arts Club, NYC Best Overall Pastel - Plein Air Magazine Bi/ Monthly Salon Show Best of Show/Plein Air - Pastel Society of the West Coast Best Plein Air Painting Award - Festival of the Arts-Signature Exhibition/Paso Robles, CA Best of Show for a Body of Work - Festival of the Arts Signature Invitational - Paso Robles, CA / Quang Ho -juror

www.wtrumanhosner.com

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MontaĂąa de Oro Afternoon by W. Truman Hosner

artists on their art

Gary Huber

PSWC, PSA, PSCM, NPS

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

I am basically painting places I would like to remember. Part of my childhood was spent outside hiking and fishing. I also painted outside with my mom.

The places and things I love all have meaning and I capture this spirit in my work. And I am always evolving--evolving even as I write this. I am curious about why someone is attracted to one particular thing-a landscape, a seascape, a city scape and so on. It seems to me that where you grew up is impressed on your psyche. That’s what draws me to waves breaking on the rocks or mountains with a body of water. I still want to splash around!

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

My paintings tell a story of what I love and experienced in my life. But I also want to create the magicmore than a reality of what I see. I try to edit out the human elements to capture a mood or an emotional connection. When I paint, I try to reach inside and capture my emotions and hope that the viewer can do the same.

How would you describe your style?

Painterly Realism best describes my style. I like to create a dramatic composition. I like the bold contrast of color and textures. I once did a quick study painting which was then auctioned off. The buyer was later asked what drew him to the painting--he answered, “The drama.”

work is frequently mistaken for oils.

What would you do if you couldn’t paint?

I am sure if I couldn’t paint another passion would rise up and consume me. Currently, I am rediscovering a passion for gardening and cooking. I have planted an extensive vegetable garden, and I am enjoying cultivating the food I will eventually eat!.

Perhaps someday I will begin painting the vegetables I grow!

GALLERY REPRESENTATION

What is your favorite medium and why?

A. Banks Gallery

Pastels are still at the top of the list. I am also interested in oils; I still see my mother’s brush strokes in my work. Because of the way I work in pastels, my

127 East Main Street Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 586-1000 alissa@abanksgallery.com

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Where Angels Soar by Gary Huber 36

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artists on their art

The Brinton Museum 239 Brinton Road P.O. Box 460 Big Horn, Wyoming 82833 (307) 672-3173 Deselms Fine Art 303 East 17th Street Cheyenne, WY 82001 (307) 432-0606 Illume Gallery of Fine Art 60 East South Temple, suite #115 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 (801) 210-2853

RECENT EXHIBITIONS & AWARDS Brinton 101, The Brinton Museum, Big Horn, WY, November 18 - December 23, 2018 19th Annual National Juried Exhibition, American Impressionist Society, Fish Creek, Wisconsion, September-October, 2018 46th Annual Exhibition: Enduring Brilliance, Pastel Society of America, National Arts Club, New York City, September, 2018

Moonset In Red Rock Country. by Gary Huber

Montana Miniatures, Bitterroot Frames, Best Western Plus Heritage Inn, Great Falls, Montana, March 14-17, 2018 www.garyhuberart.com

Summer Color Bear Meadow. by Gary Huber

This Place, Pastel Society of Colorado, Longmont, Colorado, September-October, 2018 Duo Show, A. Banks Gallery, Bozeman, Montana, with Jennifer Johnson, August-September, 2018 Pastels USA 2018, Pastel Society of the West Coast, Morro Bay, California, August-September, 2018 14th Annual Mile High National Pastel Exhibition, Pastel Society of Colorado, Parker, Colorado, July-August, 2018 Purchase Award, Lynn Thomas Memorial Art Show, Big Piney, Wyoming, July, 2018 Cheyenne Frontier Days Art Show & Sale, CFD Old West Museum, Cheyenne, Wyoming, July 19 - August 19, 2018 Purchase Awards, 7th Annual Plein Air for the Park, Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center at Grand Teton National Park, July 9-22, 2018 Online Member Show, Pastel Society of the West Coast, March-April, 2018 Horizons, Online Exhibition, Pastel Society of Colorado, March-April, 2018 Impressions: Small Works Showcase, American Impressionist Society, Greenwich House Gallery, Cincinnati, OH, March-April, 2018 PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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artists on their art

TaiMeng Lim PSWC, PSA, ISAP Master

while working on my piece. And I believe this is the main reason it makes me an unique artist.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

Actually, capturing a mood and storytelling both play important roles in my paintings. A painting usually goes much deeper than just depicting pretty subjects. There is always an underlying thought process behind the work. So, storytelling often comes naturally with me as an artists, it is about communicating and connecting visually with the viewer, that is incredibly powerful. So, I always start with painting, building the story from the painting I create. That way, the viewer can have their own personal interpretation.

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

As an artist, I learned to observe, appreciate the beauty that surrounds me. I am drawn to paint the places and subjects that express something about the day and time I live in the moment and this could be any aspects of everyday life, such as light and shadow patterns, or it can be as simple as my favorite orchid is blooming, a night scene with color contrast, a mood or atmosphere etc. The important thing is my connections with the subject matter- something that I can happily immerse myself in

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My purpose of establishing atmosphere in a painting is to capture a mood and emotional effect. It makes a painting lively, interesting, and keeps the viewer more engaged. With a great mood, I believe my paintings can immediately draw the viewer’s attention and bring an emotional response. Without atmosphere and mood, a painting is nothing. The viewer could be easily pass by and rarely take the time to fully connect with it.

How would you describe your style?

My painting style is grounded in Realism. It is intrinsically connected with me, which is unique and personal. It embodies growth, transformation and change, which is closely connected to my process of self-discovery.

I always let my heart and gut lead the direction. I tirelessly play with various methods and techniques

artists on their art

to produce and bring to reality the concepts and ideas in pursuit of a deeper understanding of myself and the environment that surrounds me. This truly provides me with endless inspirations, ideas and quests that I explore on this journey as an artist.

What is your favorite medium and why?

Pastel is one of my favorite mediums because it is fascinating and versatile. It is a joy to work with. Pastels come in a wide range of colors, most of them wonderfully vivid, and they provide me an array of artistic approaches. I can easily achieve a luscious, velvety texture. The deep, rich colors are easy to blend; they can have a splendid luminosity.

The process of applying pastel is fun, which is immediate and fast with no waiting for it to dry.

Especially, when I want to explore with a new style, subject matter, or surface. I can get the result and effects instantly without using a lot of tools and painting mediums.

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

If I couldn’t paint, I probably would like to further and deepen my practice in Yoga. I have been practicing Yoga more than 12 years. Yoga practice em-

Rose In My Garden by TaiMeng Lim

phasizes on development of healthy body, improvement of the mind-body connection and increased self-awareness. It is the perfect way to center myself and remain calm, present and mindful in my everyday life. It makes me aware that the important of finding balance for cultivating a sense of overall happiness in life.

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TaiMeng Lim

artists on their art

RECENT PUBLICATiONS 2018 • Acrylicworks 5: Bold Values • The Artist magazine UK- April 2018, Pg 8 2017 • Acrylicworks 4: Captivating Color, Pg 64 • Acrylic Artist magazine, Fall issue 2017, Pg 106 & 107 • 13th International ARC Salon Catalog 2016 • Richeson75ONLINE Small Works 2016, Still Life & Floral 2016, Figure/Portrait 2016, Animals, Birds & Wildlife 2016 • International Artist magazine Dec 2016/Jan 2017/ Issue 112, Pg 18 • 12th International ARC Salon Catalogue AWARDS IN 2018 • Finalist in Richeson75 Still Life & Floral 2018 • Juried into PSWC (Pastel Society of the West Coast) Online Membership Exhibition 2018 • Accepted to NOAPS - Best Of America Small Painting National Juried Exhibition 2018 • Outstanding Acrylic Award in the March 2018 BoldBrush Painting competition

Another Rainy Night by TaiMeng Lim

• Second Place in April 2018 DPW Monthly Contest • Accepted to NOAPS On-lineInternational Spring 2018 • Artist Choice Award and Finalist in The Gateway International Painting Competition April 2018 • Accepted to ISAP: 1st Annual Master and Signature Artist Show 2018 • 3rd Place Overall and Best Acrylic in Ivory and Lead Online Art Competition, March/April 2018 • Winner of North Light Books’ 6th annual Best of Acrylic competition - AcrylicWorks 6: Creative Energy!

• Best Acrylic in Ivory and Lead Online Art Competition, May/June 2018 • 2nd Place in ISAP (International Society of Acrylic Painters) International Open Online Show • Accepted into PSWC - Pastel USA 32nd Annual International Exhibition: ‘A Dynamic Journey’ • Shortlist of Ken Bromley Art Supplies - Cover Competition 2018 • Accepted into 3rd China (Suzhou) Biennial International Pastel Exhibition • Honourable Mentions in PGE ( The Pastel Guild of Europe) Open Online Competition - Still-life and Portrait/ Figure categories • Juried into IAPS (International Association of Pastel Societies) 33rd Exhibition - 2018 Webshow • Finalist in Richeson75 Animals, Birds & Wildlife Competition 2018 • Accepted to NOAPS On-line International Fall Exhibition 2018 • Invited to ISAP 3rd Annual All-Member Online exhibition Holding A Treasure From The Sea by TaiMeng Lim 40

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• Finalist in Portrait Society of America - Members Only Competition - Animals as the Subject categor

artists on their art

kim lordier

PSWC, PSA, CAC, LPAPA

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

I’m primarily focused on dark and light patterns within a representational setting. I used to say it was the light that I was drawn to, but really it is the pattern of light and dark that emerge from the light that can be arranged in a more abstracted way that intrigues me. Painting the landscape from life grounds me, and makes me feel part of the larger whole of the world. Smells, sounds, temperatures, wind, all the elements come into play while painting on location.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

My paintings sometimes tell a story to the collector that acquires the piece. Often times a memory in time or of place. Mostly, my work captures a mood.

How would you describe your style?

I consider my work to be primarily impressionistic, more of a reaction to what I see, more than a direct accurate portrayal of the figure/animal or landscape. I push color, dark and light pattern, and search for mark making that is expressive in nature.

What is your favorite medium and why?

Pastels!!! They are my comfort zone, as I painted with them since I was 15. I believe the vibrancy is matched by no other medium. Second, is oil. I LOVE painting in oil whenever I get the chance. (Not enough time to do it all!!)

Nestled In, Santa Teresa Hills by Kim Lordier

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artists on their art

Treasure Chest in Pt. Lobos by Kim Lordier

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

I’m a horse girl, so I would have my horses and ride.

GALLERY REPRESENTATION Debra Huse Gallery 229 Marine Ave. Suite E. Balboa Island, CA 92662 (949) 723-6171 www.debrahuse.com/galleries/ Primavera Gallery 214 East Ojai Avenue, Ojai, California 93023 (805) 646-7133 www.primaveragallery.com Holton Studio Frame Makers 2100 Fifth Street, Berkeley, California 94710 510 450-0350 www.holtonframes.com Illume Gallery of Fine Art 29 West 200 North, St. George, Utah 84770 801-210-2853 www.illumegalleryoffineart.com 42

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James J. Rieser Fine Art Dolores between 5th and 6th, Carmel by the Sea, CA 93921 (831) 620-0530 www.rieserfineart.com Sekula’s Fine Art & Antiques 855 57th Street, Sacramento, CA 95819 (916) 451-9565 www.sekulas.com AWARDS: 2017 Plein Air Salon Winner of Dec/Jan 2015 Maynard Dixon Country, Mt. Carmel UT Patrons Choice Award 2015 Haggin Museum, PSWC Pastels USA Stockton CA Wakeham/Sutherland Award 2014 The Autry National Center, 103rd California Art Club’s Gold Medal Exhibition Fine Art Connoisseur Award of Excellence 2011 Haggin Museum, PSWC”S PASTELS USA

artists on their art

Wakeham/Sutherland Award 2009 Triton Museum, PSWC’s PASTELS USA, Wakeham/Sutherland Award 2007 Pastel Society of the West Coast, PASTELS USA , Best of Show 2007 The Pastel Journal, Pastel 100, GRAND PRIZE AWARD www.kimfancherlordier.com

Song of the Minarets

by Kim Lordier

Sultry Summer Days by Kim Lordier

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artists on their art

Nancy MacDonald PSWC-MP

sionistic in it’s colors. I went to school in England and studied design. The way they taught painting then was more abstract, so I pursue design because there was more of a drawing element in it. But I have always painted. I began painting more when I came to the United States.

What is your favorite medium and why?

I love pastels, but I paint in oils as well, probably equally in both pastels and oils. I find that sometimes the subject matter determines the medium. If color is the thing I am trying to capture, then pastels can be more interactive. The colors are right there-no mixing.

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

I am drawn to subjects that create a strong emotional response in me. I am equally drawn to portraits or landscapes, but either way, I like to have a strong feeling about the subject. With landscapes I start with an underpainting, but with portraits I go straight into the painting.

If I couldn’t paint I would be a jockey! I love horses and my Dad was a jockey. I paint a lot of horses, so this would be the thing I would do.

AWARDS 2018 PSWC Best in Show PASTELS USA 2017

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or create a mood?

Honorable Mention- American Impressionist Society

I want to capture what first speaks to me--more of a mood that tells the story. I recently painted a portrait in “half-light” which I was attracted to because it was very simple. I prefer a simpler approach to painting--more like a poem than a story, more spontaneous.

Pastel Society of the West Coast

How would you describe your style?

I would describe my style as Realistic and Impres44

What would you do if you couldn’t paint?

www.pswc.ws

Southwest Art Magazine Award 2016 Suggs Award - Pastel Society of the West Coast International Show American Impressionist Society- Award for Excellence in Pastels Bold Brush Painting Competition - Pastel Award www.nancymacdonald.com

Feature Artist

Alys by Nancy MacDonald

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Nancy MacDonald

artists on their art

Nick by Nancy MacDonald

Tibetan Lady by Nancy MacDonald

I prefer a simpler approach to painting—more like a poem than a story—more spontaneous.

The Deal by Nancy MacDonald

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artists on their art

Jan Y. Miller PSWC

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

It is not so much the subject matter, but how the composition unfolds, how the light falls, a mood is interpreted, color, and contrasts. All these and more are a draw. Because I tend to be where there is nature, (waterfalls, lakes, mountains, ocean, trees, grasses), I use these to help in composing a painting.

Do you want paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

I am usually looking for a concept to portray and then a mood is established. It is most rewarding when someone else makes a connection to one of my paintings. I do think of paintings as a form of language. It is a way to communicate that crosses over written or spoken words. It enters a visual understanding. It is at this time that the viewer can perceive a story or a mood depending on interpretation. A simple design can be complex.

How would you describe your style?

I went to art school in the 70’s which was a difficult time for artists preferring Representational art. I stayed true to that method, but felt the pull to try other forms. I have had some wonderful mentors; some of them within the PSWC society, who have shared their knowledge. I am so grateful. With this understanding, I have learned that there are abstractions within Representational paintings. Art and painting offer so much that the more I learn, the more I know I have to discover. One aspect that you will consistently find in my paintings is color.

What is your favorite medium and why?

As an artist, I have tried multiple mediums, but pastels have been my greatest enjoyment and challenge. It is so versatile that I am continually discovering new approaches to its use, application, and presentation. An example of discovery is the artist Jean SimĂŠon Chardin. Jean SimĂŠon Chardin turned to pastels in the latter part of his life. He painted portraits of which only 12 exist. Rich color was achieved by using only the complements of blue and orange, as well as black and white. It is a limited pallet which gives control of color. Amazingly, the portraits were painted during the 1700s. Teachers from past and present, as well as my own discoveries keep pastels vibrant in their uses.

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artists on their art

Racing for Blue

by Jan Miller

Evening Watch by Jan Miller

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Mystery Creek by Jan Miller

artists on their art

If you couldn’t paint what else would

Sacramento Fine Arts Gallery - Sacramento, CA

you do?

Blue Line Art Gallery - Roseville, CA

I spent my undergraduate years studying art. We needed to make the choice of fine art or sculpture in order to complete a Bachelor of Arts Degree. I chose fine art painting knowing that it would be difficult to make a living with this background.

Heaven Art Gallery - Scottsdale, AZ

I chose teaching as a profession in which I taught both regular education and special needs children.

Throughout my career, art was never abandoned, and it was always incorporated into my lessons. (Art seemed to be a direct line to interpreting concepts within education.) No matter what, I would somehow be coming from an artistic slant as it is a part of who I am.

GALLERY RESPRESENTATION Newcastle Packing Shed Studio & Gallery - Newcastle, CA

Blue Wing Gallery - Woodland, CA AWARDS Signature Member - Pastel Society of the West Coast (PSWC) Master Painter - Northern California Arts (NCA) Signature Member - Sierra Pastel Society Award of Excellence - Sierra Pastel Society Online Juried Show First Place Award - Sacramento Fine Arts Membership Show Award of Excellence (2) Northern California Arts (NCA) Bold Expressions International Open Exhibition Award of Excellence - Magnum Opus - Sacramento Fine Arts Center Honorable Mention - Northern California Arts www.jymillerfineart.com

Rain Street by Jan Miller PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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artists on their art

clark mitchell PSWC-DP, PSA-MP, LPAPA

some of us, a delightful landscape tells a rich story. I’d suspect most people react to a natural scene with a shift of mood.

How would you describe your style?

I’d probably say painterly realism. I’m far from an impressionist, as I tend to complete the painting from corner to corner, giving full information. Upon close inspection, my works are quite loose and painterly.

However the overall impression from a distance is of realism.

What is your favorite medium and why?

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

Although I do portraits, figures and still lifes, my preferred subject matter has always been landscapes.

I grew up in the countryside half an hour from Denver, Colorado, and delighted in the changing looks and feels of the four seasons. Light on the front range of the Rockies was ever-moving and always fascinating. Not having a lot of playmates nearby, and in a simpler time with fewer child commitments like sports and lessons in this–and-that, I really learned to love what I found around me.

Well, the medium I’ve used most in my life is certainly soft pastel. For the last six or eight years I’m back to using oil paint to do large landscapes. In the past I got up to 40 x 60 with pastels, but I finally asked, “Why?” The framing and especially glazing of large pastels really got to be prohibitively expensive.

Non-reflective glass has taken care of the problems inherent in displaying works under glass. However, I still have little desire to pay the exorbitant prices for a large sheet of museum glass.

The colors, the shapes, the contrasts still call me.

I use soft pastel exclusively outdoors. The portability, freshness of color and immediacy of the medium are all reasons for this. I sometimes frame and sell these works. Other times I use them as inspiration for larger pastel or oil paintings.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

Since I do few urbanscapes or still lifes, and exhibit no figures, I’d have to say mood. Of course for

I do love being able to touch the surface of my dried oil paintings; sometimes foregoing frames altogeth-

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artists on their art

er. And I’ve been experimenting with adding copper and gold leaf. Ever evolving!

What else would I do? I’m sure it would be something in the horticultural field. I studied gardening and horticulture in high school and college. For many years, I supported myself doing landscape maintenance. I think this is one reason my painted plant forms have the air of authenticity.

Safe Harbor pastel by Clark Mitchell

Prentice Gallery, Mendocino, CA Gallery One, Petaluma, CA Corrick’s, Santa Rosa, CA AWARDS Best of Show, Graton Gallery, 2018 Best Of Show, Maui Plein Air Invitational 2011 Best of Show, Laguna Beach Plein Air Invitational 2005

GALLERY REPRESENTATION

Best Pastel, Carmel Plein Air Festival

Jones and Terwilliger, Carmel, and Palm Desert, CA

www.cgmitchell.com

Carmel River by Clark Mitchell PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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clark mitchell

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Brittlebush by Clark Mitchell 52

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artists on their art

Debbie Patrick

PSWC-DP

How would you describe your style?

My training was very classical, with a firm foundation in drawing, and my style has always been very realistic. I have been experimenting with a more impressionistic style, which is difficult for someone as detail-oriented as I am. My latest work, “Flights of Imagination,” is an attempt to work more from what I envision in my head than from a model or what is actually in front of me. .

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

I have always been attracted to portraiture and the challenge of capturing the unique personality of a person or an animal. Occasionally I will try a landscape if I am attracted by the quality of the light, but the majority of my work focuses on people or animals.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

Absolutely. I try to place my subjects in a setting that gives them some context, such as a thirsty dog drinking from an outdoor faucet, or a musician performing under dramatic stage lighting, as opposed to just a “head shot.” After lightly sketching in the main features, I will work on the eyes and develop them fully before continuing on, since I feel they are central to conveying a mood.

What is your favorite medium and why?

I have worked on and off in pastels since I was 14.

It was the first medium I was introduced to and the one I am the most comfortable using. I love the tremendous variety of pure, clean color sticks and actually love seeing them arrayed in their boxes on my studio table - looking at tubes of paint is just not the same. There is a directness to using the pastels that keeps the colors fresh, and you can achieve great effects with complementary broken strokes, whereas mixing paint has always been a more hit-or-miss process for me. I was introduced to oils at a much later stage, and will now often do a second version of a pastel using oil instead, just to compare the different outcomes.

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

I would probably focus more on teaching art to children or working full-time with the local youth-in-arts program.

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Note: Debbie and her husband Jim have just released a children’s book about art.

Look for it on their website.

AWARDS 5th Place - 2018 Pastel Journal “Pastel 100” Animal & Wildlife category Best of Show - 2018 PSWC Online Membership Show Dakota Art Award - 2017 Pastels USA show (PSWC) Awarded Distinguished Pastelist status in 2017 Jack Richeson Silver Award - 2016 Pastels USA show (PSWC) Best of Show - 2016 National League of American Pen Women Exhibit www.debbiepatrickart.com Jorge by Debbie Patrick

Receiving Line by Debbie Patrick 54

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Study in Blues by Debbie Patrick

I Needed That by Debbie Patrick

Easter Morning by Debbie Patrick

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artists on their art

Laura Pollak PSWC

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

bring their own interpretation and history to finish the story. The connection the art lover feels is from their own experiences and emotions. That’s when a piece is truly successful.

I LOVE to paint most subjects. I’m drawn to the beauty of nature especially when there is dramatic light. Sunrise, sunset with long shadows and golden light excite me. Everything from a flower pot to a grand vista.

How would you describe your style?

Then… I LOVE abstracts as well. However most of my abstracts are based in reality. My background as a graphic designer is finally influencing my art.

I say that because it took me some years to learn how pastels ‘work’. Now that I finally feel comfortable with these wonderful sticks of color, I can manipulate the images to my intentions. The abstracts I enjoy painting still have a strong light source, like in my landscapes, but I try to bring a bit of ambiguity and mystery to the painting.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

In the beginning all I wanted was to replicate a scene.

The next step was to create a deep emotion. Allow the viewer to see the painting from across the room and have a ’need’ to come in closer. And the closer they come the more interest is created. I don’t want the entire story to be told but instead let the viewer 56

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My landscape style is more of a ‘colorist’ since I really push color. I still have so much to learn from my pastel ‘heroes’!

The “abstract direction” is a term Liz Haywood Sullivan coined when she so kindly awarded one of my pieces First Place in the Pastel Society of North Carolina’s Statewide show- Representational Abstract.

Again, inspired by reality and then pushed beyond.

With clean bold strokes as well as soft gradations I try to work with scale and contrast for dramatic interest.

What is your favorite medium and why?

Right now my medium is exclusively Pastel. Next I am looking forward to pursuing oils. I tried my hand this summer in anticipation of a workshop, which was subsequently cancelled due to hurricane Florence! I loved it. So keep your eye out for a few oils.

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

OH! That’s a tortuous question…I have to create!

I’ve truly enjoyed teaching…in my studio and workshops. The energy is exhilarating! Also, I have in the past enjoyed polymer clay and made several intricate and wonderful items, but honestly painting is IT for me!

GALLERY REPRESENTATION

artists on their art

The Art Shop 3900 W Market St,, Greensboro,, NC 27407 (336) 855-8500 www.theartshop.com Theatre Art Galleries 220 E Commerce Ave, High Point, NC 27260 (336) 887-2137 www.laurapollak.com

Urban Chaos by Laura Pollak

AWARDS 2016 IAPS Show 2016- Uart Juried International Show

2016- Pastel Journal, Pastel 100, Third Place Award 2016- Greenhill Gallery Invitational Winter Show 2017- Pastel Journal, published article / interview 2017- Cecil Byrne, Charleston SC 2017- North Ridge Show, Raleigh, curated by director of NC Museum PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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Laura Pollak

artists on their art

Sunset Gold by Laura Pollak

Gathering Energy

by Laura Pollak On the Borrder of Reality by Laura Pollak

Morning Meditation by Laura Pollak

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artists on their art

William Schneider

PSWC, IAPS-MC, PSA-MP, OPA, AISM

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

I paint cityscapes and a few still lifes, but I’m most drawn to the figure. When I was in art school (the American Academy in Chicago) I was told, “if you can paint a person, you can paint anything!” Not only are figures and portraits the most challenging, they are also the most interesting. The graceful line of a neck or a momentary expression can transform the model into something that “demands to be painted.”

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

Both. I often find that when I’m in the zone I start to imagine the model as a character in a movie. My best work has a mood to it that is a result of that internal narrative. The “story” may not be explicit to anyone but me. There is a huge difference between a “model sitting on a chair” and “Cleopatra sitting on her throne thinking of Marc Antony.”

How would you describe your style?

I don’t even know if I have a “style”. But I can tell you that I’m more interested in suggesting the subject than I am in tightly rendering it. Particularly for things that have names: i.e. eyes, mouths, noses, I like to see how much I can break / soften my strokes and still have the form read. I think Nicolai Fechin was one of the greatest artists to ever walk the planet. I love the way he contrasted smooth (he used a palette knife) flesh on the face with broken edges in the features.

What is your favorite medium and why?

I love both oil and pastel. Each medium has certain characteristic strengths. In pastel (if you blend as I do) every stroke is soft; you have to work to get a sharp edge. Oil is exactly opposite. Also in pastel it’s easy to layer warm and cool colors. This sets up a vibration that evokes the translucence of skin. It’s much more difficult to do this in oil. On the other hand, it is much easier to achieve a transparent, rich, dark in oil. Using both media strengthens me as an artist.

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

I made my living playing in a series of rock bands until I was 35. A little over a year ago I actually started recording again with one of my old drummers. For fun! If I couldn’t paint, maybe I’d finally put the band back together again.

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Recklace Abandon by William Schneider

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artists on their art

Reinert Fine Art, 179 King St., Charleston, SC 29401, (843) 694-2445 and 1153 Main St., Blowing Rock, NC 28605, (828) 4149580 www.reinertfineart.com Illume Gallery of Fine Art, 29 West 200 North, St. George, UT (801) 210-2853 www.illumegalleryoffineart.com/ AWARDS: OPA Salon Show 2018 – (Bronze Medal) Breckenridge National Juried Exhibition – (Best of Show) NOAPS Best of America 2018 – (Most Original) New Orleans Art Association National Juried Exhibition – (2nd Place) Degas Pastel Society 17th Biennial National Exhibition – (Award of Exceptional Merit)

Kelly by Moonlight by William Schneider

GALLERY REPRESENTATION Total Arts, Taos, NM (575) 758-4667 www.totalartsgallery.com

Plein Air Salon August / September 2018 – (Best Pastel)

www.schneiderart.com.

Wildling Warrior by William Schneider

New Masters Gallery, Delores between Ocean & 7th, Carmel, CA 93921, (831) 625-1411 www.newmastersgallery.com/ The Eisele Gallery of Fine Art, 5729 Dragon Way, Cincinnati, OH 45227, (513) 791-7717 www.eiselefineart. com/

Sunspot by William Schneider

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Aaron SChuerR PSWC< AIS, PSA, LPAPA

I finish it, then I frame it. When the viewer comes along, he has his own experiences and may be captivated by what he sees in my art. The painting is incomplete until the viewer comes along and finishes the story. The art is a portal.

How would you describe your style?

I would describe my art as Representational, but more and more I am trying to find a simpler approach. I am always looking for the abstract design in the subject. I did some abstract work in college in Chicago and Scotland, and I am thinking of trying it again to shake things up.

What is your favorite medium and why?

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

Landscapes appeal to me because I feel most myself outside. I am my truest self when I am painting directly from nature--there’s a directness, an honest, improvisational response in nature. It’s like “being in the moment” when you are acting. I am not looking for the grandiose scene or the iconic landmark. Something catches my eye and I paint it

Do you want your paintings to tell a story orcapture a mood?

I don’t think of my paintings as narratives, but they are a representation of my experience, which does tell a story. If my painting feels compelling when

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Pastels are my first love. I also do a lot of drawing in charcoal.I had an “Aha” moment in Scotland painting on the beach near St. Andrews. I had a board and some charcoal and I painted en plein air and felt this rush of pure joy. It was like meeting myself for the first time. I also paint in oil. I find oils are better for plein air painting in Bozeman--my hands get too cold with pastels. I prefer pastels for doing demos and shows.

If you couldn’t paint what would you do?

I would write and act. I have done a lot of theater I have been working on a novel and a play. Creative people need outlets that aren’t their bread and butter career. Something out of the studio, away from the easel. Acting and writing are it for me. They remind me why I paint.

artists on their art

Sedona Towers by Aaron Schuerr

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Aaron SChuerR

artists on their art

GALLERY REPRESENTATION Cadyellow.com Montana Trails Gallery 7 W Main St, Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 586-2166 The Legacy Gallery, Jackson 75 North Cache, Jackson, Wyoming 83001 307.733.2353 The Legacy Gallery, Scottsdale 7178 Main Street, Scottsdale, Arizona 85251 480.945.1113 The Mission Gallery 173 N. Main Street, St. George, Utah 84770

Bright Angel Boulders by Aaron Schuerr

(435) 688-7278 Howard/Mandville Gallery 120 Park Lane, Suite D, Kirkland, Washington 98033 (800) 544-4712 AWARDS 2016 Best Pastel, Plein Air Magazine’s Plein Air Salon 2015 First place, Pastel Society of the West Coast Membership Show 2015 First place, 11th Annual Mile High International Exhibition 2013 Award of Excellence, American Impressionist Society 2013 Plein Air Magazine Juror’s Choice Award for America’s Parks through the Beauty of Art 2013 First Place for the Pastel Journal’s Pastel 100 2012 Third Place in Plein Air Magazine’s “Plein Air Salon 2011 “Best Quick Draw” Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painter Show 2010 Gold Medal for the Pastel Journal’s Pastel 100 2005 Gold Medal for the Pastel Journal’s Pastel 100, First Place in the landscape category www.aaronschuerr.com

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Winter Waters by Aaron Schuerr

artists on their art

Vianna Szabo

PSWC-DP, IAPS-EP, PSA

subject using different compositions to change the way it makes the viewer feel. My favorite paintings are what I call “about to” moments. They make you wonder what is going to happen next.

How would you describe your style?

My paintings have been described as impressionistic. I like to create work that has maximum impact with minimal amount of details. I do this by focusing on creating large value shapes and enhancing the color to describe the light. I save the details for areas where I want the viewer to focus which gives a sense of peripheral vision to the rest of the painting.

What is your favorite medium and why?

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

I work in oil and watercolor but pastels are my most comfortable medium. They give the most immediate response to what I want to create. I especially enjoy layering the pastel to create color that sparkles.

Light and gesture are what draws me to a subject. I enjoy painting light that describes form and atmosphere and I especially delight in using expressive color to enhance the light. I also enjoy emphasizing the gesture of a subject. If the subject is figurative I like to exaggerate opposing angles to increase a sense of tension. In landscape and still life you can tweak angles of the subject and the surroundings to add a sense of drama to the scene.

If you couldn’t paint, what else would you do?

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

BIOGRAPHY

I think mood and story are intertwined. The story will create the mood or the mood will make the viewer wonder about the story. I like to play with the same

Art and science go hand in hand. I love to learn and the scientific approach of observation, hypothesis, and testing has been the basis of my self education.

My most successful work has come out of trying to answer a question to learn a new skill. I would love to work in the sciences but I am horrible at maththus painting is a perfect career choice.

Whether she is painting figures, landscapes, or still lifes, Vianna is known for her expressive use of color that captures a moment in time. She works in pas-

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artists on their art

tel, oil and watercolor. She is best known for her sensitive portraiture, which has earned her commissions and national recognition.

Vianna exhibits regularly in national juried shows including the Pastel Society of America, The Portrait Society of America, and Oil Painters of America, and the American Impressionist Society. She has been published in Pastel Journal as an award winner in the Pastel 100 competition in 2010, 2011, and 2013 and as the featured artist in the June 2014.

Her work is in private and public collections around the country and can be purchased through galleries, or online through her website.

Vianna is passionate about teaching and she offers a variety of workshops as well as private lessons and mentoring. Vianna has taught workshops around the country and taught figurative and landscape in Italy.

Pause by Vianna Szabo Where the Heart Is by Vianna Szabo

She has a BS in Education from Eastern Michigan University but credits her art education to books, long hours at the easel, and the generosity of talented friends. Vianna is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America and has achieved Distinguished Pastellist status in the Pastel Society of the West Coast.

She was inducted into the International Association of Pastel Societies Master Circle in 2011 and achieved Eminent Pastelist status in 2015.

She has acted as a juror in shows including the Pastel Society of the West Coast, The International Association of Pastel Societies, and the Figurative/Portrait Juror for the Pastel Journalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pastel 100 competition.

Vianna lives with her husband,

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artists on their art

Mark, in Romeo, MI. They have two grown children, Shawn and Anna, who have served as her models and inspiration.

Place Gallery, Fresno, CA, Waif Mullens Award, 2017 70th Michigan Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition of Watercolor, Traverse City, MI Golden Artist Award, 2017

GALLERY REPRESENTATION

Pastels USA Annual Exhibition, Pastel Society of the West

Cecil Bryne Gallery, 60 Broad St, Charleston, SC 29401

Coast, Art Center Morro Bay, CA. HK Holbein Award, 2016

www.viannaszabo.com AWARDS Pastel USA Annual Exhibition,

Night Falls on Charleston by Vianna Szabo

Pastel

Society of the West Coast, Art Center Morro

Bay,

Mor-

ro Bay, California.

The Pastel Society of America Award, 2018 2018 National Adirondack Watercolor Society Exhibition, The View, Old Forge,

New

York.

W.B. Romeling Memorial Fund Award, 2018 The Visual Arts Center

11th

Biennial

National Arts Exhibition. The Visual Arts Center, Punta Gorda, Florida.

Award

of Merit, 2018 American

Impres-

sionist Society 18 Annual Juried National

Exhibition,

Montgomery

Fine

Arts, Park City, Utah.

Award of Excellence in Pastel, 2017 Pastels USA Annual Exhibition,

Pastel

Society of the West Coast, A Sense of

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artists on their art

Daggi Wallace PSWC-DP, IAPS-EP, PSA-MP, PSSW

How would you describe your style?

My work falls in the category of contemporary realism not photo realism. Backgrounds are more simplified and they’re done in a loose style.

I often add the background after I’ve created the portrait. I don’t always have a specific plan so, I play around a little bit. Sometimes I render them in acrylic or inks with pastel over them.

What is your favorite medium and why?

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

Faces. Always faces since childhood. I never tire of the emotions I see on the human face. I love painting strong emotional work. I draw from photos more than I draw from life, but I start with a photo shoot and control the subject. I love to convey a moment in time. I don’t want to paint a pose. I’d rather capture a spontaneous moment.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or create a mood?

Both. Mood and story go hand-in-hand. Colors of light or beautiful faces draw you in. I love the imperfections of the human face. No two faces are the same, no face is absolutely perfect. This is what attracts me. I love the character and expression of emotional depth.

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Mostly pastels, but mixed media as well. Acrylics are used in the background frequently. Most recently I have been adding paint to the backside of the glass when framing which creates another layer and dimension. I underpaint with a unique technique using Liquitex acrylic inks and water.

On this underpainting, I layer pastels.

If you couldn’t paint what else would you do?

Draw. I would sculpt or do ceramics or fiber arts or writing. I love the quiet time of making things. Home staging also would appeal to me, and I do this occasionally. I teach art in my studio and have weekly classes and project driven classes. I do love teaching and would do this if I couldn’t paint.

artists on their art

Quiet Beauty IV by Daggi Wallace PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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Daggi Wallace

artists on their art

GALLERY RESPRESENTATION Marta Stafford Fine Art 200 Main Street Marble Falls, TX 78654 AWARDS: Gold Award, PSWC, 2018 First Place and Honorable Mention (plus cover image), Pastel Journal Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual Pastel 100 competition 2016, Honorable Mention in 2017 IAPS, Gold Award once, Silver twice I received my 12th Outstanding Pastel Award from the BoldBrush Painting Competition last October

Contributing member of PoetsArtists magazine

www.daggistudio.com

Eros As Our Guide by Daggi Wallace

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Resist by Daggi Wallace Surfacing II by Daggi Wallace

artists on their art

Kimberly Wurster PSWC, NPS

What draws you to the subject matter you paint?

My love of nature, specifically birds. I grew up on a farm in Montana and was surrounded by animals of all kinds. We often went for drives in the country to visit friends and relatives and my nose was always glued to the window, gazing at the magnificent scenery of western Montana.

Do you want your paintings to tell a story or capture a mood?

I think mood is what captures my attention first though I guess I’m telling a story based on a day in a bird’s (or deer or bee’s) life. Mood is what captures my attention in the work of other artists and I think that is what I am trying to convey with my paintings in general….how at peace I feel in Nature. It’s easy to breeze through Life with myriad things to do and we can end up missing the beauty right in front of us.

you do?

Representational. I do a LOT of editing. People often comment on the detail involved in my work. This is interesting to me as I am very much aware of the information I leave out.

Focus more on my music. I grew up playing the cello. Many members in my extended family are fine musicians, some jazz, others classical. I am not currently playing in a symphony but enjoy keeping my fingers in shape with wonderful local musicians from various backgrounds.

What is your favorite medium and why?

AWARDS

How would you describe your style?

Pastel, because it is so immediate. It allows for wonderful spontaneity and the edge control is endless.

It fits into my lifestyle very comfortably. I do enjoy working with watercolor and acrylic though and for years, watercolor was the only medium with which I painted.

Golden Bloomers (pastel) was selected as Runner Up in

If you couldn’t paint, what else would

Golden Bloomers won an Honorable Mention in the

Southwest Art Magazine’s Artistic Excellence, 2018.

Golden Bloomers was juried into the 32nd (2018) Annual Pastels USA International Open Exhibit, Morro Bay, CA. and while there, received the Judsons Art Outfitter & Guerrilla Painter Award.

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artists on their art

Handsome Lad by Kimberly Wurster

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artists on their art

The Wrentit

by Kimberly Wurster

Animal & Wildlife Category in the 20th Annual Pastel 100 Competition, 2018.

October Dream (watercolor) was awarded the Silver Medal by juror Ruth Armitage, in the 2017 Emerald Spring National Exhibition.

Handsome Lad received the Jack Richeson Bronze Award in the Pastels USA International Open Exhibition 2016 held in Morro Bay, California.

Autumn Tapestry was awarded the honor of Outstanding Pastel in the April 2015 BoldBrush Competition sponsored by FASO.

Autumn Tapestry was awarded the Daler-Rowney Award in the Pastel Society of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 43rd Annual Exhibition, Enduring Brilliance, 2015.

Finders, Keepers was selected as a Finalist in the Animal/Wildlife category of The Artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Magazine 32nd (2015) Annual Art Competition.

www.kimberlywurster.com

Autumn Tapestry by Kimberly Wurster

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State of the arts

“Building a Collection” continued from page 15 The point is that good documentation positively impacts not only dollar value, but also the ability to personally appreciate and understand a work of art.

If you know nothing about painting, for instance, you can only guess why it was created, what it means, where it’s been. If you know its entire history, you can appreciate far more deeply, and on a multitude of levels in addition to the purely visual.

If you’re one of those collectors who thinks you’ll always remember everything significant about every work of art in your collection and don’t need to physically sit down and assemble or record that information, think again. At some point, your collection will become so large, there’ll be simply too much to remember. Either that or time will take its toll on your memory and as the years pass, you’ll likely get worse and worse at recalling every single detail about works of art you acquired years or even decades ago.

cussed in any other way.

Don’t think you have to hide anything. Far too often, collectors throw away their original receipts or refuse to tell what they paid for their art, where they bought it, or what it’s previous ownership history was. Reasons usually sound like these-- “If people know what I paid, my art will be worth less” or “If they find out where it comes from, they’ll try to buy some themselves.” These things rarely happen. If you feel protective, don’t tell everything to anyone who asks, but at least document and save this information for release at some later date. Don’t lose it forever. Your descendants will thank you for saving it and passing it down, believe me.

Not only does good documentation tend to increase the value of art in both tangible and intangible ways, but the documents themselves can have value and that value can increase as well. Imagine if you had an original receipt from the sale of a Van Gogh painting that changed hands in the early 1900s, or a signed and inscribed photo of Picasso handing a collector a newly purchased painting. I’m in this end of the business and can tell you that either of these items would have significant value, likely well into the thousands of dollars. So here’s what you do:

good documentation positively impacts not only dollar value, but also the ability to personally appreciate and understand a work of art.

The good news is you can begin documenting at any time and even from a standing stop. Write down everything you can about the art you own, either from memory or by contacting the original sellers.

Include information like the following: •

Any stories the sellers tell you specifically relating to the art.

•

Details about the purchases including any memorable moments about making them.

•

What the art means or what its significance is, either according to the artist or to whomever sold it to you.

•

Biographical and career information about the artists.

•

How or why or any other information about how the art was made.

•

Save all receipts, certificates of authenticity and other relevant written or printed materials you receive with the art. Ask for as much of it as you can at the time of purchase.

•

Whenever possible, get descriptive written statements from artists, galleries or sellers when you buy art. If they won’t write something for you, have them tell you about the art and either write it down yourself or record or video them telling it to you.

•

Save and file all related books, exhibit catalogues, gallery brochures, reviews, web pages and so on.

•

Whenever possible, photograph the artists who

When the art dates from.

Whether any pieces have ever been exhibited in public, at galleries, written about or featured or dis74

•

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State of the arts

you collect, have them sign or inscribe catalogues, receipts or gallery invitations for you.

This information is easy to get, fun to get, it brings you closer to your art, and it often only takes a few moments at the point of purchase. Over time, however, those few moments pay big dividends.

Another distinguishing feature of a superior collection is that it’s organized. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end-- just like any good museum exhibition. This goes back to posing the problem and then using the collection to map out the solution. Take the previous example of the “history of abstract painting in Southern California.” This collection can be organized in many ways including by date, by artist, by style, or by location. Or you can get even more specific. Within a topic as narrow as this, there are all kinds of subtopics:

um or the show, you have printed, oral or recorded guided tours that explain the way each show is organized.

Now you don’t have to go so far as to physically re-arrange your house and print up a catalogue. Everything can still be displayed right where it looks its best. But organize it in your mind. Be able to walk someone through and tell them the story of how and why you’ve come to own all this wonderful art and how it works so well together.

This increases not only their enjoyment, but it also reinforces your chosen direction and your future buying. Additional benefits to organizing your collection are that you can see where you’ve been, where you’re going, where you have duplication, where you’re weak, what you’re missing, what no longer makes the grade, and what you have to do to resolve any problems.

It’s not much different from your kids putting together all the baseball cards of their favorite teams to complete their collections.

Countless works of art have been resold for pennies on the dollar, given away, or even thrown in the trash because the owners kept little or no records and left no instructions on what to do with it.

•

Abstract painting in Los Angeles organized by date.

•

Abstract painting in Southern California between 1950 and 1970.

•

Geometric abstract painting in Southern California.

•

Abstract painting in Southern California by immigrant artists.

•

Abstract paintings in Southern California that are no larger than 12 by 16 inches.

Or you can narrow it further yet. How about a collection of abstracts painted by Southern California artists that have titles relating to the ocean or coast?

The possibilities for formulating and presenting a collection are limited only by your own imagination.

The easiest way to get the hang of organizing is to go to museums. Here you see the work of professional organizers-- also known as curators. Museum shows always have starting points; they always have ending points. What happens in between the two is that viewers learn something about that particular type and grouping of art. Depending on the muse-

The final step in good collecting is not the most delightful one to talk about, but it is among the most necessary, and that is to plan for future owners-whether they be museums, institutions, family members, friends or complete and total strangers.

You’d be surprised how many collectors never say a word to anyone and just think everyone automatically knows everything they’ve been doing all these years. This is never the case! Think about all the people you’ve met who own family heirlooms that they know little or nothing about because no one ever told them. “That’s the painting that hung over the sofa while I was growing up and it belonged to my grandmother. That’s all I know.”

The worst possible outcome for a collection occurs when the owner passes away leaving no information about the art, how much it’s worth, how to care for it, or how to sell or donate it. Countless works of art have been resold for pennies on the dollar, given PSWC Magazine |Winter 2019

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State of the arts

away, or even thrown in the trash because the owners kept little or no records and left no instructions on what to do with it.

I remember receiving a call one day from a hauler who said he had some art in a storage space and wanted me to come down and have a look. He mentioned the name of the artist who I immediately recognized as a well known San Francisco Bay Area painter. It turned out that the hauler had been asked to cart away 5 major paintings by this artist which, at that time, were worth between 30 and 50 thousand dollars in total. The owners had simply thrown them out. And these were only a few of the treasures that this hauler had accumulated over the years absolutely free of charge, rescued directly out of people’s trash. In fact, he’d been paid to take them away!

The lesson in all this is that collectors, no matter how large or small their collections, should provide a complete list of options and instructions for those who’ll inherit their art. These include names, addresses, phone numbers, procedures, dollar values, and all other particulars for selling or donating as well as for dispersal within the family.

By the way, simple appraisals with no further instructions are never enough. In fact, they often create more trouble than good. For example, appraisals done for insurance or replacement purposes often state dollar values that are more than the art is reasonably worth in a selling situation. The inheritors fixate on these values, have no idea what they mean, assume that’s what they can sell the art for, and end up spending months or years beating their heads against the wall trying to sell it, getting nowhere, and deciding that all buyers are out to take advantage.

So cover all bases by providing insurance or replace76

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ment appraisals should your descendants decide to keep the art. Also include realistic wholesale or “fair market value” appraisals should they decide to sell it. And don’t forget those instructions-- who to call, where to go, what to do. You don’t want them at the mercy of whatever names they randomly Google up on the Internet.

If you expect to have any influence over the long term future of your collection, lay the groundwork beginning right now. Educate your family about what you own. Instill a love and respect for what you’ve accomplished and accumulated all these years. Make sure those close to you are aware of your art’s value and significance. Make sure they understand how important it is to you. You can’t control the ultimate outcome, but at least you can have your say and know you’ve done your best to collect like a pro.

Alan Bamberger, is an art consultant, advisor, author, and independent appraiser specializing in research, appraisal, and all business and market aspects of original works of art, artist manuscript materials, art-related documents, and art reference books. He is the author if The Art of Buying Art: How to Buy Art Like a Professional Collector. He has been selling art since 1979 and rare and scholarly art reference books since 1982, and has been consulting, advising and appraising for artists, galleries, businesses, organizations and collectors since 1985.

Need consulting on the direction of your collection?

Email alanb@artbusiness.com or call 415.931.7875 Published with permission from Alan Bamberger. The above is a substantially revised and updated version of a talk originally given to the Friends of the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Art Workshops

Art Workshops Aaron Schuerr

Fresh and Direct Landscape Painting in Pastel Dates: Aug 26–28, 2019

SPONSORED WORKSHOP

Class times: 9:00am–4:00pm Tuition: $450 Level: All Levels Class Limit: 15 Get ready to explore the California coast with award winning artist Aaron Schuerr.

Find “the story” in the landscape and paint it in a way that is direct, simple, fresh, and honest. Engage in fun exercises designed to focus on value, color, and shape. From that foundation, you’ll explore edges, atmospheric perspective, color and shape relationships, composition, and mood. Most importantly you’ll learn to paint with greater intention. Through demonstrations, group discussions, composition walks, painting exercises, and plenty of individual instruction, you will learn to approach the landscape in enthusiasm and confidence. This workshop is open to pastel and oil, but the focus will be on pastel work.

Carmel Visual Arts | Barnyard Shopping Village | 3694 The Barnyard, F22,Carmel, CA 93923 |Studio Line: (831) 250-5732

www.carmelvisualarts.com/aaron/

Be sure to look for Aaron Schuerr’s selection of landscape pastels from Jack Richeson & Company. Eighty gorgeous colors--have Aaron sign the box at class!

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Art Workshops

Liz Haywood Sullivan

SPONSORED WORKSHOP

Painting Brilliant Skies & Water Medium: Soft pastel Duration: 4 days Dates : May 2-5 2019 Class times: 9:00 - 4:00 with a break for lunch

Location: Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S High Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472 Tuition: $495 Level: Intermediate/advanced Class size: max 18/min 10

The sky is the most emotional aspect of any landscape

how water behaves when calm and when moving, water

painting. It sets the mood, time of day and the attitude

in the dramatic seascape, how to use aerial perspective

of the painting. In this workshop with internationally ac-

principles in water to create distance, seeing and painting

claimed artist, instructor, and author Liz Haywood-Sulli-

correct values, plus much more.

van, we will explore how to capture the character of the sky, from sunny and bright to moody with precipitation, from early day to brilliant evening. Work on techniques for clear skies and creating believable clouds.

We will also explore the intricacies of painting water and reflections in pastel. We will use underpainting to assist the development of the layers of transparency found in water. Topics to be covered include depicting reflections,

Each day will start with a demonstration and there will be plenty of daily individual instruction at your easel.

Liz Haywood-Sullivan, PSA-MP, IAPS/MC, is a representational artist specializing in pastel landscapes. She is President Emerita of the International Association of Pastel Societies (2013-2017) where she managed 3 international conventions and 12 international exhibitions. https://www.creativeescapeworkshops.com/liz-haywood-sullivan.html

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The Pastel Society of the West Coastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premier Event

Southwest Art Magazine Award Combs and Senility by Parag Borse

Wakeham/Sutherland Award Homeward Bound by Renay Shaffer

PSWC Best of Show Award Alys by Nancy MacDonald

Deadline to to enter enter Deadline is is March 17th, 17th, 2019 2019 March SUBMIT YOUR YOUR SUBMIT ENTRY!!!

ENTRY!!!

The 33nd Annual International Open Exhibition

May 16, 2019 - July 14. 2019 Haggin Museum Stockton, California 80

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