March 16—April 16, 2018 Join us for both of our evening receptions: March 16 and April 6, 5-8 pm. All art involves an artist taking up some media and transforming it into a new form or image that comes from their vision and imagination. Artists take many different types of materials and give them a thorough and dramatic change in form or appearance wherein it undergoes a radical transformation to become a piece of art. Some artists start with a lump of clay or precious stones and metal. They take these materials and mold them into beautiful bits of sculptural art. Other artists begin with a blank piece of paper and by using paints, inks, or photography create an image no one else has created before. Artists transform what most people see as ordinary into something extraordinary, unique to their way of seeing the world. “Transformation” is a gallery show that looks at the journey of three local artists and the materials they use in their creative process. Julia L. Wright, long known for her feather masks and jewelry, has been expanding her artistic palette to incorporate nature photography. As she hikes she takes images along the trail. Then back at home she transforms those photos into kaleidoscopic digital art. Jerry Rhodes starts with clay and transforms it into dramatic vessels and sculptures. His raku work incorporates disparate concepts and elements drawn from a global, temporal, and cultural palate into harmonious designs. Ace McCasland’s jewelry has a rustic, eclectic, industrial feel and for this show she is considering how seeds transform into plants as diverse as grass and trees. Using ancient metal-smith techniques she strives to create modern, one-of-a-kind designs. Julia L. Wright Talk a little about yourself Creating art in many forms has been the basis of my life starting with theatre when I built sets and directed others in High School and college. I created a variety of art using a myriad of fibers. Feathers were added to many of my art creations, and I am best known for creating feather masks and other artful accessories using feathers and found objects. I have taken thousands of photographs on my hikes and in many gardens. About five years ago started using my realistic nature and other photos to illustrate my books and journals. And some of them got a bit twisted to fit into the idea I was trying to illustrate. About 2 years ago, I “fell down a rabbit hole of creativity” using my Nature photographs to create abstract, kaleidoscopic and mandala style images. I find a little part of a Nature photo and by playing with it in on the computer; I transform it into a totally different type of image. What does making art mean to you? When I am in my studio or sitting at my computer, I get totally lost in the process and my imagination can run pretty wild thinking about how to take the materials at hand and create something totally unique and fun. Taking photos on my hikes always has my creative juices flowing. I enjoy watching people try to imagine how I went beyond a simple Nature photograph when looking at my artwork. I am constantly looking for some new way to use the images I begin with to create a bit of awe and wonder when someone sees the finished art. What inspires you in your art? Nature is my most powerful inspiration. When hiking or passing a beautiful garden, I often stop to take in the amazingly beautiful natural creations that surround me. A driftwood stump or a rock formation or a bit of moss can be as enticing to my eye as a beautiful wildflower. Each one makes my heart sing and my spirit soar with joy when I take the time to really look at the beauty others pass by each day without noticing it. I realize there are hundreds of people who take beautiful Nature photographs, so I wanted to do something a little bit different with mine. I really enjoy finding a hidden piece of a Nature photo to twist and turn into a totally unsuspected image. Watching people look deeply into the images and point out to friends what they see and get a conversation going about that image is a joy to watch. Walk us through your production process. I take lots and lots of pictures on a hike or in a garden, and then sort through them to find which ones will work for various types of art projects I may be working on. Sitting at the computer, I will crop out extraneous objects for a book illustration or to use in a deck of cards. The real fun comes when I see a piece I want to play with to create a mandala or kaleidoscopic or surrealistic abstract image. Each one of these can take hours and many twists and turns, and sometimes changes to the coloration, to get to the place I feel satisfied with the final image. What reaction do you want to achieve in the public looking at and buying your artwork? I want people to look deeply into each of the abstracted photographs use their imagination to discover images within them. I want people to use their imaginations and discover a myriad of images within each image. I enjoy asking if they can see the starting image or if it just all melts into one new piece of art. What is your recent favorite piece? And why? I have had lots of fun creating these images. I do hope some will inspire others to gain an appreciation for Nature and this beautiful planet we live on. But more than that, to let their imagination run wild when looking at stump or rock formation or a bit of moss and see a fantasy creature that may inspire a poem or story to tell their children. I think my most favorite surrealistic image I have in this show is the “Magic Mushrooms Reflected in the Aspen Pond”. What a great hike that was! Actually, hidden in this image is a reflection of my shadow, very hard to see. The magical feeling of the golden Aspen leaves floating on the water still evokes a feeling of joy I felt on that hike walking through the autumn splendor in silence only broken by the wind and the cry of birds. Here are two sets of images: Each one has the original image, then the cropped piece I used and the final image that will be at the show. Both came from this hike and have Aspen leaves in them, but from different ponds. Both use most of the original image, but the “Magic Mushrooms“ image has many more twists and changes to it. The little piece of driftwood looked like he was praying or looking up on wonder. So “Prayer Circle” came about as a kaleidoscopic image. Where can we find your work? 1. Web sites: www.commonwheel.com http://julial-wright.pixels.com/ https://www.hierographicsbooksllc.com My books are also on Amazon https://www.etsy.com/shop/Fantafaces And I usually have 2-3 images showing in the Manitou Art Center member Gallery and at Commonwheel Artists Co-op. Jerry Rhodes In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself I think it was 1995 or 1996 when I went to a Renaissance Festival and saw these hand-made beer steins that I really liked. I was too cheap to buy them, and I was convinced that they were probably really easy to make. How hard could that be, right?! So I decided to go to a craft center and teach myself to throw pottery. After many, many years, I amassed a garage full of ashtrays, flower pots, and a few artistic pieces that were kind of ok. I decided to take some pieces to galleries in Santa Fe, Taos, Denver, and around Colorado Springs, and the owners actually consigned a few--so that's how it started. I still consider pottery a bad hobby I got into, and I STILL haven't made a good set of beer steins. What does making art mean to you? I've never really philosophized deeply about what my art means to me. I don't try to make socio-political statements with my work. I don't feel I need to create an homage to any genre, trend, style, or palate (although I do favor Raku). I don't try to emulate famous artists. I don't care that my technique is all wrong. I don't have an insatiable urge to create...I just like make pots. The ultimate satisfaction for me is pulling a piece out of the kiln and saying, "Yeah, that's ok. I like that one." What has inspired you for this show? My inspiration for this show was forgetting that I signed up months ago to do it, and then panicking and trying to get a bunch of pieces done at the last minute. For this show specifically, tell us about your process. The process is pretty straight forward: throw the pot, trim the pot, bisque fire the pot, glaze the pot, Raku-fire the pot, hope it doesn't break during any of the steps above. I've posted a few "Befores-and-Afters" on Facebook. What emotions do you want to explore in the public looking at your artwork? I'd hope that others looking at my work don't try to overanalyze it or look for profound meaning. If you like a particular piece, great. If you think it's crap, that's great, too. What is your favorite piece for sale at this event? And why? I think my favorite pieces, for now, are the Sagar-fired Bonsai tree pots. They're not quite where I want them to be stylistically yet, but the technique offers an almost limitless variety of experimental approaches. Where can we find your work? I have a website that I haven't updated in years: www.jerryrhodespottery.com, and galleries in Charleston, San Francisco, New York, Golden & Manitou, and a few other places. Ace McCasland In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. we are all seeking, exploring, wondering, dreaming... after years of adventuring and wandering the western landscape, I’ve begun to express these experiences with a variety of artistic mediums. being an avid traveler, I am especially drawn to art you can easily take with you, and even better, wear. My jewelry designs are earthy yet industrial, eclectic, and unpretentious, often incorporating materials that challenge preconceptions of what is 'valuable'. I experiment with unusual techniques such as hammering annealed metal against concrete or railroad track or melting scraps of leftover silver into a ring band, for a truly unique texture. I create my own chains, jump rings, ear wires, clasps, and much more, finishing each unique piece with heavy oxidation, buffed slightly for highlights, to create an archaeological 'freshly unearthed' creation. I work intuitively, so each day I enter the studio, I rarely know what is going to happen, but the opportunity to elevate something common into something precious is a challenge I look forward to each time, and often surprise myself with the results. What does making art mean to you? My work can be described as 'wild-crafted metal': inspired by the wild, crafted by hand, incorporating the exquisite textures and patina of metal with minerals, gemstones, found objects, and organic material. My creations embrace personal adornment as small sculpture that is worn upon, and interacts directly with, the body. I seek to create an abstract story with my art, as jewelry especially becomes intimate and expressive for the wearer, in turn becoming a part of their own story. What has inspired you for this show? For this show, “Transformation”, I am exploring the idea of change, of alchemy, of growth. The tiniest capsule of a seed holds the most profound and exquisite example of transformation, able to alter itself into a simple blade of grass, or a stately redwood tree. This thought has inspired organic pieces evocative of that moment when a seed first sprouts, that moment of unrealized potential, when slender tendrils reach passionately and determinedly toward the sky. Other pieces are simply inspired by the transformative process of changing raw and often recycled or found materials into wearable pieces of art for the body. For this show specifically, tell us about your process. I have included a process photo collage that documents the transformation of raw materials, in this case scrap silver, into a ring band: first the scrap is laid out onto a charcoal block, then fire is applied, melting the bits to each other without completely melting it into a shapeless blob. I take this strip and hammer, file, edit, and shape, ultimately forming a ring band. After studying the shape and potential negative space, I may discover a natural spot to place a gemstone, here, a warm glowing citrine is placed into a hand fabricated prong setting, then the piece is complete. What do you hope people to experience when looking at your artwork?
Jewelry is an exquisite medium that allows one to wear art that directly interacts with the body. Jewelry becomes personal and expressive for the wearer and becomes a part of their own story. To be able to create a piece of jewelry that becomes so intimate and meaningful for someone is extremely gratifying as an artist. I often ask the viewer or the wearer to step outside of their comfort zone. Push the limits, bend the rules, poke at the ideals of perfection. I do not seek to express flawlessness, I seek authenticity. I seek the truth within the layers. I seek the nitty gritty, the weathered, the worn, the discarded, the overlooked. We all have rough edges we try so hard to conceal. I choose to reveal those flaws, to embrace the ragged, the wild, the raw. It is in these moments of pushing our own limits, we will discover ourselves. What is your favorite piece for sale at this event? to be determined...... possibly meaning it hasn't been made yet... ha! Where can we find your work: website, social media, local stores. www.studiolunaverde.com www.instagram.com/studiolunaverde www.facebook.com/studiolunaverde Locally, my work can be found at: Poor Richard's Downtown (320 North Tejon) G44 Gallery (1785 S. 8th Street)
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A Colorado native I grew up 14 years in Montana but returned to Colorado to become the 1st female park ranger in Colorado Springs for 30 years. Now retired, I focus on my passion to create my own expressions in art. My strongest interests and influences have always been in old-world cultures, ethnic art and my connection to nature. I’ve been a member of Commonwheel 17 1/2 years. Art has always been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’ve been an active artist for around 35 years. I feel very lucky to have had a career I loved and am now able to focus full time on my art. My art is a driving passion that makes my heart beat and feeds my soul. To create something that brings joy and happiness to myself and others is such a reward. Creating something that someone else wants to have in their life says it all. Art can also be wonderful therapy for both the artist and the recipient of one’s work. Right now, I’m working on my wall hearts and some funny Valentine VooDoo dolls that will make you laugh. I’m also working on some pieces for upcoming found object and a garden shows that will be at Commonwheel this year. We set out to surround Valentines Day and the idea of “love” with a show that will encompass the whole month of February. We put out an open call to artists to submit images of their art that finished the phrase “Love and . . .” and had over a dozen artists respond. Their work is as varied as their answers to the 3 questions we recently posed to them: 1. What prompted the art you submitted for this gallery show? What was your inspiration? 2. How long have you been working with the type of art you submitted? 3. Tell us a little about yourself. Cheryl Lafon 1. What prompted the art you submitted for this gallery show? What was your inspiration? “Love and finding the perfect partner” is my painting of two sea otters from the Carmel area of California. I also submitted a painting of owls. They are all babies and best friends. “Love and your best friends.” This was painted with a batik method of watercolor on rice paper. 2. How long have you been working with the type of art you submitted? 10 years 3. Tell us a little about yourself. I'm a retired from 20 plus years in Newspaper Marketing in three newspapers all over the West. I started in sculpture but turned to watercolor. I love the medium. Susan Tormoen 1. The inspiration for my painting was a photo I took of my 5-year-old grandson and his best friends at his birthday party. 2. I have been doing pastels for many years but seldom do people. 3. I am an 82-year-old artist that works in pastel and oil primarily. I also do some tapestry weaving. Molly Harris 1. My inspiration was a long-term love interest and the understanding of myself and others that I have derived/am deriving from the experience. 2. I have been making oil paintings on wood panels for about ten years, and I have been making drawings on antique music paper for about 7 years. 3. I am a self-taught artist, native to Colorado Springs. I love exploring different artistic styles and different mediums, which seem non-cohesive at the outset, but will eventually coalesce into a cohesive body of work. Sometimes it takes years for the pieces to fit themselves into place. Abraham Eisenstein hear we go, from out of the blue, as deep as a metaphorical mirror, hello to you ...scents of inspiration, vintage two 'n' too! paint with words, left to right, love of 'rite, soft and tight, 'rythmatic of script sculpture the big picture plus... in the oddest place, in the artist place tonight, turning 'rite up yore alley in left field, oceanic mountainous clouds the roof of you're cellar from thirty-four into approximately seventy... thirty six years in a wilderness of golden would essence 'n' petrified woulds, pondering the deeper significance of invisible by day in sight of night... ...retired after 19 years at CMHS, 2005 taught seniors psychology, sociology, gradually becoming psychosocial movement of hearty heady grew up in NYC, came thru Ellis Island at the age of one, 1949 MA applied Economics, QC ... finished doctorate course work at SUNY at Stony Brook in theoretical Economics hitched from London to Jerusalem, nine weeks receiving teaching assistantships at both institutions ten years of in tense karate training, 3 national team kata awards, junior instructor invited to train in Japan, JKA for a summer Columbia University for graduate work, a year of Sports Psychology, NLP taught at NY Institute of Technology, Queensboro CC, George Washington HS (math) Colorado ... thank you, dream well Suzi Reaves Suzi’s work is described as “Love and Health and Beauty” 1. I was prompted to enter this gallery show because I create porcelain essential oil necklaces, which celebrate the heart and love. They are worn with love of self because they have a purpose. The necklaces are infused with thieves oil to promote good health, well-being and self-care. The necklaces are given with love to show affection for the recipient. They are beautiful and have the bonus of keeping the wearer feeling well. Whether giving the essential oil necklace as a gift or gifting it to yourself, you are showing love and joy. 2. I have been a ceramic artist since my first pottery class in 1973. Clay hooked me and I won’t let go. It is a sensuous media and brings me joy to work with it. I create my pieces by hand, fire it in a kiln then decorate each piece, making each ceramic creation a work of love. 3. I studied ceramics the first time I went to college in the 70’s. I had a minor degree in art and have always worked in it. I married, had a family and needed something to give us health insurance and to work towards a retirement so I joined the U.S. Navy in 1990. Fast forward twenty-three years and I had earned a retirement. My family was grown and I was a disabled veteran, though not enough to keep me from doing art. I took my G.I. Bill and went back to college, this time earning my Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in ceramics. I have been happily creating with clay since. Julia Wright 1. My Love of Nature and seeing how disrespectful people have become when caring for the environment in recent years, the quote about who this planet belongs to has been posted around my home for a long time. The photograph I took of a man holding his child pointing off into the distance/future sitting on the grass became something to play with digitally and place them in a more nature filled setting. This image then seemed to be the perfect illustration for that quote. The other images were inspired by Shawn Gallaway's song "I Choose Love" that I have listened to for many years. The idea of the choice between Love or Fear; or Peace and War; Sunshine or a Storm; Laughter or Tears . . . the answer to all those questions is "I Choose Love." The pairing of dragonflies or black swans or a Squirrel with its hand on its heart inside a heart illustrates that choice for me. 2. I have been taking photos on my hikes or in gardens for most of my adult life. Started using them in wall art about 2 years ago and in my books for about 5 years. Sometimes I use them as they naturally appear, other times I play with them more in Photoshop to give them a more abstract or painted look. 3. I have had a respect and love of the natural world all of my life and became involved in the arts when I worked behind the scenes in theater in High School. In College I started working with fibers and going to art festivals and selling in galleries. I am mostly known for my feather masks and jewelry pieces. I began writing books about 5 years ago and they needed illustrations. Most of them are illustrated with my photographs, some I do find elsewhere. The photographic digital art was an easy progression to another level of art to play in with my Nature photos. Using them as they appear naturally works sometimes, but I "fell down a rabbit hole of creativity" and began to manipulate them in a graphic program in ways to add interest. Some feel like you are looking through a kaleidoscope or at a mandala, others are purely abstractions and all invite you to look deeper to find fantastic forms or creatures within each picture. The ones in this show have some manipulation to gain the effect of the focus creature offering love in some form or another to each other or the viewer. Shirley Paterson For me, the theme “Love and…” immediately brought to mind—fabric! Fabric presents endless possibilities of color, pattern, texture, as well as cultural connections and family, personal and emotional ties. Fabric communicates, even without words. I have been sewing for nearly 50 years, beginning with outdoor equipment kits and homemaking items. I am a past president of Piecing Partners Quilt Guild in Colorado Springs, and have participated in a number of shows through the years. I gravitate toward simple fabric combinations, in hopes of taking advantage of the materials to create something both pleasing and useful. I grew up in Boulder, and graduated from Colorado College (1972). I worked in a clinical psychology office for many years, while my husband owned a construction company. We have two grown daughters and two grandsons, and have lived on Colorado Springs’ west side for over four decades. I find the activity of designing and creating sewn items to be stimulating and calming at the same time – also addictive! Thanks for the opportunity to share some of my creations with you. Ben Bires 1. Being new to Colorado, I wanted to show my gratitude for our surrounding scenery here at the Front Range. Taking walks through these open spaces in nature is my inspiration. I fell in love with the contrast between the bold colors of the red rocks clashing against Colorado’s blue skies. 2. Within the last year, I have found an appreciation for the versatility of acrylics. I began painting with oils almost a decade ago and for many years, I used watercolors to capture my traveling experiences into landscape paintings. This approach involves a gel medium retarder that slows down the drying process allowing me to treat parts of the painting like oils. 3. I grew up in a small town in Western Pennsylvania and spent most of my childhood exploring the outdoors. I attended Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a BFA in 2014. Three years prior, while in college, a collaborative camping trip with the Art and Geology Departments changed everything for me when we drove across the country in a van to South Dakota’s Badlands National Park. Traveling out West a total of four times since visiting the Badlands convinced me to move before my roots became too deep. During the summer of 2016, halfway in my twenties, I left home with my other half, Liv, and moved to Colorado Springs. After the first month of getting settled, we found our first dog to adopt, Fin. They make my life a whole lot better. I enjoy listening to music with a good beer and great company. You might see me at the dog park or at a local pub. Dalton Martin 1. The photographs that I entered were part of the final project in the Photography II course at CSU-Pueblo. Students were required to enter 3 juried exhibitions, so when I found the information on "Love and....", I thought it would be a great way to show individual work. Art is all around us, but we pass by it every day without noticing because we don't stop, look up, look around, or take the time to appreciate the details and creations around us. 2. This is my second semester college course in photography, so I am new to this art form.
3. I was born in San Diego, California, and moved to Pueblo in 2000 at the age of five. I live with my parents and two dogs, and family is very important to me. I have always enjoyed drawing and have the dream to work in the animation industry. I am pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from CSU-Pueblo and enjoy learning and experiencing the various art forms. My favorite art form is drawing, but I have also enjoyed the courses in painting and ceramics. I also enjoy movies, Gundam models, Anime, and Marvel comics. Laura Miller Maddox Love and Reflection (digital photography on canvas) My are is a meditation presented within a 2-dimensional space. Each digital image I create embodies a unique energy guided through the camera’s lens. “Love and Reflection” evokes memories of a lived past transcending time and space. I believe such memories become treasures of the heart. Julia Wright is a long-time member of Commonwheel Artists Co-op, and our first Artist of the Month for 2018. That means that you get a 10% discount on Julia’s art during January 2018. (In-store purchases only.) Julia will be part of a gallery show this March along with Jerry Rhodes and Ace McCaasland. We asked Julia a few questions. Below are her responses. Talk a little about yourself Creating art in many forms has been the basis of my life starting with theater when I built sets and directed others in High School and college. I created macramé costumes for a traveling troupe and very unique wall pieces, in which incorporated found objects. Next, I began to weave natural and hand-dyed wools into some of the macramé pieces and built my version of an Indian Rug Loom to create abstract woven wall art. Feathers have always been part of my art creations. I created mandala style feather wall hangings, and then discovered the concept of making masks with feathers when Manitou held a Mardi Gras celebration many years ago. What fun that was and still is! Creating earrings, hair clips, and pendants was a natural progression to creating artful accessories using feathers and found objects. I have taken thousands of photographs on my hikes and in many gardens. For about five years started using my realistic nature and other photos to illustrate my books and journals. And most recently, I began to use my realistic photographs to create different types of decks of cards for children and adults. About 2 years ago, I “fell down a rabbit hole of creativity” using them to create abstract, kaleidoscopic and mandala style images by taking a little part of a Nature photo and playing with it in PhotoShop. Currently these can only be seen online and in gallery shows. What does making art mean to you? When I am in my studio or sitting at my computer, I get totally lost in the process and my imagination can run pretty wild thinking about how to take the materials at hand and create something totally unique and fun. It uplifts my spirit to honor the beauty of the feathers used in my masks and jewelry and glorify Nature in various artful ways. I love watching people try to imagine how I went beyond what others did with fibers and feathers, and now photos when looking at my artwork. Working in my feather studio or on a computer or taking photos on my hikes always has my creative juices flowing. I am constantly looking for some new way to use the materials at hand to create a bit of awe and wonder when someone sees the finished art. What inspires you in your art? (Are you currently exploring new themes, techniques, color palette, ideas, etc.?) Relating to Feathers: Currently I am inspired to use up as many of the various unique types of feathers hanging around in my studio. Time to be a bit more adventurous when creating masks for Carnivale. For the holidays, including the upcoming Valentines Day, I created some larger pendants with some very fun shiny found objects to dress up even the simplest of dresses. Relating to Photography: Nature is my most powerful inspiration. When hiking or passing a beautiful garden, I often stop to take in the amazingly beautiful natural creations that surround me. A driftwood stump or a rock formation or a bit of moss can be as enticing to my eye as a beautiful wildflower. Each one makes my heart sing and my spirit soar with joy when I take the time to really look at the beauty others pass by each day without noticing it. I realize there are hundreds of people who take beautiful Nature photographs, so I wanted to do something a little bit different with mine. I really enjoy finding a hidden piece of a Nature photo to twist and turn into a totally unsuspected image. Watching people look deeply into the images and point out to friends what they see and get a conversation going about that image is a joy to watch. The idea of using my Nature photos for card decks for children started with the idea of making Flash Cards, but morphed into something totally different. I have seen too many instances of how little respect people have for the natural world and can only hope that by showing how beautiful and fragile wildflowers can be starting with a card game that might inspire more kids to get out and search for them and find other reasons to respect their natural surroundings. Walk us through your production process. Relating to Feathers: Whether I am creating a feather mask or a piece of jewelry or a wall piece, I first need to clip all the down off the feathers I will be using. For the feather earrings, hairclips and especially for the pendants, I have to lay out the feathers to be sure they will conform to the proper shape. When using pheasant feathers with patterns, the patterns and coloration can change very quickly on each pelt, so I need to be careful to have enough of each pattern to finish a piece properly. I enjoy adding found objects to the pendants and sometimes to the hairclips to give them a bit more interest. Masks are the most playful feathery creations I make. I believe that each one will find a face to cover and inspire the person wearing it to allow their inner child or alter ego to come out and dance and play in ways they normally wouldn’t think about doing unmasked. Manitou Springs has a Carnivale Celebration where people get into costume for the parade and playing all day. A FantaFaces mask is the perfect beginning, or ending for creating your costume for that fun day or any other masked event you might attend. (Ed. Note: Carnivale will be held on February 10, 2018.) Relating to Photography: So, I take lots of pictures on a hike or in a garden, then sort through them to find which ones will work for which type of art project. Sitting at the computer, I will crop out extraneous objects for a book illustration or to use in a deck of cards. The real fun comes when I see a piece I want to play with to create a mandala or kaleidoscopic or abstract image. Each one of these can take hours and many twists and turns, and sometimes changes to the coloration, to get to the place I feel satisfied with the final image. What emotions/reactions/thoughts do you want to cause/explore/achieve on the public looking at and buying your artwork? Relating to Feathers: When someone puts on a mask, they are transformed. I have seen a dancer become a bird flitting around a crowded art festival or others take on a sinister stance and begin to sneak around the gallery. Almost everyone who puts on a mask connects to something deep inside himself or herself that wants to come out and play. Sometimes a mask will bring out a darker side to a person, but usually it brings out the child inside or some fantasy creature they long to become for a short time. Relating to Photography, Books, and Cards: I want people to look deeply into each of the abstracted photographs using their imagination to discover images within them. I want people to use their imaginations and discover a myriad of images within each image. I enjoy asking if they can see the starting image or if it just all melts into one new piece of art. The books I have written have very practical advice and have come from my own experiences. Essential Oils basically saved my life a couple of times. And seeing the huge amount of waste from the Commonwheel Art Festival diverted from the landfill each year is a joy to me, and all the volunteers who helped accomplish that. So, I created a book to help others learn how to recycle and compost at their events. My journals are based on specific themes, but they are not just “blank books”. They have practical advice in the introductions and some photographs related to the journal’s subject. Each one has prompts for a person to fill in the blanks relating to that prompt. And there are extra pages to use to write more about their dreams or their hiking and camping adventures. Some have pages to sketch on or color in heart designs. What is your recent favorite piece? And why? Relating to Feathers: I love working with parrot and macaw feathers. They are so brilliantly colorful that they lend themselves to creating very dramatic masks. There is one that is all green feathers would make the perfect mask to create a costume such as Green Man or a garden fairy. Relating to Photography: I have had lots of fun creating card decks using my nature photographs. The ones for children that have the names of Colorado Wildflowers and can be used to play games such as “Go Find a Wildflower” or “Memory” are my most favorite new works. I hope they will be used to get more children interacting with friends and family, while learning how to identify Colorado wildflowers. And perhaps inspire them to want to go hiking and step away from the TV and computer for a while to gain an appreciation for Nature and this beautiful planet they live on. I think my most favorite photographic mandala is the tree standing on a rock proclaiming it will survive. Every time I see a tree growing out of a rock, I can relate to its determination to survive in the most challenging of conditions. Where can we find your work: website, social media, local stores. Web sites: https://www.commonwheel.com/julia-wright.html https://www.commonwheel.com/store/c49/Julia_Wright.html http://julial-wright.pixels.com/ https://www.hierographicsbooksllc.com My books are also on Amazon https://www.etsy.com/shop/Fantafaces And then there is the Art Festival. I came to Manitou Springs in 1975 to participate in the Commonwheel Labor Day Art Festival. In January of 1976, I moved here and joined Commonwheel Artists Co-op. That summer I helped coordinate the three art festivals. By the end of that year, I was the main coordinator and have been for most of the following years. Thankfully, we reduced the number of art festivals from three to just one. I helped these festivals change and grow, starting as we did as a group of hippies who loved and respected hand-crafted art, to a more businesslike venture. It has always only allowed artwork created and shown by the artists at the Art Festival. Local musicians play at the festival to add to the creative atmosphere. Over the last nine years, volunteers have worked hard to make it a very sustainable event by diverting up to 80% of its waste away from the landfill by sorting out compostable and recyclable items. Each year the artwork displayed has become more and more exciting to see, making it the premiere art festival in the Pikes Peak region. I get to use my creative talents to create the ads for this event that often are brought by people looking to find the artwork of various artists being shown at the Art Festival. Compiled by Juanita Canzoneri Here are a few more of the artists ad products we have included in our Holiday Market this year. Ellen & Steve Johnson of Colorado Crème, LLC Colorado Crème was created out of desperation. Moving from humid Florida to semi-arid Colorado made my skin rebel. I couldn’t find an effective moisturizer that worked without being greasy, so I began to make my own. It took about a year of tinkering with my formula, but I came up with something I liked. Amazingly, it cured my chronic eczema! Now my skin is silky and soft, and the effect lasts all day! No more cracked fingers in the winter! I use only natural ingredients and essential oils—no perfumes or irritating chemicals. I gave my creme as gifts, my friends raved about it, and Colorado Crème was born I suppose you could consider making skincare an art! It brings me joy and reaffirms my purpose for Colorado Crème when something I've made, whether it's a lotion, creme, or lip balm, meets another person's desperate need. We all know the struggle of staying hydrated in Colorado, and skin issues can be so annoying and embarrassing to live with. A high point this year was when my dermatologist bought creme from me at a fair! When I'm creating a formula for a product, I first think about who my customer for it will be; who has the need this item will fill? (Quite often it's me or people like me!) Then, I will research the ingredients I'm interested in and find out what their properties are and what kind of skin they work best for. Next, I experiment with formulas until I've created what I'm looking for. After that comes a testing period; I want to make sure I like what I've created and that it does what I want it to. I'll design a label, write a description of it, and launch it at a craft fair or on my website, and the rest is up to my customers. The emotion I want to generate is relief and confidence. “At last! A lotion that really works for me! I don't have to be dry and flaky anymore.” or “My embarrassing rash is gone!” or “Yay! No more greasiness!” or “This creme works and I know it's safe for me.” Tom Mizik I got started carving because I was looking for reasonably priced woodcarvings but had no luck. So being a DIYer, I tried it and got a little better at it over time. So 25 years and more than a thousand pieces later, here I am. Creating a piece is an escape for me. I can forget about chores and concentrate on liberating a bird from its surrounding chunk of wood. The steps involved in creating a piece include a trip to the mountains to locate naturally weathered bases to mount them on. Not all are artistically equal, but I gather everything that MIGHT work. To get views from all angles, especially that always difficult under the tail look, Google Images is a must. (Painters have it easy). So, cut out the profile on a bandsaw, round out the body, flatten the tail, sand all marks out, draw color lines, paint, and then several coats of polyurethane. What I want people to notice when seeing my art for the first time are the realistic shapes, the colors, and the contrast between the weathered base and a very glossy bird. I love the look on faces when they walk by and just smile and sometimes stare at that one bird that may have a special meaning to them. Ramona Lapsley I have been a printmaker at the Manitou Art Center for many years but am also a full-time art teacher at Mountainside Elementary. I have been interested in art from about the age of eight and come from a family with support for creativity. I have the best job as both artist and art teacher with children who love and crave art experiences. I love printmaking because of the processes as well as the fact that you can make one or multiple prints. I love linoleum printing and the carving process. I love the bold graphic quality of lino's. Making printed cards means that they can be shared or framed. I want people to be able to afford and collect original art so my prices are low so there is something for everyone. I usually have a sketch ready approximately the size of my prints in my sketchbook. I draw the design on the linoleum with a sharpie and then heat up the block. I use 2-3 carving tools to carve out the white spaces on the surface. Then I roll black ink onto the surface with a brayer. I then place the block and paper onto the block and run it through the printing press. I use a variety of commercial and handmade papers. I would like to make original art accessible to all. I hope that people value one of a kind and the handmade art and craft and that their dollars really do encourage and support the heart and soul of an artist. Compiled by Juanita Canzoneri Our annual Holiday Market opens this Friday. We asked all of this year’s participants a few questions to help you get to know them a little better. So, let us introduce you to a few of this year’s artists. Connie Lorig In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. I'm a native of Colorado Springs and 41-year Manitou resident. I've been a jewelry artist for more than 30 years and am primarily self-taught. In 2010 I began experimenting and fell in love with mixed metal cold connections. I work primarily in copper and brass with accents of pewter, silver, niobium, iron, and any other fun metals I can find. I love vintage brass and copper pieces, and often incorporate them in my work. What does making art mean to you? Connie Lorig: Making art takes me from one world to another. I seldom know exactly what I'm going to make when I walk into my studio, but I do know that my creative side will unlock and it's time to play. For this show specifically, tell us about your process—walk us through the steps of your flowing creativity to achieve one of your works. Connie Lorig: My Holiday Market ornaments are made from bronze and copper metal clay. I found or created textures and molds that fit the theme: stars, trees, crosses, etc. I hand molded or carved the clay to fit the form, let the clay dry, decorated and sanded the piece if needed and then fired it in my kiln. After firing, all the pieces were polished. Some were then patinated and re-polished. David Smith In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. I am a retired Air Force pilot living in Colorado Springs and I currently fly for Southwest Airlines. I got started building mosaic tile tables in 2009 after my wife bought one at a craft fair. I looked at the table, said I can do that and my hobby was born. I added trays and wall art a few years ago. I normally try to paint a scene on my tables or I do custom work. Some of the scenes I try to replicate from what I see from my cockpit window! What does making art mean to you? I really enjoy the challenge of producing the perfect piece for my customers. It is wonderful to see the expressions on their faces as they see their table, tray or wall art for the first time. I am proud to produce a piece of art that is also functional. As a rule I do not cut the tile, but instead use a hammer to break the tile into pieces and like a jig saw puzzle lay the scene out. Obviously for some of the more complex scenes I do use a tile saw. I have about 30 plastic shoe boxes with pieces of tile in them and many other boxes of glass and specialty tile in my garage For this show specifically, tell us about your process—walk us through the steps of your flowing creativity to achieve one of your works. For the trays I try to find nice trays and then picture what kind and color scheme of tile will make the trays uniquely beautiful. Juanita Canzoneri In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. I’ve been working in mosaics since 2001 and in the fiber arts since I was a child. I’ve seen evidence of a strong correlation between the 2 media in other mosaic artists and have long sought out a way of combining my fiber work with my glass mosaics. What does making art mean to you? I’ve been a maker all my life but for me “art” specifically connotes beauty along with any functionality or utilitarianism. Art evokes emotion, and, for me, emotion evokes touch. So, my work must be able to be touched. For this show specifically, tell us about your process—walk us through the steps of your flowing creativity to achieve one of your works. In thinking on how to create “wintery” or holiday art my first thought was to crochet snowflakes out of a very fine cotton thread. Then the task became figuring out what matrix would work best to solidify this fine work. Through trial and error, I hit upon encasing my fiber pieces in clear acrylic resin. It’s a new material for me and I’m still learning my way through the process, but I’m very excited about the results so far. What emotions/reactions/thoughts do you want to cause/explore/achieve on the public looking at your artwork? With all my little pieces I strive to evoke a feeling of fun, of joy, and a way to brighten up a dull corner or unused space. Michael Baum In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. I started life on the road. My first home was a travel trailer journeying across the heartland of the nation. I think this is where I first fell in love with the landscape and the natural world. I've been on that journey my entire life. I studied fine art and anthropology at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, earning a bachelor of fine art degree. My real education began when I journeyed west to Colorado. I’ve been exploring the West almost forty years and barely scratched the surface. I’ve been painting it almost as long and feel like I’m just getting started. The beauty of light playing across the land goes beyond the visual and digs deep into the soul. I work in my studio in Manitou Springs and get out on the road as often as possible, still journeying. What does making art mean to you? Making art is the way I respond to the world. It’s the way I communicate with the world. It’s what I give back to the world. For this show specifically, tell us about your process—walk us through the steps of your flowing creativity to achieve one of your works. I produce these giclée prints from original oil paintings. In my painting I want to convey my experience in the western landscape—not just the purely visual, but also the feel of a place, how it digs deep into the heart and soul. I want the viewer to experience what I experienced, to have the thoughts and questions I had. I do most of my work in the studio and occasionally painting on site in the landscape. I spend a lot of time gathering images of places that speak to me, both locally and on road trips I take across the Southwest. I don’t just take photos. I take in as much of the environment as I can. Not just how it looks, but how it feels. How does the earth smell? Is there a breeze? What do I hear? What do I feel in this place? Is it lonely? Is it energizing? Is it welcoming? Mysterious? All of this goes with me back to the studio where I try to visually express it in a painting. A key to this is light. Light not only carries the image to our eyes, but delivers the other dimensions of the experience as well. For the whimsical pieces I drop the photo altogether and create the entire image in my mind, but always based on actual experience. A successful painting is one that delivers a total experience. Teri Rowan In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. My father gave me the gift of a camera when I was six years old. From then on, I was hooked. That little Kodak Instamatic went everywhere I did. In 1993, years on down the line, I began formal training, and soon the student became teacher and artist. Over time I have won awards and worn many hats: dark room technician, studio photographer, tutor in digital art, gallery director and curator. Lastly, and most happily, artist. I find inspiration in many places, in nature, but also song lyrics, books I read, poetry, films and everyday life. I have two series that are currently in production. The first is based a woman’s body metamorphizing into other forms, the second is a fantasy landscape series that features my native Colorado. The most popular images contain parts of the burn scars from the Hayman and Black Forest Fires. Recently I’ve started printing on metal. I am a long way away from the darkroom these days. My work can be found "live" in Commonwheel Artist Co-op, in Manitou Springs, Colorado, where I am a member. What does making art mean to you? It is my way of expressing my inner self. Whether you are looking at a fantasy world of burned trees or a magical mermaid. This is who I am. For this show specifically, tell us about your process—walk us through the steps of your flowing creativity to achieve one of your works. I created, “A Winter’s Tale”, for Holiday Market. I knew what photo shoot I wanted to use, as I wanted to embody Colorado, as well of the feeling of Winter. It was a matter of selecting the right image and then going from there. I turned a day scene into evening and added the magic of snow, a crescent moon, some crystalline eruptions, and a snow hare. The photo was originally shot in Black Forest looking towards the mountains. What emotions/reactions/thoughts do you want to cause/explore/achieve on the public looking at your artwork? When I look at, “A Winter’s Tale”, it brings to me a sense of stillness and peace, as well as a bit of the magic of this time of year. Art is subjective. I don’t create pieces with the hopes of causing a certain response. The viewer will feel something related to their own personal experiences. Sabine Wachs “The process of taking sheets of colored glass and transforming them into an art piece - big or small, simple or elaborate - is deeply satisfying to me. Stained glass magically changes the atmosphere of any room by filtering and softening harsh light through color and texture. It invites the eye to rest and enjoy a moment of peace and reflection. For the holidays I have created glass pieces that express the spirit of the season and add to a festive mood.”
For this year’s Holiday Market Sabine is creating a number of glass ornaments as well as fused glass earrings and necklaces. by Leti Wesolowski, blog contributor Artist’s Reception, Friday, October 20, 5-8 pm Show ends November 12th “Playing with fire” is a joint show between Laura McCracken, Josie Quick, and Karen Simkiss opening October 20th at our Creekside Gallery. The three artists have created their own artwork using heat (or fire) as their main forming element. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist Laura McCracken does fused glass and her unique artwork is created by cutting and layering glass over molds, then fusing them together by heat in a kiln. Different temperatures and several firings create a variety of textures and forms that Laura uses in her decorative mosaic wall panels, coral webs, and other kiln-formed glass pieces. How did you get interested in glass and how long have you been doing it? I taught elementary art for 20 years (17 at Manitou Springs Elementary). I have been showing and selling my art since 1999. It has always been important to me to be a working and showing artist, as a positive example to my students. I have been working in glass since 2008. What does making art mean to you? Art is my solace. I work through trying times by working within the comfort of my studio. The studio is where I find quiet, away from the busyness and noise of the world. I find joy in trying new techniques and developing my knowledge in the medium of glass. What has inspired you for this show? For me, "Playing with Fire" is a celebration and triumph over setback. After overcoming injury, I cherish the simple things in life. I have rebuilt my life around my art-making. Tell us about your fused glass process and the steps you take to achieve one of your works. Fused glass is a process that involves cutting glass cold, layering, and heating in a kiln. Various heat levels produce differing results. I find comfort in the repetition of glass cutting. I move from thoughts grounded in reality to a daydream when working. This is a moving meditation of sorts, my creative flow. What emotions or reactions do you want to cause on the public looking at your artwork? I enjoy watching people move closer in to inspect my artwork; to look at how it's made or displayed. I feel that glass holds energy. It has a presence that is visually seductive. What is your favorite piece for sale at this event? And why? The series: "While Away..." is a trio that represents my recovery from injury and getting back into the activities that bring me joy. Picture attached: "Along the Path" Where can people find more of your work? www.lauramccrackenglass.com www.etsy.com/market/GlassMarvel www.facebook.com/LauraMcCrackenGlassArt www.instagram.com/lauramccrackenglass Laura is currently a member artist at The Bridge Gallery, Colorado Springs, and 40 West, Lakewood. More of her artwork can be seen displayed at Pure Colorado Event Center, Lakewood and at the Holiday show of the Center for the Arts in Evergreen, CO. Josie Quick is not only a professional violin player but a skilled ceramic artist creating signature Zen pots inspired by primitive art. Josie: tell us about yourself and your artistic career. How long have you been doing ceramics? I have been interested in art my entire life. I would always rather draw than do my schoolwork. I would dig the clay out of the irrigation ditch and make pots. I was torn between a career as a graphic designer or musician, and I chose music. I am professional violinist, I teach, freelance, and perform with my jazz ensemble, Perpetual Motion. I am also working on a CD project with another band, The Coyote Poets of the Universe. I think what drew me to throwing clay is the rhythm of it. I can hear the music of it in my head, they align for me. I don’t like to listen to music while I work, I’d rather listen to what’s in my head. I’ve been working with clay for close to 25 years, and making my “zen pots” for around 20. What has inspired you for this show? I call my work “zen pots” because creating them is meditative, I enter a state of zen when working on them. One needs to be centered in order to center the clay. If I am scattered, not present in the moment, not mindful, I can’t center the clay. So the act of centering puts me in that meditative state, and I carry it through when doing the hand building portion. The designs have no plan, they are created in the moment. It’s a way of practicing mindfulness. What does making art mean to you? I often create my designs as a way of working through something, very often it’s grief. Many of my stamps represent people or events to me, and when I am missing my parents I make a pot in their memory. The hand building is my therapy. Walk us through the steps of your flowing creativity to achieve one of your “Zen pots”. There are many aspects of making (them) that I love. One is the combination of throwing and hand building, I start them by throwing a mold on the wheel, paying particular attention to the shape of the inside of the pot. This is tricky, and has taken me a long time to refine the shape. Most pottery tools are designed for shaping the outside, and I’ve made a few of my own tools specifically for shaping the inside. After the mold has dried to the leather hard stage I roll out slabs of clay and use my handmade stamps to make impressions. My stamps are all of my own design, usually of animals but I have a few flowers and leaves. I use stylized images, like what might be found in primitive art. I place the slabs inside the mold, and fill in the spaces in between with coils, creating geometric designs. After I have finished filling in all the spaces I peel the mold off, leaving the hand built pot. This part is fun, it’s like discovering an archaeological dig. Then I throw the top portion and attach it. I use classic vase shapes. I enjoy the juxtaposition of thrown and hand built, classical and primitive, refined and rough. What intentions or emotions do you want to express in your artwork for this show? I am always on the lookout for inspiration, in art and in music. I love primitive art, and look for designs in African and South American cultures for ideas. I look for geometric patters and ideas and stamp ideas everywhere. My work for this show has been an extension of finding new patterns to use, new stamps to make, and refining the blending of classic forms and the primitive look of the slab and coil work. I also like to branch out and try new things from time to time. There are a few pieces that are not zen pots, sometimes I need to do something else and come back. Keeps me engaged. What is your favorite piece for sale at this event? And why? It’s so very hard to choose favorite pot. They all have an emotional connection for me. This blue turtle pot has been in my living room for a while, so I can enjoy it before parting with it. I was a leap forward for me in terms of a refined shape, and I love the color. Where can we find your work: website, social media, local stores. My Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/PotteryByJosie and my website is www.josiequick.com Karen Simkiss is a retired art teacher who has taught many different subjects such as photography, print-making, drawing and painting. Currently she is focusing in encaustics, a process that consists of painting with wax, pigment and heat. Karen, tell us a little bit about yourself and your artistic career. As a young child I had a neighbor who was a professional artist. I have many memories of sitting watching him work. I felt his talent was magic and I wanted to be able to draw like Joey. Saturday mornings was always a problem…I would get up to watch John Nagy “Learn to Draw” and my brother and sisters wanted to watch cartoons. I cannot remember a time I did not want to be an artist. My dad started me in private lessons in 3rd grade and it went on from there. I attended El Camino College, California College of Arts and Crafts, and California State College at Dominguez Hills. We moved to Colorado in 1978, I raised two boys and finally graduated from UCCS. I have taught private lessons for 40 years. I have also taught at Bemis School of Art, UCCS and for the last 14 years at St. Mary’s High School. As I was the only art teacher at St. Mary’s I taught everything and my own work reflects that. I am currently working in Encaustic. I incorporate painting, collage and drawing in most of my current work. Printmaking, handmade paper and photography also work their way in to many of my pieces. What does making art mean to you? I retired this year and someone asked me if I was also going to retire from art? I cannot imagine what life would be like without art. As I always try to teach my students that art is a way of seeing and a way of living. It isn’t always about the finished product. It is more about the process of looking at life and being so awed by everything around you, you have to respond in some way. What has inspired you for this show? The work for this show is primarily inspiration from my life here in Colorado. I live in the mountains and spend much of my time outside working in my garden or hiking. The work in this show is reflective of the concept that nothing is simple and there are always layers to every story. I am trying not to focus so much on details but on the layers and colors that build the story. While I am not working in a new technique or theme, I try to make each piece an experiment with the medium. My latest challenge is adding drawing to different layers of the painting. Walk us through the steps to achieve one of your encaustic works. I fell in love with encaustic when I saw the work in a show. It is so rewarding to work with. You need to be a “process person” to enjoy the medium because it does take a lot of work and patience. Encaustic paint is a beeswax based medium. You heat together the wax and resin to make the basic medium. Then you add pigment to create your color pallet. I have 2 large hot plates on which I keep my waxes hot while painting. No matter how quick you move, the waxes start to cool as you apply it and leaves you with a lumpy surface. This is where the magic happens. I use a heat gun or a torch to reheat the wax and let it settle and bond with the other layers of wax. Depending on how close you hold the heat to the surface you can control the movement of the wax. In many cases you do not want the wax to actually move so you place the heat farther from the surface to slowly bond the layers together. One painting may have anywhere from four to ten layers of wax. The transparency of the wax allows the under paintings to show through. After the wax has completely cooled I polish the surface to a glass like finish. What intentions or emotions do you want to express in your artwork?
The encaustic medium is so beautiful to look at. I try to create work that you cannot just walk past. The surface draws you into the work and then you notice all the layers that underlie that surface. What is your favorite piece for sale at this event and why? For this show all my pieces were started with a map. My favorite piece in this show is “Parakeets and Love”. I started with a map and then waxed down my photo of two parakeets as a starting point. The Dalia is the flower of love and was painted in many layers with dried grasses over the basic collage. The depth of the wax and the collaged pieces created different surfaces and I believe adds interest to the piece. Did you enjoy this post? Leave as a comment and let us know! We’d love to hear from you! Want more local art news delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Commonwheel newsletter here. By Leti Wesolowski, contributor Commonwheel member Sarah Stevens is a Colorado Springs art teacher and jeweler. Originally from Pennsylvania, she spent her childhood playing outdoors and doing anything creative as drawing, painting, building things, writing and putting on her own plays. She studied visual and performing arts in high school and was a fine art major in college with a focus on drawing and painting. In the early nineties she moved to Colorado to work for the Boys and Girls Clubs, which made her realize that teaching art was a great fit for her. She gained a teaching degree from The Colorado College and has been teaching art in Monument, CO and, for the past 12 years, Colorado Springs. Today she has her own studio where she produces one of a kind jewelry pieces both modern and organic, mixing metals, textures and a style full of personality. What is your first memory of creating something with your own hands? How long have you been making jewelry? My first specific memory of making something with my hands was in the beginning of Kindergarten. I remember very vividly my teacher Mrs. Wilkenson teaching me how to thread a needle, make a knot, and sew a sock puppet. I share this when I am teaching my high school classes to sew in art class. From then on, I remember drawing, painting, crafts all of the time, music, theater, writing. I didn't begin making jewelry until 2008. I took a class from my now best friend. Where do you get inspiration? I get inspiration from looking at other artists' work. Sometimes I find a box of random materials and it gives me an idea for a project. Sometimes, I find myself on a creative streak and I just start to see things differently. Walk us through the steps to create one of your pieces. When I make a piece of jewelry or a painting, I usually have a semi-plan in mind when I start. I am very drawn to texture, so I usually start there. I like order, so whether 2D or 3D, I arrange elements in an organized, right-angle-sort-of-way. I am big on finishing techniques, liking things to look rustic or worn. What is your favorite piece you’ve ever made? What is the story behind it? I sometimes forget about pieces I have made in the past. I might see a photo and say "Oh, wow, I don't remember doing that,” but it gets me thinking. I suppose one [favorite piece] might be this painting I did last summer. This painting was done as a gift for our pastor who was moving to California. The painting is full of symbolism—numbers, colors, quotes, mementos, all very personal to those involved. References to the mountains and ocean, a window-like essence, a tribute to the blue skies of Colorado and the sand of the beach, a shape that rises up from its base. What is your proudest achievement? One thing I have accomplished that I am most proud of is sharing my abilities with students. I have had my art displayed, won awards, sold pieces, been in the paper, but my favorite triumph is getting kids turned on to art and leading them to a place where they feel like their art is important, relevant, and can make a difference in the world. Do you have a favorite artist that you admire or follow? Frida Kahlo is my favorite artist from history for her bravery, strength, and abilities. The modern artist I most admire might be Banksy for his social statements and "anonymous" approach. For style, my favorites are Diebenkorn, Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns. What are you currently working on? Is there anything new in the shop that you are very excited about? I am working on a new series that involves more movement and small parts. I think I will be making more rings than I have before. What’s next for you?
I am taking two painting classes in oil painting this fall. I am also planning on a new series in jewelry and am doing a ceramics project for our winter Marketplace. Did you enjoy this post? Leave as a comment and let us know! We’d love to hear from you! Want more local art news delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Commonwheel newsletter here. "Through the Looking Glass" features digital art, photography, and sculpture inspired by Fiction, Fairy tales and Mythology. This show will be in our gallery from September 15 through October 16, 2017 Artists contributing to the show include, in no particular order, Teri Rowan, Julia Wright, Kelly Green, Adriana Carlson, Joan MacDonald, Marica Hefti, Claudia Dimidik, Deborah Hager, Steve Becker, and Brianna Oliver. Here are some questions put to them by our regular blog writer, Leti Wesolowski. As the juror and curator for “Through the Looking Glass”, Teri, what was your inspiration for the theme behind the show? Teri Rowan: In addition to being an artist, I am an avid reader. I often get inspiration for a piece, or series of images, from a book. Some writers are very visual, and have the special gift of bringing their words to life in my mind, and from there the creative process takes off. I chose the title, “Through the Looking Glass”, not only as a play on “Alice in Wonderland” but because in taking a photograph one, quite literally, looks through a glass (lens). My images are inspired by myth and fairytale. “The Keep” is inspired by Rapunzel and all the maidens and crones alike trapped in a tower, figuratively or literally. “Siren Song” – Based on the legend of the Sirens’ call and their pull on man. “The Neon Mermaid” "Balios and Xanthos”, Two immortal horses of Greek legend What did you envision when you applied for this show, “Through the Looking Glass”? How does your artwork fit in with the theme? Julia Wright: I see dragons, fairies, and mythical creatures hiding in tree bark and rock formations that I capture in my nature photography when hiking. Often when I begin to manipulate them in Photoshop, they magically appear. I thought it would be fun to share these, mostly unseen creatures, with more people. A couple of years ago, when I began my journey into creating abstract images from my photos, I stated that I had fallen down the rabbit hole of creativity, which aligns with the theme of going through a Looking Glass into a world beyond our normal reality. What books / authors have inspired your pieces? Joan MacDonald: The fairytale images are based on the Cinderella story in Tales of Grimm and Andersen. It is a Grimm Brothers version of Cinderella that was used as a basis for my series of images and my book. I rewrote the Cinderella story with the twist that it was Cinderella’s talent that was noticed, not her beauty. I created etchings that illustrated the story, and called the book, “Cinderella Revisited”. What type of work / media are you submitting for the show? Adriana Carlson: My artwork in the show is photographic. I submitted the first few photos in my young adult fantasy novel, “The Story Weaver Chronicles - Penelope and the Hob King”. My novel is about a young women who crosses the North Sea to bring stories back to a world who has forgotten them. I was inspired by the Greek myth Prometheus. Describe your artwork and the process you followed to design it? What is unique about it? Julia Wright says: I take small sections of a nature photograph and manipulate it in Photoshop. When I see an image that intrigues me, I may stop after one bit of twisting and dive deeper and take another section to play with and see where that takes me. Most of these images appeared in the first transformation of a section of a photograph. Some have a bit of color manipulation added to the process. Describe your artwork and the process you followed to design it? What is different/special/unique about it? Steve Becker: I've been making pottery for the past 10 years. I've been dabbling in photography since college and in digital photography for about 10 years as well. When I took photos of my pottery, I was fascinated by the color variations and details that are visible in the glaze under bright light. A few years ago, I started taking close-up photos of interesting glaze patterns on my pots and then playing with the images on the computer. I found I was able to enhance the color and contrast to get some interesting patterns. I invested in a macro lens and have since spent countless hours exploring the space where glazes meet, break, or run and even more time manipulating those images to get them to match my imagination. For the image editing, I use freeware software tools like GIMP, Paint.NET and Picassa on my windows PC. How long have you been creating this type of artwork? Marica Hefti: (contributing her terracotta and bronzes as a 3D tie in with the theme) I used to work with DAS to create the originals for my bronze sculpture. That means I have worked with it about 50 years! Inspired by the Chinese terracotta warriors and the Toltee clay vessels and sculpture, I’ve wanted to work in terracotta for even longer, but only started to do it about 25 years ago, when I got tired of bronze. Merlin and Nimue in DAS and Terra Cotta, protagonists of Authurian legend. What effect/emotion/thoughts do you expect to achieve from the public? Claudia Dimidik: To connect with the piece and to remember that we all, at one time, had story books come to life, dreams that seemed real and an imagination that allowed us to think the impossible was possible. Kelly Green’s artwork follows the storybook/”Alice” theme very well. As do Kelly’s 3-D creations! Briana Oliver says: For the show I'm submitting a photograph. It was taken on Phantom Canyon Road in between Penrose and Colorado Springs on a hot summer day and the tunnel was a nice cool escape from The Heat. I've been doing photography for over 10 years professionally but this show is definitely out of my comfort zone, meaning that I don't usually do imaginative things. I usually have straight-laced landscape photography so this was an adventure for me! Deborah Hager In 2008 I went back to school to finish my B.F.A. I took several photography and digital art classes, I really enjoyed learning Photoshop and working in layers and found that my ceramic subject matter and Photo Shop subjects influenced each other. In Photoshop, I worked in layers then erased areas meticulously to reveal what was beneath. In 2009 we went to Europe and I found the butterfly collection in Oxford, the batter from Greece and the arch form from London, I made several different collections using those photos from my travels. The picture of the boy and reflection is one of my favorites. The title is “Wonder”, to me that represents the hope that we all keep beside us as we age that amazing wonder that we had as children. For me the “Wonder” piece is how I feel about being an artist there is always a delight to discover something new and know that somehow you have channeled something deep within that is larger than you. Other snippets from the creators… Adriana Carlson says: I’m obsessed with stories, I love listening to them, I love creating them, I love the layers and the details. I love the richness of creating a world. I want to evoke wonder. Steve Becker says: On books and authors that have inspired his art. Many years of reading heroic adventures by Tolkien, Moorcock, Asimov, Silverberg, McCaffrey, Cherryh, Herbert, Martin, Eddings, etc. Teri Rowan says: I’m not sure my artwork fits neatly into a little box. The colors I use tend towards the vivid and bold, these days. The landscapes I create are fantasy driven and surreal, as are my figurative pieces. But, I do have softer, quieter pieces that are usually nature-centric. For this show I leaned heavily on mythology and fantasy. I hope everyone enjoys what I’ve put together. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I put out the call for artists, with such a focused theme. I’m happy that I got an eclectic mix that blends well together. Did you enjoy this post? Leave as a comment and let us know! We’d love to hear from you! Want more local art news delivered to your inbox? Sign up for Commonwheel newsletter here. By Leti Wesolowski, contributor Born in rural Michigan, George started painting and drawing as a child. He entered and won numerous awards in local competitions and helped finance college with pen and ink greeting cards of his hometown’s historic landmarks and some advertisements in newspapers. He graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Packaging and Logistics, and since then he has done a wide range of jobs from engineering to production planning to his present one, operation leadership. Today he lives in Colorado Springs with his wife and both spend their free time doing outdoor activities such as hiking, rock climbing, back country skiing and fly fishing. He is passionate about painting his personal impressions gathered during their travels. 1. How long have you been a painter? I have been a painter since I was a small child. My two older brothers and I were always interested in painting and drawing. 2. What does inspire you to paint? Outdoor topics inspire me. I don't really need much inspiration to paint. If I have some time after work or on a weekend and I'm not outside I paint. 3. Is there any other hobby that you enjoy? I ski in the winter and fly fish, hike and mountain bike in the summer. I also like reading and home renovations. 4. What is your preferred medium today? Right now I'm into oil (paintings). I have done pastel and water color in the past. 5. Walk us through the steps to create one of your paintings. I usually start with a photo that my wife or I take on hikes or travels. First, I prime the canvas, usually with a warm color. I may use a pencil or brush to line out the key shapes, then put in dark and mid tones. Next, I work from the background forward and fill in the blanks trying to create atmospheric depth and layers. Last, I add the final highlights where the sun splashes of surfaces. 6. What is your favorite painting to this date? I don't really have a favorite piece (but) I really like some of the Garden of the Gods paintings I've been doing because they are so close to home and familiar. I just finished a painting of a trail … with a bunch of black-eyed Susan's growing along side. My wife took the photo when she was hiking with our dog. 7. What is your proudest achievement as an artist? My proudest achievement is probably progressing my work and making the recent jump into displaying and selling in Commonwheel Artist Co-op. My wife motivated me to apply to galleries because my basement was full of paintings and she thought other people may like them. 8. What’s next on your plans? I'm going to start a marketing campaign, make a web page and start marketing on social media. Outside of that, I would like to start doing some larger paintings. Visit our Commonwheel Artist Co-op store to receive 10% off all George’s paintings and postcards through the whole month of September (in-store sales only).
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Juanita Canzoneri
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