Blogtoberfest 2013

Today is the first day of Blogtoberfest and is being hosted by Michelle Reynolds on her blog Shells in the Bush. I'm so excited to participate in a group blog-a-thon. My intention for the next 31 days is to share with you exploration of ideas and observations I create using paint, paper, and whatever else I find to use in my art making.

Finding Ideas in a Frying Pan

The idea I'm playing around with now started a few days ago when I was sautéing some mushrooms that my husband had cut up. For some reason, he cut one of them differently and seeing one of these slices in the pan sparked an idea that I had to explore. I started off using gouache (opaque watercolor) and charcoal in Exploration #1 and ended up layering images of painted tracing paper onto a larger image in Exploration #4.

Sautéed Mushrooms Exploration #1 by Karen Phillips

Sautéed Mushrooms Exploration #4 by Karen Phillips

Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

Ok. This is an addiction that I have. I fully admit it. I love painting on this paper. And not just any kind of way. Oh no, this is a full-on, let-it flow kind of thing. No preplanning involved. It's about making a mark followed by another and following whatever my inner impulse (voice) says to do.

I've got lots of these sitting in a portfolio. I used gouache (think of it as opaque watercolor) on many of them. Often I do two and three at a time. While there are times when I use this a warm up exercise, the majority were done because I just love painting on this paper. 

The paper is very absorbent and not very forgiving. If I use a lot of water, I have to be careful not to scrub too hard with my brush because it will disintegrate.

More to come...here kitty, kitty!

Loosening Up!

Loosen Up Circles by Karen Phillips

Taking time to loosen up my imagination. I've been working on a series of paintings involving circles and wanted to explore incorporating making marks with various drawing materials. Lots of fun!

Art-Fix: Tough Love: Why You Should Stop Asking People to "Like" Your Facebook Page.

How are you using your Facebook page? To be popular with a lot of "likes" or to truly communicate about your art? Kesha Bruce writes a "Tough Love" post on her blog Art-Fix.

Art-Fix: Tough Love: Why You Should Stop Asking People to "Like" Your Facebook Page.

Kudzu Art Zone Call for Art

Kudzu Art Zone OPEN Juried Exhibit 2013

June 4 to July 27, 2013

Entry Deadline: May 17, 2013

Prospectus: http://www.kudzuartzone.org/uploads/dbmisc/116.pdf

Kudzu Art Zone is inviting all Georgia artists working in two-dimensional and three-dimensional media to participate in our 2013 Open Juried Exhibit. More than $2,000 in cash and merchandise will be awarded.

Open Juried Exhibit 2013...

The Kudzu Art Zone Open Juried Exhibit is open to all artists 18 years of age and older. Artists must be able to hand deliver artwork to KAZ.

KAZ will consider two-dimensional and three-dimensional media for this exhibit. All artwork must be original; no preprinted or computer generated images will be accepted. Artwork must have been completed within the last two years and not previously exhibited in any KAZ show.

Show Juried by Larry Walker...

Larry Walker will be our juror.  Mr. Walker’s career spans 50+ years and includes an extensive exhibition record: more than 200 invitational and juried group presentations and sixty solo exhibitions in galleries, museums and art centers in various parts of the country.

Entry Information...

Visit our website for the complete prospectus, submission requirements, and entry form.

Exhibition Calendar…

May 17, 2013	Deadline to receive entries
May 29, 2013	Artist notifications
June 7, 8, & 9, 2013	Hand deliver work
June 14, 2013	Show Opens
June 17–20, 2013	Lynn Wiesbach’s Visual Journey to Better Paintings Workshop
June 21, 2013	Reception and Awards Presentation
July 27, 2013	Pick up artwork

HOT GROG HOLIDAY ART SALE - Dec 1st

Sneak peak: Come see one of my newest art pieces at Hot Grog Holiday Art Sale tomorrow.

Newest landscape by Karen Phillips

Here's info on the event:

HOT GROG HOLIDAY ART SALE

UNIQUE, BEAUTIFUL & AFFORDABLE HOLIDAY GIFTS

CREATED WITH LOVE, HUMOR AND IMAGINATION*

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2012

 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

AT THE HOME OF LESLY AND MATT

234 MELROSE AVENUE IN DECATUR

(404) 377-3749

HOT GROG (& other beverages) and DELECTABLES

OUR ARTISTS:

TAYLOR ST. CLAIR  

CAPES, SCARVES, BABY/CHILDREN'S BLANKETS, HANDMADE CARDS, INTERIOR/EXTERIOR USABLE SCUPTURES

Taylor is an actress (UPSIDE, a film she has a supporting role in has recently been released on Netflix), artist and retired Art teacher. She has been in Atlanta since 1975 and currently lives in Avondale Estates with her husband, George Nikas and Shorn the DOG.

LESLY FREDMAN

GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR CREATIVITY COACHING, PLAYSHOPS & IMPROVISATION CLASSES

Lesly has her own creativity coaching service, Presence, and is the Managing & Artistic Director of Theatre on the Prowl.  

MATT HUFFMAN

FRAMED COLLAGES AND ART CARDS

Matt is a self-taught two-dimensional artist who also writes and delivers the satirical Cold News during the Cold Soup Dinner Theatre season.

DONNA RUTHERFORD

THE FIRST COLD SOUP DINNER THEATRE RECIPE STORY BOOK (along with Nibbles and a sample or 2 from the Recipe Book).

"Places! Curtain! Soup!" Donna, Cold Soup Kitchen Goddess, performer and author, will be available to autograph copies of the First Edition recipe story books.

VIRGINIA SHADRON  (DEER HAVEN CRAFTS)

FIRE STARTERS, LAVENDAR/ROSE/CEDAR SACHETS, FUN FLEECE SCARVES, WOOL WRAPS, ONE-OF-A-KIND FELTED BAGS.  

Little Chicken and her crew are in their second year of craft-making and reside in Stone Mountain.

NANCY LEWIS PEGEL

FUN & COLORFUL, SCENTED AND UNSCENTED GEL CANDLES IN ECLECTIC HOLDERS

Nancy is a music promoter by day in her own company – Brilliant Productions - and creator of colorful, whimsical, and good smelling candles and soaps by night on legendary Melrose Avenue in Decatur.

BETTY THOMPSON

ORIGINAL ALL-OCCASION CARDS

Designed in her mind by Betty, who has cerebral palsy, the cards are drawn by artist friends after conversations about her concept and put together by her manager, Patty Hutton, with the help of other friends. Betty lives in the Oakhurst community.

KAREN PHILLIPS

SMALL COLORFUL PAINTINGS ON PAPER AND CANVAS

People want to touch Karen's paintings to get a sense of what it is they are seing. She uses acrylic paints and other materials to convey her ideas--ignited by color, texture and nature. Karen lives in Lake Claire with her husband, Wayne Darcey.

AMY FILIPEK ****FIRST TIME AT HOT GROG****

ONE-OF-A-KIND CUSTOM JEWELRY MADE WITH SWAROVKI CRYSTALS, SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES & METALS INCLUDING 14 KARAT GOLD-FILLED AND STERLING SILVER FINDINGS

As a comedian and former night club DJ, vivacious Amy brings the playful, whimsical side of her personality to her creations.

*Please be prepared to pay each artist separately.

Question: can artists be too commercial?

I recently read differing opinions on this topic and wonder what your take is on this topic.
Too commercial? Artbiz blog