shattered summer 2014
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Summer 2014
Volume 1, Issue 2New work, first look
Studio Insider: Glass grinders
Art Junkie: Juli Adams
On the worktable …
Is ANY venue a GOOD venue?
MusingsI have always loved summer. As a child, I thought of summer asa time when everything slowed down – there was time enoughfor everything. Sleeping until the sun in my eyes woke me,swimming in the lake by our house, riding my bike, cookouts andkickball were the only things on the agenda. Most nights werespent in a pup tent in the backyard listening to the frogs andcrickets. That's still what I think of when I think of summer.
But then I had a family, and that laid back way of enjoyingsummer disappeared. Play dates, soccer practice, baseball gamesand visits to Grandma kept us on the go almost constantly. Iremember thinking I would be glad when they went back toschool so I could sit down for an uninterrupted hour!
Now the kids are grown and moved away, and summer could belaid back again – but now it doesn't feel right. I now feel as if itwould be a travesty not to channel the energy and growth ofsummer into my life, using it to help me sustain my own growthand further my goals. As in Barbara Kingsolver's novel ProdigalSummer, there is the sense that summertime is pregnant withpossibility.
And in the spirit of growth and reaching toward my goals, I havemoved into a new studio. Riverview Station in the River ArtsDistrict of Asheville, NC feels like a perfect fit for me. The studioitself has a skylight and track lighting, and the vibe in the buildingis very comfortable. There is a tranquility about working in astudio in your home, but it's so easy to get in a rut and neverleave the house! I have missed the creative energy flow betweenartists and really look forward to meeting the artists in my building.
Not only will this help to stimulate creativity, but it will presentme with a public place to represent my art and teach classes.My class schedule for summer and fall of this year is already upon my website at www.MosaicArtbyLA.com/workshops and I willhave printed copies in the studio. This is such an exciting stepfor me – I hope any of you close enough or in the area inmid-June will come by for the Studio Stroll. See the invitation onp. 17!
Have a wonderful summer, and every now and then, slow downand honor those lazy childhood summers.
Enjoy!
Lee Ann
ContentsNew Work
● Bellafiore p. 4
On the Worktable
● Idea stage p. 6
News and Events
● Riverview Station p. 8
● Once Acre Cafe p. 8
● Class schedule p. 8
Art Junkie
● Juli Adams p. 10
Studio Insider
● Glass grinders p. 12
Angst and Issues
● Is ANY venue a “good” venue? p. 13
Miscellany
● Grand Opening p. 17
New Work
Bellafiore
When I lived in New Hampshire, I owned a garden designbusiness called Bellafiore Gardens. It was a made up namethat was supposed to sound vaguely Italian. My logo was aphoto I had taken in my own garden of black-eyed susans thatI had grown from seed. That photo was one of my favoritesthat I have ever taken in my gardens, and I used it as theinspiration for this mosaic.
This piece was a year and a half in the making, although someof that time was spent hibernating while I worked on otherprojects. I put it back on the worktable a couple of monthsago, and am so thrilled to have it finished! This is my favoritemosaic I have made (so far!)
Bellafiore is 30” H x 36” W (not including frame) andconstructed of smalti, stained glass, vitreous, colored mirror
and glass rods upended in colored thinset. A recent visitor tothe studio asked “You didn’t put each of those glass rods inthe flower centers individually, did you?”
Oh, yes. Yes indeed.
$4,300
Bellafiore was finished so recently that I have yet to get into theinteresting stage of another mosaic. I have several ideassketched out, and a couple more that I am percolating.
One of the ideas is pink dogwood blossoms. I really lovedogwoods, and when I was a young mother, one of my favoritegetaways was a trip with my grandmother to the annual quilter’sconvention in Paduca, KY, which just happened to coincide withthe annual dogwood festival. As beautiful as it was, it was alsoa beautiful experience to share with someone who was so specialto me. Dogwood blossoms will ever after remind me of her.
However, I can’t quite let go of the idea of doing some starkwhite blossoms of some sort on a dark, intensely colored
background. I know I could do white dogwoods, but I did thatalready! I’m not yet to the stage where I have a solid enoughidea to sketch, so I’m afraid I’ll have to leave you hanging untilthe next issue. Or you can connect with my blog and get a peeksooner.
In the idea stage ….
I have a new studio! Beginning in May, I began moving mystudio to the River Arts District in Asheville, NC. I’m really overthe moon about this move! I love the River Arts District andhave searched out every possible excuse for visiting since wemoved to Jonesborough, TN (an hour away). Anytime you getto Western North Carolina I hope you’ll stop in to Studio #221at Riverview Station, 191 Lyman St.
The Women of the Palette held an art sale and benefit at OneAcre Cafe during the month of May. Fifty percent of profit fromsales went to benefit the cafe, which was established to furtheraddress the escalating issues of hunger and food insecurity inour community. We are pleased to have sold 4 pieces to helpthem continue their work.
Workshops and classes for the summer and fall are posted onthe website at www.MosaicArtbyLA.com/workshops. You mayregister online or by calling 423-946-5690. The first workshopis Introduction to Mosaics, July 12 and 13. Class size is limitedso register soon!
News and Events
Art JunkieArtwork that resonates with me, from current artists or fromartists of the past, presented without commentary to allowyou to develop your own response without prejudice.
Juli Adamswww.juliadams.com
We like you, that’s why we stare
A Poulquestrian Pilot
Studio InsiderGlass grinders are a handy tool for mosaic artists. Some artists use themextensively, some of us only occasionally. I will admit that I picked up a bit of aprejudice against them somewhere along the line that breaks down completelywhen I think about it. I tend to think that I should be able to get precise enoughcuts to not need it, but I don’t know why it should matter what tools you use aslong as you are happy with your results.
I bought an economy model Gryphette on sale a number of years ago, and ithas served me well. In the video below I demonstrate how and when I use it.Click the picture below to view it on Youtube.
Angst & Issues
When I first began looking for opportunities to exhibit my work, Iwas thrilled to have any excuse to put it in front of people. Ifsomeone was willing to let me hang a piece on their wall, I jumpedat the chance. That was beneficial on several levels. It was great tobegin to get my name out there (fortunately I have one that isunusual enough to be recognizable), but on an even more importantlevel, it gave me practice at talking about my art.
That is SO much harder than non-artists realize! I’m guessingaccountants don’t believe that the financial statements and taxreturns they prepare bare their soul to the people who review them.I doubt that department store managers think their work showsanything about who they really are to complete strangers. But to bean artist means to put yourself forward in a very revealing way.Every time you talk about your art you will feel like you are settingyourself (not just your art) up for judgment. Because the art isn’t aseparate thing - it’s something you made as a result of hundreds,perhaps thousands, of individual, very personal, choices. If someoneis critical - even because they simply don’t like ‘yellow’ - it can feellike your choices, and therefore you yourself, were flawed. And Ican actually hear the accountants out there saying “that’s silly”. Well,stop it, because it’s a real thing.
I digress - that’s not really the point of this. The point is that if youare just starting out, it’s a good idea to grasp every opportunity.Those that aren’t likely to give you any sales are still likely to giveyou a chance to explain your art, your process, your sources ofinspiration to people. Every time you talk about your art, it gets alittle easier. Every time you have to find a way to politely counter a
criticism, your skin gets a little thicker. Every time someone signsup for your email list, your commitment to your art gets a littlestronger.
And then comes the day when you realize you’ve had a little successand should start looking more critically at opportunities. Is that co-opgallery that claims to jury in their artists - but really takes anyonewith money in hand - going to present your work in an environmentthat makes visitors appreciate its value? Is that PTA craft fair goingto present you with enough opportunities to connect with futurecollectors to make up for the fact that some 4th grader just trippedand spilled his sodaon your art? Is thatart fair that chargesyou a huge booth feeand requiressignificant travelworth the sales youmight make,especially if it rains allweekend?
It can be a toughthing to reallydetermine the valueof a venue to your art career. And sometimes you won’t really knowuntil you give it a chance. A lot depends, too, on how much workyou are willing to do to make the venue pay off - how muchpromotion will you do on your own to let people know that your art
Is ANY venue a ‘good’ venue?
More >>>
is there? Will you be present at any openings or events to talkabout your art to visitors? Most venues are really trying topromote you, but you aren’t the only artist there. Any help youcan give them will make the experience better for both of you.
Sometimes you will be in a position of deciding between two ormore opportunities. Recently, I declined to enter an exhibitionbecause it would mean not having a large piece for my upcomingGrand Opening at my new studio - I would rather have it at thestudio to help with first impressions among visitors than have itat XYZ gallery on display among many other artists. In this case,it’s not really about the likelihood of selling it in either venue,but about planning for future opportunities.
So we still haven’t answered the question - is ANY venue a ‘good’venue?
Yes.
And no.
It depends.
What I’m trying to say is that no one but YOU can determinewhether any given opportunity is a good move for you. And ifyou think it’s not a good move, don’t participate and don’t letanyone steamroll you into doing it because you are“stubborn/not a team player/too big for yourbritches/childish/unrealistic” or any other weird and manipulativewords they might throw at you. (I’ve heard them all) If you thinkyou should do it, go for it and don’t feel the need to explain whyto anyone.
Remember, artists take things very personally, and they cansometimes get bullied into doing things they don’t want to, ortalked out of something they think they should. For better or forworse, that’s how it is. Don’t let anyone make you feel like there’ssomething wrong with you for choosing what you think is bestfor your business. Accountants don’t have to deal with that shit.
Prints, mugs and miscellany available with my images at
Society6
Click the photo below to see current offerings
Websitewww.MosaicArtbyLA.com
Bloghttp://mosaicartbyla.blogspot.com
Phone423.946.5690
Google+https://plus.google.com/u/0/+LeeAnnPetropoulos
Pinteresthttp://www.pinterest.com/lapetropoulos/
Links and Contact
Grand Opening
Lee Ann Petropoulos Fine Art Mosaics Studio
Some photos from the grand opening/Studio Stroll June 14 & 15:
Dot the magical dog. Shecame to the studio expectingtreats (the previous tenantwas a sucker, apparently) sowe gave her a piece ofcheese. She returned aboutevery half hour for more!