How I got gallery representation from a wanderlust trip through the South

I am counting down the days to my Tennessee road trip . My car will be loaded with new work to exhibit at The Arts Company in downtown Nashville. Last year, I sold a large piece and had some money in my account. I had not seen the South and needed to deliver a piece to Atlanta. So, I decided to just get in my car, with a few of my works and my resume, and just drive South. I went to Little Rock, Memphis, Atlanta, Savannah, Charleston, Asheville, Nashville and Hot Springs.

In each location I looked up galleries, went in and introduced myself. Some galleries were nice and took my info and I moved on. A couple places I had great conversations with gallery managers and in two locations I made a connection. Drawl Southern Contemporary in Little Rock and The Arts Company in Nashville. I am represented by both of these galleries now. 

A year after this trip and I am having a show with Kansas City painter Laura Nugent at The Arts Company and an artist talk with her on Friday, June 30th hosted by Paul Polycarpou of Nashville Arts Magazine.

It was tough to just cold call one gallery after the next. I forced myself to do it. The gallery managers I encountered were all very nice. No one screamed at me, or told me I was a lousy artist. My advise to you is don't be afraid. Get out there and give whatever you are longing for a try.

If you are in Nashville during July come see my works at The Arts Company.

The creation of "In Our Shoes" to be exhibited at the Oklahoma Science Museum

In recent works, I have been using the American flag and all its preexisting meanings as a vehicle for exploration. To create my “In Our Shoes” flag, I invited my friends on social media to photograph their shoes with their smart phones and send me the images. I needed 364 pairs of shoes to create the piece and a got more shots of shoes that I could use. I had each pair selected for the work printed to be 3.5" x 5". When all the pieces were stitched together it created the largest work I have created thus far at 5' x 8'.

I started this piece just a few days after the Presidental election and I found it healing to interact with friends on Facebook about something other than the nasty campaign we all just went through. As I was stitching all the shoes together I found myself thinking about different perspectives. There were conservative and liberal minded friends shoes all sewn together to create this work. There are boots that were worn in Desert Storm on this flag as well as a number of artists from around the country’s footware. Boots from a Oklahoma City Police officer, burlesque performer and a pair of clown shoes to name a few.

The flag will be on exhibit at the Oklahoma Science Museum in February 2017.

Artist Statement for "Her & Me" Exhibited at The Project Box

I have been working with the Universal Woman image for many years. Using it as a vehicle to tribute historical women and comment on the status of women from my perspective.

I remember reading a text book in college on the psychology of color and it blowing my mind. Our behaviors are altered by the colors around us, in our homes, work places and everywhere else we go. By taking a repeated image and featuring it in different colors I have created an opportunity to consider the power of color.

How do each one of them make you feel?

What behaviors or personalities would each one of these women possess?

All of the beads in this show were from my mother-in-law, March Artus’, collection of beads that she amassed over 4 decades. It took 2 years and over 400 hours of beading to create these 10 works.

IT HAS BEEN KILLIN' ME NOT TO TELL YOU!

I am over the moon excited to have been selected to be one of two Oklahoma artists that are currently exhibiting work at the brand new 21c Museum Hotel in Oklahoma City. The museum has a program called "Elevate" that showcases artists in the local community. You can see "Her Flag: Take 7" on the 2nd floor of the museum as soon as the elevator doors open. The piece will be on exhibition for 6 months.

The piece is 39" x 67" and is my largest flag yet.

A Blast From the Art Making Past

"Betty Told Me It Would All Be Alright", Digital Collage on Canvas with Acrylic and Hand Embroidery. Holy Hell! This was so much hand stitching. I had to wear a letter thimble and Band-Aids to protect my fingers. I created this piece 6 years ago and she has not found her forever home yet, just sayin'. The piece is 17" x 22". 

Just got notified that this new piece "She Quilted it Together" will be in the Paseo Members Association Show in Oklahoma City, OK that opens February 5th, 2016. She will be looking for you.

If you have followed me on social media you have seen postings about this huge piece in progress. The work consists of a mixed media paper layer that will hang 6" from the wall, then the vinyl layer that has a nude woman hand stitched on it will hang 6" from the first layer. The piece is currently at a local display fabricator getting its custom hanging contraption built. I can't wait to get photos of her all assembled together.

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