38th Annual Arts of the Terrace Festival

Autumn is almost here and it's time for the 38th Annual Arts of the Terrace Festival at the Mountlake Terrace Library Complex! This year I've had two in the Miniature category selected,  Capturing the Glow and Sure Signs of Autumn.  Also, a new graphite drawing,  Time Passages, was selected in the Drawing, Painting and Prints category! I always look forward to this show.  The new hanging panels accentuate the artwork and all the new lighting really makes the color pop and allows all the fine line detail I use to show up! 

Sure Signs of Autumn  © Barbara A. Freeman
Acrylic on Claybord  3 5/8" x 3 5/8"

Capturing the Glow  Framed © Barbara A. Freeman

Graphite and Mixed Media on Claybord  3 5/8" x 3 5/8"
Awarded - Third Place Miniatures

Time Passages  © Barbara A. Freeman

Graphite and Mixed Media  10" x 8"

The show runs from September 24th through October 9th, at the Mountlake Terrace Library Complex, 23300 58th Ave. W. in Mountlake Terrace. (map) There will be an Artists and Patrons Preview, on September 23, 7:00pm - 9:00pm, with an Awards Ceremony at 7:30pm. The show will be open to the public starting September 24th - October 9, 2016.  The show will be up for two weeks, hope you get a chance to see it.

Mountlake Terrace Library Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 12:00pm - 6:00pm

Friday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Saturday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Sunday: 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Sunday, October 9th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm

 In addition to the Mountlake Terrace Show, I have submitted work to the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society show coming up in November and will be submitting work to the Miniature Art Society of Florida, for their show in January 2017.  I'll be back blogging and posting my new work and the shows I'm in as soon as they happen.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my work and the shows I'm participating in. Happy Autumn!  Get out there and enjoy the wonderful bounty this season has to offer!  Support your local artist!

26th Annual Shoreline Arts Festival Coming this Weelend

I will have two drawings in the  26th Annual Shoreline Arts Festival held on June 25th - 26th at the Shoreline Center.  The Shoreline Arts Festival provides two extraordinary days of visual arts, music, hands-on crafts and even a little theater.  Plus there will be delicious food trucks. This creative community event, sponsored by the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council, is FREE and will be held at the Shoreline Center, 18560 1st Ave NE.

My two works in the juried gallery are Time Passages, and Special Delivery.  The Juried Art Exhibit is one of the highlights of the Arts Festival. It features over 300 artworks from regional artists in 2D, 3D, and photography.

Time Passages  © Barbara A. Freeman

Graphite and Mixed Media   12" x 9"

Time Passages  © Barbara A. Freeman

Graphite and Mixed Media   12" x 9" 

Time Passages is a new work that I was so happy to have finished, framed and placed in a show!  I actually completed this one twice, or so I thought!  On the first finished image I had problems with the fixative, it could not be saved.  Then on the second finished one, the medium streaked due to not being thin enough and my rushing! Grrrr!  Each were on different surfaces, first one done on film, second on claybord.  Thankfully, the third time was the charm and I am really happy with the final piece!  It was drawn on Arches Hot Pressed Art Board which is a smooth, acid-free, archival, durable board.  I had to spend so much time on this image that after awhile, each one took on a life of their own!  I seem to be stuck on the image of a crow as a messenger and of course, trees are almost always in my work!  I did learn some things along the way and hopefully my persistence paid off!

Special Delivery  © Barbara A. Freeman

Graphite and Mixed Media on Film   9 3/4" x 7 5/8"

Special Delivery  © Barbara A. Freeman

Graphite and Mixed Media on Film   9 3/4" x 7 5/8"

This is the third time I have submitted work to the juried show which is located inside the center.   Last year we arrived earlier in the day and wandered around both inside and out to see all the fun things going on.  It's supposed to be a nice weekend weather wise so hope you can come on out to the Shoreline Arts Festival and see all it has to offer! Be sure to have a look at the work in the juried art gallery as well as the artist marketplace, music, theatre and food. There is so much to see and do for the whole family and it's FREE! Hope to see you there!

26th Annual Shoreline Arts Festival

June 25- 26

Sat 10am-6pm  Sun 10am-5pm

Shoreline Center

18560 1^st Ave NE

Shoreline, WA 098155 (map)

Beer Garden - New this year: After their famous Arts Festival Breakfast (8:30am-11:30am), the Shoreline Senior Center will be reopening its doors for festival goers to come in and enjoy cold beer, bar food, and lively entertainment at the first ever Festival Beer Garden. Performances of clog dancing, folk songs, hula, and more can be enjoyed from both the Beer Garden and the adjacent Family Room. Open 1pm to 6pm on Saturday and 1pm to 5pm on Sunday, it will be the perfect place to beat the summer heat!

Thank you for reading about my work and the shows I'm participating in.  Enjoy your summer and be sure to include a visit to some of the many creative art festivals happening this year.  Support to your local artist!

Seaside Art Gallery's 24th International Miniature Art Show

The 24th Annual International Miniature Art Show at Seaside Art Gallery is happening online now.  I missed submitting to this show last year and am so pleased that I am able to submit work this year!  Each year the show exhibits around 550-600 works of art by talented artists from all around the globe.  Some of the world’s most renowned miniature artists participate each year! This show has a wonderful variety of  fine art miniatures! 

Above are my three works in the show, shown in their frames.  They are, The Custodian, Sure Signs of Autumn, and Smooching. 

This great show is a favorite of mine. I love the presentation of the entire show online. Seaside is a very organized and well run gallery.  Not only will you be able to click on the work to see an enlarged view, but if you click on the details, it tells you the artist's name and where they're from.  There is also a thumbnail of the work in it's frame which you can click on for an enlarged framed view. The clarity of the image is perfect AND you can put it in your cart and buy the artwork online!  Just click on The Custodian, Sure Signs of Autumn or Smooching to see my work on Seaside's online gallery.  If you want to go back to the rest of the show, just click at the bottom, 24th International Miniature Art Show, it will take you there.  Enjoy!

The Custodian © Barbara A. Freeman

Graphite and Mixed Media on Claybord  3 5/8" x 3 5/8"

Sure Signs of Autumn © Barbara A. Freeman

Acrylic on Claybord  3 5/8" x 3 5/8" 

Smooching © Barbara A. Freeman

Acrylic  1 3/4" x 2 3/4"

Seaside Art Gallery's show is one of the top five national miniature shows that you can see in person and online.  The exhibition runs from May 2^nd through May 30^th,  2015.  The Artists Reception is May 23^rd from 7 to 9 PM.  

The online exhibition starts upon arrival of each artist’s work.  When the artwork arrives in the gallery, it is examined, measured, photographed and posted.   Miniature art is often referred to as "the little jewels of the art world" and enjoys continued growth in popularity worldwide. All beautiful jewels, they'd make the perfect gift for MOM!  I hope if you are in the area, you will go see this great show!  Seaside Art Gallery, 2716 Virginia Dare Trail South, Nags Head, NC 

**Please Note: The artwork for the 24th IMAS  is currently for sale.  If purchasing online, please be sure to click “apply coupon” to activate the free shipping.  However the art must remain at the gallery until the end of the show, at which time Seaside Art Gallery will  ship it  free within the USA. Call or email us with any questions concerning the show, or other gallery art at 252.441.5418, or 800.828.2444.  Email:  info@seasideart.com.

Thanks for taking the time to read about the shows I'm participating in and my work.  Spring is in the air and lots of things happening to me here on the home front.  I'm staying busy creating new work and am submitting to a few more shows this year, than last.  It's all been a slow process, but moving along.  A big change is happening this summer when will be welcoming our daughter, Gina, (and her little dog too!) who will be leaving the hot state of TX to come reside in the cool Pacific Northwest.  We'll be meeting up with her in TX and having a fun road trip back here.  We're hoping to visit the area around Santa Fe and elsewhere on our way back home.  It's all still in the planning stage but I'm sure we will have lots of fun and inspirations on the trip there and back.  We will be so pleased to have her here!  

New Work - "Special Delivery"

  Special Delivery  © Barbara A. Freeman

 Graphite and Mixed Media on Film 9 3/4" x 7 5/8"

 

This is the VERY beginning of the new piece, whereas I have the reference photos and a vague idea of how I want to use them.  The setting was inspired by the wonderful tree (aren't they all wonderful?) that's near the trailhead at one of our favorite hiking spots.  I'll be presenting this as a work in progress to show the progression of it. 

The drawing was done on the frosted film, Dura-lar Matte, using a range of graphite pencils with a bit of colored pencil work on the back side of the film.

 

Some of the forest background completed, you can see the detail in the magnifier below.  I use magnification to mostly only check the work at this point, but do use it for adding the fine details near the end.

Below you can also see where I've placed the beginnings of a tiny door.  It seemed a perfect spot with the dark arm above to shelter it.

I've moved further down the tree drawing the bark, mostly from my imagination.  I use the photo reference which I have up on my computer screen, for placement of form, light and shadow.  Sorry about the yellow glow to this one.  I tend to photograph these before I end an evening which can be rather late when my brain has ceased to function! 

I've placed the crow, and two more openings in the tree. Crows are amazing birds and fun to watch.  I can imagine them being messengers for the forest spirits and have used them in my work many times.

There is much more progress here with details of the rocks and twisting roots.   I've also added the scroll for the message delivered by the crow.

 

Now the crow has form and feathers!  I've created the very dark areas of the crow by working on the underside of the film.  As you can see, more work has been done on the bottom of the tree and rock.

More progress on the right side forming the plants and ferns.  I also added folds to the scroll and more detail to the crow.

Almost finished, this time adding subtle color on the underside, to the passageway in the opening of the tree, the upper door and the window. I'm not sure it shows up well in the photos.

 

At last, finishing up with the runes on the scroll and all the last minute details.  I had fun with this, looking up the rune alphabet and making the letter shapes curve with the folds of the scroll.  I really enjoyed watching this one come alive with each session.  These pieces become a meditation for me.  I hope you have enjoyed seeing the progression of Special Delivery! As usual, I'll announce here when this work is in a show.  

I know it has been a long time since my last blog post.  Rest assured, I haven't fallen off the edges of the earth, even though it often feels as though I have.  Taking care of family responsibilities has to take priority.   Wayne and I still have a lot more work to do regarding family, so new artwork will be slower in coming.  I will have work in three miniature art shows coming up.  One show is invitational and a new venue for me, which is exciting.  I will be blogging about them soon with links.  I also have two new miniatures and hope to share them soon!

Until next time, thank you for taking the time to read about my work.  Enjoy this crazy spring!

Latest Miniature Art, and Now an Associate Member of MPSGS!

The Time Thief, © Barbara A. Freeman
Graphite and Mixed Media on Film, 2 3/4" x 3 3/4"

This is my latest miniature work, just finished the final fixative coat on it yesterday. Now, it's ready for scanning, then finding or cutting a mat! As you can see, I am still on my crow and clock theme here. Thanks to the Arts Council of Snohomish County for the Of Clocks and Crows Exhibit that I did my work, Finding Time for, I have now done four works with a crow in them. Oh, I forgot, there is a crow in both of my Buddha paintings, but I did those two before the Clocks and Crows show. Still, I love getting inspired with a subject and then having it repeat in more work. It creates a series and allows me to further explore that subject.

This one, still untitled, is done on * Dura-lar Matte film with colored pencil on the underside for the watch and the interior of the tree. The chain and a bit of highlight on the eye and watch were done with acrylic, with a tiny bit of gold. *Check out the review I did on Dura-lar Matte film on the link at Dick Blick.

I love drawing trees, they have so much character and great texture. Just after I completed this, I knew I had to move on, (deadlines, deadlines, deadlines,) and I am now working on a silverpoint miniature continuing the tree with all it's mystery theme. This one though has a rabbit featured in it! Hopefully it will be a successful piece. Silverpoint does not allow you to erase, so you really have to know where you want to put your marks and have them work! So far, it's going well. I'll keep you posted.

More wonderful news... I have been invited to become an Associate Member of the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society of Washington D.C.! (MPSGS) This is the oldest Miniature Art Society in the US (founded in 1931) and is the second oldest in the world! The Royal Society of Miniature Painter, Sculptors and Graver in London, England is the oldest. The membership is by invitation only and decided by a vote of the other members. To be eligible, you have to have exhibited in three annual Society shows or have been awarded a first, second, or third prize at any Society exhibition. I am so honored!

As always, thank you for taking the time to look at my work and read my blog.

All 5 Works Accepted in 2009 MASF!

I've received my acceptance letter from the Miniature Art Society of Florida, (MASF) and I'm so happy to have all five of my miniatures accepted into this wonderful exhibit! This show along with the other miniature art society show, Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society, (MPSGS) are the two biggest deals for a miniature artist in this country. I'm always so pleased to have my work get juried in these two shows!! My five miniatures in the MASF show are, A Touch of Autumn, Buddha in the Pacific Northwest, Joey, and the two new works, Wednesday,Late Afternoon, and The Key.

Wednesday, Late Afternoon, Acrylic on Polymin, 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"

I did a partial work in progress on this acrylic painting on polymin, in this blog post.

The Key, Graphite and Acrylic on Acid-free Film, 2 3/8" x 3"

This work is done on Dura-lar Matte film. I have been fascinated with crows lately, they keep appearing in my work!

The 35th Annual International Miniature Art Show runs from January 17th, through February 7th, 2010 at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs, FL. For more information on exhibition dates, times and places to say, please visit the MASF website, click on "Annual Exhibition", then scroll down for the 2010 schedule and listings of places to stay. This would be such an exciting show to see!

"Finding Time" Delivered

I've delivered Finding Time today, along with my bio and statement. I'd already mailed in the requested paperwork. Here's what it looks like in the mat and frame. Now on with the show!

Of Clocks and Crows, Monte Cristo Building,
1507 Wall Street, downtown Everett, WA
September 3rd thru October 20th.
Gallery hours, Monday through Friday, 10 - 5, Saturdays 11 - 4 Reception, September 3rd, 5 - 8.




Finding Time, Graphite on Film, 8 1/4" x 10 1/2 "

Part Two, "Finding Time"

After being chained to the table in my studio all weekend, I finally decided to call Finding Time finished! It's been a really close call since yesterday, August 3rd was the deadline! I'm wondering though, since one of the options of submission is by email, if the deadline is by time or date? I declared the work finished by 6:30pm last evening and took it over to my web master's office (husband Wayne) for the scan. One problem, the scanner wouldn't come up!! He's recently done an upgrade for the Macs so now needed to do the same for the scanner drivers. After some minor mutters, sotto voce, he got them installed and the scanner to work. However, then he had to redo all the settings! I stayed out of his office until it got quiet. : )

Finally, after a record breaking heat wave, scanner problems, and lots and lots of graphite foliage and grass, I finally got the email with my info and jpg attachment of my work sent off around 8:30pm! Now all I have to do is hope that it's considered within the deadline. If not, well, it will be ready for the next show!

Submission for an exhibit for the Arts Council of Snohomish County, called, Of Clocks and Crows.

Finding Time, Graphite on Film, 8 1/4" x 10 1/2 "

The First Tale of "Finding Time"

I regret that I have not had time to add to my blog. I have a larger graphite drawing that I am working on that has a deadline of August 3rd. The work was coming along great, no problems, and looking good. Then we had a heat wave and without air conditioning in the house, my studio on the second floor was very uncomfortable, to say the least. It has been difficult to sleep and think. By Wednesday it was 89 degrees downstairs, I can only imagine what it was in my studio. It felt like a sauna! Fortunately, we had a reservation at a hotel* for that night. We packed up and on the way there, the temperature outside was 103! I took my work with me, and was able to work a bit there. Not as much as I would have liked though, lighting in a hotel room is not the best.

Thankfully it has gotten back to normal with a high today predicted to be around 80! Relief! So I've been back busy working again and hoping I will have it finished and ready to submit by the deadline of Monday!!!

Ironically, the title of my work is, "Finding Time"! More to come on this new graphite drawing after I make my deadline!

This is the exhibit I will be submitting to: The Arts Council of Snohomish County is seeking artwork with a clock and/or crow theme for the exhibit: Of Clocks and Crows. The exhibit opens with a reception on September 3 and runs through October 20, 2009. All mediums are invited to participate.

*The hotel stay was one of many gift certificates that were in an awards basket that I won last year from the Lynnwood Arts Commission for the Mellow Yellow Exhibition at the Lynnwood Library Gallery. The piece that won was Seen Better Days