Acrylics Workshop for the New Year

Thank you Kay van Dyke for sending out this flyer about the January workshop I'm teaching at Gloucester Arts on the Main in Gloucester VA. Any questions?

Fun with Acrylics! Mary Montegue Sikes will be here Saturday Jan 17th, 10am to 4pm, to share her acrylic techniques with us!  A full day of wonderful instruction with an experienced artist with lots of tricks to improve our paintings!  All levels welcome - $45

Monti will share her acrylic techniques with us - We rarely have this chance to improve our skills with such a great teacher.    Mary Montague Sikes is an award-winning Virginia artist. After studying painting and sculpture at the College of William and Mary, she earned a MFA in painting from Virginia Commonwealth University.   She has studied painting and experimental mixed media with Robert Burridge, Mary Ann Beckwith, Janet Rogers, Mary Alice Braukman, Pat Dews, Karen Aide and other well-known workshop instructors.  Her paintings are in public and private collections in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. She maintains studios at Crossroads Art Center on Staples Mill Rd. in Richmond and in West Point. Her work is represented by Prince George Art and Frame in Williamsburg. She also writes & illustrates books!!

Join Our Mailing List  SIGN UP TODAY TO SAVE YOUR SEAT! call or email! Gloucester Arts on Main 6580 B Main Street Gloucester VA 23061 804-824-9464 FAX 804-824-9469 www.gloucesterarts.org reservations@gloucesterarts.org .

Reflecting on a Year Turned to Art - 2014

When I reflect on 2014, I realize it was a year that began and ended with art. Along the way, some lovely travel was sprinkled in.

Workshop students at GAMi ©Mary Montague Sikes

I love interaction with other artists, so what could be more satisfying than working with a group of adults teaching experimental painting. My workshop at Gloucester Arts on the Main was the first of many I taught or took during the year. I was happy to be part of Mary Anne Beckwith's class in Boone NC in August and, as always, enjoyed Karen Eide's encaustics class at West Point. In December, I taught my experimental painting class for Arts Alive in West Point.

Along came February-March and off we went to Palm Beach FL and Jupiter for St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training. We stayed two weeks and got to watch so many of the young rookies, including Oscar Taveras, the talented superstar of the future who later died in a tragic car accident in October. In the dugout photo below, Taveras is facing first baseman, Matt Adams, 32. Spring training is a special time when everyone is hoping and dreaming of going deep into the post season. The Cardinals came within one game of another trip to the World Series.

St. Louis Cardinals' Dugout Spring Training 2014 ©MMSikes

Late March, I put on my writer's hat and was guest speaker for the York River chapter of King's Daughters in Gloucester. In May, I enjoyed painting en plein air at Rosewell. For the event, I purchased a special French easel that I put to use again in September painting outside at New Town Art Gallery.

Painting at Rosewell ©Olen Sikes

In July and September, I participated in Pastel Society of Virginia art exhibitions. The first was at the Glen Allen Cultural Art Center.

In July we were treated to a trip to Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, planned by our daughter, Allison. Our other daughters, Alicia and Amy, participated as well, making this a very special event. Because of their extreme interest in Aviation, we spent one day at the Aviation Museum near Portland.

Olen at Air and Space Museum ©MMSikes

During September, October, and November, I was excited to be a visiting artist at New Town Art Gallery in Williamsburg. It was fun to get to know most of the gallery artists and to participate in gallery events.

New Town Art Gallery at Night ©MMSikes

Enjoying the Tropical Setting ©Olen Sikes

 In September, we spent a week in Hilton Head SC and then a week in Puerto Rico. Those warm weather memories will help us through a cold Virginia winter.

November, we hung a huge art exhibition of 11 of my largest paintings at the new Ward Center for Contemporary Art in Petersburg. The opening night for that show will take place, February 13, 2015. We also flew out to Sedona AZ, landing in Flagstaff for the first time.

Ward Center Exhibition ©MMSikes

Sedona from Hillside restaurant ©MMSikes

In December, my dear friend, Mary Jane Tolley, hosted an art show open house for some of my work in her home. I loved meeting her friends and discussing my work with them.

Much more art than writing provided Notes Along the Way in 2014. Wonder what will happen in 2015 when my new book is released? We will soon see how the story of the artist in Evening of the Dragonfly will frame the new year.

Keeping An Organized Art Life

Hilton Head Lighthouse pastel ©Mary Montague Sikes

For the past several months, my husband has been working on creating a new website for my artwork. Because I have not been organized in the way I go about photographing and filing my work, this has become a daunting task for him and for me. Long ago, I was told I needed to create a filing system for my paintings. Perhaps I should even make a file of color schemes, I was advised.

I did not follow that advice. Now I am paying for it.

As an artist, I have more than one aspect of my working life. I am a teacher, a workshop instructor (both as an artist and as a writer), a photographer, and a creator of art. To continue to grow as an artist, I also am a workshop participant. Right now, I am reflecting on what I should have, could have done to be in a better position for developing a suitable website.

Because of what I have learned along the way, here is my advice for other artists.

1. Photograph your work. Do it as soon as you complete it. Have a 300 dpi image as well as a lower 72 or 150 dpi image on file for each piece of artwork. Label each photo: Your Last Name - Title - Painting Dimensions  (dpi).
Example: Sikes - Orange Bouquet - 20 x 16 (150)

2. Decide a category for the work. Is it an acrylic, pastel, watercolor, mixed media, etc.? Is it abstract, landscape, still-life? Categories are important when laying out your website.

3. Size matters. If you have larger works, you might want to have a separate section for them, unless all of your work is large. Be sure to measure your work and keep that information on file with photographs of your pieces.

4. Keep an updated bio ready to send out at all times. Also have a press release about your work ready to go with only a few easy to make changes.

5. Make a Word file of places you have shown your work and keep it updated.

6. Make a Word file of juried shows and awards won. Perhaps add the names of jurors for those shows.

7. Important. Keep a list of buyers of your work along with their addresses and email addresses.

8. Send out a newsletter periodically. Keep your email addresses up to date for the newsletter.

9. Blog about your work. Not every time you write a blog, but sometimes show your work in progress and tell a little about it.

10. Paint, mat, frame. Keep a list of your suppliers and receive offers online. Take advantage of sales and free shipping.

Get organized and enjoy your life and your business as a painter.

Workshops and Art Shows upcoming:

New Town Art Gallery, Williamsburg VA, Visiting Artist - Sept. - Nov., Mon. - Sat. 11 - 5, Sun. 12 - 5

For Art's Sake, Richmond VA, Pastel Society of Virginia small works show - Sept. 2 - 27
                Opening, Friday, Sept. 5 - 5 to 8 p.m.

Crossroads Art Center, Richmond VA, Open House - Sept. 19, 6 to 9 p.m.

Upcoming Workshops:
"Painting with Texture and Color" - Art Academy, Hilton Head Island SC
"Beginning Drawing and Painting" - Arts on the Main, Gloucester VA

For workshop information, please contact Mary Montague Sikes.
 

Painting En Plein Air - A First Excursion with a French Easel

Rosewell Plantation ©Mary Montague Sikes

Last Saturday, for Historic Garden Week in Virginia, I painted en plein air at the Rosewell Plantation ruins in Gloucester. Construction on the magnificent brick house began in 1725. Eventually, it was described as the largest and finest colonial home in America. Thomas Jefferson did some of his first writing at Rosewell. Sadly, the old mansion burned in 1916. The remains are iconic and a little bit eerie.

For many years, I have toyed with the idea of purchasing a French Easel to set up for outdoor painting. Although I looked at art stores and online, I never found one that appeared sturdy and attractive for a price I was willing to pay. After all, with all the insects we have in Tidewater Virginia, I'm not sure how often I will use it. Last week (Sunday of the week I was scheduled to paint on Saturday), I looked once again at the Cheap Joe's American Journey French easel and decided it was the one for me. With the specials and other items I ordered, I was able to get free shipping which always attracts me. Since it didn't ship until Thursday, I was worried I wouldn't get it in time for Saturday. However, we seem to have a direct route (with regular shipping) from Boone NC to my home. The two boxes arrived on my doorstep by noon last Friday.

"Painting at Rosewell" ©Olen Sikes

The French easel is even nicer than I expected. I love the convenience of the drawers and compartments. Using Rembrandt soft pastels and a few Senneliers, I completed a pastel painting on the grounds of Rosewell. In my studio, I added a few color highlights to the painting. I still have not tried the Sennelier oil pastels I ordered, but that's a project for a different day.

Now I'm looking forward to another excursion en plein air. At my house, the gnats and mosquitoes are out full force. We were fortunate that insects were not a problem for painting at Rosewell Plantation ruins. Thank you Historic Garden Week and Gloucester Arts on the Main for inviting artists to paint on the grounds of the houses on tour. Thank you, Cheap Joe, for the quick delivery of my beautiful new French easel.

As for Rosewell Plantation, I wonder if someday a restoration will take place. So much history lies hidden among the ruins.

"Rosewell En Plein Air" ©Olen Sikes

Creativity is Contagious. Pass it On. Albert Einstein

Gloucester Art Center Mixed Media Workshop ©Dick Welton

Albert Einstein was truly a genius. He believed that imagination is more important than knowledge and he believed in the importance of creativity. He said, "Creativity is Contagious. Pass it on." I love that quote.

A few years ago, I met Mary Ann Beckwith and heard her tell about a friend who had worked hard and finally discovered the art-making method she'd been seeking over the years. Instead of keeping what she learned to herself, the artist shared her discovery with anyone who would listen and watch.

"If you don't teach it, it can't go on," Beckwith said. "Don't hesitate to share your knowledge. Teach anyone you can anything you know."

What extraordinary words of wisdom. Because of her creative and sharing spirit, I loved every moment of Beckwith's classes. I wish she lived nearby instead of in the far north of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

It was with Beckwith that I took a journey into experimental mixed media art. I learned new and exciting techniques that I continue to explore and expand inside my own studio. Many of the things I learned from her and from other artists since then, I am including in the workshops I'm teaching now. My next workshop will be in Williamsburg next week at This Century Art Gallery in the Education Center. The class is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

What a wonderful contagion to have--creativity. How exciting to have the opportunity to pass it on!

Please visit my web site to see some of my paintings using experimental water media.