Friday, April 26, 2013

Art of the Week: Cars


I have been experimenting with a lot of new things at the Augusta plein air event this year, including small, abstracted close-ups on mini canvases and incorporating metallic paints.  Here is a display of some details from classic cars as seen at the Defiance paint out on Saturday.

Please feel free to check out more of my new paintings at the sale Saturday, April 27 at Mount Pleasant Winery, 11 AM - 4 PM.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Artist Resume & This Week: Augusta Plein Air

I recently embarked on a major undertaking in deciding to post my artist resume to its own blog after struggling with blogger to update my show list sidebar.  This is a record of all of the shows, art markets and alternative exhibitions I have been in, events, along with any other professional points (writing, jurying, school), donations, mail art & online shows, and more.  I have tried to post everything, not just the major events, and the list is as complete as I have.  My intent is to use this as a tool to record & preserve my own legacy and to have more control in promoting what I've done to those interested by using labels to differentiate by year and type of event (market, non-local, solo, St. Louis, WCA, etc.).

Please feel free to check out my artist resume blog here.
http://jenniferweigelartresume.blogspot.com/

And now that I've finished that task, I am excited to announce that it's that magical time again - the Augusta plein air event starts this Wednesday!  I am looking forward to participating again this year and hope that the weather will be nice.  I am planning to attend as many of the events as I can, though I know there are a couple of days I will miss so check in with me if you're thinking about coming out to watch me paint.  I will definitely be at the sale on Saturday, April 27.  You can learn more about the event on their web page here.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Some Thoughts on Courage

Fear is among the basest of human emotion and experience.  It is a given, a constant, a known.  It can enable us to empathize with others' plights, to recognize and acknowledge scary situations that befall those around us, close and distant.

We can become all too comfortable within our fears, allowing them to control us and inhibit us from reaching for our dreams and potential.  Or we can harness those fears as motivators to do better, to make waves, to work towards progress, even to pave the way towards a different response in the future by reacting with courage to stand up for ourselves and others...

Unbeknownst to many, I struggle with social anxiety and often feel isolated, judged and villified whether or not I truly am.  Sometimes I succumb to this anxiety, but other times I am able to overcome it.  I try to counteract my fear by diving in headfirst, by forcing myself to reconcile it by putting myself and my art out there as far as I can, reaching for and embracing the extreme, and openly speaking my mind.

In putting myself so out there, I often elicit the response of, "I could never do that."  But too few people realize that they can, and do, just that on a daily basis - they counteract their fears by putting themselves out there in contrast to them, by continuing to live their lives and fight for what they need and feel is right.  We are all far braver, stronger and more resilient than we realize. 

A quote by an unknown author defines courage as "quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty or danger without fear."  I agree but beg to differ somewhat; I perceive courage as "quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty or danger despite fear."  Essentially, how we respond to and what we make of our fears is up to us.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Art of the Week: The Trouble with Corporate America


Here's a new drawing I created called The Trouble with Corporate America.  Enjoy!

Saturday, April 6, 2013

New: Dressing for the Occassion





No specific occasion really...  Just introducing Starrllette, my new celebrity alter ego.  Starrllette spent today about town, nowhere in particular, just doing those same things everyone must, celebrities and ordinary folks alike: grocery shopping, walking, having a quiet dinner out...

Monday, April 1, 2013

This Week

April is gearing up to be a busy month for me.  I have artwork in numerous shows starting this week, including two opening in St. Louis this week and yet more out of town.  I am hoping to attend the local receptions Friday, though I won't be able to go to either for the whole time since they overlap.

Local Shows:

April Show
Webster House Galleries
7522 & 7526 Big Bend
Webster Groves, MO
April - May 2013
Reception: Friday, April 5, 5 - 9 PM
This the Grand Opening of a new gallery in Webster Groves.  I have three plein air paintings on display, including Back Flip which appeared on the Art on the Town poster last fall.

Luminous Language
Foundry Art Centre
520 N. Main Center
St. Charles, MO
April - May 2013
Reception: Friday, April 5, 6 - 8 PM
I also have three plein air paintings on display in this large group show of paintings juried by Matthew Cornell.

Out of Town Shows:

Flower Power
Sebastopol Center for the Arts
282 S. High St.
Sebastopol, CA
April - May 2013
I have two plein air paintings of floral arrangements and landscaping in this show in California.

Approaching 40
ARC Gallery
2156 N. Damen Ave.
Chicago, IL, April 2013
This all-inclusive show celebrates ARC Gallery's 40th anniversary.