Update

So, it’s been a long time since I have blogged about anything art. And, there’s a good reason. Because I haven’t done much having to do with art. Since Reveal/Conceal in fall of 2008, I have been struggling. Other than a few commissioned portraits, I have produced nothing. I have cancelled shows. I have avoided the studio.

Now, a few things have contributed. A nasty economy means art sales decline (in my case, um, they disappeared). Especially when you paint large-ass oils of odd things. I couldn’t make myself paint something more appealing “to the masses” so I went out and found a “real” job. I have a background in technical sales, so I was lucky enough to be hired at an IT recruiting firm; by far the nicest people I have ever worked for. And, I took a freelance job writing artist bios and critiques (positive only) for an art website. All of these money making endeavors have kind of sucked the creativity out of me (or at least the drive to actually make art - unlike writer’s block, I have plenty of ideas...just no impetus to do them) and lessened considerably the amount of time I have to actually paint.

And, then there’s another element I’m not sure I truly understand. I had been putting all the Reveal/Conceal images out for grants, residencies, etc. and was turned down for every last one of them. I was talking to a fellow artist about my disappointment at the most recent rejection and I said - outloud - “it’s like I am looking for someone else to approve of my work so that I can approve of it.” Yowza. Epiphany.

I had a show scheduled in March and had decided to do flowers in my signature style. For the following reasons:

They sell.

I had a bunch that were not finished, so I wouldn’t have to do as much work to get ready for the show, since I had procrastinated horribly and was now under a severe time crunch to get it done.

All compelling reasons, I know. Notice there was no YEN, URGE, NEED to paint these flowers. So, it won’t be a surprise that when I stood in front of the easel, I COULDN’T paint. Finally, competing elements of business versus creativity confronted each other...and the result was a complete stand-still on my part.

This was when I gave myself permission play. More on that later.

Talk20!

Thanks to all of you who came out to Talk20 tonight at 1708 Gallery. It was a great evening and I really, really enjoyed hearing so many artistic points-of-view!

I hope - if you are looking at this blog - that you would like to participate in The Reveal Conceal Project for 2010. If you have a chance, look at some of the older posts from last year...there is a chronicle of the 2008 show that will give a lot of insight as to where this show came from. WAY more than I could say in my mere 20 seconds per slide.

Instructions for submitting are to your right. Email your submissions or, if you are in the neighborhood, stop by my studio at Plant Zero (Studio 59).

Where does the time go??

Yowza, I have been away from this blog for a while. I need to re-do the entire thing, so it's not only about "Reveal/Conceal" and that is somewhat of a daunting task, since all my graphics, etc. are on a PC and I switched to a Mac in November. Whine, whine, whine...I know. 

So, what is E. B. Kellinger up to now, besides procrastinating up a storm?? I have been working diligently on a commissioned portrait that should be done within the next couple of weeks. That, along with some consulting for an art website, has kept me pretty busy. Two more commissioned portraits after that, as well as a new collection of flowers for a show in Gaithersburg in August. I want to do some unusual sizes (28" by 84" ish) so, I'll be stretching bunches of canvases.

And, I am always thinking about Reveal/Conceal 2010...I have to get on the ball and find a gallery/venue for the exhibit. It will take about a year to prepare for, including the issuing of invitations, etc. I'll be doing Artomatic again this year (May 29 through July 5 at 55 M Street, SE) and will set up another photo booth...hopefully a little more sophisticated, if I can figure out how to secure a camera so it doesn't walk off, you know. 

That's all for now!

ART BUZZ - November 20th!

Not exactly Reveal/Conceal related (but this blog will have to change eventually anyway!)...I'll be showing a few pieces at ART BUZZ in Washington, DC on November 20th. Come on by if you are in town.  (Click on the invitation to see a larger version with all the details.)

Photo Quilts

For those of you who missed the show (and btw, it's still up for a few weeks...the show got extended until the end of November), I wanted to include full pictures of the photo quilts. These are the pictures you all sent me, grommeted, wired together and framed in silver conduit. Click on the pictures and you'll see a larger image. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you

This show wouldn’t have been possible without the help of many, many people.

I’d like to thank all of those people who submitted photos...everyone from friends and family (oh, and sorry about the insistent phone calls and emails bugging you to submit photos) to complete strangers who saw the blog or a postcard.

Thank you to the Ukrop's for the very generous permission to use their logo on Revelations.

Thank you to Thomas, wherever you are, for asking me the simple question (almost TEN years ago...) that changed my life, "What would you be doing if you could do anything at all?"

Thank you, Arlene, for guiding me in the yogic lifestyle...and letting me off the hook when it was obvious that I had overestimated my capabilities.

Special thanks goes to Becky Eschenroeder, Vinnie Gonzales and Tom Wilkerson; all very talented photographers who shared their photographs with me.

Thanks to my parents and sister for their help and support.

AND, extreme gratitude goes to Eti de Villiers for all of his amazing help with every facet of this show. Here's a photo of him hanging the quilt...if I had them, I would include photos of him helping me stretch some pretty large canvases, grommeting 800 corners (because, even with all of my weight on the grommet press, I couldn't make it work...oh darn), detailed planning and hanging of the photos, framing the paintings, hanging the paintings, lighting the paintings and graciously dealing with my freaked-out self.

The Show is Up!

Despite the aforementioned difficulties, the show went up (the final light was adjusted at 1:30 am that Friday...). The opening reception was well attended and everyone seemed to have a good time. Forgive the lack of details; I was a little fuzzy-headed...lack of sleep, too many inhaled fumes, etc., etc.

MY highlights (aka, things that I actually remember):

• Every portrait subject except for one (Rose-Colored Glasses) was present. It was great fun watching their reactions to other people’s reactions to their portraits, especially when those around them weren’t aware it was them. (Does that make any sense?)
  
• Seeing the Scottish contingent who came all the way from DC for the show...this was the tighty-whitey wearing kilt guy who was featured on this blog and in the photo quilt at the exhibit. (Come on, admit it...you always wondered what they wore under those kilts didn’t you???)
  
• Meeting my husband’s date.
  
• Introducing my husband to my date.
  
• My parents meeting my husband’s date. (Haha, ok, I should say my ex-husband, since we’ve been separated for two years, but that sounded funnier...and it really was the first time any introductions of the sort have been made...)
  
• Hearing the many stories that went with the submitted photos...stories of introspection and personal growth.