The Land of O'Keefe

There is really no way to travel to Ghost Ranch, New Mexico and not feel like you are walking in the footsteps of Georgia O'Keefe. If you have seen any of her landscapes of New Mexico then you have been to Ghost Ranch. Every view evokes the memory of one of her paintings. The magic of unobstructed earth and sky play on your imagination like nothing else.

I went there to participate in a workshop called Intuition and Imagery, co-taught by two amazing women in their own right, Laurie Doctor and Barbara Griek. More on that later.

I took my DSLR camera along and a lightweight tripod as I knew there would be opportunities for images beyond the capabilities that my favorite i-phone app, Hipstamatic could render. I was not disappointed. Inspired by a full moon and the Michael Kenna exhibit I had recently seen at the Columbia Museum of Art, I set out to experiment with my own night images, in spite of my fear of encountering a wandering coyote.

I am so psyched by these results! They capture the magic and majesty in a way I am not sure any of the daytime photos I shot did.

Untitled©Kathryn Van Aernum

Ghost Ranch under Moonlight©Kathryn Van Aernum

Chimney Rock and Ghost Ranch ©Kathryn Van Aernum

Without the stars in the sky or the lights of the campground, you might think these were taken with a neutral density filter in the day. The only disappointment I have is that the tripod I had was very cheap and broke on one of the nights I was using it. The images have a bit of shake because of the lightweight nature of the tripod. Had I used my real one, these would be much sharper. But in spite of that, I still love them.

New Mexico travels to be continued...

S&S Art Supply Fundraiser, Saturday, July 23

Two years ago I blundered into this new art supply store that, at the time, was located on Rosewood Drive. Eric Stockard had just opened S & S Art Supply - a brave venture in today’s online and megastore shopping paradigm. You might say that he is as brave as anyone who dares to follow their muse, be it becoming an artist (not just visual), or an entrepreneur, or both.

His move to Main street last year was visionary as the improvements that we are now seeing were still in the talking /rumor phase. Being on the leading edge involves risk that many of us are simply afraid to take. But Eric hasn't been. He is an enthusiastic believer in the revitalization of Main Street.

His latest act of bravery comes in the form of vulnerability. His business is struggling and he has asked for the community's help. Local artists have created art pieces for auction to raise funds that would assist him in getting through the slow summer season. Asking for help is courageous. And it isn't like he hasn't been working it. Eric shows up at events that you wouldn't really connect with art supplies, like sponsoring a kid's painting with tomatoes booth at the Tasty Tomato Festival. That's creative.

If you are in town tomorrow and want to support this local, independent business and also are looking for original art created by local artists, come to the art auction at his store at 1633 Main Street. Food and beverage have been donated by local businesses. Nearly 100 artworks will be up for auction, all proceeds go to S & S. His store opens at 10 — in case you want to buy some art supplies, and the auction is from 4-8 p.m.

I have created a mixed-media piece based on the Antonio Machado poem, “The Wind, One Brilliant Day.”

Let's brave the heat and support Eric, Amanda and S & S Art Supply.

The Wind, One Brilliant Day
text by
Antonio Machado

What a blast

I want to thank all the folks that came by my studio during 701cca's Open Studio event this past weekend. Around 90 people came through over the two days! It was really gratifying to talk to everyone and I feel honored by all who stopped by.

I sold some encaustic paintings and since it is a new medium for me - and I wanted to answer the question on how to frame them. Here is a good website that not only has a good method for framing them, but describes the process as well.

I was surprised that a number of people had never heard of encaustic painting— although they may be familiar with artists who employed it, such as Jasper Johns (one of my favorites). It is one of the oldest fine art methods and was commonly used by the Greeks and Egyptians. It has enjoyed a revival since the 1960's due, in part, to Jasper Johns.

Visitors to the space were also surprised by the fact that there were studio spaces above OOPS! in 5 points.  There are now 7 artists in this space and we plan on having a few open house events over the summer. Stay tuned.

Taking the Plunge

Do you remember your first apartment after leaving home? It might have been pretty basic. It might have had peeling paint, or windows with broken sashes that needed to be propped open with a sturdy piece of wood. The plumbing was questionable and the electricity unreliable, but it didn't matter. It was all yours and it was great.

That's the feeling I have when I walk in my first, recently rented, outside-the-home studio. It's pretty basic, but it's mine and I feel I can do anything when I walk in the door. I love the building it's in. It feels like the set of a 1940's detective movie. The door has that frosted glass that makes you think Guy Noir is waiting for you inside.

If you happen to be in Columbia the weekend of May 21-22, you can visit me in the studio during Columbia's Open Studio tour.

I'll have a mix of small paintings, photography, and I'll be working on my next mixed-media artist book.

Off to the studio.