Updating for New Works

NOTE ~ For a view of my studio, click on:    https://www.facebook.com/CCOVB.org/videos/611418863194541

Folk Art Show at the Vero Beach Museum of Art

Local artist members of the Cultural Council of Indian River County were invited to show Folk Art-related works in the Education Wing of the Vero Beach Art Club, in collaboration with their current Fold Art Exhibition.  Show ran October-November 2021, and I entered two pieces:  "Laundry Day" and "Six Rosters."

"Laundry Day"

I painted this a couple of years ago to enter into the Vero Beach Art Club's "New Dimensions" show on Orchid Island, Vero Beach.  I had named it "Laundry Day Wine Bar," and had included wine glasses with clotheslines painted on them, and a washboard cheese tray.  Someone bought the glasses only, and so I've had this odd art piece knocking around my garage ever since, showing it once or twice in the Sebastian River Art Club shows.  So I was happy to get it out of the garage and on display again.

"Laundry Day" Painted in acrylics on wooden ironing board.
By Judy Burgarella

"Six Roosters"

"Six Roosters" was painted specifically for the Vero Beach Museum of Art's Folk Art Show.  If I hadn't run out of time (painting right up to the last minute as usual!) I had planned to get some rusty old chicken wire and rusty old bent nails and nail it sloppily to the outside of the window, with the rooster portraits behind it.  This was such fun to paint and research.  Took me right out of my comfort zone.

"Six Roosters" Acrylic, 16"x20" by Judy Burgarella

"Jesus On Palette"

This palette painting was done as a demo on Faculty Day at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, where I have been teaching portraiture for seven years now.  It was not complete, but close enough to post here. This was the last demonstration we teachers did before the Pandemic Closedown.  Sadly, we had no idea what was to come.

"Jesus on Palette" Oil 11"x16" by Judy Burgarella

"Night-Blooming Cereus"

"Night-Blooming Cereus Cactus"
Acrylic by Judy Burgarella, 16"x20"

Perched high above my herb garden setting in a wire replica plant stand of the Eiffel Tower, sits this usually-ugly flat-leaved prickerless plant.  Don't know where I got it, but for years I've neglected it, and even threw it behind a big ixoria to see if it would die and get it over with. I have had this plant for about 15 years.

At some time later I saw it was struggling to survive, and like an orphaned pet I gently potted it in a nice pot to give it a chance to live--guilt being the driving force.  I don't remember when it happened, but I remember seeing a big long pointed snake-like bud emerging.  I kept watching it as it got bigger, excited to see what beautiful flower would emerge from this ugly plant.  It got bigger ... and bigger ... and bigger! Every morning I would run out to the herb garden to see it emerging!  Then one morning--finally--there it was ... a very large drooping dead white what shriveled whatchamacallit!  After all that time I had missed its bloom!  

After doing some research, I found that it is of the genre of a "Night Blooming Cereus," in the cactus family.  Look it up on the internet--they are spectacular and diverse.  Mine blooms as big as a dish.  I found out that the bats love it and do the pollinating, and I've seen that it peaks about midnight.  The aroma can compete any day--or night--with Gardenia.  A very strong yet soft aroma that permeates the night air all around it.  It blesses me with always having either an emerging flower or a flower bloom--sometimes more than one!  I try to catch its glory at midnight, but alas many times miss it by forgetting and going to bed.

And so I finally honored this spectacular flower by painting it and exhibiting the painting several shows.  It is mounted on a gallery-wrapped frame, with the painting continued all around the edges. Looks great on a white wall, and I hope it finds a good home some time soon. Note that I included a dying bloom behind the "perfect" bloom. Also note the bizarre pink and yellow stamen.

Plein Air Pait-Out at the Environmental Learning Center

October 2nd, 2021, joined some fellow artists for a paint-out on-site at the Environmental Learning Center in Vero Beach, FL, as part of the "Bird Show" there.  The rule is, you must complete and frame the painting all in one sitting, which I did. It's an unrefined work, which I will tweak to be finer at a later date.  It did pull a 3rd-place ribbon at the show though, and two of my other works won ribbons, pictures of which follow.

"Pond Scape" Acrylic, 11"x14" by Judy Burgarella

Egrets and Waterlilies on Palette

Painted on a lovely cloud-filled day in my backyard, with a group of plein-aire friends. February 10th, 2021.  Such fun to paint directly on your palette: squirt the paint on and dip/drag it into your creation.  Artists were scattered all around the yard, painting the canal, gardens, trees, flowers.  Afterwards we broke open the wine and toasted to a wonderful mask-free day outdoors.  Won First Place ribbon in the "Bird Show" at the Environmental Learning Center in October 2021.

"Egrets & Waterlilies on Palette" Oil on Palette, 16"x19" by Judy Burgarella

"Fencepost by the Meadow"

This cute little painting was done during a demonstration, and was later donated to charity.  A simple, sweet, peaceful gem.

"Fencepost by the Meadow" Oil, 17"x14" Framed by Judy Burgarella

Well, that's all for today, will post more works soon.

Judy Burgarella

Blogger for the Arts

And Now ... 5 more months of painting/creating ins spite of COVID!

"DRAGON"

"Dragon" took several months to paint because I hated doing it.  I blocked the darned thing in and let it sit out on our lanai for months. Finally, my granddaughter Salem's birthday was coming up quick in July so I HAD to get it done!  It was just yesterday she was loving unicorns and princesses ... and now, at 10, she loves Harry Potter!  Go figure.  I do miss my princess with the magical wand and tutu though.  And I hated everything Harry-Potter-ish and dark and gloomy stuff.  However, by the time I was almost finished with the dragon, I was watching movies about Harry Potter with her, biting my nails!  Loved him, and I certainly learned to "Love the Dragon!"

"Dragon" Oil on Stretched Canvas, 28"x36" by Judy Burgarella

"SPENSER"

"Spenser" was a delight to paint.  And upon pickup, my client brought his wife and other furry famly members.  Spenser wanted so badly to play with my Piper, but Spenser had just undergone surgery and was in no shape to romp, so I left Piper outside.  I was told that the painting really captured his spirit and personality.  I painted it from several referenced photographs.

"Spenser" Acrylic by Judy Burgarella. Painted surface 14"x11"

Uploading Some New Work ... After A Long Covid Layover!

 As the Covid crisis begins to wind down, artists are starting to crawl out of their cocoons, myself included, although I emerged sooner than many.  In November 2020, and against all odds, me and my dear friend Camy DeMario developed a show, "Keeping the Arts Alive," at Raw Space Gallery in Vero Beach.  We curated a month-long fine art show featuring over 200 works of art by over 100 artists, and the show included 17 different themes and events throughout the month.  The agenda included honoring our civic leaders, fire, police, military and medical heroes, and I presented portraits to several of our Leaders and Heroes. Other nights were dedicated to Jazz, Ghosts & Hauntings, book signings, Music, poetry, graffiti, and more. Ribbons were awarded, wine and refreshments were served, and a good time was had by all. However, as Covid loomed throughout the month we decided to slow down some of the other events we had planned. In spite of all the odds against us, we were able to make a generous donation to Little Birthday Angels, our chosen charity.  Below are the portraits that were presented:

"Amelia Earhart" Pastel, 11x14 by Judy Burgarella

Amelia Earhart, famous American aviator - presented to the City's Vero Beach Municipal Airport

"Portrait of a Hero," oil on linen by Judy Burgarella

"Portrait of a Hero," presented to Dr. Marcelin of Cleveland Clinic, Vero Beach

"Alma Lee Loy" Acrylic, 11"x14" by Judy Burgarella

"Alma Lee Loy," presented to the Mayor of Vero Beach. Alma Lee, who passed away in April of 2020, was a tireless promotor and philanthropist of Vero Beach and beyond, beloved by all who knew her. 

"Sheriff Daryl Loar" Acrylic, 11"x14" by Judy Burgarella

Symbolic to our Police, and in recognition of Sheriff Loar's service.

"Fire!" Acrylic by Judy Burgarella

 Presented to Indian River County Fire and Rescue.

We created a wonderful show featuring many wonderful works, helped a charity, and honored those who helped bring us through this awful pandemic--God bless them all.  The show closed, and that was the end of "Keeping the Arts Alive," for us.

When time permits, I will post more of the artwork I created just before the Pandemic, during, and after.  But for now, new art shows and art projects loom on the horizon which I must attend to ... so, more to come! 

Judy Burgarella

Blogger

Sebastian, Florida