March--Last Burst of Art Shows!

AND A HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY TO YOU ALL!


UNDER THE OAKS
Fine Art & Craft Show
Sponsored by the Vero Beach Art club
March 12-13-14, 2015

What a show!  Supposedly, over 80,000 people attend in a wonderful oak tree-filled setting in Vero Beach.  About 230 exhibitors, some of the best in the country.  It's exhausting but fun.  I was satisfied with sales and made many contacts, chatted with old and new friends, networked, and talked up my art.  Unfortunately, I became allergic to the oak trees--I made the mistake of raking all the oak leaves, exposing mold and dirt and just creating a lot of dust in the process, so I could place my pretty rug  there.  So for 3 days itchy skin plagued me.  It is so inspiring to see such great work. 

We had some "spitting" rain a few times, but all-in-all the weather held up. 


PLEIN AIR AT THE VERO BEACH YACHT CLUB
Paint-out, Show & Sale
March 25, 8:00 am - 8:00 pm

"At Rest" Acrylic by Judy Burgarella

 Had a great day painting outdoors with friends at the Yacht Club.  The show and sale later in the day was a good one, with half the paintings being sold, and this little gem of mine (12x16) sold for $350.  Paintings had to be framed and wired, ready for hanging, so I had brought several frames with me to fit the best one to the painting.  It is such a pleasure not having to worry about a wet painting, thanks to the quick drying properties of Acrylic paints.

In order to get a view that inspired me, I had to go way out to the end of a dock and set up.  Very awkward, and not much room else I may end up in the drink.

Happily, an hour or so into my painting Carol Bennet set up next to me and we chatted for some time about what artists usually talk about--art and artists!  She did a very large abstract/impressionist type of painting, very effortlessly while I struggled with my little one.  But we both had such fun.

The day was cool, and very breezy, and so I fought the wind while my hair blew in my watery eyes all day.  Such is the plein air expience.  At least I had no bugs dried into the pigment like I usually do when painting in a meadow or at the beach.


INTERNET FIND!
A couple of days later I was on the internet looking at portraiture and was steered to an Ebay seller with this gem of a painting for sale for a starting bid of $50.  I bid $55 and got it!  When it arrived, it definitely was an original oil painting, of great quality but quite old and with hairline crackles.

My guess is German, 18th Century.  Glued onto board.  Several small repairs that look like they'd been done a long time ago.  Signature is pretty obliterated but an expert would be able to tell.  I was thrilled. To be able to closely examine the colors and brushstrokes, it is an excellently rendered oil painting which I will treasure and learn from.  I have not taken it apart yet, I want to set aside a block of time to devote to that careful process.  Perhaps there will be a surprise under that beautiful gilded, slightly damaged, ornate wooden frame.  Sometimes you just get lucky.  But I got lucky again . . .

ANOTHER EXTRAORDINARY FIND!
A few days later I found this little gem in a thrift shop:

"Sarah Louise Bowes" by Kenneth R. Ransley

While rummaging through a collection of pictures leaning against a chair in a thrift shop this one caught my eye.  I tried to resist but found myself going back to it 3 times.  The last thing I needed was another picture.  But I finally picked it up and examined it closely.  Image size was about 9" by 12", and it was beautifully and very professionally rendered.  Obviously appreciated by some recent owner as it was professionally framed with museum glass and double matted with no foxing.  The frame was plain, but appropriate for a fine piece.  The original typewritten information was taped to the back of a neatly paper-backed application, which read, "Sarah Louise Bowes Circa 1927-28 Artist: Kenneth B. Ransley."  Framer was "Frame Center and Gallery, Custom Framed, Sarasota Florida."  The artist, according to the internet, is from Chicago, and Kenneth is actually a woman's name (b March 21, 1893 - d June 12, 1989)  Her career spanned many years, as did her husband Frank T. Ransley whom she met while studying at the School of Art Institute of Chicago.  I found postings of several people who had purchased her work at garage sales or thrift shops, she must have been very prolific.  A shame the subjects themselves were of such little value to their families that they ended up in the throes of a second-hand sale.  Working with my daughter Robin at her and Cass's Crimson Key Estate Sales company, we see a lot of this, and it is always sad to see.

The strokes creating the face are so simple, with not much shading, and it is spectacular how this artist captured the essence of Sarah with such little effort.  The hair strokes are presented so matter-of-factly, with only a few random strands drawn in just the right place.  Perfect!  There is nothing like a perfectly rendered painting or drawing, and this is one ... and I own it!  The price?  Well, there was a big fat price tag of $10 on it, but for that day only all framed pictures were half price.  So for $5, less than the cost of a lunch, I bought a treasure.  What luck!  Unfortunately, this will keep me on the lookout for more paintings to hoard.  Actually my art "finds" look quite nice collectively sitting on easels on top of the decorative shelf space that lines our kitchen and family room. Just have to get rid of some pottery and baskets up there.  So there is room for more, much to husband Bob's chagrin.

 PORTRAITS IN ACRYLIC
My first class at the
Vero Beach Museum of Art

"Crow Indian" Acrylic by Judy Burgarella

Although I have assisted Christine Thomas for many months now with her "Cork & Canvas" painting parties at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, this Monday was my own first class there.  I have been teaching painting and drawing for 15 years, and looked forward to this one at the Museum.  The class was packed with 15 students of various levels of expertise, from beginner to intermediate.  So I lectured a bit on brushes, paints, techniques, and the joy of painting portraits, had them prime the canvas in between talks, then jump right in to paint the values of the face.  Class was 1:30-4:30, and by 4:30 all paintings--including mine--were still at the "ugly" stage.  Next week we will make them beautiful and dramatic.  Some may want to segue right into painting their own subjects, which is fine with me.  Such fun to share my excitement over portraiture!  I get in the zone as soon as I put the brush to canvas.  My drug of choice.


OPEN CLASS AT
THE SEBASTIAN RIVER ART CLUB
1st & 3rd Thursdays, 9:00-12:00
Well, tomorrow, April 2nd, will be my class at the Sebastian Club.  Continuing my oil Indian, similar to the acrylic one above, as a half-hour demo.  People paint what they want, from pets to landscaping to portraits.  It's very loose and free-wheeling, almost any medium but mostly oil and acrylic.

After that I pick up my little granddaughter Salem and we'll go out to lunch, then we'll paint eggs with neon paint and hang them on the Jacaranda tree.  Have to squeeze as much time in with her while she still thinks I'm super gramma.

I'll post some of the egg creations for all to see next time.  Hope you enjoyed this posting.  And God bless you at Eastertime.

Regards,
Judy Burgarella
Blogger
www.burgarellaart.com
(if you visit my website, forgive the outdatedness, as another is in the works.

February was Art-Filled and Fun!

Special note:  If you have visited my website www.burgarellaart.com please forgive the outdated information, as I am in the process of creating a whole new website which will be launched soon.  Stay tuned!

A few delicious morsels since my last posting . . .

Well, Art on the Island (Feb 13-14) was a smashing success.  The Clubhouse on Marsh Island was packed with buyers and lookie-loo's, and just gobs of people who love art.  The food was great, and there was specialty beers and wine flowing, and everyone seemed to be having a jolly-good time.  But most importantly, my "Artbox" won first place prize in it's category (Paintings with Pizazz!)  AND it sold!  Would have liked it for myself, but you have to let your babies go!

"Mona Lisa Artbox" Oil painting on Art Box by Judy burgarella

Then a concert at my friend Geoff's, featuring "Fishing in America" which was fabulous.  Good music, good food, and fun with friends.

Did a couple of demos at the Sebastian River Art Club during my classes this month, one in oils and one in acrylics, and did a demo in acrylics for my upcoming acrylic class in the Vero Beach Museum of Art.  Tried to work out the kinks in demoing the following, but couldn't make it work, so did a demo on a close-up of my granddaughter, Salem, which I will post when it's done--in the ugly stage right now.  But people enjoyed watching the process at the Museum.  The other painting is shown below, and is my 3-1/2-year-old granddaughter Salem who wants to be an "As-s-t" just like her grandma.

"Salem the Artist" Acrylic by Judy Burgarella

A little more tweaking on her face and it will be done--but it will have to wait until after "Under the Oaks," coming up this weekend.  Still so much to do, but I'm getting it done.  Tweaked some old paintings, adding birds and such to get them moving, touched up some frames, having prints made, and I have a few new paintings to show off.

After Under the Oaks, on Wednesday, March 25th is "Plein Air at the Vero Beach Yacht Club.  Fun painting outdoors all day with friends, culminating in an art show where the buyers are serious fans of marine art.  Rain date March 26th.  Looking forward to that, as I cut my art-teeth on plein air painting back in the day in Connecticut.

In between all this I managed to pitch in with a "Move-'Em-West," a big rally at the VB Admin complex near the airport.  When they say "You can't stop a train," that's not true, because we're going to do it.  We, a group of concerned citizens, will not let All Aboard Florida trains ruin our little piece of paradise by cutting through our beautiful shoreline towns with their dirty and dangerous freight trains, high-speed passenger trains flying over our roads, and all of this endangering our peaceful towns.  Enough said.  Back to art.

Then comes my upcoming "Painting Portraits in Acrylic" class at the Museum, and after that I can rest ... I think.  But actually I'll probably get geared up to work for my daughter at her Crimson Key Estate Sale business.  No rest for the weary.  Plus there's babysitting for adorable Salem.  Sandwiched in there somewhere I will paint something that inspires me, I just can't help it.  It's my drug of choice.

Come back again y'all!

Judy Burgarella
Blogger

Changing My Focus!

But first, a farewell to a dear friend . . . Henry Pitt

This blog is dedicated to Henry Pitt, a friend, mentor, a fine artist, and a giant to all of us in the Sebastian River Art Club, who passed away earlier this month.  Henry, at age 87 and with only one eye, was an inspiration to all who knew him.  Each week he would come in with a new painting, one more stunning than the other.  Most with wildlife or domestic animals in them, many from Montana where he once was owner of a large ranch.  Henry had a quick wit and a charming smile, and enjoyed some notoriety and fame over the years for his paintings and also for his efforts on behalf of the arts.  He was quick to offer advice and critique when asked, and all of it was good.  My husband Bob and I  enjoyed listening to his stories of Montana and various adventures and foibles during his long life.  His legacy will live on in the countless paintings he's left behind, and the memories that will stay with all of us.  
God speed, Henry . . . and keep the palette filled for us as we join you in painting heaven some day.

Henry Pitt - 1927-2014

"Ram" Oil Painting by Henry Pitt

Changing My Focus ~

Henry's passing reminds us all that life has an "Expiration Date."  And to that end in evaluating my art life I had concluded that some of my energies need to be taken in a new direction.  Up until now I have devoted much of my free time to volunteering in the Arts community, and I can now look back with a sense of satisfaction at my small contributions towards the growth of the Arts in Indian River County.  Working hard with the Artists Guild Gallery and other galleries in the Arts District, the Vero Beach Art Club and Sebastian River Art Club, the Cultural Council, and many charitable organizations.  My service included serving on boards and committees, organizing and helping with art shows and fund-raisers, helping build and market the Arts District, running the many local arts blogs, and marketing-marketing-marketing.  But now, as time is creeping up on me and family is wanting more of my time, I am wishing well to those who will step in to fill whatever small void I leave as I slow my volunteer hours down and relinquish my positions of responsibility.

Time also to concentrate on painting and marketing for myself, and getting all those paintings out from the corners and closets of our house and out into plain view.  But first I want to enjoy once more the experiences of painting out-of-doors, "en plein air."  On April 16-17-18 I was one of about 40 artists to paint "Main Street Fort Pierce," which also included a day at Adams Ranch.  Adams Ranch is the 15th largest cattle ranch in the U.S.A., and is breathtakingly beautiful, with its tree houses, meandering streams, hammocks, grazing cattle and horses, and just stunning landscape.  Below is the painting I did on my day at Adams Ranch, along with a portrait of Bud Adams which was included in "Au Naturale," a 2007 Calendar Project for Heathcote Gardens.

"Adams Ranch" oil by Judy Burgarella (Available)

"Bud Adams" oil painting, for "Au Naturale" 2007 Calendar by Judy Burgarella

Two other paintings that I completed during the three-day event are pictured below.  It was great painting with buddies Dawn Mill and Christine Thomas, who worked with me on a year-and-a-half mural painting project for Vero Beach (www.verobeachmural.blogspot.com).  Main Street Fort Pierce treated us wonderfully, feeding us and accommodating us in whatever way they could.  A portion of the proceeds from the sales of paintings went to help with the Backus House.

"Pure Florida" Chochki in oil by Judy Burgarella (sold)

"View from the Manatee Center" oil by Judy Burgarella (available)

So my next plein air event was at the Vero Beach Yacht Club, for the Cultural Council on Tuesday April 22nd.  This all-day event was also a wonderful experience, in that I met some interesting people and completed 2 paintings which sold!  It was a lovely, calm day, in a lovely place with beautiful views.  I was "in the zone" all day, with endorphins in high gear and freckles flaring.  Such fun, and plein air is my roots and my beginnings, so I feel as if I'm home again.  Now to find places to paint in the summer heat ... that will be a curious endeavor!

"At Rest" 8"x10" Oil by Judy Burgarella (sold)

"Morning Mist" 11"x14" Oil by Judy Burgarella (sold)

 So stay tuned for more news of how I plan to "reinvent" myself.  I'm still thinking . . .

But in the meantime, I'll be playing with my adorable 2-year-old granddaughter, Salem, who is also an artist--who even has business cards to prove it! 

Alas, this little cherub has taken my affections from the brush and the canvas and onto herself. 
I am a very lucky grandma.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger