Paws for a Purrpose

PAWS for a PURRpose is a Texas statewide public art event consisting of 60 beautiful works of art on fiberglass molds of the pets we so dearly cherish. Dogs and cats of different sizes, shapes and poses will be included along with two mini cows and a few surprises. Internationally known artist Allison Gregory  and my dear friend has selected 43 of some of the top artists in Texas (that includes me) to participate in this event.

Many of these artists produce museum quality work, and all were selected because of their unique style and overall quality. In June, South Texas College of Law will turn the 9th floor of the law school into an art gallery and host a special reception to unveil the art.

The “gallery” will be open daily from June 15-August 31. During the months of September-November, the art pieces will be moved to upper-end retail stores, hotels, car dealerships, museums, restaurants, and law office establishments in Houston, Dallas-FortWorth, Austin, San Antonio, Wichita Falls, and Amarillo to create awareness of the upcoming celebrity-hosted live auction of the art. The auction will be part of a gala to be held on Thursday, November 7, 2013, at the Houston Downtown Club from 6-9:30 p.m. Proceeds from the sponsorships and the live auction will support the Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN) and South Texas College of Law’s Animal Law Clinic (STCL).

I picked up my "animals" on Tuesday, a cat and a dog and here they are sitting pretty in my studio ready to be painted!

Above are the first few sketches on ideas for the painting project. So many ideas and I am itching to start but I want to explore the possibilities.  Go to the link to learn more about this project
http://www.pawsforapurrpose.com/index.html

New Year...new thoughts...

Been away for awhile but a friend encouraged me to get back into the swing of things with my blogs and art. I will try to post regularly.
November was a sad month, lost my mother to a stroke and it still is a big shock for me.
Let us hope this year is better.
The painting above was done in 2012 and just thought I would put it up.

Smashing Success! The Dellview Concert!

Smashing Success! The Dellview Concert!
On September 21st 2012 Dellview was in celebration of our neighborhood's rich history. Bett Butler and Joel Dilley created a wonderful evening with song, music, stories and a engaging video that was a collaboration between Bett and I in gathering images and stories from the residents.
It took place at St.Marks United Methodist Church and the Art Beat Committee of the Dellview Area Neighborhood Association really worked hard to bring this to its glory!
We filled the house! As you can see from the pictures, many were the elderly neighbors that bought their home in Dellview in the 50's. There were many of Bett and Joel's fans too.
        As artists working together, Bett and I really do well when we set down to do a project. I admire her professionalism and dedication to her craft. It was a lot of work coordinating everything for this big production but the fruits it bore are everlasting. Bett blew the audience away when she honored the first residents that lived through WWII by singing Brother Can You Spare A Dime? Every song they performed they did with their hearts and everyone was captivated. I was the "mistress of the ceremony" and ran the video and slide presentations. I also played a video I did for this event called
Dellview Drive and Joel's music was the soundtrack.
       Maybe this will be the start of honoring other old but not ancient neighborhoods in San Antonio but I really wanted to bring attention to what we have here in Dellview. Obtaining a CAAP Grant from the city of San Antonio Cultural Affairs was not easy but it help defer some of the big expenses of this free concert celebration.  It indeed created a stir and we are continuing the call for more stories and photographs from the past to add to the history documentation of Dellview, a neighborhood consisting of mid century homes and warm hearts.
        The big publicity we received was due to Jim Beal's article in the San Antonio Express News that got everyone's attention....I knew it would having Bett and Joel along!
The concert and the videos will be available on a DVD for members of DANA- Dellview Area Neighborhood Association. Everyone is invited to be a "neighbor" of Dellview. It costs only 12 dollars a year and you will receive our bi-monthly newsletter (which I design btw) in addition to the DVD when it comes out.
As artists, we never sleep and this was one project we all are happy to have accomplished successfully.
The concert was dedicated to the memory of Janice Petmecky, a dear friend and former Board Member of DANA.

SA Express article is located at http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/article/Working-in-concert-for-Dellview-3874882.php

Art Exhibit and Benefit for Peace at The Jackson Ranch.

Art Exhibit and Benefit for Peace at The Jackson Ranch.

                               Peace Dove Activity (copyrighted 2012) Acrylic on wood
http://skinnyllamaproductions.com/blog/ai1ec_event/peace-doves-for-the-world-exhibit-2

"When I created this work I was thinking about the atoms and protons that make up our universe but we cannot see. If this harmony is disturbed peace and progress can not take place. So, using my love of color, form and humor, I created a world that is full of activity, representing the cosmic order. I like to think of the Australian Aboriginals that make those colorful and detailed paintings based on their dreams of their ancestors. We only seem to use part of our brains so the other part maybe full of that inner knowledge." Joan Fabian

Several artists have created a Peace Dove, in their own chosen style and medium, to be exhibited both indoors at The Historic Jackson Ranch and outdoors in the ranch Chakra Garden. You can still purchase the the one I did shown above at the benefit sale and proceeds benefit the Roots and Shoots environmental rescue program created by Dr. Jane Goodall http://www.rootsandshoots.org/. This event was created and curated by Patrice Villastrigo, an artist, musician and healer. Please call her for an appointment to view the artwork at the wonderful Jackson Ranch!

The artworks are up until the first week of December!	The Jackson Ranch 8910 Callaghan Rd San Antonio,TX 78230 USA	Report a map error
Contact:	Patrice Villastrigo - Event Creator and Curator 210-344-8910 Patrice@SkinnyLlamaProductions.com

Bismarck Studios Opening SA Express News Photo

San Antonio Express News Captures Artist with Patrons at
Bismarck Studios opening July 12th!
by Leland A. Outz / Special to the Express-News

 

Art to the Power of Ten at the McNay Art Museum

This September 7th I was one of the artists that where featured in
the annual
San Antonio's McNay Art Museum's
Art to the Power of Ten which consists of 10 artists chosen to display their work during a fundraising event for the museum. The artists get to sell there works and donate a work of art to the Museum for the event.  It is a good chance to get people to started on the idea of an personal art collection of their own. I must say that I sound quite a few paintings and made some new collector friends!
Everyone was so nice and encouraging...which is very very stimulating for an artist. It's not too often one gets a chance like this in San Antonio to sell one's artwork to collectors.

All of the artists that were part of this event have given a talk at the McNay in the past and the McNay's Rene Barilleaux, a fantastic person and wonderful curator will choose the work to be donated. You can come to this event! See info below!

2012 Participating Artists

Ricky Armendariz

Estevan Arredondo

Seth Camm

Danville Chadbourne

Margaret Craig

John Dyer

Joan Fabian

Victoria Suescum

Gary Sweeney

Kathleen Trenchard

Summer in the Studio

A Beetle's Beat  18 x 24

 So far this summer of 2012 has been hot but that is nothing new for us folks in San Antonio. It has been, however a bit more rainy than usual. My garden is very lush and only small bits of grass seems to show signs of being burnt by the sun.

In July I had a visitor to my studio-  New Yorker Barbara MacAdam, Deputy Editor of Art NEWS. She liked the work below called Dwell Cluster.  I had decided to arrange these works together, like a fitted puzzle block and it has the feel of a circuit board. Diane Barber,  Houston based curator that tagged along said that I should do a whole wall of them. I would like too someday but need somewhere with space to do it-kinda like a mural. I don't know if it is a common thing for curators to gang together when visiting studios but I think it's kinda like tricker treaters during Halloween....give me something good to see.....Well they see now that I am a serious painter and my work is very much about color. Diane really liked my cat Tinka and took some photos of her. I guess she is due to have a show sometime soon.
Regardless, it was fun and nice to get feedback from these ladies and I hope they had a good time drinking the wine I served. The wine by the way is the best selling table wine in France!

Dwell Cluster   approx. 5' x 3'

I have been very productive in the studio this summer...well most summers I am as all year round. 

Hadrian's Lamp  18 x 24 (inspired by a trip to Rome)

Ear Noise 18 x 24