Stacie Logue a naturally creative person

So a good friend at the studio is in the middle of her first solo show:

Through the Window: New Works by Stacie Logue

Here is her personal website:
Stacie Logue

Stop by if you are in the area, the show is open for another two weeks ...or check out her sites and see what she is making!!

She had a "meet the artist" today, this is a chance for people visiting the gallery after opening night to still meet the artist and ask questions about the art or the process.

I admire Stacie for putting it all out there....her show is a great personal expression of who she is and she displayed it in an unusual way which I think turned out great!

We went to the opening last weekend and there was a super crowd, not only is she a painter, but a ceramic artist too. I had eyed a few pieces at the opening, as I am a sucker for ceramics...

I made mental notes and played my usual game of "if I think about it after I leave here, then I should go back and get it." Sometimes this works for me, sometimes I miss out.

Well in this case it was a cat head, well, more like a mounted head that she had made. I couldn't get it out of my head!

Luckily when I contacted Stacie about it, it was still available. Whew...

Today I picked it up and much to my surprise there was another that just made sense to get!

We have two cats at home and they are kind enough to let us live in the home too.

So as a gift of thanks to them, I got them art for their "dining room".

I think it is a bit uncanny how much these look like our boys at home...how could I resist!

Opening Night at Westmont

Tonight the Views and Visions: Interior Space exhibit opened at Westmont Colleges' Reynolds Gallery.

There was a good turnout and a who's who of Artists from the Santa Barbara Area:

Rita Coulter, Dug Uyesaka, Patricia Childlaw, Sui Zimmerman, Colin Gray...just to name a few.

Awards were made from Honorable Mention to Best of Show.

The Best of Show went to Dane Goodman for his triptych of acrylics on cloth handkerchiefs

Dane Goodman info: http://www.sbcc.edu/art/website/index.php?page=faculty&contact=25

It was an interesting piece and although it was placed in the corner of the gallery it did receive a lot of interest and attention.

I was placed a bit low for my taste, as most people had to bend down to see the work*

*(the person bending over is looking at my work)

Colin Gray's work are the black and white pieces at far right side

http://www.sbartsblog.com/tag/colin-gray/

I tried to not feel like my work was an after thought, but it's placement upset a few of the people that came to see my work. I was happy to see that people made an effort to look at it.

The piece in the upper right is a felted wool faucet top and ring...it was pretty interesting.

It was announced that over 250 entries were submitted and 50 pieces were selected...it was a diverse collection of works, painting, assemblage, paintings, printing and drawings.

It felt funny taking pictures of the show, but for those who were not able to attend I wanted you to see the work.

These are a few of my pics for highlights from the show:

Rica Coulter- SB Printmaker

Hillary Brace : http://www.hilarybrace.com/

Betsy Quinn-fellow inkspotter

Dug Uyesaka (center top) and Karen L Brown( fellow Inkspot, Right)

I totally fell in love with this "nest" of sorts by Martha Day

All in all it was a great exhibit and I am glad I am part of the select few that were chosen.

Work on display

I submitted to a juried show in Santa Barbara.

I figured it was a long shot and have not had good luck as of late getting work into juried competitions, but when has that stopped me. Heck if I am going to be rejected, I might as well be rejected from some of the finest places right!

The juror is Elyse Gonzales, curator of exhibitions at the University Art Museum.

I tried to do some research on what she might find interesting...

According the the local Independent newspaper, "her background working with such hip young art stars as the extraordinary drafts person, colorist, and Henry Darger disciple Amy Cutler and the Flickr phenomenon Zoe Strauss bodes well for the contemporary arts at UCSB’s museum"

I was swimming in the ocean...so I went with my gut.

The theme was interior spaces: physical, biological, spiritual...it was a great chance to show things I had not. Including work from my developing Infertility Series.

I submitted work for not only myself, but two fellow printmakers too. All in, 12 pieces were submitted between the three of us and 4 were accepted!

"It settled in so deeply" was accepted and I am over the moon!

Opening reception is this Thursday night from 4-6pm at the Reynolds Gallery @ Westmont college.

Eerie

We drove into Santa Barbara last night to attend a theatre production. The actor is a former charge of mine when I was a nanny, many moons ago.
I felt silly driving into town to attend an event like this, when so many are displaced.
The family of the actor is one of these families. I was struck at the ability to simply let go...
They had left their home two days ago and were receiving updates as to it's status frequently.
Their ability to be present, and attentive at this production was mind blowing and quite humbling. They are even leaving the area this weekend to attend a wedding.
Some day I might have the gift to let go so completely.

The production was three and a half hours long and when we left we could see flames from downtown at the mall. The streets were vacant and with the sky raining ash it felt as though I was in the middle of a movie.

My hometown is in flames, or being covered in ash. All the trees are flocked as though it is a strange apocalyptic holiday.

I am concerned for friends spread to the four directions and our lives in our pretty little hometown.

Mother Nature

I am a BIG fan of Mother Nature.
I love that we can do nothing in her face.
Hurricanes, tornado's, earthquakes, fires, floods....she knows how to make herself be seen.
Living in California for almost all of my life, I have become acquainted with this feeling of "smallness".
When my husband was traveling to the Midwest, I was terrified of the tornado's....he saw one coming even, heard the warning sirens....I was terrified. Heck they have a tornado season!
Being from California, I have never experienced a tornado but they seem really scary.

Fires, fires are what scare me the most living where I do. My husband explained this to his Midwest friends, but they were most afraid of the earthquakes.

Now in the middle of another fire in my hometown, calling friends and offering floorspace...I find that fire is scary. It triggers that flight mechanism that is so ingrained in us all. The bunny fleeing the burning woods...
everything you know reduced to ashes, gone forever.
The idea of finding what is really important to you? You have your animal companions, yourself and your spouse....what now?
Which photos...which art...how much time do I have? I know I am forgetting something.
As a family historian and self proclaimed pack rat...these decisions could send me into the looney bin.
I am thinking of dear friends and family that are making those decisions tonight, hopeful that they will make the right choices and still have a home to back to.