Alternative to the Frenzy

 

 

If you are weary of the Christmas shopping frenzy or trying to avoid it, this invitation is for you. It is quiet and peaceful in the studio – a welcome alternative shopping experience if you are interested in shopping for original artwork. I am not holding an open studio, but will happily be here by appointment for anyone who wants to stop in. There are drawings (framed and unframed), paintings, collages, monotypes, 3-D pieces, and even clay whistles to have a look at. I’ll brew up some tea or share a glass of wine if you want to come and have a look! If you are interested, get in touch or contact me here and we can set something up.

 

 

Enjoy these days, every one of them and every beautiful minute!

Something Different

Beyond the representational work in the studio, there are several groups of abstract pieces. These include soft pastels, collages, and 3-D sculptures/assemblages. The soft pastels are small (3″ x 3″) and large (14″ x 14″ and 18″ x 15″), and three samples are shown below along with a couple of collages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morning After Dreaming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Veil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nestle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Space Between

 

 

 

You can see this work and more by stopping in for a studio visit on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11-6:00, or by appointment. Contact me here for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take a Break

Taking a break can be energizing even if the break is only a small one. This is true for life and art. Over the weekend I took a short break from home and went to Blacksburg to help my friend Christy celebrate her birthday. Although just an overnight, it was rich with wonderful people, beautiful weather, breathtaking landscape, fabulous food, and warm hospitality. Before the trip, I took a break from the pastel drawings I have been working on in the studio to put together a small collage to take along for the birthday celebration. It is the one posted here called Circle Note. The greenish dots are the holes punched from the piece I made last year with the help of friends, Collected Stories, which is described in earlier posts.

Small X’s

Main Art will open its annual Small Works show this Friday, December 2, 7 – 9:00.  Stop by and check it out.  I am showing a couple of mixed media layered pieces (lokta paper, rust, paintstick, stitching, trace monotype, etc.).  These are more left handed pieces and continue the “x” theme:

Left Handed

Time again for artSpace‘s biennial invitational “Think Small” show.  The last show was a chance for me to play with collages using bits of stained and painted lokta paper as a beginning.   For my two entries this year I have used lokta again, but layered (and rusted, printed, stamped and drawn) instead of collaged.  Both are 3″ x 3″.

X . 1

X . 2

These pieces are the first of my left-handed work.  Well, I used my right hand too;  but since it is currently in a cast ( from a bike + pothole spill in September), it really isn’t very helpful.

I had a quick preview of the show, and there are some gems to see and snag.  So stop by the official preview on Thursday night and the opening on Friday night to pick your favorites!  Details and previews at Think Small 6.

Events at Quirk

The Ways I See It  • Sarah Masters

March 3 – 26

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, March 19, 10:30 – 12:30

Coffee in the gallery

Saturday, March 26, 2:00 PM

Closing day artist’s talk

Please join us for these upcoming events!

Regular hours: M – F 10-6, Sat. 11-4, or by appointment

The Ne(we)st

This is the newest drawing from my studio.  It is also the oldest.  I began working on this image about eleven years ago and have worked on it on and off over the years with long spans (years!) in between. Twice before I tried to finish it for shows but was unable to make the image come together as a whole. Recently, I decided to give it one last go before permanently retiring it, and it seems the time was right.  The drawing is now hanging at Quirk, waiting to be seen at the opening this Thursday night.  It is the largest piece in the show, over one hundred times larger than the smallest pieces which are tiny collages like this one:

Clearly there is a range of work in the show, so stop by and see how it all fits together!

Invitation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The show at Quirk will open next Thursday, March 3 with a preview reception 5:00-7:00.  The First Friday reception will be March 4, 7:00-10:00.  Please stop in if you can!  The show will include mixed media sculpture, assemblage, and collage as well as drawings and clay work.  It will be up through March 26.  See more details below.

 

Gem

Yesterday on a run through the woods I found this small gem lying in the path.

It was the colors that caught my eye:  the red hooked root and the yellow cotyledon with the little bit of bright green at the top (not so apparent in this image) – all standing out against the dull brown of the winter path.  This tiny gem became the germ for many thoughts floating around my head.  The finding of it surely supports what I tell my drawing classes; whatever (color or value) you put next to something changes it.  I would likely not have noticed this acorn or appreciated its colors had it been lying in the midst of colorful flowers.  This little gem of a seed also seems to relate to the small (tiny, actually) collages I am working on at the moment.  Every element, every small detail – such as a bit of green n a cotyledon – makes a difference.  Change something and the image and meaning shift.  Hmm…I am wanting to continue my musings here, but I will save such stream of consciousness silliness for my next run rather than subject anyone who might have landed here to too many words about too many of life’s tiny details.  For now, it is back to the studio to work on the small details of tiny collages.  I  have a deadline to deliver these for a show at Quirk in March – stay tuned for more details!  And later this week a short entry on… DELIGHT!

Last Minute

Where does the time go?  I imagine there are many asking this question about now as Advent rushes quickly towards Christmas Day.  Given that today is a mere 4 days before Christmas, it is safe to say we are in the “last minute” phase of the time for preparations.  And I am definitely last minute in posting information about new work and two shows.  For those interested in nest drawings or mixed media work, stop by the Christmas show at Astra Design at 3110 W. Marshall Street.  Louise and Tom have put together a nice collection of treats to dazzle and delight.

For more of an excursion, take the short trip to Powhatan Village Arts Show to see the show and  learn more about Powhatan’s offerings.  I have a few landscapes up along with work by several Powhatan artists.  Check the site for more information and special offerings.

Finally,  my studio is always open by appointment to anyone interested in drawings (including newer work) or mixed media work.  Contact me here or give a call if you already know the number!

To any who might come across this page, I wish you a quiet moment in the midst of holiday frenzy, a moment to sit and be still as we prepare and wait.