s.o.f.a. chicago 2008

Detail above of Lure (titan) by Leigh Taylor Mickelson of Sherrie Gallerie.

This afternoon I took the chilly trip downtown to attendSOFA Chicago (Sculptural Objects & Functional Art). Too often I do not take advantage of all that is offered by this wonderful city, today Idid and I was greatly rewarded with an inspiring visual cornucopia ofart and talent. I was most intrigued by the jewelry, ceramic and glasssculpture. So many fabulous artists: Wesley Anderegg, Judith Hoyt, Margaret Wharton,and so many more. It made me realize I have to quit playing it so safe,I need to take some risks and bring some of those wacky ideas floatingaround in my imagination to fruition. Also so fun to see my friend Kathy Frey who was their representing her sculptural jewelry with the Mowen Solinsky Gallery of California. Santa Fe artist Geoffrey Gorman had some amazing dog sculptures on display, this one really spoke to me:

©2008 Geoffrey Gorman

corn maize...

Corner of Emerald and Union in Chicago...on the way home from the:

Planted and hosted by Bill Friedman and Cathi (Corn) Schwalbe-Bouzide. Met Cathi's chickens, ate fresh roasted corn and had our photos taken as urban farmers in Grant Wood's "American Gothic"...(hard to see but the Sears Tower is in the background). I met Bill the first year I did the Fields Project in 2003 and Cathi and I met through Lill Street Art Center. She is lovingly referred to as the "Corn Lady" at the Fields Project where she is a regular paricpant every summer. This is their 3rd year bringing agriculture and antics into various communities in the city...

How do they do it?! Behind the scenes:

Daphne Covington

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Daphne Covington of Atlanta, GA

As promised...below is a photo of the painting I purchased from mixed-media painter

Daphne Covington

, she came up from Atlanta to do the Port Clinton Art Fair. Choosing a piece was a difficult and I didn't have a lot of time to decide, but now that I've lived with it for a few days I am confident I made the right choice. Daphne was also very patient with my indecision, she is a lovely person and it is reflected in her art.

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It's strange, I never really 'got' abstract art and about the time I quit trying to 'get it' I got it...it's really just what speaks to you as far as color and composition go. When I see a piece that I like, it gives me a warm glowly feeling in my heart and chest, it makes me feel good to look at it. Sometimes what attracts me is a representational image that stands out in it, with this one there is a tulip and I love the little lollipop stick tree, the patterns of stripes and circles - but those things speak to me because they are shapes I love and use in my own work. You will see something totally different that is in reference to your own experience and taste. Okay that's my simple off the cuff thought about abstract art - but you  know, it really applys to any art or music, there is no right or wrong about it - I say if you love it, make the investment. Those of you trained and better educated are welcome to share your thoughts by commenting below!

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I hung Daphne's painting in my kitchen next to a beautiful water color collage created by my good friend

Rachel Weaver-Rivera

. It looks great on my peacock blue wall! That's my little kitchen Angel on the right, traded with a Chicago artist named Apache Wakefield.

Teacher Steps Out...

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"Teacher Steps Out" © Jeff Condon

...is the title of this great piece by fellow art fair artist,

Jeff Condon

- he is one of the reasons I was inspired to paint on cardboard, that and whenever kids come to my studio that's what I provide as canvas...they can make nice size pieces of art at no cost and for me it takes the edge off feeling like I have to make something GREAT because I'm using canvas or wood that I paid for. Jeff does beautiful pastels and oil paintings of interiors and rural landscapes which I love but it was a fun treat to find these 'off the wall' pastels of women's legs on corrugated cardboard in his booth at the 57th Street Art Fair earlier this summer. Visit his

website

to see the rest of the paintings behind these thumbnails of his beautiful work...

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"Teacher Steps Out" hangs in my office with my cat painting by artist

Cher Shaffer

and Dot ...the stuffed, hand painted dog that I made...hopefully coming to a store near you one day in the not too distant future!

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Another treasure for my kitchen...

In Minneapolis I received this lovely coffee cup as a thank you gift from my friend, Deb LeAir. She doesn't make these for sale anymore so I feel very lucky to have one. Her pieces are all hand carved, even around the bottom - such amazing detail...check out her website: www.DebLeAir.com to see more of her fabulous work.

Uptown Trade...

More new FUNctional ARt...At Uptown I traded for these lovely tumblers with MPLS clay artist Emily Dyer...her work is so whimsical and sweet. It was hard to pick from so many fun pieces but that pink interior got me...so I decided to make it a threesome...I can't wait to sip hot chocolate out of it on a blustery fall night! Yes, I"m more of an autumn girl than summer - glad things finally cooled off a bit here in Chicago today!

Art Re-Treat

Back from an amazing art retreat weekend in rural Wisconsin with Rachel and Erica ..and remotely our dear friend Lois Keller. 

Rachel started this amazing new series of paintings and created several lovely water colors...

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Erica pulled this one out of her hat...this large piece consists of 10 separate panels:

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Lois shipped us a box of treasures, included for each of us was a lovely drawing (this is the one she sent for me) with sentiments and her wishes for each of us and our creative lives for 2008.

And these are some of my pieces - I did paintings on cardboard:

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These 3 women have impacted my life and art in so many ways, we have a very magical connection that has only strengthened over the last 7+ years. I'd love to share more as so many wonderful things transpired...but I'll just have to leave you with these snippets since I'm scrambling to get myself and things together before I leave Wednesdayfor my trip up to Minneapolis for the Uptown Art Fair. Not an easything since I've had a non-stop whirl wind of fun, adventure and travel over the last few weeks. I feel so lucky to be taking all these trips and for the chance to reconnect with so many wonderful friends and family.

Feed Your Soul With Art...

Today during what I like to call 'productive procrastination' I decided to clean out the 'drafts' folder in my email program...I found many forgotten little notes to myself: Some reference people or companies I would like to do business with (in most cases I had actually written an email to send to them, then chickened out, these have been waiting all this time for me to muster courage) other ones reference artists who I would like to meet and that I found particularly inspiring ... Mary Jones is one of those, this piece is called "Betty", her paintings are so detailed and fun. She has a very clever, whimsical view of the world. So instead of deleting emails I ended up taking a delightful visual cyber trip and then a nice bike ride to the lake. Newly inspired I'm now back to work!