Collaboration: Creating A New Artist

How does the artist find fresh inspiration? When and where do artists have the opportunity to be inspired? Often the answer is in nature or music, in the smiles of children, the caress of a lover, in poetry or dreams. And sometimes it arrives in another artist's work. Such is the case here. I first met Tom Radca at a show in Idaho last summer. He introduced himself and told me he would be showing at the Celebration of Fine Art come January. When Tom got his display ready for the opening of CoFA, I was immediately drawn to the earthy, rich quality of his ceramics, particularly the rougher glazes which have a wood-fire feel, and a slightly Japanese aesthetic. The large "tile walls", rounds and rectangles, intrigued me. I loved that the tiles are not flat and perfect. Their random curved corners and slightly bumpy surfaces made me want to touch them. The glaze designs felt spontaneous, organic, suggestive, and led me to imagining desert plants in the moonlight, soft, dark, a bit mysterious - like the desert, itself.

Warm Desert Night
Whitney Peckman & Tom Radca
52" diameter

detail Warm Desert Night

detail Warm Desert Night

Tom, who in 35 years of throwing pots and making tiles, has never collaborated with anyone, chose to put his trust in me to bring my idea to amplify what I already saw in his work, but with my own style. This is the result - both a Radca and a Peckman - yet something entirely new, something neither, by ourselves, would have done - something by a "new artist."

We invite you to come to the Celebration of Fine Art and see for yourself. We'll be here till March 16, but I don't think Warm Desert Night will be here that long! (If it's gone, we'd love to speak with you about designing a collaboration right for your space.)

In, As and For Community Through Art

Here we are again in AZ, preparing for our 15th year at the Celebration of Fine Art, and re-united with our community of artists.  We spend three full months every year with these people - that's more time than some of us spend with our own families.

As we hundred or so artists, plus mates and helpers, hustle and bustle around the big tents, hammers and paint brushes in hand, building individual studio spaces which reflect our personalities and our approaches to presentation, we holler our hellos across the aisles - "Hey Ken! Deb! So glad you got here safe and sound!  Talk later!" - "Heather!  I'm so glad you're back this year! Can't wait to see the new work!" - and we each continue on pounding and measuring, cutting and painting.

We are excited to see old friends, anxious to get our work hung - will it look as good on this color wall as I imagined it?  Are there too many pedestals in my space?  Oh no! I forgot my sign! - We are one hundred souls focused on one thing - coming together in a community of artists, as a community who makes art, for a community who loves art.

So, what does all this mean - this very special way of communicating our passion?  In all this rapidly shrinking world that often seems to be escalating in violence and divisiveness, it means that there are still people in the world who care deeply about conveying beauty as a means toward peace and understanding.  When artist and audience stand before a work of beauty, whether it is a monumental bronze capturing the grace and strength of a mountain lion, or an abstract forest of falling leaves in glass, an exquisite opal ring, gardens sculpted from gourds, paintings of abstract color fields or ones of delicately rendered real fields - it doesn't matter, because in that space of time, we do not argue to defend or attack, we merely come together and know a moment of calm.  We don't do it to prove that it can be done.  We do it because that is what art does.

So, come and see what this art business is all about.  Experience for yourself how it can open possibilities for something for not just your wall, but your soul.

P.S. Visit me again.  I'll be posting pictures as soon as the show opens on Saturday, Jan 11.

Holiday In Oregon or Recovering From An ArtFest

What a great day our friend Donna gave us today in and about Wilsonville, OR.  The Monday following an art festival is always our "hangover" day - sleeping off the effects of standing on our feet for 10-12 hours, chatting with prospective clients, smiling, smiling and more smiling.  The idea of course is to give the art festival goers the impression that we are completely relaxed, happy to be there, ready to explain our techniques and styles to the inquisitive, even if it's someone's five year old or a would-be artist wanting some info about tools, colors, how did you get this or that effect.  So, by Monday we are shot.  No two ways about it.  Mostly we don't have the energy to research the area we are showing in so we don't know that there is a terrific museum or a trail to a swimming hole or a collection of antique sculptures of miniature crab apples (just kidding - don't think I would go out of my way for that).  So, when we stay with Donna and she plans the Monday for us, makes omelets for breakfast, does the driving, AND takes us to wonderful places to just "be"with the natural beauty that is Oregon, it's pretty special.

Here is a place that was not only nature at its best but an artist at his best, as well.

 

Donna

This is Jim Barton's Pudding River Studios, Aurora, OR...but we didn't know that we were doing anything but walking down a forest path....until we began to come upon these beautiful wood sculptures, mostly done from fire damaged wood.  They stood as guardians of the forest, sentinels, plates of a sort of Buddhist armor on healthy trees, silent prayers of Quan Yin, invitations to wander further...and then there he was, standing at the edge of a large fork lift which held the rough beginnings of a long table bench, filling a small crack.  Tall and skinny, shaded by the canopy above him, he smiled and gestured for me to come closer so he could hear me.

The sculptures speak for themselves.

 Jim is open and sharing, at home with both trees and people. Read some more about him in this article from Conversations. From his property we walked on through his neighbor's (with her permission) only to be delighted by a different kind of nature - acres of mown pasture that was home to many sheep until a flash flood of the Pudding River p them.  No signs of the misfortune remain except the water line high up in the trees.  Today the pasture was alive with singing birds, dandelions, and about a half mile of wild blackberry bushes grown high above our heads.

 I think I picked (and ate) enough berries for a large pie!  There were no cell phones there, no iPads, no ear phones...just blackberries, sun, the river and a good friend who wanted to give us a special day.  Thanks, Donna.

Paper Exhibit At SECCA

If you are in or near NC, make it a point to visit SECCA, the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, in Winston-Salem.  "Paperless" is the name of their current exhibit of art made of paper - not paper as a surface for painting and drawing, but the material for concept.  On opening night they allow the audience to take photos, which I did, though my camera wasn't up to the low light challenge.  A few are in the slide show on the right - hopefully enough to tempt you to visit this very interesting facility.  There is also an accompanying exhibit of large sculptural cast glass work done by Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtova in the 70's - 90's I believe.  In addition, on the way from the paper exhibit to the glass upstairs, one passes through an experience which I will leave for you to find by yourselves.

This piece of cut paper was in many ways, the most beautiful and the most thought provoking for me.  I am always struggling with the question of what beauty is and what makes it so.  The artist has created a seemingly simple cut paper work, but asks the question, "what draws us more? The image/absence (in other words, the living position of the colorless negative shape) or the presence/specter (the living color of the dead positioning of the poppies)?" (Italics are my words.)  I kept returning to this piece, aware each time that the upright position felt more alive to me, though somehow sad.  I liked that what appears to be simple and beautiful was not just so.

Sculptures Completed At Celebration of Fine Art

Completed at the show and on the floor now!  Only two weeks left in this year's show, so come and see this work first hand.  We'd love to chat with you. Don't forget that the show has moved to the corner of Hayden and the 101 loop, one mile east of the old location on Scottsdale Rd.  Easiest way to get there is from the 101 - exit 35.  Both pieces on mounted on revolving stands and so are meant to be viewed from all angles and sides.

Behind the Garden Shed
36" w x 32" h

Three Varieties
approx 10" w at  center point,
22" spread at top,  30" h

www.celebrateart.com

www.whitneypeckman.com

Working Hard In the Studio

dThought it was time to unveil the yearly hysteria in the studio as I get ready for the 2012 Celebration of Fine Art opening in Scottsdale, AZ Jan 14 - time to confess to how messy it is to be an artist (at least that's my excuse!).  And just one more thing - if you enjoy this blog I would so appreciate it if you would forward it to your friends - word of mouth is the best for artists!

3 waiting for varnish

    

Beginning a sculpture

Early stages of standing Salmon Poppies

Primula in process

Waiting to Become

Wine & Art: The Perfect Pairing

Recently I had an opportunity arise in the form of an invitational exhibit at our local winery here in NC.  Cauble Creek Vineyard invited several artists working in several mediums to show up to three pieces with the only stipulation being that one of them should have something to do with wine.  I have had grapes on my list of sculptural gourd pieces to do for years and have never gotten around to!  This seemed like the perfect time.  And so it was.  I am happy to say that it sold at the opening and will be residing right here in Salisbury.

Here are several views of "Full Bodied".  It has lead to another piece, almost finished, for the Celebration of Fine Art in Scottsdale, as well as a request for drawings for a totally different "wine piece" for the wall.

                             

Sculpture finds perfect home!

This is so exciting for me to post!  Check our this ArtPrize sculpture by my friend Bryce Petit!  I have loved Bryce's work ever since he joined us at the Celebration of Fine Art in Scottsdale many years ago.  And this piece is so much who Bryce is as a person - I hope you'll come to the show and meet him - he's just the best!  Congrats Bryce!

Is THAT Art? An Answer

I love this question.  I love it when I hear it.  I love it when I ask it.  Because if something elicits that question, it has intrinsic value.  The work by Argentinian artist Marta Minujin written about in Escape Into Life blog post begged the question.  In my opinion, the answer is a resounding YES.  I hope you'll take a look at this large tower made from books, read about the cultural connections and meanings and finally, the plans for it's deconstruction when the exhibit is over.  


If every piece of art was as deeply thought out as this one, as environmentally conscious in regards to both materials used in the creation as well as spiritually conscious in the universal importance in it being archival, we could all enjoy the question, "Is THAT art?"


Would I feel the same if it had been done in metals or stone, relatively "permanent" for ages to come?  I don't think so.  Its impermanence is part of the spirituality, or universality, of memory, paths of understanding, and need for connection and at the same time asks, by virtue of its temporality, to be remembered, recalled, carried into the future consciousness.


What do you think?

Art and Sales at the Celebration of Fine Art

Congratulations to Donna Bernstein on the sale of her large diptych!




 








And now, let me introduce a fellow artist, Mark Carroll, sculptor of metals, stone, wood, and whatever else he has in his hands!  Mark began the Celebration of Fine Art while living in Buffalo, NY, so is it any surprise that he now lives full time in AZ?  His powerful stone and metal combinations would enhance both traditional as well as contemporary surroundings.  Head to the NW corner of the tent and you will pass through Mark's studio.  His work is both inside the tent and out in the courtyard.

Succulents & Sunflower

Saying goodbye to an art work that I worked hard on and which rose to the top of my expectations of the piece, is a wonderful feeling.  It's really a successful communication - a conversation between the artist and the viewer (and in this case, the buyer) in the form of the art - and that process is a sort of art in and of itself, if that makes sense.  It all feels like a completed full circle when the art finds its "person".  And so, here are three views of Succulents & Sunflower which met, and went home with, its person today.

And tomorrow I'll say hello to the beginnings of a new piece - Poppies in the Grass.....

Efflorescence and Inspiration from Poetry

"Efflorescence" Series is the name of this innovative new work from Syed.  Multi-layered glass panels inset in etched copper-clad boxes are pregnant with small shards, creating volume and depth of color which delicately shimmers, shifting color as you move across the piece.

Efflorescence - "a period of bloom", "a result of growth and development"- describes both the work and the artist's presence in his studio this year.

 The new "Autumn Sunset" Series is an extension (and may be seen at the Celebration of Fine Art along with the pieces shown here) of the original "Autumn" Series which he has reprised this year with some alterations in the etched copper portions.

Autumn for 2011

This year I had more time in my studio than I usually do.  This is always a gift from the Universe since I would greatly prefer to be there working than anywhere else on the planet (with children, being the only exception).  Coincidentally, I knew I would have a larger studio space at the Celebration.  I'm not sure I can quite describe the feeling of being lost in time and space that I get when lost in my work.  It is something of grace, I think.  The result is the major work this year - two large figurative pieces - and if you visit the show, I would be happy to tell you about them, as they have their own "stories", their "birth" and their "history".  

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings/Madonna of the Sparrows

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings/Letters from Burma

I had intended to introduce you today to Donna Armstrong's jewelry but I was not able to get her pictures yesterday....but check in tomorrow for simple elegance!

All text and images on this post copywrited 2011 Whitney Peckman

The Best Laid Plans

My good intentions of posting every day ran right up against the world's worst cold!  I'm upright, finally, so here is yesterday's (and Opening Day's) post - a bit late but with pics.

Here is an overview of the NW Salon's area of the Celebration of Fine Art - starting with Donna Bernstein from Idaho and in her 2nd year at CoFA and in the NW Salon.  We love Donna's zen approach to equine art - very clean and powerful, capturing the spirit of movement and grace.



And this is her husband, Lex, who built her exquisite studio look.  Lex is always ready to lend any of us a hand - maintaining his good humor throughout (not an easy task surrounded by a bunch of perfectionist and opinionated artists) - and, if you want to talk soccer - Lex is your guy.

Directly next to Donna, and always well behaved, is Emma (that would be Emma the Dog).  Deb, who is our tech woman extraordinaire and wife of Ken Newman, a most remarkable sculptor who works primarily in wood and bronze, creating important pieces of commentary on nature and man.

Our newest artist to join the NW Salon, Steve Taylor, is in his 2nd year at CoFA and we are so glad to have him in our "neighborhood" - not only does Steve paint sensitive portraiture, he and his wife, Janelle, also make the best chicken soup on the planet - I know this personally because they came to my rescue with their remedy for the cold that laid me low for a couple of days (thanks!!).

Michael Jones, our steel sculptor and encylopedia of Native American symbology, has made both the inside and outside of the tent into a studio replete with gates, totems, and wall pieces.  He and his wife and "red apron lady" (our intrepid sales force at CoFA) Karen, live in Montana in an historic cabin in the mountains.   

So, there you have a taste of 2011 Celebration of Fine Art, and tomorrow I'll post elegant jewelry with very special cut stones, by Donna Armstrong, as well as Syed's and my studio space and some of our newest work.  Hope you'll continue along this journey and forward our link, too!