I had to repost this beautifully written article about my friend and neighbor at the Celebration of Fine Art - the article is poetically simpatico with Ken's work. Hope you can come and see it in person.
Ken Newman Sculpting on the Road: The Celebration of Fine Art - A Writer's Words
Monday, January 16, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Flemenco and Julia Chacon
If you live in NC or VA, don't miss the opportunity to see Julia Chacon dance!
http://juliachacon.com/
http://juliachacon.com/
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Gorgeous Day At the Gourd Farm
Friday, November 18, 2011
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!
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| 3 waiting for varnish |
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| Beginning a sculpture |
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| Early stages of standing Salmon Poppies |
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| Primula in process |
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| Waiting to Become |
Sunday, November 13, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
In an English Garden
A big project is finished and ready to deliver this week. It is a companion piece to a peony and butterfly piece I did a number of years ago. They are both 44" tall and In an English Garden will be a gorgeous mate. The first piece is all rose reds and pinks with butterflies zipping through them in shades of yellows, blues, lilacs and whites, and perched on shades of green leaves and sunlit blooms. This new piece is a rambling garden of a variety of blue and purple iris, peach and cream lilies, deep green hosta with delicate white blooms, some roses peeking out. Dragonflies are here and there and a few other surprises as well.
I was asked to do this with the utmost trust that I would do something "just right", and I hope these lovely clients will be as pleased as I am. That is always the thing, with commission work. Will the expectations be fulfilled? Will the artist understand the request? Will the client be so nervous that the artist feels constrained and indecisive about the end design? It really all is a delicate balance between them, and often hinges on how much each knows of the other. The artist, being the artist after all, will have a strong vision of the work colored by her style. If the client isn't very familiar with that style, or if the artist isn't solid in a particular style, the visions can be drastically different - sometimes not even in the same park. The client may have a strong vision too - perhaps something he seen in a photograph or a place visited, a memory. But if the client isn't able to tell the artist some particulars about that vision - something beyond a color palette or medium for example - then there's a good chance that a problem may arise.
How do we avoid such a mishap? Artists need to be certain that the client understands her style and has seen several examples, preferably in the flesh as well as in the portfolio. And I believe the artist should ask many questions - questions dealing with the more subtle aspects of the request - questions like, what is the angle from which you will view my work? What other things are in the peripheral view? What other artwork is near? What is the overall "feel" you are wanting to create for that space? Conversation that is more ephemeral perhaps, but the answers may get to a deeper place from which the client may clarify his expectations. If we take a little extra time to distinguish these things, I think commission work can be exciting and very satisfying for both the artist and the client.
Then, every once in while, some wonderful people will say to you, "Do what you think is best - we love your work!"
I was asked to do this with the utmost trust that I would do something "just right", and I hope these lovely clients will be as pleased as I am. That is always the thing, with commission work. Will the expectations be fulfilled? Will the artist understand the request? Will the client be so nervous that the artist feels constrained and indecisive about the end design? It really all is a delicate balance between them, and often hinges on how much each knows of the other. The artist, being the artist after all, will have a strong vision of the work colored by her style. If the client isn't very familiar with that style, or if the artist isn't solid in a particular style, the visions can be drastically different - sometimes not even in the same park. The client may have a strong vision too - perhaps something he seen in a photograph or a place visited, a memory. But if the client isn't able to tell the artist some particulars about that vision - something beyond a color palette or medium for example - then there's a good chance that a problem may arise.
How do we avoid such a mishap? Artists need to be certain that the client understands her style and has seen several examples, preferably in the flesh as well as in the portfolio. And I believe the artist should ask many questions - questions dealing with the more subtle aspects of the request - questions like, what is the angle from which you will view my work? What other things are in the peripheral view? What other artwork is near? What is the overall "feel" you are wanting to create for that space? Conversation that is more ephemeral perhaps, but the answers may get to a deeper place from which the client may clarify his expectations. If we take a little extra time to distinguish these things, I think commission work can be exciting and very satisfying for both the artist and the client.
Then, every once in while, some wonderful people will say to you, "Do what you think is best - we love your work!"
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| Detail |
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| In an English Garden |
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| another view |
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| another view |
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| another view |
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| and another |
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| I can't decide which I like best! |
Saturday, October 29, 2011
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!
Friday, July 15, 2011
AZ to CO 2011-Dust Storms to Double Rainbows
Artists and miles and miles and miles, bringing art to you.
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