Friday, February 25, 2011

Happenings at LAC

Collection of new work by Co-Op Gallery artists

Things have really been exciting at the LAC Art Center recently! We have had a tremendous response to our annual sale of art supplies and art work - both from donors and shoppers. You may have noticed how much good publicity we got for this fund raiser. It was a win-win situation for everyone - people brought in just about everything imaginable to donate and shoppers left with wonderful items purchased for the amount they could afford. LAC made over $1,200 which will really help support our activities this year.
Collection of new work by Co-Op Gallery artists

Classes are in full swing with good enrollment for all of them. Despite the "iffy" weather on some days, students were eager to get back to work and visit with classmates. The Open Studio on Monday is becoming increasingly popular with new and returning artists; today was especially fun with the addition of two high school girls who came in to draw and visit on their President's Day holiday. It's a delightful mix of ages, media, and degree of expertise.

The Co-Op artists brought in new work over the weekend - providing a fresh new group of paintings on display. Jane Dorsey's inventive collage of ghostly images is a real attention getter - and it has already sold! This is Jane's second sale this week, the other being a large abstract acrylic piece. We have welcomed a new glass artist, J Bisant, who has some lovely sandblasted pieces for sale. Sales have been good in the downstairs gallery with jewelry, glass, mosaics and note cards taking the lead...but sales of wall hung work are going well also. Special congratulations to Loraine Miller on selling her large watercolor of Taos and to past member Bill Leonard on the sale of his iris painting.

Mixed media painting by Jane McFadden Dorsey

Finally, the first discussion group of the year was very interesting and well attended. Several new people came for the discussion of finding inspiration and overcoming dry spells. Artists who create regularly are an extremely well informed, inquisitive group. Everyone agreed the key is research - no matter what kind! Know your subject, be interested in a variety of things, watch and learn - all the time! Many keep extensive photo files; others rely on getting out, observing, looking. Inspiration can be found by working with other artists...in classes & workshops, in small groups, with friends or through books, videos, or attending art exhibits. Sometimes trying a new medium or combination of media, using a new color, finding a new brush - doing something that takes you out of your comfort zone can help overcome a lack of ideas. Always be looking ahead to the next piece. As Courtney remarked during the discussion, there is no such thing as failure! Everything just leads us to the next work.

Glass by new artist J Bisant

Next up....the results of our first big juried show. "Colorado's Best" arrives upstairs this weekend!

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