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| 1. Rural Scenes acrylic and paper on board 16" x 20" NFS |
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| 2. Talkin' About My Generation acrylic and paper on wc paper 14" x 18" matted to 18" x 24" available |
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| 3. During The Storm 12" x 16" acrylic on wc paper available |
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| 4. Town and Country 12" x 16 " acrylic and painted paper on wc paper-available |
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| 5. Release-sold! |
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| 6. Water, Water Everywhere-sold! |
September was a solidly productive month for me painting wise and so here is the rundown:
1. Rural Scenes: This piece is based on one of the trips I took last month to the Sacramento area. My drive winds me through farm country and so I was inspired by all of the equipment related to irrigation and water delivery/storage/management in general. Those three gray circles are my rendition of the overflow release pipes/openings along highway 5!
1. Rural Scenes: This piece is based on one of the trips I took last month to the Sacramento area. My drive winds me through farm country and so I was inspired by all of the equipment related to irrigation and water delivery/storage/management in general. Those three gray circles are my rendition of the overflow release pipes/openings along highway 5!
2. Talkin' About My Generation: Another piece inspired by a recent trip. This time it was my visit to Folsom Powerhouse. If you didn't catch my post on this trip you can read about it here. Suffice to say that there is a lot of great history at this historic park.
3. During The Storm: This piece was inspired by a set of "paper sketches" made several months ago. The colors reminded me of our impending winter season but also reference the fact that the piece was made during our recent firestorm.
4. Town and Country: This piece was made at the height of our fire season. It's hard for me to even write about having a fire season but I think that we do have one. I wanted to juxtapose my ideas about how fire affects all of us; both those in town and in the country. The imagined roof line is typical of our area's architecture but could easily be a roof line seen in a city.
5. Release and 6. Water, Water Everywhere: I am very pleased to say that both of these pieces sold this month.
Good News:
Earlier this summer I entered the Madera Arts Council's Celebrate Agriculture show. The show is in its 22nd year and is an important event. It's impossible to emphasize how critical the role of agriculture is in both this region of California and the greater world economy. This particular art show is meant to highlight the significance of this area and the role of agriculture in our lives. The last two pieces listed above were accepted into this show (very good news). The really great news though is that I received recognition (a ribbon) and both pieces have actually sold! You almost never learn why someone bought your art but without exception, it's always gratifying. Money isn't easy to come by for most of us. The fact that someone would spend it on your artwork really says something I think.
You can't have good news without bad news. This last weekend was our open studio/arts tour here in Calaveras. Because of the fire here, I elected to not participate. The studio space where I was to participate was in the midst of some of the greatest devastation caused by the fire. Additionally, a fellow artist who was to set up with me lost her home. In light of that and considering some other fire related things, I decided it just wasn't the right time.
Recommended Reading:
I have been reading this summer, slowly, and wanted to highlight some good finds. The books are related to learning about our state's history in relation to natural resources, such as water. The first book is by Philip Fradkin and is called The Seven States of California: A Human and Natural History. Fradkin was a journalist and presents in this book a good breakdown of our state's major geographical areas and some of the events that shaped their history. The second book is by Wallace Stegner and is called Where The Bluebird Sings to The Lemonade Springs. If you aren't familiar with Wallace Stegner, this book is a great introduction to his writing style and his thoughts on living in the American West. The last book is by David Carle and is titled Introduction to Water in California. Before reading this short and extremely informative book, I had no idea about our water system here in California. This is a good basic primer to help anyone learn about where our water comes from and how it gets to us.
Lastly, I wanted to mention that although I have no further shows planned for this year I am always available for a studio visit. Just contact me to arrange a time since my studio is in my home. I have revamped my website and it can be seen here. I hope it is easy for people to use. Inquiries about my process or sales can be made with a quick email. Just send it here: libbyfife@ymail.com
As always, thank you for reading these wrap up posts. Being supported in any way with my art making efforts is apprecaited!
Libby
Dear Libby-wonderful body of work. Congratulations on your two awards as well as the sales. So sad though about your friend's home. Prayers are going up that the fires will cease. Also glad to read you received rain. Take care and have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteWhat a productive month. Fascinating seeing the diversity of viewpoint in your art. Terrific color and design work, Libby. I can see why you were awarded the ribbon. Yes - sales are the icing on the cake - congratulations - but a lot of wonderful pieces are never sold so I have learned to value a genuine complement. I know I often see a painting I would love to own but cannot as I am in the stage of reducing my possessions not adding to them. So I make sure I let the artist know how their work has brought me pleasure. Like yours do, Libby.
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