junk

i have been on some junking trips lately.  and i have found some good fodder.  some of these things were real bargains, and some i had to pay the price for cool.  the good news is that i am honing in on some ideas for a new series of boxes.  i think (duh) they are going to involve drawers somehow.  i don't know if i will do a box within a box, or just let the drawer be the box on its own.

some great news today.  i went to the curtis arts and humanities center in greenwood village with teresa.  we met with the gallery director there about a show.  turns out that teresa and i will have a dual show in may.  the center was originally a one-room school house back in the day.  there are two rooms on the main floor of the building.  teresa will have one room, and i will have another.  i will be showing assemblage, teresa pottery.  how exciting!!

it's a bit overwhelming, really.  so much to think about.  i know the time will fly, and the next thing i know, it will be may.  so i better start getting the ideas rolling.  and assembled!

Signe and Genna Grushovenko

buff beachgoers

today i went to the cherry creek arts festival with friends tom, linda, teresa, and taylor.  we saw some wonderful art.  i bought a few pieces, one of which is pictured above, by signe and genna grushovenko.  i think it's amazing.  genna paints the backgrounds, and the signe paints on top, letting some of the background show through.  

true story.  a few weeks ago i was at the studio, and was playing around with the notion of using old photos along with the push/pull of an abstracted background.  you have seen some of this work on my blog in recent history.  anyway, i come home from the studio after working on these prints, and start looking at my various bookmarked blogs.  i stumble upon these incredible artists the very next morning, and voila!!!  i find someone experimenting with the same idea!  of course, our work is very different.  i am working in ink with the monoprint technique, and genna and signe are working in oil on masonite, but the push/pull idea is the same.

crazy.

anyway, i saw them at the festival today, and was literally shaking because the work is so beautiful.  i am so very lucky to now own a piece of my own.  my neighbor jane came by this evening and asked me why their painting spoke to me.  i didn't even understand that they couldn't speak to everyone who saw them.  but i told jane that the drawing skills are amazing, that the immediacy and confidence in the brushstroke is remarkable, and the understanding of value is incredibly sophisticated.  

how serendipitous that this would all come together today.  life is always full of happy coincidence, isn't it?  yay!!!

sk3tchbook!

some of you have never been to the shop in littleton, so i thought i would share a few shots of the place.  the space is pretty small, about 420 square feet.  i that space we have a kiln, slab roller, potter's wheel, a big architect's desk for working upon, a cash register, several show cases, and lots of artist supplies.  we reallly try to get as much art in there as we can.  early on, we put in ledges instead of trying to put nails in the wall for framed work.  it works out really nicely.  we also did some shelves made from brackets on to which books sit.  then work can be placed on the books.  it's a nice look, but unfortunately we found teresa's pottery is not steady enough on the books.

anyway, some shots for you to enjoy wherever you are!

and don't forget to click on photos for a larger view.

tom's work in clay

teresa's pottery and radios

the "book" shelves with ruth's work and collage materials for sale

the work table, re-purposed for the moment, as display space

the register, as positioned for our may show

please come! we'll have twinkies! really!!

Once again, it is time for our annual May show at Sk3tchbook!  This year our theme is "Up Close", and we are all featuring new works that are small and affordable.  The idea is that the pieces in the show are chock full of details for you to discover. We will be transforming the shop with fun decorations (hint:  we have ordered over 100 magnifying glasses for the occasion), and will be providing an amusing mix of munchies on reception night.  We are also celebrating the fact that we have just completed our second year (can you believe it?) as the Sk3tchbook team.

We hope that you are able to make it to the reception on Friday, May 20th from 6-9pm. If not, remember that the show will be up for an extended time period for your enjoyment.  (Just remember we are closed on Sundays and Mondays).  Once again, we have partnered with several Littleton businesses so that there will be several shops open on reception night.

Please see below for more information about the show, and don't forget to check out our website, sk3tchbook.com for store info, directions, and links to our blogs.

See you soon!

Teresa, Tom. and Ruth

Owl with Sweater Vest by Tom Sarmo

Up Close

New Works to Perceive, Peruse, and Ponder

Show runs May 20-May 28, 2011

Reception: Friday, May 20, 2011, 6:00-9:00 pm

New Works, Good Company, and Twinkies!

Sk3tchbook!

5743 S. Prince Street

Littleton, CO  80120

Willow, Susan Montague Watercolors, The Pink Attic Cat, 

and many other shops will also remain open late for this special evening