A Beautiful Sunday



Judy Feldman at "Art at the Royal Plams"
paintings shown: Teapots (left) and Chloe and the Red Chair (Right)





Royal Palms with Judy Feldman art

My exhibit last Sunday at the Royal Palms Resort was really nice. Many friends came, and I met some new art collectors who attended the event as well. The courtyard setting was a perfect backdrop for my paintings, and several guests said they thought the resort should buy "Under the Red Umbrella," since it looked so nice there. I told them to speak to the manager!

Temptation oil on canvas 30"x40"
by Judy Feldman

Admiring a painting

A view of the exhibit

Art at the Palms

Under the Red Umbrella oil on canvas 36"x48"

Every Sunday, the beautiful Royal Palms Resort invites an artist to show his or her work in the courtyard during the brunch hours, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. I’m very excited to be one of the featured artists! I’ll be at the Royal Palms on Sunday, Jan. 22. I’ll display about 12 paintings on easels, and show some nice small paintings as well. (I became enamored of the small format after I wrote about the Gem Show.)

Here is a preview of some of the art that will be on display: 

Breakfast at Marianne's oil on canvas 10"x10"

Garden Series II, oil on canvas 12"x9"
by Judy Feldman

These paintings and others will be available at Wilde Meyer Gallery.  You can see more art at Wilde Meyer's website: http://www.wildemeyer.com/judy-feldman.php

Brutus and the Crazy Chair oil on canvas

So please come! And, if you want to have brunch, you can make a reservation by calling the Royal Palms: 602-808-0766.

Royal Palms Resort

5200 E Camelback Road

Phoenix, AZ 85018

click here for google maps

 

It Takes a Collector to Collage!



Collage from Judy Feldman's collection

The other day, when I went into our guest bedroom, I noticed two of my mother’s collage pieces on the wall. She was a painter, but she also loved collage. Aside from several works of art, she also left me bags of her raw materials: colorful papers, some ribbon, a piece of corrugated paper from the inside of a cookie box, a gold envelope, magazine images, and even a pair of old eyeglasses!

According to an essay from the Guggenheim Museum's online art glossary, the glued-on patches that Braque and Picasso added to their canvases offered a new perspective on painting when the patches "collided with the surface plane of the painting." From this perspective, collage examined the relationship between painting and sculpture, and these new works "gave each medium some of the characteristics of the other." The Guggenheim essay also noted that the use of bits of newspaper was a reference to current events, and to popular culture. This juxtaposition of signifiers, "at once serious and tongue-in-cheek," was fundamental to the inspiration behind collage.



Number 3, 10"x10"
by Bill Colt

 

 I googled the word "collage," and found some interesting information from Wikipedia. It said that collage is defined as an art form in which various materials such as photographs and pieces of paper or fabric are arranged and adhered to a backing. The word collage is from the French word "coller," which means "to glue." This term was coined by both Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso in the beginning of the 20th century when collage became a distinctive part of modern art.

There are several artists at Wilde Meyer who use collage in their artwork. I spoke with two of them.

Desert Caddy,  24"x30"
by Bill Colt

Bill Colt

Bill Colt is following the tradition of Braque and Picasso, using pages from old magazines he finds in antique stores to inspire him

"I have some Colliers magazines from 1947 and Life magazines from 1952," he said. His painting, entitled "Desert Caddy,"has some of those 1952 clippings which he paired with his image of the old Cadillac. He said that he recently "scored" a stock of 1970s TV Guides, so he plans to do a series of muscle cars from that decade.

Pacific, 1943 mixed media 24"x48"
by Bill Colt

Bill is a corporate pilot, and his airplane paintings include pieces of aviation maps, old Pan Am ads and aviation engineering manuals. His collage technique is pretty methodical at first.

Roadmaster mixed media 24"x48"
by Bill Colt

To start, he creates texture on his canvas with joint compound and bits of things like cheesecloth. Then, he collages pieces of his printed materials on the canvas with gel medium. As the creative process takes over, he draws his image in charcoal, and then paints with acrylics, covering some of the collage work. To finish, Bill glazes his painting with a product that deepens and enriches his colors.



Backroad Boys 36"x36"
by Charles Davison



Charles Davison

Charles Davison considers himself a multi-media artist. He takes the collage concept even further, using beads, buttons and other items, in addition to paper and fabric, to create his artwork.

Charles has been in Arizona since 1978, but even when he lived in New York, he said he was interested in southwestern themes. He said that his work has evolved from a non-representational style with neutral tones, to his current focus on horses and Native Americans, all painted in bright colors and enhanced with his collage work.


Me-Maw's Quilt 30"x30"
by Charles Davison

 

For example, in "Me-Maw’s Quilt," he uses fabric to create the clothes and the hanging quilt. "Magic Sky" is heavily collaged with pieces of turquoise, buttons and coins. Rusted bottle caps create a frame around this painting.

Magic Sky 28.5"x22.5"
by Charles Davison

Like all multi-media and collage artists, Charles is a collector. He gets his materials from the desert, antique stores and thrift shops. His large, colorful fabric collection inspires him, as do his other found objects. They all enable him to work in multiple layers, adding materials as his paintings evolve.

Jonah's Tale 20"x20"
by Charles Davison

By adding a third dimension to what is normally a two-dimensional art form, multi-media paintings with collage have a tactile, textural quality that is very appealing. I think we react with surprise and wonder when we examine these paintings and see the bits and pieces of things that have been incorporated by the artist.

Big Art, Small Art

Wilde Meyer Gallery, "The Gem Show" Scottsdale, December 2011

Unless you’re a miniaturist, painting in a small format can be challenging. Certainly, abstract painters prefer a large canvas. Since there are no figurative images, they need the size to make a powerful statement with form, composition and color. But painters who employ realism also have to rethink their skills: they have to simplify and create a way to draw the viewer into a small space.

If you’re used to working with large brushes or palette knives, it can be weird to switch to a small brush. Since I don’t use very large brushes, this doesn’t present a problem. For me, it’s more about choosing subject matter that will work in a small space, and creating a composition that’s the right scale. I wondered what other Wilde Meyer artists had to say about making small paintings, and since the gallery has its annual Gem Show up right now, I decided to call a few people.

Judith D'Agostino



Back of the Sierras  18"x14"



First, I spoke with Judith D'Agostino, who lives in Santa Fe. She had been an abstract painter, but began plein air painting in 2005. She committed to doing a painting a day, so she started taking small canvases on her trips to paint landscapes.

Italian Landscape, 12"x18"

“There is a learning curve to painting small,” she said. “You need to simplify and create an intimate environment. But it’s a useful exercise to paint on a small scale, and these paintings often become ideas for larger ones.”

What Are You Looking At? 7"x5"

When she’s painting small, Judith often turns to another subject. In this painting, entitled “What Are You Looking At?,” she’s used a canvas that’s 7” X 5” and "Taking a Break" that's 6" X 8". 



Taking a Break, 6"x8"





Suzanne Betz




Desert Dreams (left) 6"x6"
Fancy (right) 5"x5"

 

 Suzanne Betz, a painter from Taos, alternates between small and large paintings. "Changing the size exercises my creativity,” she says. “That way, I don’t get locked into one mode of painting. My smaller pieces are intimate and open to interpretation by the viewer.”





Suzanne uses mixed media, painting in water-soluble mediums on drafting film. She can cut the film to any size, so she can quickly select the format she wants. Her goal is to achieve transparency, and she works in many layers. These small paintings, which measure 6”X6” and 5”X5,” are covered with plexiglass, which add another layer to her work.

Quiet Time,  7"x9"

Deb Komitor

Connecting Heaven and Earth 5"x7"

When I talked with Deb Komitor, who lives in Colorado Springs, she said that she’d rather paint “huge,” but her car isn’t big enough! So, I guess practicality also enters into the equation.  Like Suzanne, Deb enjoys switching back and forth, between large and small paintings. She, too, says it gets the creative juices flowing.



The Protector 39.5"x11.75"



“By varying the painting sizes, the rhythm of my painting process keeps changing. It keeps me from getting stale and repetitious, since I use different images and the paint application is different.”



Honoring Joy 7"x5"

Deb paints mainly on wood – she uses panel boards for her small format work, and actually paints on wood doors for her large pieces (I guess she borrows someone’s truck). She recently painted a series of small pieces in an iconic style, which she says is her “way of honoring these animals.”

You can see this technique in her beautiful hummingbird painting called “Honoring Joy,” which measures 7”X 5”, as well as “Connecting Heaven and Earth,” which measures 5”X7.” Both birds have the gold halo that is inherent in icon paintings.

Tracy Miller



Down Low 12" x 12"

 

Mama and Baby Bear 7"x5"



Tracy Miller also lives in Colorado Springs, and enjoys painting wildlife. Her expressionistic style and love of color make her work quite unique.



She starts with an abstract painting, getting colors to vibrate off one another. Then an image comes to mind, and as she defines it, an animal is created! You can see an example of her technique in this small painting of bears called “Mama and Baby Bear,” above, as well as the buffalo in “Buffalo Study 47,” shown below.



Buffalo Study 47,   5"x7"



Tracy likes to “mix things up,” painting in larger and smaller formats.

“The small pieces are great for first-time collectors,” she says. “It’s important to introduce your work to people at an affordable price. Also, painting small is instant gratification!”





From these artists’ comments, I guess you could say that working in a small format is both liberating and limiting. I’m going to end this blog now, so I can face the challenge of a small painting!



Happy Anniversary, Wilde Meyer!

Fire Passage mixed media on canvas 36"x48"
by Charles Davison

November marks Wilde Meyer Gallery's 28th anniversary! In 1983, when Scottsdale was known as “the West’s most western town,” Betty Wilde and Mark Meyer moved here from Tulsa, Oklahoma. “We had a gallery in Tulsa, but we wanted to move, and Scottsdale had a good art market, both from tourists and year-round residents,” Betty said.

They opened their gallery just across from the current site on Marshall Way. At the time, the other galleries were located on Main Street, and they were the first to have an art venue on this part of Marshall Way, aside from Elaine Horwitz, at the other end. A few years after they opened, Jonathan Henderson joined Betty and Mark as a partner in the gallery.

View from the Rim
oil on canvas 48"x60"
by Barbara Gurwitz

The Present oil on canvas, 41"x41"
Jacqueline Rochester

At first, they brought in artists they represented in Tulsa, but soon after, artists from the area came to the gallery. Some of the early artists are still represented by Wilde Meyer today, including Linda Carter Holman, Charles Davison and Barbara Gurwitz.  I’ve been with the gallery since 2005, and it still thrills me to be included with the wonderful artists who show here.

In the early years, Wilde Meyer consulted with many corporations in the area, assisting them in purchasing art for their offices. First Interstate Bank was a large client, and hung original art in its executive offices, bank branches and operations center. Business gradually evolved into residential clients – both designers and private collectors.

Virgin of Love  36"x36"
by Linda Carter Holman



Garden Wall, (1984)
By Linda Carter Holman

Another Wilde Meyer gallery opened in Tucson in 2000, in the beautiful Foothills area at Skyline Drive and Campbell. And, if you’re lucky enough to spend time at the nearby Canyon Ranch Spa, you’ll see many Wilde Meyer artists’ work displayed on the walls there, available for purchase.

Wilde Meyer Gallery, Tucson

Colores, located on Main Street, is the gallery’s third space, and features art, as well as jewelry and clothing

When you enter a Wilde Meyer gallery, your first impression is usually “Wow! What amazing colors!”  We are a collection of artists who love to paint and use strong color whenever possible. Some of the work is figurative; some abstract - but, for the most part, color plays a major role in every piece of art. Most of us are animal lovers, too, so you’ll see anything from dogs to horses, cats, monkeys and even elephants in paintings and sculptures.

Ranchero (2007) 72"x36"
by Sherri Belassen

Species From the Undiscovered Continent
48"x72" acyrlic on canvas
by Timothy Chapman

It’s fun to hang out at a Wilde Meyer gallery. Betty furnishes them with interesting pieces from China, and other accessories to make the gallery feel more like a home. The bright colors and creative art make people want to linger. The artwork is moved around from one gallery to another, so you’ll always see something different when you return.

As a way of giving back to the communities that support them, Wilde Meyer has always been involved in charitable endeavors. The gallery helps the Arizona Cancer Center select a painting each year, donated by the artist, as the key piece in their fundraiser’s live auction. I was honored to be selected by the organization last year, and attended their wonderful event at the Phoenician Resort. Since Betty and Mark both love animals, they have worked with such charities as Equine Voices in Tucson and Southwest Wildlife, among others, donating art, furniture and jewelry for fundraisers.