I'm Off to Portland's Expo Center for "America's Largest Christmas Bazaar!"

I just got accepted into Portland Expo Center's "America's Largest Christmas Bazaar"...! (Yup - that's a photo of my booth at the last show!)

December 5 - 7, Friday - Sunday.

I'll be schlepping my stuff up to Portland, sitting and schmoozing for 3 festive and fun-filled days! This is an amazing show, and an astonishing opportunity for me ... there are almost 1,000 vendors, and 30,000 people attended the show last year! If you're up for a trip to the Expo Center in Portland this weekend, and the chance to find unique Christmas/Holiday gifts, make sure you stop by to see me!

Friday's show is free, for those who bring two cans of food for the Sunshine Foundation.

Here's my Craig's List ad, for more information and some fabulous (taken by my daughter) photographs (finally figured out how to get the BIG photos on Craig's List!): http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/com/1491009607.html

Overflowing blessings to ALL...!

Shameless, Self-Promoting Plug

I just squeaked in as a last-minute vendor in this 2nd annual (upscale) Art Bazaar in McMinnville (not your grandma's bazaar, but she can come!). Been painting my you-know-what off! Thriving on paint-fumes! Who needs sleep?!?

Dates: November 27,28 and 29, 2009 (The weekend of/after Thanksgiving)
Time: 9:00 - 6:00 Friday/Saturday; Noon - 5:00 Sunday
Location: Yamhill County Fairgrounds, 2070 NE Lafayette Ave McMinnville, OR 97128

I'll have ALL of my recently-created items, minus what's in the Love Art Gallery (Sellwood), and the items in the Black/White/Gray Show at Keizer. Gifts for everyone (including yourself!) ... children's furniture (galore!), mirrors, clocks, tables, jewelry boxes, candlesticks, vases, canes (joy sticks!), whatever has held still long enough for me to paint it...!

Come and see - come and schmooze!

Shalom, Dena

Results of Black/White/Gray Show...!

What a night!

This being my first-ever entry in an art show, I didn't know what to expect ... I told Mark and the kids to stay home, in case it was boring and stuffy.

I dressed up in black and white (but of course!), and ventured forth to Keizer (about 20 miles away). I was amazed and astonished at the caliber of art in the show...! Mon Dieu, but it was GOOD! All manner of mediums ... oils, drawings, sketches, etchings, watercolors, mosaics, sculptures, 3 dimensional collages, photographs ... and my table and chair. SO much talent was represented!

I had several artist, judges and others come up to me and say how much they loved my work ... quite nice and gratifying, coming from "real" artists (I feel like the Pinocchio of the art-world, a "not quite real" artist ... a pretend-artist). One gentleman was an attorney ... one who happens to know my father, who's a circuit court judge ... one who would certainly enjoy black and white art...! ;)

We were encouraged to vote for 3 artists whose work we most enjoyed ... I was feeling just gauche enough to vote for myself (if I don't like my work, who will?), as well as two other artists ... one was a sort of bustier-sculpture ... it spoke of freedom from enslavement. Another was an oil painting of a small boy's face, from the nose up ... looking up to his (off-canvas) father ... the father's gnarled hand on the boy's head (the boy looks a lot like my Benji, my youngest). I *wish* I'd remembered to bring my camera..! The votes will continue throughout the month-long exhibit, as others come to view the artwork on display.

Then it was time for the awards ceremony ... I sat with the rest of the artists ... they were all thrilled with the turnout ... it seems that there were more entries than in years past -- 75 pieces of artwork in all -- and that the quality of the art was outstanding. They wanted to honor first, second and third places ... as well as 5 honorable mentions, out of the 75 pieces. I couldn't believe my ears to hear that my art was awarded one of the honorable mentions...! Me! The not-quite-real artist, who snuck in the back door ... the one who almost didn't paint in black/white/gray ... the one who almost didn't enter...!

They went on and on about how much joy my art brought them ... how it captivated their imagination, and even invited them to sit in the chair ... and one of the judges said, "be sure to check out her photo album -- she sells other items, and even takes commissions" ... LOL, the judge was plugging my work!

And then, right in front of everyrone, the middle finial came unglued and fell off...! Right there at the show! Stinkin' white gorilla glue didn't hold up! Rather than it being a terrible moment, one of the judges rushed off to find some Elmer's glue, and held the finial in place 'til it dried ...! At least it waited 'til after they jurying...

Later, I was having a blast talking with one of the women ... she was vibrant, energetic and highly complimentary of the art, including mine ... we were discussing menopause, and the freedom to finally speak our minds ... she told the art director to be sure to bring the art to the next city council meeting, and to get it in the newspaper. I asked her if she was on the council ... everyone laughed, and said, "she's the mayor!" Hoo-boy! I was schmoozing with the mayor about menopause!

Not the stuffy and boring event I was anticipating -- what a lovely surprise all around! Wishing Mark had been with me ... but there'll be a next time!

I'm guessing this means I *might* be a real artist now...!

Maybe I'll even start feeling like one...

Shalom, Dena

Creations for the Black/White/Gray Show..!

Whew! I'm done!

I spent a week in a frenzy of painting ... not only completing the black/white/gray table and chairs for the Keizer Art Show, but also finishing 8 other full-color items to bring to the Silverton Green Store -- all in time for tomorrow!

Whew!

My daughter, Micaela, our resident photographer extraorinaire, has taken some lovely pictures ... (& she's available for hire, btw!), which I'll happily share here:

Here's the "Tuxedo Tea Table":





















Here's a close-up of the faux-marbleized top:



And here's a peek at the twisted-base:






















And now for the chair (which is awaiting a creative name ... too pooped to think at the moment!):


And a couple of zoom-shots:


















Sooooo... there you have it. My debut into the realm of black, white, and gray. Tomorrow I'll find out if it'll be accepted into the juried art show ... and I have to decide if they'll be for sale, or just for show (I want to keep 'em!)(but then, I always do!).

If anyone thinks of a clever name for the chair -- let me know quick!

Shalom, Dena

Upcoming Art Show in Keizer, Oregon

I'm expanding my horizons ... trying something new...!

I recently joined a wondermous organization ... Artist in Action. It's an organization for artists, based in Salem, Oregon. Fabulous folks ... not only hyper-talented, but they struck me as honest and authentic folks. Much appreciated in the world of art, were pretension can loom large.

While at their meeting, I caught wind of an art exhibit being featured in Keizer, Oregon, not far from my home. It's called the "Black, White and Gray" show ... and, true to it's name, all artwork must only be in shades of black, white and gray. At first, I snorted at the concept (yes, I snorted outloud, in the meeting), since my art is all about vivid color. But it stayed with the ... the concept of doing my art in only the non-color tones ... challenging ... intriguing ... all-too-tempting...!

I got hooked on the concept. I purchased every shade of gray I could find, schlepped them to my home studio, and looked about my "nekkid" furniture, to see which would be good candidates ... one little tea table jumped out at me ... round top, twisted base, and curved triplet "feet". Perfect. Then, I found a lovely vintage chair in one of the local stores wherein my furniture is displayed and sold ... "Some Things". The chair from the 1920's ... and was painted in a crackled green. Charming as it was, and yet it was crying out for a new expression (I heard it!). Again, perfect.

So, after much experimentation, the chair is now a riot of black, white and gray ... looking very much like I had taken a B&W photo of one of my multi-colored items! Without relying on colors, I had to focus on shape, shade, and details ... using a smokey gray for the legs, I then painted a subtler-lighter shade of gray for flowers ... let it dry, only to return and find them GONE! I *knew* that I had indeed painted 200+ flowers on that chair, but they had evaporated, seemingly into thin air(!) ... sigh ...

After wondering whether I'd gone completely batty, and ruling out an odd metaphysical experience, I discovered that the shade was the same as that on the legs, despite having a different name, and made by differing companies ... and while it went on a light shade, it dried darker. Rats.

So ... I had to do it again, using a customized shade I derived out of adding a blip of black into a wallop of white ... and voila -- the ideal shade for neutralized-flowers, which I then detailed with high-gloss black. I used a conglomeration of all the shades to create a lovely marbleized effect on the seat ... polka-dots, swirling vines, and checks complete the presentation. The crowning touches are finials I created out of various wood pieces, and then painted ... gluing them to the top. When it's sprayed with varnish, I'll add beaded glass fringe, and it shall be complete!

I did much the same for the table, adding strings of pearls to accent the twisted base -- tres elegant!

I'm quite pleased with the effect ... it's all much like seeing a transformed "plain Jane" get dressed in formal attire ... the result resembling a tuxedo and an evening gown.

I'll bring the pieces to the gallery in Keizer this Wednesday ... and hope that they'll get juried into the show. IF so, then they'll be on display throughout November, launching with a reception. The opening reception for family, friends and the public is Saturday, November 7, 5PM to 8PM.

Keizer Art Association & Enid Joy Mount Gallery
980 Chemawa Rd NE, Keizer, OR 97303
Phone: 503-390-3010 – www.keizerarts.org

This is my first art show of this sort ... rather than being a vendor at an art show, I'd be displayed. NO idea of whether what I've done (what I do) fits with their vision ... I could be utterly outside their box (wouldn't be the first time, LOL!). Then again, they may be charmed.

No matter ... I'm charmed. I love what came out of me, onto these items ... and as soon as they're finished, I'll share the photos here. In answering the challenge, I've discovered a whole new "line" I can share with others...!

Shalom, Dena

Wonderful New Opportunity..!

I've been invited to participate in a WONDERFUL store in Silverton, Oregon ... a unique, conscientious, radical, and uberly-GORGEOUS store that's all-Green.

It's called, appropriately enough, The Silverton Green Store, owned and run by Michelle Fenney, whose life-affirming and beauty-acknowledging philosophy permeates every corner of the store...!

This is NOT your typical fusty "in order to be green, we must only decorate/utilize brown" store - oh NO! This store is a symphony of color and energy! It exudes joy, a delight for all the senses, and a balm for the conscience! Every corner declares an exuberance for life, and for living responsibly, and joyously, simultaneously! It truly must be seen to be believed!

I am honored, thrilled, and blessed to be included in this amazing store, this tremendous opportunity ...

If you're within driving-range, come and experience this store ... explore every nook and cranny ... discover a way to celebrate life in a manner which honors all life. I promise, you will leave buoyant and grinning..!

(Serendipites by Dena will debut there the first week of November -- now back to frenzied and creative painting...!)

Shalom, Dena


The Silverton Green Store
201 E. Main St.
Silverton, Oregon 97381
(503) 602-1808
(503) 873-6242
Email: dragonfly@silvertongreenstore.com
Web: www.silvertongreenstore.com

Humbled & Honored & a Wee Bit Overwhelmed...!

After sending out a link to this blog, I've been absolutely overWHELMed with the response from so many of you...! Lovely compliments, many "oohs" and "ahhhs" ... my mother and my mother-in-law forwarded it to their friends ... and even the "real" artists had wonderful things to say ...

(True-confession time: As a self-taught folk artist, I can often fall into the mindset of "I'm just the step-child-artist who snuck into the back door". So, when a "real" (i.e. trained) artist throws a compliment my way, and tells me that I *earned* it, well, it gets me all warm and fuzzy and glowy...!)

Sales are happening now in earnest, demand is rising ... the commissions are starting to flow in (yes, I love to paint things that people already own ... transforming drab into dramatic ... working with the owner regarding their desired colors and patterns, and even - my favorite! - being told, "wing it - let it speak to you!). If it holds still, I can paint it. I once told my neighbor that his old Mercedes would look fabulous with zebra stripes ... and he started parking it in the garage, LOL!

I'm hearing from shop and gallery owners ... they want my stuff! Oh, the joy of being wanted...! Perhaps it's just that it took me four long years to get back into painting again, for it feels like AGES! However, it's only been four months since I was challenged to paint a lamp for a local benefit auction (& the delightful woman who won it has become a regular client!).

Within short order, there will be eight shops and galleries featuring my art ... this is so gratifying...! What's more, I have a rewarding relationship with each owner ... for me this is ALL about schmoozing with the people ... not about making money (& most of the proceeds go back into making more art -- I'm just supporting my art-habit, LOL!). I could churn out quickly-produced quick-to-sell furniture in a heart-beat ... but that's not what I'm about ... that's too much like factory-working, sacrificing creativity to merely make a profit.

This is about sharing my heart, my creativity ... pouring myself into the transformation process ... envisioning a thing of beauty hidden in a plain appearance, and then seeing it manifest before my own eyes ... and getting to be a part of that! I put myself, my own essence, into each piece ... a bit of me goes with it ... and to think that others are drawn to this, thus to me ... it's the *connection* I'm after ... the inspiration of coming ALIVE to all that we are ... sharing that joy, unleashing the creativity in the heart of another soul ... inviting them to join me in this wild adventure of coming to know Who We Really Are ... discovering the all-goodness of all that is ... overcoming all manner of confusion, pain, fear, with clarity, joy, and LOVE...!

THAT is what I'm after.

And I won't settle for less...!

Shalom, Dena