Truly Spring: Snow to Crocus; Easter Bunny Approaches at Warp Speed

ArtCozy project is finished, and had you attended the March meeting at Southglenn Library, you could have purchased one for only $25 ($30 for nonmembers)! Judy Vanderbosch and crew did an awesome job. RMSBA exhibit committee will keep 50 – our shows tend not to have more items - to use for transporting and storing exhibit entries.

We have product available in black or grey, and nice stuff it is, too: 32” x 22 ½”, double bottom and Velcro closure, very capacious and soft. They fold up well for storage. Ask Vanessa Martin or Judy about payment methods.

‘Lost in the Woods’ is open for entries at OnlineJuriedShows. If you need guidance with the good wood, Irma Sturgell has help for you: ask for the Champion Trees files. Deadline for entry is May 15. The show opens at Valkarie Gallery in Lakewood, and installation is Monday, June 18; Opening Reception on Saturday, June 23. First Friday event on July 7! Artists will be enjoined to attend, to mingle and discuss… You can sell prints in conjunction with the exhibit.

Subject: Artists Wanted - Summer Art Sale May 19, 2018

Deadline April 6, 2018

Questions-To: krystle.codrey@cityofthornton.net

Western Spirit Art Show & Sale continues through April 15 at Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum in Cheyenne, WY, should you be in the neighborhood.

Gathering of the Guilds is scheduled for April 29, 2018, at the Boettcher Mansion on Lookout Mountains. Put it on your calendars now. Irma Sturgell is collecting names of those who are interested in selling artwork, prints, cards, etc. here and also at …

Tagawa Gardens Lavender Festival. The RMSBA Art Sale is coming up on July 14 (that’s Bastille Day, history fans). Get your stuff ready for this one. Last year we were right in front of the High Plains Iris Show & Sale, and we did benefit from their traffic.

Drive a little, see a lot. RMSBA is arranging a Rambling Day Open House at the Buffalo Peaks Ranch south of Fairplay on July 28. Lunch will be served and the Rocky Mountain Land Library property will be open for participants to explore and sketch the numerous scenic features. More details to follow.

Art for the Sangres Show & Sale, for those of you planning farther ahead, will be September 28 & 29 at A Painted View Ranch, Westcliffe, CO. More information available soon here.

ASBA Worldwide International show – four RMSBA members were accepted into this show: Vanessa Martin, Connie Sayas, Dorothy DePaulo and Sharon Garrett.

ASBA 4^th Annual Online Auction March 26 through April 27. Visit via this link.

Open Studios for spring with Kristi Czajkowski on these Wednesdays:

    April 18    Robischon Gallery, 1740 Wazee Street, 11 am - 2 pm

    May 9       Denver Museum of Nature & Science (meet in lobby), 10 am – 2 pm

    June 13    Denver Zoo (meet outside entrance), 10 am – 2 pm

Stock Show! National Western Wool Show!

Reminder: Executive Board meeting on January 14, 2018, to review and preview and make plans. The next member meeting is on March 25. What would you like to see happening in 2018? Any member who wants to propose an agenda item, or who has suggestions about the coming year, should contact a board member or plan to attend. We gather at Noon on 1/14 at Hooked on Colfax.

Reminder: Membership dues for 2018 are due now. Please check the box for RMSBA when you go the ASBA renewal site.

Extended Exhibits! Through May 2018, “Cannabis: A Visual Perspective” remains on display at the University of Colorado Natural History Museum in Boulder, after which it will move to the Paquette Gallery at the SteamPlant museum in Salida. Participating artists offering prints or cards/postcards for sale at the Salida venue when the Cannabis exhibit moves in June should package the inventory and deliver to Vanessa Martin before May 31, 2018, the installation date in Salida.

“Whimsy: Botanical Art & Illustration” remains at the Denver Botanic Gardens through August 2018, after which the exhibition is expected to travel to other venues, including museums, libraries and universities.

Call for Entries: The RMSBA show “Lost in the Woods” will open for entries on January 15, 2018, as specified in excruciating detail at OnlineJuriedShows. Entry fee for RMSBA members is $20 per entry plus $5 for each additional entry. Non-members entry fee is $30 per entry plus $5 for each additional entry. May 15, 2018, is the deadline for entries and all fees. Get those portraits prepared and send in images. We look forward to following those breadcrumbs through the forests…

ASBA 21^st International exhibit is now accepting entries. The Preferred Plant List is based on the collections of the Wave Hill public garden and culture center in New York, but other species will be considered.

Holiday party update: Terrific food and great camaraderie as always. Sharon Garrett received a Sarah Simblet book from the board as a token of gratitude for her labors and efforts with the RARE II exhibit over several years, from concept development to completion of an extended tour.  Many thanks to Shiere for hosting in her beautiful home and Eileen for the food.

Reprise on the ASBA 2017 Conference in San Francisco, a smoky event; we were all reminded of how quickly our lives can change. Some ASBA members lost their homes to the raging fires and more had to be evacuated. Several flights into San Francisco International were delayed because of the smoke, etc. Despite all, we rallied for a really good time. We visited Alcatraz, Golden Gate Park and Filoli.  We got to see the Florilegia at both Filoli and Alcatraz.  It was a great conference and we look forward to next year’s conference in St. Louis – the Missouri Botanical Gardens are wonderful.

Heading East? Check Out This Terrific Exhibit

Click on this image to see an enlarged, easy-to-read version.

Curious about the term 'chapbook? Thanks to Wikipedia, we find that "A chapbook is an early type of popular literature printed in Early Modern Europe. The tradition of chapbooks arose in the 16th century, as soon as printed books became affordable, and rose to its height during the 17th and 18th centuries. Many different kinds of ephemera, popular or folk literature were published as chapbooks, such as pamphlets, political and religious tracts, nursery rhymes, poetry, folk tales, children's literature and almanacs. When illustrations are included in chapbooks, they are considered popular prints. The term "chapbook" for this type of literature was coined in the 19th century. The corresponding French and German terms are Bibliothèque bleue and Volksbuch, respectively.

The term "chapbook" is also in use for present-day publications, usually poetry, of up to about 40 pages, ranging from low-cost productions to expensive, finely produced editions."

Click HERE for more information about this unique opportunity to see into the mind of an amazing artist.

Exhibit is at: Steinhardt Conservatory Gallery at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

990 Washington Avenue

Brooklyn, NY11225

(718) 623-7200

Summer Art Market, Art Students League of Denver, is This Weekend

Make a plan to attend this annual event. You'll love the enormous variety of artworks available by our own Denver artists. RMSBA members will be there in force. Look for Susan Fisher, Vanessa Martin, and Carol Till for sure. Here's Carol's shout out!

Art Students League of Denver Fields Annual Boutique

Each year, the ASLD holds a fair for their members, and it's a great place to see new, exciting and unique artworks. Here's a carte from our own Susan Fisher, for her booth. Vanessa Martin and Carol Till are also participating. Don't miss this cool, happening, annual event!

Click on this picture to see an enlargement

Is It Time to Exhibit Your Artwork?

Whether you are an advanced painter or a beginner, exhibitions serve a great purpose in the development of your artistic life. What are the benefits of exhibiting your art? Well, there are many. First, if you want to work professionally, exhibition is probably necessary. Your resume needs to show that your work has been accepted into juried exhibits, and one-person exhibits are a true indication of interest in your work.

If you aren't aiming toward a professional career, exhibitions are still an important part of an artist's life. Why? Having confidence in your own art methods, materials and results leads to more excitement and satisfaction in creating art. Feedback is a very good thing to have, as you can find out how others react to your art, not in a judgemental sense, but more in an empathetic sense.

"Knowledge is good" as we all learned from the classic film Animal House and their college motto, stating the obvious! And knowing your own goals and needs for your art is knowledge that is explosive! It can ignite your artistic talents.
 

Do you want to exhibit? Let's explore the proposition, see how it fits in your artistic life.

The Pros are pretty amazing:
Nothing is quite as intensely satisfying as the experience of sharing your joy in an art piece. And gallery/museum exhibits are a wonderful place to share. If you don't exhibit, you lose that opportunity. When hanging out at a gallery or exhibition opening, creative eavesdropping is a valuable art form. Can viewers see what you are trying to say/represent with your art? If so, ask them why the art moves/attracts them. If not, why doesn't it move/attract them. 

The Cons can be a bit daunting:
Exhibiting really only works well if it's part of your plan annually. Which, by inference, means you really need an annual plan. That takes some thought. Once you commit to an exhibit, you DO have to produce art in time to meet calls for entries deadlines. And there are often expenses - framing, glazing, matting, mailing, getting your artwork returned are not cheap. Do you want to spend the money it takes to do it right? Do you want to have your time scheduled externally, that is, following an other's schedule in your own art process?

The answers to the questions above may help you decide a lot of things in your life as an artist, including the theme being addressed in our blog in February, "To Show or Not To Show." It's knowledge that is indeed good to know about yourself.

Pseudolarix amabilis, by Libby Kyer, has been shown nationally at the Hunt Institute and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Florilegium exhibitions, and in Kew at the Sherwood Gallery. Lots of mileage out of a single image. You might want to consider regions you want to show in, so that you can design an image beautifully suited to travel!

Some other questions that need answering

How's your inventory?
        What do you have in recent paintings to present?                

        Do you know your own pace for production if you need more?

        Can you meet the artwork demand for new artworks for exhibitions?

How's your budget?

        Juried shows:  Entry fees are between $25 and $50 per show, generally for up to 3
        pieces, paid whether you are accepted or declined. It's good to enter the maximum
        artworks allowed for the entry fee.

         Framing in the simple frames called for by most botanical art exhibits is about $150
       to $200 for a 16x24" frame with mat and Plexiglas glazing.

         Delivery: Hand delivery is always less stressful if the exhibit is in your area. If you
       need to ship your entry, it will cost about $85 to $100 per leg - out and back - which
       includes insurance.

So, perhaps this gives you some insight into the planning and money needed to enter exhibits. There are, of course, variations in costs depending on location, jury status and other bits and pieces. As food for more thought on this subject, here are some links you can use to see what galleries want!

Great tips for finding a gallery and exhibiting are HERE.
 

What galleries look for in an artist - a great discussion is HERE.
 
Choosing the right gallery for your art - some guidance is HERE.

Next time, we'll talk about some shows you might be interested in when planning your exhibitions calendar.

RARE II Call for Entries Now Available

 

 

Pedicularis groenlandica, Patricia Whalen

The official Call for Entry for our Rare II exhibit is now available. This is a great exhibit that will travel extensively. The schedule is below:

Exhibit dates : February 14, 2015 – December 1, 2016

Venues for Rare II

February 14, 2015- April 27 - Wildlife Experience, Parker, CO
May 1, 2015 – September 28 - The Mitchell Museum, Trinidad, CO
October 1, 2015 – December 28 – Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO
January 16, 2016- April 16 – Sangre de Christo Art and Conference Center, Pueblo, CO
May 30, 2016 – July 6 – Wild Horse Gallery, Steamboat Springs, CO
July 10, 2016 – August 31 – Steam Plant Event Center, Salida, CO
Sept2016 –December 2016 - Grand Junction, CO (proposed)
Reception dates: To be announced with each venue.

To go directly to the Entry Form, please click HERE. Don't forget to check deadlines and include them in your planning calendars.

16th Annual ASBA/NYHort Exhibit Opens in September

16th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at The Horticultural Society of New York

148 W. 37^th Street, 13^th Floor

New York, NY 10018

September 20 – November 22, 2013

Reception Friday, September 20, 6:00 – 8 PM

This exhibit continues to grow and expose more artists to the NYC art scene. If you're in the area, don't miss the 16th Annual International. It's a great experience with great crowds, food and art.

 

Ferocactus latispinusm, Devil's Tongue Barrel Cactus, Graphite and colored pencil,

16x16",  Joan McGann 2013

 

 

Bergenia crassifolia, Siberian Tea, 18x13.5", Watercolor on paper, Mary Ann Scott, 2012

 

 Jurors Patricia Jonas, Kathie Miranda, and Derek Norman met in April to select 45 artworks among 222 submissions from around the world. 

Hailing from around the US, and from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Japan, and the UK, the following artists had artworks accepted for exhibition: Rosalind Allchin, Bobbi Angell, Deb Chirnside, Monika deVries Gohlke, Carri DiCostanzo, Rosemary Donnelly, Beverly Duncan, Jean Emmons, Akiko Enokido, Ingrid Finnan, Patricia Giebutowski, Cherie Ann Gossett, Asuka Hishiki, Wendy Hollender, Yuko Inujima, Joan Keesey, Heeyoung Kim, Ku-mie Kim, Karen Kluglein, Kay Kopper, Lucy Martin, Joan McGann, Carrie Megan, Tomoko Ogawa, George Olson, Sharron O’Neil, John Pastoriza-Pinol, Lynne Railsback, Dick Rauh, Sarah Roche, Betsy Rogers-Knox, Lizzie Sanders Mitsuko Schultz, Mary Ann Scott, Elaine Searle, Julia Trickey, Denise Walser-Kolar, Catherine Watters, Kerri Weller, Carol Woodin, and Fatima Zagonel.

A catalog will be published to accompany the exhibition, go to the ASBA Website for further information on purchasing the catalog and exhibition activities, or contact Carol Woodin, Director of Exhibitions, exhibitions@asba-art.org, 866.691.9080

Following in the Bartram's Footsteps

Contemporary Botanical Artists Explore the Bartrams' Legacy - A Traveling Exhibition

This show is boffo, as they say in showbiz! Look for a venue near you, and enjoy the display. You can also check out The Botanical Artist for their new feature, Beyond the Bartram's. It's a brief but interesting history of botanical exploration in the US, during colonial and early nation state days, and into the 19th century.

 

Franklinia alatamaha, Franklinia, Watercolor, © Karen Kluglein 2012

 

 



 

Spigelia marilandica, Indian Pink, Watercolor on Vellum, 9.5x7.5, Judith Simon 2012

This exhibition features 44 artworks of plants grown, sold, and introduced by John and William Bartram, centered upon their native US plant introductions. Go here The Bartram's in America to find out more about these fascinating 18th century plantsmen.

 

This travelling exhibition is scheduled at the following venues:

 

2013South Florida Museum
201 10th Street West
Bradenton, FL
September 19 - December 30, 2013

Cherokee Garden Library/Atlanta History Center
130 West Paces Ferry Road NW
Atlanta, GA
March 17 - June 17, 2014

North Carolina Botanical Garden
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
August 30 - November 2, 2014

University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
200 Centennial Drive
Berkeley, CA
December 2014 - February 2015