Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Supporting new artists

The thing I like about CHAC is that it supports young artists get started in the art world. I especially like purchasing art from a "new" artist. I bought my first piece of art when I was in 7th grade. It was a mermaid weeping on a rock. I saw it on the shelf in the art room and went to go ask the teacher how I go about buying someone's art. I remember, she looked at me with such surprise and realizing I was serious told me to approach the artist with why I liked the piece. If the artist was open to the discussion, then I could bridge the idea of buying the piece from the artist. If the artist was open for that, start the negotiation with a price I thought was fair to the artist. I offered $7 for that mermaid. It was all I had in my pocket. Luckily, the artist accepted and I still treasure the piece today.

The latest artist who I love to support by purchasing her work is Amanda Wahl. She is a student at Denver University and has some fresh ideas about subject matter. When she has a website, I'll let her interpret her own pieces, but I think her pieces speak volumes on their own.


Time to sculpt

The ice has broken and the warm weather is trying to return to the Mile High City. I had a chance to focus on sculpting stone outside last weekend. These are the "raw" pieces I'm developing for the June show. I will post them again once I finish them. One of the things I love about stone is converting a rough, abrasive hunk of stone into a smoother-than-paper, shiny surface. That in itself is an art form.


Bear, Crane, Woman, Bird

Oh, and I have a new appreciation for the stone-masters. It is a risky medium. My hands are bruised and scarred from one weekend of work.