40 In 40 and Beyond

A lot has been done to prep for this show, and I am really getting excited!! Press is already picking it up and I hope there is more to come!!

http://www.fosters.com/article/20150719/ENTERTAINMENTLIFE/150719349/14324/NEWSLETTER100

And, the public is certainly invited!!

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Openings… and openings… and…openings

I never thought I’d have 4 opening receptions in one week. All group shows. And, one in Norway. But, I’m impressed still.

Tuesday night, the show that I coordinate for the Berwick Art Association opened at the Berwick Public Library, Berwick, Maine. The  show is 46 pieces strong, and includes 20 artists from around the region including: Beth Wittenberg, Christine Kfoury, Anne Vaughan, Bob Farrell, Jean Coughlin, Erika Carty, Rita Fuller, Christy Bruna, Michael Bramlett, Laura Tuininga, Gloria Houlne, Eric Pomorski, Roseann Meserve, Daryl-Ann Dartt Hurst, Jane Lissner, Lee Copp, Gene Galipeau, Tom Gillis, Ruth Bleau, Bruce Bacon.

Turn-out was light, but we had a good time! And, it is a great show. It will be up through March 27.

A number of the artists at the opening at the Berwick Library BAA show

Thursday, I was part of an opening in Moss, Norway. I am not going to import Facebook or Twitter images here. It was a benefit, and I was happy to  donate a piece-and it’s cool to say I have been shown in Norway!

Friday, was crazy. I am done with openings…until next Friday.

The Gallery at 100 Market Street is an important place for me to show for a spectrum of reasons. And, this was my 5th appearance on these walls. I have two small pieces on the 4th floor that I didn’t shoot for the blog. This was not my most impressive appearance, but there are more to come.

The show was filled with gems, as usual. I will have to go back to shoot more, because what I shot last night was awful.

The BUOY in Kittery, Maine hosts an aRtPM Challenge annually where the only restriction for inclusion to this show is it has to have been created within the month of February. I included “Muzykzny” last year, even though the sides were still slightly wet. This year, a piece called “Valentine” graces their walls. She’s the faceless watercolor to the bottom left.

“Valentine” at BUOY

“Valentine” at BUOY

I saw a ton of other people’s art today.

Don’t underestimate this area!

Nahcotta and Zev Yoga Show Openings tonight

There has been a deterioration of the “Art Around Town” circuit since 3 Graces closed. That was a sad day for many of us. But it was nice to see Kim Ferreira’s “Jackalopes” at Nahcotta tonight-a pleasant reminder that the reason why she closed her gallery was to devote more time to her art.

The decision to venture out tonight was because I am a fan, follower, and friend of Jeannie Griffin-Peterka, and I am proud to say she was my nomination for her solo at the r.mfa.  I needed to see this show. I support my artist friends and I love to see their new work. Her show was at Zev, the opening was 6.

“Art Around Town” starts at 5, and I was in town shortly after. I stuck my head in Kennedy Studios, took a peak and wandered down to Nahcotta. Fair warning-wear great snow footwear. Yikes! Walking was an interesting task!

Nahcotta’s “Enormous Tiny Art-Winter, Show #17” was a really nice change from what they had up last week, which really felt like…this is what we had in the backroom, with no cohesion at all…but we needed something on the walls. I know from having been in enough galleries in the last 38 years, that happens. January is a peculiar month. So, no fault to the gallery for that :).

There is some great work in this show, and based on the red-dots, the show is being well-received. I particularly liked Amanda Kavanaughs’ pieces and Kate Todaro “L3 to the Red Line” series.

“L3 to the Red Line”, (c)Kate Todaro

I cheated with the camera, because I noticed another person writing and capturing images on his phone. We actually ended up having a conversation about the show, and about what he felt was redeeming, etc. I did think it was fun to be not the only one doing this and Marc and I also shared some “big city” thoughts on the way art is reviewed.

From Nahcotta, I ice skated (not literally, but close), to Zev.  Jeannie was just taking her boots off at the door (it’s a yoga studio) when I walked in. I am a personal comrade, so all I am going to say here is “see this show”. All of her work is fairly large acrylic on canvas.  Her work is remarkable and some day I will own this piece:

“Number 27” (c)Jeannie Griffin-Peterka

There are small details in this painting that she doesn’t always include that I like. This piece almost feels like a cityscape, which grounds it, and I think that’s a quality that I am responding too, as well.

So, I am home and warm and expecting more snow, and then…more snow…with more snow. Perfect painting weather.

 

 

 

Snow and Topos

Today was to be all about art. We were predicted to get 4″-8″ of snow, a perfect excuse to get into the paint.

I have two canvases midway, and I had several challenges to fulfill. I can safely say the canvases are now too wet to continue on and the challenges are completed. A personal goal was also met today by exceeding prior views for my post in one day-and the day is not over.

For most of the morning, I seemed to be able to do no wrong. The right materials and the right colors seemed to just find my fingers!

“Paperwhite”, (c)Daryl-Ann Dartt Hurst, mixed media including graphite, watercolor and pastel, 6″ x 6″

My good friend, Jeannie Griffin-Peterka is really a presence in this piece. Her work and mine are aligned, but her palette is more controlled and subdued, and she blocks her composition differently.

Here is one finished last night that did not get photographed until this morning, which explains quite visually the difference in palette, though mine is usually has more white than this. I love my color!

“Velvet Underground”, (c) Daryl-Ann Dartt Hurst,2015, chalk pastel on wet paper. 6″ x 6″

I am having way too much experimental fun with literally painting with pastels. This paper was soaked a few times and the marks that are visible were made with a palette knife. Thanks again to my friend, Erika Carty who added more colors to my palette of pastels the other night.

“Mind Topo 2”. (c) Daryl-Ann Dartt Hurst, 2015, watercolor, acrylic, pastel gel medium, 7″ x 5″

Where I am not maybe channeling other artists, I am comparing my thought processes, and art processes to reaching peaks. I have a real love for hiking, seeing vistas from a different perspective, and looking down at what I have just accomplished or overcome.

So, this is a sampling…I am posting more.

A note about the way I work: every day, if possible. When I can’t there seems to be this deluge of artistic energy that is apparent on the week-end.

 

BAA Artshare meeting, January, 2015

We had a very successful Artshare meeting tonight. Another reason to champion a local library! The Berwick Art Association has no permanent building for meeting or showing, and the Berwick Public Library allows us to use their conference room for our business meetings and their one large table in the main library for our Artshare meetings.

In attendance tonight, there were four new members and ten of the older members, which is the best turn-out yet. These meetings are all about bringing work to share. If it is in progress, or the artists has issues they would like to discuss about their piece, that’s what we do. Otherwise, we converse casually about each sharing person’s work-BTW, you don’t have to bring art.

The group discusses Christine Kfoury’s “Packer’s Falls”

Tonight was special for a number of reasons: Gloria Houlne has returned to BAA for these meetings, Beth Wittenberg gave away ten copies of her first zine, and it was the most art shared at one of these meetings, to date.

Ruth Ann Bleau had her hands full as meeting chair getting us through the abundance of great art showed. Gloria’s piece,  was discussed probably longer than it should have been, based on the size of the group, though it was worthy of the time.

Gloria Houlne, Ruth Ann Bleau with Gloria’s offering

Ruth Ann Bleau and Anne Vaughan injected the evening with politically charged art. Beth Wittenberg brought her first zine based on her series of works called “Buildings, Beasts and Storms” which depict some of the nastiness and craziness that lives in all of us, and gave the original signed copies away. A new member, Aaron, brought his Comic-style book based on his daily life. Other work included a pen and ink of James Dean, a spin-art on a light fixture cover, a large acrylic abstract, a series of autobiographical photos, a small architectural rendering and my random small paintings done for “painting challenges”. And, Kristen’s cow.

Kristen Dolloff shows her piece.

As this group grows and matures, the work does, as well.

The BAA Artshare group meets every third Wednesday night at the Berwick Public Library, Berwick, Maine from 5:45-7:15. We never know who will be there or what they will bring. Snacks are also welcomed-we do munch, too!

 

Gabe Smith’s “Gray Planet” at the Gafney Library, Sanbornville, New Hampshire

This show exemplifies ALL of the reasons this blog came to exist, all of the reasons that I champion libraries in the area for showing really fine regional work, and finding and seeing work by a total unknown. (In a small place-like Sanbornville.)

Gabe Smith graduated high school in 2010, and is demonstrating in his show at the Gafney called “Gray Planet” sophistication in an art vocabulary that goes far beyond his years on the planet Earth and his scholastic art training.

His theme for his work is both very personal and universal. He has dealt with friends who have committed suicide and acts of self-harm. He approaches this theme with mediums, like motor oil and drywall, which are also very temporary and unstable, things that will chip and eventually fall apart. Much like us “gray people”. His mediums rarely are traditional and he relies on mixed medium, found objects and spray paint.

Gabe Smith at the Gafney

He was very gracious and walked through the show with me, explaining the inspiration of some pieces and the collage elements in others. Again, for a first-timer, extremely ready to face this art world.

“Hobo”, (c)Gabe Smith

“Hobo” has among it’s materials used, old maps of Maine-they are the hobo’s face.

“Gray Planets” on the mantel, “Space and Stuff”, large piece above, all (c) Gabe Smith

Now, remind me again-where is this show?

So, Gabe is a multi-talented artist and also performed at the Wakefield Opera House tonight. The opening reception at the library was followed by his performance which I opted out of.

Find Gabe Smith Pop Culture Icon on YouTube, and check out http://gafneylibrary.weebly.com/ for library and show hours. This show is up until the end of the month.

 

 

 

In lieu of successful framing

All is not lost when I have an additional few hours to make things work!

Since I have joined the piece-a-day challenge, I actually feel an obligation to fulfill that. And, I am.

I like these 3 little collages. Again, I am reworking mediums “from old” into some new work. Not museum quality, but gettin’ there!

“What Remains”, (c) Daryl-Ann Dartt Hurst, mm, 6″ x 6″

“Cyembra”, (c) Daryl-Ann Dartt Hurst, 2015, mm. 6″:x 6″

“Crazy Dreams”, (c) Daryl-Ann Dartt Hurst, 2015. mm, 6″ x 6″

So, the frustrations of framing today at least manifested itself in some pleasantly fun collage work. And, I do feel mildly accomplished for the day.

I also started by creating texture, a larger canvas (18″ x 24″), but I will not have a chance to start adding paint to it til later in the week.

Mixed precip and hot chocolate

That was Saturday night, and into Sunday. I got stuck in the ice today, after thinking I had moved my car to a “safe place”.

My visual response to the above-and yes, I drank my share of hot chocolate and had stew for lunch!

Tracing the history

A friend recently said that she would love to see a retro of my work. With almost 40 years worth, I think I can do that.

The easiest walls to find are online.

Since I am never going to not show otherwise, I want to use this venue for events and big shares, and share the rest on “Dartt Hurst, a Retro”.

I am loving some of the crazy stuff I am finding, and it really gives validation/foundation to newer stuff.

“Truly Good and Crisp”. 1977, 8’x 10″, acrylic on canvas. NFS

moving work

Tomorrow, thirty pieces will relocate, either to the Rochester Public Library, or here. Rob, at 2nd Landing Gallery in Dover wants more, and larger pieces, but the larger pieces I want at the library.

Thirty pieces, in 4 different locations. And, this is going to happen in the rain. Fortunately, there are very few that will be damaged by a little water. That’s what trash bags are for when they aren’t being used for their prescribed purpose.

These are two-“Play That Funky Music” will come home, “Spontaneous Combustion” gets another round of exposure.

“Play that Funky Music”. MM, 10″ x 10″, framed. (c)Daryl-Ann Hurst, 2014

Spontaneous Combustion, 2014. Oil and acrylic on floor tile. 12″ x 12″.