Inexplicable
Fresh Ideas 2023 is a juried event through the Visual Art League of Lewisville (VAL). It is the only event that accepts submissions from members AND non-members. There is no guarantee that you’ll get in as a member. Every year the number of submissions increases – this year there were over 300 submissions and about 20% made the cut.
My art, “Inexplicable” is one of them!
When I previewed some of the other pieces that were dropped off during intake it became clear I was lucky to get in. There are some amazing pieces in this exhibit!
Artist Statement:
Life can be an inexplicable journey full of joy, sorrow, love, disappointment, growth, celebration and the mundane. Spring forward, embrace your path, and trust God is by your side.
I will be highlighting 3 areas related to my art piece in a series of blogs:
- Inspiration
- People
- Materials
Inspiration:
Tore Bellis and I visit art galleries all over the DFW metroplex on the weekends. While visiting one gallery, I was perplexed…or rather, annoyed. “This is what the artist submitted?” I didn’t think it was very imaginative and while the artist used an unusual material, the material itself wasn’t manipulated in a creative manner.
That night I went home and decided to make an art piece that uses unusual materials in unexpected ways. The result is this piece. Some might consider it a visual eye-sore (ha!) but there is craftsmanship, planning and physics involved. There are also unusual materials that came together serendipitously.
When it came time to submit art for the juried Fresh Ideas show through the Visual Art League of Lewisville, I decided to take a chance and submit this monstrosity. I also submitted two other art pieces that I figured had better odds of getting in. But the monstrosity won out— it was selected to be on display in Fresh Ideas.
The moral of this story: Emotion can be a useful driving force when harnessed properly! Don’t like a piece of art? Go to your studio and make something better!
P.S. An equally valuable lesson is when you go home to make “something better” and discover the art piece you didn’t like at the gallery requires more skill than you realized. 😉
Go see the art in person!
Fresh Ideas Exhibit Dates: July 15 – August 19, 2023
Location: Lewisville Grand Theater
Open: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm
I will be gallery sitting in August! I am happy to demonstrate how the slinky can sit on top of the foot to give Miss Sally Spring a break from balancing it on her head. Email me for dates/times. Miss Sally Spring would love to see you.
Photo courtesy of Lin Hampton. I planned on wearing a low-key outfit to the Opening Reception to balance out the look of my unusual art piece. But the vintage hat and new boots won out.
Be on the lookout for the next blog in this series.
Like the art piece? It is for sale! Contact me for details.
Think you can make something better? (of course you can!) Join the Visual Art League of Lewisville and enter your pieces in our upcoming exhibits. See the upcoming themes to get you started. Click here for membership fees and benefits.
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