Celebrating Mid-Autumn, Studio Update
Welcome to mid-season studio update with news since mid-summer; Annual Open Studios ARTTOUR, new art, and more. We are grateful that the hard work of summer is behind us, our gardens fed us well, our milkweed has attracted more Monarchs than ever. This is a favorite time of year, when we can slow down and count our blessings, Samhuin, the night of the Ancestors, was last night.
Annual Open Studios ARTTOUR
As I write I am preparing for ARTTOUR, November 4 and 5. I look forward to seeing you here. See this page for details, including the google map. This year there are ten locations. Click here for a printable ARTTOUR flyer.
2017 ARTTOUR flyer with description of participants
The next few images show a sneak peak around my studio of new art, jewelry. Learn more about the new art and 16 greeting cards I made for the event in this post.
New art, new jewelry, cards and journals by Kathleen O’Brien premiering at ARTTOUR
“Orange Bellied Parrot” & “Autumn Light” Notebook + Mug + coffee sets by Kathleen O’Brien
There are new blank page notebooks and mugs that are combined with some San Francisco Dark Italian coffee beans into gift sets at a discount price, great for your loved ones who journal in the morning. There are also new zippered clutch bags and totes.
New Art
Bouquet is a series of 27 watercolor, drawing collages. Most feature the flowers we all love, painted loosely. They range in size from postcard size to 9×12″.
Bouquet 4, watercolor, drawing, collage by Kathleen O’Brien, 9×12″
In last week’s post, New for ARTTOUR part 2, I wrote about a sudden inspiration which brought forth 25 small Watercolor Collages, 15 Paintings (series of 11) and 9 Paintings (series of 14).
“09 Paintings 02″, watercolor collage, 3×3” by Kathleen O’Brien
Atlas of the Year is a work in progress of twelve months of the year divided by four segments of the seasons and compass directions. Each month is represented in collage, drawing and writing. I’ll be previewing them at the ARTTOUR. I’ve just finished the first one for the West/Autumn segment. The one shown below includes a drawing of my mother, as this was the month of her funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. It is the last one from the Summer/South segment.
“6, Virgo, Atlas of the Year”, watercolor, drawing, collage by Kathleen O’Brien, 22×15″
‘Altlas of the Year, Summer-South collages with drawings for ARTTOUR display in Kathleen O’Brien Studio
Exhibits
225: Artists Celebrate Kentucky’s History at Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea closed on September 23. When I picked up my art I learned that two more Shaker village Botanicals sold, six out of eight now have new homes.
Mulberry,Pleasant Hill Botanicals, drawing by Kathleen O’Brien at the “225: Artists Celebrate Kentucky’s History” exhibit at the KY Artisan Center, Berea
While in Berea, I delivered three altered books for the Berea Arts Council’s The Book Transformed exhibit. Showing there until November 11 are tree Wisdom, Summer/South, Messages, Winter/North and Wingborne, Spring/East. They were originally exhibited there ten years ago for my solo show 4 Seasons-4 Directions.
The Berea Arts Council has a wonderful partnership with the St. Joseph Berea Hospital. They provide artwork for display at the hospital from exhibits just ending at the BAC gallery. The Book Transformed will be on display there until January 3, 2018.
Display of 3 altered books by Kathleen O’Brien at Berea Arts Council
Illustrated Word, a Kentucky Arts Council traveling show will be at Owen County Public Library, 1370 Highway 22 East, Owenton for November and December.
Seeds and Fig Trees
Part of the harvest time I love is collecting seeds. I have the ones pictured below, and I’m still collecting Lettuce, Nasturtium, Sweetgrass, and Hummingbird Salvia (one of the most prolific volunteers I’ve ever had, the Hummingbirds adore it, they’ll come to it even if I’m nearby).
Some seed and herb tags for Sunwise Farm and Sanctuary products by Kathleen O’Brien
Onward into autumn.