Celebrating Mid-Winter, Studio Update

Usually winter is a slow time but not so this year. Well the snow storm has slowed things, but otherwise there’s been a lot of good energy happening in the studio, that I’d like to share in this mid-season studio update. This is another favorite time of year,  when we see the first signs of spring, Imbolc, Candlemas, Ground Hog Day!

The biggest focus as I write is preparing for the next Sunwise Celebrations on February 6, I look forward to seeing you here. To celebrate Sunwise Farm & Sanctuary’s certification as a Monarch Waystation we will discuss the butterflies’ 4 stages & adapt the concept to your creative life.  You will add your notes and collage a map to guide you in your journey through the year to an illustrated booklet I provide. See this page for details.

Monarch Waystation Sign to post at the entry to Sunwise Farm and Sanctuary

Before plunging into a new year, I like to clean up the old year’s papers, files and finances and generally look back in review. This year I put it into a PDF format. 2015Review_standard (it takes a few seconds to load). It was mostly for myself as practice to create eBooks to share online in the months ahead, ones about the 4 seasons – 4 directions and specific how-to topics like “adhesives” (a dry subject, I know but one I’m often asked about). It would be helpful to know what you would like me to share, please let me know.

Winter Exhibits

Open Studios ARTTOUR, Drawn to Kentucky, Holiday Revels, and Horizon: Contemporary Landscapes were barely over when the first exhibit of the year opened at Community Art Center in Danville. There were huge crowds attending New Year New Art, with so much art to enjoy. Following in February – March I’ll have art in their Juxtapose, a collage exhibit.

Clockwise from top left: art lovers in the main room of CAC’s New Year, New Art show, KO’B with At First I Thought It Was the Earth, But Now I Know It Is the Universe, & Goddess by Mark Selter, beaded gourd, KO’B with Tom Musgrave, Mary Beth Touchstone, director Community Art Center

The Kentucky Arts Council is celebrating their 50th anniversary by highlighting art events around the state. This exhibit was the first one, and Tom Musgrave, Communications Director of KAC, was on hand to mingle and meet us. Our arts council is so supportive, as I have said many times.

Early this year they sent  Kentucky artists a call to submit art for two special exhibits. Kentucky Visions at the Capitol: Fifty/50, for which adjudicated artists could invite an artist to exhibit. I invited Michelle Hayden and you can see the slide show of her and others work on KAC’s site.

The second exhibit is This is 50 to be on display at Kentucky Crafted: the Market in March. Below is one of my entries, 50 Geobotanicals, which may or may not be juried in. The interpretation of 50 is up to the artist, I will mention my 50 years as an artist in the statement, good idea, Michelle. (note later in March: I love the title of the Advocate Messenger article about my display in the show, “50 Shade of Sage”, and thank you, Bobbie Curd for writing it.)

Now our dear Arts council is having their budget cut, but at least they have not eliminated the agency, as we feared might happen.

“50 Geobotanicals”, watercolor, drawing, botanicals, collage by Kathleen O’Brien, 12×16″

MS Rezny Studio/Gallery 2016

2016 front MS Rezny Studio/Gallery Postcard

We have welcomed a new artist to the gallery, Jan Durham, mixed media. This month there is a fabulous encaustics show. My exhibit will be in April, dates to follow. I am very excited to be using some new (to me) beads in necklaces for this show, as well as new collages.

“New” beads, clockwise from top left:  Venetian 1700, Islamic 500 AD, Italian Coral, Naga Carnelian 1800, Djenne Nila Glass with & without dentrification 1000 AD, Dutch green donut 1800, Phoenician Eye bead 300 BC, Venetian white Hearts 1850, in the center Roman Millefiori 300 BC

Live Sunwise

Live Sunwise is a series of Open Studios and programs we’ll be creating this year, more about this in coming months. Sweet dreams.

Cloud Pillow on society6 site

One of my all time favorite collages, I’ll miss you Little Wren, has been purchased by a long time collector. It thrills me for my art to find its right place AND I will miss it!

A small detail from “Ill Miss You, Little Wren”, watercolor, drawing, collage by Kathleen O’Brien