Surprised by a Prize!

At the opening, next to the prize-winner

It's been a long time since I won a prize! I've gotten honors, been awarded grants and been invited to speak and asked to act as a judge, also honors, but it has been years since I was awarded a good old-fashioned prize!  I was especially tickled that the prize was awarded not by an art world-er but by a famous pastry chef: Patrick Gauthron, formerly of Le Bec Fin, and now of Aux Petits Delices. Ironically, the pastry in the painting, a traditional confection called an opera, came from one of his competitors, our local french bakery, Le Petit Mitron. I highly recommend having a local french bakery, preferably within walking distance if you can manage it! ;-)

The show is a lot of fun to view if you're in the area!
There's Always Room For Dessert
Date: Feb 4, 2011 - Feb 24, 2011
Opening Reception: First Fri., Feb. 4, 6-9 pm
Main Line Art Center
746 Panmure Road
Haverford, PA 19041
610.525.0272 

Eye Candy in Bleak Midwinter!

Opening Reception for this one is tonight!

After the Meal, oil on canvas, 11 x 14

There's Always Room For Dessert
Date: Feb 4, 2011 - Feb 24, 2011
Opening Reception: Friday, Feb. 4, 6-9 pm
Main Line Art Center
746 Panmure Road Haverford, PA 19041

Myself and numerous friends are participating in this fun and delectable fund-raiser. Feast your eyes on delicious artwork of all mediums inspired by desserts. Join us for the opening reception on First Friday, Feb. 4 to see all of the eye candy and indulge in some sweets! 10% of sales made from exhibition will go to support MANNA.
For more information on this delectable exhibition click here.

Women Painting Women

I was thrilled to find that one of my paintings was posted Monday on the excellent  Women Painting Women blog. This blog went viral shortly after its inception...it's such a brilliant idea! In fact the blog even inspired a recent gallery exhibition, a very well-received much written-about exhibition, at the Robert Lange Studios Gallery in Charelston, SC.

                                Hazel & Katie, 28" x 44", oil on canvas

So it was a wonderful surprise to find myself having a moment in this blog's limelight! Thank you so much  Diane F. and the rest of the WPW gang. I'm truly honored!

Small Works 2010

Tangerine Rose, oil on linen on board, 7 x 5 inches, 2010

I am in a small works show that opens today at Artists' House Gallery in Old City Philadelphia.  I have several small pieces in this show that includes many of Philadelphia's finest representational artists like Renee Foulks, Daniel Miller, Carolyn Pyfrom and Peter van Dyck. Both of Artists' House receptions are always wonderful, but I prefer the Sunday one (live classical guitar, coffee and cake) so that's the one I will be attending: if you are planning to come then be sure and let me know!

Small Works 2010
December 3 to December 24, 2010

Receptions:

First Friday December 3,  5 - 8:30pm
and
Sunday, December 5,  1 - 4pm

Artists' House 

57 North Second Street  

Philadelphia, PA 19106  (215) 923-8440    

Wed - Sun 12-5 PM or by appointment

"Stealth" Plein Air for Camphill Exhibit

Guy Alma, Nancy Bea Miller, Ursel Pietzner, Carol Levin

Kim Pelkey, Carol Levin and I staged a successful small scale Plein Air for Camphill exhibit at Camphill Special School's Christmas Cafe today. Here is a shot of Guy Alma, me, Ursel Pietzner (the school's founder) and Carol. Photo taken by Kim.

Main Line Today magazine

Amber Dreaming, oil on canvas, 28 x 20, 2009

Main Line Today magazine ran an article in their October issue on the Philadelphia Sketch Club, an organization I had the honor of joining recently. The online version, which includes several of my images, can be seen here.

Philly Photo Day exhibition

Nancy Bea Miller, Sarah Barr, Lisa Mintzer at the

Philly Photo Day Exhibition
November 11 - 21, 2010
Philadelphia Photo Art Center
Grey Area, Crane Arts Building
1400 N. American Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215.232.5678
267.324.3268 (fax)
info@philaphotoarts.org

I do a lot of photography in addition to painting. I don't consider myself a professional, even though I have had several photographs bought for book-covers, magazines and websites, and I am occasionally commissioned to take product shots, art shots and head shots. But I still think of it more as a hobby. I don't really know what I am doing, technically. Photography simply satisfies my unflagging impulse for observation and appreciation of this world and self-expression, and in a quick-n-easy way too! I can't be painting 24/7 but I do have a camera to hand at all moments. You never know when something will reach out and grab your heart. When that happens I reach out and grab my camera. As Baudelaire put it:
To glorify the cult of images (my great, my only, my earliest passion)

This is the first time I've exhibited my photography in a gallery setting. On October 28, Philly Photo Day, photographers took their best shot within the Philadelphia city limits and sent it in to the Philadelphia Photo Art Center. The work was catalogued, compiled and printed out on huge banners and hung.


"Leaf Blow on Clearfield Street" (click image to enlarge.) On Philly Photo Day I happened to be driving through the East Falls section of the city when a sudden gust of wind whipped the leaves into a hail of gold. I checked behind me, saw there was nobody coming up and quickly shot the scene. Talk about driving while distracted (just kidding, I of course, stopped the car while shooting.) Steering wheels make good tripods! Rotopods? :-) Prints can be ordered through the PPAC: $10 for a 5 x 7, $20 for an 8.5 x 11. If you're interested in purchasing a copy of "Leaf Blow" contact the PPAC and tell them you want image number 168.

Philly Photo Day Exhibition
November 11 - 21
Philadelphia Photo Art Center
Grey Area, Crane Arts Building
1400 N. American Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215.232.5678
267.324.3268 (fax)
info@philaphotoarts.org


It is truly an amazingly interesting show, giving a wildly varied portrait of a single day. It should interest Philadelphia historians and sociologists as well as artists and anyone who just loves Philadelphia!