why collect art?

A client recently purchased the painting, "Three Ballerinas" by Peggi Kroll-Roberts, she had seen on the gallery's web page.  I shipped it to her and this is the touching email she followed up with:

  

"It is just everything I hoped for.  It made me weep.

 I chose this painting, Three Ballerinas, in honor of the memory of my sister, Jane.  Jane fell and hit her head while in the hospital where she was undergoing tests.  Her blood was so thin that the hemorrhage in her skull could not be treated, and so she died at age 56, on August 20, 2011.  Jane was not a dancer, but ballet was her passion.  She was extremely knowledgeable, an expert, of ballet and dancers for 40 years.  In 2009, she took me to the Metropolitan Opera in NYC where we saw what was to be the performance of Giselle with Nina Ananiashvili in her last season with the American Ballet Theatre.  It was stunning, as even a neophyte such as I could appreciate.  As we left the Met, one woman said I need never see another performance of Giselle in my life.  We then saw many people from the audience having their picture taken with the poster of Nina advertising Giselle in front of the Met.  The next day the New York Times Published a full page review of the performance we attended that positively glowed and included color photographs of the dancers.  Since that performance I have watched for a painting or sculpture that captured the elusive charm of that experience."

And that is why we collect art.

a few minutes at the Martin Luther King Memorial

california art club

There's nothing quite like cruising down Colorado Boulevard (Pasadena) on a perfect day in sunny California.  That's where I was a week ago, on my way to the Autry Museum in Los Angeles for the California Art Club's annual Gold Medal Show.  I work most weekends and infrequently attend art shows, but this is one I make time for.  The CAC show features many of the finest painters in the state; from both Northern and Southern California. 

The Knowlton Gallery had an amazing number of artists included in the show!  A highlight was seeing Ray Roberts win the Gold Medal, voted on by his peers, for "Crashing Waves at Garrapata."

As in all my travels, I like to seek out cool signage and great places to eat.  This time we found an original, "The Oinkster" in Eagle Rock, and it was packed with people.  In South Pasadena we took the advice posted by another blogger and ate at a fantastic French restaurant, Bistro De La Gare, at 921 Meridian Avenue.  It's a neighborhood place, casual and inexpensive, but they know their food and wines.

Philadelphia, lots to love!

I just returned from Philadelphia where I spent three days viewing and purchasing beautiful hand crafted jewelry for the gallery, at one of the best American craft shows in the country.  There is so much to love about Philadelphia: history, early American architecture, good food and great art.  It's a city made for walking.

The Pennsylvania Academy of Art has a wonderful museum, but even better is their permanent art collection in the historic Landmark Building.  It's filled with astonishing works, no suprise given that their alumni include Thomas Eakins, Mary Cassatt, Cecilia Beaux, Maxfield Parrish, Robert Henri, Charles Sheeler, John Sloan, and Arthur B. Carles!

This is a city that loves food.  There are many small (10 tables or less) neighborhood restaurants to enjoy.  My favorite was Tria, a wine bar at the corner of 12th and Spruce.

The mecca for foodies one-and-all is the Reading Terminal Market.  Filled with fish mongers, produce stands, tiny lunch counters, bakeries, chocolatiers, Amish preserves... no one walks away hungry.



Just 30 minutes from Philadelphia is another cluster of amazing places to visit.  There are important Revolutionary War battle grounds here and the Brandywine Museum, featuring the works of early American illustrators and a jaw dropping collection of Wyeth paintings; N.C., Andrew and Jamie.  The Dupont estate, Longwood Gardens and Winterthur, are nearby.  The heady flora scents and colorful displays in the Longwood greenhouses were a welcomed sight on a cold and gray wintery day.  This would be an astonishing place to visit in warm weather when the fountains are running, the topiary garden is open, and the grounds are at their peak.

Crab Feed

Come February, a Lodi tradition begins, The Crab Feed.  Nearly every service organization hosts one.  It's a sure fire sell-out fundraiser and a chance for a whole lot of people to get their fill of sweet Dungeness crab.

I enjoy my crab at the Buddhist Church's annual event.  It's a no-nonsense affair; bring your own wine, lemons, butter, and other accompaniments.   They supply salad, pasta and a bottomless supply of fresh Pacific crab.  Yum! 

Fini!

new year/new crop of students

Our year is off to a great start thanks to Peggi Kroll-Roberts and her intensive three-day oil workshop, Still Life and Costumed Figure Painting.  Artists flew and drove to Lodi, CA, from far and wide, including two different regions of Texas.

Students ranged from established artists to those who were just starting in oils.  Peggi gave everyone loads of individualized attention.  She never sat down!  Our local artisan bakery, The Dancing Fox, was the most popular spot for lunch, located just a half block from the Gallery.  More than one student stopped by again on their way home to pick up a loaf of pear and walnut bread and a few cookies.


Check out our workshop schedule for 2012 at the Gallery's website.

getting out of town!

In early January my husband and I drove from Lodi to Los Angeles;  a quick 6 hour drive

on 5, to attend the L.A. Art Show.  It was fun to pass the location of Randall Sexton's painting, Oil and Water, currently hanging in the gallery's California Vernacular show.  I tried to pull off the freeway and take a picture but Stefan yelled, "No, no, no!"  Yeah, stupid.

I went to look the show over to determine if I wanted to have a booth there in 2013. It's held in the LA Convention Center, a place with confusing parking and little ambience.

Arcadia Gallery

Divided into two parts, Modern & Contemporary and Historic & Traditional, the Historic & Traditional makes up the smallest portion of the show.

Madison Gallery

Steven Stoops, Stevens Fine Art

What is the value of these shows?  They seem to be springing up in every major city.  Are collectors seeking out the shows or are the crowds largely made up of people who are attending purely as entertainment?

Los Angeles is its own art show.  The architecture!  The beaches!  The people!   The L.A. Art Show did have have many wonderful works, I'm just not sure of the mass merchandising setting.  Still, it was nice to get out of town.