Studio 632F (The blog formerly known as Brooding Beauty)

Art, love, and heartbreak

2012-01-27T19:14:00.001-06:00

Next month I have two events coming up, both of which relate to the theme of Valentine's Day, but in completely opposite ways. The first will be my second annual Fall in Love With Art event at my open studio. Once again I plan to serve cupcakes and Valentea Passion from Argo tea. They were so delicious the last time, though I hope to have a better turnout this year. Still, there are worse things than having to take a huge container of delicious hibiscus passion fruit tea home with me because there were so few visitors to share it with.

What you probably missed out on last year...

The second show is called Bleed Heart Bleed: The Art of the Break-Up. It will be at the Design Cloud gallery. I am really excited about this one, as it will be my first time exhibiting anything from my Frozen Bride series. I created it for deeply personal reasons, which was why I never posted any of the photos from it online. Now that some time has passed and I found out about a show that would be appropriate, I am exhibiting a piece from the series. So here, for the first time, is the photo that will be in the show.

I am looking forward to seeing what the other artists in the show will contribute. The gallery describes the event in these words:

West Loop’s Design Cloud Gallery is back this year with a group show that’s bigger and more heart wrenching than the last. Paintings, photographs, installations and short film are exhibited together for a cohesive look at lost love. Each artist offers the viewer a glimpse of pain, regret and reflection of how they were--or weren’t--able to cope.

And here are all the details on both events:

Fall in Love with Art
Friday, February 10th, 6-9 p.m.
The Fine Arts Building
410 S. Michigan Avenue, Studio 632F
Chicago

Bleed Heart Bleed

Opening Reception Friday Feb 17th from 6-10 p.m.

Show runs through March 16th.

Design Cloud Gallery

118 N. Peoria, 2nd Fl., at Randolph

312-348-5836

www.designcloudchicago.com

My featured guest artist for January: Minnie Watkins

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-06:00

I can't think of a better way to start the new year than with old friends. What better beginning than with the guest artist who started it all, my very good friend Minnie Watkins. She has been like an older sister to me all my life. She was the one who gave me my first real art supplies, and in recent years she has taken the time to introduce me to other artists. I wish I could do more to repay her, but for now the best I can do is to feature her work in my studio as my first guest artist of the new year.

Minnie has created some amazing new pieces since she last showed her work in my studio in October 2010. Every new painting is even better than the last, and that's saying a lot because her work is impressive to begin with.

This is the kind of work you just have to see in person. I hope you will come to the open studio. It will probably be very cold that night, but I plan to serve some refreshments that will keep you warm. Here are all the details:

Open Studio featuring guest artist Minnie Watkins

Friday, January 13th, 2012

6 - 9 p.m.

The Fine Arts Building

Studio 632F on the 6th Floor

410 South Michigan Avenue

Chicago, IL 60605

A belated post on the 2011 One of a Kind Show

2011-12-31T20:35:00.000-06:00

I've been meaning to get this blog post done, so better late than never, right? Here are my favorite things from the artists and artisans of the 2011 Chicago One of A Kind Show.

Kab's Creative Concepts

One of A Kind Studios


Designs by Alicia P.

There. Now my blog is complete for 2011. See you in 2012!

My final painting of the year: "Ruby Horizon"

2011-12-30T12:10:00.000-06:00

Here are some photos of my last painting of the year, Ruby Horizon. It was a commission, and I was so happy to finish it just in time to get it to my clients' home before Christmas.

Here are a few detail shots.

I am really pleased with the rich cranberry wine color. So amazing to think that it all began with a simple glass bead, which I used as a reference.

A One of a Kind incentive for art lovers

2011-11-23T20:19:00.001-06:00

I am giving free passes to the 2011 Chicago One of a Kind Show to everyone who makes a purchase of $100 or more from my Etsy shop. Add a piece to your art collection or give a unique gift. Custom artwork is included. You can use Bill Me Later to pay over time. Shipping is free for all orders over $100 delivered to the 48 contiguous U.S. states.

You can use your free passes to visit the One of a Kind show with a friend. The show will be at the Merchandise Mart from December 1st through the 4th and will feature work from 600 talented artists and artisans from around the country. It's a great venue for purchasing gifts and getting creative inspiration, and since you like my artwork, I think you'll enjoy it. I'm not exhibiting in the show this year, but I hope to do so in the near future!

*offer expires Monday, 11/28/11 at midnight Central time

Artists Are The 99 Percent

2011-10-30T11:50:00.000-05:00

Last week I was captivated by the stories people shared on the We Are The 99 Percent Tumblr. It's really sad to see how much suffering the recession has wrought. Sadder still to see that I'm not the only one who can't afford to get married, hasn't been able to find work in my field even after going back to school repeatedly, and has felt the anguish of self-loathing, depression, and shame as a result. I noticed some common threads among the stories. The economic upheavals much of the 99 percent were experiencing seemed mainly to be caused by unemployment, disabilities, the high cost of health care (with or without insurance), student loan debts, and divorce. Many of the stories came from people in professions where the pay is low or else fluctuates wildly, especially teachers, social workers, and entrepreneurs. And several of these entrepreneurs are artists.

Here are some of their pictures, and excerpts from their stories. Click the photos to read more about these artists.

I am 24 years old, a talented artist with a bachelors degree, but that doesn’t help me at all.
I work more than 40 hours a week, and live paycheck to paycheck. I have so much debt, I can barely afford to even buy train fare to GET TO WORK.

I’m 23 years old, I graduate from college in December with a degree in graphic design. I’m in debt up to my eyeballs and I can’t find work in my field. The only work I can find is part time for $8, which doesn’t go far when your trying to make bills and put food on the table. I am engaged but my fiance and I cannot afford to even plan our wedding. I have a dress but I cant marry the man I love, let alone put food on the table. I work for less then $15,000 a year, I help my parents and sisters and try and keep my own house going, but I payed more in taxes last year the GE and other big companies. We need change and we need it now.
I am the 99%

28, college grad (Bachelor of Fine Arts). Scored graphic design job in 2007, lost it in the 2008 meltdown. Unemployed 9 months in 2009, broke down in tears once.

I’m an artist with an entrepreneurial spirit. I could be doing so much more, if I was only given the chance. As a multi-cultural, college-educated, world-traveled female, I occupy a liminal space that could be of great benefit to our nation as it sags under the weight of inflexibility and dread. Allow me to help build the future while trying to honor the past. You should be so lucky to have someone like me!

I am an artist but I continue to work 2 jobs, sometimes 3 or 4, I volunteer and sit on committees.
I make beautiful things and people don’t buy beautiful things in a recession.
When I am lucky enough to sell something through a gallery, they take a 50% cut.

Funny that, being an artist, the only piece of paper I could spare was the back of an envelope - but I guess life really has been that tough… enough so that I couldn’t find anything to do a re-write on if I wanted to, save for many, many smaller envelopes that come from debt collectors.
I can program in 20 languages, know every graphic design app there is - I have tons of fan mail to sift through and reply to every day - and yet, I ate one meal today, like yesterday - paid for by scrounging change and returning bottles.

I am 55 year old “starving artist”.
Never expected anything but struggle doing what I do, so I am not disrillusioned about ending up at my age with very little to show for it and no security.

I have covered up my face in this photo because being poor, educated and out of work is embarrassing. I’m 28. I graduated in December 2009 with a Bachelors in Graphic Design from a top school...The few job interviews I had in my field were nerve-wracking group job interviews where I was staring my competition of seven or eight people, young and old, in the face competing for one job position. In other professional job interviews, I was told that I was competing against people who “worked in the industry” who had decades of experience. I have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting a job. There is a huge demand for my design work, yet no one wants to actually pay for my services. I end up literally FREE-lancing my design work.

I am an artist, a graphic designer with over 20 years experience as a creative director. I was a small business owner for 11 years. Insurance went way up, rent went up, Utilities went up, the cost of living went up, while our earnings either stayed the same or went down for more work. The bank refused to give us a loan or a line of credit. All we needed was a little help for short amount of time. The bank left us and our employees twisting in the wind. We lost our small, family owned business, our life’s work - we lost our American Dream - or more aptly put, it was stolen from us.

I am a 22 year old politically active artist and painter. I am a student at Otis College of Art and Design with thousands of dollars of student loans that will have me in debt for years. I depend on my parents financially, which makes me feel guilty as they struggle themselves. Because I am a full time student, I cant get a job, but even if i wanted one I couldn’t get one because you need job experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience so I’m kinda stuck.

My girlfriend is a writer and i’m a thespian and painter. she works for 9/hr cleaning buildings and i work for a small florist. we've all but given up on our american dreams.

Isn't that sad? So many artists who have given up their dreams, or may never begin to pursue them in the first place. Here are a few facts the National Endowment of the Arts compiled in 2009 on employment in the arts:

Artists are unemployed at twice the rate of professional workers, a category in which artists are grouped because of their high levels of education. The artist unemployment rate grew to 6.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, compared with 3.0 percent for all professionals. A total of 129,000 artists were unemployed in the fourth quarter of 2008, an increase of 50,000 (63 percent) from one year earlier. The unemployment rate for artists is comparable to that for the overall workforce (6.1 percent).
Unemployment rates for artists have risen more rapidly than for U.S. workers as a whole. The unemployment rate for artists climbed 2.4 percentage points between the fourth quarters of 2007 and 2008, compared to a one-point increase for professional workers as a whole, and a 1.9 point increase for the overall workforce.
Artist unemployment rates would be even higher if not for the large number of artists leaving the workforce. The U.S. labor force grew by 800,000 people from the fourth quarter of 2007 to the fourth quarter of 2008. In contrast, the artist workforce shrank by 74,000 workers. Some of this decline may be attributed to artists’ discouragement over job prospects.
Unemployment rose for most types of artist occupations. Artist jobs with higher unemployment rates are performing artists (8.4 percent), fine artists, art directors, and animators (7.1 percent), writers and authors (6.6 percent), and photographers (6.0 percent).
The job market for artists is unlikely to improve until long after the U.S. economy starts to recover. Unemployment is generally a lagging economic indicator, or a measure of how an economy has performed in the past few months. During the prior recession (2001), artist unemployment did not reach its peak of 6.1 percent until 2003 – two years after economic recovery began nationwide.

It seems that artistic endeavors, at least in this country, are primarily accessible to the privileged classes. Several artists over at We are the 1 Percent: We Stand with the 99 Percent regret that this is so.

My family comes from middle-class beginnings both in America and Romania. Both my mother and my father have worked their entire lives to give me, an only child, a good life. I am 19 and have my own apartment, I have a full ride to college and am working on an art degree, I am insured and have never gone without healthcare in my life.

I get upset if stores don’t have the right color hair dye or if I can’t get my coffee for the day, and I feel guilty for this.
I do not work because I do not have to.
I wear designer shoes to my art classes.
Tax me, because health care shouldn’t be a privelege, it should be a right.
Tax me, because I don’t need that coffee as much as someone else needs that prescription.
I am the 1%, I stand with the 99%.

"We should all be able to afford following our dreams," the last poster wrote. And yet this recession is a poisonous climate for artists right now, as collectors stop buying, grants become less available and art programs get cut from school budgets. You shouldn't need a trust fund to be an artist, or a wealthy spouse to be a designer, and yet those seem to be the prerequisites to a sustainable creative career right now. As a result the gap between established and emerging artists widens, and the public doesn't get to see work by artists in marginalized communities. The art world becomes an echo chamber where the voices of artists who are the darlings of the 1% are heard repeatedly, yet drown out those of less well-connected newcomers. Discouraged, many just give up.

Another barrier to entry is the prohibitive cost of many art programs. So many are now being offered by for-profit schools that were purchased by large corporations more concerned about their bottom line than helping students afford an education that will prepare them to pursue their dreams. Why do so many art students end up at these schools? Often, its is because they offer specialized programs that more traditional private and state schools do not. That was why I chose Harrington. The closest community college offering courses in interior design is all the way out in the western suburbs, though now I wish I'd made the long commute from Hyde Park to College of DuPage and avoided Sallie Mae.

Working full time while going to art school can also be a challenge, if not impossible, because of the time it takes to create a good project. Courses that require reading have assignments that working students can complete during lunch breaks, downtime, and while commuting. But art and design projects require the time for trial and error and starting all over again, in addition to conceptualization and research. My own grades in design school suffered during the semesters when I worked full-time. I just didn't have the time to work to the best of my abilities.

Another problem is that there are not enough substantial scholarships for students in the arts. Some are very small and would barely cover the cost of a year's worth of supplies or tuition for a single course. Others are nearly as competitive as American Idol, with a big prize that only goes to a single talented winner. They are few and far between in interior design, and the pittance that some of the ASID and IIDA "scholarships" offer is insulting. They'd rather take the funds they've raised and spend them on lobbying in Washington to keep more aspiring designers out of the profession than help design students.

All of these factors can leave art students stuck footing the bill for an education in a field that doesn't always pay their bills. It saddens me that there is not more funding for the arts in this country. We focus so much on technology and the sciences, and encourage women and people of color to enter these fields with generous funding, but not everyone wants to be a scientist or computer programmer. Nor is everyone good at it. (After 3 years at a math & science high school, I know I'm not!) Some of us are better suited to other professions and could contribute so much more to society if we were doing meaningful work that we have a natural aptitude for. Some choose to get an MFA and teach at the college level, but there are not enough positions available. Many have to settle for becoming adjunct professors with few benefits and low pay.

I am glad to see so many artists speaking out on this issue and advocating for change. Let us work to create a future where the expression "starving artist" references a mythical archetype and not an economic reality. You can start by sharing your story at one of these sites:

We are the 99 Percent
We are the 1 Percent: We Stand with the 99 Percent
Occupy Student Debt

A couple resources for creatives in Chicago:

The Institute for Arts Entrepreneurship, whose motto is "No More Starving Artists"

Klein Artist Works, Courses by Art Career Advisor Paul Klein

My Featured Guest Artist for November: Dovile Riebschlager

2011-10-28T13:40:00.000-05:00

My featured guest artist for November is Dovile Riebschlager. I had the pleasure of meeting her and seeing her work in some art fairs over the summer and I am so excited that she will be showing her work in my studio next month. I really love the energy in her lines and the colors that she uses.

Here are a few of her paintings:

Here's what Dovile has to say about her art in her artist statement:

Fertility, women, layers, colors... how you say what you feel with colors and abstract forms? What those rounded forms mean? No matter how I start the result is abstract biological forms, feminine in feel. Sometimes amoeba, sometimes womb-like, but always talking about complexity of life in it's ever changing forms. In my portraits I try to portray the layered, infinite, ageless side of femininity.

Come and join us for art and light refreshments. As always, the open studio is free and open to the public.

Friday, November 11, 2011
6 - 9 p.m.
The Fine Arts Building
Studio 632F
410 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL

My first IndieGoGo campaign: raising funds for The Doll Project show next April

2011-10-22T11:04:00.000-05:00

I've got exciting news: I have the opportunity to feature work from The Doll Project in a show about women and the media at Flourish Studios in Chicago. It's given me the motivation I needed to finish what I've started. But in order to take this phase of the project from start to finish, I need additional funds. So I set up a campaign on IndieGoGo.

For those of you unfamiliar with the site, here's what it's about. It's a crowdfunding platform that allows multiple donors to make a contribution towards raising funds for a project.

Now that you know about IndieGoGo, let me tell you what my goal is. I want to raise $500 by December 1st. And with your help, I can do it. But this isn't a campaign where I get something for nothing. You will be rewarded for your donation. Every donor will get a signed print from The Doll Project. You can choose any photo you like, though it will not be framed. The more you give, the larger the photo you can get. So if you give $10, you can get a 4 x 6 print, and if you give $100, you can get a 12 x 16 print.

And if you can't afford to make a financial contribution but would still like to help, you can use the social media plug-ins on the campaign page to spread the word via Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, and your own blogs.

Please visit the site below to find out more. I look forward to updating you on my progress.

American Autumn #OWS

2011-10-22T06:28:00.000-05:00

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore-
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over-
Like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
Like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

"Harlem" by Langston Hughes

photo by Michael Kappel

Our lost generation, having graduated into a lost decade, has finally found its purpose and its voice. I don't know what took us all so long. For too long discussions of the issues we were struggling with were atomized into too many far corners and niches of the Internet, from the boards at Quarterlife Crisis to the varied Facebook groups of the student loan justice movement. Finally, in cities across America and even across the globe, we have converged upon public spaces to call attention to the issues that matter so much to us.

I have written off and on about these issues here on this blog. I have detailed my frustration with the economy, my disgust with the licensing laws governing the field of interior design, and my battle with my arch nemesis, Sallie Mae. I have also written on my other blog about what it was like to work in a store that was going out of business due to corporate greed, as well as how it felt to be mal-employed in retail. I have graduated into three recessions and/or job market downturns, first in 2001, then in 2006, and finally in 2009. There is evidence that those who graduate in recessions earn less over their lifetimes than those who do not. That certainly has been the case for me so far. I am finally earning the kind of money I'd hoped to make 10 years ago, but can't really enjoy it because most of it goes toward servicing debts I racked up when I was broke.

None of my degrees have paid off for me financially. Many of my friends' degrees haven't paid off, either. Sure, some of them were humanities majors. A few are writers who lost jobs in print media or never got to work for a magazine or publishing company in the first place. Some people would chide them for not studying something in the sciences or technology. With them, I'd like to share the sad tale of my fiance, who after 10 years of rejection and mal-employment, had no other choice but to go back to graduate school to make himself more employable in his field, which is engineering. Still, he is better off than this electrical engineer with multiple advanced degrees who is now homeless. So much for the STEM careers being the magic bullet to fix everything.

The system that so many of us were taught to work within is not working anymore. As kids we were told by our parents, teachers, and even celebrities in public service announcements to work hard, stay in school, and go to college. Borrowing for college meant taking on "good debt." Going to college was supposed to be the price you paid to get a good job. But many of the good jobs are gone, or have too many applicants and not enough openings. A lot of the good jobs were lost in the recession, and the new ones that have been created in its wake do not pay well. (Thanks, job creators!) So many new graduates can attest to that, as can those facing unemployment in this crappy job market. And people of color were hit hardest by the recession. And things still haven't gotten much better.

I'm thankful to have a job at a time like this. My job is like a lifeboat in an ocean full of sinking ships. As the great catastrophe of joblessness spreads across industries, it seems like no field is safe. At first I lamented the dearth of interior design jobs and later I berated myself for not choosing something "safer." By now the "safe" jobs in the public sector aren't even safe anymore. And I recently read that even on Wall Street they might be laying people off soon. Who can say how long it will be before my own "lifeboat" springs a leak?

Unfortunately, this level of empathy has too often been lacking in the discourse about unemployment, mal-employment, and debt online. I have read countless stories and message board posts that drew hateful comments from smug people who brag about how they made all the right decisions who ask why they should be obligated to help others who are less fortunate. After all, if you can't find a job in this supposed land of opportunity, it's all your fault. And can we really call impoverished Americans poor if they have a refrigerator and a TV at home? They deny the reality that things have gotten much worse for the poor in this country since the recession began and would accuse them of being lazy and looking for a handout.

Now I don't want to generalize and paint all the people who work in finance or for large corporations with the same broad brush. There are so many good, decent, kind, generous individuals working for large corporations and on Wall Street and in Chicago's financial district. I don't think it's fair to characterize all the people who work in a particular industry as villains. Sometimes good people work for a bad system. Take it from me, I used to sell carpet.

But with some of these corporations, as with carpet retailers, what's problematic is the system the industry works within. I understand that corporations need to make a profit, but when banks charge people to use their own money, I have a problem with that. When they foreclose on homes without getting all the facts straight first, I have a problem with that. And what about loans? It's one thing to owe and pay interest on a reasonable sum of borrowed money, and another for the debt to become a form of modern-day indentured servitude. That's why people are protesting the student loan lending system, which currently does not allow protections like bankruptcy or even--in the case of private loans--refinancing. So many who have borrowed money for higher education in the years since the rules on student loan lending were changed are crushed by the burden of their debts.

Some have fled the country while others have been driven to suicide.

With all the frustration and despair that has beset the foreclosed-upon, the downwardly mobile, the long-term unemployed and the mal-employed, the only thing I find surprising about this movement is that it took so long to actually happen. That some politicians are "surprised" by its rapid spread just shows how out of touch they are with their constituents and the real issues they face. Many names for this movement have been circulating, with the general consensus being The American Awakening. But I think American Autumn is also quite fitting. In autumn the leaves turn brilliant shades of gold, orange, and red. But these colors were there all along, though the chlorophyll the trees produced in the spring and summer made their dominant color green. This movement is like the color of the leaves. Things that were once hidden are now vibrantly displayed.

from Salon.com article, "Student loan debts crush an entire generation"

photos by akagoldfish

I find myself inspired to work on some new Recessionist pieces.

I'm going to have a lot of fun with that winking Ben Franklin. The caption next to him reads, "This time will be different!"

Yeah, we'll see.

In the meantime, a few of my favorite articles on the subject:

Roger Ebert, "The One Percenters" (written several months ago, actually)
Jim Forbes, "Occupy Wall Street will not come to our utopia"
Alisha L. Gordon, "Occupy Any Street: The Deferment of the American Dream"
Barbara Ehrenreich, "The Guys in the 1% Brought This On"
David Sirota, "Pitying billionaires as America starves"
Mike Konczal, "What do the '1 percent' actually do?"
Charlotte Hill and Robert Fuller, "Occupy Wall Street and the Promise of Dignity"
Jay Smooth, "Outing the Ringers"

Chicago Artists Month, Day 21: Bridgeport

2011-10-21T22:36:00.229-05:00

Those of you who have been following this blog may remember that I've had two events in Bridgeport before, both at the Bridgeport Art Center. Both times I wondered what the artists there were working on. Tonight I finally had a chance to take a look at some of their studios and see.

Julian Williams

Deborah Ervin

Jens Brasch

Eunice Carson is a photographer who is doing a really interesting installation piece about social media as a constructed identity. When you visit her studio, you can experience all the things she "Likes" on Facebook in person. So she has her favorite books on display and her favorite movies playing. Here is the wall outside her studio:

And that's not all. I went down into the basement and discovered a trio of intrepid entrepreneurs. I had a great time talking with Hal Link of Halldoor Woodworking. He has an extensive knowledge of woodworking and can take on projects from the rustic to the refined.

Then I met Tony from Spatial Alterations, another talented carpenter with a great portfolio of custom casegoods and built-in work.

While I was there, I met Relana from Good Gyrrl, which looks like a great place to host the bachelorette party for the Wedding that is Probably Never Going to Happen. But I digress... Good Gyrrl offers fitness classes for women who want to embrace their sensual sides. They sound like a lot of fun. The space looks great and I feel bad I didn't get any pictures of it last night. But here is their logo:

Ladies, check them out if you want a fun, new way of exercising. I personally recommend bellydance.

After that, I went over to the open studios at Zhou B. I just love their cafe.

Then I went to check out the JAWAchic (Jewelry and Wearable Art Chicago) Show.


Scarves from Alice Berry Studio

I only had about an hour to look around, so I went to as many studios as I could. I'm sorry I didn't get the names of all the artists whose work is featured below, but I've linked to as many of them as I could.

And in the 33 Contemporary Gallery on the first floor, I was pleased to see that my former professor Javier Chavira, former classmate Hector Hernandez, and Fine Arts Building neighbor Jennifer Cronin all had paintings on display in the InFusion Show.

I just love Javier's new painting in this show! It's so striking.

The Bridgeport Art Walk continues through the weekend and is free and open to the public.

Zhou B Art Center open studios:
1029 W. 35th St.
Chicago, IL 60609
Saturday, October 22: 12-6 p.m.
Sunday, October 23: 12-5 p.m.

Bridgeport Art Center open studios:
1200 W. 35th Street
Chicago, IL 60609
Saturday, October 22: 1-6 p.m.
Sunday, October 23: 1-5 p.m

A little help, please

2011-10-15T10:30:00.001-05:00

I have a very hard time asking for help. Beneath my seemingly reserved exterior, I am fiercely independent. I'm driven by the desire to do everything myself. But now I realize that I have no other choice than to ask for help. I got this studio in a leap of faith, on a wing an a prayer, and I am hoping that prayer will be answered. It's getting hard to juggle the cost of having a studio and having so many other bills to pay at the same time. The studio has paid for itself in that it's given me a chance to participate in a wonderful community of artists, though that has not yet translated into a reliable source of revenue for me.

Though I have promoted my art extensively online, so far this years sales have been a disappointment. My goal was to sell one large painting a month, but so far that hasn't happened. I've had a lot of items featured in Etsy treasuries, but no one has bought them. The economy has made things pretty difficult.

I have tried to diversify by offering tutoring and advertising my design services and my writing services, but so far all that has done has cost me money as I print brochures people have picked up but never acted upon. I have cut back drastically on my spending as a sacrifice for my art. I drive less, don't go shopping, have foregone dental appointments, and have cut back on groceries. It's gotten to the point where I am practically a freegan. I've done all I can to keep this studio. All, that is, but ask for help.

If any of you are looking for a concrete way to directly support the arts by giving to an individual artist, I would greatly appreciate whatever donation you can spare. It gets expensive being an artist. I want to continue to have a space where I can produce and store my art. I want to enter as many shows as possible, and many of them charge entry fees. I want to keep sharing my artistic vision with the world. The greatest hurdle and barrier to entry I have faced has been monetary. Sadly, this has been the case for many artists, particularly once sponsorship and patronage fell out of favor. What I really need right now is sponsorship for my art from those who appreciate it.

Thanks so much for your support.

Chicago Artists Month, Day 14: The Loop and the Lacuna Lofts

2011-10-14T23:37:00.151-05:00

So last weekend I had planned to go to some art shows, but unfortunately I caught a cold (this is the kind of wildly fluctuating weather that makes me sick) and had to stay home. This weekend, so far, has been a lot better.

First, I had my open studio event at The Fine Arts Building. I am so happy to report that the turnout was much better than last time. It was great getting to meet so many visitors this time, and having a chance to share the work of my guest artist, Raquel Stallworth. She generously donated some delectable refreshments from Trader Joe's, including white bean hummus, pub cheese, gourmet pretzels, and pinot grigio.

After my open studio event ended, I headed to another one in Pilsen. You know that movie Sliding Doors where you get to see, in parallel storylines, the two different paths Gwyneth Paltrow's character's life takes as a result of missing or catching a train? Well, when I look at the Lacuna Lofts, I wonder what parallel life I'd be living if I had gotten a studio there instead of the Fine Arts Building. That was the other location I was considering when I looked at studios last year.

When I visited last year, much of the space was still raw and in the process of being converted from warehouse to studios. Now that it is populated with more finished studios, it looks wonderful. It's so inspiring to see so many entrepreneurial creatives setting up shop. When I pulled up, I saw the word "Lacuna" projected in big red letters on the rooftop water tower.

So many cars were parked out front that I had to find a space around the block. It was filled with urban hipsters and girls dressed like they were going out to the club. Maybe they were planning to go out later. The festivities would go on until midnight.

There were and DJs on every floor and art in every hallway, it seemed. And it all went so well with the building's gritty urban vibe.

When I toured the building last year, I had a chance to see the roof deck. What an amazing view of the city! I'm sorry I didn't bring my tripod so I could get a better shot of it.

There was a great exhibit of artwork by an artist I featured briefly on this blog once before, Hebru Brantley. He happens to be the only other artist I know of who also keeps a collection of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figures in his studio. In his case, it makes perfect sense because his work is inspired by comics and science fiction, a style he calls Afro-Futurism.

In addition to the numerous paintings on display, there were also several installation pieces, from graffiti covered windows and walls to metal shipping containers to an entire truck.

He even painted a couple old TVs.

To top it off, there was even good hip-hop playing in the show. I have to admit when the DJ put on "Stakes is High" by De La Soul, it made me miss spending time with a certain Celestial Sorcerer, whose music collection is comprised of many of the songs featured on the playlist tonight.

I look forward to going to future events at the Lacuna Lofts. It's a great launching pad for fledgling creative enterprises and I look forward to seeing them flourish. Many of the artists and designers I met tonight still are in the process of establishing an online presence, but I hope that when I go back again their sites will be up and running so that I can share them with you.

The Lacuna Lofts are located at 2150 S Canalport. I'd link to their site, but unfortunately it's down right now.

So far the weekend has gotten off to a great start and I'm glad I got to attend another Chicago Artists Month event. My next stop this weekend will be in North Lawndale for the artist discussion at the Liz Long Gallery.

Chicago Artists Month, Day 2: Ravenswood

2011-10-02T19:45:00.163-05:00

I went to the Ravenswood Art Walk today. Every time I go to arts events in Chicago, I am impressed by the number of artists and arts organizations we have here. It's one of the things I love about Chicago. Here are a few of my favorite things I saw in Ravenswood today.

Cornelia Arts Building

Paintings by Jeremiah Ketner

This was my second time visiting the Cornelia Arts Building, which is home to numerous artists. Some I may have featured on here before, while others are new to this blog:

Alexander Von Agoston

Glough Stained Glass

Birkenheuer Photography

Scott Simons

Jason Messinger

I also toured the Lillstreet Art Center and was impressed with the array of art forms on display there.

Painting by David Todd Trost

They offer courses in glass-blowing, ceramics, painting, screen printing, and textiles.

I also got a chance to visit the studio of an artist I met recently named Vesna Jovanovic. She is a painter as well as a sculptor.

I almost passed up the opportunity to visit Architectural Artifacts until a woman standing in the doorway said, "You have got to go in there!" I am so glad I listened to her. What I found was a treasure trove of vintage furniture, fixtures, and odds and ends that would be great for making stuff.

Another shop I also visited was Hazel, which has a nicely curated collection of home decor and gift items.

Though they have a website, I recommend visiting this charming little shop in person. At 1902 and 1926 W. Montrose, both its locations are walking distance from the CTA Brown Line.

So far, I've enjoyed my Chicago Artists Month adventures. I hope to have more to share with you later this week!

Chicago Artists Month, Day 1: Wicker Park, North Lawndale, and Pilsen

2011-10-01T22:01:00.000-05:00

Today has been a really long day for me, but I mean that in the best possible way. What better way to spend your day than doing things you love?

My first stop was in Wicker Park, where I visited the Coyote Arts Festival. I spent time perusing the studios and maze-like hallways of the Flat Iron Building. While I was there, I saw one of my Fine Arts Building neighbors, Jennifer Cronin. Here are some of her paintings.

And here are a few other photos from the Flat Iron:

My next stop was North Lawndale, where I went to the opening for the Chicago Black Artists Show, where three of my paintings are on display.

It was an intimate gathering and everyone in attendance had a chance to introduce themselves and ask the artists questions. There is going to be a discussion with the artists on the 16th so I feel like I got to have a preview of what it will be like.

Then I went to The Pilsen East Artists' Open House, where I had a chance to visit a few galleries I hadn't seen before. With its abundance of pop-up spaces, there is always something new in the Pilsen Arts District.

I saw a sign on the sidewalk advertising "Photography for Ladies" and when to see what it was all about. When I opened the door to The Sitting Room, it was like walking on to the set of a glamorous old movie. What a fun way to be photographed.

I really enjoyed the 50/50 Pilsen Show, which featured a mixture of art and crafts from the displaying artists. It was like a smaller, indoor version of the Renegade Craft Fair. In fact, some of them had booths there a few weeks ago. Here are a few that I liked:

Anna Todaro

Moxiedoll

Felix & Jayne

I had a great time meeting other artists as well. Here are two I'd like to introduce to my readers:

Travis Mitchell lives & works at the Flat Iron building and does amazing work with ink.

Simone Hester is also exhibiting at the Liz Long gallery and does incredible digital photography.

You still have time to see the shows in Pilsen and Wicker Park this weekend. For more information, visit the Chicago Artists Month page.

My next stop is the Ravenswood Art Walk.

October is Chicago Artists Month

2011-10-01T08:25:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of Chicago Artists Month. As the autumn leaves begin to fall and we get closer and closer to the infamous Chicago winter, at least this month's festivities can distract us from the impending doom of ice, slush, and snow. I have planned a sort of hibernation from mid-November until March, so this month's excursions are a way for me to store up experiences for the winter.

I am so glad I'm in a different place than I was this time last year. Now I can actually enjoy myself. I am participating in two shows this month. Three of my pieces, Anhedonia, Pain's Grey, and Composition in Primaries, are on display at the Chicago Black Artists show in the Liz Long Gallery at Urban Art Retreat. The gallery is on the west side of Chicago at 1957-59 S. Spaulding Avenue. The opening reception is today from 1-4 p.m. There will be a discussion with the artists in the show October 16, from 2-4 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. The show runs from Saturday, October 1 until Saturday, November 12, and the gallery is only open on Saturdays.

I am also having a special open studio event this month. My first guest artist of the year, Raquel Stallworth, will be displaying her work in my studio.

Raquel Stallworth, The Middle

And in addition to all the artistic festivities taking place this month, The Chicago International Film Festival will be October 6th through the 20th. What I love about their website is that it allows you to create a schedule of all the movies you plan to see so you can make the most of it. Also, there are several free panel discussions taking place that should offer valuable information to aspiring filmmakers and open-minded artists alike. With all this excitement, who knows when I will have time to actually paint. Perhaps I'll save that for the winter, while I hibernate and avoid going out in the ice and snow.

For more information:

Chicago Artists Month
Chicago International Film Festival

The Return of the Doll Project

2011-09-12T22:22:00.002-05:00

There was still so much I wanted to do with The Doll Project, so much I wanted to say, so many dolls I bought on eBay to photograph but never did. There were so many photos I did take that just did not work out. Maybe I was waiting until everything was perfect, waiting for the perfect camera, the perfect dolls, the perfect setup and lighting. Eventually I decided to stop waiting and start taking pictures again. Here are a few recent ones that I'd like to share.

The new photos show the issue of body image and eating disorders in a historical context. I have a lot I'd like to say about it and I am thinking of what I will write about it. Look for it in a future post. Until then, here are my new photos.

You can see more photos from The Doll Project on Flickr, and read about it here on my blog. I hope to shoot more photos for it again soon. Hopefully it won't take me as long this time.

The 2011 Chicago Renegade Craft Fair: Too Much Good Stuff

2011-09-12T20:49:00.003-05:00

This year's Renegade Craft Fair in Wicker Park was the highlight of my weekend. First of all, I'm very happy to report that this year it didn't rain! It seems like for the past few years I've attended that it has always rained at some point during the time I was there.

This year there were so many amazing artists and artisans selling their goods that I will have to make this a pretty long blog post. I was glad to see many of my old favorites there, including Jessica Swift, Orangy Porangy , and Dolan Geiman. All of them have continued making wonderful things and it was great to see them all there. But now I'd like to introduce you to some new artists.

I'd like to start with Steadfast Bags since I happen to know Emma, one of the artists who designs these sturdy messenger bags.

This was her first year participating in the show and I wish her all the best.

Another Renegade artist I know is Ryan Kapp, the first Harrington professor who taught me how to render. I really like his illustrations.

And now for some other artisans of note:

Twig Terrariums

Viva Zapata Bags

Nourishing Notes by Letterform, Inc.

My Zoetrope

I Am Home

Michelle Caplan

Material and Movement

Lauren Beacham

Nice

LuciusArt

Staci Sterenberg Mosaics

Bison Bookbinding & Letterpress

Folded Pigs

The Little Friends of Printmaking

So as you can see, this year's show was incredible. I'm really looking forward to next year's show.

My October featured Guest Artist: Raquel Stallworth

2011-09-11T11:32:00.002-05:00

I've got great news about my open studio next month: I am featuring a guest artist, Raquel Stallworth. October is Chicago Artists Month and this year's theme is Artful Networks, so I think that having a guest artist here is fitting. Here's a little more information about Raquel and some pictures of her beautiful paintings.

Raquel Stallworth hasbeen creating fine art for over 15 years now, although she has not always beenexhibiting her work. “Mixed Media” is the best way to describe the materialsshe works with, paint(acrylic or oil), magazine collage, metallic leaf, balsawood and colored pencils have all been used at one point in her work. Also, although not a material, calligraphyelements permeates her work, as she is also a calligrapher.. She is inspired bythe visual word, culinary arts, music and dance, nature and other artists, bothrealist and abstract. Mrs. Stallworthseeks not only to create both abstract and realist pieces, but to also combinethem – this is a process which is continually “in progress”. The smooth sharp edges of somethingrealistically rendered against rougher edges of splashed color or collage arewhat keeps her wanting to work, regardless of the subject matter.

She earned her BFA in Graphic Design from Tyler School orArt in 1990, but didn’t begin any fine art work till the mid-90’s. She stillfreelances in calligraphy and graphic design also.

Mrs. Stallworth was born in Aberdeen , Maryland, and wasraised in rural Maryland, until college when she lived in Philadelphia, PA.Currently, she resides in Chicago, IL and lives with her husband Walter. Herwork can be seen at www.creativeshake.com/Raquel Stallworth, and on FineArtAmerica.com. She is also writes a blog, “Easel andPlate” which explores the connection between food and art, easelandplate.wordpress.com

June 23


Light

Second Home

So mark your calendars and keep Friday, October 14th open so you can come by to see and purchase paintings by Raquel Stallworth. Refreshments will be served and as always, the open studio is free and open to the public.

New Gallery Season

2011-09-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

So far, the new gallery season has gotten off to a disappointing start. First of all, the turnout at the Second Friday Open Studios was not that great. I am thankful for the few people who came by and looked at my work, but I wish I had sold something. Perhaps it's the economy. Maybe people are afraid to buy art because they don't know what's going to happen to their other investments. It's just really frustrating to me because a lack of customers (and design clients and tutoring students) makes my investment in my studio seem like a big waste of money. Sorry to be so negative, but I am just feeling discouraged and annoyed right now. I mean, I make these paintings to sell to other people, not to just hang on the walls of my studio and the countless juried shows I have to pay so much money to enter. Yes, it's expensive being an artist. At least most of my materials are free.

Since things were so dead around here at the Fine Arts Building, I'm glad I left at 7 to go to the big night of openings in the River North and West Loop Gallery Districts. As soon as I got off the Brown Line at the Chicago stop, I saw the crowds and thought, so this is where all the art patrons went tonight. But actually the turnout was less than it has been the previous two years. It was raining last night, so maybe that explains it. Maybe it was because I only had 2 hours to see anything, but to be honest there was only one show I saw that truly impressed me. And that show was the exhibition of Angel Otero's paintings at the Kavi Gupta gallery.


Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog 2011 collaged oil paint skins on canvas 86" x 73" x 2.5"

Seeing these paintings made me feel so inspired. Inspired enough, I think, to keep painting and not give up on art just yet. I felt so moved in the presence of this beautiful art. Seeing it in person beneath the glow of the fiercely beaming gallery lights (Seriously, what's the color temperature in there?) was quite possibly one of the best experiences I've had all week. It reminded me of what matters to me, of why I make art in the first place, of why I love it so much.

And just because I love it, that doesn't mean it's supposed to be easy. So I'll keep painting and keep searching for more and more sources of inspiration. I will try my best not to let discouragement keep me away from the studio.

And I hope that somewhere in this world there are some buyers and patrons who will dare to defy the trends and the naysayers on the news, who will open up their wallets and purchase art again. And I hope that some of those patrons will purchase their artwork from me.

Yes, I have to try to find something to be positive about, somehow...

Verdant new painting

2011-09-02T12:36:00.002-05:00

Verdant
Acrylic on paper and wood board
20" x 30"
2011
$300

This piece makes me think of a verdant jungle blooming with mysterious forms of plant life. It makes me think of the books I used to like reading when I was 10 or 12 years old about people having adventures in the wilderness and on uncharted islands.

There is something exotic, enticing, and vaguely seductive about it, I think. It was quite labor intensive to create, but I am pleased with the results. A cousin of Fuchsia Sublime, Verdant has the same undulating pod formation. I look forward to creating more pod paintings in other colorways.

... But joy cometh in the morning

2011-08-14T11:29:00.016-05:00

I've got great news about my painting, Weeping May Endure for a Night, which was featured a few months ago at the Abstractions show at the Woman Made Gallery. It was purchased by a collector! This is my first gallery sale and I'm so excited. Now if I could just get one to represent me...

Studio 632 F, One Year Later

2011-08-13T23:29:00.003-05:00

This time last year, I embarked upon one of the most challenging ventures of my life. I had been dreaming of getting my own art studio since my creativity class in fall 2007 when I was in grad school at Governors State. Last summer I was finally able to make that dream a reality. I wanted it more than anything. Since my other plans, to get married and become a homeowner, hadn't worked out, I pursued my vision of an art studio with a relentless ambition.

I got my paintings hung just in time to have my first open studio on a muggy Friday the 13th, undaunted by any superstition. I'd drawn a floor plan, but there wasn't enough time to move all my furniture in, so I decided to set my sparsely furnished studio up as though it were a gallery. My family worked tirelessly to install my window air conditioner just in time to keep the studio cool for my new visitors. I was so worried about making a good impression, so concerned about how my work and my new workspace would be received by my visitors. Much to my relief, things went well that night. And even though I didn't get to get married on August 14, 2010, on August 13th at least my dream of having an art studio of my own and showing my art there came true.

It was a bittersweet beginning to a bittersweet era in my life. A month later, everything fell apart and the events that inspired my Dark Night of the Soul Series took place. It has been a time in my life when I have re-evaluated my priorities, my perspective, my past, and my future. I learned hard lessons about the difference between determination and selfish self-will, and also how an all-consuming ambition can create dangerous blind spots that hide important truths.

And my art has been one of the things that has helped me get through a difficult year. I'm glad I have my studio, my sanctuary for my creative process, a place where I have the freedom and clarity to live in the moment. Its bright colors have been an antidote to the great and terrible sadness that I felt during a painful time in my life. The privilege of having a studio has not been without sacrifice, but having a place to make my art has made the struggle worthwhile.

Now the first anniversary of my studio is a bittersweet milestone as well, as it is the day that the love of my life embarks upon his own great adventure, one that will take him many miles away from me. This time last year there was no foreshadowing of the plot twists yet to come for us. But for now, at least, I have a place where I can create and express myself. And I am grateful for the support and well wishes of all the visitors who have graced 632 F with their presence.

My first commisioned piece: Eternal Spring

2011-08-05T23:52:00.000-05:00

Eternal Spring
Acrylic on Canvas
24" x 30"
2011

I actually finished this painting a few weeks ago, but to be fair to the client who commissioned it, I wanted to wait until she had the opportunity to see it in person before I posted a photo of it online.

It's so exciting to have the opportunity to create bespoke artwork that reflects the vision of the buyer. Before I began this project I wondered if I would feel limited or constrained by having to work within the specifications given to me by a client. Once I started working on it, I realized it drew upon the mode of thinking I learned to adopt while studying interior design, and I had so much fun with it. I look forward to creating more commissioned pieces.

So if you have empty walls you'd like to fill with custom made artwork, I'd love to help you. Read more about the process here.

A new painting, finally!

2011-07-24T14:05:00.000-05:00

I finally finished this little piece that's been sitting around the studio for months now.

Composition in Primaries
acrylic on cardboard
10.75" x 16"
2011

I was inspired by abstract expressionism. The primary color palette comes from the color scheme of my studio. I love the combination of red, yellow, and blue. There is something so essential, elemental, and basic about using the three of them together. It is stripped down, yet complex at the same time.

It's a departure from my customary monochromatic compositions. This is my second attempt at making a color-blocked post-consumerist piece. Using the primary color scheme made it easier for me, I think. By setting up strict constraints on which colors to use, it was easier to start and to finish.

Here is a detail of the painting.

You can buy "Composition in Primaries" at my Etsy shop, where I am selling it for $86 plus shipping.

Now offering tutoring in the areas of my expertise

2011-07-13T11:46:00.000-05:00

Check out my new website, Tutoring.TiffanyGholar.com, to find out about the tutoring services I provide. My teaching career began back in 2000 when I started teaching SAT prep classes. Recently it occurred to me that I could also offer private instruction in other areas that interest me, which is why the subjects I can teach adult learners include Abstract Painting, Color Theory, Art History, Drawing Techniques, Film Theory, and Interior Design.

So if you're a Chicago area art or design student who needs help, visit the site for more information. Or if you're not in art or design school but want to learn how to create abstract paintings or even how to design the interior of your home or office, I can help you with that too. I'm really excited about this new venture and am glad to have found another way to use my artistic and design skills.

Artists of the 2011 Gold Coast Art Fair

2011-07-09T18:55:00.001-05:00

I just got back from this year's Gold Coast Art Fair in Grant Park. It was great to see some old favorites, like Case Island Glass, as well as some new favorites, like Dovile Riebschlager. Here are some new additions to my list of artists I think you should know about:

Mark Gleberzon

Makeshift Accessories

These artists all have great websites, but the festival is definitely worth seeing in person. If you're in the Chicago area, you have one more day to see it, tomorrow, July 10th from 9 a.m. til 7 p.m. If you missed this year's Taste of Chicago, going to the Gold Coast Art Fair will also give you a second chance to feast in Grant Park, as there is a plentiful assortment of food vendors this year. For more information, visit the fair's official site here.

My thoughts on NeoCon 2011

2011-06-15T20:27:00.001-05:00

It's hard to believe that two years have passed since I wrote about the great three day contract furnishing extravaganza that is NeoCon. This year I am not writing as anyone's citizen blogger. I'm writing this for myself. I'm writing because this year's trade show really inspired me.

Commercial design, particularly that of office spaces, could be about so much more than just arranging grid after grid of cubicles. It's about changing the way that people work. It's about work being more than just busywork, but something meaningful and worthy of a sense of pride and ownership, employment that speaks to a greater sense of worth and personal fulfillment. It is certainly an idea whose time has come as more US jobs get outsourced and automated. What are the jobs of the future? What will they look like? And wouldn't it be wonderful if these future workplaces could look as beautiful as these showrooms?

I never thought about commercial design in this way before. I always thought it would be kind of boring. But now that I work in an office myself, I can appreciate good office design. It can make all the difference in making workers' jobs easier or more difficult. I think I'd like to design some offices one day. And I don't think I'd be bored with it at all.

Here are some more pictures I took this year at NeoCon:

A Feast for All the Senses

2011-06-14T07:56:00.001-05:00

A group of my paintings is making a colorful addition to the walls at DeColores restaurant in Chicago's Pilsen Art District. It is my hope that my work will complement the exquisite aromas and flavors of DeColores' cuisine.

My art will be on view until July 6th. Please keep DeColores in mind if you have a taste for Mexican food. I personally recommend you try their wonderful guacamole. I am thrilled a thankful for the opportunity DeColores has given me.

Here is their information if you'd like to pay them a visit:

DeColores Galeria y Sabores
1626 South Halsted
Chicago, Illinois
312-226-9886
www.decolor.us

Now serving up custom paintings just the way you like them

2011-06-07T22:31:00.001-05:00

When I go to a restaurant, I usually order an entree exactly as it is described on the menu. And I when I get clothes, I buy them off the rack. But not everyone shops that way. Some people want to order the fish with the sauce that comes with the chicken, or purchase an outfit that is tailor made to accommodate all the peculiarities of their particular figure. So for those of you who know exactly what you want, I'm happy to provide commissioned artwork. Your custom made piece is just a few steps away.

1) Choose your size

Popular sizes:

12” x 16” - $110    16” x 16” - $140
16” x 20” - $180    20” x 20” - $220
20” x 24” - $260    24” x 24” - $320
24” x 30” - $400    30” x 30” - $500
32” x 40” - $700    40” x 40” - $880
48” x 60” - $1600 60” x 60” - $2000

2) Choose your orientation

- horizontal
- vertical
- square

3) Choose your texture

Combine different textures for a look that's uniquely your own. Click the image to enlarge.

4) Choose your colors

I can make your painting in any colors you like.

5) Pay your deposit

Once you pay 50% of the cost of your painting and sign the consignment agreement, I will start working on it. When your painting is complete, pay the remaining 50%.

Want a painting? Let's trade!

2011-06-06T08:02:00.000-05:00

In addition to cash and PayPal, I am also willing to accept another form of payment for my artwork: barter. That's right, if you want a painting, and if you've got something I want, I'm happy to trade you for it. Of course, I believe it should be an even trade, a $10 mini painting for $10 worth of something or other ; a $600 painting for $600 worth of something else. There are so many things I need, want, or would like to have eventually someday, and perhaps some of you might have a surplus of these very same items, or else the time to contribute your specialized skills in exchange for an original painting.

Here are just a few of them:

things I need:

- clothing alterations
- shoe repairs
- a hole saw

things I'd like to have someday:

- voice lessons
- dance classes
- two strand twist extensions
- a Blythe doll in good condition

If you're interested in doing this, let's talk! Also, for my readers who are artists, have any of you done this before? How did bartering work out for you? Share your comments.

The first art fairs of the season

2011-06-05T21:07:00.000-05:00

I just got back from visiting the first art fairs of the season, the Eastside Millennium Art Festival and the 57th Street Art Fair, which, like Memorial Day, are a sure sign of the unofficial beginning of summer in Chicago. I was happy to see so many artists I have mentioned here before, including Prairie Fire Glass, Tim McWilliams, and Cheryl Gail Toh. There were also several new artists I'm pleased to introduce you to.

From the Eastside Millennium Art Festival:

Glass flowers by Scott and Shawn Johnson

Paintings by Lidia Stecher

Paintings by Melvin McGee

Paintings by Dovile Riebschlager

From the 57th Street Art Fair:

Paintings and switch plate covers by Pearlie Taylor

Screen prints of Chicago by Hiroshi Ariyama

Delightful miniatures by Steve Tomashek

Mixed media work by Candra Boggs

Paintings by Angela Williams

What a great way to start the season of summer art fairs and festivals!

Introducing Cerulean Rhapsody

2011-05-12T11:39:00.000-05:00

At long last, a photo of my latest Post-Consumerist piece, Cerulean Rhapsody.

Cerulean Rhapsody, 2011
Acrylic, ink, watercolor, and latex on paper and cardboard
38” x 46”
$875

It will debut at my solo show tomorrow night in the Second Floor Gallery of the Fine Arts Building. This piece is the first one I've used latex paint in. I used it only as a base coat and went over it numerous times with acrylics, as well as latex and ink. When I fall in love with a color, I use it in every level of transparency and opacity. You'll never guess what inspired me:

That's right, my new laptop was my inspiration. What a magical shade of blue.

Artropolis 2011: Art Overdose!

2011-05-02T13:43:00.000-05:00

I am still recovering from the sensory overload that is Artropolis. For the past 3 days, I've been looking at art until I just can't look anymore. This time I decided to bring my camera along. Here are some of the things I saw.

And I'm really happy that my neighbors from The Nicole Villeneuve Gallery made their debut at the Next show this year.

One of the highlights of the Next show was this dramatic little happening, which was kind of like the opposite of an auction, or perhaps an auction with consequences. If no one in the audience paid to "rescue" the artwork, it was destroyed by members of Team Art! in the manner by which the artist chose. In this video, a kitschy purple poodle painting gets the axe:

And here's the aftermath:

New items in my Etsy shop

2011-05-02T13:37:00.001-05:00

I'm doing a little spring cleaning as I move more items to my studio. I've come across some great art supplies that I am not using and have decided to sell them on Etsy.

A feather pen for writing purple prose, calligraphy, or drawing dramatically.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73285076/canvas-paint-brush-holder

A canvas pouch that holds 18 paintbrushes, perfect for commuting art students and itinerant painters.

A folding wooden palette to go with them.

And last but not least, series 2 of my mini paintings are for sale. So now, if you can't make it to my studio, you can still buy one. Get one for your mom for Mother's day. They're $10 each.

To see my entire Etsy shop, visit http://www.etsy.com/shop/tjgholar.

The Return of Roy G. Biv

2011-04-04T22:39:00.000-05:00

I am finished painting Dark Night of the Soul series for now. I no longer feel the need to work in such dark colors. Much to my disappointment, things still haven't gone the way I hoped they would, but then again I've grown accustomed to such disappointment and can't let it become an excuse to put my life or my creativity on hold. So I've put the Payne's Grey paint away and now I am working in color once again.

I've started on some new mini paintings. Most of them are made with foam packing material. Since I had such a good time making my Artist's Way collage, I also made a small collage. I am so glad I was able to find some mini canvases in a rectangular format. I think it's more dynamic. The new mini paintings also come with mini easels in an assortment of colors. I made them to mix and match.

They will be available for purchase for the very first time at my open studio this Friday. $10 gets you a mini painting and an easel.

I am also working on a new blue painting. You saw it on here before when it only had a clear coat of acrylic gloss on it. Take a look at it now:

It feels great to be working in color again.

my paintings in their new home

2011-03-26T07:10:00.000-05:00

This is not the first time my art has graced the walls of an office. Just ask my father. He'd be happy to tell you about the time he brought me to his office downtown (years before Take Your Kids to Work day) when I was three years old and I made him a mural on the wall using a ball point pen. This time, however, my art is on display by request.

It's amazing how having artwork up on an office wall can make a suite feel more complete. And if it's original art, even better.

I recommended Silver Whisper, Untitled (Gold) and Untitled (Copper) because the firm that purchased them is in the finance industry and the paintings are the colors of precious metals. Also, silver, gold, and copper are neutral colors that work with their decor.

I think a lot of my paintings would look great in offices and hope to sell more of them soon.

springing forward

2011-03-17T20:35:00.000-05:00

In Chicago, this is the month when we gain the most sunlight. The past two days have really felt like spring, as the weather has warmed and I was finally able to shed my customary long parka and galoshes. From late November until the time sprang one hour forward this week, I had willingly entered a sort of hibernation. I came straight home from work each day and only ventured to my studio on weekends. Though I did apply for shows every chance I got, which is something that did not require trudging through snowdrifts and enduring subzero temperatures.

I feel my hibernation paid off, as I am now slated for three shows in May and June. I will have more details on them later. Also, I've been re-reading The Artist's Way again. A few weeks ago one of my weekly tasks was to create a collage. Once it was complete, the collage was to be given a place of honor. I can think of no better place of honor than right here on my blog, so here it is:

Every time I do these collages, I'm always surprised at the images I end up choosing. It's like getting a message from my subconscious mind. The desire for change seems to be the theme here, and I am happy to say that there are many changes in store right now. Soon I will write about them here. But I'm keeping them to myself for now, so you'll just have to wait.

I can tell you about my new Facebook page, though. In an effort to keep my personal and professional lives separate (just typed "loves" by accident, quite an interesting Freudian slip), I have created a page that is strictly for sharing information about my art. Until I get 25 people to "Like" it, the page has a URL that's too long for anyone to remember, so I will just let you click on this link to get to the page.

What's new at 632F

2011-03-06T10:10:00.000-06:00

I'm slowly getting my studio set up the way I want it to be, starting with the alcoves in the wall that once may have housed a dumbwaiter or coal chute.

It's a mood board that showcases my collection of art postcards. I like the fact that I can easily change them out when I get new ones.

This is going to be my newest large scale piece. I haven't measured it yet, but I think it's about 40" x 40."

I have also started two smaller pieces. One is 16" x 16" and the other is 12" x 16".

I also plan to do more mini paintings. This time around, they will be in a rectangular format. I have 2" x 4" and 3" x 5" canvases.

These are two mini paintings that were sold at the Live Life Fashionably Spring Bling sale last night.

Come and see me at The Bite-Size Variety Hour

2011-02-28T19:49:00.000-06:00

I've done art shows at a few different venues by now, but I've never done anything quite like The Bite-Size Variety Hour. It's an opportunity to share my work in front of a live audience at the Greenhouse Theater Center with six other artists. Here's the press release:

The Institute for Arts Entrepreneurship invites you to the Bite Size Variety Hour!

Tuesday, March 8 at 7pm

Greenhouse Theater Center 2257 N. Lincoln Ave

The Bite-Size Variety Hour, an alternative “show and tell” for artists, opens on March 8 with its inagural show at the Greenhouse Theater Center in Chicago. The program, an external program of the Institute for Arts Entrepreneurship, showcases the creative business of making art, and features seven emerging artist presenters.

The Bite Size-Variety Hour channels “American Idol” by including a panel of three arts entrepreneurs who will give on-the-spot feedback on the artists’ branding. The audience is also encouraged to offer feedback, sharing what they liked, what they missed, or offer other creative ways they could present their work.

Through this innovative format, the Bite-Size Variety Hour simulates the experience of a “live-studio audience,” complete with cameras, MC, and cash bar. Featured artists share their “branding,” in the hopes of gaining constructive feedback from both their peers as well as professionals. In the Bite-Size Variety Hour, all the presenters will come away with a better sense of themselves and their work, while the audience gains backstage access to the entire artistic process, from creation to marketing.

Did I mention cash bar?

Admission is $5, advanced registration is recommended. RSVP at: http://bite-sizevarietyhour.eventbrite.com/

So beautiful it hurts: The Tragic Muse at the Smart Museum of Art

2011-02-11T01:18:00.000-06:00

As the grey days of early February descend upon me, as I find myself encumbered by heavy snows and treacherous roads, when it seems like the sun is setting all day long, I find myself in a solitary and contemplative mood. And it's just the right mood to be in to appreciate the Smart Museum's subdued yet thought provoking exhibit, "The Tragic Muse." It is a theme that thoroughly complements the work that I am doing now in my "Dark Night of the Soul" series, a study of art and emotion.

Works in a variety of media, created over the course of two centuries share the common thread of exploring the pathos of the human condition, using both narrative subject matter and pieces that lean more towards abstraction. The impressive roster of artists includes Manet, Munch, and Redon. Many of the tragic figures are characters you've probably read about before, such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Ophelia, and Lady Macbeth, though they also include anonymous real-life people dealing with everyday tragedies of the times, like the death of a child. As I continue to incorporate more emotional content into my work, I am inspired by what other artists before me have done to express feeling in their work and evoke feeling in those who view their artwork. Though times have changed, emotion remains timeless.

There are numerous public events being held at the museum in conjunction with the show, so visit their website for more information. The Tragic Muse will run until June 5, 2011.

and here is the address:
The David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art
5550 S. Greenwood
Chicago, IL
And you know what? The Smart Museum is free!

Fall in love with art tonight

2011-02-11T00:51:00.001-06:00

Art, like love, is dedication
--Hans Hofmann, painter

Valentine's Day evokes so many different emotions. For some it is beautiful, for others painful, for others bittersweet. It's a time when many define or are defined by relationships, as lovers, as loveless, as lonely.

No matter what your personal feelings about the holiday, you can still find something to love at the Second Friday open studio tonight at the Fine Arts Building.

This month’s Second Friday open studio night is the perfect time to rekindle your romance with art. I, along with many of the artists of the Fine Arts Building, will be opening up my work space to visitors from far and wide. Come meet local artists and musicians in a building whose very ambiance exudes inspiration and creativity.

what's new

For now I have forsaken my torrid love affair with garish colors for a tryst with deeper, more mysterious hues. This series-within-a-series is entitled the Dark Night of the Soul series, and there are now four works in total.

And because I am a romantic at heart, this evening's menu will feature Argo Tea's ValenTea Passion, cupcakes from Sugar Bliss, and dark Ghirardelli chocolate as bittersweet as unrequited love.

It's a great night to bring a date, or come alone and meet someone else who appreciates art as much as you do. Whether your love life is a masterpiece or a work in progress, this is your night to fall in love with art.

the details:

Fall in Love with Art
5-9 p.m.
410 S. Michigan Ave
Studio 632F
Chicago, IL 60605

tears, acrylic paint, and pain: new work in the Dark Night of the Soul series

2011-02-11T00:44:00.000-06:00

The night whose sable breast relieves the stark,
White stars is no less lovely being dark
--Countee Cullen, "From the Dark Tower"

I have continued painting through the sadness. Having no assigned requirements to fulfill, being left entirely to my own devices, I have the freedom to look within and express how I feel. My desire to paint with bright colors again has been fleeting. I still find myself in a dark, bottomless night, fraught with unseen perils. Only recently have I begun to see a brightening horizon ahead.

Perhaps these two most recent additions to the Dark Night of the Soul series, Pain's Grey and Lacrimosa, will be the last ones of the series.

Pain's Grey is made of paper scraps, acrylic sheets, and dried up Mod Podge salvaged from the jar. Highlights of silver and graphite produce its darkly gleaming tones.

Lacrimosa, which means "weeping" in Latin, has a form that is reminiscent of its title. It is streaked with "tears" of paint and various media, coursing down a torn paper surface.

In this video, you can watch as rivulets of paint trickle down the painting.

The chief ingredients of both were tears, acrylic paint, and pain.

New Artist Statement for a new year

2011-02-02T18:54:00.000-06:00

Can't go out, so I might as well blog.

My artist statement is something I always wanted to change, but never got around to. Part resume, part mission statement, part artistic raison d'etre, an artist statement is a troublesome thing to write. Yet the idea for this new one came to me when I committed myself to doing the most difficult task of Week 4 of The Artist's Way: Reading Deprivation. Yes, without any books to read, without TV and the Internet to distract me from my thoughts, I found myself composing a new artist statement. And now that I'm snowed in, I finally have time to type it up and post it. Here it is:

I find things with interesting textures and think, I want to make something out of that. The objects I find are often otherwise useless: containers, packing materials, packaging, paint that dried on my palette. They are the residue of our disposable, one-time-use material culture. By making art with these objects, I give them a purpose again. They are rescued, redeemed, revived. I give these impermanent things permanence and transform them to unnoticed to noticeable. I draw attention to the rhythmic interplay of light and shadow on corrugated cardboard, the dreamlike diaphanous nature of plastic shopping bags, the brilliant hues of the bottles that make our packaged beverages seem all the more appealing. And I call this style of working with the byproducts of the products we buy Post-Consumerism.

Saturday Solutions Book Review - The Artist in the Office by Summer Pierre

2010-12-11T09:00:00.042-06:00

There are a few books that I think should be in every artist's library. In addition to Julia Cameron's phenomenal The Artist's Way Series, I would also recommend The Artist In the Office become a fixture in the collection of every creative person working a day job to pay the bills.

The talented Summer Pierre, who is a writer, artist, and musician, wrote and illustrated this charming book. In it, you'll find inspiring quotations, like this one:

There are also great suggestions for making the most of your time at work. For example, why not take advantage of your lunch break and use the time as a mini-vacation? Summer Pierre has a few fun activities you can do away from your desk:

So much of our creative output depends upon our own outlooks and attitudes, and I think this book inspires a level of optimism and positivity that every creative person needs to continue to do great work, both on the clock and in our artistic pursuits.

You can find The Artist In the Office at numerous online retailers. It makes a great gift for the artists in your life.

Get up off your couch and go to SOFA

2010-11-06T12:09:00.001-05:00

It's November in Chicago and the temperature is dropping. The temptation to stay indoors and avoid venturing out into the elements will grow stronger and stronger for many of us until March or April relieve us of the frigid air. Fortunately it's not that cold this weekend, and the event I want to tell you about is indoors anyway. And with numerous galleries represented in the vast Festival Hall of Navy Pier, located at the far end of the pier, you can get plenty of exercise walking to and around the SOFA (Sculpture Objects and Functional Art) Show.

The The Intuit Show of Folk and Outsider Art is also part of the show this time around. There you can find, among other creepy things, the creepy work of the ever inescapable Henry Darger, whose posthumous fame made him an outsider art superstar in recent years.

Here are some of my favorite artists exhibiting this year:

Binh Pho

If you can't make it to the show to see these phenomenal artists' works in person, at least take a look at their websites. And try to find video of Tim Tate and Nemo Gould's pieces if you can.

Here are some more details for those of you who would like to attend:

Dates & Hours:

Saturday, Nov. 6 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 7 from noon to 6 p.m.

Tickets:

$15 for single day general admission (admits to both fairs)

$25 for a three-day pass

(Be sure to sign up to be on some of the galleries' mailing lists. Maybe you'll get a free ticket next year. I did.)

Website:

http://www.sofaexpo.com/chicago/2010/index.htm

Shuttles:

Courtesy shuttles will circulate between Navy Pier (SOFA & The Intuit Show), the River North gallery district, and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) throughout the weekend. For more info, visit the Facebook event page.

Get up off your couch and go to SOFA.

Weeping may endure for a night

2010-11-04T20:51:00.000-05:00

weeping may endure for a night, but joy [cometh] in the morning.
Psalm 30:5

Regret is a bottomless pit, isn't it? Slowly I scale the walls of this pit, escaping from its Payne's Grey shadows. On my ascent all I see is the deepest Prussian Blue.

It's the color of night.

I remind myself that the night doesn't last forever.

Weeping may endure for a night
acrylic and watercolor on cardboard
12" x 16"
2010

to hold the terrible silence at bay

2010-10-10T17:57:00.000-05:00

"Speak to me. Why do you never speak. Speak."
--T.S. Eliot, "The Waste Land"

For 27 days now, I have endured this nightmare: 27 days of silence. It is the cruelest silence I have ever known.

Born from this silence are three new paintings, the first of the Dark Night of the Soul series: Anhedonia, Lacrimosa, and Pain's Grey.

So far two are still works in progress, but Anhedonia is complete.

The Payne's Grey has been accented with Mars black and metallic silver, and glazed with graphite powder for an otherworldly sheen.

Anhedonia is a Greek word meaning an inability to experience pleasure.

It measures 12"x16" and is for sale on Etsy for $96 plus shipping.

I hope to awaken from this nightmare soon. In the meantime, I continue to paint so that I, like the main characters in Waiting for Godot, can "hold the terrible silence at bay."

More new art for sale

2010-10-09T18:00:00.020-05:00

I just added my latest pieces to my Etsy shop.

Choke
grocery bags on canvas
8"x10"
$40

If you like Smother, then you'll love Choke.

Adrenaline
acrylic on LDPE
9"x12"
$54

Pandora's Aquarium

acrylic on LDPE
9"x12"
$54

And of course my mini paintings are on there now too. For just $10 you can own one of my originals.

October Open Studio Events

2010-10-07T22:21:00.000-05:00

As part of a 2 day event for Chicago Artists Month, you will have 2 chances to visit Studio 632F:

Friday, October 8th
5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Saturday, October 9th
12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

I have several new pieces for sale, including 3"x3" paintings on miniature easels, which will be $10 each.

See how small they are?

Aren't they cute?

In addition to my paintings, I will be featuring work by talented painter Minnie Watkins.

Minnie Watkins is a lifelong Chicago resident. She received her BA in Marketing/Advertising from Columbia College. It was during her studies that she entered the world of corporate advertising. Minnie directed her creative energy towards print ads. She maintained her interest in painting portraits, landscapes and the surrounding beauty found in her everyday life. In 2003 Minnie decided to pursue a full-time career in art and had her debut showing and has continued to paint ever since.

Muddy Waters by Minnie Watkins

Abstract Squares by Minnie Watkins

The address is:

Fine Arts Building
410 S. Michigan Avenue
Studio 632F on the 6th floor
Chicago, IL 60605

Dark Night of the Soul

2010-10-04T19:50:00.001-05:00

I don't know if I can paint anymore.
Colors have lost their meaning, food has no flavor.

The past 21 days have been a living nightmare I can't wake up from.

I feel a great and terrible sadness and will never be the same.

My newest series of paintings are all in ~~Pain's~~ I mean Payne's Grey.

This may be my swan song, for I, like a swan, had hoped to mate for life.
I am not sure what is to become of us now.
I do not know if or what I will ever paint again, but I will finish these, at least.

I am painting from deep within the abyss, from a chasm in my soul. To see the ugliness of my own actions, to recoil in disgust from what I have done and cannot undo, to wonder why I should ever be forgiven or forgive myself, that is the dark night of my soul.

Lacrimosa dies illa

Qua resurget ex favilla

Judicandus homo reus.

Huic ergo parce, Deus:

Pie Jesu Domine,

Dona eis requiem.

Amen.

Weekends just aren't weekends...

2010-10-01T19:20:00.000-05:00

I managed to get out to see my work at the opening of the Chicago Artists Month Kickoff Exhibition this evening. Smother and Midnight Intrigue are there, and can be purchased for $600 each. They did a great job of hanging everything.

The show will continue through the weekend and features the work of 16 local artists and is sponsored by Gapers Block.

Location:
Chicago Arts District

2003 S. Halsted St.

Chicago, IL

For more information, visit the event's Facebook page.

The Shows Must Go On

2010-09-28T05:47:00.000-05:00

Despite how I feel, I am still participating in the Chicago Artists Month festivities I'd planned to be a part of in October. Here are a few opportunities to see my work next month:

Chicago Artists Month Kick Off
Friday, October 1, 2010 6:00pm - 10:00pm
2003 S. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL

Celebrate the start of Chicago Artists Month at Opening Night of the Pilsen East Artists Open House. Begin with the reception, sponsored by GapersBlock.com, featuring two curated exhibitions showcasing work by Chicago artists. Then, hit the streets, explore the neighborhood’s galleries and studios, and meet the artists who have made East Pilsen a lively art community for more than 40 years. Four of my paintings will be on display here.

October Open Studio Events

As part of a 2 day event for Chicago Artists Month, you will have 2
chances to visit Studio 632F. In addition to my artwork, I will be
featuring work by talented painter Minnie Watkins.

Friday, October 8th
5 p.m.-9 p.m.

Saturday October 9th
12 p.m.-4 p.m.

Fine Arts Building
410 S. Michigan Avenue
Studio 632F
Chicago IL

pain's grey

2010-09-25T16:41:00.000-05:00

What is the color of regret?
What is the color of self-abasement?
What color is "it's complicated?"
What color is the feeling of being alone in a crowd?
What is the color of ceaseless yearning?
What color is the call of a mourning dove?

I think it could be Payne's Grey. Named after late 18th century watercolorist William Payne, it is homophonous of a my particular feelings at the moment. The bright colors I usually favor seem to mock the misery I feel. They assail my eyes and appear garishly inappropriate now.

And so my latest pieces are in this somber hue. They are stormy skies and withered leaves and dangerous waters.

Pain's grey is all that's left when the rainbow is enough.

And because I try to make sure nothing is wasted in my studio practice, with the water I used to remove the Payne's Grey from my brush, I created a small portrait.

Art history professors seem to have different opinions on the cave paintings at Lascaux, but the explanation I recall is one of sympathetic magic. Ancient artists painted the bison herds in the hope of having a successful hunt. In a similar expression of wishful artistry, I have painted the likeness of someone whose return I desperately await.

The blog formerly known as "Brooding Beauty"

2010-09-11T08:38:00.000-05:00

A little over a year ago, I wrote, "when I finally get to do the kind of work I am qualified for, I will no longer have an axe to grind" and that I would change the title of my blog when that happened. Now that I have my own art studio and design atelier, I have decided to name my blog after its suite number.

Speaking of my studio, I'd rather be there than sitting at home blogging, so I will conclude this post now.

Small is the new big

2010-09-05T22:15:00.000-05:00

It's funny, as an undergrad, 12" x 16" seemed like a large enough format for a painting. But then in grad school, I was required to think bigger, and 30" x 40" was the minimum size my paintings could be. Now that I'm out on my own, I want to be able to offer art at various price points, which is why I am working on 8" x 10" and 9" x 12" pieces. I am still working on these 3, but here is what I have so far:

Studio 632F

2010-09-05T22:04:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time. Too long.

At first I didn't blog because nothing was going on, then later I didn't blog because I was too busy. But now I'm back with some very good news:

I just moved into my very own art studio.

"Studio" is a Latin word. it means "I work" or "I study." It is my hope that my studio will be a place of both work and study. A place that inspires.

The style is whimsical and eclectic. The color scheme is a rainbow. My Kaleidoscope House, which I plan to move to my studio, was my inspiration. Taking my cues from its multicolored transparent panes, I decided to put multicolored window films on the twelve glass panes in my studio door. The color block motif is repeated in my Urban Outfitters curtains and my color bar pillow from CB2.

I am still in the process of finalizing my studio design. I look forward to showing you the finished product.

Art under $1000

2010-05-02T11:17:00.000-05:00

If you've been looking to collect original artwork, my pieces are for sale, and all of them cost less than $1000. The locations where you can see them and the prices I am selling them for are below.

Three Peas Art Lounge
75 East 16th Street
Chicago, IL 60616-1279
(312) 624-9414
Until May 31

Untitled (Red and Black, $880

Adaptive Reuse, $700

Adaptive Reuse 2, $700

Smother, $700

Quinacridone Embrace, $700

Transcendental Violet, $814

Chicago Art Open
River East Art Center
435 E. Illinois Street
Chicago, IL
Until May 7th

Fuschia Sublime, $580

PlayfulZen Gallery
2147 S Lumber St.
Loft 516
Chicago, IL
Until May 9th

Fever Dream, $600

Chloroplast Blast, $600

These are not currently in any shows, but are available for purchase:

Untitled (Red), $360

Untitled (Blue and Green), $495

Untitled (Olive Green, $360

My paintings need new homes. Buy one today!

Stone Soup

2010-04-27T19:31:00.000-05:00

My live painting experience Saturday night reminded me of one of my favorite childhood fables, Stone Soup. Only instead of adding ingredients to the pot to improvise a feast, everyone contributed their items to help me improvise a painting.

I began with some cardboard I had in the car and mounted it on stretcher bars left over from another project.

I added a few more pieces for texture.

From their purses, pockets, and cars, people contributed items for me to add to the painting.

And that is the final product.

A hot new orange cocktail? Not really. I needed to wet my brushes, so I used a cup of ice.

It was so great to have another chance to create a piece of artwork and I would love to do more live painting events in the future.

2010 Chicago Art Open

2010-04-27T19:04:00.001-05:00

I had such a busy day on Saturday. My first stop: The 2010 Chicago Art Open, where my painting, Fuchsia Sublime, is hanging.

And there were so many pieces on display that I really liked. Here are a few:

Laura Banick, Cleopatra, 2009

Caroline Keem,Alley 6328

Richard Maltz, The Unattainable, 36 x 48

Larry Chait, Collected Spam (February – May 2009)

Kristi Kohut, Crazy Lace, 2010

And these are by my former classmates at Governors State:

Sharon Burrink, Hidden Reality

Patty McWilliams, Demeter

If you missed the opening on Saturday, you can still see the work on display on the following dates:

Wednesday, April 28 – Saturday, May 1
11 am – 5 pm
Wednesday, May 5 – Friday, May 7
11 am – 5 pm

Looking forward to this Saturday

2010-04-22T22:23:00.000-05:00

When I paint, it is one of the only times I feel fully alive. It is one of the only times I truly feel free. It is when I find myself in the Flow state that

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi writes about. I haven't worked on a new painting since last year. Haven't had the proper space for it. I can't wait to do my live painting on Saturday. It will be interesting to see what people will bring for me to add to the piece as I work on it. I'll be sure to post pictures of the work in progress and the finished product. And if you'd like to see me in action, here are all the details:

9 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Artists of Eastbank Studios
1200 W. 35th Street (35th & Racine)
Chicago, IL 60609
FREE PARKING (enter lot on Racine)

Cost:
$25

complimentary cocktails all night

Click here to purchase tickets online
Tickets in person: Three Peas Art Lounge, 75 E. 16th Street
Tickets via phone: 312-624-9414
(TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE!)

Screwed by Sallie Mae: How Getting Private Loans for Design School Ruined My Life

2010-04-21T20:59:00.001-05:00

Sallie Mae

It's a good thing I wasn't planning to have any children, because I already have a mouth to feed: a brat named Sallie Mae. She was a mistake.

--my Facebook status a few days ago

Everyone makes mistakes. Some are more expensive than others. My mistake is currently accruing 13.25% interest, a loan for an "investment" that never paid off. Before you say "I told you so," before you call me a "whiner," let's rewind the story to see how I got here.

It was fall 2003. Two years had passed since I graduated from college. And a little over a year had gone by since I dropped out of graduate school for an MFA in fiction writing because I had writer's block. I could not find a good job because of the recession, so I was working in retail with a lot of other college-educated young women.

People who were close to me did not hesitate to tell me how disappointed they were with me, and I felt like a failure. I sucked at sales and never made much on commissions, and it seemed like no one would hire me to do anything else. On the rare occasions that people I'd known in college would shop in the department store where I worked, I wanted to hide in the stock room. I felt so ashamed of what had become of my life. My disappointed family members suggested I go back to school.

I still had writer's block, so returning to the MFA program was not an option. Law school and business school never appealed to me, and I had spent enough time in core courses I didn't want to take as an undergraduate to know how badly I do in classes that bore me to tears. And since the age of 17 I was a C average math and science student. But I had another idea. I had been watching HGTV a lot and thought I could put my creativity to use in a career in interior design. Wouldn't it be nice to get out of my dead-end retail job and do something I could feel good about?

I contacted two local schools about their interior design programs, and Harrington was the one that followed up with me. I thought I had done my research. I looked at the starting salaries of designers, looked at Monster.com and CareerBuilder to see what kinds of jobs were available, talked to a designer about it. Yes, it all seemed like a logical, sensible plan. My B.A. in Humanities was useless, it seemed, so I should study something practical. Well, at least I thought interior design would be practical.

What I did next was stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.

I went to the financial aid office and applied for loans.

Little did I know that Career Education Corporation, the big company that had recently acquired Harrington, was in bed with Sallie Mae. I'd borrowed money for school before, but these were Federal Direct Loans with fixed interest rates, reasonable terms, and numerous repayment options. But did I get Federal Direct Loans for design school? Of course not. Why offer them when you are getting kickbacks from the Great Satan of all lenders? So I ended up with private loans, Sallie Mae Signature Loans, which I have recently learned are sub-prime student loans.

Now, much to my chagrin, I see that the terms are not negotiable, I cannot get forbearance, and they do not participate in any of the loan forgiveness programs. Oh, and did I mention that while they were in deferment when I went back to school to study art since my design degree didn't get me out of retail hell, they tacked on another $20,000 in interest? Isn't that wonderful? Another splendid thing about my private loans is that the number of in-school deferments is limited to 48 months, 31 of which I used already, so that last-resort plan of becoming a permanent part-time student is not even an option anymore.

I think it's great that the Income Based Repayment option is now open to everyone with a federal loan, and that they also have forgiveness for those who work in the public sector. But these private loans are another story. They are a fiscal abomination, a financial monster that cannot be killed. I'd have been better off paying for design school with credit cards; at least they'll work out a fair payment plan with you.

But Sallie Mae? "Fair" is a word that is meaningless to them, and they won't take "no" for an answer. They are legalized loan sharks. You know what they told me when I tried to negotiate? They said to get a second job. A second job in this crappy job market! I am doing good I even have a full-time job at all, even though it's not in my field. These recalcitrant leeches are about as willing to negotiate as Michael Clayton.

"Do I look like I'm negotiating?"

And I am not alone in this. As I searched the internet for insight into this quagmire, I came across many, many, many stories of other graduates who are also in dire straits thanks to student loan debt:

My student loan debt has kept me from doing everything meaningful I've wanted with my life, other than my relationship with my husband (also drowning in student loan debt, if my parents hadn't paid for our wedding after 8 years we still wouldn't be married).
I worked so hard through my entire education, I earned a 3.9 GPA in graduate school. After I graduated, I continued to work hard, working 2 jobs to try to afford all our bills. Finally I was offered my dream job, (the whole reason I got myself into this debt), as a professor, but I had to turn it down because it just didn't pay enough. Now I've been in a job I hate for 3 years, making only 30k/year (I've looked for something that pays better but it just doesn't seem to exist), and the only other thing I want aside from my dream job is to have a child. But I know we'll never be able to afford it.

I really wish that we could use "defective products" law against financial products somehow, because what Sallie Mae and being forced to quit college and go into massive debt has done to me in shoving me "off the grid" has been worse than a physical accident in some instances.

by MiscastDice

Let me add too, that some fines for criminal behavior are dischargeable in bankruptcy, provided certain conditions are met. Why treat student loan borrowers worse than criminals? Unless I’m mistaken, higher education is good for society in general. Creating a permanent class of indentured servants is not.
— Brian Galloway

A House? Hah!

I live in an apartment. 710 square feet of which is shared with my husband who dropped out of college with minimal debt, and is holding down a nice little job as a security guard. We have been married for a year now, and I am almost 31. I probably won't ever have children. Five years from now, unless I can find a way to pay a substantial amount, I will still be $100,000 in debt due to interest, I will be 36, and my biological clock will be running out unless I want to have kids while in my forties that won't be out of the crapshack until I am of retirement age.
Having no job and lots of debt means no house. No mortgage is possible. It also means no desperately needed second car. It also means that the cars we buy have to be under $2000. This also means no health insurance. On only one small salary, we don't make enough to make the payments even on the company policy that is offered to my husband.
Essentially it boils down to the death of the American Dream. No House,no car in no driveway, no kids, no money, no health, no life, nothing left to bury us, and every debt left to our nonexistent survivors.
I used to have five year plans, but not anymore.

I am upwards of $50,000 in debt for an IN-STATE four year, undergraduate degree. I do not earn any more money than individuals without a degree. At a rate of $200.00 dollars per month which will increase to close to $400.00 a month towards the end of my payment plan, I will have finally paid off my loans when I am 56 years old to the tune of $80,000!!!!

— SJM

With all these people coming out of college with student loans, this is bound to have a negative effect on entrepreneurship, since students need a reliable, stable job to pay off the huge loans they have. This in turn slows overall economic growth. Corporate capitalists destroying small-business capitalism.
Posted by Mike Feldman

left over 10 years ago – live in Europe – have spent every holiday and birthday alone – miss my family & friends – but I lost touch with most people and could not bear the shame of poverty and dissapointment – and the student loan collection agencies STILL CALL MY FAMILY. Toughened me up, however – I take pleasure in the simple things in life now – a piece of bread, 10 minutes in the sunshine, etc. I will live FREE OUTSIDE THE USA – and poor, rather than being a slave at home and defined by this credit score. As I understand it, to have a job with any financial responsibility the employer will review your credit score. Shall I advise you where you can stick my credit score? I KNOW THIS WILL NEVER CHANGE. I am 40 years old now – with no real home. I don’t want your pity. I don’t want anything from you ever again! I try not to think or speak about this subject as it upsets me too deeply. And anyway people never understand – they just assume you are one of those terrible people in life that does not pay your debts.
It is not a democrat/republican issue – it is a generational issue – you baby boomers – pointless to even engage you in conversation – its all about YOU! I curse you all! May you reap what you have sown in the afterlife.
And when you come to Europe for your holidays, I’m the one glaring at you on the metro. And when you ask for directions I will reply in the foreign language I did not learn at your university.
Posted by John

I am not asking taxpayers to bail me out. I am asking for regulation and restructuring of the student loan system.
I want to pay, I want to be free, They don’t make it easy.
— i’ll never be free

Our last hope as Sallie Mae survivors is this legislation that goes before the House tomorrow, H.R. 5043, the "Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2010." The idea of filing bankruptcy makes my skin crawl, but I think if private student loan lenders knew we had the option of getting our debts with them discharged, they'd be more willing to treat us with the same equality that we would get if we had borrowed money to finance a home, small business, car, or consumer goods. Most of us are not looking for a handout. We just don't want to be treated as private lenders' indentured servants.

The other day I said on Facebook, not without a note of false bravado, that I am "not going to pick up a second job just to appease the morons at Sallie Mae." But the ugly truth is that I may not have a choice in the matter. And if working 7 days a week is the only way I can feed the monster, that means there will be no new paintings and no new interior designs, because when will I even have time for that? I was really thinking that now that I have my good day job I'd be able to get a little studio and keep on painting, but if Sallie Mae gets their way, there aren't going to be any new paintings for a long, long time.

So I hope H.R. 5043 passes, or else that a miracle happens and I get $65,000 I can pay those parasites before it's too late.

I feel like it already is.

And this will affect more than just the graduates who took out these loans. The private student loan mess could be the next big bubble to burst.

My first live painting event!

2010-04-13T19:07:00.000-05:00

I am so excited about my very first live painting opportunity, coming up next Saturday, April 24th! Yes, the 24th is going to be a busy day for me. The plan is for people to bring their recyclable items to the event so that I can incorporate them into some spontaneous artwork.

Here are all the details:

Date & Time:
Saturday, April 24th 9 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Location:
Artists of Eastbank Studios
1200 W. 35th Street (35th & Racine)
Chicago, IL 60609
FREE PARKING (enter lot on Racine)

Cost:
$25

complimentary cocktails all night

Click here to purchase tickets online
Tickets in person: Three Peas Art Lounge, 75 E. 16th Street
Tickets via phone: 312-624-9414
(TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE!)

And the event is also on Facebook. Hope to see some of you there!

I can't believe I forgot to mention...

2010-04-13T17:33:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I forgot to mention that one of my paintings won an honorable mention! Yes, that's right, Echoes of Silver Whisper won an honorable mention at the student show this year. And to think it was the very last student show I had the pleasure of entering, and the first art award I've gotten in a long, long time.

By the way, the award-winning painting is available for sale on Etsy for just $40 plus shipping.

See my work at the 2010 Chicago Art Open!

2010-04-11T09:50:00.001-05:00

This year Fuchsia Sublime will be on display at the Chicago Art Open at River East Art Center in Chicago. The Chicago Art Open is a great opportunity for art collectors and enthusiasts to see new work by local artists. This year 350 artists' works will be on display. I am so excited to have this opportunity to show my work to a new audience. And I hope you will be able to attend.

River East Art Center is located in a great part of the city. It is walking distance from many attractions, including Lake Michigan, Navy Pier, The Magnificent Mile, and the AMC River East 21 movie theater. There are plenty of great restaurants in the area as well, including the cafe at Fox & Obel Food Market in the River East building. (By the way, they provide Free Parking for 2 hours with a $20 purchase.) So bring your family, or bring a date!

EVENTS:

Tuesday, April 20th, 6-9pm
Preview, Benefit and 35th Anniversary Party
*Tickets are $50 in advance, $65 at the door. Click Here! Or contact the CAC office for more information.

Saturday, April 24th, 12-4pm
Public Opening (free admission)
Sunday, May 2, 12-3pm
How to Collect: A Panel of Experts

WHERE:
The River East Art Center
www.rivereastartcenter.com
435 East Illinois Street
Chicago, IL 60611

Get Free Shipping in the Spring Cleaning Sale!

2010-04-08T21:29:00.000-05:00

Ana Reading, framed 8"x10" print, $35.00

Are you one of those people who waits until there is a free shipping offer before shopping online? So am I! And so that's why I am offering free domestic shipping to all my Etsy shoppers. This deal lasts now through Sunday, April 11.

Visit my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/tjgholar

See my work in the Planet Earth group show

2010-04-04T00:09:00.001-05:00

Five more of my post-consumerist pieces will be on display at PlayfulZen Gallery. The show runs April 9th - May 5th. Curated by Anna Timmerman, the pieces in this show illustrate the incredibly diverse terrain, life-forms, and materials found here on Earth, and are made made from natural or re-appropriated materials. The opening reception is Friday, April 9th from 6-10 p.m. The gallery is located at 2147 S Lumber St., Loft 516 in Chicago.

My first solo show!

2010-04-03T23:18:00.000-05:00

I want to thank everyone who came to see Post-Consumerism at Three Peas Art Lounge on Friday. It really meant a lot to me to get your support. I am pretty exhausted right now, but when I get some energy I promise to post pictures from the opening reception. And if you missed the opening, you still have time to go to the gallery and see the show. It will be there until May 31st.

Upcoming Shows at Governors State University

2010-04-01T18:27:00.000-05:00

Now that spring has arrived, a new gallery season is upon us. And there are three you might want to see at the Governors State gallery.

The 2010 Student Art Exhibition runs from March 30, through April 7. The opening reception and awards ceremony is Wednesday April 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. I actually have one piece hanging in the show, which is kind of bittersweet because it is my last student show at GSU.

And then from April 19 - 26 there will be a showing of art by the multi-talented Sharon Burrink, who does photography, sculpture, drawing, and is also an interior designer. The opening reception for her show, The Redemption of Brokenness, will be Friday, April 23 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Another show you definitely don't want to miss is taking place is Christopher Clark's aptly titled You Never Get a Second Chance. Chris has been involved in numerous artistic pursuits both on and off campus, including the Feed Art Center, which he recently co-founded with fellow artist and GSU alum Michael Costanza. Chris's show runs from May 17th through 24th, with a reception on Friday, May 21st from 6:00-9:00 p.m.

The regular gallery hours are Monday - Wednesday 11:00am - 4:00pm and Thursday 2:00pm - 7:00pm.

All three events are free and open to the public, so check them out. The school is located at 1 University Parkway in University Park, Illinois.

And if you need a map to help you find it, visit the Governors State website for more information.

Opening this Friday: Post-Consumerism

2010-03-29T19:45:00.000-05:00

Remember when I announced that Post-Consumerism was going to be at Governors State? Well there's been a change of venue. My first solo show will be taking place at Three Peas Art Lounge in the South Loop. It opens this Friday, April 2 and will run until May 31st.

Here are all the details on Friday:

Opening Reception
Friday, April 2, 2010
6:00 PM - 9:00 p.m.
Three Peas Art Lounge
75 E. 16th Street
(Between Michigan and Wabash)
Chicago, IL 60616
T: 312.624.9414
F: 312.526.3582
www.threepeasartlounge.com

The Doll Project: Now Larger than Life!

2010-03-06T12:01:00.000-06:00

I am pleased to announce a new product in my Etsy shop: larger prints from The Doll Project! Prints are now available in 11"x14" and 16 x 20" , and if there is a print you are interested in ordering in a larger size that is not listed yet, just e-mail me and I'll be glad to have one made for you. Prices start at $60 for an unframed 11" x 14" print.

Click here to see the full collection.

A Saturday Solutions Book Review: Saving Stuff by Don Williams and Louisa Jaggar

2010-02-13T11:41:00.016-06:00

Whether you're a creator or collector of fine art, whether you like to buy your furniture new or pre-owned, you've probably wondered if your treasured items will last. And if you've seen Life After People or read The World Without Us, then you have an idea of how insects, fungus, water, and sunlight can lead to the decay and destruction of many masterpieces. If this is a concern for you, then pick up a copy of Saving Stuff. Written by a Smithsonian conservator, it is a comprehensive guide to the proper care and storage of everything from paintings and drawings to fine furniture. Saving Stuff is based on the premise that you, the collector are the director of "The Museum of You" and provides all the tools to properly archive your holdings.

If your collectibles need to be cleaned, there are recipes for cleaning solutions for everything from plastic toys to bronze sculptures. The section on light damage took me back to my lighting classes in design school (the only other place i've ever seen the word "foot-candle" in a sentence) as it explained how you have to pay attention to how much light your collectibles are exposed to.
In addition to the other valuable information in Saving Stuff, there is a useful Risk Chart for Collectibles, wich breaks down the potential for damage that light, insects, mold, contaminants, temperature, moisture, and everyday use can cause to common collectibles. Another useful tool is a worksheet that can help you decide which items to keep and why you want to save them. There is another worksheet that helps you keep track of everything you know about the items in your collection, helping you to fulfill your duty as the registrar of the Museum of You.

As an artist, it was also beneficial to me as I looked at my process from a collector's point of view. It made me ask myself if I am creating work that can withstand the ravages of time, and made me aware of environmental conditions that could endanger the longevity of my artwork. I learned about the best way to hang framed artwork. I also found the Rules for Lighting Paintings especially useful. I now realize the importance of getting Raspberry Divine and her sisters out of the sunlit room I display them in at home and into a cool dark place.

And as a designer, I find the book a wonderful source of information that could be passed on to clients to ensure the furniture and finishes I specify can look their best for as long as possible. And it gives me a new appreciation for the functionality of window treatments,the first defense against damage from the UV rays in sunlight.

The overarching message of the book seems to be that if your collection means something to you, then don't store it in your basement or your attic. Be mindful of the environment in which you store and display your items, and they will last longer. No matter what you collect, if you are a collector you need this book.

Canvases are now available for the Square Foot Show

2010-02-01T17:33:00.002-06:00

Despite the bitterly cold conditions here in Chicago, there are signs that spring is coming. And one of the first signs I have seen is the announcement for the annual Square Foot Show at The Galaxie in May. For $30, you get a canvas and a chance to participate in a great local art show. And with just one square foot of canvas to paint, it's a show that can fit into even the busiest of artists schedules.

To sign up, visit:
http://galaxiechicago.com/gs/workshops/squarefoot.php

Brilliant Simplicity at Target

2010-02-01T09:19:00.003-06:00

Design ideas can come from many unexpected places. And one store that continues to impress me is Target. As a designer, I appreciate their sense of style, and as a consumer, I appreciate their low prices. One new collection that I really like is the Room Essentials kitchen utensils product line. It features a nice variety of items, from beverage tubs, to sets of tumblers, to juice carafes.

I had been looking at vintage kitchen items on Etsy, and was pleasantly surprised to see that Target's new bread boxes are strikingly similar to a vintage Danish modern one I saw online for several times more.

The collection comes in several different colors and would fit with a variety of color schemes. I could even see some of these pieces going outside the kitchen to be used for storage for office or art supplies.

It looks like they are all under $25. You can find it at your local Target, or online.

Save the Date!

2010-01-24T23:11:00.000-06:00

I finally have dates set for my graduate art show: May 3 - 14th. The date for the reception has not been set yet, but once it is, I will post it here so keep checking for further details.

Anthropologie's eco chic window display

2010-01-24T23:03:00.000-06:00

Recently a new Anthropologie store opened on State Street.

Their window display is a real inspiration. What a stunning transformation of plastic bottles into flowers.

Pictures from the Rain Barrel Open House

2010-01-19T00:17:00.000-06:00

The Rain Barrel Open House was a success.

The other artists who participated were all there, and it was great to get to meet them and see what everyone else created with their rain barrels.

It was held at the Center for Green Technology, which is a great resource for information on environmentally friendly living solutions for design professionals and residents alike. While we were there, we toured a model home on the property. Designed by students from the University of Illinois at Chicago, it was planned to be a very efficient modular home. And it even had a rain barrel on the porch.

There were plenty more behind the house, so I'm sure if anyone else wants to paint a rain barrel, there are plenty more just waiting to be painted.

Ultimately the hope for our rain barrels is that they will be on display in more locations. I will keep you posted on where you will be able to view them next.

Sorry it took me a while to update. I have been pretty busy adjusting to life after art school, with my new day job (which I really do like, by the way). Please be patient while I take time to plan my graduate show and my wedding. Yes, 2010 is going to be a pretty busy year for me. And I am looking forward to it!

A Rain Barrel Open House

2009-12-26T08:22:00.001-06:00

My first public art project will soon be on display! If you want to see it, come to the Rain Barrel Open House.

Our wonderful rain barrels will be on display as part of the 2010 curated show at the City of Chicago's Center for Green Technology. You will have a chance to meet the artists who created them.

Date:
Saturday, January 9th, 2010, 12:30pm - 3:30pm

Location:
Chicago Center for Green Technology
445 North Sacramento Boulevard
Chicago IL 60612
Please RSVP online or by phone at 773.929.0614

Merry Christmas and Free Shipping to all!

2009-12-25T08:42:00.001-06:00

Yes, you read that correctly. My Christmas gift to everyone is free shipping on everything in my Etsy shop, even this wooden media storage unit. I'm extending this offer until the end of the year, so now is the perfect time to buy something from Mixed Media Design.

Portfolio 2.0: Now with better pictures

2009-12-22T23:45:00.000-06:00

Behold the power of Photoshop. And its lesser known

(and much less expensive) Canadian cousin, Corel Photo-Paint. I was able to clean up my images of my paintings and make them look like they're all hanging on a gallery's pristine white walls.

Here are a few:

The rest are now on Flickr.

a little cartoon about artistic inspiration

2009-12-03T10:37:00.002-06:00

If only it were this simple to define my artistic concepts...

from page 198 of Transformation Through Insight: Enneatypes in Life, Literature and Clinical Practice by Claudio Naranjo.

Free shipping at my Etsy shop this weekend!

2009-11-27T00:00:00.001-06:00

vintage toddler doll

Want to avoid the long lines and crowds by shopping online this weekend? While you're making your online shopping trip, be sure to stop by my Etsy shop, tjgholar.etsy.com, where you can get free shipping on everything!

here's what I made this weekend...

2009-11-24T18:26:00.002-06:00

Over the weekend I didn't have time to paint in the studio, but I have a very good reason. I was working on a project for a fundraiser. We had a live webinar on Sunday evening and the video clips I made were part of the media presentation.

The first one is an overview of the issues the girls in the program are facing:

The second one explores solutions to the problems in the community:

And the third video is about what our organization plans to do to make a difference:

Click here for more information about Demoiselle 2 Femme.