Posted 17 October 2020 | art, art gallery, exhibits

Curator’s Clipboard: Finding Opportunities for Artists

Calls for Artists are opportunities to explore!

As a professional artist and a curator, I have my radar up for opportunities that will connect artists to exhibition opportunities, residencies and professional connections. Artists, here is a list of links that that I have used to add to your tool box. Some even send you updates via email.

Cafe-Call for Artists is a popular service now used by many museums and art center across the country to announce all sorts of opportunities for artists. I remember when you would just see a few exhibits but now there is a great selection and you can subscribe to weekly emails. Artists can create a portfolio to manage on the site with images.

Public Artist is a call for artist site that features public art opportunities across the nation. Opportunities can range from airport installations to hotel installs. It can be hit or miss as a lot of them are region specific but sometimes the calls are national and international. I enjoy subscribing to see what sorts of public art projects are being promoted across the country.

EntryThingy has a visual map that can be helpful when you are looking for a specific location. Keep in mind that each of these websites may sometimes or almost never show the same opportunities so it pays to subscribe to all of them.

These are just a few websites to keep in your radar. I also regularly “google” call for artists. Sometimes I add “call for artists: New Mexico or Ohio or Canada…. any state or country that I want to visit. You just never know if there is a way to combine travel and exhibits. You can watch my video interview with artist Wanda Juhl talking about her travels to Colorado to compete in a plein air festival. It will be available on our Facebook page after the video premiers on Monday, October 19 at 11:00 am. 

  BONUS LINKS:  Facebook public group links that relate to opportunities for artists: Studio 23 Call for Artists Group and Opportunities for Creatives.

  Calling all artists!

We are taking submissions of artwork donations for the Black & White Affair Art Auction and Gallery. Here is the Artist Application with much more information on how to submit your donated art and also an artwork to show in our gallery for sale.  This video with marketing expert, Donna Wagner of DMWagner and Associates and our curator, Valerie Allen explains the importance of promotion and networking for visual artists. 

            

Our current exhibit MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition 2020 will be on view until 1: 00 pm,Saturday November 14, 2020. Starting at 1:00pm November 14, the artists can start retrieving their artwork from the exhibit.

 

Thank you to our current list of 50 Art Advocates 2020 of the Great Lakes Bay Region.

We appreciate your support!

Important dates to remember for Studio 23’s  exhibition season are:

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition Final Day for Viewing: Saturday, November 14, 2020, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. Please note that artists will begin retrieving their artwork starting at 1:00pm.

Public Reception for Rosemary Kavanagh, Bay City Family Tree Solo Exhibit: Saturday, November 28, 2020,  2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Kavanagh is featured artist for this year’s Black & White Affair, December 11, 2020.

Black & White Affair Art Auction and Gallery on view online and in our Tabor Gallery: Saturday, November 28, 2020 – December 12, 2020.

Kind regards,

Val

Valerie Allen, curator

 

Now is your chance to support local businesses and nonprofits through Buy BAY COUNTY!

Purchase a gift card to your favorite Bay County restaurant, retail or service business and receive 25% free! Studio 23 can apply your Studio 23 gift card purchase to artwork and/or classes.

Order your gift cards from this link! 

Studio 23 is part of the Amazon Smile gives program for nonprofits. Please consider using this when ordering from at smile.amazon.com and choose Studio 23 as your nonprofit.

 

 

 

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Posted 19 September 2020 | art, art gallery, exhibits

Curator’s Clipboard: Michigan’s Visual Artists Shine at Studio 23!

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition 2020 is open!

I look at the curation of an exhibition as a timeline that evolves from the blending of the history of an organization with the input of fresh opportunities that become relevant with the times. In the past, Studio 23 has hosted All-Area exhibitions. We continue that with our 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay held on the odd numbered years and now we’ve expanded the All-Area concept to include MI Artists All-State Exhibition as a biennial event held on the even numbered years. By inviting artists from across the state to enter, we created an exhibition environment that brings attention not only to our very talented artists here in Mid-Michigan and beyond but also to introduce our viewing audience to the trends in Michigan art today.

Gallery hours to view MI Artists All-State are Tuesday – Saturday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. Masks are required and number of visitors in the galleries are limited to ten. Appointments are available for up to ten guests by calling me at 989-894-2323 extension 14 or by email at curator.studio23@gmail.com.

            

Timothy Norris was the juror for this year’s exhibition. I’ve posted his bio here showing in a previous blog post. Today I’m posting his follow-up juror’s statement preceded by this quote from Norris, “I selected work from over 280 images from artists across the state. During this trying time, it is very important to support our Michigan artists.”

Juror’s Statement

As I’ve always told my college students, the most effective art is that which displays an appropriate and interesting match of form to content. This “recipe” holds true for any stylistic choice made by the artist, whether representational, abstract, or nonrepresentational. Form involves how the artist goes about making the artwork—choices of technique, medium, and the use of certain visual elements as organized by certain design principles. Content is what the artist wishes to say in the work. Therefore, content is communicated through form. How well the artist matches form to content results in the judgments we can make between those works that are ineffective, mediocre, or excellent. Of course, all this sounds neat and tidy on paper or in theory, but in practice we may disagree as to what constitutes an effective match. I rely on my 40 years of experience as an artist and teacher along with my knowledge of art history.

My selections for award winners represent what I consider to be the most skillful matches of form to content among the submissions. These pieces display exceptional techniques and powerful compositions that convey intriguing messages.

Congratulations to all of the artists. It’s been a challenging year for all of us, and I wish you the best in your artistic pursuits. Thank you to Valerie Allen for asking me to be this year’s juror and for all of her hard work in putting the competition together. Thanks also to the staff members and volunteers who labored on their respective components of the show.

Tim Norris

Award Winners selected by Juror Timothy Norris

Best of Show $1000

Artist Douglas Malone of Royal Oak, Michigan

Cormorbidity    Charcoal and Pencil

Award of Merit $100

Artist Ilene Curts-Thayer of Mason, Michigan

Whirl     Oil on Canvas

Award of Merit $100

Artist Bruce Thayer of Mason, Michigan

What Matters     Collagraph and Intaglio Print

Honorable Mentions

As we pivot to more online experiences for our audience, there is now a slide-show style online gallery you can view here that includes each piece of art in the exhibition plus you can read the names of all the artists included in this exhibition. Art collectors can browse the images at their convenience. For more information or questions please email me at curator.studio23@gmail.com.

 

Thank you to our current list of 50 Art Advocates of the Great Lakes Bay Region. We appreciate your support!

Follow this link to become a 50 Art Advocate today!  Thank you!

Important dates to remember for Studio 23’s  exhibition season are:

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition Final Day for Viewing: Saturday, November 14, 2020, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. Please note that artists will begin retrieving their artwork starting at 1:00pm.

Public Reception for Rosemary Kavanagh, Bay City Family Tree Solo Exhibit: Saturday, November 28, 2020,  2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Kavanagh is featured artist for this year’s Black & White Affair, December 11, 2020.

Kind regards,

Val

Valerie Allen, curator

 

Now is your chance to support local businesses and nonprofits through Buy BAY COUNTY!

Purchase a gift card to your favorite Bay County restaurant, retail or service business and receive 25% free! Studio 23 can apply your Studio 23 gift card purchase to artwork and/or classes.

Order your gift cards from this link! 

Studio 23 is part of the Amazon Smile gives program for nonprofits. Please consider using this when ordering from at smile.amazon.com and choose Studio 23 as your nonprofit.

 

 

 

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Posted 21 August 2020 | art, art gallery, exhibits

Curator’s Clipboard: 50 Art Advocates Campaign shows love for Michigan artists!

Campaign for 50 Art Advocates continues as Studio 23 prepares for

MI Artists All-State Exhibition 2020

Since 2017 Studio 23’s 50 Art Advocates have been generously supporting the artists of our region and the state of Michigan. This campaign has made a tremendous impact on promoting artists and exhibits that showcase the talent of Michigan. Calls for artists occur every year in the spring with 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region Exhibition on odd numbered years and MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition during the even numbered years. After the jury selections are finalized the biennial exhibits are installed in the galleries of Studio 23 the month of September. 50 Art Advocates have provided awards of  more than  $7000 in cash prizes since 2017, invested $12,000 in the Art Around the City program and sponsored countless educational opportunities for local artists. As part of the #artistshelpingartists initiative, the 50 Art Advocate campaigns count a number of professional artists becoming advocates in support of their artist friends. That is truly heartwarming! Many thanks to all who contribute.

Art advocates contribute to

• Educational growth seminars for artists.
• Exhibition Opportunities
• Awards
• Exhibit program
• Support for regional art

Follow this link to become a 50 Art Advocate today! We appreciate your support. Thank you!

 

The MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition is the featured biennial exhibit  for 2020. The timeline for this exhibit started in April 2020 with a general call for artists who live and/or work in Michigan. The application process for artists consists of submitting up to three images to be juried. This year’s juror was Timothy Norris, a professional artist and curator from the west side of the state. Norris recently retired from teaching art at Muskegon Community College. His duties as a juror for this exhibit included evaluating over 275 images and curating his selections into an exhibit. He is also the judge for the monetary awards, awards of merit and honorable mentions. The 2020 call for artists saw artists submit applications from as far north as Escanaba and as south as Canton, Michigan.

Important dates to remember for Studio 23’s fall exhibition season are:

Painters and Potters 2020 Final Day for Viewing: Saturday, August 29, 2020, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition Virtual Facebook Live Juror Talk and Award Ceremony: Thursday, September 17, 2020, 5:00 pm – 6:00pm

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition Final Day for Viewing: Saturday, November 14, 2020, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

 Studio 23 is filled with art created by our students, faculty and 100 Day Project members. Painters and Potters 2020 and our Off The Wall Gallery Boutique have artwork in different mediums, sizes and prices. It feels great to be back in the galleries and we are open Tuesday – Saturday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm. We are also available for appointments by calling me at 989-894-2323, ext. 14 or email me at curator.studio23@gmail.com.

#collectartbuylocal

Kind regards,

Val

Valerie Allen, curator

Fall Classes begin the week of September 14, 2020. Click here for more information. 

Now is your chance to support local businesses and nonprofits through Buy BAY COUNTY!

Purchase a gift card to your favorite Bay County restaurant, retail or service business and receive 25% free! Studio 23 can apply your Studio 23 gift card purchase to artwork and/or classes.

Order your gift cards from this link! 

Studio 23 is part of the Amazon Smile gives program for nonprofits. Please consider using this when ordering from at smile.amazon.com and choose Studio 23 as your nonprofit.

 

 

 

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Posted 17 July 2020 | art, art gallery, exhibits

Curator’s Clipboard: Newest exhibit – Painters & Potters 2020 now on display.

Painters & Potters 2020

Our galleries are open and filled with artwork created by our talented students, faculty and The 100 Day Project artists. A total of 95 artworks are part of the exhibit that includes 28 artists. The tradition of a Painter & Potters exhibit started in the 1960s and is a crowd favorite as an annual event. Our gallery visitors will see paintings in acrylic, oil, watercolor, mixed media collages along with ceramics made in our clay studios. The majority of the art is for sale and this is an excellent way to add to your collection. Members of Studio 23 receive a 10% discount on art purchases. Participating artists in this exhibit include:

Diane Arendt, Nicole Bell, Bill Brinker, D J Carmody, Sylvia Coon, Misty Coss, Sean Gallagher, Amy Gibas, C Joanne Grabinski, Beth Henderson Walker, Elli Hennessy, Ruth Howell, Kaylyn Inda, Connie Jane, Wanda Juhl, Debra LaRocque, Alan Maciag, Armin Mersmann, Sheri Moore, Jean Preston, Angela Radlinski, Autumn Reyes, Dennis Rosenblum, Fran Santoro, Charlie Schwartz, Julie Tyslicky, Janice Wegner, Nancy Weiss

The Painters & Potters 2020 will be on display thru Saturday, August 29, 2020. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm.

                         

Studio 23 The 100 Day Project

For the past three years we have been gathering as an artist community for the annual The 100 Day Project.The seed of The 100 Day Project began within the PIA Art Collective, a small band of visual artists, in Marquette, Michigan. Since 2008, PIA members have done 100 day projects as a way to keep their creative edge honed. Studio 23 joined as a community arts center in 2018 after our curator heard about the project from the Gaylord Arts Council while she was jurying an exhibit. Our artists who participated in the 100 days from January 22 – April 30, 2020 are invited to display work in the Painters and Potters 2020.  There are many projects on display in the exhibit and you can view them thru August 29, 2020.

                            

This 100 Day Project titled Portraits is by artist and Studio 23 Faculty member, Sylvia Coon. Sylvia teaches Intro to Acrylics.

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition

We are currently accepting entries into the 2020 MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition. Artists living and working in Michigan over the age of eighteen are eligible to enter the jury process now until the deadline of Saturday, August 8, 2020.

Meet our juror:

Timothy Norris

Timothy Norris’ artwork has appeared in over 100 exhibitions throughout Michigan and the Midwest since 1988. He has won many awards. Tim was Curator of Exhibitions and Collections at the Art Center of Battle Creek, 1992-1996. He is a current instructor at Muskegon Community College in Studio Art and has served as a curator throughout the state.

His interests include Celtic art, Civil War period history, and music. He and his artist wife, Patricia Opel  collaborated on a series of large format paintings titled Through a Crack in the Lake, inspired by Great Lakes shipwreck  narratives and history.

There will be a $1000 best of show award chosen by the juror, Timothy Norris as well as awards of merit.

  Click here for entry link. 

#collectartbuylocal

Painters & Potters 2020 is a great exhibit to purchase a new piece of artwork for your collection. We also have a fully stocked “Off The Wall” Gallery Boutique with affordable art by Studio 23 Artist Collective Members. Buying art locally not only creates revenue for regional artists, the purchase also helps maintain the vibrant and positive art center in your neighborhood- Studio 23!

Here are a few of the artworks marked with the sold GREEN DOT! CONGRATULATIONS ARTISTS!

         

CONGRATULATIONS TO  CLAY ARTIST CHARLIE SCHWARTZ, FIBER ARTIST C JOANNE GRABINSKI, CLAY ARTIST NANCY WEISS, AND WATERCOLOR                      ARTIST ANGELA RADLINSKI!

VISIT US FOR DOWNTOWN BAY CITY SIDEWALK DAYS, JULY 23–25!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!

July 23 is Throwback Thursday! We will be wearing 1959 clothing inspired by the year Studio 23 was founded!

July 24 is Food Truck Friday on Washington Street!

All three days we will feature Ann Vincenti-Michelman’s Story Blocks. A perfect way to tell your story with these unique collectible works of art. Hundreds to choose from!

Kind regards,

Val

Valerie Allen, curator

 

Now is your chance to support local businesses and nonprofits through Buy BAY COUNTY!

Purchase a gift card to your favorite Bay County restaurant, retail or service business and receive 25% free! Studio 23 can apply your Studio 23 gift card purchase to artwork and/or classes.

Order your gift cards from this link! 

 

Studio 23 is part of the Amazon Smile gives program for nonprofits. Please consider using this when ordering from at smile.amazon.com and choose Studio 23 as your nonprofit.

 

 

 

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Posted 15 June 2020 | art, art gallery, exhibits

Curator’s Clipboard: Summer Solstice Art-A-Thon and Painters and Potters 2020

Summer Solstice Art-A-Thon

Here is the PayPal donation link for a  Summer Solstice Art-A-Thon Pledge. Suggested donation $20. You can add a note in honor of your favorite artist!

Welcome summer to the Great Lakes Bay Region by joining us on Facebook Live, Saturday, June 20, 2020 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Amy Gibas, chair of our Studio 23 Artists Collective and I will co-host this virtual event by toasting all of our artists of the region starting at 5:00pm.

We will then feature an artists panel on Zoom via Facebook Live. Artists will describe their process and materials. Toward the magic light hour of sunset, we will venture out to Wenonah Park to film plein air artists set up with safe distancing as they capture the river’s banks and bridges on canvas. We will interview them as they are painting. Along the way, we will stop by some of the Art Around the City art stations, particularly Waterfall Park on Third Street.  Third Street will be closed that evening under the Star Bridge, so I’m sure we will do a Facebook Live from that location of chalk artists working there. Armin Mersmann will be set in the windows of Studio 23 for pedestrians and window shoppers who can peek at his progress on his detailed cat drawing that he has been featuring with demos on his Facebook page. Amy and I will also do artist demos that evening that we will post on Facebook.

During the week leading up to the event and during the evening we will feature artists and their images. As this is an Art-A-Thon, we will be asking for pledges of twenty dollars that celebrate our vibrant artists community. This is the chance for Art Fans to show their support of Studio 23 in the name of their favorite artists!

Here is the PayPal donation link for a  Summer Solstice Art-A-Thon Pledge. Suggested donation $20. You can add a note in honor of your favorite artist!

Also, here are the names of many Great Lakes Bay Region and Michigan artists who have been featured in 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region 2017 and 2019 and MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition 2018. We are gearing up for MI Artists 2020 now! Celebrate these artists and more by making a Summer Solstice Art-A-Thon Pledge of twenty dollars!

50 Artists of Great Lakes Bay Region 2019

Laurie Anderson, James Ardis, Diane Arendt, Gregg Barckholtz, Douglas Barron, Sharon Berkan-Dent, Mark Bleshenski, Larry Butcher, Katrina Canfield, Sara Clark, Margaret Colarelli, Sylvia Coon, Wanda Dziwura, Amy Gibas, Brian Goff, Avram Golden, Jason Graham, Stephen Grewe, Misty Grumbley, Pamela Hart, Ruth Howell, Rosemary Kavanagh, Debra LaRocque, Matt Lewis, Alan Maciag, Edith Marshall, Jim Matherne, Jody McDonald-Rider, Armin Mersmann, Sheri Moore, Alisse Noble, Priscilla Olson, Steven Parkhurst, Larry Peters, Mark Piotrowski, Barbara Plezia, Roger Reichmann, Robert Rokita, Wilma Romatz, Sally Rose, Josh Roupe, D. Joanne Rummel, Laurie Russell-Parrent, Fran Santoro, Carol Speltz, Julie Tyslicky, Silas Warren, Jan Wegner, Rebecca Zeiss, Mike Zureich

MI Artists All-State Juried Exhibition 2018

Gregg Barckholtz, Douglas Barron, Sharon K. Berkan-Dent, Mark Bleshenski, Nancy Brooks-Siebert, Katrina Canfield, D J Carmody, Diane Clise, Julia Close, Margaret Colarelli, Alma Cooke, John Diephouse, Jeanne Dodd, Kelly Frank, Bruce Giffin, Brian Goff, Avram Golden, C. Joanne Grabinski, Jason Graham, Christian K. Harger, Pamela Hart, Emmy Heger, Chandra L. Jewell, Kathy K. Jones, Karen Ann Jonker, Walda Juhl, Rosemary Kavanagh, Debra LaRocque, Heather Love, Alan Maciag, Kathy Maciag, Anthony Macioce, Douglas Malone, Armin Mersmann, Sheri Moore, Jody McDonald Rider, Priscilla Olson, Andrea Ondish, Victoria Parker, Steven Parkhurst, Andrew Rieder, Blaise Rhein, Julia Rohde, Stacie G. Rose,  D. Joanne Rummel, Fran Santoro, Carol Schadd, Carol Speltz, Shelly Newman Stevens, Sherrie Tiderington, Valeri Trombley, Jan Wegner, Rebecca Zeiss, Barbara Zimmerman, Mike Zureich

50 Artists of Great Lakes Bay Region 2017

Brett Alger, Denise Ardis, Kelsey Bailey, Gregg Barckholtz, Sharon Berkan-Dent, Zachary Branigan, Larry Butcher, Sara Clark, Diane Clise, Margaret Colarelli, Misty Coss, Fletcher Dean, Sarah Duncan, Alyssa German, Brian Goff, Avram Golden, C.Joanne Grabinski, Jason Graham, Robert Graham, Stephen Grewe, Pamela Hart, Emmy Heger, Marcia Henne, Bill Horning, Mary Horning, Ruth Howell, Chandra Jewell, Rosemary Kavanagh, Debra LaRocque, Tisch Mikhail Lewis, Alan Maciag, Jim Matherne, Armin Mersmann, Kent Miller, Zi Moreira, Mike Mosher, Priscilla Olson, Steven Parkhurst, Mark Piotrowski, Roger Reichmann, Jody McDonald Rider, Robert Rokita, Paul Rytlewski, Jennifer Schultz, Charlie Schwartz, Carol Speltz, Ellen Visser, Silas Warren, Kathy Wertz, Rebecca Zeiss

 

Call for Artists: Painters and Potters 2020                                                                                                                          Students, The 100 Day Project members and faculty of Studio 23

All students taking classes between June 2019 – June 2020, The 100 Day Project 2020 members and faculty of Studio 23 are invited to submit work for this upcoming exhibit opening July 9, 2020. This exhibit will be online and also all artists who are comfortable bringing work into the gallery will be exhibited in our Rowley gallery. Masks will be required and we will have safe drop-0ff options for the artwork. A virtual Zoom reception will be held on July 9, 2020 at 5:00 pm. The exhibit will run July 9 – August 29, 2020. Please use this application link: Painters and Potters 2020 Entry Form. Jpeg images are required as well as a working email address. We hope you consider entering this popular annual exhibit!

We are very thrilled to being open this week and thankful we have many events and activities to look forward to with our community of artists. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Kind regards,

Val

Valerie Allen, curator

 

 

Now is your chance to support local businesses and nonprofits through Buy BAY COUNTY!

Purchase a gift card to your favorite Bay County restaurant, retail or service business and receive 25% free! Studio 23 can apply your Studio 23 gift card purchase to artwork and/or classes.

Order your gift cards from this link! 

 

Studio 23 is part of the Amazon Smile gives program for nonprofits. Please consider using this when ordering from at smile.amazon.com and choose Studio 23 as your nonprofit.

 

 

 

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