Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 16 - June 11, 2011

It's Over

Another hot day - we have had no rain in the 16 days of this show - I can't remember another show where we didn't even have rain overnight, but we'll always prefer the sun to rainy days during Piccolo Spoleto!  See you at the 2012 show - until then, have a great year and keep painting!

BREAKING NEWS - UPDATE ON SPONTANEOUS INSTALLATION MISSILE ART THEFT

For background, scroll back for blogpost of June 8th.

Official Crime Scene where Missile Art last seen

Mysterious Circumstances surround the disappearance of the spontaneous missile installation art, and no less mysterious circumstances surround the appearance, early this morning, of the lower clothed torso or the remains of what we can so far only assume may be the thief or perpetrator.  One unusual aspect of the torso is that it appears that the alleged perpetrator was used as a human missile, launched at a high enough velocity to penetrate the ground in such a way that the legs and tennis shoes are sticking out of the ground, IN APPROXIMATELY THE SAME PLACE FROM WHERE THE MISSILE ART WAS STOLEN.  The strange events surrounding this entire incident have been the subject of numerous discussions and generated countless theories among the artists.  However, we can give no answers until all the evidence is tested by the police and we have something other than theory to put forth.

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 15 - June 10, 2011

Artist Steve Jacobs demonstrates stretching watercolor paper

Beginning the Watercolor Painting

Joanna Jackson shows her (almost) finished Mixed Media Demo

Photographer Scott Henderson makes a sale

(the heat can't keep us down!)

Ellen Moryl, Director of Cultural Affairs, speaks to the Artists

of the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition

We artists arrived at Marion Square early to meet with Ellen Moryl, Director of Cultural Affairs as we work together to move the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition forward in the future.  Ellen was a real trooper, speaking over the loud Friday morning traffic and the overhead planes. Some really good plans are in store for the 2012 outdoor art show, including a Petite Pavilion to host Piccolo events in the middle of Marion Square which will bring even more people out to our venue.  Thank you, Ellen and the City of Charleston, for visiting us this morning and starting our day with such positive comments and plans for the future!

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 14 - June 9, 2011 GUEST POST by Artist Rick Reinert

Owning a Gallery and Participating in the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition Present Unique Challenges and Demands

Guest Post by Artist Rick Reinert

I have participated in the 16 day PIccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Show for several years but 2011 presented new challenges and responsiblities since I opened Reinert LePrince Fine Art Gallery on King Street just a few months ago with fellow artist Kevin LePrince.  

For instance, the June Art Walk is always held in the midst of Piccolo Spoleto.  An extra dose of energy is required to leave the art show after a long hot day in Marion Square and arrive at 179 King Street, looking fresh, feeling clean and being ready to host the Art Walk.

Another challenge is having enough inventory for 2 locations along with the need to create enough new work during the 16 day period to replenish  the inventory sold.  Fortunately, being in Marion Square provides a great opportunity to paint plein air in between customers.

While you could say the opportunity for sales and success is doubled with 2 locations, you must also consider that the responsiblities are also doubled.

All in all to have my own art gallery and to simultaneously participate in such a prestigious and professional outdoor art exhibition is a great experience! 

Additional Demo Coverage:

Deborah Meyer and Oil Demo 

Alice Stewart Grimsley - 2 Watercolor Demos 

We've had no rain in Marion Square since before the show began on May 27, so things get a little red and dusty:

but we still have smiles and good will because we get to do what we love the most - Paint!

Colleen Weissmann has 4 small abstracts in progress

In  spite of the heat, Danita Cole works with a hot iron melting wax for her art!

BREAKING NEWS for 6-8-11 - Spontaneous Installation Missile Art Stolen!

Last Known Photograph of Stolen Spontaneous Installation Artwork 

This photograph was taken yesterday, Tuesday, June 7th, by my 12 year old niece, Melissa Whaley, whom I hired for $10 to photograph the demonstrations in the park while I went to work. (The reason she photographed this item is because I also hired her to sniff out the news, not just any news, but big news.  News that would increase my readership far beyond the current 6 followers of this blog (especially since Kevin LePrince, one of the 6 followers, suggested that it might be easier for me just to call each of the 6 with the news instead of blogging it).

I described to Melissa the type of news I was looking for: "Be alert! Periodically check the middle of Marion Square, and if, for instance, a spaceship lands, I want you there, snapping pictures.  Try to interview the aliens,  but don't get discouraged if they refuse to communicate with you.  They probably don't know our language.  I realize this is all a stretch, but it's just an example of the kind of big news I'm looking for."

Well, unbeknownst to me, she took me at my word and she found a "spaceship" and took a picture of it - yes, this is the spontaneous installation art created by Steve Jordan after a great number of hours in the hot sun.  I blogged about the art in a prior post for "Day 8 - June 3, 2011".

Steve Jordan sought me out late this afternoon when I got back to the park after work and broke the news that the artwork was stolen sometime last night.  Needless to say, Steve was extremely upset, not just because the art was stolen, but also because the police didn't feel its value warranted a police report.  (As I have discussed in a prior blog post,  many times people don't understand the sensitivities of an artist, but artists understand artists, so I could easily empathize with Steve's pain and sense of loss. Although he wanted me to contact the Post and Courier with the story, my newspaper blood got the better of me and I decided to break the story.  I'm sure Steve will understand this was a business decision, not personal.

Whoever did this, PLEASE return the artwork, no questions will be asked. No charges will be pressed.  I was told later that Steve was offering a reward of $500 for any information leading to the recovery of the spontaneous art installation. While I understand that the $500 is in monopoly money, not US currency, please do not think that the choice of currency is devaluing of the missile artwork.  While monopoly money is not the same as the US Dollar, 500 is still 500.  

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 13 - June 8, 1010 GUEST POST by K.C. Collins

My 3-Step Guide to Being Positive at Art Shows

by Artist K.C. Collins 

First Place Award Winner

"Please Don't Go" by K.C. Collins

1. Start with reasonable expectations! My goal at every art show is to sell one painting. Anything more than that, and I'm ecstatic. Not going to lie, I've been to shows where I didn't sell a thing, and it felt like the only people walking around were the other artists (with forlorn looks on their faces). In situations like this, I look for the positive. Yes, I drove eight hours, forked out money for gas, hotels, food, show fees... Buuut did I meet interesting people? Did I network and get potential business for the future? I've participated in shows where sales were low... but in following weeks I had a lot of follow up sales and commissions from people who took business cards. You never know...

2. Try to have fun! I once did a two day show in Florida where at LEAST 500 people looked at my work and asked me if I needed glasses. Seriously. And they all laughed hysterically like they were the first person ever to say it. Yes, I  desperately wanted to throw things at them, but instead I smiled and laughed at how ridiculous it was. Needless to say, I did not sell many paintings that weekend! :) But we packed up, went to the beach, drank a giant margarita, and ended up having a great time!

3. If you're bored, play the "shoe game".  Try to predict who will enter your booth solely (no pun intended) on the shoes they are wearing. Orthopedic shoes tend to steer clear of my booth, while strappy sandals (with or without jewels) never let me down!

How lucky are we to be doing what we love?!

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 12 - June 7, 1010 GUEST POST by Sheryl Stalnaker

How to Balance a Husband, Kids, and the 16 day Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition

Guest Post by Artist Sheryl Stalnaker

1.     Marry well. An understanding husband that can double as a pack mule helps, along with being able to confidently answer the question, “What medium does your wife paint in?”

2.    Have kids that are willing to come to the park with you, when necessary.  Note – bringing the Nintendo DS and buying cups of Charleston Ice at $5.00 a piece work well as bribes.

3.    When your husband is out of town and your daughter is throwing up all night and early into the morning the day Spoleto starts (after staying up until 1:30 a.m. preparing labels), realize that there is a Starbucks serving venti iced coffees within walking distance of the park.

4.    Know that home life will be chaotic during and before the art show.  Try not to be overly upset (note to self) when you discover on the way out the door to Marion Square, running late of course, that there is mold growing in the corners of the microwave from a food explosion of unknown origin.

5.    And last, when you have small children, have an answer to the often asked question, “How do you find time to paint?”  Before our twins were in school full time, I could never FIND the time to paint.  I had to make time, knowing that I really wanted to be a mother first and the infant/toddler years would fly by.  And they did!  I was still able to paint by treating it as a job and having some childcare, as any working mom would.  Now that our kids are in school full-time, it involves discipline and time management, as any artist knows, kids or no kids!

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 11 - June 6, 1010 GUEST POST by Hilarie Lambert

Win a Few - Lose a Few

or Thoughts on Awards, Judging, and Art Shows 

Guest Post by Artist Hilarie Lambert

Third Place Award Winner

I enter a few other shows during the year where you send an image of one or two paintings and cross your fingers they get in. I never paint a painting specifically for a show, rather hold on to one that I've finished that I think may be a good fit, and a painting I think is exceptional. Whether the judge for that shows thinks so is another issue, and I never worry about it because where one person may agree with me, another judge may not. I don't paint for them - I just paint. When someone likes one of my pieces I'm thrilled, and when they buy it or choose it for an exhibit, I am flattered. 

I paint almost everyday, and for the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition, I begin in January working on pieces for this show.  I view this art show llike every other show in  that my goal is to create a cohesive body of work that I'm proud to show. And when Piccolo finally arrives, and my booth is set up, I get to see old friends, make news ones.  It's not about awards, it's about the whole experience.

Marion Square is such a great example of how people react to paintings. As people stroll down the pathways, they are drawn to certain painters. Some like abstract and are mesmerized by the shapes and color. Others are drawn to impressionistic styles, see a landscape painting and are transported to another place. Some people love the emotion of mixed media and others feel the same way about photography.

I love my ribbon. I love that so many other great artists got theirs too. But it's about the experience, the clients and the paintings that matter most.

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 10 - June 5, 1010

Oil Sticks Demonstration

by Artist Madeline Dukes

Part I - Laying the foundation

Madeline gave her demo on oil sticks this morning, and a lot of the artists joined the public and came out to learn - not only did Maddie talk and paint at the same time, she is the first artist I know of to give handouts on the process.  These demonstrations really are free art lessons, and I so appreciate the participating artists because it does take preparation, personal time and lots of energy (especially when its 91 degrees and the heat index is 105 degrees!).  Our artists are great about sharing information, knowledge and painting tips.  It's one of the ways the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition and its artists provide a public service to Charleston and the surrounding community.

Part II- Building the painting up

Part III - Close to the finish

(to be continued...)

The other demonstration today was artist Kevin LePrince, and he was ready to paint 4 hours before his demonstration.

Kevin LePrince, set up for demo by 10:05 for 2:30 p.m. demonstration.

From start

 to finish 

"Chef Salad"

Once he started painting it seems he couldn't stop so Kevin wins the prize for painting 3 demonstrations today!

The other 2 Demos

And another "spontaneous" art demo:

Artist Danita Cole gives a spontaneous art demonstration painting with wax

and really. do you think we'd let a Sunday in the show go by without

Comraderie?

More food. 

We will work for food. We will paint for food.

More food.

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 9 - June 4, 1010

Another steamy day, more inspired creativity - this time songwriting and by the husband of the artist, no less.  Tony Hardwick, husband of Lynn Hardwick, wrote this song not far from the Spontaneous Missile Art Installation (cross-creative pollination going on here, perhaps?)

The Sun of Marion Square  

by Tony Hardwick, wife of Artist Lynn Hardwick

(Sung to the tune of “The House of the Rising Sun”)

There is a park in Charleston.

It’s known as Marion Square,

And every June and the end of May

You’ll find many artists there.

They’re seling oils and watercolors

Mixed Media and photos, too.

They’d love to have you in their tents

To sell  some art to you.

My wife, she is an artist,

And I’m just her old art mule.

I’ve told my kids together 

Not to do what I have done.

For you’re liable to wind up in misery

In the sun of Marion Square.

There were also more great demos going on:

Artist Laurie Meyer

Artist Carol Gardner

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 8 - June 3, 1010

It's Never Too Hot to Party

So today was uncomfortably hot - sweltering, heavy and humid.  One of Kevin LePrince's prospective customers almost fainted today (and he even has the "Tornado" industrial fan in his tent!) One of the highlights was Artist Sheryl Stalnaker's 8 year old daughter Sophie playing her cello in the park:

Thank you, Sophie Stalnaker!

So, what do artists do in this kind of weather? Well, there's always comraderie (or is it misery loves company?). Good food and drink help - those artists in the first picture look pretty happy.  Then we have the really creative types that might break into spontaneous song. or dance. or something weird and unexpected.  Today we were treated to spontaneous installation art on the other  side of the park from where I'm located. 

Spontaneous Installation Art

"The Missile"

by Artist Steven Jordan

Spontaneous installation art is often born of hot and bored, especially when an artist has non-stop creative thinking like Steve Jordan.  He informed me that this part of the park is known as the "CSI Unit" and where I am located over by Meeting Street is known as "The Enchanted Forest" because of all the trees (really, they have lots of trees, also - we just don't have a spontaneous missile installation piece).  

In between spontaneous installation missiles, Steve continues to work on his demonstration from Sunday - a portrait of Tom Starland, publisher of Carolina Arts:

Yes, this looks just like the Tom Starland I saw with his wife, Linda, last weekend at the art show!

I left the CSI Unit and returned to The Enchanted Forest to catch Russell Buskirk's pastel demonstration:

Russell Buskirk beginning his art demonstration

 Taking Shape

Not Quite Finished but Almost!

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 7 - June 2, 1010 GUEST POST by Steve Jacobs

 Guest Post by Artist Steve Jacobs 

 as a PSOAE First Time Exhibitor

"Black & White" by Steve Jacobs

A First-Timer's Reflections a Week into the Show

For many years now I have been going to outdoor art shows and festivals, envying all the artists with their artworks on display. It has been such an inspiration, viewing such an endless variety of styles. I wondered what it would be like to be a part of this celebration of creativity, and then for the first time ever, I got the chance when I was juried in to the 2011 Piccolo Spoleto Art show in Marion Square. Wow!!

There were so many questions of how best to prepare. I knew I didn’t want to purchase a tent or screens and so would rent or borrow them. I felt I had enough inventory. I could figure out prices so as to have a good range for customers.

Ah…, so I also needed a retail license from the state for sales tax, and a business license from the city. So many things to do! Name tags for the artwork; more business and rack cards. I paid my show fee, rented a tent, set up my charge card payment system, and got my guest book ready. A lotto system assigning tent spaces was set up, and I was one of the lucky ones with shade. After the tent was set up, the artwork was hung; I was ready for customers.

I expected the process to be a lot of work, which it was, but I certainly feel it was worth it. In the few days following the opening of the show, I have had a few small sales, and I’m discovering that it is wonderful to be here, relaxing for a while, watching all the people, listening to their comments and seeing their reactions to my artwork. 

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 6 - June 1, 1010

Comraderie - One of the Best Benefits

of the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition

You'll find this scene all over Marion Square during the art show (especially the slower weekdays).  Painting often involves a lot of solitude or "one-on-one" (artist and the painting) in the studio, and it's been my experience that we artists look forward to those times when we can be around others like us, whether it's art openings, art shows, teaching (or taking) workshops and classes.  Artists understand artists - we understand the exuberance, we understand the pitfalls and vulnerability inherent in our profession, we know from experience that a lot of who we are gets poured into a painting, and that artwork ends up taking a little part of us wherever it goes.  We love what we do.  And we love to gather and celebrate life and art and good weather - a 16 day outdoor art show gives us a great opportunity to be together.

And, now - more photos of Artists at Work:

Bette Lu Bentley-Layne's Acrylic Demonstration

Alvin Glen's Mixed Media Demonstration

Scott Penegar - Spontaneous Demonstration

Artists at Play:

Yes, the Artists have been entertaining the crowds and each other with the

2011 Piccolo Spoleto Olympics.

but all refused to have their photos taken out of  concern that others

might study and steal winning techniques.

And finally, Artists being Watched:

Hawk or Osprey?

In any event, the hawk (or osprey) provided the High Drama in Marion Square today.  Seems this big bird suddenly swoops down right by the tents at the corner of Meeting and Calhoun to grab a quick lunch, i.e. it was not a good day for that squirrel.  Eyewitnesses were visibly shaken by the swift  and  predatory act and insisted on being interviewed away from the prying eyes of the hawk/osprey.  There will be further updates on the Watcher if seen again during the show.  If you are in the vicinity, it would be wise to wear a hat. and perhaps sunglasses. in case you are being Watched.