Monday, September 25, 2017

Save the Date!!!


              ©2017 Upper Westside Connection


 If you haven't yet visited the amazing Upper Westside Connection -- the metro area's newest and very impressive center for art, antiques and interior design -- you should definitely mark your calendar for Saturday, October 21. That's when UWSC will roll out the red carpet for its official Grand Opening in conjunction with an extravagant Halloween bash. Everyone is welcome to attend; you need not be a member of the trade to come join in the fun!

UWSC's showroom is already filling with all manner of Halloween treasures, from beautiful blown glass pumpkins to a life size devil peering down from his ceiling-high vantage point. The artists UWSC represents -- myself included -- and dealers will be offering guests all kinds of giveaways, promotionals and prizes.


A peek at some of the "characters" you'll meet at the big Halloween bash. Maybe it's the bandana, but something about that skeleton reminds me of Willie Nelson!        Photo ©2017 Upper Westside Connection


Right now I'm putting the finishing touches on a collection of mini-originals which I'll be giving away to the first 100 people who stop by the gallery area to check out my art! Each mini is one of a kind, rendered in colors that are sure to make you feel happy!

With entertainment for the entire family, plenty of refreshments, and 25,000 square feet of designer furnishings, accent pieces, lighting, glassware, mirrors, pillows, hand painted furniture, artwork and gifts (UWSC has some of the most unique gift items you'll ever see!) be sure to allow plenty of time to see it all. It's a lot to take in, but I promise you will come away with your mind spinning with ideas for feathering your own nest!

So here's the info to remember:

What: Upper Westside Connection's Grand Opening and Halloween Extravaganza
When:: Saturday October 21, 2017
Where: Upper Westside Connection, 2060 Defoor Hills Rd., Atlanta, GA 30318 (at the corner of Collier Rd. and Defoor Hills Rd., between Howell Mill Rd. and Chattahoochee Ave. NW)
For more info, directions, etc: 404-239-5831


Sunday, September 24, 2017

A Thought for Sunday, September 24, 2017

"There is a fountain of youth; it is your mind, your talent, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age." -- Sophia Loren

Sunday, September 17, 2017

A Thought for Sunday, September 17, 2017

"The tongue is more to be feared than the sword." -- Japanese proverb

Artist Tip: The Unlimited Versatility of Cradled Wood Panels

There are so many choices for artists when it comes to supports: canvas, cradled wood panels, wood panels without cradles, watercolor paper, bristol board...the list seems endless.When choosing supports, an often overlooked issue is whether there's enough space in the studio to store them.


A small collage affixed to a cradled wood panel



 
A side view. This particular panel is two inches deep, allowing the collage to be displayed  on a shelf , mantel or table as well as on a wall.


The back side of the collage shown above. Cradled wood panels also make fine shadow boxes.

I love to use cradled wood panels for my work. But my studio is limited on storage space, and cradled panels -- even the slim, three-quarter inch deep ones -- do gobble up a lot of space. The solution that works well for me is to first create my paintings or collages on heavy (140# or 300#) watercolor paper or matboard. I then decide which of them is worthy of being mounted on a cradled panel. Those that don't make the cut are put back in the drawer.

In my studio, one drawer of a storage cabinet is dedicated to storing works on paper. The works are  stored flat with sheets of freezer paper (and sometimes wax paper) sandwiched between each layer. The shallow drawer can easily hold dozens of finished works, whereas, if I had painted all of them directly onto cradled panels, several linear feet of shelf space would be needed to house them.That's storage I simply do not have.

Affixing only one's best works onto the panels keeps costs low because fewer panels are needed. Why have money tied up in inventory unnecessarily?

Cradled panels offer artists an extraordinary degree of flexibility:

1. When turned over, the recessed area in back can function as an attractive shadow box to hold assemblages and other dimensional art.

2. An unframed canvas, a smaller cradled panel, a work on MDF or other substrate can be mounted within the recessed area. The effect is every bit as appealing as having something professionally framed, but at a fraction of the cost.

3. Unhappy with a painting done on a cradled wood panel? Just sand it off and start over!

4. Deeper versions make wonderful drawer dividers that are heavier and more economical than typical plastic dividers. They do a great job of holding socks, jewelry, ties and other wardrobe accessories.

I find cradled wood panels to be easier to work with than canvas.They're much sturdier, and therefore are less susceptible to damage or rough handling when art must travel to shows or be shipped to remote destinations. Mounting watercolor paper to canvas is certainly do-able, but it's a more tedious process because the canvas must be supported from beneath as the paper is applied and a brayer used to press out any bubbles in the glue. Made of fabric, canvases can be punctured or torn all too easily.

So how does one adhere works on paper to a cradled wood panel? My next post will reveal everything you need to know, including secrets for achieving a flawless, professional-looking finish. So stay tuned!

Text and images ©2017 Lynn Edwards

Sunday, September 10, 2017

A Thought for Sunday, September 10, 2017

"If in the last few years you hadn't discarded a major opinion or acquired a new one, check your pulse. You may be dead." -- Gelett Burgess

Sunday, September 3, 2017

A Thought for Sunday, September 3, 2017

"The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men." --- Martin Luther King Jr.

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Artist's Tip: Open With Caution

Over time those soft plastic bottles of acrylic paint can build up pressure within. When the cap is removed, the resulting splat! can ruin a painting if a blob of airborne paint lands on its surface. To avoid this, always open those soft plastic bottles with your back to your canvas.

©2017 Lynn Edwards