Upcoming opportunity to shop from local artists in person, December 9, 2023
Continue readingBad News, Good News, Good News
Bad news:
Explosive sneezing and uncontrollable coughing aren’t good for public interaction, so I won’t be at the Holiday Bazaar after all.
Good news:
My friend Elizabeth the Jewelry Maker will sell my calendars at the bazaar. She has been a bazaar and boutique buddy of mine for many years and makes wonderful (and very affordable) jewelry. She will accept checks or cash for the calendars. (Be sure to look over her jewelry while you are there!)
More good news:
You won’t catch my bug.
Annual Three Rivers Holiday Bazaar Tomorrow!
Saturday, November 18, 2023
Three Rivers Memorial Building
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Merchandise that I will have available:
Small original oil paintings, Rural Tulare County coloring books (for grownups and older children), Mineral King Wildflower books (only 8 left!), The Cabins of Wilsonia books (never you mind how many are left), single cards, card packages, and 2024 Mineral King Calendars!
Locals, at CACHE, Part 3
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“Locals” is the name of the current exhibit (i.e. show and sale of art) at CACHE, the new name for Exeter’s Courthouse Gallery and Museum. It stands for Center for Art, Culture, and History in Exeter. THE RECEPTION IS SUNDAY, 2-4 PM.
I began my recorded talk about this oil painting, “Groves, Hills, and Mountains” like this:
“A few years ago I became obsessed with the way that orange groves look against foothills and distant mountains. I took many photos and borrowed from friends, and began painting those scenes.”
Locals, at CACHE, Part 2
If you receive these posts in email and the pictures in the post don’t show for you, tap here janabotkin.net. It will take you to the blog on the internet.
“Locals” is the name of the current exhibit (i.e. show and sale of art) at CACHE, the new name for Exeter’s Courthouse Gallery and Museum. It stands for Center for Art, Culture, and History in Exeter. THE RECEPTION IS SUNDAY, 2-4 PM.
I began my recorded talk about this pencil drawing, “Big Oak in the Pasture” like this:
“I spent time with a friend who had cattle, and we often passed this large oak, standing by itself in her pasture. Sometimes I looked at the overall shape, and other times I looked at the tangled branches. I think it is a Valley Oak, and it kept calling me back. I took many photos, not sure how they would get used.”
Locals, at CACHE
If you receive these posts in email and the pictures in the post don’t show for you, tap here janabotkin.net. It will take you to the blog on the internet.
How’s that for a mysterious title?
“Locals” is the name of the current exhibit (i.e. show and sale of art) at CACHE, the new name for Exeter’s Courthouse Gallery and Museum. It stands for Center for Art, Culture, and History in Exeter.
I qualified to show in Locals in spite of never having lived in Exeter because my studio was there for 9 years.
There wasn’t a limit to the number to be entered. Normally in a group show each applicant is limited to 3-5 pieces, so I entered five.
Then we were asked to record ourselves talking about each piece, so that visitors who bring smart phones and ear thingies can scan the scribbly square and listen to artists.
The piece above is Kaweah Oaks Preserve, painted specifically for this exhibit. (If the title of the show is “Locals”, it stands to reason that the art ought to be locally themed).
Here is a little bit of what I said in my recording about the painting:
“Kaweah Oaks Preserve is a place we all just get used to passing without really noticing anything in particular. Driving home on Highway 198, I was surprised by how clearly Alta Peak shows from Kaweah Oaks Preserve. I snapped a few photos through the windshield, then did some photoshop work to see if anything might be useful.”
Exciting Day on the Road
There is an art show coming, “Tulare County: Varied Impressions”. This is the juried show I entered 6 pieces in, in spite of there being a 3 pieces per artist rule. I couldn’t decide, so I let the curator do so. She chose these three paintings:
This meant I had to gather them from three different places where they were hanging for sale, and then drive them to Tulare on a blustery wet day.
It was beautiful out and I thoroughly enjoyed my errands. Tulare is west and south of Three Rivers, a dairy town out in the flatlands. There is lots of open farmland on the route I chose (and also along the ones I didn’t choose).
Valley oaks are a common sight in the Central Valley, quercus lobata, the largest of the American oaks.
Farming is a tough way to earn a living; my mom always said it was like living in a constant gamble. Someone has given up on this grove of walnuts. The price was too low for many growers to harvest this past fall.
Tulare is big dairy country; lots of Portugese immigrated here from the Azores and brought their knowledge with them. Haagen Dazs ice cream is made in Tulare! There is also a Land O’ Lakes production plant there, and probably lots of others I don’t know about. (My family was into citrus rather than cows.)
This is the Tulare Historical Museum, which also has the Heritage Art Gallery, where the show Tulare County: Varied Impressions will be (details below).
After a few more errands, I headed home. While at The Four-Way (the intersection of 198 and 65) where one can turn south toward Exeter, I heard an emergency alert on the radio. It advised people to not drive to Exeter, Lemon Cove, or Three Rivers, saying there were dangerous thunderstorms.
Without regard to the warning, I drove home to Three Rivers, passing by Lemon Cove. There was a fabulous rainbow, and very heavy rains, but it was too exciting to take any photos.
That’s right—I promised you details about the art show.
TULARE COUNTY: Varied Impressions
JANUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2023
Artists’ Reception, Thursday, January 12, 5-7 p.m.
444 W. Tulare Ave., Tulare CA 93274, 559-686-2074
P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STACY!
Christmas in Exeter
Shopping? Not this little gray duck.
But maybe you live locally, and maybe you enjoy shopping.
Christmas in Exeter is more than shopping. Every Thursday night in December is an event unto itself. Many businesses offer refreshments, deals, lights, gift wrap, fun and good cheer. There is a tram that runs from one end of the town to the other (along Pine, from B Street to E Street), maybe carolers, maybe Santa. The entire evenings feel very small town, old fashioned, traditional, and just good.
One place that might be getting a little less visitation than in the past is the Mural Gallery & Gift Shop. This little treasure is run by the Mural Team, AKA Exeter a Festival of Arts. This is the tireless crowd of dedicated volunteers who have turned Exeter into an outdoor art gallery and made the town a destination.
Because this gallery is small, it is often overlooked. An injury was recently added to the insult of being overlooked: the Wildflower Cafe next door closed. Now there is much less foot traffic passing by the gallery. Hence, this advertising blog post.
This gallery is full of art by folks who have painted murals in Exeter. There are originals, prints, and both tchotchkes and useful items featuring murals, in a wide variety of prices and styles.
This gallery has been selling well for me for several years, and I want them to get the attention and visitation they deserve!
I took these photos at sunset when the gallery was closed, so they don’t properly show off the place. Nor do they convey the lively atmosphere of a Thursday night in Exeter.
If this sort of thing appeals to you, I suggest going tonight and/or next Thursday.
Additionally, the Courthouse Gallery is open on Thursday nights this year, where there is still time to see the show Falling Into Winter and participate in their Thursday night events.
This is the museum part of the Courthouse Gallery, photo courtesy of Dwight Miller.
Juried Show Coming Soon
After my post called “Juried Or Judged?”, one might have gotten the idea that I don’t participate in such shows. In general, I don’t. Lots of artists develop a following by entering shows all over the country, paying entry fees, shipping art, paying to have it boxed and shipped back, hoping for prizes, hoping for sales, and likely, ending up discouraged and poor.
I don’t enter shows that are far away. I am a Central California artist, specifically a Tulare County artist who takes great pleasure and pride in finding the best things of this place I’ve called home for 63 years. (We may not qualify for a Trader Joe’s or a university or even for litter-free pothole-patched roads, but we feed the world and don’t you forget it!)
When there are local shows with nominal or no entry fees, shows that aren’t too much trouble to enter, shows that will keep my work and name in the public eye (where old and new customers can find me, because I came here to earn a living), shows that seek the type of work that I do (realistic subjects based in Tulare County), then I might be interested.
Such a show is coming soon. Artists are allowed to enter 3 pieces. It is juried because they have both standards and limited space.
The last time I entered this show, my work was small and placed in a dark corner, which did not do it any justice. Many years later, my work is larger, brightly colored, and I have 7 pieces that I want to enter. I don’t know how to decide which 3 to submit.
Maybe some of these will sell before the show; that’ll help me decide.
What is your Central California artist going to do?? Stay tuned. . .
2023 Calendars Available Here, $20 inc. tax.
An Invitation
Another Reception at Exeter’s Courthouse Gallery and Museum is coming Sunday afternoon, December 11, 2-4 p.m. This show is Falling into Winter, where I have three pieces, including this one, “Unspiced”, 6×12″. (Don’t you think that name is terrific??)
Half the gallery is pieces relating to Autumn/Fall; the other half is pieces relating to winter. There is a wide variety of media (that is the plural of “medium”, which is Art Speak for “stuff used to make art”.) All is for sale, except the pieces that already sold. Duh. Thank you Captain Obvious.
Calendars
2023, Mineral King HIKES, available here: Calendars
You’ll need to click/tap on the link above to see the back of the calendar, not shown out of respect for my Most Faithful Blog Commenter who never allows herself to see what it is in it until the appropriate month arrives.