2013: Let'er Rip!

I'm dedicating this post to my favorite podcaster, Lian Dolan. Lian declared 2010 her year to Let'er Rip. Although I enjoyed following her adventures that year "putting herself out there," I wasn't at a mental or geographical place to do that then. NOW I AM!

After spending 2005-2008 doing mostly printmaking, in the years since, I have gotten back into painting. This began due to the lack of having an etching press. Now, I have fallen back in love with watercolor. I also want to do some large acrylic pieces and learn to oil paint. This led me to the conclusion that I really need to find studio space in which I can paint and leave half finished projects at the ready. (The LAC is one big shared studio space, not individual artist studios.) I'm maintaining my membership at the Lee Arts Center to do printmaking, though.

I have art friends around the area in several studios. I inquired as to openings. Several require artists to reside in the county where they are located (not my county). Several friends told me to come see an available space at Stifel & Capra in downtown Falls Church. At first, I was put off by the small size of the space. Ideally, I was looking for room for a large desk, multiple easels, a flat file, canvas storage, etc. S & C is a gallery space and vintage shop that also rents out space to artists. Eventually, I came around. I decided that potential customers in and out of the business all day made the space worth trying. So far, I've enjoyed working, meeting art enthusiasts and conversing with other artists. It is a joy to go there to paint. Now, I just need to make the space financially viable.

In the Let'er Rip vein, I'm making the most of my Nancy Murphree Davis Art Facebook Page, I've set up a Twitter account @nmd_art (which I have to learn to use effectively) and had an interview with Examiner.com! I also made it into my third Art League Gallery show, which means I can show work in the "bin gallery" fulltime beginning this summer!

The painting accepted into the show was titled "Pope Leighey House,"painted from a photo of the Frank Lloyd Wright Usonion house that is in Alexandria, VA.

New Studio Space in Falls Church

If you are looking for me or my art, you should come by Stifel & Capra and visit the Little City Studios on the second floor.

This is my cute little alcove.

I even have a view of Broad Street out my window!

Second Half of Two Thousand Twelve

As I mentioned in a previous post, we moved back to the Northern Virginia/DC Metro Area in July. As soon as the moving trucks left the driveway, I jumped back into the art world. The first thing I did was to start entering the juried shows at the Art League Gallery in Alexandria, VA. Happily, the two works pictured in previous posts, "On Denby Avenue" and "Point Sur Light Station" were selected for exhibition in September and October respectively. Second, I attended a meeting of the Arlington Artists Alliance. It was great to touch base with friends that I had not seen in several years and I hope that I can participate as a member soon.

My third step was to put in an application to return to the printmaking studio at the Lee Arts Center in Arlington, VA. It was accepted and I moved my plates, papers and assorted materials back into their old home. I have done a couple of monotypes and mixed media pieces, but most comprise elements from several years ago or such. Hopefully, I will have some to post soon.

After spending 2005-2008 doing mostly printmaking, I have gotten back into painting in the years since. This began due to the lack of having an etching press. Now, I have fallen back in love with watercolor. This led me to the conclusion that I really need to find studio space in which I can paint and leave half finished projects at the ready. (The LAC is one big shared studio space, not individual artist studios.)

I have art friends around the area in several studios. I inquired as to openings. Several require artists to reside in the county where they are located and I live further out. Others told me to come see an available space at Stifel & Capra in downtown Falls Church. At first, I was put off by the small size of the space. Ideally, I was looking for room for a large desk, multiple easels, a flat file, canvas storage, etc. S & C is a gallery space and vintage shop that also rents out space to artists. Eventually, I came around. I decided that potential customers in and out of the business all day made the space worth trying. See more in future posts!