October 2nd Gallery Hop

This is the official banner of The Bowling Green Gallery Hop! In the photo with the banner is Brie Golliher from BGB Photo & Design, the newest member of the group. She called me on Friday afternoon to say the banners were ready and could I run outside and take a quick look. (Sleeping baby in the car.) I grabbed my camera and took this shot to share with you all.

Brie has taken on the responisbility of placing the banners around town for this week's hop. What a trooper! In addition to pounding stakes on other people's property, she is getting her studio ready for her first official Hop night.

In addition to her work, photographers Alan Hudson and Alex Leigh will also be showing work. Brie also will feature a "sneak peek" of a work by Stefan Duncan. Stefan is an artist who lives and works in Charlotte, North Carolina. Brie will be exhibiting his work during December with an opening reception on Gallery Hop night December 4th.

It's no secret who we will be exhibiting this Hop.... Our home page shows work by Yvonne Petkus and James Pearson. If you will be in the area this Friday (5-8), please stop by. As usual we will have refreshments suitable for a Friday evening.

Surprise, Surprise

Many of you know my partner, Steve, but very few of you know that he is an artist. When he has the time, he wanders to the back of the gallery where we have a small studio and relaxes by painting one of his "boats." I will have to delve into his fascination with water and small boats, as I have no idea where this fondness originated. I do know that after seeing several of his pieces, he has an eye for them.

He is off on a mini vacation and I told him the world wide web needed to see this piece. Since I didn't hear DON'T DO IT, I hurried and posted it before he returned my e-mail.

It's always easier to get forgiveness that it is to get permission!

Public Theater of Kentucky Benefit and Live Art Auction

Yesterday, when we were supposed to be enjoying a labor free day, Steve and I reworked our windows in order for the Gallery to showcase the wonderful art work that will be auctioned off at the annual Public Theater of Kentucky or P T K, Benefit and Auction that will be held September 13, 2009 at 440 Main, on the Fountain Square.

Miki Holmes, a wonderful patroness of the arts, has graciously arranged to have her restaurant be the site for this year's function. Not only will we be gathering at 440 but Miki and her culinary staff will be providing the refreshments for the evening. John Martin stopped in the gallery today and told me he would be playing for the event. All in all it sounds like it's going to be a great evening for an even greater cause.....live professional theater right around the corner from the gallery!

I love the place!

Auction will feature the work of:
Joe Downing
Angela Kuprion
Lynette Haggbloom
Kim Chalmers
Lynn Robertson
Yvonne Petkus
Mike Nichols
Marsha Heidbrink
Alice Gatewood Waddell
Jacqui Lubbers
C. David Jones
George Vitorvich
Susan Lackey
Faye Christian Phillips
Mark Whitley
And...Misha Ambrosia / artistic coordinator for the event.

Tickets are available.....just e-mail the gallery and we can get you all the information you need!

New Look

The outside of the Gallery at 916 has been undergoing some renovations. Tonya Taylor an architectural restorer has been working on the limestone columns and caps, scraping old paint and recasting "gargoyles." The old awning has been removed which makes the interior seem so much brighter and the sign has been repainted. We asked (begged) that the awning not be replaced. That made the landlord quite happy, for obvious reasons!

With the changes going on outside, changes must go on inside as well. That means artwork! Our next exhibit will coincide with the Bowling Green International Festival Gallery Walk and will feature Amanda Sears.

Amanda was born and raised in Kentucky and currently resides in Nashville. She spent several years in Chicago perfecting her art in addition to fashion styling and acting.

Amanda's artistic statement actually poses a question for her audience...What do you see?
Drawing from an extensive background in theater and fashion, Amanda creates pieces that incorporate both tactile and visual elements that lead the viewer to discover their own conclusions about what may or may not be conventionally beautiful.

"I want to know what my audience perceives from my work. Although I may create a piece with a certain intention, or inspiration, nothing is more gratifying than to hear what it has encouraged someone else to discover. Ultimately, my work is a modern expression of my energy and truth, whatever that may be at the moment, but when someone looks at my work, it becomes theirs."

Amanda's work will be on exhibit September 18th through October 2009

Always Adding

It is time to shake up the gallery once again. The third Gallery Hop of 2009 takes place on August 14th and a new look is always a big priority. No, we haven't had time to paint the walls, just rearrange the furniture! This time we are showcasing one of our longest running and most loyal artist, Edit Hepp, as well as Debra Gall, who is new to The Gallery at 916.

Edit's work is energizing and melds well with Debra's whose sense of color is deep and dramatic. We feel these artists will enhance the music of John and Marshall who will perform selections from their new CD as well as old favorites. The CD, JMS, will be available that evening as well as their older work.

We are also anxiously awaiting new work by Bill Guffey. As always, we have a special Guffey section. Steve thinks it looks more like a shrine.

Put August 14th on your calendar and come Gallery Hopping!

OOOOPS!

The title of the Karen Hollingsworth piece is "Room for More" not "4 chairs." I apologize for the misinformation.

Is it really August?

The door to the Gallery is open and the air conditioner is off.....is it really August? This is absolutely wonderful weather. Last week my husband and I flew to Cape Cod. I feel like I brought this fantastic weather back with us. What a gift.

Our week away took us to Chatham MA which, if you know your "left arm" geography of the Cape, is at your elbow. Michigander's use the "mitten" to show non-Michiganders where everything is in Michigan and Cape residents use the upper left extremity. Henry David Thoreau was the first to use the left arm analogy and it's accuracy has kept it in use for the past two hundred years.

Everything is Cape Cod is special. The food, the beaches, the ice cream and the weekly band concerts which are held in every town park from Mattapoisett to Provincetown. In Chatham it is advisable to position your blanket on the grass before 9AM as the park fills to overflowing. Not surprisingly for the Cape, no one even thinks of moving a blanket, so even if you are late for the performance your space is still waiting for you. I told you the place was special!

If you are an art lover, the Cape has hundreds of special small galleries, co-ops and art centers. Admittedly, the landscape and the architecture lends itself to all types of artistic interpretation and there is no shortage of places to view and purchase. I think I was most impressed with the Wynne/Falconer Gallery. The owner is Ken Wynne and not only did he know where Bowling Green was located,no body parts needed, he had fond memories of Charlie Garvin! Let me know if you are interested in that link as it would take a post all of it own.

Karen Hollingsworth had work on exhibit at Wynne/Falconer Gallery during July and her piece "4 Chairs" will be on the cover of Southern Arts magazine this coming month. "I'm trying to recreate the experience found when a room is bathed in strong sunlight, transforming simple human things, chairs, beds, paper bags, into objects of beauty." (Artist statement) As far as I am concerned, she can drop the "trying to" she has achieved a perfect recreation of several simple human things. I have visited her website and left a message of admiration. Wonder if she'd be interested in showing in good old Bowling Green. If she answers my e-mail, I just might ask her.