ART ATTACK 2013

“The word 'museum' gets its origin from the Greek word “mouseion,” meaning “seat of the muses.” It originated as a place to discuss philosophy, mathematics, science, and politics.”

(Wish I could remember where I found this quote.)

  Art Attack (location, dates & hours below) is a lot of fun. Who knows? You just might find yourself discussing philosophy, art, books, et al. We’re a diverse collection of artists, and the folks who visit our building are even more so.
  What’s new this year? Glad you asked. A few months ago, in a rare moment of cleaning, I came across the catalog I bought at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum  in Taos.
Her in-depth and thoughtful renderings of flowers, combined with the botanical watercolor classes I’ve been taking, inspired me to try my hand at flowers in oil. (That would be painting them in oils...not dipping them in WD40.) The result is a series I’m calling “Georgia On My Mind: An Homage to Georgia O’Keeffe.” (Ya gotta have a title, right?)
  You'll find me and gallery mate Darrell Hagan in Gallery 427. (Take the elevator near Dock 6.)
  Also new this year -- Sun Gallery (Studio 451, just down the hallway from me)  plans to become exclusively an online store. All items in the store will be reduced by 15% to 70% for this sale. They will continue to offer Chinese art and antiques and consultant services.  The Sun Gallery is as close to going through a Chinese museum -- in China! -- as you’re likely to get. This is an amazing place!

ART ATTACK

NORTHRUP KING BLDG

1500 JACKSON ST., N.E.

MPLS., MN 55413

FRI., NOV. 1   5:00 -  10:00 PM

SAT., NOV. 2   NOON - 8:00 PM

SUN., NOV. 3   NOON - 5:00 PM

GEORGIA ON MY MIND: In Homage to George O'Keeffe

All On a Summer's Day (copyright Judy Westergard)

   It's funny, isn't it, how things come together. About three years ago my husband and I took a road trip to New Mexico. We visited Ghost Ranch and a couple of days later spent several hours at the Georgia O'Keeffe museum. I had seen a few pieces of her work in various museums over the years, but this was the first time I'd seen such a large collection in one place.

Fast forward to a couple of months ago when, in a (rare) fit of cleaning my studio, I came across the catalog of her work I had purchased at the museum. I spent the next hour paging through those glorious reproductions, peering at them closely with a magnifying glass, searching for more images on my iPad. What is it that made those close-ups of flowers come alive for me in ways that they hadn't before? I've always loved her work, but this time my reaction to it was visceral...even more so than when I saw the originals in New Mexico.

Into the Vortex (copyright Judy Westergard)

   A serendipitous discovery of a photograph by Minneapolis basketry artist and photographer Tressa Sularz inspired me to try something new. Tressa gave me permission to use her remarkable photo. 

I couldn't wait to buy some new canvases and get started.
   Half way through what became "Into the Vortex," I realized that the skills I'd learned in Marilyn Garber's botanical watercolor workshops and my deep study of O'Keeffe's paintings were somehow working together to loosen  my hand.
   "Into the Vortex" and "All On a Summer's Day" are the result; three more are in the works. I never realized how close, tight scrutiny could change the way I see things. Stay with me, Georgia. You're an amazing inspiration and I'm so glad to have "met" you!