LAST DAY IN MARION SQUARE FOR 2011 Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 16 - June 11, 2011

Today is the last day of the 2011 Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit in Marion Square - it's a gorgeous day to be outside - get your fresh vegetables from the Farmers' Market and visit me at Booth  #82:

Beginnings: Work

Illuminations Series 

There are 2 more days to visit the Infusion Show with a Finale Reception tomorrow from 4pm - 6pm:

The Sun Rises and Sets

Original Illumination with Mixed Media on Wood Panel

12" x 12"

$225.00

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Day 14 - June 9, 2011

More from the Infusion Show

"Embrace the Invitation"

Original Illumination with Mixed Media on Wood Panel

18"x18"

$450.00

My artist statement for the illuminations in the Infusion Show:

Altered Settings: Unexpected Beauty in Timeworn Fragments

by Amelia (Mimi) Whaley

“ Altered Settings” was inspired by pages from Books of Hours, small medieval manuscripts hand-written and illuminated on vellum, which I saw in museums in Paris.  Signs of age were obvious with stains, worm holes, torn vellum. As with our bodies, everything is in a state of decay, following the laws of nature. 

Amazingly, the beauty of these illuminated manuscripts transcended their visible decay. I found the worn pages more beautiful because of the smudges, teardrops and other stains left by the hands and hearts of their owners.

When something is broken, damaged or shows some imperfection, we normally choose one of three options to deal with “damaged goods”. First we can salvage or preserve it, depending on the perception of worth or importance. Second, we can discard, de-value or even destroy it. The third way is to introduce, integrate or infuse it into another form, creating something new that could not exist without the attributes of the damaged item. 

I created illuminated pages in a manner authentic to the time, using vellum, natural pigments with egg as binder, 23 karat gold leaf and dip pen and ink. After aging and distressing a page, I incorporated it into a larger work of mixed media on wood panel, changing the nature of both the illumined page and the wood panel. The integration highlights the beauty of the illumined page, even in its damaged condition, much as a setting for a precious stone.

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - Memorial Day, 2011

Andrew W. Nelson, III, World War II Veteran

Thank you, Andy, for your service to our country!

The last few years, Andy and Phyllis Nelson have come down to attend the Memorial Day Concert in Marion Square and visit with me.  I wrote a blogpost last Memorial Day about Andy, and his story bears repeating.  Andy served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1952 and saw active duty in both World War II and the Korean Conflict.  During World War II, Andy served throughout the Pacific as a Navy Frogman and participated in several major invasions - Palau Islands Invasion, Philippine Islands Invasions and the Invasion of Okinawa.  Andy earned every one of the many medals you see on his chest - the Bronze Star with Valor (V), the Purple Heart, the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre of War with 3 Bronze Stars, the World War II Victory Medal and the Philippines Liberation Medal with 2 Bronze Stars, just to name a few.

My father, Marion Hampton Whaley, also served his country during World War II.  He was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force, flew 125 missions and survived being shot down.  As his oldest child, I was given his medals, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart, among others, at his funeral 16 years ago. Knowing Andy and Phyllis Nelson has helped me appreciate and understand better the import of my father's service to our country.  This is a day to honor and remember all those who serve in our armed forces to ensure the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit - May 28, 2011 - Day 2

3 of my very good friends!

Justin, Gabrielle and Justin Dauway

Stephen (10), Gabrielle (3) and Justin (6) came by today from Orangeburg and made a special effort to find my new space  - For Stephen's 10 years,  my space was next door to his grandfather, Floyd Gordon, and each year we've chronicled their growth on this blog.  It's hard to believe Stephen is already 10, and  I even remember when Justin was born and 3 years after that, Gabrielle - what a great family!  

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Show and Infusion Art Show

First Day - Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition

We were fortunate - cloudy, nice breeze and no rain- getting settled in - we're all in different spaces this year, which I think is a good thing.  Today was jurying and getting to know our new neighbors, plugging in our cell numbers in each others' phones so we can be back in a flash to make a sale. Getting used to the new hours 10-6pm instead of 10-5pm.  A little confusion there, but hey, we're all in right brain territory.

Alex finishes hanging my exhibition

for the Infusion Art Show

We had the opening reception last night and and an encore reception tonight (we like receptions...).  I'm so honored to be part of this show - a true multi-media event  with 14 artists, 8 musicians and air conditioning.  The receptions were lots of fun and we've had good press, and I love that my tent in Marion Square is right across the street from the show!

I had a wonderful surprise last evening when my friend Andrea showed up at the reception with purple hair and her new husband (both are fabulous) - Andrea, you made my day! And congratulations!

Writer Andrea St. Amand and husband, Colive

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Show - Sunday, May 30, 2010

MORE WINNERS!

SECOND PLACE AWARD

"Mystery" by J. Victor

and

/

THIRD PLACE

"Perfect Speed #2 by John Michiels

Only 3 days into the show, and we still have energy!  

Well, maybe not everybody....

 A childhood friend from Edisto summers, Fran Pund Tuttle, drove up from Beaufort with her friend, Beth Brewer.  Fran and I connected on Facebook and it was fun to reconnect today in person after years and memories I hadn't thought of probably since those summers just came flooding back - it was great to see her and catch up a little and make plans to keep in touch. Seeing old friends and meeting new ones are a big part of what I enjoy about the Spoleto season!

Fran Pund Tuttle and Beth Brewer

 Fran and Mimi

Good news! People walking through the park with paintings this weekend - a great visual because it means paintings are being purchased - it appears to me that people are more deliberate about their art purchases this year - a wise choice, especially in this economy. I believe people buy art for different reasons but I personally enjoy watching people discuss and purchase artwork that is meaningful to them, for reasons that go beyond color, line, etc.  There's an indefinable something, a connection, an engagement that occurs between the artwork and the viewer that transcends the visual.  A few years ago I was at a conference in Austin, Texas with a featured art exhibition, and as I viewed the paintings, I was immediately drawn to one with collage and mixed media. And I kept coming back to it - it went with nothing in my house, but I found that the painting was more important to me than whether it "fit" into my "decor" (if you define "decor" as "early Southern clutter" or "I'm an artist and messy-deal with it").  I bought it and had it shipped home, and it continues to excite me, inspire me, challenge me and remind me to think "outside the box".  Even now, just writing about it makes me smile!

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Show - Saturday, 5/31/08

The second Saturday - an exciting day with good sales and good friends, culminating at 5:30 p.m. with our annual Artists' Picnic. Mayor Joe Riley and Ellen Dressler Moryl, Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of Charleston, were special guests; we presented Mayor Joe Riley with a Proclamation, read by Artist Tate Nation. Below are the "Big Five."

Billie Sumner and Victoria Platt Ellis are the Coordinators of the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit, and their hard work all year long pays off - each year, this juried show gets better and better. Here they are, hard at work before the picnic:

Today was a surprise for Billie Sumner who has coordinated this Art Show since its inception over 25 years ago. She was honored with this framed official 2008 Piccolo Spoleto poster created by Dr. Richard ("Duke") Hagerty, especially inscribed by the Artist, by Ellen Dressler Moryl and by Mayor Riley:

There on hand for the food and festivities were Tommy, Billie's husband - such an Art Show trooper and so supportive all these years - together with their lovely daughter!


Some of the artists ending a beautiful (but hot) day in the park and enjoying the good food and Cuban music:

Colleen Weissman, Hilary Lambert and Husband and Joyce Hall

The fun started long before the 5:30 picnic. My friends, Artist Lynne Hardwick and her husband, Tony, and I began our afternoon with a "Mango Moment." The term, "Mango Moment" was born last year at the art show when the three of us discovered a weakness for Italian ices of only the mango variety. I personally believe the mango ices have a beneficial, even euphoric, effect on our physical and emotional health, and I think Lynne and Tony would agree with me. We've experienced it first-hand - quite different from a glass of wine but, in my opinion, just as fine. There's nothing quite like the frozen brain syndrome of too much ice that travels suddenly to chill the brain -there's nothing you can do but "ride the wave" of the Mango Moment when the brain encounters the shock of the undiluted ice. What a great de-stressor (after all, how can you think of anything else at that moment)! On the other hand, when supplies are low at the Italian Ice Cart, we have to breathe deeply and remind ourselves that "it's only an Italian ice, not the end of the world..." There appeared to be a crisis looming when there was only enough mango for one. But Tony and Lynne being kindhearted, split it between the 3 of us:

Blogger and Artist Friends share a Mango Moment

Thankfully, later this afternoon, after several hours of discussion and investigation into the recurring unavailability of mango, Tony found a reliable supplier for us, with enough for each of us to enjoy our own Mango Moment for the rest of the show.

One of the most fun parts of being at this art show is the festive atmosphere and the friends that come by to see me! My CPA, Harry Jones, and his wife Gwen came by:


followed by my dentist, Dale Finkbine (also an artist):


Then came Bob, Lynn and Will Henry Lawrence:


My cousin, Katherine Whaley and her friend, Erin:


Howard and Sandra Rambo:



And what great fun to see and be around Callie Sanders and her grandmother, Boo Wilson (one of my close friends). They are far more fascinated with each other than with anybody's art. And that's how it should be...

Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Show - Friday, 5/30/08

Well, it seemed I missed the high drama (though, maybe not sales) at the Art Show yesterday during my "rain day." According to Victoria Platt Ellis (Vicky), PSOAE Co-coordinator, we had a bomb scare at our corner yesterday - a suspicious metal box left on our Meeting & Calhoun corner. No one knew how long it had been there, but an hour passed and no one came for it. It was carefully observed by Artists Tate Nation and Richard Johnson, and, according to Richard, it didn't tick or make any kind of sound. The suspicious box was marked "dremel." The police came out, put on the gloves, opened the box. It was, thankfully, not a bomb. Only a drill.

***
Artist Kevin LePrince was at the Park yesterday but manufactured his own "rain day" at home. He turned on the water in the bathtub, answered the phone, got involved in the conversation, forgot about the bath and flooded his entire apartment. (Anyone who is an artist can understand how easily this can happen...) It is still drying out as we blog.

The good news is that Kevin is the owner of Rick Reinert's oil demonstration yesterday. The subject matter was Kevin's tent. Think about it - gray day, white tent. I think it might be a mood painting...

While I was engaged in the conversation about demos and rain days, a downtown florist delivered flowers to all the artists whose tents are close to Janice Waring's tent - below is a picture of Janice and the "Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit Flower Guild 2008":
This is Janice's first year in the Art Show, and the flowers were her gesture of thanks to these artists who've been so helpful to her this first week. Here's Janice in front with the other artists. It was a great surprise to Kathy Clark, Roberta Byron, Diane Odachonski, Tammy Papa, Laurie Meyer, Honor Marks, Rick Reinert and Kevin LePrince (as you can see, he's already on his cell phone calling his friends to let them know about the flowers).

As you can see more clearly in the following photo of Janice and her good friend, Anne Cogswell Burris (my classmate from high school who is sporting the sunglasses and Starbucks), Janice has given new meaning to fashion for a 16-day Outdoor Art Show in 80-100 degree temperatures with the humidity off the index of late May, early June in Charleston, SC. Check out the (1) pearls (they're real), (2) izod alligator, (3) Coach "...leading American designer and maker of luxury lifestyle handbags and accessories, including..." shoes and, last and probably least, (4) $29.00 skirt from Belk's:

***

After a day in the park, I headed over West Ashley for the Crown Arts, Inc. Karate Awards. Here is my oldest niece, Ashley Whaley with her new Green Belt:

and, wouldn't you know it, I walked in and sat right down in front of another artist in the Piccolo Art Show, Melinda Lewin, who was there to see her Little Ninja, Zachary, get his yellow belt: