THE MULLIGAN STEW JEWELRY PHOTO ALBUM

Friday, March 21, 2014

The Oak Room Art Gallery

This week we traveled to Columbus, Ohio.  I had lived there for over 17 years, and the area is familiar to me.  It remains rich with memories.  While there, we stopped in to visit The Oak Room Gallery, located in the Short North Area.

The rain was coming down in buckets...there were few people in sight.  The upside of that is parking was easy to find.

We arrived early, so we had the Gallery to ourselves.


Adam Kiger's Art is there on display until the end of March.   His Artwork consisted of multiple pieces on canvas using Acrylics and Charcoal.  Except for one piece, they were created with a myriad of shades in black and white.


Seeing Artwork in a photograph truly cannot convey the experience of standing in front of the actual piece.  The size, the subtle lines, the shapes, the details.  The reality of being with the Artwork.  Seeing it and Feeling it.

I took several pictures with my camera.  Not so much as to photograph the Artwork as to capture being there with it.  I stood before each piece, seeing it with my own Artist eyes, feeling it in my own way.   I enjoyed learning about it from the Artists perspective as I read his accompanying written information, including the title, of each piece of Art.

My thoughts and feelings combined to define my own interpretation of each piece.

I thought about how each empty canvas begins horizontally, stretched to fit a wooden frame....then transformed into a vertical work of Art.  How creating is a means to an end....one piece at a time...like stepping stones of yesterday that build a path into tomorrow.  I took this picture.








One of the pieces, titled "Eventually",  drew me back again and again.





It was as if it were the only picture in the Gallery.  I felt loss, love, and hope.  I saw pure innocence.  I had the sense that they were in this together, and so was I. I heard the struggles of communication. I saw how closely entwined are the actions of despair with the actions of affection. 

I reflected on my own experiences that are similar.  That have been similar.  That will be similar.

Websters defines Artwork as ".. a painting, sculpture, photograph, etc., that is created to be beautiful or to express an important idea or feeling : an artistic work.."

To me, Adam's Artwork expresses many ideas and feelings.  And that is what makes it beautiful.


Monday, March 17, 2014

YouTube video?....yeah, I did.

I went to visit an accomplished Artisan, and a dear friend last weekend.  Brenda Sue Lansdowne is the owner of BSueBoutiques.com , a jewelry Artisan, and all around great gal.

You can learn more about this incredible Artist here:

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/dt_brenda_sue_lansdowne.shtml

Among her many accomplishments, she is also known for her outstanding YouTube videos.  Her "how-to" demonstrations, coupled with her down home charm, are favorites for thousands of viewers.  It is not unusual for just one of her videos, of which she has made bunches, to be viewed over 14,000 times.  In fact, her YouTube channel has had over 1.5 MILLION views!

Can you say NERVOUS!

Imagine the joy....and the anxiety...I felt when she asked me to do a video tutorial with her on how to chemically etch metal.  I knew the only way I could do it, and get through it, was with her help. 
Hmmmmm.........here she is...messing around before the video in her Store located in East Palestine, Ohio.  This is where we shot the video.

My husband Mike was there too, but he is camera shy.  He spent his time reading a book and staying out of video camera view....well, except for this quick camera shot.  Is he handsome or what?
Well, the video was made, and we had a good time.  I had to take some fake roses and put them between my teeth for a moment.... and do some other goofy stuff.   I am pleased with the outcome, and so was Brenda Sue.  I hope that many others will now feel confident to try etching metal.  I don't know if I will ever participate in another video.....I had a case of the nerves for days prior!

So here is the YouTube video.  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghWTlyRHuZo&list=UUZf8o6MNmzVKZf_CnHu0J8w

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