Daffodils Along the Charles, one of my newest paintings (just completed last month in fact) was accepted into Vermont Watercolor Society's 2023 Spring Show. Hosted at the Emile Gruppe Gallery in Jericho, Vermont, the exhibit opens on Sunday, April 2 with a reception from 1-3pm and runs to May 14. 

Selection juror was nationally known watercolor artist Alexis Lavine. I really like her juror statement, very thoughtful, yet to-the-point and accurate about the joys and difficulties of painting in watercolor. Read it HERE.

I'm looking forward to the opening reception up in Jericho (just east of Burlington) on April 2. This is my third acceptance into a VWS juried show in as many tries, so I guess I'm officially a signature member of the group. I don't really know what to take away by attaining that status, but I do feel pretty good about having my work selected for three different shows by three different selection jurors, all accomplished watercolor artists of note at the national and international level.

I'll be showing a selection of 15-18 paintings at Uncommon Grounds' Clifton Park location, June 1-June 26. This busy established local restaurant/coffee business has several locations in the Capital District, and has for a long time provided exhibition space on its walls for regional artists. When their exhibition coordinator contacted me last fall to see if I was interested in showing my work at one of their locations, I said sure (after doing a little research), and picked the Clifton Park location for my exhibit, hoping to expose my work to new audiences.

For artists, being open to exhibiting in a variety of venues and different locales, while also being selective about where and when to show work, can lead to great exposure and rewarding sales/connections/future collectors. In deciding to show my work in a few restaurants and businesses over the years, I've had moderate success at a couple of them and other times, my work just decorated the walls.

There are pros and cons to putting work up in non-traditional exhibit spots such as businesses and restaurants. Yes, your work will be seen by a different audience, but will it be worth the work to get a show together depends on a variety of factors: how busy the establishment is-too busy to run sales or direct interested collectors to purchasing, or not busy enough, so not enough people see the show?  Is your artwork info and marketing material visible enough to potential collectors or is your work just decorating the walls? How organized is the venue and how well do they communicate with the artists? Do they help promote the work on their walls? Do you feel that your work will be safe there? A lot to consider for either emerging and moderately established artists who want to expand their reach to new locales.

Uncommon Grounds runs all the art sales for their exhibiting artists and has an organized approach to their exhibition schedule. The fact that they have a dedicated exhibition coordinator is a positive as well. I'm looking forward to the show and introducing many new viewers to my artwork.

Uncommon Grounds in Clifton Park is located just off Exit 9 of the Northway in Village Plaza at 9 Clifton Country Road; hours are 7 days a week, 6am-8pm M-F, 6:30am-8pm Sat & Sun.

I have watercolor workshops scheduled at two different locations:
Caldwell Lake George Library, 336 Canada St., Lake George, NY
LARAC Mountain Gallery, 21 Bay St., Glens Falls, NY, (entrance is actually on Maple Street facing Crandall Public Library). Classes limited to 6 participants each.

At the Caldwell Lake George Library:
Saturday, March 11, 10am- noon (this workshop is FULL)
Tuesday, April 4, 10am - noon (this workshop is FULL)
Tuesday, May 2, 10am-noon
Tuesday, June 6, 10am-noon
Tuesday, September 19, 2-4pm
Saturday, November 4, 10am-noon
​Tuesday, December 5, 2-4pm
Cost is $25 per person. Registration is directly through the library. You can call them at 518-668-2528 to sign up. The library is located at 336 Canada St., Lake George, NY. $25 payment is made directly to me prior to class. 

At LARAC Mountain Gallery:
Friday, April 14, 10am-noon
Thursday, June 1, 2-4pm
Cost is $35 per person, Registration and payment is made through LARAC. Email mtngallery@larac.org or call 518-798-1144 or stop by either LARAC Mountain Gallery (Wed-Sat, 10am-3pm) or LARAC Lapham Gallery (Mon-Sat, 10am-3pm, Thurs until 6pm).

Not everything I create ends up in a frame.
Some of my attempts wind up in the Drawer of Little Failures.
Not quite bad enough to go straight into the paper recycling bin, this pile of yucks provides important lessons on what really didn't work and what might have had potential before something went wrong with the color, composition, technique, what not.
​I keep them around to remind me that there's always more to learn as an artist.

Big news for the Glens Falls art scene to start off 2023!
LARAC (Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council) is taking on artist Sue Beadle's former Mountain Gallery in downtown Glens Falls as an additional venue for exhibits, workshops, and other events. Executive Director Phil Casabona has big goals for LARAC in his vision for the organization and its ultimate role in our community and region. LARAC will keep the Mountain Gallery name, as a tribute to Sue's hard work and dedication to promoting a vibrant and integrated arts scene in our community.

And in other news - I'm so excited to again work for LARAC to help with exhibits and events at LARAC's Mountain Gallery, as gallery curator alongside Kori Albrecht, another past and present LARAC employee. It's a perfect part-time position, 10-12 hours a week, plenty of time for my own art practice. And it will be a great space to hold workshops, including my own watercolor workshops, so much win-win! 

LARAC's Mountain Gallery will open with a large group exhibit by the Guild of Adirondack Artists, January 13 - February 15, 2023. A grand Opening Reception for the space and the show will be celebrated on Friday, January  13, from 6-8pm. 

I look forward to this new, yet familiar role at the gallery, working with artists and being a part of the downtown Glens Falls arts scene, setting up workshops and other fun events, and helping patrons find some new art for their walls, Never linear, life moves in circles and swirls.