Friday, October 16, 2009

Energy Art Salon Competition 2009

I just found out that I was a primary finalist in the international online Energy Art Salon Competition 2009! As a result of this, my entry "Zabulation" with be included in the annual Energy Art Salon Exhibition at Murphy Hill Gallery located on the third floor of the historic Sears & Roebuck Bldg. at 3333 W Arthington St. Chicago, Illinois 60624, USA (http://www.murphyhillgallery.com/ ). The exhibition will run from Jan. 15 - Feb. 25, 2010.

Zabulation

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Current exhibits and art news

Things have been busy this summer - both at work and at home! Although I have been busy, I have also had time to be involved with some group exhibits. I had my painting "Ossiforestation" in the 18th Annual People's Choice Art Competition at the Meridian Museum of Art (MS). The show ran from 6 June through 11 July.


Ossiforrestation

I have a watercolor painting of a zebra swallowtail butterfly on display as part of a group exhibition at Greater Starkville Development Foundation Gallery, 200 Main Street, Starkville, MS. I also have prints of some of my weird drawings at the Creative Warehouse in downtown Starkville. Anyone interested should stop by and buy a print!

I have my drawing "Echinodermatter" in a really cool group show at the Sunrise Gallery in Hamilton, Ontario, CANADA. The show, featuring international artists from the Energy Art Movement is entitled "Green Energy" runs from 11 July through 2 August, 2009. The show includes such notable artists as De Es Schwrtberger, Robert Venosa, Martina Hoffman, Giorgio Vaselli, and others. This same drawing will be included in an upcoming book including the works of 100 international artists. The book includes works of some of the members of the Surreal Arts and the International Imaginative Artist Association (IIAA), both hosted on Deviantart.com, and will be published by nEgoist publishing. This surrealist book collective will be entitled: Imagine the Imagination, New Visions of Surrealism.

Echinodermatter



Friday, May 8, 2009

New work, daily art fix, and exhibit over

Features and Interviews

I was featured as the daily artist on "The Daily Art Fixx", on May 8, 2009! This web site features and writes about a different artist everyday. Very cool You can check my feature out at "Semi-Strange Art: Joe MacGown".

A couple of weeks ago I was interviewed by a new surreal collaborative group called the Collaborative Corpse. You can read the interview here: "Interview with club member Joe MacGown".

MacGown Exhibition in Eupora, MS is now Over

My one man show
at the Bly Fine Arts Center in Eupora, MS is now officially over. Overall, I thought the reception went well, and we had around 150 people show up! If the consumption of the vast quantities of food we had on hand was any indication, the event was a great success. Check out my page for more pictures and info on the show at MACGOWN - EUPORA ART EXHIBIT. Thanks for everybody who was able to make it to the opening and to others who saw the show later!


New painting/drawing finished

I just finished a new mixed media picture done in watercolor and ink on illustration board. I entitled it "Organic Cosmic Lock". Man, this thing took forever! Lots of wash layers, then lots of stipple and tiny crosshatches, then some more washes, then some ink. Anyway, here it is:



Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Upcoming show and 1st place in juried show

MacGown Exhibition in Eupora, MS
Only a few more days until my one man show opens
at the Bly Fine Arts Center in Eupora, MS from 25 April to 2 May 2009! The reception will be on 25 April from 6 to 8 PM. Everything is framed and hanging. A print of my drawing "Infinity" is matted and framed and will be given away in a random drawing. The frame alone is worth a good bit, so come on out and maybe you will leave with a cool print!

First Place in painting and drawing division at Cotton District Arts Festival Juried Show
The Cotton District Arts Festival was held last Saturday 18 April 2009 in the Cotton District in Starkville, MS. This festival has grown and now is considered to be one of the major festivals of its type in the Southeast. Lots of music, art, good food, a 5K race,
and much more. It was highlighted by the juried arts show, which was judged by Sanders McNeal from Jackson, MS. I had my piece entitled "Zabulation" accepted, and my wife Julie had a photograph entitled "Forgotten Moments" accepted. Zabulation won first place in the drawing and painting division!!

Zabulation

Landscapes Show at Greater Starkville Development Office
The landscape show (of which I have two pieces in) at the Greater Starkville Development Office at 200 Main Street in Starkville, MS will remain up for two more weeks. If you happen to be in downtown Starkville, stop by and view the wonderful artwork. It often surprises me how many talented artists we have in our community.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Two weeks to my one man show opens at the Bly Fine Arts Center in Eupora, MS from 25 April to 2 May 2009! The reception will be on 25 April from 6 to 8 PM. I have everything framed and ready to go. I also have some prints that I am planning on bringing by to sell, if anyone is interested. A print of my drawing "Infinity" is matted and framed and will be given away in a random drawing. The frame alone is worth a good bit, so come on out and maybe you will leave with a cool print!

The Cotton District Arts Festival will be held this coming Saturday 18 April 2009 in the Cotton District in Starkville, MS. This festival has grown and now is considered to be one of the major festivals of its type in the Southeast. Lots of music, art, good food, a 5K race,
and much more. It is highlighted by the juried arts show, which will be judged by P. Sanders McNeal from Jackson, MS. I had my piece entitled "Zabulation" accepted, and my wife Julie had a photograph entitled "Forgotten Moments" accepted.

Zabulation

The landscape show (of which I have two pieces in) at the Greater Starkville Development Office at 200 Main Street in Starkville, MS will remain up for a few more weeks. If you happen to be in downtown Starkville, stop by and view the wonderful artwork. It often surprises me how many talented artists we have in our community.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Meridian Bi-State Art Competition



We went to the reception for the Bi-state juried competition at the Meridian Museum of Art tonight (March 21, 2009) from 6-8 PM. This is a cool regional show open to Alabama and Mississippi artists. I was glad to have had both of the pieces, "Nine Panes of Thought" and "Cooperation", that I entered accepted. I won one of the three achievement awards with Nine Panes of Thought. There were also three merit awards and three purchase awards given, including the best of show purchase award. I was not eligible to win any of the purchase awards because I did not agree to sell my pieces for the purchase award amounts (if I were to have won), because the prizes was a fraction of the price of either of my drawings. Unfortunately, I did not know this at the time, otherwise I would have entered something of a more appropriate price. That was a bummer, and apparently I was not the only person who did not agree, but if I enter another year, I will know! And, either way, I won some money and can enter the same drawing in another show.

My one man show at the Bly Fine Arts Center in Eupora, MS from 25 April to 2 May 2009 is soon approaching! The reception will be on 25 April from 6 to 8 PM. I have everything framed and ready to go. I also have some prints that I am planning on bringing by to sell, if anyone is interested. A print of my drawing "Infinity" is matted and framed and will be given away in a random drawing. The frame alone is worth a good bit, so come on out and maybe you will leave with a cool print!

The landscape show (of which I have two pieces in) at the Greater Starkville Development Office at 200 Main Street in Starkville, MS will remain up for a few more weeks. If you happen to be in downtown Starkville, stop by and view the wonderful artwork. It often surprises me how many talented artists we have in our community.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Joe MacGown Art News

Getting closer and closer to my one man show at the Bly Fine Arts Center in Eupora, MS from 25 April to 2 May 2009. The reception will be on 25 April from 6 to 8 PM. I have everything framed and ready to go. I also have some prints that I am planning on bringing by to sell, if anyone is interested. A print of my drawing "Infinity" is matted and framed and will be given away in a random drawing. The frame alone is worth a good bit, so come on out and maybe you will leave with a cool print!

The reception for the Bi-state juried competition at the Meridian Museum of Art will be next Saturday March 21 (2009) from 6-8 PM. For those in this area, this is a great show and there is always some good artwork to peruse. I highly recommend you make it to the opening, as a lot of the artists should be present. I was fortunate to have both of the pieces that I entered accepted. Maybe someone will buy one (or both), although, they are not really priced to sell!

The landscape show (of which I have two pieces in) at the Greater Starkville Development Office at 200 Main Street in Starkville, MS will remain up for a few more weeks. If you happen to be in downtown Starkville, stop by and view the wonderful artwork. It often surprises me how many talented artists we have in our community.

I started a new site where I can sell prints and offer originals for sale at Fine Art America. The site is quite professional, and I recommend it for those wanting to buy fine art prints or for artists wanting to show off their work and maybe sell some prints.

Vacation this week! We are going to spend a few days in a cabin at Oak Mountain State Park in Alabama. Plan on doing some hiking, maybe canoeing about in the lake, taking pictures, etc. Hopefully the weather will be nice.

I have been working two pieces lately that are taking some time. They are both watercolor and ink mixed media pieces. One is basically through and the other is close. I will upload them soon!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Upcoming MacGown Art News

The Mississippi's Best Grassroots Concert and Art Show at Lee Hall at Mississippi State University on 10 February 2009 went well. There were tons of people present and I got to talk to a bunch of them. My art appeared to be well received, and I even had people hanging around for long periods of time checking it out. Because I was a participant, I had a backstage pass and had a chance to meet all of the musicians, including Paul Thorn, who has become an internationally known singer. For more info about the event, I have a site with some pictures up at: http://joemacgown.com/artexhibits/MississippiBestGrassrootsConcert.html

I just received news that the two pieces I submitted to the 36th annual Meridian Bi-State Art Competition at the
Meridian Museum of Art (MS) were both accepted! This is a great show, and I was happy to hear they were accepted. Unfortunately, although my art will be on display during the duration of the show from March 14 - April 18, 2009, my art will not be judged for the best of show purchase award because the two pieces I entered are priced much higher than the amount of the purchase award. In not agreeing to sell the art in case it was to win, I forfeited the right to be included in the judging. It was a difficult decision, and I probably would have entered something different had I known about this in advance. Nevertheless, it is a great show and lots of people will be attending the opening.

I will have two landscapes on display in a group show at the Greater Starkville Development Foundation Gallery from 2 March through 1 May 2009. One of the paintings is an acrylic landscape called "A Cloudy Day in Sessums", and the other painting is a watercolor entitled "Tree in Winter". I am still trying to get ready for my upcoming one man exhibition at the Fine Arts Center in Eupora, MS from 25 April to 2 May 2009. I also need to start thinking more about the reception on 25 April from 6 to 8 PM. Lots to do! Come to the show if you can!

I had three of my drawings published recently in an art and poetry book entitled "Harvests of New Millennium", which is published in India. The three pieces are "Infinity" , "Self Searching 5" , and "Facing the Future" . The book is a paperback on glossy paper, but is not as good quality as I had hoped. However, the artwork in it is wonderful, and I can tell you that I don't mind having art in the same book as Peter Gric and other comparably talented artists!

I am submitting three pieces to the Cotton District Arts Festival Juried Competition held in Starkville, MS on 18 April. I have had good luck in this show the last three years having won 3rd, 1st, and 2nd overall. This show has grown by leaps and bounds and now it has become a regional event. It has been named one of the 2009 top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society. Of course, that means getting artwork accepted is much harder and means a lot more. Wish me luck. I will also be judging the High School Juried Art Show for the festival, which should prove challenging.

In other interesting news, I am on the senior thesis committee for an art student in the Mississippi State University Art Department. Although I am not associated with the art department in any way, both the student and his advising professor are apparently fans of my art work and wanted me on the committee. After two meetings so far, I am finding the experience to be quite rewarding, and hopefully my input has some meaning!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Upcoming Exhibition at the Fine Arts Center in Eupora, MS


My next show will be a one man exhibition at the Fine Arts Center in Eupora, MS. The show will be from 25 April to 2 May 2009 with an opening reception on 25 April from 6 to 8 PM. I plan on having at least 40 framed drawings in the show, and maybe more depending on what I can fit in. I will also have some prints for sale. I plan on giving away a framed print of "Infinity" (see the picture above) in a random drawing. I hope to get lots of people from Starkville to make it to the show, as Eupora is a small town. However, they do have a gallery, so that is definitely a step in the right direction!

In other news, I just found out I will be one of the featured artists at an event at Mississippi State University called "Mississippi's Best Grassroots Concert." The event is from 6 to 9 PM on 10 February 2009 at Lee Hall on the MSU campus, and it is free. Various artists in the region will have several pieces of their artwork on display for that time period with the first hour devoted to viewing the art, and the remaining two hours will be filled with some of the best music from north MS. The music will include a variety of genres having origins in our region including blues, bluegrass, jazz, gospel, and other styles.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

My current show at the Meridian Museum of Art and other news


My 2-man show with Cetin Oguz at the Meridian Museum of Art is up for two more weeks. The opening on January 3 went well, especially considering the fact that it was raining like crazy! I was fortunate to have a nice contingent of people from my home town of Starkville make the trip to Meridian just to see the show. Thanks guys! The response from viewers was great, and I had tons of questions asked. Additionally, both Cetin and I gave a short talk about our art with a questions and answers session. Although, I did not list prices on my work at this show, I still managed to make a nice sale of my drawing "In the Beginning"! I met some wonderful people at the show who showed great interest in my art, and all and all it was a wonderful event. For more info and some photos of the show go to my web page about the show (link).

I had a couple of wonderful write-ups about me and my art in the Columbus Dispatch and Starkville Daily news. The Starkville paper was especially nice because I was on the front page in full color! Very cool.

In other news, I donated a framed print to our local arts council fund-raiser auction (the Starkville Area Arts Council) where we raised over $10,000! The awareness of the arts in our relatively small town has really increased in recent years. I also have some prints on display and for sale at the Creative Warehouse in Starkville (MS). If you are in town, check them out! This week I framed two drawings and am finishing another that I still need to frame for an upcoming International Imaginative Arts Association (IIAA) group show in Los Angeles that should be opening hopefully sometime in the spring. I have a big one man show coming up in late March at the Fine Arts Center in downtown Eupora, MS. This is a small MS town, but yet another one focusing on the arts. I was able to get a grant from the Mississippi Endowment of the Arts to help pay for framing for this show. I hope to have a good crowd on hand and in addition to the original artwork, I will have prints for sale. I hope to enter at least one, and maybe two new works in the upcoming Cotton District Arts Festival juried show in April. This is a wonderful event with many great artists from the Southeast competing for cash prizes. The last three years have been good for me there as I have placed 3rd, 1st, and 2nd overall during that span! I also plan on entering two pieces in the Meridian Museum of Art Bi-State Juried Competition this spring.