Gathering of Artists at Rosenzweig Arts Center

The folks over at the Rosenzweig Arts Center (the RAC) in Columbus, MS started up a cool little arts group about a year ago called the "Gathering of Artists". The point of the group is to discuss art, do art, take field trips to see art, come up with ideas for community projects, give demos on various types of art, and anything else art related. How cool is that? They meet once a month at the RAC at 7pm every 4th Thursday. For more info, go to their blog at http://gatheringofartists.wordpress.com/ Even though I am a Starkvillian, I thought I would go check this awesomeness out. 

The ring leader of the group is Columbus artist Renée Sheridan. When I arrived for "gathering", she  welcomed me to the diverse group of local artists. I brought a couple of my pictures to introduce myself and to give them a feeling of who I am. 

Discussing art

The Gathering

Renée had come up with a project for the group tonight, which she called "being human". Her idea was to create an assemblage using a large mirror as the foundation. Each of us were to bring 3 items that held some personal meaning that we would then affix to the mirror. The mirror was chosen so the image of the viewer would be reflected, thereby making the viewer a part of the artwork. Neat idea. After everything dries, the assemblage will hang in the RAC.  For my part, I brought a turtle shell, a racing bib number, and a small collecting jar. Below of some pictures of the project.

glueing stuff

more glueing and placing

detail of the assemblage

shot of the assemblage

Renée brought some crazy glasses and nose mask deal, of which she had painted eyes on the lens of the glasses. This was part of her contribution. She said that she thought it was interesting that only humans wore masks. Before affixing it to the mirror, I got a before and after picture of her without and with the mask. 

Renee Sheridan

Yep, fun night. Ideas flowing. Lots of talented folks. The RAC is a wonderful space for artists to get together. Tonight we were in a large room in the basement. Upstairs is a very large gallery space (where I will be having a one man show in August!). They also have a smaller side gallery for sales of various pieces of art. And, upstairs is a small Auditorium for performances. In fact, I will be back over there tomorrow night at 7 pm to listen to Cary Hudson and Lauire Stirratt  who used to be a major part of the super awesome alternative-country, roots rock band Blue Mountain. Great band. Looking forward to hearing these two perform.  

I admit that as an artist living in Starkville, I am EXTREMELY jealous of what they have going on a the RAC and of the RAC itself!!! How can we get a place like this? I guess it takes some wealthy art partrons or something. Maybe some day. 

Omnia Scrolls International Art Collaborative Art Project

I will be involved with a cool project coming up called the Omnia Scroll Exhibition. This amazingly awesome project has come about largely due to the efforts of Penelope Oakley. In addition to original artwork on display, large scrolls are being created featuring the artwork of international artists, including me! The next installment of this exhibition will be in March in Venice, Italy! Sweet. Penelope plans to have this show travel to various venues throughout the world. As for me, I have two pieces, Mayan Awakening and Organic Cosmic Lock, that will be printed on scrolls and included in this very unique show. 

Mayan Awakening

Organic Cosmic Lock

The Omnia Scroll Exhibition II, 2013

Art Studio, Via Calnova 9/A San Dona di Piave, Venice, Italy March 2 at 7:00 pm until March 16 at 10:00pm in UTC+01 Beginning in the UK in 2012 this global arts collaboration and exhibition will be touring the world annually. Connecting new artists, exhibitors, galleries and the public alike.  Artists will exhibit their original artworks and each work exhibited will form part of the collaborative work thus creating “The Omnia Scroll” an ever increasing, continually growing work of art, images transferred onto silk fabric cotton canvas panels which will be connected and embroidered with gold thread.  The Omnia Scroll and Exhibitions explore the interconnectedness of all things (Latin for all things is Omnia), with each other and our planet. The curator Penelope Oakley being inspired by and fascinated with ancient wisdoms, science, quantum physics, philosophy and spirituality. The untangible mysteries and invisible connections that merge, from the undiscovered depths of our oceans, of nature, the stars with each other and ourselves. Embracing the connections and similarities of ancient wisdoms and quantum physics. The theme of the exhibition to promote positive connections and explore the visual interpretations of each artist, in doing so increasing connections to a wider audience and to each other. From each original exhibited artwork, a print of which will be transferred onto fabric panels, each artwork creating and becoming a piece of a whole new one, “The Omnia Scroll” will be exhibited alongside the originals. As each exhibition takes place and grows so does The Omnia Scroll, one piece of art, many artists creations, continually evolving.  Two thousand years ago, “Omnia vivunt, omnia inter se conexa.” Everything is alive; everything is interconnected!” Cicero, Roman Philosopher.  The Omnia Scroll now consists of 36 different artists amazing art & 4 panels so far of the Scroll being the growing collaborative work...connecting artists from all around the world.  Artists exhibiting original art at the exhibition include: Tatiana Carapostol James Eddy Alexander Osipov Jamie McCartney Katy Holford Alberto Martinez Carmelo Di Certo Penelope Oakley Federico Sirini Rudolf Lichtenegger Ivana Vavreckova Jenny Lynne Sessions Rachael Linton Lynne Ridden Stuart Griggs Iain Dub Svetlana Belenkin Artists who have contributed artwork for the scroll panels (but did not send original artwork) in The Omnia Scroll Exhibition in Venice include:  Joe MacGown Gary Iles Natalia Bucio Sue Taylor Maria Gorino Alicia Hunsicker James Gill Claudia Vázquez The existing panels from the first exhibition works from the 12 exhibiting artists from that show along with those exhibiting in San Dona di Piave will be exhibited alongside the original works of the above artists.

In other news, I am getting ready for my one man show this summer at the Rosenzweig Center in downtown Columbus, Mississippi. The show is slated for the entire month of August with an opening reception on the first Thursday of that month from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. This will be a pretty good sized show with a nice selection of my art. The originals will be for sale as will a variety of prints. Should be a good exhibition.  I hope to have lots of folks show up to see my unique artwork.