Joe MacGown's Art Blog

Well, about a week or so ago, I talked to a couple of Landscape Design classes from Mississippi State University at the Greater Starkville Development Partnership Gallery in downtown Starkville. One of the professors, Bob Bruzak, had attended the opening for our abstract show and thought it would be cool for me to talk to the students about nature in art, abstract design, artistic process, putting yourself out there as an artist, and other things. I thought it went pretty well and I even had a few questions afterward.

This week, yet another talk to art students. I traveled over to East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, MS at the request of Terry Cherry, an awesome art instructor over there, to talk to some drawing I and II students, as well as an art appreciation class. I showed them about 10 of my works and described my random process of creation. I tried to emphasize that uniqueness is important and everyone has something in them that makes them different. Harness that, and, well, that's the ticket. Of course, skill is important and fundamentals don't hurt. Look at the world in your own way and try to express your visions artistically! Anyway, another nice group of kids! Also, it was good to see Austin Miles over there in the art appreciation class. Austin used to run for me when I coached XC at Starkville Academy. And, its always a pleasure to hang out with Terry Cherry and Lisa Spinks!

So, what's happening with my art lately? Here is the latest news. Check it out campers.

Starkville Area Arts Council Exhibition "Abstract", 4 August- 31 October, 2014

Well. Of course, currently I have the three abstract pieces in the Starkville Area Arts Council Exhibition in Starkville. Yep. The opening reception was last night at 5:30PM (21 August 2014). It was fun, quite a few folks came by for snacks, wine, art, and awesome conversation. I met some new people! Man, those snacks things were good. I especially liked those sweet little deals topped with cherries that Betty Jane Chatham made!! And, to top it off, Betty Jane bought one of my paintings! Awesomeness. If you did not make it to the reception, the show will be up thru October, so come on by! Come on by and buy something!

Here are a few picts from the show.

Meridian Museum of Art 2014 Bistate Art Competition

I had a piece accepted into the Meridian BiState Competition, which opens on the 20th of August at the Meridian Museum of Art here in Mississippi. The pieces is entitled "Blue Fish." The piece is mounted on some old barn wood and has a black frame around the wood. Looks quite cool.

More about the show: August 14 - September 28, 2013 40th Annual Bi-State Art Competition Exhibit– The oldest juried art competition in the region, featuring the finest artists in Mississippi and Alabama competing for over $3,000 in prizes. (Awards Presented by Juror on September 28, 7 p.m.)

Blue Fish

ENDANGERED VISIONS/ INTERNATIONAL SURREAL/VISIONARY/POP SURREAL/LOWBROW ART EXHIBITION

ENDANGERED VISIONS

An International (Pop)surreal/visionary/lowbrow/fantastic/symbolist art exhibition

Manila Art 2014

October 2014

Endangered Visions is a collective Exhibition of Selected Artists from both local as well as International regions, WITH a ROSTER of works, showcasing meritorious excellence in the fields of Surrealism (pop,etc),Visionary, Fantastic and Lowbrow Art with the aim of invigorating the Art scene with unique, fresh, and fantastically original works of Art, works particularly culled from the innermost recesses of the Mind, crafted from a highly Imaginative artistic consciousness, which in our contemporary post post post modern times is quite RARE, and is almost endangered of being unnoticed and exclaimed...Curated by Artist GROMYKO SEMPER, with introductory notes from writers Krip Yuson and Jojo soria de Veyra.

This will be a super cool international exhibition in the Philippines being put together by the amazingly talented Gromyko Semper. I will be sending my piece entitled "Going to the Circus" to this show, which includes a phenomenal cast of international artists. Very honored to be exhibiting with these folks.