Wednesday, September 30, 2009

10X10 Art Show in Brunswick, Maine

Can you believe that tomorrow is October? It’s almost time for the10X10 Art Exhibit and Sale to benefit Arts Are Elementary. AAE  is a non-profit organization that brings artists to Brunswick public elementary schools. The show opens on Friday October 9th at 5pm and will be up until the end of the month. Poster art "Circles" embroidered by Kimberly Christensen at Spindleworks.

When my daughter was in 4th grade, visiting artists helped the kids create unique claymation movies.  My friend Charlotte Agell, an author-illustrator, works with first graders to make picture books and also contributes to the AAE show. There are many other artists participating. It’s a wonderful supplement to the curriculum.

I blogged about the first annual 10X10 Art Show last year. Despite opening in the wake of the stock market crash,  the townspeople showed strong support.  I sold a painting last year and have a new one in this year’s exhibit. All works are 10 by 10 inches, come framed and priced at $200.

Artists include a statement with their work. Here's mine for this year:


“Lookout Point, Harpswell” watercolor by Sarah Laurence

Rain made this a challenging summer to paint "en plein air." One evening in late August, the light was perfect. I drove to Harpswell because it was close to my home. I’d visited Lookout Point three years ago while researching lobstering for my novel S.A.D.

It was indeed a perfect spot to paint. The goldenrod was blooming and lobster pots were bobbing as the high tide reversed. I had to work quickly in the fading light. As the setting sun shot rays under thick clouds, my palette shifted to pinks, golds and purples. The colors truly were that amazing.  

A painting on location captures a protracted moment in time (eg. the full sunset) whereas a photo would only capture an instant. This is why I work from life.  




Above is my photo of the same island (to right) at a different angle and time of day. The camera sees differently than the eye.  The wide angle lens flattens out the coastal landscape. The water appears more stagnant. The light is flat.  Some images are better captured with watercolor, some with the camera. I prefer to keep them separate, as opposed to painting from a photograph.

Every artist has a unique vision, and the 10X10 captures this diversity so well. The aquatic theme on my blog is a coincidence - Brunswick is a coastal town. Here's a sneak preview from 2 more artists:


"Red Reflection" gouache on wood pannel by Will Wilkoff


"Red Drum" textile art by Catherine Worthington

10X10
Benefit Art Exhibit and Sale
Friday Oct. 9, 5pm-8pm
and Saturday Oct. 10, 10am-4pm
Brunswick, Maine
3 venues: 


1. Morrell Meeting Room at Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St.
2. Points of View Gallery in Brunswick Business Center, 18 Pleasant St.
3. Gallery Framing, 12 Pleasant St

All artwork priced $200 and ready to hang to benefit AAE

There are 300 pieces by 130 Maine artists.  My art is in venue #1.

Press: 10X10 Art Show in the Times Record newspaper.
My painting is there too!

Blog Watch:
  • If you are a Google blogger, check out the updated post editor.  From your dashboard, select “settings” and then the “basics” tab.  Down at the bottom is “Global Settings.” If you have  “old editor,” try “updated editor.” It makes adding multiple photos to your blog much easier.  From the preview box, you can place the photo exactly where you want in the text, resize and change alignment easily.  It also gives a post preview that looks exactly like it will when published. Finally!
Note: images reproduced by permission of the artists and under copyright.

23 comments:

Hana Njau-Okolo said...

No. I cannot believe that tomorrow is October already! But I am sure the children are excited that it is, considering the wonderful exhibition and work AAE is doing.

Lookout Point is breathtaking and I love that you work from life!! Comparing the camera's eye to yours was really good too, very instructive as always. It is a sure sell!

Tracy Golightly-Garcia said...

The paintings are gorgeous! I love the poster--very catching to the eye. Good-luck to everyone I hope many paintings are sold--wish I could attend.
Best
Tracy :)

Sarah Laurence said...

MS, it still feels like summer here but the leaves are changing. It’s a wonderful show. Thanks for the encouragement!

Tracy, isn’t the poster fun and original? Click on the Spindleworks link in the post – it’s a really cool organization.

tina said...

Your artwork is most beautiful. I love your watercolors so much and miss Maine. No, I definitely cannot believe tomorrow is October. Good luck on the art show.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Sarah: Love your island watercolor, Lookout Point. Thanks for sharing your process and rationale for doing things as you do - very interesting.

Thank you, too, for the 'updated editor' tip!

A Cuban In London said...

Thanks a lot for the tip. I just updated my settings. I love your painting because the colours fade into each other. There's no demarcation and that's how I see nature sometimes. Excellent idea of taking the kids to see artists at work.

Many thanks.

Greetings from London.

Sarah Laurence said...

Tina, thank you. It’s a great compliment that my art makes you homesick.

Bonnie, thanks! Art is such a personal process – I do what works for me.

ACIL, I’m glad to hear that tip was useful. I wasn’t sure how new the updated text editor feature was. I stumbled upon it when doing my annual website and blog update. Sort of like spring cleaning in cyberspace. You understand the appeal of watercolor to me and express it well. Even better, the artists come into the classroom daily over the course of the project so the cost and disruption of a fieldtrip is avoided.

Anonymous said...

I loved your evocative water color. Most interesting to see it contrasted with the photo.
Yes, the camera does quite different things than the eye.
I loved the fish painting too.
Good luck with the fund raiser.
All best wishes.

Bee said...

Your watercolor is magical. I love those fleeting moments when so many spectacular colors emerge. I hope your painting finds a good owner!

P.S. Yes, updated editor is much easier to work with!

Kelly H-Y said...

I SO wish I lived closer so I could come see the art show! You are so talented ... your painting is absolutely beautiful.

Nan and =^..^= said...

I love the story behind your wonderful painting for the 10x10 exhibit! Wish you and everyone good luck!
Was in your lovely town of Brunswick yesterday (Tuesday)... it was the first stop on a little excursion from our home in southern Maine to see something different and the mid-coast is about far enough to travel for a day trip for us! (I posted about it over at my Shells and Roses blog)
It's so good to have a little change of scenery every now and then and visiting the mid-coast was so inspiring!
best wishes,
Nan

Tessa said...

Wonderful to be back here after so long away. I see I have a great deal of catching up to do. Congratulations on your YA book 'as u like it'. The concept sounds fascinating, and I look forward to seeing it in print.

Your painting of Lookout Point is very good. The colours are expertly rendered and give the scene a certain resonance and depth which is often not possible to capture in a photograph.

Being drawn to saturated colours as I am, I do love William Wilkoff's 'Red Reflection' in particular. The juxtaposition of fish and bold pattern in Catherine Worthington's textile art is superb, too.

I'm off to play catch-up now with all the your posts I've missed recently...I'm sure to be in for a treat!

Cheffie-Mom said...

Your artwork is soo beautiful!! Good luck with the show!! Blessings!!

Sarah Laurence said...

Ewix, the photo was from 2 years earlier and a much greyer day. It’s amazing it took me so long to return with my paints. I love how my blog allows me to bookmark special places. Thanks!

Bee, I hope so too.

Kelly, I’d love if you could come to the show too, but your comment is a nice second best.

Nan, thanks! It was fun to see your take on familiar places.

Tessa, welcome back! Thanks for your positive thoughts and feedback. So much is up in the air right now: one painting and two manuscripts. It was interesting how all three of us had a water theme and used red to different ends. It’s a show with many other artists well worth seeing. It was so nice to catch up with you.

CM, thanks!

Barrie said...

Sarah, you are so talented! I hope the event goes well.

TBM said...

Yes, October already!! I have been living in my own little Dutch world lately with this intensive class. In a way, I can't wait for it to be over so I can enjoy autumn a bit before winter hits.

I love your painting for the 10x10 show. Wishing all of you much success!

Kathleen said...

Thanks for the updated editing tip! I never do much exploring of settings stuff. So that was much appreciated. It must have been quite a trick to master plein air in water colors! Very impressive.

Rose said...

Good luck on the Art Show! I hope it is very successful; a great way to support art in the schools. Your painting is lovely.

Thanks for the tip on the Google editor. I'm always frustrated when my posts don't look the same as in the preview. Now, if I could only figure out spacing:)

Sarah Laurence said...

Barrie, thanks!

JAPRA, I admire you for doing the Dutch class even before you’ve settled into life in the Netherlands. Thanks on the 10X10.

Kathleen, I took a fabulous summer intensive course at MECA (Maine College of Art) on watercolor on location with Marcia Reed, who was also an oil painter who had switched to watercolor. It really helped ease that double transition. I’m glad the editor tip was useful. Nice to reconnect with you!

Rose, thank you! I sometimes go back and modify the html in that screen when the spacing doesn’t work out after I publish. The preview in the new editor is better but not perfect.

All, I'm installing a new network this weekend so I may be offline for a while.

Kathryn/plantwhateverbringsyoujoy.com said...

Great program. Good luck with it! Thanks for sharing this, as it's inspiring and can readily be copied to benefit other schools. It's gratifying to know artists are making a way to come in and work with children. It will change lives.

Anil P said...

I remember your review from last year. It is a great initiative to have artists interact with students so.

Your line below is a very apt insight:

A painting on location captures a protracted moment in time (eg. the full sunset) whereas a photo would only capture an instant. This is why I work from life.

Jan said...

Your painting is fabulous...the gorgeousness of colour!!
Hope the show is a great success.

Sarah Laurence said...

Kathryn, it would be wonderful if AAE spread to other school districts. It’s really helped us in Maine where schools are under-funded. The kids love it.

Anil, I love having long-term readers like you and so many others. Thank you!

Jan, I shall carry your positive thoughts to tonight’s opening. I always feel a little nervous. Your words help. The exhibit looks wonderful - it is already a success.