For The Quarrier

"For the Quarrier" will be on exhibit in the David L. Dickirson Fine Art Gallery at Tamarack through June 12, 2016.  It is part of the Narrations exhibit.  This is an abstract acrylic and graphite painting about the textures and shapes that might be found in a quarry.  As I painted this piece, I thought about my great great grandfather, Leon Bourgeois, a stonecutter who left his home in France in 1860 to come to the United States and build a new life.  He is just one of the many creative people in my family.

Composition In Blue & Gold

Composition In Blue & Gold is on exhibit at the Stifel Fine Arts Center in Wheeling, WV through May 20 as part of the Crosscurrents Juried Exhibition.

If you happen to be in Charleston, WV be sure to visit the State Museum at the capital complex.  The prize winners from the recent West Virginia Juried Exhibition will be on display in the second floor gallery.  The exhibit is free and open to the public.

"Balancing Act" and "All Fall Down"

Balancing Act

 All Fall Down

"Balancing Act" and "All Fall Down" were selected to be part of the West Virginia Biennial Juried Exhibition held in the David L. Dickirson Fine Art Gallery at Tamarack, Beckley from November 2015 to February 2016.  "Balancing Act" earned an Award of Excellence and became part of the permanent collection of contemporary art at the West Virginia State Museum in Charleston.  What an honor that was!

Then in February when the show closed, I was expecting to be notified when I could pick up "All Fall Down" and bring it home.  Instead I received a phone call from the museum letting me know that they had decided to purchase that piece for the collection as well.  Amazing!

So 2015 was a very good year for me artistically speaking.  In addition to having paintings placed in the museum's collection, I was also invited to exhibit "Vespers" at Exhibition 280 at the Huntington Museum of Art.  That exhibit ran October 2015 to February 2016.

I remember visiting the Huntington gallery with my high school art club.  It was the first art museum I had ever been in.  That day I stood before a painting called "Joyce" and was almost overcome with awe.  I never dared to dream that I would one day have a painting of my own on exhibit in that very room.

Also in 2015, I became a juried Tamarack Gallery artist.  Tamarack, located in Beckley, is a beautiful place that showcases fine art, crafts and other products made by West Virginians.  It is touted as "the best of West Virginia."  I am SO PROUD to be a Tamarack artist and to have my artwork exhibited alongside the work of so many wonderful artists.

My painting "Off the Deep End" earned Best In Show at the West Virginia Watercolor Society's All Member Exhibit in Fairmont.  And "All Fall Down" received an Award of Excellence at the WVWS Aqueous 2015 Exhibit at the Stifel Fine Arts Center in Wheeling.

So I think that brings my blog up to date for 2015.  I vow to be more diligent with my postings from here on.  Thanks for your interest and moral support!