Arts on Main

Community Arts Center in Gloucester, Virginia

Nancy McCarra adds to her diary…

October 28: Today I wanted to have a building in my painting. Found a nice view of a house on Goshen Farm property. Started the sketch about 9:30am and then painted until 11:30 when the light changed. I decided the leafless tree in front of the house was not working as part of the design so I edited that out changed the shape a position of the tree on the right. As an artist this is something I am trying to develop more in my painting-designing-and being comfortable moving things around or totally leaving them out.

  • Original Sketch
  • Painting

In the afternoon-a sunny day-I worked on my start of the trees looking from the Carriage House. After working for about 2 hours I was satisfied with my painting. Even from last week the leaves are showing more color as we approach the end of October.

Andrée Tullier, shares a few thoughts from her first week in residence.

October 21st: Studio Set-Up

Setting up my studio was effortless!

The taboret (a small portable stand for holding supplies) on the far right is furnished with a glass palette (for mixing paint). A table for my computer and an amazing easel plus a stool makes for a great working environment. I am working from high-resolution photographs of subjects that I am photographing here in Gloucester with a Canon digital SLR. I view the photos on my iMac which I brought from my Maryland studio.

October 22nd: Gallery Talk

The gallery talk took place on Tuesday, October 22 at Arts On Main Gallery in Gloucester, VA.

I shared about my path as an artist from my interest in art as a young girl to my areas of concentrated study with my amazing teachers. I have been teaching for over 10 years at an art center in Annapolis as well as my studio. And, I also travel outside of Maryland for workshops. My foremost interest is in portrait and figure work, which keeps me busy and doing what I love.

October 23 – Sketches of Gardener at Goshen Farm

These rough charcoal sketches show my process of working out the design ideas from the images that I select. The gardener is shown in three different photographs. I like the one where it shows him taking the cart back to the garden shed. It tells a clear story. The top right design presents the gardener in a more contemplative state. As he gazes down the lane he surveys the work that is required to keep the garden healthy. The bottom right is the same image which was cropped and the perspective was changed to fit into a more vertical format. 

I chose the image of the gardener in his more contemplative state. The size is 12″ tall by 16″ wide and is oil paint on linen. This is my initial lay-in of paint. I am blocking in colors using the most basic abstract patterns. The decision to include the large crepe myrtle tree to the gardener’s right has not been decided. I like how the painting looks without it — giving the garden a more expansive feel. If I included the tree, it would act as a boundary and nestle the gardener within the scene.

This palette includes: French Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean, Turquoise Blue, Cobalt Blue, Veridian, Permanent Green Light, Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cadmium Orange, Scarlet Lake, Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Red Deep, Permanent Rose, Permanent Magenta, Caput Mortem Violet, Indian Red, Yellow Ochre, Purple Madder Deep, Titanium White

The Artist in Residence (AiR) Program is generously sponsored in part by the Cook Foundation.

Nancy McCarra, shares a few snippets from her first week in Gloucester.

October 21: Painted a cloudy day from the pier at Goshen Farm in the afternoon.

October 22: Gave my presentation and talk at Arts on Main relating my artistic journey. Also brought 6 paintings to be displayed at the gallery through November.

Late afternoon I painted another cloudy day scene at Goshen. Avoided the rain by standing in the garage.

October 23: Up early to capture the sunrise.

October 23: Painted the same scene as Monday, this time a sunny day.

October 25: I was able to further develop this sunny day landscape in the morning. The water was very calm and smooth with a brighter reflection on the surface so I adjusted the color to show that.

The Artist in Residency (AiR) Program is sponsored in part by the generosity of The Cook Foundation.

Call for Entries

Arts on Main invites artists of every medium and level  to submit up to three works of art for the Annual Juried Exhibition, opening March 6th, 2020. The exhibit will run through April, with the potential of a number of works being selected for our Annual “Art & Flowers” exhibition which celebrates the beauty of spring with live floral arrangements inspired by select works. Both exhibits will be on display during the Daffodil Festival, exposing the participating artists to over 20,000 visitors from across the Commonwealth and beyond.

Prizes

First Place: $1,000 and a future solo show at Arts on Main

Second Place: $500

Third Place: $250

Entry Eligibility

-Original works in any medium, both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional

-No size or subject constraints

-Artists aged 18 years or older

Entries

-Fill out one form for up to three pieces

-Include a digital image of each entry in jpg format, no less than 500K and not to exceed 2MB

-Digital images should be clearly labelled with your last name, first name and title. For example: SmithJane-EveningLandscape

-Online entries should be emailed to: assistantdirector@gloucesterarts.org

-Other entries should be mailed to 6580B Main Street, Gloucester, Virginia 23061 Attn: Saraya Cheney (those who mail their entry still need to submit their images via email)

Fees & Deadlines

-Early entry deadline is midnight on December 13th with an early entrance fee of $25/three entries, after this date the entry fee goes up to $35

-The final deadline for submissions is January 10th at midnight

-Accepted works should be delivered to Arts on Main on either March 3rd or 4th, between noon and 5pm

-Notification of acceptance into the show will be emailed no later than January 21st

Jury Process

-All artwork will be juried in digital format

-2-Dimensional artists may submit up to one photo per artwork

-3-Dimensional artists may submit up to two photos per entry

Sales

-Entries can be for sale or display only

-All work for sale must be priced to include the 30% commission to arts on Main or marked NFS (not for sale).

For any questions or concerns, please email: assistantdirector@gloucesterarts.org

AiR Mail ~ Our artists in residence tell their stories…

Deliece Blanchard, one of the Artist in Residence this October shares her thoughts and diary with us to help us gain more insight into an artist’s creative process.

Day 1 Tuesday, Oct. 1 – I arrived bringing six paintings for the Arts on Main Gallery. The large “Morris Orchard Cabin” NFS, and five smaller paintings representing the Blue Ridge landscapes near me.

Day 2 Wednesday, Oct. 2 – I got up early and painted a small study of the boathouse at dawn. Walked around the point, noting the statues, architecture. Came home and played with photos of water reflections using gouache, and at 5:00 I painted the tree lined entry road.

Day 3 Thursday, Oct. 3 – At the boathouse by 6:45! Simple study of the sunrise. Then three paintings of the view looking back toward land. I’m trying to understand water. – These things – 1. Reflections 2. Color 3. Transparency – mostly the first two. Also, the way a tiny disturbance (e.g.. boat in the distance) affects a huge body of water, and that ripple response can be quite delayed. The distortion of the surface creates very INTERESTING organic, linear shapes in reflections. Very interested in the boathouse window and reflection. Also, thinking about how this solitude is affecting me. Trying to slow down. “No one needs me. No one is trying to reach me. I’m not performing. I don’t need to paint to please anyone.” It is very important for one to experiment and fail. It’s necessary for children, scientists, musicians, and artists.

Day 4 Friday, Oct. 4 – Overcast and windy. I walked around the gardens, feeling a little like a voyeuer. Then did a pencil sketch of boathouse window. Comfortably sitting in a chair sketching, I began to hear an extra lapping sound and turned to see a boat with three fishermen passing close by. It was like having strangers drift by my living room. a mutual silent hand wave – no speaking. Weird but nice. I was very aware of the cooler breezy air. Reflections minimal because of the breeze.

Thinking about the paradox of education. I love workshops with admired artists. I was very impressed that Kathleen Dunphy continues to learn from others, and she directed our class to Roz Stendahl’s online “Drawing in Public” class, which was life changing. However, I think you eventually need to tune out the advice. You can’t find your voice or solve your mystery with someone else’s technique. Looking at the water, I continually saw it differently, fighting against the assumptions in my head…..

Day 6 Sunday, Oct. 6 – Back down at the boathouse this morning because the air was still. Good reflections despite the overcast sky. So quiet. Listening to geese and the occasional flopping fish. Did three studies of the window reflections using black and white acrylic gouache. Challenging abstract and MOVING patterns. Patrick Saunders says “Paints what scares you.” Many things in plein air painting are challenges for me. Painting around people, dealing with adverse weather, carrying my equipment, but when it comes to subject matter, it is definitely painting anything that moves that I try to avoid. Today, painting the gently rippling reflections was an exercise in intense observation of the whole, the fleeting details, and working from memory. But, I had a comfortable seat, the quiet setting, and the satisfaction of visually meditating on a small aspect of the phenomenon of water and light.

Day 7 Monday, Oct. 7 – I did a sunrise painting of the river, and another study inside the boathouse.

I’ve been wondering how to tell the fourth grade students at Botetourt about what an “artist in residence” is. I’ve had several residencies and in the beginning I often feel undeservedly lucky to have the opportunity. Here, I’m surrounded by natural beauty and have a lovely cottage with a studio, a washer and dryer, an electric tea kettle and most of all TIME. People probably don’t realize that for many plays, novels, symphonies, and paintings to come into existence, the artist had help and support. I am so grateful that this residency is allowing me to explore, experiment, and work without interruptions. Because it is so precious, I’m not wasting a minute! Work, work, work!!

2019 Juried Show Winners

Congratulations to our 2nd Annual Juried Show winners!

  • 1st Place – Theresa Wells Stifel “Constance”
  • 2nd Place – Mary Montague Sikes “Point of Entry”
  • 3rd Place – Trotter Hardy “Circular Reasoning”
“Constance” by Theresa Wells Stifel
“Point of Entry” by Mary Montague Sikes
“Circular Reasoning” by Trotter Hardy

There is ongoing voting at the gallery for the month of April for the “People’s Choice Award” which will be given at the close of the show. If you haven’t seen this show, stop by, enjoy the artwork and vote! If you have seen the show, come again and vote!! Congratulations to all our winners and to each artist who submitted their works for judging!