17th Street Festival - A blast!

Saturday was cloudy but it didn't rain! It took a bit long for the tents to be set up but the festival went well. It was very well organized, many thanks to the committee members and volunteers.
Sitting around was not much fun, especially with the mosquitoes out in force, but people-watching on 17th Street was a blast. A few friends came to visit and help, and I met some interesting personalities. Maybe I'll join again next year!  

17th Street Festival Update

Well, another friend who is participating in the same art show at the 17th Street Festival has offered to give me a ride and take me home.  Bless her heart.  We'll just help each other unload our stuff and take them to our assigned spots.  Hope we have good weather on Saturday.

17th Street Festival Art Show, September 24, 2011

I was accepted to participate in the art show of the 2011 17th Street Festival Art Show in Washington, DC on Saturday, September 24, from 2 - 6 pm.  This is my first time to join the festival so I am excited and nervous at the same time.  My husband will be away on a fishing trip so I dared to ask a friend to pick me up (and tons of stuff) and help me set up.  She was very kind to agree but she'll have to leave at 3 pm.  I will be on my own after that.  Then there is the problem of getting me and my stuff home.  I plan to take a cab, of course.  Hopefully, some of the art festival people will help me lug my paintings and stuff to the cab.  Oh dear...  What a big worry!  I hope all goes well.

Two more recent paintings

Early light was based on a magazine photo which inspired me to paint it with the subtle colors of a hazy, cold, morning just starting to get lit up by the sun.

Early Light

Flaming Lava was the piece I did during a knife-painting class in Honolulu with Ed Furuike.  I chose the model from one of Ed's magazine photos and bravely started what I have never done before, with his guidance and help.  Then he suggested that I add a white bird to the scene.  When there is a volcanic eruption, Hawaiian legend says the lone white bird is Pele which travels alone and is protective of its domain.  The photo doesn't do justice to the actual colors and the textures in the painting.  I am really pleased!

Flaming Lava

Recent Paintings

Blue Eyeshadow

The Red Boat

Nature's Tapestry (Sold)

The above paintings are three of my recent pieces, all done in oil on canvas.  To see more, here's a link to my website:  http://paintingsbycynthia.com/

Juried Exhibitions

I apply at juried exhibitions periodically just because I always look for opportunities to exhibit.  Most of the time, however, I get rejected.  I have tried to look at my work objectively to see why.

I am aware that juried shows are subjective but I also need to be honest about my work.  Is my art so bad that it gets nixed by curators almost all of the time? Would I change my style to get in at galleries? Should I do shocking work to catch the attention of jurors and curators?  Will doing any of that make me happy?  The simple answer is no.  I like what I do.  I try to improve by taking art workshops periodically but my style is more or less unaffected.  And as much as I'd like to exhibit and sell, I am just not willing to create art which doesn't come from the heart - my heart.