Dancing Flakes and Tree Lace

The Kansas City area has been hit with a LOT of snow in the last couple of weeks.  It has messed up traffic, and disrupted people's plans . . . but it's brought with it some beautiful visuals.

The most recent storm came in around midnight.  It was heavy enough to show under streetlights.

Different streetlight, heavy snow.

I zoomed in for a better view of the snowflake swirls in the erratic wind currents.

The snow was heavy and wet, so it piled up on branches, power lines, and other irregular surfaces.

This is a sycamore "under the influence" of the snow.

This is a pink honeysuckle in my front yard. At other times of the year it provides nectar, berries, and shelter for birds.

One more.  I love the arching of the branches, from the weight of the snow.  It was not so great to have the weight on power lines. 

PHOTOS: All photos were taken 2/26/2013 by Jan S. Gephardt.  Please do not use without attribution and a link back to this post.  Thanks.

Arti Gras is On

Pascal and I went to the Leawood Foundation's "Arti Gras" Gala tonight, a fundraiser to open their Annual Juried Art Show.  For the second year in a row, I am in the show!  This year's accepted entry is Rose Dance.

Jan with Rose Dance at Arti Gras (with painting by Summers).

As last year, the show featured a wide variety of work--different media, different subjects, different approaches.

The photo my husband Pascal took of me with Rose Dance and the artwork just above it, In the Garden of Glen, by R. Gregory Summers illustrates some of the show's range.

For a view of all the artwork in the show, go to the 2013 Arti Gras Gallery and scroll down.

The Arti Gras Show continues, with FREE admission, 11-4 on Saturday and Sunday.  If you're in town and have time, it's well worth the trip to see the art.

My favorites:
Norma Herring probably takes "first place" with me in this show.  I've been an admirer of her detailed mixed-media paintings since last year.  They are large but very intricate.  She had two in the show: my personal favorite, The Secret Byway, and Guest Juror James Martin's #1 "Best of Show" choice, Shades of Autumn.

It was a lively, crowded scene at the Arti Gras Gala Friday night 2/22/13.

I also loved Loreta Feeback's pastel, Dried Flowers Still Life; Jean Cook's oil painting, First Sign of Spring; Marla Craven's photograph, Zhouzhaung-A Watertown; Ric Cummings's photograph, Red Curtain; Dona Corben's photographs, A Walk in the Fog and Patterns in Nature; Karen Dreyer's oil, Heavy Load; Craig McCord's photograph, Klepzig Mill; and Patrick Schlotterback's oil, Taylor.  I also found the technique and imagery of Melinda Heaton's digital collage, Majestic Joshua Tree quite intriguing.  And I think I must acknowledge the quirky humor and unexpected compositions of Laura Carricker's oils, Shelf Life #1 and Shelf Life #4.

I believe I recall correctly that both Schlotterback and Heaton are art teachers in nearby school districts.  Knowing how much work a public school teacher must do each day, I am all the more impressed with their fine art accomplishments!

Here's another view of the crowd enjoying the hors d'oeuvres and art at the Arti Gras Gala, 2/22/13 in Leawood, KS.

 Pascal's Favorites:
 Pascal was drawn to Corben's work also, as well as Johne Richardson's acrylic, Blue Skies Overhead ("what an expressive face!"), which also received an Honorable Mention recognition from Guest Juror James Martin, and Sally Sullivan's mosaic, Meli.

I'm a sucker for painterly passages and intricate detail, but he takes a different approach. He says that once he's satisfied of the artist's overall competence, he primarily looks at the composition.  "A lot of artists almost get it right, and nobody does it every time, but when they do it just feels right.  That's what I like."

Official Winners:
Guest Juror James Martin chose this year's prize winners: as noted above, Norma Herring's Shades of Autumn received Best in Show.  Penny Pate Dillon's The Katz Clock took 2nd, and Parker Nicholson's Maple Vessel got the nod for 3rd.  Honorable Mention recognitions went to Sylvia Rose Augustus for Custer State Park, Lake Fog; Peter Crane for On Edge; Denny Dowdy for Mom's Backyard; and Pascal's choice, the Richardson painting, Blue Skies Overhead.

As Martin noted, it was a strong show. And you can still see it if you're in town! 11-4 Saturday and Sunday.  FREE admission.  Such a deal!

PHOTOS: The photo of Jan with Rose Dance is by Pascal Gephardt; the other two photos are by Jan S. Gephardt.  We allow re-posting with attribution and link-back, and no alteration of images.  Otherwise, all rights reserved.

Revival: the Goal--ARTS: the solution

A recent issue of the Kansas City Star featured Lexington, MO, the winner of a competition sponsored by the University of Missouri (MU)'s MU Extension.  The prize is for faculty and students from MU to help the winning small town develop an arts-based "revitalization."

This is Lexington, MO's Main Street, with the Lafayette County Courthouse clock tower.

The Star article quoted Lexington resident Chris Campbell explaining the idea: "the strategy is to use the arts as a vehicle for economic and community development."

This is not a way-out idea. More and more municipalities all over the country are looking to the arts as a remedy for their economic woes.  Here are articles about other arts-stimulus efforts in Bennington, VT, Philadelphia, PA, and the states of Texas, North Carolina, and Montana. 

I wrote other posts on this subject last summer, in July and August.  The evidence just keeps growing. At least some of the folks in Missouri "get it."  Now if we could just convince the "Kansas side." Governor Brownback, that especially includes you!

IMAGE CREDIT: The Kansas City Star photo of Lexington's Main Street is by Jill Toyoshiba, a photographer to keep in mind.  Many thanks to them, for providing it!

"Deep Dish" Framing

My Beloved has been busy, doing his part to get Rose Dance ready for the Arti Gras Gala this weekend.  I thought you might enjoy seeing the framing work in progress, because it has presented some challenges.

My husband Pascal Gephardt had to improvise a support to hold up all corners while the glue sets.

Another view of the frame-in-progress, in our basement "framing corner."

Why on earth would I need a shadowbox this deep? 

Moral to the story: Let the creative juices flow, but watch the elevation!

I am grateful to Randal Spangler and New West Frame and Moulding for their help with acquiring the materials for this frame, and oh, boy, do I ever owe my husband Pascal Gephardt a "big one," for all the joining and assembly.  When you see Rose Dance all framed up, it will be thanks to them (stay tuned).

IMAGES: All photos were taken by me, Jan S. Gephardt.  Please do not reproduce them without attribution and a link.

Pieces of Art

Nine-Part Herbal Fantasy

Sometimes paper sculpture takes a long time.  Lots of layers, lots of pieces, not very many finished things to show in between times.

So I thought I'd offer a glimpse of a work-in-progress.  This is part of the "Dark Cycle" of my new piece Nine-Part Herbal Fantasy.

Here's the original color build for the design.

Assorted pieces in a box, some cut, some not.

This is the center part, which I call the "root ball."

Not much more to say.  Hope you enjoyed the glimpse!

IMAGES all are copyright 2012-2013 by Jan S. Gephardt.  All rights are reserved. 

Location Correction! Feb 15 Show!

The signing/art show is at Prospero's Uptown Books!

I just found out the address I had for the Feb. 15 Book Signing/Art Show is WRONG.

Please make note of the CORRECT address, if you were planning to come!

We will be a Prospero's Uptown Books, at 3600 Broadway #107, Kansas City, MO--not the location on 39th Street previously publicized.

If you're on Facebook, learn more at the Prospero's Uptown Books page and on the Event notice.

It'll still be my artwork, Grace Townley's artwork, and Robin W. Bailey, signing his many books.  I also am told there will be zombies!

Come if you can.

3 Opportunities to See my Artwork!

Depending on where you live, you may have a chance to see my artwork at a show near you in February!

See my art at SheVaCon, Hotel Roanoke, Roanoke, VA

SheVaCon, Feb. 8-10, 2013
The first opportunity comes the second weekend of February, in Roanoke, VA.  Several pieces of my fantasy artwork will be on display at the SheVaCon Art Show. The show runs Friday through Sunday, February 8-10 at the historic Hotel Roanoke.

Robin W. Bailey Book-Signing Feb. 15, 2013
Join Robin W. Bailey, Grace Townley, and me for an art show and book-signing at Prospero's Books in Kansas City (the 3600 Broadway #107, KC, MO location) on February 15 at 6:00 p.m.

Robin W. Bailey, author

Robin W. Bailey is a former president of Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA), one of the founders of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame (see another post about it on the KaCSFFS Blog), and is the author of numerous books, e-books, short stories, and poems.

In addition to his "official" website, which hasn't been updated in a while, he has an "unofficial" website, which also hasn't been updated for a while. I suspect that is because he's been too busy writing! 

I especially want to thank Robin for the idea of turning his book-signing into an event that includes a chance to show artwork, as well!

Grace Townley's Inspired by a Star Formation

Grace Townley is an accomplished oil painter whose passion is outer space. Her "Interstellar Weather" portfolio gives a representative sample of her work, which ranges from very large paintings to a wide variety of affordably-priced prints.

The image at right is one of my favorite examples of Grace's work. I first encountered Grace at the Art Westport show in September 2012, and she joined a group of us in December for the Holiday Visual Feast.

Since a good bit of my fantasy artwork probably won't be back from SheVaCon by then, I'll be showing a mixture of fantasy, nature, and architectural themes, including pieces from my two new multiple-original editions.

Arti Gras Gala and Annual Juried Art Show, Feb. 22-24, 2013
I am delighted to announce that for a second year a piece of my paper sculpture has been accepted into the Arti Gras Annual Juried Art Show, sponsored by the Leawood Foundation of Leawood, KS.

The big event of that weekend is the Arti Gras Gala on Friday, February 22, at the Leawood Community Center in the lower level under City Hall (4800 Town Center Drive, Leawood, KS). Gala 6-8:30 p.m. 2/22.

Rose Dance was accepted into Arti Gras 2013!

This is a delightful, Mardi Gras-themed reception, to open the show and announce the recipients of several cash prizes. Most of the artists will be there (including me!), and if it's anything like last year the food and drink will be delicious. It's a fundraiser for the Foundation, so there is an admission fee.

If you can't make the Gala, the show remains open to the public for free viewing from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. that Saturday and Sunday, February 23-24.  

Please note that the address for the Feb. 15 book signing/art show location has been updated from the original post.

IMAGE CREDITS: Many thanks to SheVaCon and the Hotel Roanoke for the photo of the hotel.  I would like to thank Robin W. Bailey, both for the use of his profile photo from his official website, and also again for inviting me to show artwork at his book-signing!  Thank you, Grace Townley, for the use of the Star Formation image.  I want to extend many thanks to the Leawood Foundation, the Arti Gras show, and juror James Martin for accepting my work into this year's show, and for making their logo available for use.  The image of Rose Dance is my own. It may be re-posted online, as long as the image is not altered, and credit is given to me as the artist, with a link back. Otherwise, all rights are reserved.