Sheila M. Evans

Now that the small works shows are all on, it’s time to get serious about making some big pieces. I’ve got two more gallery shows and a lot of wall space to fill and basically less than two months to paint. Today I finished Blue Suspension No.5 (left) which I started last week. Now I am working on a pastel study for what I hope will be a major triptych in oil—three 3′x3′ panels—if the pastel turns out as planned.

The idea for the triptych is to be leaves arranged to resemble a group of luna moths in flight. I’m hoping it works out well, especially since a collection of coincidences are making me think I have some strange connection to these moths. It started when I did a similar small work last week or so. As I finished and was trying to name it, I decided it might look like a luna moth. I liked the name “luna,” anyway.  But I actually didn’t have any idea what a luna moth looked like. Hoping the name would work out, I Googled luna moths and found that, luckily, they looked very much like what I had painted.

I liked the small painting, but decided it might have more impact with more “moths,” and planned to use the idea in the big three-panel format I had been wanting to try. With all the panels combined, it will be the largest oil painting I have done to date, so of course I’ve been feeling a little nervous about diving into the project. (My friend Neicy and I were just discussing how with each new painting, we sometimes suddenly feel as if we will have forgotten how to paint!) Anyway, on a holiday shopping trip downtown this weekend, I walked into Atticus, an awesome local gift/coffee shop, and the first thing I saw was this big, sparkly luna moth ornament. Given that a week before I would have had no idea what it was, I thought that was a pretty cool find. So I spent a whopping four dollars and took it home for inspiration.

Here’s hoping my new lucky moth gets me through the next few months with a ton of good work for my next two shows!

Artists are constantly being required to write Artist Statements* in which we talk about the methods and motivations behind our artwork. When I say “constantly,” it seems each time I need to supply one there is a different set of parameters attached. I can’t just write one statement and use it for everything.

For instance, Zapplication, one of the online show-application sites, requires 100 characters or fewer describing methods and materials, while certain shows using the service require an additional, more detailed statement. Another site allows almost unlimited space for a statement. Others ask for a more philosophical discussion of why we do what we do. Some shows require all of the above plus personal background and a photo (oh, joy).

There are artists who seem to thrive on this, rattling off pages of artspeak with apparent ease and relish. I am not one of those artists. Read more

 Here, as in many cities, we have an arts tour on the first Friday of each month. Galleries stay open late, and it’s the perfect opportunity to get together with friends, walk around town, have a few drinks, eat too much, and oh, yeah, look at art. My photographer friend Amy and I have made this a tradition lately, hitting a happy hour then taking off to see who’s showing. This month we are pushing our tour back a week to coincide with a local gallery’s show opening. But to celebrate 2009’s first First Friday, I’m posting a little tour of my own right here. The following are some favorite artists, mostly local, friends and acquaintances.  

Starting here in Spokane, Gina Freuen and Kay O’Rourke are amazing artists and sisters who share apparently limitless creativity. Last fall Gina invited me to show in a studio tour as a guest artist, and along with Kay, I got to set up in the amazing garden of Hulda Bridgeman, whose garden is eclipsed only by her stunning wearable art. Kay also shares a gallery with Ryan Hardesty, a museum curator and oil painter whose quiet abstract pieces have beautiful subtle depths, and Kathleen Cavender, an oil and pastel painter who layers her canvases with brilliant translucent color. 

Heading north of town, we’ll find a new gallery owned by Gay Waldman, whose stunning photographs shared a calendar with my own work a few years ago. Continuing west about 25 miles, we’ll find Casey Klahn, fellow pastelist and art fair participant, and blogging inspiration. I see Casey at least once a year at an art fair, but we first met years ago at a workshop  given by Jennifer Evenhus, a PSA Master Pastelist and fellow Washingtonian whose work blows me away.

Enough of this cold climate, though. Last stop, Eureka, California, to see the gorgeous pastels of Victoria Ryan, art fair veteran, endless source of moral support, and great friend. Vicky has been branching out into another medium this year, too. I can’t wait to see what she’s been up to. One of my favorites of her work, Snow Patterns 2, is shown above. I hope you enjoyed the tour. Let’s go again next month!