ARTapalooza!

Greetings Dreamcicles!

For the past few weeks I have been busy designing and launching my new website and creating my Facebook fan page. Check out my new site at http://marcellanordbeck.com/ and “like” me at http://bit.ly/dBECT4.

But life hasn’t been all work and no play. Last weekend I crawled out from under my rock long enough to check out the Cherry Creek Art Festival in Denver where I caught up with the artist Nemo. I am proud to say I am now the owner of a Nemo original! To learn more about him and his art visit http://www.artbynemo.com/.

Marcella with fellow artist Nemo

This past weekend was an ARTapalooza! I kicked it off Friday night at Russell Wilbar’s opening reception for his show Construction/Deconstruction. Russell is a “green” mixed media artist whose reconstructed and painted salvaged doors and floors practically float off the wall. Check out Wilbar’s show at Sync Gallery in the Santa Fe art district in Denver through August 16. Visit http://www.russellwilbar.com/ to learn more.

Marcella with fellow artist Russell Wilbar and Wilbar's art piece "Out of Mind"

Saturday night I saw the play “The Underpants” at Miners Alley Playhouse in Golden with fellow writer Janet Roots. It’s a hoot a half! Written by Carl Sternheim, adapted by Steve Martin, and directed by Rick Bernstein, I nearly peed my pants I laughed so hard. Visit http://www.minersalley.com/ for show times.

Marcella with fellow writer Janet Roots

Janet serves on the Playhouse board and asked me to assist her with organizing and curating the “It’s Not Black & White” juried art show. It will hang in the Playhouse lobby in September and October during the six week run of the Tony Award winning play “Art.” Visit http://www.minersalley.com/SpecialEvents.shtml for the call for entry details. To learn more about Janet’s writing services visit http://www.rootswrites.com/.

A view of the drive to Poncha Springs, Colorado

I wrapped up the weekend driving down to Poncha Springs for the Art of the Rockies art show at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds. Three of my paintings were accepted into this juried exhibition, but “A Moment of Suspense” received an Honorable Mention ribbon in the Advanced oil/acrylic category. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a nod from the judge as my abstracts were a minority in a sea of landscapes, horses, and cowboys.

Marcella with "A Moment of Suspense"

That’s all for now folks. I’ve got to put the blinders back on and refocus. I’m working on a new painting for the upcoming Yin/Yang show at Mile Hi Church, I’m on deadline to finish writing my book proposal for Hay House, and I’m working on a new series of abstract/mixed media paintings inspired by my recent trip through the Caribbean and my love for the ocean. The new series will be revealed at my next solo art exhibition at Strings restaurant in Denver in November. Details to come…

But before I go, let me remind you to save the date! In August I will add published author to my resume! My essay “I Find Myself Painting” is being published in the anthology “Speaking Your Truth: Courageous Stories by Inspiring Women.” The book will be available for purchase on amazon August 25.

Keep following your bliss! The rest will follow.

Peace, Love, and Art,
Marcella

Art and Relationships - Finding A Balance

"Art Table With Cleaning Supplies" 2009

After work last night I went to the First Friday Art Walk on Sante Fe Drive in Denver. I try to go every month as it inspires me to see what other painters are painting and what techniques they’re perfecting.

I visited Russell Wilbar at Artwork Network and saw his new piece – a 3 dimensional triptych collage of sorts made from salvaged doors and floor pieces. His work almost has a surrealist quality about it, the way it floats off the wall.

I chatted with Brianna Martray at her studio and sneaked a peak at some of her earlier creations. I loved seeing where her paintings have evolved from. There’s a maturity and sophistication about her newer pieces that I have an even greater appreciation for now that I’ve seen her larger body of work.

The highlight of Art Walk was finally meeting Chris Schranck. Like Wilbar, he constructs old salvaged objects (doors, chairs, swing sets, pipes, chains) into paintings that are also sculptures…or perhaps they’re sculptures that are also paintings. Either way, he marries the old and decaying with color and gloss of the new in a way that both delights the eye and lets the imagination run rampant.

By 9 pm I had visited the artists I wanted to visit and discovered a few who’s work I had not seen before so I was ready to go home and spend time with my fiancé Sean. But when I went to call him from my cell to tell him I was on my way he had sent me a text just 30 minutes earlier to say he had to get up early for work the next day so he was going to bed. My heart sank as I realized that another day had passed in which I had chosen art over my relationship.

How do I do remain true to myself and pursue my art career, while trying to manage my life (laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning the apartment, paying bills, etc.), work full-time, and still cultivate and nurture a relationship with my significant other?

If it weren’t for Sean I wouldn’t be where I am and I wouldn’t be doing the things that I love. It was his idea to leave Michigan and move to Denver – the best decision we ever made. We have friends and family back in Detroit that are still looking for work after losing their jobs in the automotive industry two years ago. And it is Sean who encourages me to keep painting, taking photographs, and writing when I have a bad day and I stop believing in myself.

It’s the first Saturday of the month so admission to the DAM (Denver Art Museum) is free today and I SO want to go! I’ve lived in Denver for eight months now and I still haven’t made it there. But as I write and reflect on the state of my personal affairs and contemplate what would be the best use of my time today there is a dishwasher that needs to be unloaded, a sink full of dirty dishes, hampers and laundry baskets that are over flowing, and a bathroom that has developed its own eco system.

So instead of satisfying my creative yearnings, I keep thinking about how happy Sean will be when he comes home tonight to a clean apartment as a means to keep myself motivated to get our lives back in order. Who knows, maybe a break from soaking in the local art scene and putting painting hold for a day or so is just what I need to inspire me to take my art to the next level.

To see Russell Wilbar’s art go to Artwork Network at 878 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, Colorado 80204 or visit http://www.artworknetwork.com/.

Brianna Martray’s paintings and sculptures can be seen at her studio at 900 Santa Fe Drive, Studio G, Denver, Colorado, 80204 or by visiting http://www.briannamartray.com/.

Visit Chris Schranck at Neo Studios, above Grace Gallery Fine Art, at 877 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, Colorado 80204 or online at http://www.chakragallery.com/.

The Art of Networking

Artwork Network in Denver, Colorado

Once again I am reminded that networking in this industry is invaluable!

Recently I attended Artwork Network’s open house at their new location in the Sante Fe Art District in Denver. It’s more than a gallery. Sure they have a warehouse size gallery space, and they rent artists' studios and co-op space, but they’re most known for their art leasing and business art rotation.

While at Artwork Network I ran into local artist Russell Wilbar. I met him at the July art critique at RedLine and then ran into him on the street during the August First Friday Art Walk. Wilbar was kind enough to tell me about Call for Entry, or CAFÉ, this online “hub” for finding out about and applying to upcoming art shows. And now I’m telling you.

CAFÉ is a Colorado based website that lists shows and events in the Western part of the United States. It was developed by the Western States Art Federation and is a non-profit corporation. It’s free to create an account and the site allows you to enter into shows electronically. You submit your application and images online and the site keeps track of what images you’ve submitted to which shows so that there aren’t any conflicts if you’re accepted into multiple shows and their dates overlap.

To join CAFÉ go to http://www.callforentry.org/.

For more information about Artwork Network go to 878 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, Colorado 80204 or visit http://www.artworknetwork.com/.

Russell Wilbar’s website is still in development, but as a member of the Artwork Network you will be able to see his work there in the coming months.

For more information about RedLine go to http://www.redlineart.org/.