Bird, bees, and bedskirts – art you need to see in Charlottesville

Art adventures never cease, not even on those extremely warm and sweat-filled days. Just because your little car’s air conditioner cannot handle the heat is no reason to stay home. And when one is in the throes of putting together a rocking gravure studio, Craig’s List knows no bounds, not even on hot, humid July days.Last weekend found us traveling to F-Stop Studios in Charlottesville, Virginia. They offered me a deal on an Epson 3880 for which I need for the whole Photopolymer Gravure process thing. It’s really funny, there was another similar printer listed on Craig’s List for which the owner found it to be a very heavy printer (and wants it gone). Perhaps my weight judgment is askew because of the getting-the-Ettan-etching-press upstairs in my studio experience (for which I thank both Ken Smith and Bill Ratcliffe for making happen in a timely manner). And Ken provided the muscle for the Epson, which seemed less difficult to maneuver through the house.I still have quite a bit of set up left and am waiting on new refillable cartridges, MIS Nozzle Cleaner, and an Epson Matte Black cartridge to arrive. For the Ettan, I need to stable to press to the cart and add rubber stoppers to the bottom of it. Turns out, my idea of having a press on a rolling cart is not at all sound or stable.The other art thing we did in Charlottesville was to wander downtown (shoutout to the Tin Whistle Pub for a delightful Half-n-Half and to Cinema Taco for, yes, great tacos… and Margaritas).We ended up at the McGuffey Art Center. Their summer group show, along with two other exhibitions and individual artists studios, is on exhibit. So, of course I played my what-three-pieces-would-I-buy-if-I-could game and here’s a description of the results. You will have to go there to see these or hope the artists allow me to publish their work:

Three Pieces – An Art Game

1. How could I not favor an aquatint? Janice Breeden’s “Bedskirts and Pillowslips” is exquisite. She has this wonderful way of creating a variety of texture and contrast within the medium. We did not get to meet her, or any of the artists – she is apparently an associate member of the center and does not have a studio there. And what I have found out about her is that she is a painter who does small paintings of chairs, and a couple of examples are included in the show. In her aquatint, the edge of an old bed, white linens, a dresser and part of a chair shows in an intimate composition. She printed it in black ink on white paper.
2. Then there is a truly enchanting small oil painting called “Storm, Bees and Flowers” by Robin Braun. Her perspective is intriguing, from the ground level. You see individual blades of grass, tiny flowers, two bees and small butterfly. Something about it that reminds me of a calm, idyllic, lost day of childhood. Robin is also an associate member of the gallery. From more in this series, click here to view Robin’s website.
3. Then in my pick is Cheri Schramel’s untitled watercolor. The thing is, it feels like an oil painting with its autumn color palette. In it a cloaked figure has its back turned away from the viewer while a crow sits nearby, connected by a strand of the figure’s hair it has in its beak. This piece is very earthy and seems somewhat dark in subject matter (I suspect that is my projection onto it). Cheri is a resident artist with the art center.

This show is on exhibit until Aug. 14.SaveSaveSave