Attainable Artists: THE BIG EASEL Preview Part II

When the Big Easel began, the event was about paintings. Over time, other categories were introduced to the event and have done very well. But at the end of the day, the word easel is in the name of the event and the majority of participants are painters. Every year, I am asked to pre-select some favorites that I know are going to be at The Big Easel. This year I have selected 15 pieces by 11 artists that I think are fantastic. I have also selected favorites in all categories over the last few months on The Big Easel Facebook page which you can see here. And in yesterday's preview, I selected some personal favorites in other categories represented at The Big Easel including works on paper paintings.

SOOOO, for now.....enjoy these pieces as a preview of Saturday's event...and if you are in Louisiana on Saturday, be in Lafayette at THE BIG EASEL! And, as always, if you need more info on any piece I feature, just let me know.

KELLI KAUFMAN

Lafayette, LA

COASTAL MOODS II

Oil and Wax on Wood Panel

24" x 24"

$ 1,000.00

LUE SVENDSON

Lafayette, LA

BEACH SUNSET

Oil on Board, framed

11" x 14"

$ 675.00

HOPE HEBERT

Lafayette, LA

OCEAN BREEZE I

Acrylic on Canvas

11" x 14"

$ 175.00

HOPE HEBERT

Lafayette, LA

OCEAN BREEZE II

Acrylic on Canvas

11" x 14"

$ 175.00

JOY GARDNER

Mobile, AL

represented by VIEW GALLERY, Ridgeland, MS

WOODS UNDER LILAC SKY

OIl on Canvas

24" x 30"

$ 800.00

KELLI KAUFMAN

Lafayette, LA

COASTAL EDGE

Oil/Wax on Canvas

12" x 12"

$ 250.00

MELISSA PAYNE BAKER

Atlanta, GA

represented by VIEW GALLERY, Ridgeland, MS

PIECES OF SERENITY

Acrylic on Canvas

36" x 36"

$ 2,000.00

JACOB BROUSSARD

Lafayette, LA

THE FLOOD**

Acrylic on Board

36"  x 48"

$ 1,050.00

**In 1927, there was a flood in Lafayette Parish. Many people gathered near Abbeville where tents were pitched for the evacuees. This image depicts the Cajun people entertaining themselves with dance and music during the evacuation.

MARK RABALAIS

Lafayette, LA

ORANGE YOU GOIN' TO STAY....

Oil and Oil Pastels on Unprimed Canvas on Wood

48" x 30"

$ 850.00

JOHN CLAYTON

Provincetown, MA

represented by Lue Svendson/Svendson Studios

KEY WEST MARINA

Oil on Panel, framed

9" x 12"

$ 535.00

ELIZABETH MONTGOMERY SIMON

Lafayette, LA

WINTER POND

Acrylic on Board
20" x 20"
$ 275.00

CANDACE GREER

Lafayette, LA

represented by VIEW GALLERY, Ridgeland, MS

BLUESY BOAT

Oil/Wax/Charcoal on Canvas

16" x 20"

$ 550.00

MELISSA PAYNE BAKER

Atlanta, GA

represented by VIEW GALLERY, Ridgeland, MS

NEST

Acrylic on Canvas

8" x 8"

$ 285.00

JILL TAUZIN BROUSSARD

Lafayette, LA

EDGE

Acrylic on

8" x 8"

$ 165.00

ELIZABETH MONTGOMERY SIMON

Lafayette, LA

PALE PONDS
10x20
Mixed Media on Canvas
$ 100.00

AND, kudos to artist MARK RABALAIS for the fantastic painting for the 2013 poster!

And a huge thank you to our sponsors whose logos appear on the posters. The Village of River Ranch, Infiniti of Lafayette, River Ranch Institute, Impressions PDM, Event Rental, Event Restroom, and City Club at River Ranch, we thank you all for your support of the arts!

Attainable Artists-THE BIG EASEL Preview, Part 1

In 2005, artist Hope Hebert and Karen Daigle of River Ranch organized an art display component of Rhythms on the River, a concert series at River Ranch in Lafayette, LA. That year, only twelve artists presented their work but the outpouring of support from the community made it clear that a separate art event would be successful. A year later THE BIG EASEL was born. Each year the event grew.

In 2009, Hope Hebert asked me to become the Chair of THE BIG EASEL. I had no idea when I got involved that, because of The Big Easel, my career as an art agent and rep would grow. THE BIG EASEL became my "baby" and over the last few years, with the help of a great committee, the event has become a destination for art collectors. A juried one day only art show featuring 60 plus artists in one place, the event gives great artists and galleries a place to show their work and gain exposure to nearly a thousand people in a mere seven hours. The success of THE BIG EASEL is pretty incredible, especially in a town the size of Lafayette. 

Come rain or come shine, the 2013 Big Easel will take place this Saturday, June 8th, from 9 am - 4 pm at Town Square at River Ranch in Lafayette. If you are anywhere in the state of Louisiana, THE BIG EASEL will be worth the drive for you to see work by artists from Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Massachusetts. From paintings to photography to ceramics to jewelry to metal to wood, all mediums and categories are covered by the some pretty incredible artists.

In this preview, I have selected pieces in the Works on Paper, Photography, Jewelry, Pottery/Porcelain, Wood, and Sculpture categories. Remember, this is only work by twelve artists which is only 20% of the number artists participating in THE BIG EASEL.

Tomorrow I will present 15 paintings on canvas and panel.

For now, enjoy these selections!

DAN SPILLER, JR.

Lafayette, LA

COASTAL MARSH 01

Pastel on Board, framed

18" x 32"

$ 2,000.00

LAURENCE YOUNG

Provincetown, MA

SEATED

Mixed Media on Paper, Matted

18" x 24"

$ 275.00

LINDA MONCLA

Lafayette, LA

THE POINT

Watercolor on Paper, framed

19.5" x 15.5"

$ 350.00

ERIC SVENDSON

Lafayette, LA

DIVING PELICAN

Photograph on Canvas

20" x 30"

$ 289.00

KERRY GRIECHEN

Lafayette, LA

CURVES & RAYS

Digital Photograph on Metallic Paper

21" x 27" framed

$ 250.00

 KATHERINE PREJEAN

Lafayette, LA

EDGE OF LIFE

Fine Silver Pendant on Silver Chain

$ 175.00

JANET ULLRICH-THERIOT

Lafayette, LA

MALACHITE LEAF NECKLACE titled 'EVERLASTING' 
Pendant consisting of sterling silver cast of a water oak leaf with green malachite as stone setting in sterling silver.
 Hangs on handmade sterling silver 12gauge wire necklace.
$ 150.00

ERIN GESSER

New Iberia, LA

STERLING SILVER CUFF with BLUE TOPAZ STONE

$ 275.00

SUSAN CHIQUELIN

Lafayette, LA

BABY BIRD VASE

Glazed Porcelain

7" tall

$ 30.00

JO FAULK

New Iberia, LA

BOTTLE

wheel thrown and hand built elements; mid-range stoneware; electric fired

13 1/2" h. x 5 1/2 d

$ 95.00

KENNY GREIG

New Iberia, LA

CHEF BLOCK CUTTING BOARDS

mahogany, cherry, German Beech, white oak, maple, black walnut, and purple heart woods

price range $ 25 - $ 75 depending on size

KENNY GREIG

New Iberia, LA

SINKER CYPRESS TRAYS

price range $ 25- $ 55 depending on size

VIRGINIA WOODS

Lafayette, LA

STYX

Hand Forged Metal

6"  x 9" x 6"

$ 350.00

THE BIG EASEL cannot happen without the support of our generous sponsors. A HUGE thank you to:

THE VILLAGE OF RIVER RANCH

INFINITI OF LAFAYETTE

RIVER RANCH INSTITUTE

IMPRESSIONS PDM

EVENT RENTAL

EVENT RESTROOM

CITY CLUB at RIVER RANCH

Happy Memorial Day, Happy New Year!

"I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” 

― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

I love that line. I found it in Country Living magazine a couple of summers ago, before all of the Gatsby mania currently happening, and tore it out to remind me year round of what I love about summertime and what Summer means to me. I still think of Summer the way a school kid does. For me, Summer feels more like a transition phase than the New Year. Summer is when I take time to think--plan, dream, set goals, reflect, catch up on things that I've let lapse in the last few months. 

Summer is when I go to Provincetown, my favorite place on earth. Time in Provincetown is more of a retreat for me than a vacation. And it is in Summer that I allow a retreat mode of thinking to be the norm wherever I am. We are in Atlanta this weekend and the weather is exquisite with a little crispness that I love. And last night as we waited in a long line at the gelato shop around the corner from our house with a dear friend from New Orleans who is here for the weekend, Tim said, "it feels like a P-town night". He was referring to the weather and he was right. But it also felt like a P-town night psychologically and spiritually as well. 

I think we all need to feel Summer. And celebrate what F. Scott Fitzgerald felt when he said, "life was beginning over again with the summer." So here are some wonderful pieces of art that I've seen recently that gave me that wonderful Summer feel. And so I say, Happy New Year and give you twelve fantastic pieces to "take you there"..wherever that special there is for you. 

Enjoy! And, as always, for more information on any piece, contact me or the gallery listed. And click on images to see the pieces larger.

JM

KELLI KAUFMAN

Lafayette, LA

GULF WATERS

Oil and Wax on Canvas

30" x 48"

$ 1,900.00

available from Beau Interiors, Grayton Beach, FL
www.beauhomeinteriors.com

LAURENCE YOUNG

Provincetown, MA

A HIKE TO THE BEACH

Oil on Paper, Matted

app. 17" x 20"

$ 600.00

available from Jeffery McCullough Art & Design Consulting

CANDACE GREER

Lafayette, LA

WHITE BEAUTY
Oil/Wax/Charcoal/Oil Pastel on Panel, framed
app. 18.5" x 15.5"
$ 625.00
available from Tracery, Rosemary Beach, FL
www.traceryinteriors.com

LINDA MONCLA
Lafayette, LA
SUNSET
Watercolor on Paper
app. 11.5" x 29"
$ 325.00
available from VIEW GALLERY, Ridgeland, MS
www.viewgalleryart.com

LAURENCE YOUNG
Provincetown, MA
READY TO LAUNCH
Oil/Wax on Panel
10" x 13"
$ 950.00
available from Alden Gallery, Provincetown, MA
www.aldengallery.com

PAGE JONES DAVIS

Spartanburg, SC

LIFELINE II

Mixed Media on Canvas

36" x 36"

$ 3,000.00

available from Parker Gallery, St. Simon's Island, GA

www.parkerartgallery.com

TERESA CLINE

Santa Rosa Beach, FL

OCEAN MOODS 62

Canvas

9" x 12"

$ 180.00

available from OASIS RUG & HOME, Destin, FL

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oasis-Rug-Home/137125829653530?fref=ts

MEG AUBREY

Atlanta, GA

Beach Walk

Oil on Canvas

36" x 48"

SOLD, but similar available from Parker Gallery, St. Simon's Island, GA

www.parkerartgallery.com

COLIN PAGE

Camden, ME

SC FAMILY THING

Oil on Linen, framed

16" x 20"

$ 1,700.00

available from Smith Killian Fine Art, Charleston, SC

www.smithkillian.com

LESLIE PRATT-THOMAS

Mount Pleasant, SC

THE BOAT MOVER

Oil on Panel, framed

8" x 10"

$ 560.00

available from Sandpiper Gallery, Sullivan's Island, SC

www.sandpipergallery.net

EVA MAGILL-OLIVER

Atlanta, GA

COLLAGE 5

Mixed Media on Paper

6" x 6"

$ 80.00

available from Gregg Irby Fine Art, Atlanta, GA

www.greggirbyfineart.com

ANN LEE MERRILL

Mount Pleasant, SC

CITY MARINA

Oil on Panel, framed

6" x 8"

$ 325.00

available from Edward Dare Gallery, Charleston

www.edwarddare.com

INSPIRATION..always needed, always welcome!

If you are in or anywhere near Atlanta this week, you must visit the Cathedral Antiques Show Inspiration House. Each year, a great roster of designers is selected to transform spaces in conjunction with the Cathedral Antiques Show. Although the Antiques Show ended on the 3rd, the Inspiration House continues through this Sunday, the 10th.

Visit the website for more information about this event that celebrates great design and benefits a charity. http://www.cathedralantiques.org/

I was a bit under the weather when I toured the house (and in a pretty foul mood because I felt so bad), so thankfully there were three spaces and two artists that made my trip completely worth it by being very inspiring.

PARKER KENNEDY!! The name deserves all caps and two exclamation points. I mean, really, how fun is this living room?? I could spend hours, okay days, very happy in this space. Not since Dorothy Draper has hot pink seen this much use. Tempered slightly by a great blue used throughout the room, I think the Parker Kennedy design duo David Ecton and Lance Jackson did an outstanding job. On the Parker Kennedy website, it says "“Preppy on the Edge”… A contempory approach to the timeless classic. It is the defining difference between traditional to transitional design, and that is what Parker Kennedy strives to accomplish.", is the defining hallmark of Parker Kennedy's design work. WELL, I give you.....

image--scan of Parker Kennedy card in inspiration house room

 DEFINITELY preppy on the edge..and I absolutely love it.

LOVE the combination of lacquer, mirror, silver, chinoiserie, greek key, etc, etc. very well done.

a traditional wing chair goes Dorothy Draper with the painted legs and hot pink velvet

Barbara Cosgrove Foo Dog Lamp with Silver Shade

LOVE the blue grosgrain on hot pink velvet pillows.

 this chair is FANTASTIC! 

It turns out that PARKER KENNEDY LIVING is a retail showroom and warehouse in Atlanta and they show at Scott's as well. I will be checking out their wares as soon as I am better and able to get out and shop for clients!

From the bolt of color in the living room, I headed downstairs where I found this very serene retreat by one of my favorite architects, Bill Ingram, who lives in Birmingham. Through all of the press attention he has received, I have followed Ingram's work for years and it was thrilling to be in a space that he designed. This is where a great book and a cup of tea would join me every day. Ingram's work is so thoughtfully executed. This is a very small space with stone walls and great windows which make furniture placement a challenge. Leave it to a brilliant architect to work it all out in great style. There will be more in the future on Bill Ingram's work and this room so I will share the details then.

My favorite reading lamp, the "Studio Adjustable Floor Lamp" by Circa Lighting, is beside each chair waiting on me to sit a while with the above mentioned book and cup of tea!

To see projects by Bill Ingram, please visit www.billingramarchitect.com

Back upstairs, I got a huge smile on my face when I saw the chic as all get out Bob Collins bamboo  wallpaper and Kent Bragaline fabric on the skirted table in the foyer. And to top it off, a Chinoiserie lantern from John Rosselli. Palm Beach, anyone??

Former New Yorker Louise Wilcox Cronan (LWC Interiors) designed this space and it does exactly what a foyer should do...welcome visitors in great style, with charm, and hand out a smile to each guest as they come in.

I visit as many show houses as I can in hopes of seeing new products and artists to specify for Jeffery McCullough Art Design & Consulting projects. At this show house, there were two artists whose work I fell in love with.

One, Erin McIntosh, who is represented by Gregg Irby Fine Art in Atlanta, isn't brand new to me. In fact, I recently bought one of her incredible abstract works on paper pieces from Gregg Irby.

But I had not seen a grouping of Erin McIntosh's work and was very pleased to see three in the dining room designed by Wesley Huffard. I am just in love with these abstract watercolor on paper pieces. AND, best of all, the 11" x 14" unframed pieces are only $ 90 each. Buy this artists work now!

My photographs really do not do justice to the talent that this young artist possesses. To see more of her work, visit Gregg Irby Fine Art's website. http://www.greggirbyfineart.com/artists/mcintosh/

My Savannah area friends are going to be in big trouble if they know about this next artist and haven't told me! Katherine Sandoz?? I walked into the back hall designed by Brooke Merrill Home and about tripped over furniture to get up close and personal with these little jewels!

Of course, the second I got back to my computer in the office I was googling up a storm. Turns out, Katherine Sandoz lives in Savannah, has two (not one, mind you) masters from SCAD, and has shown at galleries in Savannah, Atlanta, Austin, and New Hampshire. Again, like Parker Kennedy Living, as soon as I'm back up to snuff, I will be driving down to Savannah to see more of her work!

From http://www.katherinesandoz.com, here are images of the above two pieces. 

(the woods) N
5 x 6, water-based media on panel, summer-fall 2011

(marsh) K
7 x 8, water-based media on panel, summer-fall 2011

See why it is important to visit show houses?? Inspiration, ideas, exposure, celebration of talent.

Now you go this week to the CATHEDRAL ANTIQUES INSPIRATION HOUSE located on the grounds of The Cathedral of Saint Philip  at 2744 Peachtree Road NW.

ENJOY!