A.R.T. Celebrating Long-Time Member's Retirement

Example of the artwork at the

Side Street Gallery Celebration on June 20th!

"Anvil Across the Valley" - oil pastel 

© Bruce A. Morrison

(click on image for a larger view) 

 

Former Artisans Road Trip long-time member Mari Stewart, of the Side Street Gallery in Arnolds Park, Iowa is retiring from the Gallery business, having sold the Side Street Gallery effective later this summer.  

 

Marie Stewart's Side Street Gallery has been a lakes area fixture for over 35 years and what better way to celebrate than to spend an afternoon with the Artisans Road Trip artists in celebration!  

 

On Saturday, June 20th - come and join us helping Mari celebrate her gallery's long standing run, and see artwork from the 2015 Artisans Road Trip artists in attendance, enjoy some camaraderie and good treats and refreshments!

 

The celebration will be going on from 12 noon through 5p.m. - Saturday, June 20th!  The Side Street Gallery is located in Arnolds Park's Old Towne district at 28 Allen Avenue.  The gallery can be contacted for more information at 712 320-5906.

 

What a fun way to spend your Saturday afternoon! 

A Fiberartist's Journey – 50+ Years of Making Fiberart

2015 A.R.T. artist Tim Arand-McIlrath, Okoboji, will be the featured exhibition at the Nobles County Art Center in Worthington, MN. for the month of May. The exhibition is titled "A Fiber Artist's Journey".

"I realized that I had been making art for over 50 years. Recently I have been revisiting printed fabrics from many years before, and incorporating them into new mixed media artwork .  The exhibition will feature selections from the different approaches I have taken with my work over the years. The emphasis will be on the 2D mixed media work and the 3D sculptural mixed media pieces. Also included will be felted artwork, woven and screen printed pieces.

Folk art has long been an area of interest for me. I have researched and collected folk art in all my travels. I have spent extended visits to Mexico and in particular to the Oaxaca area. The color, texture and freedom of expression have fascinated me for many years. There is an incredible excitement in the work of folk artists.

I have been 'accused' of having too much fun creating my art. Not possible in my world. Having fun is one of the prime motivators in my work. I love having viewers smile. I smile a lot while I am working on my art.

In my two dimensional pieces, the backgrounds are painted with acrylic paint or are surface designed fabrics and sometimes embellished with found objects. The foregrounds have crocheted webs introduced onto the compositions. The three-dimensional pieces are usually constructed out of willow branches and are many times painted or varnished. The found objects and crocheted yarn inhabit the structures. Color, texture, repetition, and pattern have always been strong elements in my work. The compositions are based on my observations of the world around us."

The exhibition dates are May 1-30.

A.R.T. Exhibit at the LeMars Art Center!

Examples of the artwork of 2015 Artisans Road Trip artists

that can be seen at the Le Mars Art Center exhibit.

(© the following artists from top left/clockwise - Mel Myers, 

Joleen Dentlinger,Beth Cathcart, Barb McGee, Tim Anderson, 

Bruce Morrison, Hank Hall, and Paula Streeter)

A.R.T. has exhibits during the year, demonstrating the work of each of the year's Artisan Road Trip artists.  The first 2015 A.R.T. exhibit will take place at the Le Mars Art Center during the month of May.  This is the first showing for A.R.T. at the Le Mars Art Center! Now is your chance to see the work of artists, both familiar and new to A.R.T.!

The Le Mars Art Center is located at 200 Central Avenue SE in Le Mars, Iowa.  The art center's hours are Wednesday through Friday 1-5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The Le Mars Art Center will host the opening Artist's Reception on Saturday, May 2nd from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m. - the public is invited!  You can contact the center for more information at 712 546-7476.  Hope to see you there!