“Art Trek” to the Southwest, Pt. III: The Introspective Paintings of Rachel Bess

Experiencing the differences between my native Philadelphia, east-coast wintry world vs. the lovely and sunny Scottsdale, Arizona was the most rejuvenating wintertime art-viewing I’ve only imagined doing before. Scottsdale hosts a weekly Thursday evening ArtWalk similar to Philadelphia’s monthly First Friday. Galleries stay open late and many local restaurants, shops and nightlife participate in a…

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“Art Trek” to the Southwest, Pt. II: Nature Mingles with Tech at Mesa Contemporary Arts

Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum opened its 35th Annual Contemporary Crafts exhibition last month in the Dobson Main Gallery, displaying handmade artwork juried by Independent Curator Julie Muñiz, who chose thirty-five artists representing fourteen U.S. states. As one of the artists selected for this prestigious exhibition, I traveled over 2000 miles each way from my Philadelphia-area…

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Jewelry, Clay, Fiber, Glass, Sculpture: National Competition Highlights Handmade

The Alice C. Sabatini Art Gallery hosts a national biennial in the Midwest U.S. of juried high-end craft and 3-D art, showcasing fifty-one pieces selected by juror and metalsmith-extraordinaire Sarah Perkins in metals, jewelry, fibers, clay, wood, glass, sculpture and mixed media. As mentioned in my previous post on artdoesmatter, I’d like to highlight some…

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The Look: Expresión de la Cara

All creative types at some point in their careers encounter the Look – that facial expression of disbelief (expresión de la cara) on others’ faces when one initially regards oneself as an artist. Recently, I’ve had the pleasure of three separate but comical experiences where acquaintances who work primarily in the business world have tossed…

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Rachel Timmins Jewelry: Hand of the Maker Flaunts the Tech of Its Build

Describing Rachel Timmins’ realm of work as simply jewelry does little-to-no justice to the outlandish repertoire of materials and sculptural forms she utilizes. She’s as comfortable and skilled with a sewing needle/thread in her hands, as the industrial powder coating gun that both create the palette of color (and backdrops) for her jewelry. Add into…

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