Catching Up and Out from Under

The Artist Talk and Learn to Transfer Art Workshop at Transformations Gallery was part of the Catching Up weekend with photographer Catherine Hartigan.

photo by Alexandra Chalker

What was listed as an Artist Talk was really an engaging conversation in a warm salon setting. Cathie and I took a seat and invited people to talk to us- rather than us talk at them.  We encouraged and invited questions and observations about our work.

photo by Alexandra Chalker

I am looking forward to seeing the video that Cathie's niece Alexandra Chalker shot along with these photos so I can remember the insightful comments that participants offered up.

photo by Alexandra Chalker

The Workshop portion of the session was a short demo with some handouts  (posted as a page on this blog) and then everyone went to work.

photo by Alexandra Chalker

The weekend was an opportunity to share, create and do some Catching Up for us all.

and it's always great when you get an unsolicited testimonial!

Nanci and Cathie,

It was a pleasure meeting both of you at this afternoon's workshop. I especially want to thank both of you for re-awakening the artist in me that has been buried for so long under piles of diapers and Gerber baby food jars! I am ready to start creating again and you have equipped me with a new technique that I will be using for years to come!

Best,

Michelle Daino 

See For Yourself

Floating
acrylic on canvas
30" x 30"
©2013NanciHersh
photo by JudyWeinberg

The Artists Reception for Catching Up this past weekend with Catherine Hartigan was a great success. The warm terra cotta walls were a perfect back drop for Cathie's photographs and my koi paintings. 

Catching Up Artists Reception
photo by Judy Weinberg

Our work spoke to each other from across the room while the non stop flow of people mingled, mixed and reunited. So many of our family, friends and classmates made the trip to Metuchen, NJ it went on well past the scheduled 9 pm end time.

Catching Up Artists Reception
photo by Judy Weinberg

Group shot of Edison Jersey girls looking pretty darn good
in front of Cathie's photos

Caryl Felicetta of Think Plan C, Nanci & Cathie
in front of Deep Blue with Red (detail)
acrylic on canvas
36" x 48"
©NanciHersh
photo by Judy Weinberg

Fleeting
Acrylic on canvas
30" x 30"
©2013NanciHersh
With plenty of food and drink to go around

Be sure and check back on this blog in a couple of days to see photos and directions from our Artists Talk and Learn to Transfer Workshop held the following day.

And for those of you who missed us this weekend, Cathie will be at Transformations Gallery at the Old Franklin Schoolhouse in Metuchen, NJ on Sunday, October 13 for a town wide Gallery walk.

Loading Up for Catching UP

Getting ready to load up my paintings and supplies for Catching Up with photographer Catherine Hartigan opening this evening at Transformations Gallery in Metuchen, NJ.

Dini da doog is all for quality control but is reminding me that before
I go anywhere she needs her walk first!

My trusty tool box- ready for the Learn to Transfer Workshop on
Sunday, September 22, 12-2

Let's see.. got to shower, walk dogs, load up and... catch Tom Marioni's talk at the DCCA. My fellow guides at the DCCA have been reading his book Beer, Art & Philosophy and can't wait to have a conversation with this captivating conceptual artist.

Art friends family art beer wine more art....Exciting!

Give Us Your Best Shot

I am having so much fun getting ready for my Catching UP exhibition with photographer Catherine Hartigan. We're both excited to see so many of our friends, family, neighbors and classmates from home. And, we could use your help.

Stepping Out, detail
Monotype with image transfers
©2013NanciHersh

See, Caryl Felicetta of Think Plan C created a great poster for us. Photographer Judy Weinberg, co-chair of the Transformations Gallery along with glass artist Amy Brooks, put up these posters in store fronts in downtown Metuchen. It's a community thing- only Cathie and I are in our respective homes- two hours and 7 days away.

So I had this idea, what if you could be our "boots on the ground" by taking a picture of a Metuchen storefront and show us who is sporting our Catching UP poster.

photo by Caryl Felicetta

Then:
1. Post it on the Transformations FB Page with the name of the shop generously hosting our poster.
2. LIKE the page. (if you want extra credit, you can LIKE Cathie's page, Caryl's Think Plan C and mine if you haven't already... hey its fun to spread the love!)

And I will donate a signed copy of my Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings Book in your name to benefit a school, library or house of worship in the community.

Books will be available at our Artists Reception- Saturday, September 21, 7-9 pm, and at our Artists Talk and Learn to Transfer Workshop- Sunday, September 22, 12-2 as well)

It's a great way to give a shout out to the local businesses, pay it forward, and get in on the fun.

C'mon, give us your best shot!

Doing it Right with Think Plan C

Catching Up, my exhibition at Transformations Gallery in Metuchen, NJ with Catherine Hartigan is less than two weeks away.

Fleeting, 2013
acrylic on canvas
30" x 30"
©2013NanciHersh
photo by Dain Simons

Cathie and I check in regularly to update each other on our progress and ideas for our exhibition, Artist Talk and Workshop. There is something wonderful about the process of working with another artist whose work you respect and whose friendship you value.

There is another collaborator, friend, and Edison, NJ girl- Caryl Felicetta of Think Plan C  who is helping us "do it right."

I went through school with Caryl's sister Diane and had vague memories of Caryl as a cherubic little sister.  Cathie, however, became friends with Caryl outside of school and stayed friends through the years. She also brought Caryl to an art show of mine last year and sang praises of Caryl as a designer and marketing guru.

And that she is... from our card to our Press Release  she is the one making it happen and doing it right.

Whatever you got going on... Think Plan C.  Thankfully for Cathie and Caryl, I do now.

Sneak Preview Party

I am hosting an Open House/Open Studio Preview Party for friends and neighbors Saturday, September 7, from 5-9 pm. My exhibition with Catherine Hartigan is less than 3 weeks away and I want to share my new work with friends and neighbors who won't be making the drive north to the Transformations Gallery in Metuchen, NJ for our Catching Up exhibition, Artist Talk and Image Transfer Workshop.

I have been busy painting, and having fun curating my work throughout the house.

Frenzy on the fireplace
acrylic on canvas
30" x 40"

Each painting is 10" x 10"
Acrylic on canvas
©2013NanciHersh

So, if you are in the area and would like to stop by for a glass of wine and some hors d'oeuvres- let me know, and I will put you on the guest list.

Catching Up- a little Art History

The story behind our show opening Saturday, September 21, from 7-9 pm at the Transformations Gallery at the Old Franklin Schoolhouse in Metuchen, NJ.

Photographer Catherine (Romeo) Hartigan and I met in High School art class back in the late 70's (can you tell- how's the hair?)

We became fast friends, sharing our love of art, music, dogs and a good laugh.

We even went to the prom together...
  as you can see- our dates (then boyfriends are out of the picture!)

We stayed in touch through college, ended up on opposite coasts for the next 30 years. Then Facebook comes along and we reconnect. The rest is “art history” —at least in the local sense.

Even though our lives had taken different paths on different coasts, time didn’t change the bond of friendship. Cathie found my Butterfly Kisses book online and looked me up on Facebook. We reconnected, and discovered we were both now on the east coast and were both still creating art and now, with families. Cathie, her husband Jack, their son Will and two dogs live in Wilton, CT. Scott and I, our two sons, and two dogs live in Landenberg, PA.

During one of our conversations, Cathie mentioned she was off to Martha's Vineyard for a family summer vacation. I asked Cathie to keep her eye out for any fishing nets as I was incorporating net imagery in my new work. Cathie found a perfect old fishing net in a second hand store. Cathie sent the net to me as a gift, along with one of her photographs with nets as the subject as well.

Netscape
Archival print
20" x 24"
©CatherineHartiganPhotography

Beneath the Surface II, 2013
Acrylic on canvas
30" x 40"
©NanciHersh

Such is the story of “Catching Up” – two Jersey girls returning to their roots, and sharing their passion for color and light, capturing nature and beauty, weaving it into the lines and threads of their lives.

The show will include a selection of our work: My Koi Pond paintings and Cathie's landscape photographs, including select images of Martha’s Vineyard. 

Exhibition open on September 21^st running through November 16, 2013 at the Transformations Gallery at the Old Franklin Schoolhouse, 491 Middlesex Avenue (Rt 27) in Metuchen, NJ, across the street from Metuchen Boro Hall. 

The artists will be present at a Reception will be held from 7:00 through 9:00 pm on September 21^st.

There will also be an Artist talk and Art Workshop that is free and open to the public on Sunday, September 22, from 12:00 noon through 2:00 pm at the gallery. 

Registration is preferred. You can email me at nancihersh@gmail.com