Your Brain on Art

Remembers those advertisements from the Ad Council stating that "this is your brain on drugs"?

Well this, is my brain on ART... all lit up! (and, without any assistance from the other shrooms)

Yes that's me all bundled up... it was cold, but festive!

Taken at the First Annual Mushroom Drop at Kennett Square, PA bringing in 2014, this 8' x 8' stainless steel mushshroom wrapped with hundreds of LED lights presented a photo op I couldn't pass up.

January just seems to be blowing open the doors- of my mind. Lots on my plate, besides eggs.

1. Catch & Release a solo exhibition at Project Space Gallery in Wilmington, DE Opening February 2, with artist reception on Friday February 7, 2014. The past few days in the midst of finishing up new work for the exhibition at Project Space I have been busy working on the invites for the Project Space exhibition titled Catch & Release designed by Caryl Felicetta of Think Plan C. In fact, building your mailing list IS an art, and maintaining and regular updates are a good practice. ArtBiz Coach Alyson B. Stanfield offers up lots of suggestions and systems to get your mailing up to date and keep your fans and friends in the Loop.

2. My Painting Studio Class begins tomorrow Wed. January 15 at The Center for Creative Arts in Yorklyn, DE. Registration is still open. You can sign up online.

3. Prepping to begin a collaborative sculpture project about women with YoungMoms of Kennett Square made possible by a Leeway Foundation Art & Change Grant.

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Loop, welded steel, 25" x 56" x 41.5"
©NanciHersh
Photo: Christian Kaye

Art in the Community

Thursday was the opening reception for the Annual 2012 Regional Exhibition at the Center for Creative Arts in Yorkly, DE.  It was also the Lights On After School Community event for the Kennett After-School Association's After the Bell Program.  Both events are a reminder how the arts play a vital part in creating and enriching a community.  

Kathy Hrenko, Executive Director of After the Bell on right
with middle school students, and me on the left.

Kennett After-School Association's After the Bell Program is an award winning program that offers free after school activities for middle school students in the Kennett Consolidated School District.

It is an amazing collaboration between community organizations, volunteers and the school district.  Students are able to choose from a wide variety of activities that include sports, cooking, games, science, knitting, and skill building for young teens.  There are three 6 week cycles that are offered during the year.  Over the past couple of weeks, we had the students ink up their "kicks" to create a rainbow of footprints to make up this banner that was presented at Lights On After School where community leaders and board members recognized the accomplishments and value of this program.

 

Mixed media piece on left by Carla Pastore,
artist and Executive Director of
the Center for Creative Arts.
next to my Kaleidoscope on right
Love how they play off of each other!

Later that evening I attended the opening of the 2012 Annual Regional Exhibition at the Center for Creative Arts.  Danielle Rice, executive director of the Delaware Art Museum was this year's juror who was gracious and attended the reception. My painting Koi #6 received an Honorable Mention. Met some new artists and saw some friends who stopped by to say hello and see my work.  A big thank you  to all!

Koi #6
Acrylic on cradled board
14" x 14"
©2012NanciHersh

In her Juror's statement, Dr. Rice said "Artists put themselves on the line when they create something from nothing and they open themselves up to criticism again when they exhibit their work. ...Without your courage and creativity, the world would be a dull place indeed."

Here's to working together to helping our communities shine through art.

Effort (less)

Koi #6
Acrylic on canvas
14" x 14"
©2012NanciHersh

Effort (less.)  Funny how we can work and work on something, falls into the overworked pile. Then we leave it, let it go.  Rework it and poof, effortlessly it comes together. Of course that is a myth- it's logging in all those miles/hours to get there.  That's what happened with this painting.  Had a different incarnation for months (more than a year) never felt right, but kept it up on a wall for the heck of it.

Then poof. I knew what I wanted to do.  Now Koi #6 is up at the 2012 Annual Regional Art Exhibition at the Center for Creative Arts with an Honorable Mention.  Opening reception is tomorrow night, October 18, 6-8 pm.

Come say hi.