Monthly Archives: March 2019

New gallery opens in the area

Posted on March 31, 2019 | 1 comment

Traditional Arts Today gallery at 314 W 9th St, Ferdinand, IN. The brick building behind this restored historical building is the workshop space.

I had the pleasure to visit a new gallery in the area this past week. Traditional Arts Today at 314 W 9^th Street, Ferdinand, Indiana, features the art and crafts of regional artists.

Beautiful entrance to Traditional Arts Today gallery

Housed in a beautifully restored historical home, TAT is just a block off Main Street in Ferdinand, Indiana. The gallery showcases a wide variety of creations by area artists, from painting and photography, weavings and soaps, to jewelry and pottery, and a whole lot more. This is a great place to browse and pick up something for yourself or someone special.

Official greeters at TAT

Many homemade products are featured, from soaps to edibles. Yum!

The impressive entrance hall of the gallery.

TAT also offer classes in their restored carriage house behind the building. All those looms you see in the photo will soon be moved there. This weekend they offered Ukrainian Easter Egg decorating classes.

Some paintings of Louisville artists and hand-made weavings. All those looms will be moving to the workshop space soon.

If you haven’t been to Ferdinand, it’s a great place for a day trip. Of course, you’ll see one of the main features of the village which is the monastery on top of the hill, a truly spectacular sight. Plus there are many other shops and small restaurants though out the town.

Some pottery by Monte Young with local photographs and handmade pillows.

Anyway, check out Traditional Arts Today gallery. Their Facebook page is Traditional Arts Today and they’re just getting their website up but that should be ready soon. It’s always heartening to hear of a new arts venue opening in the area.

Follow these links to learn more:

Traditional Arts Today website

Facebook – Traditional Arts Today

Monastery of the Immaculate Conception

Ferdinand, Indiana activities

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Posted in art

Tagged art, Ferdinand, gallery, indiana, Traditional Arts Today

A sad day for arts magazines

Posted on March 27, 2019 | 2 comments

I love arts magazines. Looking at all those gorgeous photos of the artwork of other artists is so inspiring. I’ve learned so much over the years. But there is a downside to all the magazines, and that is that I never wanted to throw them away. I know, I know, they’re just meant to be temporary but most artists I know feel this way. We always think we’ll come back to them but we don’t. That still doesn’t change the allure these shiny missives of creativity.

But I noticed something the last time I went to a bookstore. You know that I live in a really rural area so visiting a brick and mortar bookstore is a treat for me. I love the smell of new print, fondling volumes of wonderful possibilities, smelling the coffee and just hanging around with other book-lovers. But the last time I visited my favorite big name bookstore, I headed to the magazine rack at the end of my visit to peruse the latest offerings in art magazines and to snag a couple for home reading. After digging through the layers, looking behind the home decorating and wrestling mags, I couldn’t find some of my favorites. I thought that maybe it was the end of the month and the new editions hadn’t been put out yet.

So I was dismayed to read one of my favorite blogs by artist James Gurney (Gurney Journey) yesterday and to learn that F & W Publications, Inc., the company that produces The Artists Magazine has filed for bankruptcy. What!?! This magazine has been a staple for artists across the country for decades. When I purchased a copy, I would read it from cover to cover. Even the ads in the back listed announcements of exhibits and other great information. Sigh. This will make my next visit to the bookstore a little dimmer. Yes, there are some other fine art magazines out there but they have a different mission and flavor than The Artists Magazine. Oh, and Writers Digest, Pastel Journal, Watercolor Artist, and Interweave Knits are going, too.

How to enter a digital portfolio review

Posted on March 24, 2019 | Comments Off

Krempp Gallery, Jasper Indiana

I am on the Visual Arts Committee for the arts center for which I used to be Director. The committee is charged with selecting exhibits for the following year. We do twelve exhibits a year with some being fixed so generally we have slots for seven or eight shows. Some of these are solo shows and some are group exhibits. A few are invitationals based on a theme, ex, portraits, furniture, costume design, etc.

Each December we put out a call for artists with the deadline for entry the following March. Then the committee, comprised of artists, teachers, gallery owners, and interested community members review the entries and begin to winnow them down. We’re seeking talent, variety in both style and media, and often something just plain different.

What initially began as slide submissions quickly morphed into digital images on CD which has again transitioned to reviewing all the artists in an online forum. This week I’ve looked at over fifty artists. (The first year we put out a call we had over two hundred entries!)

One thing that has struck me is how some artists clearly project a professionalism that others do not. This gives them a big advantage in the review process. So, just what do I mean by this?

Follow the rules. If you’re asked to submit ten images, then don’t submit three or twenty. Check the size and format that is requested. If an Artist’s Statement or CV is requested, then send one. DO NOT send a link to your web site or a photo of your fancy brochure. You want to make it easy for the judges and they shouldn’t have to go fishing for information.
Check your photos very carefully. Is the quality up to par or could you do better? There are all kinds of resources online or YouTube about how to take decent photos of your artwork. You don’t want any hot spots, frames, hands holding the work, your dog or the garage door in the image. With affordable digital cameras and editing software, there is no excuse for submitting shabby images.
Check your computer monitor and view your images on different monitors. If you’re really serious, invest in a monitor calibrator. This will help ensure that your images appear the same across many platforms.
What work should you submit? Obviously, your best, but more than that. Ask yourself if your work is consistent in quality and impact? Or does it look like everyone else’s work? Is everything too same same or are you working in a distinguishing style? Usually first impressions count so I would suggest lining up your work with your best piece first and your second best piece last in order to make the impression stick. What makes your work stand out? Yes, it may be very well executed but it just may not have that special something. Try to be objective.
If you are working in more than one style or medium, it is OK to submit more than one portfolio with each submission focusing on a different style or medium. However, that means that should your work be accepted for an exhibit, then your show will be focused on the work that was submitted. Gallery directors understand that the exact pieces you submit for review may no longer be available (unless that was one of the rules), but they expect to see you deliver a show similar in style and content to what was in your application.
Learn to write a decent Artist Statement. Can you explain your work in half a page or less?
When you are writing your CV (curricula vitae), start with the newest items first. If you have many, many listings, then highlight some of your most important awards or shows. Summarize the earlier work. Believe me, no one is interested in what you did in kindergarten.

After you submit your portfolio, then relax. You either will or you won’t get in. It’s out of your hands. But learn from the process. It’s OK to contact the gallery or museum to find out if there was anything you could improve or for other helpful suggestions.

You can often find request for portfolios in the back of many artists’ magazines and through online resources, such as, CaFE.org. Some charge a fee and some do not. Again, read the rules. And if you should get accepted for an exhibit, pay particular attention to the conditions and rules of the gallery. But that is a subject for another post.

Read more about submitting your work for a juried show at this link to an earlier post. 5 Tips for Getting into a Juried Show

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Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged gallery exhibit, how to apply to a show, juried show, portfolio review

Fresh flowers for spring!

Posted on March 20, 2019 | Comments Off

Are you tired of winter and ready for something new? Try adding some fresh flower paintings to your home for a new look. Both of my Etsy shops are having a sale of 20% off ALL flower paintings or even any painting with some flowers in it. No limit except for the time. Sale ends April 30th. Check out the links below.

Etsy KitMiracleArt click here!

Etsy shop My90Acres click here!

Spring sale. 20% off all flower paintings or any painting with flowers in it. No limit. All in my Etsy shop KitMiracleArt.

Spring ad for Etsy shop my90acres. 20% off all flower paintings. All original. No limit.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged contemporary impressionist, Etsy, sale

Mixed Bouquet

Posted on March 17, 2019 | Comments Off

Mixed Bouquet, original painting, 20 x 16, impressionistic style, Kit Miracle

Spring is finally ready to pop here in Southern Indiana. The early daffodils and crocuses are out in force. The tulips are up but not yet blooming. I’m not sure if the narcissus will make it after the deep freeze a week ago but the forsythias are ready to pop.

Meanwhile I’m still in the mood to paint flowers which finds me scouring my old photos. This painting was based on a small bouquet of mixed zinnias from my garden. I think the greens are sprigs of coriander with added bits of phlox and sweet peas.

Painting flowers is much more challenging than most people realize. Some artists are so talented in painting every pistol and stamen but that is not my style. I prefer to capture the feel of the flower. This is called impressionism.

As you can see if you view the detail photos, brush strokes are a mix of bold and soft. It takes some practice to achieve this effect but all I can advise is to keep at it. Or, wipe it off or paint over any less than desirable areas.

Mixed Bouquet, detail 1. Another closeup of the flowers. Loosely painted in impressionistic style.

Mixed Bouquet, detail 2. Notice the loose strokes and variegated painting.

Mixed Bouquet, original painting, Kit Miracle

This painting can be viewed on my Etsy shop here.

When you take a flower into your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it, whether they want to or not.

Georgia O’Keeffe

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Posted in contemporary impressionism, painting instruction

Tagged acrylic, contemporary impressionist, country living, flowers, gardening, kit miracle, still life

Yearning for Spring

Posted on March 10, 2019 | 2 comments

Yearning for Spring, framed, 16 x 20, acrylic on canvas, Kit Miracle, contemporary impressionist

I am just so ready for spring. Living here in southern Indiana, the winters are usually rather mild, at least compared to my years in Michigan. We will often get a little snow but not much to worry about. I think winter here is really like a long fall.

However, this year Mother Nature seems to have taken a fit. Warm one week just enough to tease the early bulbs out of the ground. Then the next week, temperatures diving for the bottom of the thermometer. Last week we saw lows of 10 degrees which meant our wood furnace (The Beast) was doing its best to keep up. Yesterday we saw a high of 62 with some 70s predicted for next week. Last evening the peepers could be heard in chorus in the bottoms. Did I mention that I am really ready for spring?

I felt an irresistible urge to paint some spring flowers. With few early flowers out yet except a couple of bedraggled crocuses and some hardy daffodils, I turned to my photos of some spring bouquets. And to step outside my usual style. Same old, same old, gets boring in my opinion.

Yearning for Spring, acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20, contemporary impressionist, Kit Miracle

The first bouquet consists of forsythia, double fancy daffodils and some branches of flowering quince. I like the subtle colors here and aimed at coordinating the background to the flowers but to subjugate it to the foreground.

Dancing Tulips, acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20, contemporary impressionist, Kit Miracle

The second flower painting took me in a different direction. I aimed for bold colors and lively strokes. This painting certainly accomplished that. It almost looks as if the tulips are dancing. To see the step by step for this painting, click here or go the Artworks tab and click on Dancing Tulips.

With the warming temps coming this week, my real tulips might be blooming. They’re already up several inches and it will just need old Sol to entice them out. I’m ready!

Of course, both paintings are for sale at my Etsy shop.

Thanks for stopping by.

Spring is Nature’s way of saying, “Let’s Party!” Robin Williams

Yearning for Spring, detail 1

Yearning for Spring, detail 2

Dancing Tulips, detail 1, Kit Miracle

Dancing Tulips, framed, acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20, Kit Miracle

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Posted in contemporary impressionism, garden, painting instruction, Uncategorized

Tagged acrylic, bright colors, daffodils, flowers, kit miracle, original painting, spring, spring flowers, toned canvas, tulips

Afternoon Shadows – another painting beyond the photograph

Posted on March 3, 2019 | Comments Off

Afternoon Shadows, acrylic, original painting, 14 x 18, contemporary impressionism, Kit Miracle

I thought I’d post another painting created from a photograph for my class. This photo was taken of our patio and arbor with the fire pit on sunny autumn afternoon. I like outdoor scenes with a human element. This will often include at least some kind of man-made item whether a building, fence post, road or path. In this case, the setting gives the feeling of comfort and ease. The chairs, the smoke from the fire, the dappled sun and shade all contribute to the atmosphere. The turtle sandbox adds a touch of whimsy.

When using a photo as inspiration for a painting, it’s important to remember that it is a tool and a road map. Take inspiration but don’t be afraid to change things.

Afternoon Shadows, detail 1. Click and enlarge the photos to see the brush strokes. Notice the background tree is just painted with a few strokes. And the smoke is just a glaze on top of the background. See the indication of the sun and shadows on the chair.

In this painting, I was trying to capture the feel of the afternoon sun. The smoke and fire indicates that there could be a chill in the air with a slight breeze. The location and setting are inviting; it looks as if someone has just left the area.

Afternoon Shadows, detail 2. Zoom in on the vines and leaves to see just how loosely they were painted. The sandbox turtle adds a note of whimsy.

My style is not photo-realist but contemporary impressionist which works well for conveying the feeling of this scene. The chairs beckon the viewer to sit in the sun or warm themselves by the fire. Will a child come walking into the area to play in the sandbox? I love paintings that tell a story.

Afternoon shadows, detail 3. Zoom in on the posts and the background trees to see the brushstrokes.

As you can see by the detail images, I use loose strokes to indicate the branches and leaves. From a distance, the painting appears to be much more detailed than it actually is. It takes some practice and confidence to make just the right stroke to indicate a branch. Or, if you make a mistake, just scrape it off and try again.

Afternoon Shadows, original photo. If you compare this photo to the painting, you can see areas that I have emphasized, changed or deemphasized.

Normally I would have painted a scene like this in plein air but I was busy that afternoon and only had time to capture the view with my camera. That is one of the benefits of using photographs as inspiration.

Afternoon Shadows for sale