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Posts Tagged ‘KADA Gallery’

Coming Up After August

Posted in Current Events, tagged , , , , , , , on August 31, 2016| 2 Comments »

GC Myers- At the End of the Day smI have written here several times about my dislike for the month of August, most recently in a post from last year called Cruel August.  This year’s events have not changed my mind one bit.  But today mercifully ends August and there is the somewhat more soothing feel of September and October on the way.

Here’s what is on my calendar for the next month or so:

There are only a couple of days left before my show, Contact, comes off the walls at the West End Gallery in Corning.  The show ends this Friday, September 2, so if you want to take a look at this year’s show, please get into the West End in the next day or so.

On September 17, I will be giving my annual Gallery Talk at the Principle Gallery in Alexandria, VA.  This is my 14th talk at the Principle and it is always a pretty good time.   It’s a simple matter of combining some good folks, good conversation, a few confessions and the chance to win one of my paintings at the end of it all.  And a little more.  There are more details that will be revealed in the next week or so.  As I said, it’s Saturday, September 17, beginning at 1 PM.

Then then following week, I head up to beautiful Keuka Lake where I will again lead a two-day workshop for the Arts Center of Yates County.  Last year’s workshop was my first foray into teaching and, despite the initial apprehension that I wrote about here on the blog, was a wonderful and fulfilling experience.  I was amazed at the amount of info the attendees absorbed and the great progress they made in two days.  It was very satisfying and I am excited to be at it again this year.  The workshop runs on Thursday and Friday, September 22 and 23 from 9-4 each day.  For more info click here.  You can also call them at  315-536-8226.

After that, it’s on to this year’s last solo show, Part of the Plan, which opens October 29th at the Kada Gallery in Erie, PA.  It’s been two years since my last show at the Kada, which has represented my work for over 20 years now, and I am eager to show some new work in this show.  There will be more details upcoming on this show but mark your calendar.

 

 

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After the Talk/ In My Life

Posted in Biographical, Favorite Things, Music, tagged , , , , , , , on April 12, 2015| 3 Comments »

GC Myers-Family Path smYesterday’s Gallery Talk at the Kada Gallery went really well.  Many,many, many thanks to Kathy, Joe and Morgan at the gallery for providing a comfortable setting and the many folks in attendance for taking time out on a rare sunny Saturday afternoon to spend it with me.  They were an absolutely wonderful group –attentive and inquisitive–which made my task much easier, making me feel very welcomed and at ease in front of them.

Hopefully not so much that I over-talked  or came across as too full of myself.  I always worry about things like that on the ride back home, agonizing over things I said or didn’t say.  It comes easy because at that point I am pretty tired of hearing my own voice, tired of pretty much being the public me at that moment.

One thing I forgot to mention which bothered me as I was on my way home was that it was the input that I get from the encouragement and stories shared by the folks that attend these events are such a huge inspiration and the motor that drives my work.  I work untold hours alone in my studio and it is their reaction to the work and the fact that they allow me to glimpse briefly into their lives that make them seem almost present at times in my studio.  Distant eyes looking over my shoulder.

I shared one recent inspirational story that took place very recently right there at the Kada Gallery.  A week or so ago, they received an email inquiry from a lady in Switzerland about a large painting, titled Family Lines with the Red Tree with a Red Chair in its branches.  It turns out that she had recently lost her husband to Alzheimer’s and one of their final exchanges was about that very painting, obviously seeing it in online.  Her husband said that he was the Red Tree and she was the Red Chair.  I have to admit to being made teary-eyed by that.  How can something like not stick with me, not find its way into my thoughts when I am alone in the studio?

That story, like so many others shared with me over the years, brings a sense of purpose to the sometimes abstract and introverted act of painting.  I can never fully thank these people for the gift in their sharing.

991126 Color RisingOne of the ways I do try thank folks at these talks is by having several giveaways, including an original painting.  We had a very good time with it yesterday and the group was so receptive that I thought they deserved another.  I had a painting, Color Rising, from a few years back that won by a young lady in her 90’s which leads me to this week’s Sunday music selection.  The painting, shown left, was a monochromatic piece, shades of back and gray with just a dash of color.  I explained that I do these paintings periodically to just more less refresh my color palette in the period between working on shows and that seeing one of my compositions with the color removed was a bit like hearing a song that you’ve heard a thousand times before done by one person done by somebody else.  The song has the same notes, chords, melody and lyrics but it is somehow different, somehow changed.

That brings me to this musical example, a version of the Beatles‘ song In My Life from 1965‘s Rubber Soul album.  My god, I can’t believe this song is fifty years old!  This version is from the American recordings of Johnny Cash, done in the final months of his life.  His age and ailments changed his delivery and imbued the songs with real heart-felt emotion and purity.  A powerful group of music.  This version of the Beatles’ song is not so different but it has  his own personal meaning which makes it his own.

Again, so many thanks to everyone who came yesterday.  It was my great pleasure to spend the day with you all.  Hope your Sunday is a good one…

 

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At the Kada

Posted in Current Events, tagged , , , on April 11, 2015| Leave a Comment »

GC Myers- Warm Welcome sm

GC Myers- Warm Welcome

Just a reminder that I will be in Erie, PA today for a Gallery Talk at the Kada Gallery.  The event starts at 12 noon a and the talk itself begins at 1 PM followed by a Q&A session.  Then come the free drawing for  one of my original paintings as well as a few other assorted  goodies.  Along with the talk and the drawing,  I am showing a new group of work, including the painting shown above, a 30″ by 40″ canvas called Warm Welcome.

Hope you can make it to the Kada Gallery today– I’ll be doing my best to make it a fun and interesting day!  And maybe you can take the painting  shown below home with you for just writing your name on a slip of paper!

Win This Painting Today at the Kada Gallery!

Win This Painting Today at the Kada Gallery!

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Gallery Talk/ Simplex

Posted in Neat Stuff, Painting, tagged , , , on April 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

GC Myers- SimplexThe last couple of weeks here I have been mentioning the Gallery Talk at the Kada Gallery in Erie, PA tomorrow, Saturday, April 11.  Events begins at noon with a reception at the gallery with the Talk beginning at 1 PM.  One of the highlights of the day is the drawing which takes place immediately after the talk where one attendee will win one of my paintings.

The painting to be given away is a 10″ by 30″ canvas titled Simplex that is shown above.  As I have pointed out in the past, I try to choose significant pieces to be given away these events and I think this painting fits the bill nicely.  I liked this piece from the moment it emerged and always felt there was a certain understated elegance in it.

The word simplex means having only one component and it fit for me,the painting seeming to be about the idea of  existing in simplicity, focusing on nothing but that very moment of being and the pleasures of that moment : The enjoyment of one’s solitude or  feeling the warmth of of the sun or the coolness of the breeze.  The quiet pleasure in watching the clouds move in the sky.  Simple things and simple moments that, if we recognize them, give our lives greater depth and meaning.

And that’s what I see in my view of this painting.  Hopefully, some lucky person will find similar meaning in it tomorrow.

So, if you are in the Erie area tomorrow please stop in at the Kada Gallery.  The talk looks to be entertaining and there will be some other surprises along with the drawing so I hope to see you there on Saturday.

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Tides of Change

Posted in Painting, Quote, Recent Paintings, tagged , , , , , , on April 8, 2015| 2 Comments »

GC Myers- Tides of Change smIf there is no struggle, there is no progress.

—Frederick Douglass

 Narrative of His Life, 1845

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We humans are an imaginative lot.  When the first light breezes of any sort of change comes rustling through our leaves, our imaginations go into high gear, filling our minds with images of worst possible scenarios.  So we brace ourselves and struggle against the wind as it becomes stronger and stronger.  Some of us topple over and some lose all our leaves as the wind’s intensity continues to grow.

But some of us set aside our fears and adjust to the wind.  We give a bit and relax,  finding a comfortable position to endure the wind and trusting  that our roots will hold us fast.

We adjust and find that we stand as easily in the new day as we did in the days before.

Change is an inevitable force of nature. It is our adjustments to these tides of change that determine whether we fall or stand, fail or prosper.

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That’s just one reading for the new painting at the top  which is titled, of course, Tides of Change.  This 12″ by 36″ canvas will be at the Kada Gallery in Erie for the Gallery Talk there that takes place at 1 PM  this Saturday, April 11.  The talk and the drawing  to win one of my paintings is open to all. So if you have a different take on this painting and want to share it, come down to the Kada Gallery on Saturday and we’ll talk.

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Comes the Light

Posted in Quote, Recent Paintings, tagged , , , , , on April 6, 2015| 4 Comments »

GC Myers Comes the Light sm

Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content.

-Helen Keller

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This is a new painting that is headed with me to the Kada Gallery in Erie for the 1 PM Gallery Talk this coming Saturday, April 11.  This 20′ by 24″ canvas is titled Comes the Light and speaks to a recurring theme in my work, our capacity to endure darkness and find peace within even in those times when we find ourselves immersed in the darkness.

Reading the quote above from Helen Keller, who knew darkness and silence more than any of us can imagine, after finishing this piece made me think about my reactions to my own periods of darkness, how it was often a period filled with fear and panic — manic flailing  at things, most made greater in my imagination, that  I could not see in the momentary blackness.

But time can be a great teacher and one learns that there is nothing gained in striking out at unseen demons.  Patience and calm replace panic and fear when the realization comes that light usually follows the dark.  It becomes easier to accept and endure the inevitable darkness that we all find ourselves in occasionally.

And that is what I see in the Red Tree here– an enduring  figure who accepts the darkness calmly,  knowing the light soon comes.

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Making Contact

Posted in Painting, Technique/History, Work In Progress, tagged , , , , on April 3, 2015| 7 Comments »

GC Myers- Away From the Chaos smI mentioned here earlier that I am giving a Gallery Talk next Saturday at the Kada Gallery in Erie.  When I give one of theses talks it is not uncommon for me to bring a small group of new work for the gallery. One of the pieces that is heading to Erie with me is this painting, a 24″ by 20″ canvas that is titled Away From the Chaos.

Actually, I should say that it was titled Away From the Chaos.

You see, this painting started its life several years ago in  a much different form.  It was a piece that showed just once for a very short stay in a gallery then moved to the wall of my studio where it has been ever since.  It was one of those pieces that seemed to be right  in the moment but was just missing that something which  kept me from making contact with it.  It was like a person who has experienced a stroke and has full cognizance with much to share but just can’t make the person in front of them understand.

And I was that person who couldn’t understand.  I could see there was something in it.  Life and emotion.  But  muted and totally restrained.  The colors of its sky felt pointy and sharp to me–a sickly yellow that  didn’t add depth in the image and gave the whole thing a green pallor that belied what I felt was the emotion behind the painting.

So for years, I would go into the room that held this painting and feel a sickening, uneasy pang whenever my eyes settled on it.  It made me sad that it seemed there physically but was so far away.

Finally, a week ago, I could take it no more and decided to either revive it or kill it.  The sky transformed in depth and color, becoming warmer and more giving.  The fields brightened.  The brightness of its color and the roof line of the barn changed as I altered one edge that always felt wrong to me– a small flaw but one that became larger when combined with the others.

And the Red Tree made its way to a central point where it truly became the welcoming symbol that I often see it as.  It suddenly felt so much more alive and complete.  It could reach out now and communicate to me.  And that’s a comforting thing for me.

The old title no longer seemed appropriate.  I settled on Making Contact.  Now it seems right.

Away From the Chaos -evoltion

 

This painting can be seen  at the Kada Gallery next Saturday, April 11, where I will be giving a Gallery Talk which begins at 1 PM.  If you can make it, please stop in– we will be having a free drawing for one of my original paintings and a few other goodies.  I am aiming for an entertaining and , hopefully, an enlightening talk. Hope to see you there.

 

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What’s Coming Up

Posted in Neat Stuff, tagged , , , , , , , on March 25, 2015| Leave a Comment »

GC Myers -The Refreshing smJust a quick announcement today of my next few events.  First, in just over two weeks, on Saturday, April 11th,  I will be giving a Gallery Talk at the Kada Gallery in Erie, beginning  at 1 PM.  Then, on June 5th, marks the opening of  my annual solo exhibit at the Principle Gallery in Alexandria, VA.  And after that comes my annual solo exhibit at the West End Gallery in Corning, NY which opens on July 17th.

The  Gallery Talk at the Kada Gallery in April marks the first real talk I have given at the gallery in the 19 years that I have shown my work there.  Actually, it is the second but the first, which was a few years back didn’t feel like one to me and never had the rhythm or flow of my normal talks.  It was held at the beginning of the opening reception for my show there and there was little seating and people were milling about, looking at the new work as they entered the gallery.  There was a lot of distraction and it wasn’t really conducive to creating real interaction with the audience, given my limited skills as a public speaker.  I left feeling as though I had really under-performed  that night.

So I don’t count that as a true Gallery Talk and vow to bring my A game.  Also, this upcoming talk will feature a drawing for those in attendance to win one of my original paintings, along with several other goodies, something that has become a popular feature at talks at my other galleries.  I spend a lot of time deciding which painting to give away at these events because I want it to be something meaningful, not secondary work.  In the past I have given away what I consider to be substantial paintings and I promise those who take the time to come won’t be disappointed in the choice for this drawing. Or in the talk itself, for that matter.  So, if you’re in Erie on Saturday, April 11th, I hope to see you at the Kada Gallery at 1 PM.

This year’s show at the Principle Gallery is titled Native Voice and is the 16th consecutive show, going back to 2000,  at the Alexandria landmark.  It is always one of the highlights of my year, the anchor around which I build my work year.  I am pretty excited about the work that has been coming out for this show thus far and think it will be a very strong exhibit.  But don’t take my word for it– see for yourself.

And then in July, it’s a homecoming of sorts with the opening of my show (still working on the title for this show) at the West End Gallery.  It’s always a pleasure and a thrill to show in your home area.  It’s just a different vibe– more familiar might be the best way of explaining it.  It’s always nice to get to show off a bit for folks who might not see you just as a painter, but know you in other ways.  I see a lot of people from the other phases of my life at these shows and it means a lot that they come out to see this aspect of what I do.  As a result, this show always seems to bring out the best in my work and I suspect that this year will continue that trend.

So, that’s the next several months and, of course, there is more beyond that including a two-day workshop I will be teaching in September at the Yates County Arts Center in the beautiful Finger Lakes.  Not to mention Gallery Talks at the West End in August and the Principle in September.

And with a little surprise I hope to unveil in May, it makes for a very busy year. So stay tuned.

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Paint Your Own Painting

Posted in Biographical, Influences, Motivation, Technique/History, tagged , on January 10, 2015| 3 Comments »

GC Myers- Listening to the MuseI spent quite a bit of time this morning looking at the image of the painting above, Listening to the Muse.  It’s part of my show at the Kada Gallery which is in it’s last weekend there.  This painting really captivates me on a personal level and reminds me of  a thought that once drove me forward as a younger painter.  It’s a thought that I often pass along as a bit of advice to aspiring artists:

Paint the paintings you want to see.

Sounds too simple to be of any help, doesn’t it?  But that simplicity is the beauty and strength of it.

For me, I wasn’t seeing the paintings out there that satisfied an inner desire I had to see certain deep colors that were being used in a manner that was both abstract and representative.  If I had seen something that fulfilled these desires, I most likely would not have went ahead as a painter.  I wouldn’t have felt the need to keep pushing.

It was this simple thought that marked the change in my evolution as a painter.  Before it, I was still trying to paint the paintings that I was seeing in the outer world, attempting to emulate those pieces and styles that already existed by other artists.  But it was unsatisfying, still the work of others, forever judged in comparison to these others.

But after the realization that I should simply paint what I wanted to see, my work changed and I went from a bondage to what existed to the freedom of what could be.  For me, that meant finding certain colors such as the deep reds and oranges tinged with dark edges that mark this piece.  It meant trying to simplify the forms of world I was portraying so that the colors and shapes collectively took on the same meditative quality that I was seeing in each of them.

In my case this seems to be the advice I needed.  But I think it’s advice that works for nearly anything you might attempt.  Paint the paintings you want to see.  Write the book you want to read.  Play the music you want to hear.  Make the film you want to see.  Cook the food you want to eat.  Sew the clothes you want to wear.

Make the world in which you want to live.

Simple.

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Rigel

Posted in Influences, Recent Paintings, tagged , , , , , on January 5, 2015| 2 Comments »

GC Myers- Rigel smMy show, Into the Common Ground, hangs for one more week, until January 12th,  at the Kada Gallery in Erie.  One of the paintings that I was asked about quite often at the opening back in early December was this piece, a 20″ by 24″ canvas titled Rigel.  What was that blue orb?  The sun?

Well, when I was painting this piece there just seemed to be something a bit different in the feel of it before I had even opted for the blue ball in the sky.  Maybe it was the ultra warmth of the red and yellows that made me want to counter it somehow or maybe that odd feeling made me want to accentuate it even more.  I am not really sure.

But the blue orb appeared and all that came to mind was the star Rigel which appears in the night sky as the foot of the constellation Orion.  Rigel is one of the brightest stars in the night sky and is a blue giant star, extremely hot and large but short-lived due due to the intensity with which it burns.  It’s a star that I always look for in the winter sky when I make my way home in the walk from my studio.

It’s brightness and location in Orion make it jump from the dark sky.  In those moments the light from it seems so cold and distant which seems like a paradox given the great heat with which it burns.  And it’s that paradox that I saw in the blue orb in this painting.

A rightness in its wrongness.

It’s a painting that I always linger over for a few moments when I run through this show as it makes me think about so many other things than what seems obvious on the surface.

And I like that in a painting…

 

 

 

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