Vision 2012 – Strawbridge Art League show

 I’m inviting everyone to like my artist page on facebook and also to like my page on the Abstract Artist website.  (Of course that’s if you actually find you do like them.)   You can do it by simply going to www.facebook.com/HelenWheatley.Artist  and  www.abstractartistgallery.org/Helen-Wheatley/  and clicking the like button.  Feel free to share my pages with whoever you think might like to see them as well.  My book, “Driven to Abstraction”, is supposed to arrive on Friday and the waiting is driving me crazy.  Why didn’t I spring for the express delivery?  I guess I thought I’d save a buck or two, which I’d much more happily spend on art supplies.  Oh well.

I’ll be heading down to the Henegar Center on Saturday bringing artwork to submit for Strawbridge Art League’s annual Vision Show.  Vision 2012 promises to be an exciting show with lots of talented artists entering their best works.  You must be a member to enter, but you can join at the take-in.  The Henegar Center for the Arts is located at 625 E. New Haven Ave. in Melbourne, Florida.  Take-in is scheduled for this Friday 2-6 pm & Saturday 10 am – 2 pm.

New Book!

I’m so excited!  I finished my first picture book of my paintings and I’m expecting it to arrive on the 20th.  It’s titled “Driven to Abstraction”, subtitle “A Voyage of Discovery”.  I can’t wait to see how it turned out!  It’s full of pictures of my recent abstract paintings.  If you’d like to check it out, here’s the link.   www.blurb.com/books/2886765   Hope you like it.  Let me know what you think.

Abstract Artist Gallery

A collection of abstract artists

If you haven’t checked out the Abstract Artist Gallery yet, I recommend you do.  The gallery represents about 100 abstract artists’ works (including mine) along with some info about them.  These artists are from all over the world and the site will translate their information for you.  If you like abstract art and would like to see a truly awesome collection, check it out.  You can find it at www.abstractartistgallery.org

New artwork on display now.

Night Tide

Masquerade Ball

My latest series of paintings is on display now at Art Gallery of Viera, located at The Avenue, Viera.

The Celebration Series includes “Masquerade Ball” (at right), “Opening Night”, and “Bon Voyage”.  Mingled in with these larger paintings are some of my smaller acrylic abstracts including my latest works, “Humanity Sea”, “The Crossing”, and ”Awaiting the Storm”.

Last weekend, one of my small abstracts, “Night Tide” above left, received a Merit Award at Strawbridge Art League’s juried show, Water.  It can be seen at the Henegar Center for the Arts, located at 625 E. New Haven Ave. in Melbourne, Florida through January 22nd, 2012.

This weekend, I am exhibiting with the Central Brevard Art Association at their 6th annual Heritage Isle Holiday Art Show.  The show is at the Heritage Isle Community Clubhouse, (a beautiful ballroom setting) at 6800 Legacy Boulevard, Viera, Florida. To get there, take the Wickham Rd. exit from I-95 and go west past the traffic circle. Continue west and you’ll find the Heritage Isle community on the right side of Wickham. The show will be open Saturday, November 12th from 10:00 am till 5:00 pm and on Sunday the 13th from noon till 4:00 pm. 

 

 

Finally

Bon Voyage

I think the thing I like best about doing a series of paintings is that you can set a goal and (hopefully) achieve it.  The feeling of accomplishment helps me get through whatever other stuff I have to do.  This is a short series, but it seemed like it took forever.  I guess that makes the taste of being finished even sweeter.  Bon Voyage completes my series that has included Opening Night and Masquerade Ball.  All bright and festive and so different from the work I’m doing the rest of the time.  For some reason, I feel like having a glass of wine.

Two out of three ain’t bad

Opening Night

Finally, the second of the series of three paintings I’m creating for a showing at Art Gallery of Viera is completed.  These are nice sized paintings, bright in color and fun.    I think after my third one though, I’ll be happy to get back to the abstracts I’ve been working on.   For some reason, I couldn’t resist going off on this tangent.  I guess they satisfy my need to work with geometric shapes and bold colors.  Again, the short attention span rears its ugly head.  OK, so maybe not so ugly.

Classes starting

Red pail

Beginner to intermediate watercolor classes start at the Cocoa Beach Library tomorrow, Thursday, Oct.13th at 10 am.  In addition to our usual 1/4 sheet paintings, I’m going to have students create 4″x6″ mini paintings.  The mini paintings will fill the drying time involved in the larger paintings.  They will be simple and give the students the opportunity to try various techniques on a smaller scale.  There are still a few spaces left.

Calling it a Painting

Masquerade Ball

 

Finally, after many, many long hours, layer after layer of paint, I’m finally ready to call this one done.  It’s a fun painting, full of bright colors, and a feeling of jubilation.  Can you feel the excitement, the beat of the music?  I always feel like celebrating after completing a new piece.  Especially one that challenged my imagination as much as this one has.  Why is it that the creativity simply flows some days (or weeks) and other times you have to dig so deep to get it down on paper?  Perhaps it was the difficulty of changing gears.  The abstract acrylics I have been doing have been more spontaneous, less labored.  Working on this piece, while using the bright colors was fun, I found capturing the feeling, the movement and euphoria of a party was, well, exhausting.  After all that, I sure hope you like it.  Feel free to leave a comment and let me know if you’ve encountered such difficulty and how you overcame it. 

Halloweird A Celebration of the Strange

Black Cat Rescue

Making some new friends

Halloweird Bunch

If you couldn’t make it to Art Gallery of Viera last night because you couldn’t get to your boat or your waders weren’t high enough to keep you dry, fear not!  The exhibit will be there throughout the month of October.  Odd art of all kinds are on display and you will marvel at the creativity and perhaps wonder “what were they thinking?”   The folks from the South Brevard Humane Society were on hand to dispel myths about black cats and raise awareness of their particular difficulty in getting adopted.  Donations of canned cat food, paper towels, cleaning products, etc. gratefully accepted.

Get ready to get Weird.

I Had the Strangest Dream Last Night

 

 

Halloweird, that is.  Art Gallery of Viera will present this unique show from Saturday, October 8th to Friday, November 4th. Don’t miss the opening reception on Saturday, October 8th from 6-9 pm.

Support the Black Cat Rescue with donations of canned cat food, cleaning supplies, paper towels, blankets, etc.  Join us in a group art project.

Costumes are optional. 

I’ll get a first peek working the take-in today and tomorrow and here’s a look at my submission.

For all the latest news about our gallery, go to www.artgalleryofviera.com