Migration is finished and has a place to hang out too!

  Migration (894, 895 & 896) oil on linen 66x180 (4-12-14)

When I started the year with a new goal, "painting for an exhibit that didn't exist," no exhibit space did exit! I just knew it was time for a change, a change from supplying galleries with paintings to making paintings for solo exhibits. I believe it to be a different creative process. I knew if I had the work, the work would find a venue. I also knew if I didn't, no venue would surface. 

Galleries for the most part can't handle a painting like Migration unless perhaps in a solo exhibit situation. Paintings like Migration are not painted to sell but get attention! Migration is the first painting this year painted with all this in mind. 

Every exhibit needs anchor paintings; something they stop dead in their tracks for, something to remember, and something that makes everything else pale for a moment. If its a small exhibit, one anchor might do the job.  If it's larger format exhibit space, more are needed to lead you through the entire exhibit, keeping your interest peaked and forcing you to move on to the next morsel. Now, if you can put the viewer in the painting, and size does that, you make them part of the experience and therefore part of the creative process through interaction! We don't have a tendency to forget that kind of experience. If you can make these kinds of paintings, I think you stand a chance in today's art world.

Because of other paintings like this done over the last few years, an opportunity did surface. Not exactly what I expected, I actually thought it would be a gallery. I was approached by The Cultural Art Center at Glen Allen to do a solo exhibit in their main gallery. The center and gallery space sold me; it was perfect for what I had in mind. I was on board! A good first step for an artist like me. I have six months and now I'm able to paint to a space I know.

I get to fill these walls - how cool is that?

Center hall with gallery on either side

Gallery A

Gallery A

Gallery B

 DEL'OCEANO: FROM THE SEA

 Outstanding exhibit of kiln fused glass 

by Cara Michele DiMassimo

Spooky, because it kinda reminded me of  "build a ball field and they'll come" situation.....mmmmmm

Later..........