Artistic expressions of Democracy!

These are crazy, turbulent times, especially with the very important up-coming election and what better way to express opinions about what’s happening in the world than thru ART!  My guest blogger Stewart Wilson, founder & artist of PERSONALAND art & cultural website is calling for art focused on Democracy for a new online exhibit.  So if you’re an artist who wants to submit work (it’s FREE!) or an art lover/collector who wants to check out political work from around the globe, check out Personaland!  Here’s more info from Stewart….

Personaland – our online global arts village invites artists of all media to participate in our next online art show “Democracy and the 2020 Elections”

(Here are  two early entries – “ Democracy on the March” by Gay Schempp and “ Moon over Manhattan” by Dutch artist, Theo van de Goor.)

How is democracy expressed or repressed globally? and/or What about the elections of 2020?

We invite your creative responses in image, film, music or poem. No Entry Fee and the deadline is September 27^th

https://personaland.com/submit/democracy-exhib.php

Personaland – enriching the internet with an invigorating blend of entertainment, enchantment and culture.

Persona Horseback and Dragon rides to our online art shows, showcasing 256 artists from 37 countries, Art Shop, dancing flowers, wishing well and fun art games. 

Watch our movie ‘ “Fugitive” https://personaland.com/stage/fugitive/

More info: Stewart@personaland.com

Call for Artists: “Democracy”

Personaland – our online global arts village invites artists of all media to participate in our next online art show “Democracy and the 2020 Elections”

How is democracy expressed or repressed globally? and/or

What about the elections of 2020?

We invite your creative responses in image, film, music or poem.

No Entry Fee and the deadline is September 27^th

https://personaland.com/submit/democracy-exhib.php

<more if you wish yo add it>

Personaland – enriching the internet with an invigorating blend of entertainment, enchantment and culture.

Persona Horseback and Dragon rides to our online art shows, showcasing 256 artists from 37 countries, Art Shop, dancing flowers, wishing well and fun art games. 

Watch our movie ‘ “Fugitive” https://personaland.com/stage/fugitive/

See our current “Art in the Time of Pandemic” and “Social Justice'” exhibits.

Wishing you safe and creative adventures.

Stewart

https://www.personaland.com

Return of the Lazy Blogger

I admit it!!  I’ve been lazy…well, when it comes to blogging anyway.  But I have an excuse…I really do!  It’s because other art related stuff has been taking up my time and I’m really happy about that!  OK, so other social media networking has been a big time suck too…don’t you ever fall into that Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. time warp where you start out promoting your craft and get caught up in the home page posts of friends, cute animal videos & political drama when you realize, CRAP!…I just wasted an hour on fluff?  Yeah, guilty as charged but I have honestly been really busy with for-real art stuff too!  So, to catch you up, here’s what’s been happening in my creative world so feel free to post comments about how you deal with the bombardment of social media & how it effects your work.

TEACHING IS FUN!  Being someone who is not a fan of public speaking I didn’t know how I’d feel about giving art lessons but when it’s one-on-one or a small group, I found it’s awesome!  So I have a cool group of students of various ages (even one across the pond that I do Skype lessons with) & it’s so awesome to pass on creative knowledge and see people really get into it & see how their work progresses during the lessons!  Aside from art lessons I also give creative marketing lessons as I have extensive experience in sales, fund raising & marketing from previous art & non-art jobs I’ve had over the years before making the leap to full time artist!  My goal is to give at least one class a day (5 days a week) & I’m pretty close….so if you want to hone your creativity or know someone who does, drop me a line here & I’ll get back to you!

Dream Of Trees 2, oils (c)Lauren Curtis

ART SHOWS ARE FUN TOO!  Especially when stuff sells!  I’m currently in a 4 artist show at the Merwick Care & Rehabilitation Center in Plainsboro, NJ & the above painting pre-sold!  And I sold both pieces that were in the last show I did at Gallery U in Westfield, NJ.  Now I’m preparing to submit work to 4 new exhibits so fingers (& nails) crossed. (If you know me at all you know I have crazy Ripley’s Believe It Or Not length nails!).  So hopefully my next blog will be about some of the new shows my work will be in…

YAY! COMMISSIONS!  As a full time freelance artist nothing is better than getting hired to create art & design work for clients!  Luckily I’ve been hired to do illustrations for books, graphic design work, and one of my favorite things, pet portraits, for a variety of clients across the US & abroad.  This has not only kept me busy but helps pay those bills too so the more work the merrier!  Keep it comin’! Here are just a few examples of the work I’ve been doing lately that has caused my lack of blogging…

pencil illustration for a children’s book (c)2017

Commissions welcome so message me for details!

So, you see?  I haven’t been lazy with my artwork, just with blogging….I’m trying to get back in the swing….so can I ask you a favor?  If you can read, comment, follow & like posts it’ll encourage me to keep at it and to start getting interesting guest bloggers again so it’s not just all about me….there are so many fascinating people out there creating awesome work that I’d like to share so drop me a line if you’re interested & help end the blog slacking!  Thanks for reading…till next time…which will be soon, I hope…..fingers & nails crossed!

Honoring an Artist’s Wild Spirit

It’s so important that artists & creatives support each other!  Although my long-time friend, Australian artist Lina Eve, & I are literally across the globe from each other we have stayed in touch and supported each other’s work.  Aside from being an amazing painter, Lina is a talented film maker and writer and is now trying to fund a YouTube project that honors a true artist’s wild spirit, Vali Myers (1930-2003).  Lina introduced me to the inspiring and bold work of this way-too-overlooked, unique soul years ago and now she wants to share Vali’s artistic legacy with the world, so please read on about this fascinating project and visit the link for more info and to find out how you can help make Lina’s dream a reality!

Lina Eve:  for my talented and lovely friend, Lauren Curtis

VALI MYERS: WILD SPIRIT    https://www.gofundme.com/vali-myers-wild-spirit

“1999: Whilst browsing one of my favorite 2nd hand bookshops, I chanced upon Vali’s beautiful book of paintings and writing titled , “Vali Myers”.  A day or so after this rare and fabulous find, I heard Vali being interviewed on ABC Radio National.  Her unique Aussie accent, her raw and earthy take on life, combined with the amazing artwork in her book, had me toasting her talent and fierce honesty.

Vali and I eventually met in her studio in Melbourne some months later.

We had only exchanged a few letters and chatted on the phone, 
but when we met there was instant rapport. She introduced me to the Turkish spirit Raki, and we got pretty legless on it.  At least I did.  Vali would have been able to drink most people under the table! Spending glorious afternoons with Vali, filling our glasses and talking about everything under the sun became my ritual every time I traveled to Melbourne from then on. “

(Lina, left…Vali, right)

“Vali died in 2003 and although she had a loyal following of fans, her work is largely unknown around the world. Vali’s work is highly personal, and therefore, like other amazing women artists, was not picked up by the media for the truly unique art it is.  Now I’m  trying to raise funds towards a YouTube tribute video about Vali  …..a beautiful friend, who created a whole world of powerful and magical art.”

                                                            “Moby Dick” (c)Vali Myers

Wikipedia:    “Vali Myers (2 August 1930 – 12 February 2003) 

was an Australian visionary artist, dancer, bohemian and muse whose coverage by the media was mostly in the decades of the 1950s and 1960s in Europe and the United States.”

I’m now collecting permission from the photographers  of my favourite portraits of her, and already have permission ( from the Vali Myers Trust) to use all her images for the video

If you can help with a donation, that would be wonderful and if you could also please pass on my Go fund me link, it would be very, very much appreciated!

  “Vali Myers : Wild Spirit”

 https://www.gofundme.com/vali-myers-wild-spirit

A Beautiful & Powerful Art Exhibit

“Beautiful and Powerful Statements” is an art exhibit featuring the arts of calligraphy and re-purposed materials.  It opens Saturday, January 28, 2-5pm at Nails in the Wall, the Gallery at St. Luke’s, 17 Oak Ave., Metuchen.  The exhibit includes nearly 70 pieces in many media, from photography and video to fabric, ceramic and glass as well as all manner of re-purposed materials. Work from all over the U.S. and as far away as Israel is included in this show, along with the work of New Jersey artists. The approach to calligraphy was a very broad one and was open to any work that was text-predominant. That has allowed us to include not only work with elegant traditional calligraphy in many diverse languages, but other pieces that are very powerful and direct. “Anatolia” by Woodbridge, NJ artist Gozde Ture includes a quotation from the Orkhon Inscriptions with calligraphy in the Goturk alphabet that speaks about time. Ruth Schreiber’s works, from Israel, while connected to the Hebrew Scriptures, employ a “fantasy writing” using porcelain and other images. And California calligrapher Beverly Womack creates her work using layers of materials and images. The photography-based altered prints of East Orange artist, Onnie Strother, on the other hand, use bold text to speak directly to their viewer, and Georgia-based Craig Wilson’s almost stream-of-consciousness words dance all over the page. The art from “repurposed materials” makes their statements by way of the material itself…employing everything from actual bees and beeswax as Montclair artist Art Paxton does in “Buzz”, to the steampunk-related cast-offs used by NY artist and teacher Seth Apter, and another Steampunk influenced 3D piece by Lauren Curtis, as well as a piece by  Metuchen artist Amy Brooks in her work “Post-Truth Apocalypse”. “We were sought to incorporate in the show work featuring calligraphy or text that made, individually and collectively, a powerful statement. We were also interested that the work accepted using re-purposed materials had an inherent, accessible beauty. We were constantly weighing those two interests as we reviewed the work and decided what would fit well in this show, so that each piece really was appropriately “Beautiful and Powerful, “ noted Gallery Board Member Robert Hopkins. The Opening will be carried by Facebook Live, beginning around 2:30pm. This will be especially helpful for the artists who live great distances. It will allow anyone who wishes to log on to the Nails in the Wall Gallery FB page and interact with the visitors present at the gallery. Nails in the Wall is in the midst of its fifth year presenting international, interfaith exhibits of high-quality fine art. To learn more about the gallery, visit www.nailsinthewall.org or call the Director 732.322.6512.  Link to the Facebook invite:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1765730973753205/

I’ll have this large, 3-D Steampunk style box in the show.

Feast for the Senses & art news

You can sense the excitement in the air as spring all too slowly approaches…but it’s on the way!  And as with all new seasons, comes new art events, especially in New Jersey!  While it’s still too cold for outdoor fests and shows, there are plenty of indoor art exhibits to attend and the following I’m involved with this month are all FREE so no excuse not to check them out!  I hope you’ll join me and many other local, talented artists at these exhibitions:

Reminisce (c)2013, watercolor and collage

FEAST FOR THE SENSES…Group Art Exhibit
Work by local artists (most living, some not) will be on display from March 7 through March 28, 2016, in the library’s community room. Participating artists include: Judy Brodsky, Joan Arbeiter, Lauren Curtis, Ria Glassman, Joyce Browning, Eric Escobar, Virginia Swanagan, Pat Shamy, Sydney Jean Reisen, Nadine Berkowsky, Jackie Baker, Jill Caporlingua. Deceased artists whose work will be displayed include: Jacob Landau, Stanford White, F. J. Adams, John LaFarge.

The Opening Reception for this Art Show (on Thursday, March 10, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM in the Carl T. Valenti Community Room) will provide light refreshments and an opportunity to meet and talk with some of the artists.  I’ll have a few paintings in this show.  Here’s Facebook invite link:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1694806214135180/

NOLA Cemetery Path (c)2010 Lauren Curtis

SACRED SPACES, HOLY PLACES
There’s still time to see this enlightening exhibit of sculpture & photography with 27 artists / 43 pieces of work / 13 pieces of sculpture / 30 photographs.   Aside from being an exhibit, related spiritual & cultural discussions & events typically take place during the run of the show so check the gallery’s website & Facebook page for info.  Nails in the Wall Gallery at St. Luke’s, 17 Oak Ave, Metuchen, New Jersey 08840.
I have 2 photographs in the exhibition which continues until
Sunday, May 15, 2016.

Melody Bar Art (c)2015 Lauren Curtis

And a quick question…Do you have a favorite place that you wish you could visit forever?  How about immortalize a beloved home, vacation spot, hang out or historic site in ART?  Commission a pen & ink with watercolor painting of a place you’d like to remember forever!  Contact me for details: forestwalker333@hotmail.com

For more of my work, please visit my newly updated website! http://laurencurtisart.weebly.com

Thanks for reading!

~Lauren

Spring Arts Events

Now that the weather here on the East Coast is finally warming up, more and more arts events are “springing” up (sorry for the bad pun, couldn’t resist!).  New exhibits are taking place in galleries and online with many outdoor vending events soon to follow.  Here are a few shows I have work in as well as some info. about new work I’m doing,  so please read on…

Dream Of Trees 2, oils (c)Lauren Curtis

“LANDSCAPE & ARCHITECTURE”
Explore these classic art themes at the new exhibition at the SOUTH BRUNSWICK MUNICIPAL GALLERY, 540, Rt. 522/Ridge Rd., Monmouth Jct, NJ.  I’ll have 2 oil paintings in this show along with the work of several other local artists!  Opening reception Friday, April 17, 2015, 6:30pm-8pm.
Show runs thru 6/24/15.
For more info.: 732-329-4000 X7635
www.sbarts.org

Xray WorldEgg Birdmother (c)March2015

NEW “X-RAYTED” ARTWORK
This Spring I’ve been working on expanding my “X-RAYted” digital photo collage series & thanks to friends donating to my growing collection of x-rays, I now have new signed prints available, including the one shown above, “World Egg Birdmother” . Signed, matted 8×10’s start at just $50 +s/h.  Larger sizes & framing options available.  Please contact me for more details!  Other images can be sen on: http://laurencurtisart.weebly.com 

 

And here are some great exhibits you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home as they are ONLINE!  I have artwork in these shows:

International Women’s Exhibit

This online exhibition, hosted by Women In Focus,  features amazing photographic images from women artists around the world!  From traditional images to abstract and surreal, it’s worth taking the time to scroll through this extensive show and experience so many beautiful pieces in one place.  I have a B&W night shot I took in Amsterdam in this show.  Here’s the link: http://www.womeninfocusatlanta.com/  under Exhibits.    The exhibit will remain online through the month of April.

Spring Featured Artists

A LinkedIn connection, Stephen Fountain, invited me to be a featured artist on his eclectic, spiritual, creative website so of course I said YES!  In Stephen’s words, this site is built with the intention to get people to use more of their intuition and cognitive process to find things , so it takes a bit of searching to locate my feature but all you need to do is look to the left on the SPRING EXHIBIT page and you will see a big star and it says spring above it. In the center of the star is an arrow pointing in two directions. Click on the right side of arrow to see my page.  The large buttons below my image will lead you to my various websites. 

Here’s the link:

http://www.thezoc.org/home#!__home/vstc0=exhibitions

As always, thanks so much for reading!
~Lauren

NJ Isn’t Boring, Ireland Art Exhibition & more

Spring is almost upon us, even though the NJ weather doesn’t always agree, but wherever you are I hope you’ll take a minute to read about these exciting art events and if you are in the area, please visit these exhibitions & enjoy the art of spring!

Carnival, NJ June2011

New Jersey Isn’t Boring!
Group Show at Arts Guild New Jersey
1670 Irving St.,  Rahway, NJ
Opening reception Sun. March 22, 1pm-4pm. 
See what makes NJ so unique and definitely NOT boring!  Artwork of all types from many local artists. Show runs thru April 16, 2015.
I have two digital photos  in this show.

Ireland; Blarney Castle (c)Lauren Curtis

Savor the Arts; Ireland Exhibition, Group Exhibit, Middlletown Arts Center
36 Church St., Middletown, NJ
Opening Reception, Fri. March 20, 7pm-9pm.
Join this artistic celebration of Irish culture!  Show runs thru April 18, 2015
I have the above photo in this exhibit.

Reminisce (c)2013, watercolor and collage

Revelation/Revolution
Group art exhibition at Nails in the Wall Gallery, St. Luke’s Church, 17 Oak Ave., Metuchen NJ.  I have 2 paintings in this current exhibit that will be up until May 31, 2015.  Visit this eclectic, spiritual gallery to view work from local, national and international artists!

“Necropolis”, digital photo collage (c)Lauren Curtis

Spirit of the Human Family
Group Exhibition at the Linda Grandis Blatt Gallery, Temple B’nai Or, 60 Overlook Rd., Morristown, NJ.  Spiritual and artistic views on the meaning of family, this show runs thru April 10, 2015.  I have 3 pieces in this exhibition.

LOVE for art in February

Time to show some LOVE for art this February!  And there are many ways to do this, especially if you’re in the New Jersey area.   I have paintings, mixed media and photography pieces exhibiting in several locations this month, along with other talented local artists as well as those from across the US…and all these events are FREE to attend!  What a great way to spend the month of love!  Here’s the details: 1. SPIRIT OF THE HUMAN FAMILY, group exhibition, Linda Grandis Blatt Gallery at Temple B’nai Or, 60 Overlook Road, Morristown, NJ 07960, opening reception Sunday 2/8/15, 2-5pm.  See postcard above for more details.

SpiritHumanFamilyPostcardJan2015

2. TWO ARTIST EXHIBIT; ART OF NEW BRUNSWICK.  I have several 35mm B&W and color digital photos in this exhibit in the Mayor’s Office in New Brunswick NJ’s City Hall,  78 Bayard Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 732-745-5004  Opening reception to be announced and the work will be on view by 2/1/15, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

New Brunswick Master (c)L.Curtis

3. REVELATION/REVOLUTION, group exhibition runs thru the end of April and is now on display at the Nails in the Wall gallery in St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 17 Oak. Ave., Metuchen, NJ.  I have 2 mixed media paintings here, including the one below, “Omen”.

Omen (c)2011 Lauren Curtis, oil painting with decoupage

4. I have several color,  nature photographs, including the one below,  published in the new book

The Raritan River: Our Landscape Our Legacy Limited edition!  To order your copy:

http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu/product/Raritan-River,5244.aspx

(c)2012 Funguslace, Digital photo

Please feel free to contact me by responding to this blog, or via my websites, with any questions about these exhibits or my work! Enjoy the art & take care, Lauren http://laurencurtisart.weebly.com  (NEW fine art site!) https://laurencurtis.wordpress.com  (my Blog)                                http://www.facebook.com/LaurenCurtisArtTalonArt (Facebook Fine Art Page) http://www.LaurenCurtisArt.com (commercial & fine art)  http://laurencurtis.imagekind.com/ (cards, T-shirts, photography, illustration)          https://twitter.com/LaurenCurtisArt (now on Twitter)

Art for Revelation/Revolution

Gallery spaces these days have expanded far beyond the typical white-walled, NYC (or insert big city here) space…and this is a great thing as it opens up so many more opportunities for artists to show their work and for it to be seen by a wider range of people!  One of these newer spaces that I really enjoy exhibiting my work in is Nails in the Wall Gallery, located within the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Metuchen, NJ.

This Saturday, 1/24, from 2pm-5pm, the newest exhibition opens up with a fascinating reception featuring in-depth talks with some of the artists about their work and how it relates to the current theme of “Revelation/Revolution” and how this applies to all forms of “organized religion”.  I’ll have the 2 pieces in this blog in the show along with works from other artists from across the US!  If you’re in the area, please join us…here’s more info. supplied by the gallery:

Nails in the Wall, the Metuchen art gallery sponsored by St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (17 Oak Ave. / Metuchen),

will begin its 2015 Season Saturday, January 24, 2-5pm, with REVELATION / REVOLUTION. 

This exhibit will include work from nearly twenty artists both from around the U.S.

as well as outside the country, with art that focuses on the power of God’s Word.  

 

Reminisce (c)2013, watercolor and collage

Local photographer David Glasofer will speak at the Opening,

along with Teaneck sculptor Anthony Santella,

Ontario, Canada artist Shakil Kahn and Sara Paige Hoag from Urbana, IL. 

 

Join us for this free event with high quality art and refreshments provided by the Metuchen Inn!

 

Omen (c)2011 Lauren Curtis, oil painting with decoupage

The exhibit, which includes painting, photography, mixed-media and free standing sculpture,

runs from January 24 through May 31, 2015. 

The gallery is open daily. Times and other details can be found at www.nailsinthewall.com

or by contacting the Gallery Director, 732.322.6512 / EarthsongsCeramicStudio@gmail.com

​

Artful Wishes for a New Year!

HAPPY, HEALTHY & PROSPEROUS New Year’s Wishes to you!  Whether you venture out or stay in to celebrate the beginning of 2015, I hope you enjoy yourself & ring in the new year right!  May your creative side come out in full force in a positive way!

I’m starting of 2015 with some exciting gallery exhibits & freelance work, so here’s the scoop…if you’re in NJ, I hope you can join me at these art openings:

DRAMATIC SKIES 2015, group exhibition, Gourgaud Gallery, 23A North Main St. (in Town Hall Bldg.), Cranbury, NJ.  Opening reception Sunday 1/4/15, 1pm-3pm, refreshments served.  Show runs thru 1/25/15.

Dream Of Trees 2, oils (c)Lauren Curtis

REVELATION/REVOLUTION  group exhibit, Nails in the Wall Gallery (in St. Luke’s Church), 17 Oak Ave., Metuchen, NJ. Opening reception, Saturday, 1/24/15 (time TBA but most likely around 3pm). Show will be up for several months.  

Reminisce (c)2013, watercolor and collage

I also have an art article in the holiday issue of WILD SISTER MAGAZINE!  To check it out, here’s the link:  http://wildsister.com/latest-issue/

Finally, I’ve been getting some really fun freelance commission work like children’s book illustration and pet portraits…2 of my latest creations are below & click on the links to my art sites for more!

Children’s Book Illustration, Oct2014

Pet Portrait, pen & ink w/ watercolors, Dec2014

Hope to see you at an exhibition &/or online.  Have a wonderful, art-filled New Year!!
~Lauren
http://laurencurtisart.weebly.com  (NEW fine art site!)
https://laurencurtis.wordpress.com  (my Blog)
http://www.facebook.com/LaurenCurtisArtTalonArt (Facebook Fine Art Page)
http://www.LaurenCurtisArt.com (commercial & fine art) 
http://www.laurencurtis.imagekind.com (cards, T-shirts, photography, illustration)
https://twitter.com/LaurenCurtisArt (now on Twitter)