Seashore Art Festival

Seashore Art Festival
SATURDAY, APRIL 7 & SUNDAY, APRIL 8, 2018 (see weather note below)
10 AM UNTIL 5 PM
First Landing State Park, Virginia Beach(map)
more info.here

After a brief hiatus from outdoor shows, I will be back at the festivals this year.  Even though I took a break from the shows, I have continued to paint regularly and will have new work at the three shows I have scheduled so far.  The first is this weekend.

Note about the weather:  If the current prediction becomes reality, I will opt to display on Sunday only.  I will have a note on my blog  and my Facebook page

The painting shown above was painted using water soluble encaustic (wax).  It was very interesting to work with and I will be doing more work with this medium.

Please stop in and chat, I'm sure we have a lot of catching up to do.
Laura

Crossroads Art Center Richmond, VA

If you are in Richmond or find yourself in Richmond, please stop by Crossroads Art Center on Staples Mill Road. I have work on display there that includes several small framed abstract paintings that are priced perfectly for gift giving.

Additionally, this Sunday is their Fall Festival and Open House.

Stockley Gardens Spring Arts Festival

Spring Stockley Gardens Arts Festival

This weekend, May 21 & 22 is the Fall Stockley Gardens Arts Festival. More information may be found here The show is open from 10am until 5pm on Saturday and noon until 5pm on Sunday. Please stop in an say hello.

The painting shown is called Before the Rain and is acrylic on canvas. Come on out and see this one along with a several other new paintings.

Have a great weekend,

Laura

Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival

This weekend is the Port Warwick Art Festival in Newport News, VA.  The show is open from 10am until 6pm Saturday and from 10am until 5pm on Sunday.  I will be in space C42 and will have a number of new paintings on display.  More information may be found at http://www.pwartfest.org/  

The painting shown here is called Uncyphered and is an 8x10 mixed media on metal (gold) leaf.

Challenge from a friend

I am fortunate enough that I have a wonderful circle of artist friends and we get together as often as possible to catch up but also to immerse ourselves in art. This usually involves painting together which leads to suggestions, etc. from one another.  

On one such occasion, I brought a heavily textured canvas to paint.  Everyone loved to lacy look of the texture.  One of my friends suggested (challenged) me to do a series of monochromatic paintings on this type of texture.  This really was a challenge for me since my love of color often overrides my intentions when it comes to this type of work. The last time I started out with the idea of a study in white, it became blue and copper instead.

This time I was determined to follow through and went home and textured two more 12x12 canvases to achieve the same lace like texture as the first.  The "experiment" resulted in a triptych titled Fretwork I, II and III.  Each painting is 12x12, slightly darker in value and framed in a simple natural wood frame.

Fretwork I

 

Fretwork II

Fretwork III

Paintings by Laura Gibbs and Don Williams
On exhibit 

September 2 through October 31, 2015

How do you relate to an artwork when there is no object to give you a clue?

When an artist uses only color, pattern and texture to convey ideas and emotions, how do you discern the artist’s message?

Opening reception with the artists

September 18th in the Arts Center @ 319 from 6 to 8 pm.

http://www.smithfieldarts.org/

Plenty of Art - Spring shows and Beyond

Unfurling - 9x12 textured acrylic on board

I am participating in one show this spring and it is this coming weekend.  The show is Arts in the Middle in Urbanna, VA which s approximately an hour and a half from Hampton Roads.  The show is open from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm on Saturday, May 30th and 10:00 am until 4:00 pm on Sunday, May 31st. There will be entertainment at the show and later that evening in the town of Urbanna as well. Please refer to their site for more information http://www.artsinthemiddle.com/

Some of you may have noticed that I was missing from a couple of the spring shows that I normally participate in.  I missed East Beach and Stockley Gardens as they both conflicted with family commitments and celebrations.  It felt really odd not to be at these outdoor shows this year, but I wouldn't have missed our son's college graduation for anything.

There are two very exciting shows on the horizon.  I will be exhibiting in a one person show in Richmond and an invitational in Smithfield.  More information will be sent soon. 

Art show this weekend

Getting ready for an art show this coming weekend.  This one is the Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival in Newport News, VA.  I have been painting a lot, but have had to put the unfinished ones on hold so that I can pack up the paintings that I will be taking with me this weekend.  

The show is October 11-12, 2014 Sat, 10am - 6pm – Sun, 10am - 5pm.  More information may be found here

Resurgence 10x8 mixed media on panel

The painting shown above will be on display at Port Warwick. I have been fortunate to finish a number of new paintings since June including several very affordable small studies. Resurgence is comprised of a variety of media and many layers.

What I did with my summer vacation

I know summer isn't really over,  however, I participate in an art show (Seawall Art Show) that is always the weekend before Labor Day. Since the Labor Day weekend is generally the unofficial end of summer, I consider the art show to be mine.

This summer was very busy at times.  I took a trip to Alaska with my sister.  We took a cruise that left from Seattle, so we were able to see a few things there as well.  Alaska was wonderful, it is one of my all time favorite vacations.

I also painted quite a bit, seven new paintings.  I will have all of them at the Seawall Art Show in Portsmouth, VA on August 23rd and 24th.  More information on this will be posted in a couple of days.

Seeking Pythagoras 9x12 water media on Yupo 

Most of my work this summer is in water color, gouache, and water color crayons.  The painting shown above, Seeking Pythagoras, used these three media on a surface of Yupo synthetic paper.  It is 16x20 framed under glass.

Stockley Gardens Arts Festival

Looking Down - watercolor on Yupo

This weekend is the  30th Annual Spring Stockley Gardens Arts Festival.  I will be in space C-9.   We will be open Saturday May 17th from 10 am until 5 pm and on Sunday from noon until 5 pm.  The show is in Stockley Gardens Park in Norfolk's Ghent neighborhood. More information may be found here 

The painting shown above is new this spring.  It is 11x14 on Yupo synthetic paper and I used watercolor, gouache and watercolor crayons.  Please come out and stop by this weekend.

Arts in the Park Richmond, VA

Juncture

Come out and see my art this weekend at the 43rd Annual Arts in the Park in Richmond, VA.  The show is held at the Carrilon in Byrd Park.  We are open from 11 am until 6 pm on Saturday, May 3rd and 11 am until 5 pm on Sunday, May 4th. I am honored to be one of over 400 artists from around the country to be participating in this art show. More information may be found here Arts in the Park information

The painting shown above is one of many new pieces that will be on display.  Juncture is watercolor, gouache and watercolor crayon on Yupo.

East Beach Art Show

Synergy

The 6th Annual East Beach Art Show is this Saturday, April 9th.The hours are from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm and is located at 27th Bay St. and Hammock Lane in Norfolk's East Beach neighborhood.

The painting shown above is 30x22 mixed media on paper.Come on by the show on Saturday to see Synergy and several other new paintings.

Urban Cartography

Urban Cartography

I recently decided to revisit using Yupo as a painting surface. Yupo is interesting in that it is basically plastic made to receive paint.  It is like painting on glass in that it is completely non-absorbent.  The paint sits on the surface of the paper which makes layering a bit tricky.  It is essential to have the ratio of pigment and water just right.  If you want more information on this challenging material, you can find it here http://www.yupousa.com/paper/index.php.

Urban Caffeine

Urban Caffeine

I have been painting all winter in anticipation of Spring art shows.  Above is a new mixed media painting. The unframed size is 30x22.  It will be on display at the East Beach Art Show on April 19th.

Stockley Gardens Fall Arts Show

This weekend, October 19th and 20th is the Stockley Gardens Fall Arts Festival. I will be in space C9 .  The show is open from 10am - 5pm on Saturday and 12pm - 5pm on Sunday.

Below is a new painting called Coastal Breeze.  It is 8x10, mixed media on panel. I have a number of new paintings that will be on display. Please stop by for a visit.

Have a great weekend,
Laura

Coast Breeze 8x10 mixed media on panel

Port Warwick Art and Sculpture Festival October 12th and 13th, 2013

Aperture 8x8 mixed media on panel

This weekend, October 12th and 13th is the Port Warwick Art and Sculpture Festival. I will be in space A6. The show is open from 10am - 6pm on Saturday and 10am - 5pm on Sunday.
Above is a new painting called Aperture. It is mixed media on cradled panel and is 8 inches square. I have a number of new paintings that will be on display. Please stop by for a visit.

Aerial View

Aerial View is mixed media on handmade paper.  The painting was then mounted to a cradled panel so it is ready to hang without a frame. I often start several paintings at one time and finish them when “they speak to me”.  Even though I looked at this start a number of times, it just didn't speak to me.  Along came a new product that I wanted to try – Golden High Flow Acrylic.  I pulled this painting out and began finishing it.  The painting was started with some texture mediums and ink.  It was about 80% finished and the remaining 20% was finished using these new paints.  I was extremely pleased with the glazing properties of the transparent colors.  I particularly love the lower right hand corner where I was able to glaze purple over the yellows and neutrals.

Aerial View mixed media 

Foundational Integer

Caribbean Duet

Foundational Integer  is an 10x8 mixed media on board.  It evolved by starting with a layer of texture using ink.  The next layer was a few pieces of newspaper collage, and then numbers were stenciled in the upper right.  From there, I applied many thin layers of acrylic paint, watercolor crayons and Pearl-Ex powders.  The painting was then varnished with a thick glossy layer and framed in a wide matte black frame.

4th Annual Buckroe Beach Arts in the Park Festival

I will be participating in the 4th Annual Buckroe Beach Arts in the Park Festival in Hampton, VA. on Saturday, September 14th from 10 am until 6 pm.  Here is a link to more information http://www.peninsulaconnects.org/artsintheparkfestival.html 
Please stop in for a visit.

Burnished Groove

Still Waters

It’s finished! The 48x60 commissioned painting that I have been working on, that is.  Working on this painting has been an incredible experience.  I loved every minute of it, even the part where it is 60 inches tall and so am I.  This meant that I spent quite a bit of my painting time sitting on the floor or kneeling  After starting with a couple of layers of heavy texture using gesso, paper  and modeling paste, I began many, many layers of paint and mediums in various shades of blue, green and yellow.There is also a little espresso and bronze.

Still Waters 60hx48w mixed media on canvas

The goal was a peaceful, abstracted landscape to include specific colors requested by my client.  I am very pleased with the finished work and she is pleased with the photograph.  The painting will be delivered soon.