Sally Powell + Top 5 New Year's Resolutions of 2013

Sally Powell's New Year's resolutions are:

• Quit procrastinating, and waiting until the last minute!!!
• Read more books
• Take a figure drawing workshop
• Get off of all artificial sweeteners
• Make enough time to "play" in the studio
• Volunteer - Cook meals for the families at Ronald McDonald House 
• Remember people's birthdays and actually let them know I remembered, and am thinking about them

So far Sally has been great in keeping with her resolutions - here she is in her Birmingham studio! Lookin' good, Sally!

All of these resolutions have had us wondering ... what are the most popular resolutions for 2013, and how can you succeed in keeping them? According to Huffington Post, the top 5 New Year's resolutions are:

1. Getting in shape
2. Eating right
3. Saving money
4. Quitting smoking
5. Volunteering 

HP says the key to keeping your resolutions is to not over-commit. Pick 5 or so goals, and be realistic with your expectations (i.e. don't buy a treadmill if you never use the one at the gym!). 

 

Resolutions continued!

In keeping with our resolutions, Kate Merritt Davis' plan for the New Year is short and sweet, but one that we can certainly relate to! : 

"Menu planning to help streamline my time!" 

If you are a fan of Kate's wood panel paintings, then you will love her works on paper! These look fabulous hung together, or individually, and give just the right pop of color to any space.

Kate Merritt Davis works on paper, priced from $20

Dreams and Wishes for 2013

This year gallery artist Eileen Power dares to dream BIG! 

I’m a notorious “list maker.” Each year during that blissful week between Christmas and New Year's I assemble my list of “wishes and dreams” for the coming year. They must be written and I require myself to dream BIG. Attaching photos to illustrate the dream makes it that much better. Sometimes the goal is as simple “take a photo shop class so I can improve my skills”. A new dream for this year’s list is a trip to Giverny so I can experience the same light as Monet and Joan Mitchell, one of my most favorite abstract expressionists.

A little less dreamy goal for this New Year is “less social networking and more Rosetta Stone”. I know a handful of phrases in a half dozen different  languages. I really want to become fluent in a second language. So far, so good.

Un Abrazo (hugs)

-- Eileen

Eileen's mastery of color and abstract expression is noticeably visible in her new pieces that just arrived at the gallery - And while we can't imagine Eileen improving on her already incredible knack for color and light, if a trip to Giverny is in her future, then more power to her! 

Millpond, 36" by 36" on gallery wrap, $1200

These fresh compositions are perfect for introducing color into a room, or livening up a blank wall - decisions that can sometimes be rather intimidating! They also work well if you are looking to juxtapose an abstract painting with a more traditional piece. 

Petite Coquille, 30" by 30" on gallery wrap, $800

 “I saw this dreamy palette a few months ago in an issue of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles, one of my most favorite shelter magazines. Cool lavender and grey with little pops of yellow and orange make a beautiful painting.”  - Eileen

More Resolutions and ... a Sneak Peak!

Athens-based artist, Erin McIntosh, tells us her resolutions for the new year (..and we can definitely relate!):

1. Live more healthfully...eat more veggies, more tea and less coffee (my favorite thing!), and get back into jogging and yoga (which I have let both go ever since daylight savings time ended). 
2. Wear gloves when I am painting.  I really have never been fond of latex gloves (because it reminds me of being at the dentist) and while I did wear them when oil painting in college, I have since, let that habit go for the past, oh,  ten years or so.  I wash my hands ALL the time.  Between being a teacher (madly trying to avoid catching everything my students being into the classroom), scrubbing off dried acrylic, and hand washing dishes, my hands are a dry wreck!  So, I am wearing gloves at every painting session now (also am using Cadmium pigments again so all the better for it) and am wearing gloves washing dishes.   Here's to keeping that skin soft and smooth! Whew, that was a long one. :)
3. The third is to read more, compute less.  Less time on computer (and smart phone!) and pick up books, multiple books each and every day, even if I read just a couple of pages.

Erin has been busy in her studio getting ready for the upcoming First Day of Spring show with Sara Cameli that will take place here at the gallery from March 20th thru April 6th. Here is a glimpse inside Erin's studio in Athens, Georgia, AND a sneak peak at what will be in the show! 

Erin's new paintings already have us thinking spring!

Dun Laoghire, 12" by 12" on gallery wrap, $250

Melon, 16" by 16" on gallery wrap, $300

Elixir, 40" by 40" on gallery wrap, $1500

A Fresh Start in 2013, and Looking Ahead At What's to Come!

We have some exciting things happening at the gallery in 2013, and we love having our artists weigh in on their resolutions for a new year, and a new start! Today we'll be featuring resolutions from gallery artist Michelle Armas: 

1. Look less like a Schlubb: wear real clothes and make up most days. I want a "French" closet, meaning very few clothes, each piece makes me want to do a peepee dance I am so happy to have it. Plus if I could maybe look French in the bargin, I would not complain.
2. Make more artist friends, and do collaborations. Work with other creatives that I admire, travel to paint! NYC baby, lets do this thing.
3. Take my fitness to the next level. I am talking hanging off of a cliff by one arm ala Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. Potential for a back flip tutorial in my future.

Michelle looking stylish in front of one of our favorites, "Blamo"

One of our favorite Michelle Armas placements was designed by Holly Hollingsworth Phillips or, as you may know her, the voice behind the hugely popular blog Musings of a Design Aficionado. We love seeing Holly every year at our annual Charlotte show, which will take place February 7th thru the 10th. If you want some great inspiration, visit Holly's Pinterest page - it is one of the best out there! In the next couple of weeks we will be posting more images of Holly's placements featuring other gallery artists - stay tuned!

Michelle Armas painting placed by Holly Phillips

Enjoying the Little Things in 2013

Gallery artist Deann Hebert's 2013 New Year's Resolutions are:

1. Kairos time. A friend of mine once shared the concept of Kairos time. Kairos is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment. It can also mean a moment in time in which something special happens. When something special happens such as when my 2 year old runs up to me and gives me a big hug and says, "Mommy's home!" or the special conversations I share with my 5 year old at bedtime, these are kairos moments for me. It is almost like time stops. It is my goal in 2013 to enjoy the little things, the kairos moments in my life.

Deann with her daughter, Adeline

Speaking of Kairos time, here are some of Deann's mini pieces that we hope will inspire you to enjoy life's little things!

Daisies, 6" by 6" on gallery wrap, $95

Cotton, 6"by 6" on gallery wrap, $95

Church, 6" by 6" on gallery wrap, $95

New Year's Resolutions...Day Two!

Our artists are off to a GREAT start this year! Here are Christina Baker's resolutions for 2013!...

1. Gain better control of my attention span. I am so easily distracted
2. To fold the laundry as soon as they come out of the dryer!
3. To experiment with a variety of new color combinations in my paintings

Kicking off the new year with style and some well-deserved recognition, Christina's work was recently featured on the blog Artsy Forager - congratulations, Christina! 

We recently got in lots of new work from Christina, so drop in to the gallery and take a look! 

"Lemon Shake" 12" by 12" on gallery wrap, $295

"Manhattan Memories" 30" by 30" on gallery wrap, $850

Check the website for a detailed look at more of Christina's new work... here are a few more hung together:

New work !!

Ring out the old, ring in the new!

To welcome in 2013 we asked our artists to share with us their New Year's resolutions. All month long we will be posting their resolutions, and we hope that you enjoy reading them as much as we have! 

First up, Nancy B Westfall! Nancy's resolutions are...

1. Have more dinner parties 
2. Read more
3. Exercise more (ha ha just kidding)
4. Play more practical jokes
5. Try to be interested in public figures that actually deserve respect and attention and as soon as I do let my children hear me...why wouldn't they look to Ke$ha for guidance - they haven't heard me discussing better alternatives!! While still keeping them culturally literate, i.e. "a dollar makes me hollar!"  

This spring, Nancy's piece "Bodega" (shown below) will be featured in the High Museum's Atlanta Wine Auction, "A New Vintage." The auction will be going on from March 20 - 23 - hope to see you there!

"Bodega" 48" by 48" on gallery wrap