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Archives:May 2010
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Vintage is cool if you’re a wine.

by Raschella on 4/14/2010 4:45:00 PM
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Antique is great if you’re a chair. Seasoned is fine if you’re a salad. But if you’re old, you’re obsolete. The man with the white hair portrayed in "The Vigil," my most recent work, is one of my favorite people.

He's a kind, warm and very genuine person, but beyond that, he has more energy than most of the kids I know. When he told me his age, I made him show me his driver's license, and even then I wasn't entirely convinced. He has a smile for everyone and lives life as if it's a gift handed out every morning.

That’s impressive, considering that the elderly in this country are neglected and ignored. Which is not just outrageously unfair, but downright stupid. We live in a culture that worships youth, anything bright and shiny, new and improved, but it's not all about the latest technology, the iPods and iPads, the Jessicas and Justins.

The truth is, the young are blank slates, waiting to learn and absorb what their grandparents already know. Where else can you find the experience of many decades, a veritable living history, wrapped in an entire generation? The lines and wrinkles of old age, rather than something to erase, represent the story of a life. Old is not an insult, it’s an achievement, a reason to celebrate. So that's what I'm gonna do. Drawings to honor the lives of our grandparents and great-grandparents. An ongoing thread, a lifelong project, an addition to, not a change from, the work I do now.

The first one is just about finished and I'll be posting it here in a day or two. Stay tuned, there's a fabulous story behind this gentleman - you're gonna love it!

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The Best Kept Secret of the Art World.

by Raschella on 4/6/2010 1:05:57 AM
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If I Google HG2 3RH, I can see a photo of my mother’s house in England. If I Google the 75056 zip code, I can see my best friend’s house in Texas. But if I Google “black and white art,” what do you think I get?

Photographs. Black and white photographs. Beautiful, exquisite even, but I was looking for black and white artwork. Pencil, pen and ink, charcoal...

If you’re reading this, I’m guessing we’re on the same page about black and white art. As in, we like it. So where is it?

Why is it so hard to find? We can’t be the only ones who don’t need the support of color to fall in love with a piece of art. There must be other folks who like the challenge of getting there with only light, shadow and texture to guide them.

I’m betting when you first fell in love, it was with the girl or guy who was hard to get. Sure, the flashy ones were fun, but they didn’t reach in and grab a piece of your heart.

And I’m thinking it’s not news to you that when you DO finally hunt down some black and white art, it’s always good stuff. Maybe because we have to work harder to get your attention, just like back in ninth grade. Only without the acne and sweaty palms.

Tell you what. I’m going to fix you up with an introduction to some really incredible charcoal work. Call it my first step towards getting black and white art the SEO recognition it deserves. Plus it’ll give you a break on all that legwork as well. The Waichulis Studio.

Carole

P.S. Seriously. Check it out. And if you want to read and see more about black and white art, sign up for my newsletter.

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Canine Art Guild Celebrates 5th Year with Online Exhibition

by Raschella on 4/5/2010 1:24:46 PM
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More info on the Canine Artists Guild fifth anniversary competition...it's a fun show, check it out, and don't forget to vote!

For Immediate Release

March 2010

Contact: Kimberly Kelly Santini 810-908-9003

Canine Art Guild Celebrates 5th Year with Online Exhibition

No joke - this April 1st, 2010, the Canine Art Guild (CAG) will “hang” an online exhibition celebrating their five years of existence. Titled “Dog-Gonn It!” the show is entirely made up of artwork that is 5” square.

Canine Art Guild member Catherin McMillan said “For me it was a case of thinking outside the square I usually work in. I've never worked so small before and it was heaps of fun transferring my thoughts to a smaller canvas.”

There are 48 5” x 5” gems created by guild members, viewable 24/7 at www.canineartguild.com/gallery. You'll also find links on this page to archives of the CAG's past online exhibitions.

Canine Art Guild shows are rotated every 3-4 months. This gives members the opportunity to showcase new work within the context of other canine and animal-centric artists. For buyers looking for a pet portrait artist or simply to add to their art collection, the Canine Art Guild is a key stop.

Visitors to the “Dog-Gonn It!” exhibition can also cast their vote for People's Choice Award. Cash prizes are awarded to the artists who's work garners the most votes.

CAG artists work in all mediums, e.g. paint, ceramics, pencil, sculpture, photography, and digital art, and hail from all corners of the earth. They share resources, educational experiences and marketing ideas while providing inspiration and support to each other.

The CAG offers members a private discussion forum, a profile page linked to the artist’s website, editorial privileges on the Art With a Bark blog, and participation in regularly scheduled online exhibitions like “Dog-Gonn It!”.

Collectors can browse the CAG website (www.canineartguild.com) by breed grouping, artist’s location, medium, or alphabetically.

The Canine Art Guild plans an ongoing series of exhibitions. The next exhibition, slated for summer 2010, is titled “Here Kitty, Kitty.” Clearly a twist on the expected, which in a way exemplifies all that the CAG stands for. In a tail wagging, tongue lolling, sort of way.

For additional information, please contact:

Kimberly Kelly Santini

The Canine Art Guild

346 N Anderson

Lake Orion MI USA 48362

WEB: www.canineartguild.com

EMAIL: info@...

PHONE: 810.908.9003

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Canine Art Guild Exhibition- you don't want to miss it!

by Raschella on 4/1/2010 8:32:32 PM
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Hey folks,

Wanted to give you a heads up on the opening of an online exhibition that art lovers, especially dog lovers, wouldn't want to miss. The Canine Art Guild is celebrating its five year anniversary with a presentation featuring the fabulous work of its more than a hundred member artists.

In honor of the occasion, each piece is sized at 5 x 5 inches, and the prices of the ones available for purchase all contain the number five.

The project is also a competition and if you go to the site, you'll have the opportunity to vote for your favorite. Which is where I slip in the news that I have four pieces entered in the show and would LOVE to have your vote...:-).

Here's the address for the exhibit - http://www.canineartguild.com/gallery/ Scroll down a little to find the first of four pages of beautiful 5x5 paintings and drawings of dogs. I have one right there on that first page, titled "Bite Me!" You can see the full size print right here.

Secondly, I'm working on a new piece which I'd like to share with you...

As you can see from this view of the work in progress, the portrait is of an elderly gentleman with a long white beard.

He's a friend of mine, and a genuine "mountain man," who lives in the hills near here.

Senior citizens, are the most ignored and neglected segment of our society, which is not only absolutely appalling, but is a tremendous loss to our country as a whole. They are the voice of experience, a living history of their years on this earth, and should be viewed and treated as the treasure that they are. So...with that in mind, the portrait above is to be the first of a series in celebration of our older generation, with 5% of the proceeds going to a senior citizen related charity.

However, in order to to create this work, I need good, clear reference photos, so I'm asking for help from my friends and collectors. If you have any photos of relatives or anyone else you think would be a good subject, and are willing to let me use, I would be enormously grateful. I should mention that the more "character lines" that are visible, the better I can portray a life lived to its fullest, so if this happens to be a sensitive issue and your photo is used as reference, please don't be offended!

Thank you, and thanks for reading. Enjoy the Canine Art Guild exhibit! And if you want to keep updated on my new work or any other interesting stuff I might happen upon, sign up for the Raschelletter. I'll see ya there!

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Art By Raschella | 8607 Bothwell Road | Northridge, CA 91324 | US

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