“Dog Show” Opening Night at Blue Spiral 1 Gallery – A Blast!

It’s so much fun attending an art opening. Each opening is a milestone at the end of a long road of joyful work. Each painting looks completely different when framed and hanging under good lighting.  Sometimes I barely recognize my own work on display. After all, I’m used to it pinned to my wall or on my table with a cat lying on the corner tapping at my brush.

I have six pieces in the show that include “Alex”, the portrait of my wonderful, black Lab painted about six years ago just before he died.  The other pieces are a couple sleeping in bed with their dogs, two pieces about fox hunting with packs of hounds (and horses), behind the scenes at a dog show and gratuitous puppies.

I enjoy openings. It’s interesting to speak with people and hear their input. All of these positive points accentuated for this particular opening by the location – the beautiful Blue Spiral 1 Gallery in Asheville. The Gallery is an old, 3 story brick building with wonderfully squeaky wood floors and open ceilings with exposed duct work. They do a great job of marketing artists and openings so no surprise by the huge crowds in attendance.

Several family friends were able to make the opening including; Pat and Bob Stanford (friends and collectors of my work), Dick and Jackie Krupp (family friends) and Shirley Saxton and Jay (nursing school friends of mom’s).  I had a chance to speak with several other artists. So many of us work in isolation, it’s wonderful to meet and greet at an event and learn about other’s work, inspirations and techniques.

There were actually 3 shows opening simultaneously – “Dog Show” on the first floor. What an incredible array of work! A metal artist created life size dogs from horseshoes and metal strips. Other artist’s created dog silhouettes from found objects. An amazing quilter pieced together patterned fabrics into amazing colorful scenes incorporating dogs.

On the ground floor, the “New Year, New Artists, New Works” exhibit. This was the show in which I previously participated five years ago. One artist made gigantic bugs that cast frightful shadows (and were creepy in a wonderful way), there were about a dozen beautiful abstract paintings that were stunning.

Finally in the new gallery wing an exhibit of vessels – cups and pots. I love pottery and am amazed by the colors and textures created by glazes. I bought a small cup from an Athens, GA potter and I can’t take my eyes off the beautiful glaze colors.

So thank you Jordan Ahlers and the folks of Blue Spiral 1 Gallery for an opportunity to participate in “Dog Show”. The exhibit runs through Feb 25. Hope you have a chance to see it!

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