It's Hip to Be Square

Red Light District by Jane McElvany Coonce

 When the Gallery Underground announced "Be Square", an exhibit of paintings by Arlington Artists Alliance members as their Bonus show in August it piqued my interest.  All paintings 10″ x 10″ square, and will shown the month of August in the Gallery's Special Exhibition Space.

Over the Rainbow by Jane McElvany Coonce

I asked the artists - "Do you all have a favorite shape to work in? Would working a  square be a departure for you?  What happens to your work when you DO work in a different format?  Does it stay the same, change radically? "

Double Bubble by Jane McElvany Coonce

Although Jane McElvany Coonce works in various formats she tells me - " I like working Square.  I don't know why.  I just like them.  It's a little more challenging because  usually things don't always fit symmetrically .  But it's like a puzzle to me.  And I rearrange things until it works."

Diane's Garden by Jane McElvany Coonce

I would say so Jane!  Please come see Jane's and the other Alliance members works at the Gallery Underground during the month of August.

Tomorrow: Meet the Artist Event Featuring Nihal Kececi at Gallery Underground Thursday, July 25, 11:30am-1:30pm

 Gallery Underground has been proud to present the works of award winning artist Nihal Kececi throughout the month of July.  Come meet the artist and discover more about her creative process and the innovative ideas behind her abstract landscapes and figurative paintings.  It's your last chance to check out the show before it comes down this weekend, so don't miss out! 

Traditional Artist Learns New Technique

Even a practice as ancient as painting and gilding icons can be expanded by learning new artistic techniques.  Our Gallery Underground Iconographer, Laura Clerici recently attended a local workshop to learn about gold leafing -- gilding -- and using a specialized glue called "assist" to apply gold highlights on the robes of the figures in icons. 

 Laura told me "The workshop was led by a well-known British iconographer Peter Murphy, who is a fantastic teacher.  In addition to working with the gold, he also taught two different techniques for painting the hands and faces of the figures in the icons.  These techniques are different from the ones I normally use in my icons, and they are so much simpler!  It was very exciting.   My icon is medium-sized, 12 in tall and eight across.  I ended up using about $100 worth of gold -- about 30 leaves.  The effect "in person" is stunning, since the gold shimmers and gives the figures life."  

We can only imagine!

Friday Night Fun!

Solo Show by Nihal Kececi

 Dates: July 5- July 27, 2013

Nihal Kececi is an intuitive artist, whose paintings are a bridge from representational to abstraction.  The show is being very well received and the enthusiastic folks that attended the Opening Reception: Friday, July 5, 2013 5pm-8pm 

found the pieces "haunting" and "evocative".






The members artists show had an unusually broad subject matter- from abstract to landscape to figures. There is indeed something for everyone!

The musical entertainment was provided by Elizabeth Campeau and her lovely daughter.

Our co-Directors Sandi Douglas Parker and Marina DiCarlo encourage you to come see the show before it is over!