Artist's Valentine!!!!

the time has come....

the time is now.....

It is time for the Artist's Valentine Party & Sale!!!! This year there will be two!!! one in Groton and one in Lowell. Hopefully you can make it to one of them!! This is an awesome organization/event!!! The Artist's Valentine is money for artists by artists. (*see more below) Here are some of the Valentines that i donated!!!

Party and Sale

The 2011 Artist's Valentine Groton Party and Sale will take place on Sunday, January 30th, 2011, 2-5 pm at Kalliroscope, 264 Main Street, Groton, Massachusetts, a deconsecrated Baptist church which is the home of Paul and Mimi Matisse.

A second 2011 Artist's Valentine Party and Sale will take place in Lowell on Saturday February 6, Noon - 3 pm at the Loading Dock, Western Avenue Studios, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA 01851

peace & love

***Here is the official spiel:

Artists make Valentines and we offer them for sale.

Proceeds from the annual Valentine sales (which have been held every Feb. since 1996)are used to fund a juried grant competition for artists. Artists who have donated work to the Artist's Valentine are eligible to apply for an unrestricted grant to further their art. The awards are made through the jurying of digital images (of their professional work).

Since 1996 on average $4000 per year has been awarded to visual artists of every discipline: painters, fiber artists, printmakers, installation artists — the gamut. Every penny of these grants has come from the sale of artist-made valentines. All labor is volunteer, and all valentines are donated.

Hot off the Presses ~ i got my first grant!!!

This weekend I learned that I was one of the lucky artists to receive The Artist's Valentine Grant!!! This is my first grant and I am very excited!! Thank you Ben Aronson who was the juror this year, and everyone who is involved in this great program. I love the concept ~ artists supporting artists ~ below is a list of the recipients & a little information about the whole idea.
2009 Grant Recipients, juried by Ben Aronson
David Lang - Kinetic Sculpture

Virginia Fitzgerald - Sculpture
A. Laan - Photography
Laraine Armenti - Oil Painting
Judith Jaffe - Mixed Mediums
Carolyn Stock - Stained Glass
Margot Stage- Fiber

Since 1996 over $47,000 has been awarded to visual artists of every discipline: painters, fiber artists, printmakers, installation artists — the gamut. Every penny of these grants has come from the sale of artist-made valentines. All labor is volunteer, and all valentines are donated.

Proceeds from the annual Valentine sales (which have been held every Feb. for the past 13 years) are used to fund a juried grant competition for artists. Artists who have donated work to the Artist's Valentine are eligible to apply for an unrestricted grant to further their art. The awards are made through the jurying of slides or digital images (of their professional work).

Ten nationally known museum curators, gallerists, professors, working artists, and critics have served as jurors to the Artist’s Valentine, including Barbara Krakow, Nick Capasso, Pamela Clark Cochrane, Bernard Toale, Joseph Carroll and Ben Aronson, among others.

It is official....

I am obsessed...

I can’t stop making valentines for the Artists’ Valentine!! Luckily the due date is upon us so I may stop. It has been so fun to explore and create these little treasures & I love working with words and quotes ~

'There is no remedy to love but to love more.' Thoreau

'There is only one happiness in life, to love and to be loved.' George Sand

The fabric hearts are a real passion for me, as well as many who have seen them. When I ask my eldest why she liked them so, she said because of their homemade-ness and I believe she hit the nail on the head. I love the fraying edges and the randomness of the patches. I also LOVE the sewing and embroidery. This reminded me of a piece that I made in college. It is about 4x6 and completely rendered in embroidery floss – using the floss like paint. It has always been a favorite of mine. I can see myself continuing working with this path…
peace