Thursday, September 22, 2016

Guest Writer #4

 I can be found in Leesburg Va over the weekend.
Leesburg (VA) Fine Art Show
September 24-25
Sat. 10-6 and Sun. 11-5
Free admission!
Space: K-2 on the corner of King and Loudoun St!

I asked Margaret to be my next guest writer, here are
her words:

It all started with those darn cows! 
     Years ago, we were at an art show where my husband (a fervent cow-lover) saw Andy’s print of the cows walking in a row and had to have it.  So while Ed was making his “cow” purchase, I browsed through Andy’s booth and loved what I saw.  So I started collecting Andy’s work with a few prints at first, then moved on to originals.  We have about 24 works now and I laughingly refer to my living room as the “Andy Smith Gallery.”
     Linda and Andy are quite a team. Linda is open and friendly and delighted to see us whenever we visit Andy’s booth or their home, always interested in our latest adventure and quick to offer an idea for an outing. Andy doesn’t shut himself off, isn’t reclusive.  At shows, he is usually out in front of his booth, working on a piece, more than willing to discuss what he is painting and share his work.    

     What attracts me to Andy’s work?  It’s hard to quantify.  Andy’s paintings “speak to me”  -- the beauty and the depth in the colors he uses, the spacial harmony, the simple objects he chooses to bring to life in his pieces. I love all things Shaker so I feel especially connected to his Shaker pieces. The light washes through Andy’s paintings just like the light streams through the windows of our old house in the morning. When I walk downstairs in the morning and see his bowl of lemons and the “pair of pears” in the kitchen or the Shaker paintings in the living room, and even those cows in Ed’s office, I see simple things beautifully painted. As the Shakers pointed out “‘tis a gift to be simple...” Andy has that gift. 

Thank you Margaret!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Tuesday

14x18 framed
This looks like it could be from any historical (1800's) town
in the US but we saw it while walking around New Paltz, NY
I am in need of some title suggestions...  Feeling title challenged!

Today I am finishing up some larger paintings that were started
over the past weekends.  Also taught 2 classes.  Meanwhile
Linda is working on our Annual Open House invitation layout.
We made the difficult decision not to do a new print this year.
Our focus is on "selling out" some of the older prints to make
room for new ones next  year.  Its the first time I am not printing
something since 1989.  While it is a wise business decision we
are still struggling with it.  There will still be a great selection of
prints and an even better selection of original paintings so I hope
we get a great crowd!  Save the date:  November 18-20
More info as it gets closer.

Monday, September 19, 2016

Monday...

I'm painting!  Focused on having plenty of
original paintings for the Waterford Show.
Linda is focused on Porchwalk and Open House.
Here I am hanging Linda's gourd lights.



Meanwhile here is a link to my latest interview.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Check in

This weekend in Doylestown, PA
Bedminster Traditional Artisan ShowSeptember 17-18
Held at Delaware Valley University
Doylestown, PA
Saturday: 10-5 Sunday: 10-4
Fantastic quality!!

Another finished painting...   14x18
Open to title suggestions!

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Guest Writer #4

My featured Guest Writer today is John...

Since 1994...
August, 1994, Woodstock 2 brought a great number of people to upstate New York.  On that same weekend, I flew in a packed plane to Albany, though my final destination lay a bit farther east, in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts.  In addition to the music at Tanglewood and pleasant village of Lenox, I explored Hancock Shaker village, home of a cleverly constructed round stone barn.  About a month later, while visiting the Brandywine Arts Festival in Wilmington, I spied a painting of that barn, but couldn't convince myself to buy it.  Later that day found me at Chadds Ford Days and I was most fortunate to find a depiction of that Shaker edifice and meet the artist, Andy Smith.  I bought that painting and still to this day, proudly display it in my home.  Since then, Andy's art has become an important fixture on my, now rather full walls, with work depicting everything from the Gettysburg battlefield to a textured wall with candle from the Ephrata Cloister, from rural scenes of barns and pastures so familiar to Andy from his explorations of Lancaster County and other venues, to a portrait of a puffin, my favorite bird, a gift for my 60th birthday.  His artistic talent is only outdone by his compassion and caring: for his community, the young athletes he coaches, his friends, and to the greatest degree, for his family.  Linda and he are a true partnership, working together to share Andy's talent with us fortunate patrons.  Thank you, Andy and Linda for doing so!

Thank you John!  I can really say his walls are full from floor to ceiling and he always says, "I don't have any more room" as he picks out another one he has fallen in love with!

Tuesday, September 6, 2016


My watercolor classes started this week.  I have two classes
today plus working on some small paintings for Waterford Show.
The two paintings below were sold before they were even framed.
I still wanted you to see them.















"Timeworn Webster"  18x14"




















"Spring Beckons"  20x23"

Please tell all your friends in the Pittsburgh PA area
that I will be exhibiting at A Fair in the Park
this weekend, Sept. 9-11
Shadyside, Mellon Park  Booth #4
www.afairinthepark.org

Monday, September 5, 2016

Finished Commission

My latest commission is finished and delivered!
Framed 24x30"  Poplar Street School in Columbia.
Very happy with the way it turned out.


Thursday, September 1, 2016

update

This weekend...FREE ~ rain or shine!
Booth 136 ~ Stop and see me