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Category: Emerging Artists

CALL FOR ENTRIES: Photo Abstraction

Click Here to Subscribe to this Blog by Email!The difference between taking photographs and being a photographer is about the same as playing golf versus being a golfer.  I’m no photographer, but it is part and parcel of my media, Xerography.  So…let’s call this Photography Week on Art & Art Deadlines.

Without photography, nothing would ever be cookin’ in my kitchen.  To that end, here’s a great call for the photographer (or wannabe) in us allHere’s a Call for Submissions:  Photo Abstraction from The Vermont Photography Workplace.

“We often think if the camera as a tool for recording minute details of the visual world, in images that sometimes seem so real they could be mistaken for actual experience. 

Loretta by PhotoPlace Exhibitor Shelly Calton“But photographs can also build on abstract elements inherent in the medium, such as blur, and in the visual world, such as pattern and texture.  For “Abstraction in Photography” we seek images that utilize abstract components as their primary mode of expression. 

“Fields of color and exquisite shapes found in nature, linear designs discovered in the built environment, blur created in-camera or with vintage processes—the sky’s the limit.  Astonish us with your eye and mind for the abstract. 

Juror Stephen Strom will select forty photographs for exhibition on the walls of PhotoPlace Gallery in August and on the gallery website.  An additional thirty-five images will be chosen for PhotoPlace’s “On-Line Gallery Annex.” 

WATER online gallery!Click Here for a Upcoming Full Exhibition Schedule for the Gallery.

“All selected work will be included in a full-color exhibition catalogue available for purchase.  To help artists defray costs, PhotoPlace Gallery offers to mat and frame work selected for exhibition free of charge, providing artists print their images to our pre-cut mat and frame sizes.

Click Here for Submission Guidelines

The deadline for Photo Abstraction is August 16, 2010.

Telephone Play by Debora Schwedhelm“Juror: Stephen Strom, photographer, astronomer, writer, and educator. His most recent photography book is Earth Forms, published by Dewi Lewis Publishing.”

Visit Photo Place for an online Application Form.

For further information visit www.vtphotoworkplace.com or e-mail photos@vtphotoworkplace.com.

PhotoPlace Gallery
3 Park Street
Middlebury, VT 05753
802/989-2359
www.vtphotoworkplace.com
Contact: Kirsten Hoving, photos@vtphotoworkplace.com

ArtAndArtDeadlines.com is a free service–forever and always. But clicking on a sponsor’s ad can help you find additional Art Deadlines and help this service remain free. I’ve filtered the ads so they are mostly about art. I hope you find something intriguing! Thanks for your support!

ARTIST RESIDENCY: Arrowmont

ARTIST RESIDENCY

What could be better than a year of time with a studio, housing, a monthly stipend and professional development opportunities? …spending it in the Great Smoky Mountains, of course. 

Applications for this residency are not due until February 2011, so you’ve got a little time to get prepared…but don’t procrastinate!  Take a look at this opportunity from Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.

Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts!

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is a nationally-renowned center of contemporary arts and crafts education. Workshops are offered for weekend, one and two week sessions from May through October each year.

http://arrowmont.org/registration/commerce.pl?page=2010workshops.html&cart_id=From January through March classes are offered to children, youth and adults who live nearby and can attend in the evenings and on Saturday mornings.

Areas of study include: ceramics, fibers, metals/jewelry, painting, drawing, photography, warm glass, woodturning, woodworking, sculpture, and book and paper arts.

The public is welcome year-round to visit the school’s five galleries, resource center and book and supply store.

Artist residencies, assistantships, work-study, scholarships, community outreach, conferences and music programs contribute to Arrowmont’s mission of “enriching lives through art.”

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts Artist-in-Residence Program

Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts!The Arrowmont’s Artist-in-Residence program was established in 1991. The program provides early career, self-directed artists time, space and support to experiment and develop a new body of work in a creative supportive community environment of 160 rotating visiting workshop artists/instructors and hundreds of students. The Arrowmont Residency Program encourages early career artists who embrace community and enjoy working in a team environment to apply.

Five artists working in different media are selected annually to participate in the 11 month program which begins in mid June and continues through late May of the following year. Private studios, a monthly stipend, a furnished shared house on campus with private bedrooms and meals (during workshop sessions) are provided. Professional development opportunities are made available though funding and networking sources. At the conclusion of the program, Residents exhibit their work collectively in the Arrowmont main gallery.

HOW TO APPLY FOR THE ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PRORGRAM

 WHO SHOULD APPLY?

 Click here to visit the Figurative Symposium!The ideal candidate for the Arrowmont Residency Program is an early career, self-motivated individual able to work well independently and within a larger organization. The successful resident is eager to be involved with Arrowmont’s diverse existing program offerings such as workshops, conferences, community outreach and exhibitions. Candidates who enjoy the team spirit in working with staff, other residents and visiting artists/instructors are encouraged to apply. The five artists selected each year work in a variety of media which reflects the strength of Arrowmont workshop offerings and resources. The Arrowmont Artist-in-Residence Program is open to permanent residents of the United States.

HOW TO APPLY:

Submit the following by February 1st
1.  Complete application (click here to download)
2.  Resumé
3.  Personal statement addressing reasons why you want to be an Arrowmont Resident and your goals while at Arrowmont. Include any other personal information you feel best describes you and your work.
4.  Twenty (20) digital images of your most recent work submitted on a CD. Label images with the title, medium, size and date executed. Images must be high quality JPEGs with a minimum resolution of 800×600 pixels at 300 dpi. An image identification sheet is also required with your submission. This sheet must include your name and contact information at the top of the page, followed by thumbnail images of all work submitted on the CD. Please note submitted CDs will not be returned.
5.  2 letters of recommendation (sent with application packet)
6.  $25 nonrefundable processing fee. Make check payable to Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.

NOTE: The application will show in your window for printing.

To Save: You must choose File>Save to save the application to your computer.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to download the PDF application.

Click here to download it now for free.

For more information, visit Arrowmont’s page on How to Apply.

ArtAndArtDeadlines.com is a free service–forever and always. But clicking on a sponsor’s ad can help you find additional Art Deadlines and help this service remain free. I’ve filtered the ads so they are mostly about art. I hope you find something intriguing! Thanks for your support!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Art Publication

Click Here to Subscribe to this Blog by Email!I get lots of inquiries from artists about the value of group shows versus solo shows versus publication. 

Everyone has an opinion about the value of art shows and publication to an artist’s career.  I will say this.  I have had lots of positive exposure from my adventures in art publication.  I still receive inquiries from galleries regarding my inclusion in a tiny midwest art zine from April of 2009.

It can’t hurt, right?  It is all part of the recipe for success.  Here’s a great opportunity to cook up something special:

The Splinter Generation!

Call for Submissions: Visual Art

The Splinter Generation is dedicated to providing a venue for aspiring and established artists. They accept contributions of work in any fine art medium including painting, drawing, performance art, video, printmaking, photography, textiles and sculpture. Literary comics also welcome.

Follow the recipe closely!They have no prescribed style and will consider both representational and abstract work. However, the work should speak to the overall generational theme of the journal, whether directly or indirectly.

The Splinter Generation is a place by and for people born between 1973 and 1993. It’s a venue for writers, artists and musicians from all different backgrounds to tell the story of our generation. I’m hoping they will forgive the one year that I am outside their timeline, ha.

For each issue they will select a single artist to feature. They ask for one time publication rights and permission to archive the images on the site. They will consider previously published art as long as the artist has retained the rights.

Artwork should be professionally documented. Review their complete artwork guidelines below carefully before submitting.

Visual Art Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be in JPEG format and attached to an e-mail which contains the following:

  • Name
  • E-mail address
  • Street Address
  • Website link if applicable
  • List of works by title, medium and size of work and publication history (Be sure to tell us if the work is “Not For Sale” – NFS)
  • Artist statement (150 words maximum)
  • Short biography of the artist (75 words maximum)
  • Send 3-5 works in JPEG file format, 600 x 800 pixels or smaller, 300 dpi, as an attachment to an e-mail message. Alternatively, you may provide direct links to 3 – 5 specific images on your website.
  • For video, provide up to two Vimeo or YouTube links to clips 1 to 3 minutes in length, along with information on the full length and any production credits.
  • In the subject line, put “Art Submission” and the title of the work.
  • Please follow the guidelines carefully, or your work will not be reviewed, without notice to you.

Send the artwork (and only artwork) attached to an e-mail addressed to splintergenart@gmail.com. Those artists selected for publication will be notified within 30 days.

If the work is subsequently published in another venue, they do ask that the publication in Splinter Generation be acknowledged.

Note: Splinter Generation does not charge commission for work sold as a result of exposure in the magazine.

ArtAndArtDeadlines.com is a free service–forever and always. But clicking on a sponsor’s ad can help you find additional Art Deadlines and help this service remain free. I’ve filtered the ads so they are mostly about art. I hope you find something intriguing! Thanks for your support!

FEATURED ARTIST: Shane Watt

Click here to Subscribe to this Blog by Email!I am very rarely surprised by artists.
It is not meant as an insult…

I often feel like I have witnessed every take on every media imaginable.  Cracked every nut.  But, of course, I haven’t.  And, I delight every time I am taken by surprise.

Shane WattShane Watt
is a delightful surprise.

Watt considers himself a  semi-fictional mapmaker.  He is self-taught and based in Montreal Quebec Canada inspired most by the drawing of his father.

Watt has been exhibiting his cartographic work over the past 4 years and producing commissions for the past 7 years.

Watt uses objects, numbers, real places and photographs to create city maps, which convey stories and insights into his own personal experience of a particular time and place. 

Many loyal readers know that I send a quiz, of sorts, to artists I want to feature, and the questions vary depending on my gut reaction to their work. 

In fairness, I usually answer the questions first baring my own truths and embarassments. 

Waites Rounde by Shane WattWhen I asked Watt about his artistic influences, he claimed his father as his biggest inspiration.  Sweet. 

Then once again, he delightfully surprised me.  As a second influence, Watt claims Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart).  Wow, I didn’t see that one coming.  On a humorous note, when Don Van Vliet was asked the same question, he answered “I just paint like I paint and that’s enough influence.”  Funny.

Click to see a larger version of Bloodshotville by Shane Watt!I won’t reveal the art he finds creepy, and I’ll leave it to you to figure out his favorite snack foods…yes, I do ask. I’m a nosey foodie, and it IS a food-themed art blog.

In his upcoming exhibit at Galarie Rye in Montreal, Watt will showcase a recent collection of works including a multi-dimensional map, which can be viewed from various perspectives revealing clues of an overall narrative and an interactive puzzle map.

Illustration by Shane WattI think most of us can accept map making as an art form, and a few of us always think of maps as art.  But in an age of GPS systems, only an artist would think of whimsical, semi-fictional maps as a specialty media.  How perfect.  I love a niche market. 

Even more–I love the idea of something being representational, but not. 

I appreciate Watt’s refusal to dumb down work to mere aesthetics but make it beautiful nonetheless.  I revel in Watt’s assumption of the best in all people–curiousity, determination and the yearning to understand.

Visit ShaneWatt.com!When asked if he includes puzzles and secrets in all of his work–even the commissions, he simply states, “The maps always contain at least four elements, the primary narrative, the muse, references to me and, of course, the secrets of the city. Whenever I create a commission I’m always very clear about the fact that the cities all inter-connect into the larger context of my fictitious country Loyala and need to have the four elements present….so far no one has really minded.”

Thank you Shane Watt

I look forward to searching out the hidden gems in my own life’s map very soon.

ArtAndArtDeadlines.com is a free service–forever and always. But clicking on a sponsor’s ad can help you find additional Art Deadlines and help this service remain free. I’ve filtered the ads so they are mostly about art. I hope you find something intriguing! Thanks for your support!

CALL FOR ENTRIES: US Mint

Subscribe to this Blog by Email!The tag line of this site is
“Never Let Them See You Starve.”
 

I like to emphasize shows with low fees that jury based on talent, not resume.  But, cash prizes and honorariums never hurt because it takes money to eat.

Here’s a great way to never let them see you starve…

Make a mint…from the U.S. Mint. 

That’s right, folks, you too can design a coin for the United States of America.  Here’s the Call:

Call for Artists

 The United States Mint invites artists from across the country to apply to the Artistic Infusion Program.

Artistic Infusion Program is a great way to take part in American history and create designs which will be circulated nationwide. Artists must be United States citizens but may work from any location they choose.

Check out the 2009 art designers for the US Mint!The United States Mint encourages applications from artists representing diverse backgrounds and a variety of interests reflecting those of the American people.

This year, the United States Mint is seeking up to 6 Associate Designers to join the current designers under contract with the program.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with 3 cutoff dates throughout the year for evaluation and review. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible. The last application deadline is July 6, 2010. If you wish to apply for this program, please review the eligibility requirements below. Then click Apply Now.  If you have additional questions please visit the U.S. Mint FAQ page.

Eligibility

 To qualify in the associate designer category, applicants must be an established professional visual artist and meet the following criteria:

  1. U.S. citizenship
  2. Have specialized training in his or her art form
  3. Have derived a portion of his or her individual income from his or her art for a minimum of 5 years by the time of application
  4. Have a history of public presentation of his or her art in a professional context, such as a gallery show, or work that has appeared as part of a curated exhibit, permanent collection of a museum, or in a professional journal

Applicants must also be able to accept the terms and conditions for participation in the AIP as described in the application. Click here to apply now.

Note: At this time, the AIP is limited to coin and medal design (i.e., drawings) and does not encompass the execution (sculpting and engraving) of designs. United States Mint sculptor-engravers model designs created by AIP artists and also submit their own designs for consideration for coin and medal programs.

The application deadlines is July 6, 2010.

 

ArtAndArtDeadlines.com is a free service–forever and always. But clicking on a sponsor’s ad can help you find additional Art Deadlines and help this service remain free. I’ve filtered the ads so they are mostly about art. I hope you find something intriguing! Thanks for your support!

ARTIST PUBLICATION: Magazines

Learn How to Get an Art Show!Magazines are skinny lately.

Have you noticed?

I suppose online zines are shrinking the proverbial waist of the magazine industry just as online newspapers are making words on newsprint less and less common.

My advice?  Eat a doughnut.

Most folks want the instant gratification of Google that ends in a digital zine.  Information sought.  Information found.  But…

Rolling Stone MagazineI still love the feel of paper, inky or slick, in my hands. I don’t own a digital reader because I still buy books. I subscribe to Conde’ Nast Traveler so I can fill my dreams with tours of gilded Russian palaces and sunny Italian beaches. I have recently re-subscribed to Rolling Stone after a hiatus of more than 10 years, and trust me, more than just Keith Richards needs some fattening up.

Eat a doughnut, folks.

So why am I babbling on about magazines? It is a questions of legitimacy. I have had lots of conversations with lots of subscribers and friends about what constitutes artistic legitimacy or “making it,” aside from the ability to support oneself artistically.

The Artist's MagazineIs it an academic pedigree or a resume of academic acceptance? Is it great reviews or stunning retail sales? Is it merely a well-hung cohesive show with “guts” and meaning?

I don’t know, sorry.  I can teach you how to get a show, but I can’t teach you how to be happy with it.

So, for all of you whose artistic dream is to be on the cover of the Rolling Stone, here’s a short menu of great art magazines…get to work.

1. The Artist’s Magazine. This is the first art mag I every owned. I was inspired by the work…watned to be a painter…wanted my work to be featured among its pages.  That hasn’t worked out for me so far, but their Annual Art Competition has a looming deadline so don’t procrastinate.

Juxtapoz Magazine2. Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine (pronounced Jucks-tah-pozz) is a magazine created in 1994 by a group of artists and collectors including Robert Williams Fausto Vitello, C.R. Stecyk III, and Greg Escalante, to both help define and celebrate urban alternative and underground contemporary art.  Anytime I have an art block, I find flipping through an issue of Juxtapoz inspires me.

Unique in the field of publishing, Juxtapoz emerged at a critical moment during the genesis of the late-20th Centuy underground art movement with the mission of connecting seminal modern genres like psychedelic and hot rod art, graffiti, street art, and illustration, to the context of broader more historically recognized genres of art like Pop, assemblage, old master painting, and conceptual art.

ARTnews Magazine3.  ARTnews is the oldest and most widely circulated art magazine in the world. Its readership of 200,000 in 123 countries includes collectors, dealers, historians, artists, museum directors, curators, connoisseurs, and enthusiasts.

Published eleven times a year, ARTnews reports on the art, personalities, issues, trends and events shaping the international art world. In clear, well-crafted language that is as comprehensible to the novice as it is to the expert, the magazine offers a lively, provocative, and visually stimulating package that informs as well as entertains with news dispatches from a worldwide network of correspondents, hard-hitting investigative reports, criticism, and opinion.

From its beginnings, ARTnews has balanced reporting on contemporary art with coverage of modern and old masters. In recent years, it has expanded its content to include profiles of notable collectors, museum directors and scholars; travel itineraries filled with art appreciation; inside views of the art market; and reports from the world of design.

ArtAndArtDeadlines.com is a free service–forever and always. But clicking on a sponsor’s ad can help you find additional Art Deadlines and help this service remain free. I’ve filtered the ads so they are mostly about art. I hope you find something intriguing! Thanks for your support!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Group Show

Click Here to Subscribe to this blog by Email!Here’s another tasty morsel for those of you looking for a show.  For the price of a sit down lunch ($10), you can enter up to five pieces.

Founded in 2009, the Adam Lister Gallery provides the community with contemporary art exhibitions, educational programs, and a variety of art related activities and events.  The gallery is currently located in the heart of the City of Fairfax, Virginia.  With a focus on creating opportunities for emerging artists, they aim to give local, national, and international artists exposure in the Northern Virginia area. 

Adam Lister Gallery!addition to their rotating exhibition program, there is a wide selection of studio art classes and workshops available for all ages.  They have created a dynamic and inventive environment in which visitors can see, learn about, and experience the endless possibilities surrounding visual art.  Their goal is to become a vital cultural resource that is accessible to the entire community. 

Adam Lister Gallery at The Space!The Adam Lister Gallery believes that fostering the creative impulses of people will provide an outlet for imagination and open mindedness.  They look to offer the viewing public the chance to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of the visual arts.   The gallery is located in the front section of The SPACE. The SPACE is a new visual and performing arts center located in Fairfax City, Virginia.  Founded by Joanna Ormesher, the SPACE provides a mix of music, theater, performance, and visual arts events, working with both local and international art groups and organizations. 

Here’s the call:

CALL FOR ARTIST SUBMISSIONS

Visit the Adam Lister Gallery!This is an international open call for artwork to be exhibited in the upcoming summer group show in the Adam Lister Gallery.  This exhibition will run from June 4 through July 18, 2010.

This open call will be juried by the gallery board of directors and gallery staff.  All artists that are selected will be featured in a six week show in the gallery.

The Adam Lister Gallery is located in the center of Fairfax City, and offers a high level of  visibility for artists to display their work.  They have been recognized as the premier contemporary art gallery in the Northern Virginia area.  Working closely with collectors and  curators, their goal is to provide an art exhibition space for both established and emerging artists.     

Serenity by Jamin SheardFor this open call they are looking for art done in any medium.  Drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, photography, installation, and anything else you work with is acceptable.  There are no restrictions regarding subject matter or size (though it must be able to fit through our door 70″x82″).  Artists of any age and background are encouraged to submit their work.  They are looking for unique and interesting approaches to the idea of art making.

GUIDELINES FOR ENTRY:

1. Send up to 5 JPEG images of your artwork
2. JPEG images should be no higher than 72 dpi (72 pixels/inch)
3. Images should be no higher than 1024 pixels on the longest side
4. Include list of titles, medium, dates, and sizes for each image
5. This open call is for individuals as well as groups and collectives
6. For installation and site-specific projects you may submit proposal images.
7. Entry fee of $10, for up to 5 images.

SUBMIT YOUR ART (2 easy steps)

Email the following to:  adamlistergallery@gmail.com

Step 1, Brief artist statement, resume, and contact information

Step 2, visit http://www.adamlistergallery.com/submissions2.html to pay your $10 entry fee

ADDITIONAL INFO:

Deadline for entry May 1, 2010.

The artwork for this show will be juried by the gallery board of directors and gallery staff.  All accepted artists will be notified through email by May 5, 2010 (please do not contact the gallery to check the status of your entry).  Artwork choosen for this exhibit must be delivered to the gallery no later than May 29, 2010.  All selected artwork may be hand delivered or shipped by mail.  All pieces selected will be on display in the gallery and will be featured on their online gallery and be made available for purchase. The gallery receives 30% commission on all sales made at the exhibition. Opening Reception for Summer Group Show will be Friday June 4, 6-9pm.

ArtAndArtDeadlines.com is a free service–forever and always. But clicking on a sponsor’s ad can help you find additional Art Deadlines and help this service remain free. I’ve filtered the ads so they are mostly about art. I hope you find something intriguing! Thanks for your support!

FEATURED ARTIST: Amy Kollar Anderson

Enter the Featured Artist Contest!I’M MELTING
melting

I love Surrealism in art. I just do. Fried eggs permanently remind me of Dali’s melting clocks.  It is embedded now.

But I digress.  Surrealism has had a significant influence on my own work, and I believe it is that same slant of Surrealism that I love in the work of Amy Kollar Anderson.  And I am pleased and proud to have painter Amy Kollar Anderson as AAAD’s latest Featured Artist!

Anderson grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. Her inspirations are gathered from the work of the Surrealists, Symbolists, Art Nouveau, and the decorative arts.

Nite Mare by Amy Kollar AndersonIntrigued by the forms, textures and colors found in nature, she collects bits of plants, rocks, bones, and feathers, then sorts them in jars in her studio. Her current series explores divergent environments inside and outside the containers, and addresses issues of environmental concern and child welfare.

She received her B.F.A. from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and her Master of Humanity with a focus in Fine Arts, from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

She currently lives with her husband and their four cats in Dayton, Ohio, and works as the Gallery Coordinator for the Rosewood Gallery in Kettering, Ohio.

See “Nite Mare” pictured right.  To watch a time-lapsed video of Anderson painting “Nite Mare,” click Here.

Of her process Anderson says, “I enjoy the process of creating a completely new environment in each painting, complete with new rules about interactions and colors.

Detail of "The Messenger" from Featured Artist Amy Kollar Anderson!I enhance this juxtaposition of imagery by creating what I call the ‘gypsy aesthetic’ of patterns and colors, which is inspired by my frequent trips to local thrift stores.

“The aesthetic involves a contrast of overlapping vintage and modern design elements and untraditional paint choices, such as metallic, fluorescent and interference colors.

This subtle psychedelic presentation misdirects the viewer from immediately focusing on the issues presented, therefore creating harmony and tension in the narrative.”

“The Messenger” (pictured left) is one of the images I watched in progress on Anderson’s facebook fan page.  I encourage you to reach out and get connected with Anderson on facebook, MySpace, and her website KollarAnderson.com .

Sign up for Anderson’s announcement list, find connections to her Etsy shop and more via the Contact Page on her website.

Click to Learn more about Featured Artist Amy Kollar Anderson!

If you would like to be considered as a Featured Artist,
submit your work to the Featured Artist Contest.

SHORT HIATUS

Visit my newest project...the Pea Pickin' Hearts!I apologize to all of my wonderful subscribers and thank you for your patience and loyalty over the past couple of months. I have been unable to keep us with posts due to exciting opportunities artistically and professionally:

The Shops at Carousel Gardens

Pea Pickin’ Hearts

Sounds of the Smokies

I ask for your continuing patience and assure you that I will be back at the helm full time shortly. It is my goal to be back to posting 3 times per week by mid-March. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to contact me if you need anything or have any questions.

In the meantime, enjoy a couple of my favorite blogs:

Toni’s Treehouse

Wishes for Jackson

Carolina Culture

Clown God

FEATURED: Toni’s Treehouse

R.L. Gibson--Your resident Blogger!I believe this may be my first post to Art & Art Deadlines.com that does not directly relate to art…or food.  It is personal and may make you a little uncomfortable.  But, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

I met Toni Turbeville approximately 15 years ago in a class at the University of South Carolina.  We weren’t incredibly fond of each other at first but had many of the same friends and ended up together on a regular basis. 

Toni TurbevilleI thought she was a big mouth; she thought I was a, well, a bitch. Eventually, all of our friends had other classes, and it was just the two of us–alone together.

The friendship stuck in a manner I never thought imaginable.  We have been on hideous road trips to Union, SC (don’t ask), been through both divorces and re-marriages (and the bridesmaid dresses that go with them), co-owned a business (with a partners desk) and co-managed multiple rock bands. 

We have survived the bitter ugliness of truths that cannot be unsaid.  We have shared art, too much wine and enough nicotine to kill a horse.  We have fought the bulge– both winning and losing depending on the year.

Toni's Treehouse!She is the god-mother of my child. 

She is talented and funny and way off center in a delightful way.  Why should you care?  In addition to being a great artist, designer, and public relations maven, she has a talent for the written word.  And finally, after years of stops and starts, she has published Toni’s Treehouse–a blog capturing the whimsy of childhood, the necessity of laundry, and all the vittles you can whip up in a hurry while life passes you in a blur.

Art & Art Deadlines.com is proud to be the Featured Sponsor of Toni’s Treehouse for the month of February.  It is about babies and motherhood and television and cooking and everything and nothing. It brightens my day and inspires me to get off the couch…if only to put on clean pajamas.  The Everyone has Garbage post almost made me wet my pants. Visit and Enjoy!

Visit Toni's Treehouse!