Virginia Sunset

Virginia Sunset
soft pastel on black Canson
8x10

Muted Sunset

 

Muted Sunset
soft pastel on black paper
12x16

Black Friday at the Workhouse

See me demo in Building W-16 from 11-2!

Please click for larger version and details.

Black Friday

Black Friday is the biggest day of the year at the Workhouse. I will be demoing pastels from 11AM to 2PM in Building W-16 near my "At the Farmer's Market" exhibit, which has both photography and pastels.

Come out and say "hello" as I work on sunsets, large and small. I just completed a Liz Haywood-Sullivan workshop with the Pastel Society of Virginia and am ripe with new subject matter and mad skillz!

Hold Out At the Farmer's Market

"At the Farmer's Market" is my exhibit at the Workhouse Arts Center in the Building W-16 Gallery which runs from November 6 through December 1.

In addition to photography of five farmer's markets, it will feature my own booth, which will have pastel paintings of local sights, such as Hold Out, a deciduous tree well behind the colors of other foliage painted en plein air in the Appalachian Mountains in Woodstock, Virginia..

Hold Out

soft pastel on mounted Wallis Belgian Mist

8x10

On Second Saturday, November 9, 6-9PM, expect a great spread of farmer's market fare and plenty of Mason jars! 

See many more images here: http://tinyurl.com/ButlerFarmersMarket

Vision in Blue At the Farmer's Market

"At the Farmer's Market" is my exhibit at the Workhouse Arts Center in the Building W-16 Gallery which runs from November 6 through December 1.

In addition to photography of five farmer's markets, it will feature my own booth, which will have pastel paintings of local sights, such as Vision in Blue, painted en plein air in the Appalachian Mountains in Edinburg, Virginia..

Vision in Blue

soft pastel on Wallis Belgian Mist

16x12

On Second Saturday, November 9, 6-9PM, expect a great spread of farmer's market fare and plenty of Mason jars! 

See many more images here: http://tinyurl.com/ButlerFarmersMarket

At the Farmer's Market

"At the Farmer's Market" is my exhibit at the Workhouse Arts Center in the Building W-16 Gallery which runs from November 6 through December 1.

In addition to photography of five farmer's markets, it will feature my own booth, which will have pastel paintings of local sights, such as Great Falls.

Great Falls Toward Riverbend

On Second Saturday, November 9, 6-9PM, expect a great spread of farmer's market fare and plenty of Mason jars! 

See many more images here: http://tinyurl.com/ButlerFarmersMarket

"At the Farmer's Market" at the Workhouse Nov 6-Dec1!

At the Farmer's Market

November 6 - December 1, 2013

Workhouse Arts Center, Building W-16 Gallery, 9601 Ox Road, Lorton, Virginia 22079

Gallery hours: Wed – Sat 11am – 6pm and Sun 12 – 5pm

Free Reception: Saturday, November 9 6-9pm  

Metallic ink photographs and photo canvases tell the yearlong story of artist and photographer, Bonnie Ferguson Butler, as she visited five farmer's markets in three states: New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. In addition to images of food and farmers, the photographs offer glimpses into the effects of multiculturalism, seasons and regional personalities. For her own booth, soft pastel paintings and miniatures become Butler's own vendor space at her farmer's market.

Like her previous exhibits, this series demonstrates Butler's love of travel and curiosity about how locations influence art. A Missouri native raised in South Carolina, Butler joined the Workhouse in 2009 and enjoys regular exhibits in Gallery 902, while she is November's featured artist in Building W-16. A published biochemist, her art training began with a required liberal arts class outside her science majors; she has pursued classes and workshops since. She is founder and president of the Pastel Society of Virginia.

Quotes:

Attributed to Daniel Webster, Statesman:

"Let us not forget that the cultivation of the earth is the most important labor of man. When tillage begins, other arts will follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of civilization."

Attributed to Bonnie Ferguson Butler, Workhouse Featured Artist:

"Much like farmers, artists are people of the earth, cultivating meager elements into sumptuous results."

Bonnie Ferguson Butler Website: http://artists.workhousearts.org/bonniefergusonbutler

Bonnie Ferguson Butler Blog: http://bfbutler.blogspot.com

Citation: Bonnie Ferguson Butler, Muted Sunshine, 2013, photograph on canvas, 24x34       

See many more images here: http://tinyurl.com/ButlerFarmersMarket

Riding Out the Waves, St. Thomas

Taking the ferry between St. Thomas and St. John USVI definitely provided a photo opportunity. This crumbling bit of seascape was along the St. Thomas coastline.

Riding Out the Waves
Wallis Belgian Mist sanded paper
9x12

Hill Center Galleries, Washington, DC

My pastel painting "See No Evil" will be hanging in the Hill Center's Regional Juried Exhibit for two more weeks until September 1, 2013. It is located at 921 Pennsylvania Ave SE with the hours on the invitation. Let me know if you went by to see it!

Second Saturday in Gallery 902

Under the Crape Myrtle, Easton

Painting in Plein Air Easton's Quick Draw is always a rush. I captured this scene of brilliant caladium in the Talbot County Historical Society's beautiful garden.

Under the Crape Myrtle
pastel on Wallis Belgian Mist
12x9

Creative Alliance Annual Exhibit, The Big Show

See my pastel painting, Naples Fresh, in The Big Show at Baltimore's Creative Alliance and attend the opening Friday, July 12 from 7-10PM! The exhibit runs through July 31.

Naples Fresh

8x8

pastel

Paint Annapolis

I will admit to being a bit out of practice on painting still life, but I chose painting a sushi window display over painting boats, marinas, or buildings in Annapolis during Dueling Brushes. Please, give me a good landscape or skyscape any day instead! Yet it's all in good fun. Doing a store front beckoned me even before I arrived.

I used a Dakota KOOOL Binder containing Wallis Belgian Mist along with a collapsible wooden Ikea table and a Dick's tripod chair with a back, to which I could attach the Guerrilla umbrella. I like to get up and view from a distance often.

The pastels are a hard pastel combination of Van Goghs and Cretacolors in two small Van Gogh boxes, Faber Castells, and a compilation of old pastel bits, mostly Unison, WN, AS, Mt Vision, and Ludwig varieties fitted into an old Rembrandt box. The set up was very easy to bag and go. Sushi required many colors I don't normally use, so putting them to work was a joy and I was happy with my diverse palette.

More Annapolis sights with a few other pastelists in the adult and kids's divisions...

Thanks to Tina for photography.

Hill Center Galleries at the Old Naval Hospital, DC

As my first time to exhibit in Washington, DC, my pastel painting "See No Evil" will be at Hill Center's Regional Juried Exhibit until September 1, 2013. It is located at 921 Pennsylvania Ave SE with the hours on the card. Let me know if you went by to see it!

The Big Show at Creative Alliance, Baltimore

I've joined Creative Alliance in Baltimore! Their eighteenth annual member exhibit, The Big Show, runs June 29 through July 31 with the opening Friday, July 12 from 7-10PM. I have one pastel in it and can't wait to see the other great art in Baltimore. The theme centers on movement and I have a little different interpretation of it: fresh laundry in the breeze.

Washington's Hill Center Galleries at Old Naval Hospital

My first time to exhibit in Washington, DC, I will have a pastel painting in the Hill Center's Open Regional Juried Exhibit from June 25-September 1, 2013. I am honored to be juried in by Jack Rassmussen, Director and Curator of the American University at the Katzen Arts Center.

Thanks for your support!

RAW Baltimore was a huge rush and so much fun. I am so appreciative of the friends and family who bought tickets and came out on a rainy night! And for the superb help I received with the logistics. 

Here are a few of the pictures from the night, mostly taken by RAW Baltimore photographer, Meagan. They speak to the variety of items I had there, everything from photography to pastels to mixed media to fiber to silver earrings. 

 There were several pieces that were particularly well received by this hungry, passionate, interesting, and well informed crowd of art lovers. 

The Two Dips series, named for obvious reasons when you see the photo, are color enhanced according to the gelato flavor they represent. 

The little girl, who I call Young Capitalist, clutches her wad of play money and, according to her mom, she takes it and her purse everywhere she goes. While quite discerning, she is both stoic and confident. 

The young lady of Entering Waverly Market was perhaps the most spontaneously well received. I was glad she spoke to the viewers as she spoke to me. 

My two larger pastels also caught the eye of many, particularly the moodiness of Morning Drive. My third, larger pastel, was the victim of broken glass for the evening, but it was not damaged, thank goodness! Transport, set up, and take down - what a bear!

Mason's Landing to the Potomac Study

Needing to flex our plein air muscles, we recently went to Gunston Hall, the Mason Neck home George Mason, Patriot and author of the Bill of Rights. The home is located on a hill, up from the Potomac River, and it has a small feeder branch from which Mason received shipments.

The watercolor underpainting was done at the same time for a larger work on Pastelmat. That painting follow...

Mason's Landing to the Potomac Study
soft pastel on Uart 400 with watercolor underpainting
4x6

Great Falls Toward Riverbend

Great Falls Toward Riverbend
soft pastel on Wallis Belgian Mist
11x14

Celebrate Fairfax

Heron Pond Table for 9 was submitted to the Fairfax Celebrate First Annual “Fairfax is Beautiful” Juried Photography Contest and I learned that it is a finalist, so be on the lookout for it if you go to this newfangled county fair June 6-9 at the Fairfax County Government Center. It will be in the Greenology exhibit; there are three prizes up for grabs. The contest request was for pictures of beauty within Fairfax County and this beautiful family from my collection spoke to me.

PSA (!)

The letter reads, "Congratulations! You have been elected a juried Associate Member of the Pastel Society of America (PSA). Welcome to the PSA family of artists." 

Oh boy! I did a happy dance at the mailbox.

 

Buy a Ticket to RAW Baltimore

Please visit RAW Baltimore to purchase a ticket from me or to make a donation to me for my entry as a featured 2-D artist.

Please do it before noon EST June 3, so I don't have to put out the $200 entry fee by myself.

Do it if I've helped you in the Arts, if I've put on an event you've participated in, if I've collected your registration for a workshop or an exhibit, hung your show, supported your sales, performed PR on your behalf..

Do it if you've ever received an email from me supporting or encouraging your Art.

Do it if you don't live there, but you are entertained here on a regular basis.

Or just do it to support the Arts.

Look at the drop down menu for my name. 

Anyone purchasing a ticket from me will receive 10% off on an artwork purchase that evening, so a $10 ticket could be worth much more, not to mention a fun night club evening out, not a stuffy art opening! Or just know you've supported someone who already has supported you.

Heron Pond Island

 

This is a pond in a neighborhood that I have painted many times, both plein air and from photographs. There's always a new view and a new season, so it is always exciting. Because it is larger, this piece was begun en plein air and finished in the studio.

Heron Pond Island

soft pastel on Pastelbord, watercolor underpainting

12x16

Watercolor underneath:

 

RAW Baltimore June 6 - Buy a ticket!

RAW Baltimore will be on June 6 from 8PM to 12 midnight at Tatu in Baltimore at 614 Water St. My portion of the exhibit is called "Rad vs. Trad" and it will contrast my soft pastel landscapes with my  manipulated photography.

The RAW events are incredible opportunities and are located in almost 80 cities. DC will be next on my agenda.

To have this Featured Artist gig, I have to sell 20 tickets at a mere $10 each or to accept donations. My RAW website is http://www.rawartists.org/bfbutler and I would very much appreciate your participation.

Here is the complete line up of over 25 artists!