Workhouse Second Saturday

Workhouse Associate Artists of Gallery 902 Plein Air Event, Lorton VA on April 27, 2013

The Workhouse Associate Artists of Gallery 902 at the Workhouse Arts Center are hosting our Inaugural Plein Air Artists Event during SpringFest Fairfax 2013 on Saturday, April 27. It is free for both artists and viewers, beginning at 8am for artists.

Visitors may watch the artists at work and vote in the People's Choice Exhibit, which starts at 1:45pm, with votes tallied and awards presented at 3:15pm. The artwork, created during the day on the Workhouse and Occoquan Regional Park grounds, will be on show until 4pm

The printable artists' registration form and  additional information are available at tinyurl.com/wh-pa13 or snipurl.com/wh-pa13 . Event summary, many photos, and all details can be seen at Virginia Tourism' virginia.org .

Please pass this along to your fellow artists and post on your blogs or in your newsletter! For planning purposes, Workhouse Associate Artists of Gallery 902 encourage participating artists to RSVP ahead of time for this event on our Facebook page and to “Like” us.

LOTTA ART, School 33 Art Center in Baltimore

Red Roof

soft pastel

4x10

My first time to exhibit in Baltimore, I will be sharing "Red Roof" at the School 33 annual fundraising event, LOTTA ART, on April 20. Tickets may be purchased in advance for this lottery-style art give away, which supports contemporary arts and education. 

Preview all the art donations at www.school33.org on April 13.

[PS - This event was a blast! The environment was incredible, as was the art. I was honored to be the second item chosen in the lottery out of 174 pieces. Thanks to School 33 and to Jennifer.]

School 33 Art Center

1427 Light Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21230

Twilight

Seeking a clearing, I chased the sunset in my car to the back parking lot of my son's school. Although not visible, this vantage overlooks both the Amtrack train and I-95. Some paintings are amazingly peaceful, despite all else.

Twilight
soft pastel on Richeson Pastel Surface
12x9

Goodwin House Reception Sunday

The Pastel Society of Virginia celebrates our second anniversary Sunday 2-4pm at Goodwin House in Alexandria. We will have cake and munchies and beautiful pastels. The residents love seeing their gallery change over and it is very touching to have the honor to hang there.

Workhouse Gallery 902, Raffle, and Bleeding Heart Photo

The Associates have new digs and are now in Building W9's Gallery 902. We look forward to our first Second Saturday there this weekend 6-9pm.

I contributed to this month's raffle fundraiser with Bleeding Hearts, an 8x10 metallic ink photo matted to 11x14, from Alexandria's River Farm Garden Park, home of the American Horticultural Society.

Linger

Linger
mixed media on wood panel
10x10

Available at March150  at the Torpedo Factory's Target Gallery in Alexandria March 9-17.

Wonder

Wonder
mixed media on wood panel
10x10

Available at March150  at the Torpedo Factory's Target Gallery in Alexandria March 9-17.

March150 at the Torpedo Factory

Watch here for my submissions to follow over the weekend!

 

3rd Annual Exhibition Fundraiser: March 9th - 17th, 2013

The Target Gallery and the March of Dimes are teaming up to raise money for both organizations with our 3rd annual exhibition fundraiser March150 (formerly titled "March Madness"). The show includes 200 panels of artwork created by local artists, each only $150 (and only $100 the night of the Art Party on March 15th), and a free kids art activity on Sunday, March 10th.

Art Party Details: March 15th, 7-10pm / $15 advance or $20 at the door
Taking over the first floor of the Art Center, tickets to this festive event include:

*Artwork - only $100 each: over 200 panels created by local artists, each only $100, regularly $150

*Prizes & Raffle: Hidden behind select panels and also available for raffle are tickets to an exclusive dinner party where guests will enjoy each course in a different studio at the Torpedo Factory where they can meet the artists and learn more about their work.

*DIY and other Art Activities: The popular “Gum Art” painting is back, make your own wearable mini-collage at our button making station, and smile pretty in our custom photo-booth.

*Wing-Off Competition: Sample wings by Foster's Grill, Chadwicks, and Austin's Grille - then and vote for your favorite!

*Food & Drinks: Pizza provided by Bugsy’s, Cash Bar with beer by Port City Brewery, snacks and more!

Bonnie Ferguson Butler: Getting Personal

This blog shows lots that I do and create. I want to take a post to talk a bit about me.

First, my way to the Arts was convoluted, as it is for many. In a very personal article for my undergraduate college, I wrote about that journey and how training as a biologist and a career in Biochemistry brought me to the Arts. It all began with a final Liberal Arts class I needed during my Senior year. I chose the only Studio Arts class the college offered and carry the joy of it with me to this day.

Second, people often wonder about my name. "Wonder" is, well, a nice way to say butcher.

I use my maiden name, Ferguson, as my "artist name" with good reason. More about that in a sec, but Ferguson is my personal identifier, even if it makes my name too long for picky exhibit coordinators' name tags.

I am not British, so my last name is not Ferguson Butler and it does not work to alphabetize me under "F." Further, it's not hyphenated to be Ferguson-Butler; that's just crazy long for me to use as a surname. Butler by itself is nicely short, although Bonnie F. Butler is the one who receives the bills around here. She's not the artist, so please don't truncate my artist name that way.

I will gladly answer to BF Butler, though, because that's how I sign paintings.

Other than the pride of using my maiden name, my primary reason for using Ferguson is that it separates me from the three other Bonnie Butlers who are artists. Yes, there are at least four of us.

• One Bonnie Butler lives in PA
• One Bonnie Butler specializes in folk art. She is actually Bonnie Bess Watson Butler and lives in Mississippi.
• Another Bonnie Butler, who I do not find online, specializes in watercolors and I saw a still life painting of hers in a friend's home over 20 years ago. My friend asked if the print was mine, because I was a watercolorist at the time.
• Then there's me. 

As an aside, there's also the photographer, Bonnie Butler Brown. Don't want to leave her out or try to confuse the picture.

This would probably make Rhett and Scarlet proud.

So now you know.

PS - See my art and photography at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton VA and please "like" the Pastel Society of Virginia on Facebook. I am the Founder, doing so in 2011.