Goodbye Graham

When it comes to doing things the proper way, sometimes doing things the wrong way is the way to make things happen.

Yours truly at the Graham Gallery door in Hastings, Ne.

Most, if not all, of the art gurus will tell you that the proper way to approach a gallery for representation is to do some homework on the gallery, create a classy portfolio of the work which would represent you well, and make an appointment for an interview.

Of course, that’s not the way I did it, and from that began a lovely relationship with Angela Graham and Graham Gallery in Hastings Nebraska.

C2007 Cathedral Road, one of my early sales at Graham Gallery

My intention was to drop by quickly, introduce myself, and if I didn’t keel over from pure terror, suggest that my work was available for her gallery walls if she had just a little space to spare. 

Angela asked if I had anything with me she could look at. Since I was on my way home from taking down an exhibit in a nearby town, I had a trunk full of art. Feeling like the Fuller Brush Man, I unloaded nearly all of it into her showroom. A few moments later she agreed to take six or seven pieces and that was that. I recently found a contract she’d given me, neither of us had bothered to sign it.  I’m sure I giggled all the way home.

Much has changed since I stood on shaky legs, fingers crossed behind my back pretending to know what I was doing and hoping Angela would not see the truth. My resume now includes many solo and small group exhibits, commissions and addition to some fine collections, a few awards and a couple of recent profiles in Nebraska Life as well as L-Magazine.

c2014 Blue River Reclamation, a recent oil

This weekend Graham Gallery closed its doors and turned off the lights for the last time. Looking back I am immensely grateful for a kind and gentle introduction to the world of gallery sales.  As I continue to develop my skills and deepen my commitment to my practice I will hold the people and memories of that place in a special spot in my heart.

The Burkholder Project July Exhibit

Taking my laptop to the computer spa the day of a big art exhibit opening reception was not well thought out.

My plan was faulty from the beginning. Coming from a small town, it isn't unusual to combine purposes; drive into The Big City and squeeze everything you can out of the day; pick up some groceries, shop for curtains, try on shoes, stop at the lumber yard, get a hair cut, drop off the computer for a quick check and head for your very own opening reception at the art gallery.  It was the quick computer check part that got me. Turns out there's no such thing.

Another glitch in my plan arose at the public library. Turns out I can look at porn right next to the 2nd grader who is playing a shoot'em-up computer game, and I can download just about anything a human being can think up, but I, upstanding citizen and all around delightful person, cannot upload images to my public blog. Harumpf.

So here I am, a little late but still determined to share a really lovely evening at The Burkholder Project . 

Without further ado, images from the evening -

 Ceramic artist Sharon Ohmberger and I shared exhibit space in the main hall. Despite our different ways of looking at the world, our artwork combined to make a very beautiful display.

 

A quiet moment before the doors opened for the evening, and then...

The halls of The Burkholder Project filled with friends, family and art lovers.

It was a wonderful evening. I'm honored to share exhibit space with Sharon. She's a pro. 

You've got just 10 more days to enjoy our exhibit, as well as the collections of  Karen Krull Robart in the Skylight Gallery, Tom Quest and Susan Hart in the Outback Gallery, and dozens of wonderfully talented artists in studios throughout the building.