Isalos Fine Art

When I had the idea for a small works show, I hoped I would get more art for prices that make it difficult not to snatch it right up. For me, a hundred dollars or less is in the easily snatch-up-able category, so I thought I'd list a few of these items here. Of course, as much as we all like bargains, it is understandable that most artists find it difficult to produce something for so little money. I mean- we only want it and like it if it's great, and often that translates to time and effort and  all the other hard to define variables that go into pricing artwork.

 Here are a few items to ponder:

Doug Wilson

Snake, iron, 5" x 2" x .5", $85 

Farrell Ruppert

Figures, forged steel, 2" to 3.5" high, $95 each 

Frederica Marshall

Birches, watercolor, 7" x 5", framed, $100

(as well as several others for $100, matted pieces for $80)

Now just think about all of those insignificant things you've given or received as gifts, and how many of them now reside in the "where are they now" file where so many of our "durable goods" wind-up. Remember, you can get on our gift registry. We'll make a page for you with your wish list. When someone asks what you'd like, just refer them to the Isalos web site. Gift certificates work great too, although as a salesman, it's my duty to inform you that at these crazy low prices, you'd better act fast.

It occurs to me that I probably shouldn't title my blog entry with a non-word, like 'whew', since I get plenty of hits to the site when the search engines find all of my references to Britney Spears unclothed, and other such sensational titles. But 'whew' sums it up pretty well. Or maybe 'phew' or perhaps 'sheesh'. I'm referring, of course to our first annual Holiday Small Works Show, and the flurry of activity leading up to it. We've had a bunch of shows before, but not with thirty artists. This one kicked my butt. (Yes, I said 'butt' and I'll say it again- butt: the search engines will be sure to find us  now.)

Our cat, Wendell helping-out. Pedestals displaying  paint trays. 

After staying up until 4:30 a.m. Thursday night, I still had a lot more work to hang on Friday. I opened the door yesterday afternoon at four sharp when the first guests arrived, and continued labelling artwork for another half-hour. I printed-out over ninety labels, and some labels cover multiple items. I counted thirty artists on the website list, and there's still a few I haven't listed and whose work hasn't arrived yet. There's a lot of art in here. 

 Happy customers. Is that Britney Spears behind George?

As usual, I was ready to fall over from exhaustion, and hadn't eaten, so when Rebecca brought the food down, I started grazing, more out of a survival instinct than  for my love of hot artichoke dip (but are many foods finer?). Somehow, I managed to hang-on through all those conversations, although I think I received a few weird looks. We had a steady flow of visitors from start to finish- probably as many as we've had for summer shows. A few red dots appeared beside items... and they're still there today, so it wasn't just my vision. Britney Spears never did  show  up, clothed or unclothed.

What a cozy living room! Artwork by Jennifer Morrow Wilson and Lorraine Lans. 

Here we are again, staying up late, trying to pull-together another show. Admittedly, we decided to do the Small Works Show thinking it would be a somewhat small, laid-back affair,with low expectations for customer turnout. It shouldn't be a surprise that it has grown into something far more substantial, with work by over thirty artists. I should have been writing my blog every day, each with a new example of the incredible work we've been receiving, but preparations have kept us busy for some time now.

And here I am, writing this when I ought to be working on the web page for the show. This is maybe easier, I guess. Plus, I want to show-off a bit of my artwork. Yes, those pedestals... I made them.  The paint is still drying. Tomorrow I'll get to arrange them throughout the gallery and try them out with some artwork. I guess that will be happening in between getting the webpage for the show up, and hanging everything and making labels and all. Oh yes, and it's Thanksgiving and we've been invited, once again: Indians visiting Pilgrims. But sometime tomorrow I'll have the page up for the Small Works Show. Stay tuned.

Yes, I've spent some time "away", from both computer and island, and as usual, it was great to leave, and then great to return. We spent a few days in New Hampshire, where I hiked up a couple of mountains, and spent countless hours "gardening" with pruning shears and chainsaw on a point on Squam Lake, one of my favorite places on the planet. In Stonington, we don't get much of a cell phone signal; you know it's summer when you see people walking around with outstretched arms, looking for that elusive signal. At the top of Mount Lafayette, after pushing through snow and ice and wind, I took out the cell phone and discovered a strong signal. So I gave my Mom a call in Missouri, where she said it was seventy degrees and sunny.

For Halloween, the folks at the Opera House sent  the kids on a scavenger hunt. When they arrived here, we gave them the task of finding the piece of art that includes an actual stick that was chewed by a beaver. They all eventually found Jennifer Morrow Wilson's Acanthus, a tall multimedia piece with lights inside illuminating stitched-together hand-made papers and an assemblage of found materials including, yes, a beaver-chewed stick with its distinctive teethmarks, now pigmented orange (she really makes those beavers work). It was a good excuse to get some kids (and their parents) looking at art.    

Jennifer Morrow Wilson, Acanthus, mixed media, 76" x 29" x 6" 

At Jacqueline Wilson's Studio 

In anticipation of the Holiday Small Works Show coming up, we've been visiting some artists' studios, checking-out their work. It's really a treat to get out and see where the art is coming from, and I'm continually amazed at how many artists around here are working full time, producing art that no one else could have created. On any given day they are out there in their studios, working away, fiercely independent of the local art market, which at this time of year might suggest that one go into hibernation rather than come-up with the most inspired work to be created since before last winter's post-election doldrums. We visited the forges of Doug Wilson and Farrell Ruppert, as well as the studios of Frederica Marshall, Jennifer Morrow Wilson and Jacqueline Wilson (not related) and we came back to the gallery loaded-down with goodies for the upcoming show. Not only that, but I felt inspired: these artists are worthy of our attention.

At Farrell Ruppert's Forge