Winter's Garden Exhibit and More

Square Foot Garden series

© Nancy Laliberte

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Nine 12" x 12" x 1-3/8" acrylic paintings on gallery-wrapped canvas

The Steven's Point Riverfront Art Center's Winter's Garden exhibit opens today with a reception from 5- 7pm. Last week I was at the Riverfront Art Center to jury the show. What a rewarding and challenging experience with so many outstanding pieces of artwork. Nancy Thorson is the new director and I thoroughly enjoyed working with her. "Winter's Garden" also received some nice press coverage from the Steven's Point Journal. Reporter Jamie Jung wrote a great article promoting the show which runs through February 19th. 


Below is the juror statement I wrote for the exhibit. 

Juror's Statement

Winter's Garden 2012

It was a pleasure for me to have the opportunity to jury the Riverfront Art Center’s Winter’s Garden 2012 exhibition. The process was a rewarding and challenging experience. There are no hard fast rules; one comes armed only with an understanding of composition and design, an appreciation of a wide range of styles and media, and a good eye for images that manage to communicate something more than the sum of their basic elements. My approach is to look carefully and respectfully at every piece before making a decision. By looking at four key areas: concept, composition, commitment and craftsmanship/presentation, selections were made. Artwork was selected that fit this criteria standing on its own and as a part of the exhibit as a whole. Just as a living garden has design, shape, color and form, so, too, does this exhibit. It was my intent to not only showcase incredible works of art, but to make the experience of viewing and walking through Winter’s Garden as rewarding as possible. 

I would like to congratulate and encourage every artist who submitted work for this show. Being an artist is a tough gig, but the opportunity to create makes it so worthwhile. Above all, follow your heart and keep sharing.

_________________________

Also opening tonight is Wausau's Center for the Visual Arts Midwest Season's show. The reception for that exhibit is from 5-7 pm. It too, is a wonderfully inspiring exhibit, and a favorite in the community. The show is up until March 3rd, so if you can't make it tonight, be sure to stop in before then.

The Complete Garden

"Square Foot Garden ~ Zucchini"

© Nancy Laliberte

12" x 12" x 1-3/8"

Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

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Zucchini falls under the "Summer Squash" category and personally, I love summer and winter squash. Summer squash for salads, stir fry, dipping in ranch dressing, lasagna, you name it; and winter squash for mixing it with cinnamon, butter and maple syrup. It makes my mouth water just typing!

And as promised, the whole square foot garden on view at the Center for Visual Arts in Wausau, WI.

Square Foot Garden Series

© Nancy Laliberte

A Foot of Flowers

"Square Foot Garden ~ Nasturtiums"

© Nancy Laliberte

12" x 12" x 1-3/8"

Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

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Center for Visual Arts, Wausau WI

A classic edible flower for the garden – nasturtiums. I have not tried them myself, but I have heard that they have a "slightly sweet, strangely peppery flavor." So now I am curious, and am definitely planting them in my garden next year. I love the flowers and I love the curly tendrils – very organic and flowing. And I think the blossom would look lovely on a cupcake. ;-)

Sweet Stawberries

"Square Foot Garden ~ Strawberries"

© Nancy Laliberte

12" x 12" x 1-3/8"

Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

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The "model" for this piece was my brother Joe's strawberry bed. My family and I usually time a visit when it's picking time. We all love strawberries so we pick plenty for jam and freezing for a winter treat. I am not sure how successful strawberries would be in a square foot garden since they like to "wander." This is where artistic license trumps practicality. Now where is my smoothie?

Don't forget~tomorrow from 5 - 7 pm is the gallery gala house warming party for where we live at the Center for Visual Arts in Wausau. You'll be able to see the entire square foot garden series along with the rest of the show, and the collaborative painting Val, Chris and I have been working on all week!

Colorful Greens

"Square Foot Garden ~ Mesclun Mix"

© Nancy Laliberte

12" x 12" x 1-3/8"

Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

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Hmmm, I could just cut these greens, add a few walnuts and strawberries, or maybe some dried cranberries, a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil, a twist of fresh ground pepper...

You Say To-may-to, I Say To-mah-to

"Square Foot Garden ~ Tomatoes"

© Nancy Laliberte

12" x 12" x 1-3/8"

Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

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Another "square" from my Square Foot Garden series in Where We Live at the Center for Visual Arts in Wausau, WI. Tomatoes are a must have in my garden. As a child, I once ate so many tomatoes I became very ill. Still love them anyway. We have had some chilly nights here recently and I have been covering up my tomatoes. There a few left on the vine trying to ripen and I am not ready to relinquish them to Jack Frost!

Colors of the Garden

"Square Foot Garden ~ Turnips"

© Nancy Laliberte

12" x 12" x 1-3/8"

Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

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Interestingly enough, the colorful veggies that are so good for you to eat also make great painting subjects!

On another note, these last few weeks as I finished up my studio work, I listened to Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland which I borrowed from my local library. While I did not need an incentive to get to my studio to paint (I had a show deadline!), audio books make a great studio companion when you want a change from music. It was a great story and I love art history.

Square Foot Gardening

"Square Foot Garden ~ Eggplant"

© Nancy Laliberte

12" x 12" x 1-3/8"

Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

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I first learned about square foot gardening from an article in City Pages, Wausau's weekly entertainment newspaper. Basically, you take a garden plot or raised bed and divide it into 1 foot by 1 foot sections. With proper planning and planting, you can grow a lot of vegetables in a small space. With this series, I am gardening vicariously through painting.

Fresh From the Garden

"Square Foot Garden ~ Chives"

© Nancy Laliberte

12" x 12" x 1-3/8"

Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

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Gotta love those chives! Hardy, tasty, and easy to grow, their shape and color is a nice complement in the garden. This painting is a part of the Square Foot Garden series in Where We Live now on view at the Center for Visual Arts in Wausau, WI.

All Moved In!

"Square Foot Garden ~ Carrots"

© Nancy Laliberte

12" x 12" x 1-3/8"

Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

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After two days of "moving in," Where We Live opens today. Valerie Berkely, Chris Mosse and I have turned the Center for Visual Arts gallery into a home. From the kid's room to the kitchen, the dining room to the office, we even have a backyard with a square foot garden! Stop by "Where We Live;" you don't even have to call first or take off your shoes. ;-)

Back in the Garden

"Turnips in the Garden"

© Nancy Laliberte

5.75" x 5.75"

Acrylic on panel

$65

Another study for my Square Foot Garden series. It has been very helpful for me to draw thumbnails and paint small studies before working on larger pieces. It's a great way to get loosened up and try new things.

I'd Like a Salad, Please

"Mesclun Mix"

© Nancy Laliberte

5.75" x 5.75"

Acrylic on panel

$65

Not wanting you all to think I only paint (and eat!) cupcakes, I changed things up a bit and tackled lettuce. Not ordinary iceberg, but the good, healthy stuff! The more colorful the better (and better for you) is what I say. Even my 7-year-old will eat spinach or romaine greens on his sandwich. We just call it "lettuce" otherwise he probably wouldn't eat it. But I digress...this piece is a study for a larger painting for my "Square Foot Garden" series, all of which are 12" x 12". Yes, a square foot. I knew you would get it. ;-)