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Welcome to Gallery Q News!
Our community of local artists is committed to creating Fresh Local Art. As artists, we have stories to tell, knowledge to share, inspiration to tap into and new artistic horizons to discover. We look forward to sharing our art and ourselves with you in this format, and we hope that you will find something within to spark curiosity and delight.Let this be your invitation into the world of Q. Come on in!
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:: SPOTLIGHT ON ::
Lynn Kirby
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Today we meet Lynn Kirby, potter.
Q :: Describe the art you create.
LK :: Varied, colorful, functional, experimental, fun.
Q :: What is your background/how did you get into making art?
LK :: I fell in love the first time I tried making pottery. It reminds me of the sensual joy of making mud pies as a child, but with a concrete, useful outcome. I didn’t start until later in life, but I’ve taken many classes and workshops. New ideas keep coming, and I’ll keep trying to figure out how to implement them for the rest of my days.
Q :: Who or what are your biggest influences?
LK :: I’m influenced mostly by other potters. It may sound strange, but I am a member of some potters’ groups on Facebook with thousands of members, and I learn from them daily. Their work inspires me, their advice aids me, and their encouragement keeps me trying when I get down.
Q :: Do you make art full-time or do you have other pursuits?
LK :: Retirement gives me time to make pottery regularly and still have plenty of time to travel, be with family, do volunteer work, and take classes.
Q :: What materials do you create with /or/ what new materials/styles are you most excited about?
LK :: I mostly make functional pottery—bowls, mugs, vases. I am excited about having made some lamps recently, in collaboration with Mary Murphy, who made the lampshades. In the fall I’ll take a workshop about making human figures.
Q :: What is your favorite part of the process of creating /or/ what is the least favorite part of the process?
LK :: I love when my efforts result as planned, and I love having pieces that other people enjoy. But it is definitely not unusual in pottery-making for many things to come out differently than hoped. There can be some huge disappointments. Pottery is a great way to learn to let go of expectations and see the beauty in what was actually created. It’s a metaphor for life.
Q :: What does having a physical space to make art in mean for your process, and how do you make your space work for you?
LK :: As a potter, it’s necessary to have a studio because the process is too messy to do in your living space. Going to a public studio might work, but it’s inconvenient. My basement studio lets me work at any time. There, I choose my preferred clay types and glazes, which allows me to follow my own imagination and to develop my own style. Breathing clay dust can be hazardous to your health, so I have white and black work surfaces that always show what needs to be cleaned. In my own studio, I have more control over its cleanliness and air quality.
Q :: How has being a part of the Gallery Q Artists Cooperative benefited you as an artist?
LK :: Being a member of Q Artists Cooperative has made me feel like I am part of a community of people who understand each other as artists. Working in the gallery has given me insight into others’ art and appreciation of their processes. No matter their medium nor the steps taken to create in that medium, we experience the same inner joys and frustrations in the act of creating art. It is also a joy to be a part of a team working together to make the gallery beautiful and interesting and to create a peaceful atmosphere.
Check out Lynn's latest works in the brand new exhibit
"Center" at Gallery Q
July 2nd to August 30th.
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"You are not an artist simply because you paint or sculpt or make pots that cannot be used. An artist is a poet in his or her own medium. And when an artist produces a good piece, that work has mystery, an unsaid quality; it is alive."
~ Toshiko Takaezu
Toshiko Takaezu (17 June 1922 – 9 March 2011) was an American ceramic artist and painter who lived her life in oneness with nature, who created her art to improve herself and discover her place in the world. She said that the most important part of her ceramic pieces was the hollow space of air within, because it cannot be seen but is still part of the pot, which relates to the idea that what's inside a person is the most important.
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YOU ARE INVITED TO THE OPENING OF
'CENTER'
MEET THE ARTISTS AT A RECEPTION
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | BRING YOUR FRIENDS
Friday, July 5th | 5:00-7:00 pm
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The outside of the Gallery Q is getting a bit of a facelift! Our lovely building was built in 1914 as the city's first billiards hall. It has been many different businesses over the years and seen a lot of change, while still retaining its charm and character. So if you see the scaffolding up, please know that we are open during our regular business hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00am-5:00pm and Sunday from 11:00 am-3:00 pm. We look forward to seeing you!
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In keeping with our Creation Stories demos in May and June, we are adding a new regular event we are calling Second Saturday. Second Saturday will feature a different artist doing a demo, having a talkback, offering a class or a make-and-take event. So mark your calendar and watch this space and our website or the announcement of the Second Saturday events!
Keeping with the theme of our current art show 'CENTER' artist Sandi Ticknor invites you to come and create a mandala of your own! Mandalas begin in the center and radiate out in a circular form. They are found in nature and cultures around the world, and now in the Gallery Q!
Come on in and try your hand at creating your very own mandala. Experiment with a variety of materials. All ages and abilities are welcome and all supplies are included. FREE!
Second Saturday | Make & Take
Create a Mandala with Sandi Ticknor
Saturday, July 13 | 11:30 am-1:00 pm
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:: ART OUT & ABOUT ::
Carmen Duran
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Carmen Duran is getting out and about across the state at the following exhibits. Wouldn't it brighten your day to see these beautiful paintings if you were in one of these places?
Hudson Hospital & Clinic | Hudson, WI | May-August
Jensen Community Center | Amherst, WI | until July 19
Westfield Hospital & Clinic | Westfield, WI | September-December
And, of course, at Gallery Q...always! Stop in to see what is new!
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:: ART OUT & ABOUT ::
Jessie Fritsch
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Encaustic artist, Jessie Fritsch is pleased to announce that she will be a featured artist in the upcoming CREATE Portage County Phantom Gallery Party 7: Morph. This highly anticipated special ONE NIGHT ONLY event celebrates artists who reimagine, transfor and morph their mediums to give them new life. The Morph party will be an evening of food, drink, music and dynamic art in an unconventional, underused, vacant or atypical space, location to be revealed the day before the party!
Tickets are $35 now through July 18th, $40 at the door.
Get your tickets at CREATE Portage County.
One of the largest outdoor art fairs in the nation is the 60th Annual Ann Arbor (MI) Street Art Fair. This prestigious fine art fair is a long-standing tradition and a pretty big deal to be selected, and Jessie will be representing the Stevens Point art community well! If you are on the road and heading in that direction you can check out Jessie's art July 18-21 in Ann Arbor, MI.
Congratulations, Jessie!
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:: ART OUT & ABOUT ::
Dan Sivek
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Dan Sivek will be featured in the Northwoods Summer Art Tour (Boulder Junction/Manitowish Waters Area) July 26th through 29th.
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:: MARK YOUR CALENDAR ::
- OPENING RECEPTION | FRIDAY, JULY 5TH | 5:00-7:00 PM
Join us to celebrate Lynn Kirby and Sandi Ticknor on their remarkable collaborative exhibit 'CENTER' and enjoy drinks, snacks and fellowship.
- SECOND SATURDAY
Make & Take | Create a Mandala with Sandi Ticknor
Saturday, July 13 | 11:30 am-1:00 pm
Come on in and make your very own mandala masterpiece. All ages and abilities are welcome. All supplies included. FREE.
CALL 715/345-2888 TO RESERVE A SPOT IN ANY OF OUR WORKSHOPS.
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