Viewing Art on a Computer?

I just opened the very first VIRTUAL Fine Art Show on the website!
"Vibrant Views", recent paintings by Janet Skinner. Ms. Skinner has taken her view of the macro plant world and transformed it into saturated colors from her own perspective, rich with texture and life. I have been a fan of her work for some time now, and am delighted to present it in this format.

It's got me thinking about what it means to view art on a computer, particularly non-computer generated art. Is it an end unto itself? Is it more convenient? Is it flat? Is it exciting?

I don't know the answers to these questions. Can you help? We could start a discussion about this topic. Feel free to share your thoughts. I do not moderate comments...anything goes. But if it's rude, crude and socially unacceptable, I'll remove it ;)

Back in the spring, the Indianapolis Star (I would link to the article, but they purged the link) got interested in the closure of the physical gallery space in Fountain Square--where I had been showing art for 3 years. They were interested in the whole downsizing model of a business needing to close and looking for another option. In this case, when I was healthy enough to re-open, I knew it would look and feel very different. That's when the idea of a VIRTUAL art gallery and MOBILE frame shop was born.

There were several people interviewed and many supporters. In the article, the Dean of Herron School of Art and Design, however, said that art should not be viewed on a computer. That it should be felt and seen in person...lived with (I'm paraphrasing). I completely agree! The hope, of course, is that a viewer is moved by a piece and decides to purchase it and hang it in their home or office to enjoy everyday! So then, what of this interim VIRTUAL model? Where will it go--I don't know. But I'm enjoying the journey.

What are YOUR thoughts?

Sarah

New Chicken BLog

Found this super-fun blog while researching how to use kelp meal and alfalfa as feed supplements for the Girls.
Good stuff!

Sarah

Michael and Madeleine

If you are in Indianapolis today, you can hear Michael Pollan and Madeleine Albright. This is so great! What a wonderful city to live it!

However, they are speaking at the exact same time (noon) at different venues. Michael Pollan will be at the Scottish Rite Cathedral downtown for the Spirit and Place Festival, and Secretary Albright will appear at the Indianapolis Museum of Art in support of a new exhibit of her pins.

Had I not already purchased one ticket, I would have had a VERY difficult time deciding. On the one hand is a tremendously intelligent and influential woman--a role-model to me. On the other, the figurehead for my current passion--local, sustainable food for everyone. Which one of these?

I bought my (cheap $15 balcony) ticket for Michael Pollan before I knew about Ms. Albright. So that's done for me. But still...

If you are attending Mr. Pollan's discussion, please feel free to meet me at the shop (Senate and St. Clair--SE corner). There's plenty of free parking, or if you are on foot or biking it, I'm just a half block north of the Cultural Trail where it meets Senate! We can walk over together!

Sarah

Knitting again

I stumbled upon this wonderful blog by a woman trying her best to live sustainably. She wrote about "an obsession with kerchiefs", which I simply MUST try to use up some of the yummy-but-oh-so-tiny amounts of yarn in my bulging yarn box!

Here's my first pattern to try--looks quite simple!
Pictures, IF they turn out nicely.

Sarah

Puttin' Up the Harvest

I swore I would NOT go anywhere this weekend (broke that promise to myself by dashing into work to cut two emergency mats for an artist/client) so we could cross off all the things on the TO DO list!

Brian got an early start by renting the big tiller and chewing up the garden soil. Then he went and picked up another rik of wood--that's now the 9th, 3 more to go for winter.

The burn ban was lifted in our county after a nice, and well-deserved storm. So we burned what we had cut down in the middle of the garden. That will be tilled back in and then the whole garden gets a nice heavy blanket of chopped maple leaves for the winter. Although the chickens are sure to make a mess of all that ;)

Today, on the inside, I will be:
* cutting and freezing the last pepper harvest
* cutting and dehydrating the baby peppers
* cutting and dehydrating apples
* figuring out something to do with all those yummy beets
* juicing and freezing the last tomato harvest
* making butter
* re-arranging the freezer

Plus the usual Sunday chores of laundry, cleaning the hen house, composting, cooking for the week.
I'm getting OFF the computer and getting busy!

Sarah

Don't Mess with the Hormones

Today, I forgot to take the afternoon hormone until 3:30pm.
Not good.
It didn't help that I had met a friend, artist Carmen Hurt, for lunch at the Mass Ave. Wine Shoppe...a wonderful establishment run by Jill Ditmire. So naturally, I couldn't turn down the opportunity to sit outside on a warm fall day with Carmen, a nice sandwich and a glass of Carmenere.

Combine the two--no hormone and a glass of vino with lunch and...

I had to leave early, before 5:00, and when I got home, had enough energy to put down the purse and laptop and collapse on the couch.
For an hour and a half :( Then made myself get up to lock up the chickens for the night and start a fire. But I didn't roast that thawed chicken as planned.

*sigh*

I've got to get this pill thing under control. I'm not used to taking them, nor am I happy about it. But the pituitary is toast.

Sarah
P.S. I'm sure tomorrow I'll write a positive post.

PPFA Indiana

We just finished our Fall Framing Fest 2010 this afternoon with a docent led tour at the IMA of the American and European Galleries--with an eye for picture frames. Our docent, Susie, was great! She had an armload of research with her and gave us some very interesting information.

Stuart Altschuler, owner of Prestige Framing Academy, flew in from the east coast to help us with our print competition (yippee, I won the Open Competition), share information from the PPFA national board and teach us all about enhancing our web presence! It was very informative--Stuart really knows his stuff!

We all got a chance to catch up over a yummy lunch sponsored by Larson-Juhl and Lifesaver. And afterward, last night a few of us enjoyed lively conversation and dinner at The Marker.

Now I come back down to earth to clean up chicken poo and finish the laundry--never a dull moment around here ;)

Sarah