FAMILY MATTERS at Five15 Arts Gallery

My brother and sister came to town last week to bring Nancy's work down from Napa Valley.  We planned this show, with minimum discussion about what our individual works would be about...just our own views of our family history.  We didn't see each other's new work until the installation day.  It is remarkable how well it all works together.  Nancy focused a lot on us siblings and I had more work about Mom and Dad...overall there was a nice balance.  And having both her and my brother, Jeff, here completed the Willis Family circle as we hung the art...the remaining members of our little tribe.  

The work was well-received at First Friday's opening.  Viewers related to the images, smiled, looked closely, perhaps remembering something from their childhood or family gatherings.  Some asked for the story behind a certain piece. Our family lore is well represented here.  But I love when the viewer finds their own connection...
I can't wait until our Third Friday reception, with Nancy here to meet and greet with me...I am so happy to be showing with her.  A dream come true.  Come share it with us!

(I also want to thank Scott Cerasano, for his installation expertise and support; Michelle Terry-Helmick for the fabulous upcoming reception food/beverage; and Kathi Knox, whose support in the studio allowed me to complete half of my newest works.  They say it takes a village and my villagers are the BEST!)

FAMILY MATTERS Opens First Friday at Five15 Arts Gallery

I am so happy to be showing with my sister, Napa Valley artist, Nancy Willis.  Since the passing of our Dad in March of 2012, we have used art as a way to reflect and process his loss and our changing family dynamic.  Nancy will be here for the Friday, October 18th reception and following Saturday.  I hope you can stop in and meet her.

Tango, Scottsdale Library and First Friday Happenings

Tango and Art Update:

The weather took over and a do not drive alert was sent to everyone's cell phone.  So not many people got to see this fabulous dancing...The dancers are gone but the art will stay up until September 19th.  If you are in the Mesa area go to Cafe LoFI  at 105 W. Main Street and check it out.

Last Tuesday I had occasion to go to the Scottsdale Library where they are exhibiting a wonderful show called STOP FAST SLOW.  I loved the work - especially the prints of Diana Hartley and drawings of Rossitza Todorova.  Highly recommend. On view until October 12th.

FIRST FRIDAY IN PHOENIX

I will have work in two shows in downtown Phoenix - A print in the Arizona Bill 1070 exhibition organized by the industrious Rossi Todorova showing at A. E. England 424 N. Central with a reception 6-9 pm. 

I have 3 related prints in the Arte de Latino exhibition at the Gallery at the Phoenix Center for the Arts.  The reception is 6 to 9pm (I will be there early on, but will be heading out to see more art...)  

I can't wait to see Donna Atwood fabulous relief prints in her one person show at @Central Library Gallery.  Her reception is from 6 to 8pm. Don't miss it!  Little Miss Tex-Mex Rides Again!

Also opening on First Friday is Generation CSA, the intriguing mixed media creations of Mary Shindell at Five15 Arts Gallery on Roosevelt.  Reception is 6 to 10 pm.

TANGO AND ART - MONDAY AUGUST 26TH

I am happy to share I will be showing in Mesa at a unique event on Monday, August 26th.  My work will be on display through September 18th.  

TANGO AND ART EVENT AT LOFI COFFEE

Tango and Art Events have been ongoing since the beginning of 2013. The idea behind them is to join together different forms of Art. On one side: dancing... a beautiful form of interior expression.... and among the multiple form of dances... Tango, with its passion, musicality and elegant movements.

On the other side: printmaking, painting, photography and other forms of art that bring up artists' visions and interpretations.

A special location has been chosen for this magic mix of Art: LoFI Coffee. Here you will find a relaxed atmosphere where Art pieces can be contemplated and absorbed without rush...

A great wooden floor allows Tango dancers to dance while the Artist explains and talks about his/her own pieces.  Sensual tango music is alternated with modern and classical music to suit many different tastes.

 

The events are held the fourth Monday of every month from 6 pm to 9 pm at LoFi coffee 105 W Main Street Mesa.  Stefano Pappalardo is the event organizer. He is a Tango teacher and performer; he has been dancing for over 10 years and is hosting a weekly Milonga since 2012.

Come see some extraordinary dancing and my art!

Tango and Art

Water Dance

Art exhibited by Wendy Willis

Wendy, Phoenix printmaker, is a member of Five15 Arts Gallery in Phoenix and is the Resident Artist in Printmaking at the Phoenix Center for the Arts.

 

Exhibition is held at

Lo-Fi Coffee in Mesa, AZ 105 W. Main Street,

Monday August 26th 6-9pm

Stefano Pappalardo, DJ& Event Coordinator

Contact us: sm_monti@yahoo.it or 480-399-2305

$5 Suggested Donation

Four Week Classes for Fall

With my upcoming exhibition in October, I have had to reduce the number of class offerings so I can concentrate on making new work myself.  Here is what is open now at the Phoenix Center for the Arts:

GCC Student/Teacher  Relief Collaboration

4 Wednesdays, 1-4pm  September 4-25th 
Solarplate Etching $140

4 Wednesdays, 6-9pm  September 4-25 th
What a Relief! $126

and a special 2 day workshop which combines solarplate and drypoint etching
Saturday/Sunday, 10-4pm September 7&8th Solarplate/Drypoint $125

The Wednesday classes will be repeated for 4 weeks in October.
4 Wednesdays, 1-4pm  October 9-30th
Solarplate Etching $140

4 Wednesdays, 6-9pm  October 9-30th
What a Relief! $126

In November, the classes will switch to Saturdays
4 Saturdays, 9-12pm November 9-Dec 7th
What a Relief! $126

4 Saturdays, 1-4pm November 9-Dec 7th
Solarplate Etching $140

and we will repeat the 2-day workshop:
Saturday/Sunday, 10-4pm November 2&3rd
Solarplate/Drypoint $125

Registration is open for all classes at phoenixcenterforthearts.org. Click on the Printmaking tab.

TRY ME! PRINTMAKING CLASSES - AUGUST 19-24TH

I am offering Try Me! classes in Solarplate Etching and Relief Printmaking at the Phoenix Center for the Arts, 1202 N. 3rd Avenue, Phoenix.  If you know anyone who has never tried printmaking before, one of these 3 hour classes will show them that anyone can make art, and they will walk away with their own handpulled print!  The price per class is $49.  All materials are provided. 

MONDAY AUGUST 19^TH 1:00-4:00PM         RELIEF PRINTMAKING

MONDAY AUGUST 19^TH 6:00-9:00PM         SOLARPLATE ETCHING

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 21^ST 1:00-4:00PM   SOLARPLATE ETCHING

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 21^ST 6:00-9:00PM   RELIEF PRINTMAKING

SATURDAY AUGUST 24^TH 9:00-12:00PM    RELIEF PRINTMAKING

SATURDAY AUGUST 24TH 1:00-4:00PM      SOLARPLATE ETCHING

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS: 

Relief

Everyone can print! You will be given instruction, tools and materials needed to create, carve, roll up and print a 4 x 6 inch relief plate. No experience required.

Solarplate

Bring 4 photos from which we will select one to make into a 4” X 4” etching.  Photos with high contrast work best (lights, darks and middle values).  You will learn to etch with ultraviolet light instead of acid, and print by hand on the etching press. No experience required.

 

TO REGISTER:

Call 602 254-3100 or go to phoenixcenterforthearts.org and click on the TryMe! tab. 

With Brent Bond at Santo Press

Today was the second and final run on our 2 color reduction linocuts at Santo Press in Scottsdale.  Brent Bond printed editions of 12 each for the 14 students and teachers from our Summer Printmaking Class at Glendale Community College.  The photos here pretty much tell the story:

The whole experience was interesting and fun.  Very satisfying too.  Brent couldn't have been more capable, amiable or genuine.  I highly recommend Santo Press for any artist lucky enough to print there.

New Two Color Reduction Linocut

Drawing on pastel paper on right, plate on left

Print of first color

I am happily taking a printmaking class at Glendale Community College, co-taught by Donna Atwood and Marlys Kubicek.  It is fun seeing how other printmakers teach, and more to the point, I am learning a lot from Donna who is an excellent linoleum carver.  She has arranged for our class to have our two color reduction linocuts printed at Santo Press in Scottsdale, by Brent Bond.  This is thrilling, to see how the Vandercook press operates, and to have the luxury of having someone else do the laborious inking and registration.  I also learned a great way to help define the areas of color, black and white, by copying my line drawing onto pastel paper the same color that will be used and then coloring in the white and the black. After defining the white, blue and black areas on paper, I transferred the line drawing onto the plate and then drew in the black and white areas. Then I carved away what I want to preserve as white.  Brent printed the first color Saturday, shown here.
Ttoday, I carved away what I want to preserve as blue and then used a Sharpie to color what was left.  Brent will print the black on the first set printed in blue, this coming Saturday.

Carved plate ready for second color

New Year, New Art

"Entangled"

After not making many new prints last year due to the loss of my Father and all the trips to Cincinnati AND our own moves from the big house to the tiny apartment/storage to our final wonderful house, it felt really good to turn out a small grouping of prints made for the 12 x 12 exhibition at Five15 Arts Gallery. 

Because I don't usually work in the larger 12 x 12 size, I decided to pull from my "fodder" files, prints that weren't quite there, unfinished or bad. and prints made to be a part of a bigger piece. Back in 2010 I posted about making diffused relief prints, experimenting with the process learned at a SGC Conference demo by Monika Meler.  I never felt they were finished, I never pushed them far enough... 

"Deep Sea Darling"

"Life is the Bubbles"

They sat in my flat files waiting to be put to good use.  And so they have, some combined with some large, experimental prints I made from ImageOn plates of the kelp forest at Scripps' Birch Aquarium in La Jolla.  I have sat in the large viewing room for many extended moments, imagining myself freely swimming among the branches or leaves of the kelp.  
It was a toss up for me to include my own image or one of a turtle.  When we snorkeled in Hawaii, my encounter with a green sea turtle, touched me, making the eye to eye connection as we swam side by side.  We are all one.   

"Sanctuary"

 If you are in the Phoenix area, there will be a great party, Third Friday, June 21st from 6 to 10pm at Five15 Arts Gallery, 515 E. Roosevelt.  Come see two of these prints AND the work of 53 other local artists.  The show will be up through July with the gallery open every Saturday afternoon 1-5pm and First and Third Friday nights.

Mujeres, Mujeres, Mujeres

I have two pieces in the Mujeres, Mujeres, Mujeres Exhbition at Raices Taller Gallery in Tucson.  The opening reception is Saturday.  I wish I could be there but I am teaching two Living Social classes that day in Phoenix.  For those who also can't be there, here are the reduction relief prints in the show:

History

Sunbather

If you are in the Tucson area, I hope you will go to see all the work.  Let me know what you think of it.

IN, OUT AND UNDER AT THE PHOENIX CENTER GALLERY, revisited

I don't usually post pictures of my whole exhibition but this space is special.  At the end of my reception Friday night, another one of teachers there sat with me in the gallery space.  It was so soothing and she commented on it.  I felt calm and happy.  Then another artist friend who had been there wrote to me and commented on the space.  She said "The exhibition space  FELT like the confines of a contained space of water........just like a swimming pool.  Did you notice?"  And I hadn't exactly.  But once she mentioned it, of course, it was plain to see.  The walls are painted a grey/blue and the movable panels which are flush to the main wall are a truer blue.  

I want to thank Warren Norgaard and Edna Dapo, the gallery managers for inviting me to show here when another show cancelled at the last minute.  I will enjoy popping in when I am teaching at the Phoenix Center this month.  The gallery is right next door to my studio/classroom.  The gallery is open now during business hours.  Check with the office staff if you want to see the show.  Or contact me for an appointment.

Try Printmaking through Living Social

Living Social is now offering 3 hour printmaking workshops in April for $29 each.  These are short samples of solarplate etching and relief printmaking but individuals will be able to complete a finished print in the class.  If you have ever wanted to try your hand at art in general or printmaking specifically these classes are an easy way to give it a try.  
How it works:   You go to Living Social and find the ad for Art Classes at the Phoenix Center or click here.  You select the class and date and time that you want, then you purchase a voucher on Living Social.  Then you call the Phoenix Center for the Arts to register for a specific Living Social class.  If you have any problems, call Alissa at 602 254 3100.

While you are enjoying one of my printmaking classes in April, you can also see my solo exhibition at the Phoenix Center Gallery!  Such a bonus!!

Upcoming Class Offerings

APRIL 15 -25, 2013
I am offering 10 short intro classes through Living Social and they should be available for registration on March 29th and 30th.  The price is $29 and both Solarplate Etching and Relief Printmaking will be offered on various days and times of day.  If you know someone who has always wanted to try their hand at printmaking or art, these are easy and fun introductions where they can walk away with a piece of a completed fine art print!  If you aren't familiar with Living Social and have questions, let me know.  

MAY/JUNE
JULY/AUGUST
Solarplate Etching and What A Relief! classes are offered in two 6 week sessions this summer.  There are also 6 week Open Studio classes on Mondays or Saturdays for those pressless printmakers needing time with a wonderful Takach press. 

All classes are held at the Phoenix Center for the Arts, 1202 N. 3rd Street. Summer classes are open for registration now.  Click here.   

I've had a couple requests for Reduction Relief and would be happy to put together a class if I can get 5 people interested.  Let me know if this is up your alley and I will figure out a way to make it happen.

Los Angeles 21st National Exhibition

I just received notice today that my print, "Native Son," was accepted into the exhibition sponsored by the LA Printmaking Society.  The juror selected 56 artists from 1485 image entries.  Feeling pretty special right now!  The exhibition isn't until October but it will be at Cal State at Northridge Art Galleries from October 26th to December 14th.  

Register Now for February Printmaking Classes

The next 5 or 6 week session is open for Solarplate and Relief classes.  I have added an evening Solarplate class  Wednesday and a couple 3 week Open Studio Classes on Saturdays (not consecutive)

WENDY WILLIS, RESIDENT ARTIST - PRINTMAKING PHOENIX CENTER FOR THE ARTS     February/April Printmaking Classes SOLARPLATE ETCHING WEDNESDAY 1:00-5:00P 2/13-3/13 $200 WEDNESDAY 6:00-9:00P 2/13-3/20 $200 WHAT A RELIEF       THURSDAY 1:00-4:00P  2/14-3/14 $155 THURSDAY 6:00-9:00P 2/14-3/14 $155 PRINTMAKING OPEN STUDIO     SATURDAY 2/9, 2/16, 3/2 10:00a-3:00p 2/9-3/2 $125 SATURDAY 3/9, 3/30, 4/6 10:00a-3:00p 3/9-4/6 $125 For more information go online at phoenixcenterforthearts.org
Call 602 - 254-3100 to register or click here.

RELIEF-A-RAMA

NEW MATERIALS 
I am teaching a relief printmaking class at the Phoenix Center for the Arts.  In preparation, I ordered some relief supplies from Dick Blick that I had never used before.  One was a new item - a clear soft plastic like plate about 1/8" thick in a 12 x 12 size.  I taped a drawing under it and cut it for a black and white print.  It was weird, really hard to see what was left as I cut it away.  But I kept plugging away and ended up with the plate and print shown in the photos.  I used Flexcut tools and it cut more easily than linoleum.  But I think I still prefer Gomuban (available from imcclains.com).  

COME PRINT WITH US! 
Tomorrow is week 2 of 5 and then we start all over again with another 5 week session.  If anyone is interested sign up is available now for this relief class and solarplate etching too starting the middle of February.  Here's a link to registration.  Just click on Printmaking to see what's available and when.