Boston International Fine Art Show

Hi folks, just wanted to give a quick update. Bowersock Gallery will be heading to Boston participating in the Thirteenth Annual, Boston International Fine Art Show. Taking place on November 12th through the 15th at The Cyclorama, located at The Boston Center for The Arts 539 Tremont Street, in the South End.

Our main store, in Provincetown, will still be open (that same weekend,) but we will be at the show featuring new work and announcing our 2010 summer line up. Stop on by booth #3 and visit us.

As we get closer to the show we will be posting the line up of artists and more info about each featured artist. There will also be a sneak piece into their new work before they go to Boston, giving you some in site and first choice to their pieces.

We hope to see you there, please sign up for our newsletter so we can keep you posted of what's to come.

www.bowersockgallery.com

Embracing Encaustic

With encaustic becoming a popular medium among artists I wanted to take the time and interview artist Kim Bernard.

First off what is encaustic? The word “encaustic” comes from the Greek, meaning “to burn in”. Encaustic painting is the art of painting with pigmented, molten wax. In painting, a medium is created from a mixture of waxes and resins, melted and pigmented.The technique is one of the oldest painting techniques known, dating back to the first century - Often used in Roman Egypt to decorate mummy coffins and tombs.

How long have you been working with encaustics? "I have been working with ecnaustic, in combination with other materials, for over 9yrs."

What is so special about encaustic? "Encaustic is yummy! It smells good, feels good, its forgiving and allows me to be spontaneous. If I don't like what I've done I can scrape it or melt it off and begin again."

What makes you unique from other encaustic artists? "I am unique from other artists, because my experiences, interests and obsessions are unique, as in true with all of us. I am constantly challenging myself, pushing my work, and asking questions (hopefully the right ones) and exploring new terrain. My work is always evolving. If I ever start doing the same thing year after year, shoot me!"

Where did you come up with the idea, to signature, your piece in Lead? "The lead was a no-brainer in framing my 2-D work since I had been sculpting with lead already. Work begets work. One thing leads to another. As Ani DeFranco put it "I don't know where I'm going , but it ain't where I've been.""

Why lead, why not copper or any other metals? "I use lead because it's very flexible. I can bend it, cut it, wrap it, fold, join it, nail it and sew it. I've welded, cast bronze and I do use copper at times. I like the way materials combine, contrast, harmonize and oppose one another."

~Kim Bernard

To Become an Artist

Some fun facts about our artists?

When and how did you first become interested in Art?

"I've always been an artist. I think it's something your born with. I can't imagine ignoring that part of myself to be someone or something else." - Darlou Gams

"I never 'chose' to be an artist; it chose me. It is not unlike an addiction- its what I have to do."- Michael Palmer

"I probably have been an artist my whole life. As a child I sketched with colored stones on slate and sculpted clay babies in nests while playing in the backyard. My mother kept me occupied with a flour/salt/water homemade clay and collage from her ladies magazines and sketched nonstop." - Christopher Gowell

"I grew up with art materials, books and gallery trips as part of everyday life. I can remember looking through my moms fine art books when I was for or five..." - Dustan Knight

A Glimpse into the Artists

In the next few months I will be conducting a series of interviews with our artists.

Asking them questions like;

what would you tell a collector, as as artist, on how to collect?
Gail Sauter- "It's simple: if it lives in your memory you should get it. If you don't, it will haunt you forever."

what inspires you to create art and how do you keep motivated in the studio? Rose Umerlik- "Must create work... I go crazy if I don't... it is easy to stay motivated when you're facing the alternative of going crazy."

Giving you the scoop on what makes our artists highly collectible.

Hot Encaustic and Kim Bernard

Did you know Kim Bernard is president and founder of New England Wax. Congrats Kim we all knew you were a mover and a shaker.

The N.E.W. is a professional group of artists in the six New England states who use encaustic and who share a commitment to exchanging ideas and organizing exhibits. Through organizational meetings, presentations and conferences, N.E.W. provides opportunities to share both technical and aesthetic insights while supporting one another's creative and professional development.

You can also read about current trends on encaustic at Joanne Mattera Art Blog.

Bernard will also be teaching an encaustic class at "Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill"in conjunction with her exhibit at Bowersock Gallery, opening on Friday, July 31, 2009.
The gallery has current works available in this PDF.