While walking this morning

I couldn't help but take my camera. Shadows again were intriguing me.
I also loved the contrast...freezing temps but wonderful sunshine.

More shadows...

I love taking pictures of shadows. I've been intrigued with taking shadow pictures for years and never tire of seeing how light filters through the windows. I think my favorite images are of Cooper and his crazy looking shadow.

Cooper's spot

is right in front of the fire. Each morning he can hardly wait to take his nap....

My sunny wake up

when I walked into my kitchen this morning. I loved the amazing shadows that the sun was casting onto my cupboards.

Driving to Portland

I just had to take this picture from the car window. I love Oregon.

Particularly in this joyous season,

when art brings so much extra in our lives, I hope you’ll consider the value of art, every day in our community. Our downtown has lasting visual interest because of all its historic buildings. Salem’s cultural nonprofits provide year-round programming that deepens daily life and ignites imagination in our children. Art and culture give so much to community, now’s the time to give back. Please consider donating to any cultural nonprofit. When you do, you’ll have the opportunity to earn the reward of a 100% tax credit by matching that donation with a gift to the Trust. You give twice but it only costs you once, since your entire Trust gift returns to you on your 2009 taxes. On December 23, the Statesman Journal praised the value of this remarkable program, http://tinyurl.com/yd34ul2. By December 31, double your cultural support at no additional cost: www.culturaltrust.org
Merry Christmas and thank you all for supporting the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery and our wonderful artists.

For our latest project...

we are helping our son and his girlfriend remodel a 1908 home in Northeast Portland...when I say "we" I mean my husband and the two kids. I usually go up and ooooh and aaaah at all the hard work that's gone into this project.
I love remodeling. Usually when my husband and I plan a project I get to have fun with creating the ideas while he does all the work. I leave in the morning for the gallery and when I arrive home I see things transformed. Lucky me.

Now with this new house project I have been able to watch my youngest son do some transformations with the guidance from my husband. Bringing two individuals together, working on such a massive project has been astonishing.

First I must say that my husband is the linear thinker, sequentially starting at point A and moving in an orderly fashion. My son is the creative one, the child that moved me to tears with joy when he wanted to cover a refrigerator with astro turf. At that point in time I felt like I had succeeded in raising this child. No...he wasn't going to Harvard, but he was a creative thinker...I couldn't have been more proud.

This house started with rough floors, ripped wallpaper, boarded up windows and many other problems. Now the kids have moved in and are creating their own memories. Adam couldn't have done this without Kristin. Everyday I see their creative minds coming up with ideas and I can't wait to see the progress.

Gallery girls...

Today the gallery staff celebrated the holiday together at my house. It was great getting together to talk about families and life.
From left to right....Tina, Mary Lou, Shelley, MiKayla and Roz. These great people are the creative glue that holds the gallery together. I couldn't do it without them, they ARE the best and are also wonderful friends.

Nice things do happen....

in these economic times. We recently were contacted by Holly Eyre for a unique gift idea for her husbands business, Jim Eyre Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. She wanted to stimulate the local economy and buy handmade artwork from our artists. She arranged to purchase 80 pieces for gifts to be given to clients.
We contacted 4 talented artists (Pat Horsely, Natalie Warrens, Barb Campbell and Cindy Jenkins) and had them create 20 pieces each. This shows Holly with all the packages! Thank you Holly!

Silly fun....

Some days we have a bit of fun while working at the gallery. Lucky for us we know a wonderful photographer friend named William Bragg, he stops in every so often slinging his Brooklyn accent throughout the gallery.
On this day we twisted his arm to take this crazy photo of Shelley and myself to help in one of our promotions. Of course we found a zillion things to correct when viewing the photos.....wrinkles, "do I really look like that?" or....we can't use that photo cause my eyes look crossed! After much fuss we realized that our friend William was a master with photoshop...Thanks Will.

Opening reception in Mary Lou Zeek Gallery 2

Last night we hosted our first reception in the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery 2 with work by artist John Van Dreal and Rachel Sabin.
Great fun, relaxed and filled with an art crowd.

MLZ Gallery 2

We are almost finished with our Gallery 2 space for "Appointment only" clients. Our first showing will be recent works by John Van Dreal and Rachel Sabin.
Rachel is the recent recipient of a Willamette University Carson Grant. Through this grant, she studied the traditional techniques and methods of oil painting under the tutelage of Salem painter John Van Dreal. Using imagery drawn from the Masters, both John and Rachel painted together through Summer and Fall months, expanding Rachel's artistic skill and exploring common figurative themes. This show, the culmination of that mentorship, offers a view of Sabin's impressive emerging style as well as a glimpse of Van Dreal's new work.
Please give us a call if you would like to take a view, phone: 503-581-3229

Yikes!

I can't believe it's this close to the holidays and I'm scrambling to get ready. This picture will show you just how we feel...."Got Art?".
We have our "wish list" waiting for you to fill out and would love to drop a hint to those who need it.

We hope that everyone takes the time to stop in to see the work by all of our fantastic artists! Buy Local, Buy Art.

Carolyn Garcia

must have patience of a saint. Her paintings and drawings are the most amazing pieces I've seen in a long time. I find myself just standing and staring at each of her pieces when working at the gallery. Her her paintings and her works on paper show detailed line quality that just stops me in my tracks. If you see me just standing when you walk by...take me by the hand and lead me back to work...I just can't help myself.

Lynn Whipple

Our show for the month shows works by Carolyn Garcia and Lynn Whipple. As you can see, this little "ninny" by Lynn should raise a little chuckle from deep inside. Her old photos have been painted over and have created stunning images that will make you want to sit down for a long study...a must see in person. Also...if you are a "bird nut"...Lynn's largest piece shows a bluebird casting a shadow onto her assemblage. Tweet.

Seeing color on a grey day....

just makes me want to smile. These sweet little pins of color were created by Suzanne Vinson. They seemed to practically jumped out of the box with their layers and tiny stitching...they took over the gallery with saturated color. yum.

Art Mail!

Art Mail

By Mary Lou Zeek

Book Preview

We published another book on blurb.com showing postcards from our summer show at the Project Space. Check it out by clicking on the book image and it will take you directly to my books on blurb. You can also click on "Author's bookstore" to see my books from previous shows!

A face to love....

We are working on a house in Portland as of late we are in the demolition stages....at least the dogs were happy.... well sort of.
Maddie in the front is always happy. Gramps has the puzzled look because he's wondering why I haven't brought him his chicken treat and Cooper (dashing blue sweater boy)...what can we say...he would rather sleep through all the noise.
To be a dog.

Eight Oregon Potters Association potters...

..have shown their work in the Governors Mansion (Mahonia Hall) for the last 10 years.
Each year I have been coordinating a showing of pottery by OPA members in the formal dining room cabinets. The pieces stay in the cabinets for one year. The pieces are then given back and a new group bring work for the following year. Yah Potters!!!!

The official staff show off the artists work when giving tours and having functions at the home. We've been told that this has been a highlight for many of the visitors.

Robin and John Gumaelius

are wonderful sculptors. We recently received 4 of their artworks with wheels...gotta love what they do. Genius.

We are IN!!!!!

We are finally moved into our new Gallery 2 space! The floor is a reclaimed racquetball court (see the red squares that use to be lines). When I asked my husband to "randomly" place the red squares I knew I was in trouble since he IS the sequential thinker in our family. My artist son Adam took over and did an amazing job. Random thinking....I love it.

Exciting news..

We're almost finished! We've been working over the summer to finish our new Gallery 2 space which will feature intimate shows, art gatherings and also where I can do more consulting on an appointment only basis. We've recycled, reclaimed and can't wait to show it off! I'll try to take more pictures as we move in.

The beginnings...

of the bra ball.
This week we decided to start making the bra ball into the actual ball. Hooking the bras together one by one we were amazed at how great it looked. A bit lumpy but extremely colorful! Tina was our master "Bra Ball Maker".

BRA MANIA!

just another viewing of one of our newest bras for our bra ball! Wow!!!!!

On Friday...

Roz and I went to Oregon Fruit in Salem, Oregon to prepare the cans for our 100 Artist Show that is scheduled for February 2010. The show is titled "Nourish & Sustain" and will benefit Marion Polk Food Share.

We had a great time until after around the 75th can the machine decided to crush everything that we set on the line. Lucky for us we had experienced people with crowbars and screwdrivers to remedy the problem (no pictures showing Roz and I on our hands and knees praying to the canning God). Sad to say a few cans were sacrificed for this project.

Soon...preparing the cans to mail!

Roz fills the cans...

Roz prepares to catch the finished cans

Loading the cans onto the machine

What a great team....

We have a problem....

Jammed machine

Discarded cans...

Filled cans are ready for the next step...

Our Bra Party!

What a fun afternoon...gathering with fellow artists, crafting our unique bras for the bra ball.

I'm so proud of Kristin!

My Friend Kristin Kuhns....

just opened her "installation" show at the Salem Art Association. Kristin has been working a full year in planning, going on location and doing extensive research. Kristin's body of work was inspired by her experiences in the Zena Forest – a local model for sustainable forestry practices and site in which she has explored the complex relationship between harvesting and artistic practice. The resulting exhibit invites reflections on human relation to landscape and the natural world. A must see if you are in Salem.

More bras!!!!!

SO.....bras have been arriving!!!!!!. Tomorrow I am driving to Portland for a "Bra Circle" at Hilary Pfeifer's studio. I can't wait. Watch for upcoming photos!

More bras!!!!!

Calling all bras...

for the upcoming "Bra Ball" at the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery!

Beautiful Boston

Cobblestone streets, art, intimate corner bistros, brownstones...what a great trip.

Waiting for the train

I found these phones interesting while waiting for the train to Boston.

When nobody's around...

we like to take pictures of our shadows. This was our ferry ride back to Providence.

Each year

we take pictures of numbers that show our age and how many years we will be married (August 18th). Since we were on the beach we thought we'd just make our own numbers.

Block Island

What a beautiful place to land. Two days of relaxation.

After Providence...

we jumped onto the Ferry and went to visit Block Island. I can't believe we were wearing matching shoes...geeze.

Visiting Boris Bally

While in Providence we visited with Boris in his studio. He is an amazing artist. Lucky us.

Onto Providence...

After the awards ceremony we decided to extend our trip. Our first stop was Providence, RI....we loved the charm of the community, Brown University and RISD. I discovered the Art-o-matic.

We won!!!

On August 2nd in Philadelphia, the gallery was given two awards from NICHE Magazine for Top Retailer and Best in Gallery Event for 2009. Pretty exciting!

Sculpture in the backyard

Recently we ripped up the concrete at the back of our house because we are building a studio/workshop. My son Adam and I couldn't resist spray painting the giant pieces of stone.
Since we have lots of neighbors who walk our alley they enjoyed the splash of color and random patterns (even though it lasted only one evening). To our dismay and my husbands delight they brought in a truck that removed all the debris the next morning.

Emerging Artists

Art Mail is here and we have some...

exciting news!!!! I have submitted my "Art-Mail" postcards for the Salem Art Association"s "Project Space" and they have given me two rooms during the month of July to create an installation.

As part of this installation I would like to encourage artists to create their own "art mail" cards and send them to us. Not a big deal...just a postcard that you could make...jot a note on the back and send it to the gallery.

My proposal includes converstations with artists (you), the community and myself....what can we say using postcards as our canvas and having them pass through many hands?

When a postcard is mailed don't you wonder who may take a second to read what is written on the back? Sneaking a peak..... I do. Usually the words are non-discript..."having a good time", "wish you were here", "enjoying the scenery"....nothing that is too personal....What if there was something that was written or created that made us stop to think. Art SHOULD stop us, make us pause..... that is why I'm creating these cards and why I'd love for all of you to join me in this show....nothing big, just a postcard...out there for anyone to see...passing through many hands...pushing the limits and exposing those that "sneak a peak" to ART .

The other part of my installation will ask those that visit to make their own "Art-Mail", BUT....(you know there is always a catch with me) they will not be able to take the card home with them. They will have to address the card and send it out right away. I'm hoping that this might help people understand the artist's perspective of "creating" and then having to part with the finished piece -even if they love it.

It's just a small piece of mail, but who knows - we may change the world - just a little...I'm a postive thinker.

Send me a postcard by July 12th...Mary Lou Zeek Gallery-335 State Street-Salem, Oregon 97301 (I'll personally send you one of mine back!)

Mary Lou
www.zeekgallery.com

Commissions sometimes aren't so easy....

but when working with Seattle artist Steven Gardner it has been a wonderful experience.
I have been hired to be the "art consultant" for the new Kroc Center that is being built north of Salem. What a spectacular building!
Steve is creating a terracotta wall sculpture that will be mounted into the fireplace. Steve and Randy Curtis are shown here discussing measurements.

Me? I'm just behind the camera smiling...art in public spaces, that makes me very happy.

More for the Bra Ball!

We now have our second bra for our "Bra Ball". This was donated by Renee Hartig in memory of her Great aunt Irmi Wenner.

It was a sad day....

Last night while fixing dinner I heard a giant crash come from our living room. A large painting had fallen down from over our fireplace, taking out three of my favorite ceramic pieces.
All I could do was pick up the pieces and cry. At the gallery I always tell people of "connections" to the art and the artist. For them to know how art is created...who made the artwork...know the soul of the piece. These were my good friends. Sad day at my house.

It was a hot night....

...but we debuted our "Art-Mail"l machine with MiKayla as our "talking machine".


Despite the loud music that was being played in front of the shop next door, "Art-Mail" was a success!


We only had my cards along with a few from "Emerging artist" Allison Kerst for this first time but do hope to encourage other artists to contribute for the next First Wednesday. Let me know if you are interested and I'll give you the scoop!

Why? Let's spread "the love" for art!

Art Mail

I love creating art but find that running a gallery can take up most of my free time. Understand that I do LOVE what I do but find that people who knew me in my "previous life" ask the same question...."are you going to ever go back to making pots?" "Don't you miss making art?"....don't you miss "being creative".

My response is to tell them that running the gallery has kept me thinking creatively every minute of the day. Maybe not making the traditional art but thinking of how we can push the limits with our artists. Each month we plan shows, create show cards, mailers (remember us sending a can through the mail?) We are always looking for ways to stand out in the crowd.

Well....we do have another fun idea up our sleeves and I've been having a great time making "art mail" postcards for our new "Mail Art" machine. This fine tuned, person run, wacky but fun machine will be making it's debut on First Wednesday.

This is one of the many cards that I've made for this "Mail Art" machine...random but fun. Stop by to see it in action Wednesday evening.

My new friends

Today I took two of Kim Murton's giant clay sculptures to a clients house for approval. I couldn't fit anyone else into our tiny Smart car so it was just me and my two new friends. A quiet car ride with lots of people doing "double takes".

Our first bra....

Would this be considered a "training bra" since it is our first submission for the bra ball? We love what Ruth Armitage created for the "Bra Ball" and we can't wait to see what others send. Notice the detailed stitching? Spectacular!

Door Show #4

Always a clown...

We recently had our "Door Show #4" preview party. There were lots of people who came out for the evening to see all 23 doors in one place. For the evening, we placed a cardboard cutout of myself in the entry as a greeter (not my idea) and my son Adam is posing....silly but fun.
It was a wonderful evening.

Some days...

we get out of town to see our kids. This last weekend we drove down to Eugene to see the new baby goats that my son and girlfriend are raising. Friendly little guys who love climbing onto everything and everyone.
I also had to get a shot of the chicken posing by the artwork.

This was a nice break from the gallery.

Door Show #4

These are shots of our artists who have been working on their paintings for our Door Show #4. Incredible pieces and amazing artists.

Lucky

wow.

Lucky us.

I'm sure I've mentioned just how lucky we are to meet such amazing artists. We find ourselves in a dance of getting to know one another. We visit studios. We talk about life. We get to know their families.
For us to have artists as friends and representing them in the gallery is such a gift.

and so it seems......

.....that our economy has really taken it's toll on everyone, especially the creatives who I encounter. So a thought came to mind, why not shake things up a bit and attempt something that just make people smile, chuckle or at least shake their heads. We all know that art IS something that should make people think.....So we have an idea.

A few years ago we visited the Visionary Folk Art Museum in Baltimore and couldn't get over the various art exhibits. One that stuck in our minds was the "Bra Ball". Yes, it was a giant ball made from bras that resembled a rubberband ball.
Our minds went into action....why don't we make a "bra ball" of our own at the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery.

First things first....we needed to contact the artist, Emily Duffy and ask her permission.
"Not that permission is mine to give, you certainly have my blessings to make a bra ball at your gallery. I'd be grateful for any visibility you'd like to give to the BraBall sculpture project." (thank you Emily!)

How do we begin? Just visit www.braball.com to get a glimpse of this giant colorful ball but also see the amazing process that Emily went through to create this sculpture.


What can you do? Send us your bras of course! Pass this onto your art friends, blog about it, link us...Artists like to create some stir and shake things up and we are ready! Grab that bra and paint it, stitch on it, write on it. Dedicate your bra to a breast cancer survivor or someone you loved...do what you'd like. Send your finished bra to the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery and we'll photograph it and share it on the blog.

We will gather the bras over the next 5 months and then in October (Breast Cancer Month) begin assembling. Keep a close eye on our attempt to bring a smile to those that "think most artists are crazy". Let's keep them thinking.

Bidding Frenzy!

Last night was the last time for bidding at our 100 Artists show at the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery. We had many people standing and waiting to make those last minute bids on their favorite pieces. We are now counting up the votes for "Best of Show" for people's choice.....we'll let you know.

Studio Visits

Our gallery is small but our vision is BIG!
We are fortunate enough to connect clients with artists for special commissions. Kristin Kuhns recently completed a 5' x 8' painting for a client who lives in Eastern Oregon. These images really don't give the painting the justice it deserves...one of those, "you need to be there to see it for yourself". Well, we were and WE think it's fabulous.

Our book is finished!

We finally finished our blurb book for our "100 Artist Show". Click the link below to order yours!

100 Artists-2009

"Inside-Out Educat...

By Mary Lou Zeek Gallery

Book Preview

100 Artists "Inside-Out"

These last few weeks have been 24/7 at the gallery and at home. Late night posting images online, creating a Blurb book, tagging each piece of art, keeping 100 art pieces organized, dusting and mopping the floors,; Shelley, Roz, Tina, Bonnie, MiKayla and Monica have all been a force over the last 6 months...these shows would not happen without their help. Also thanks to the "strong men" (Alan and Ted) for hanging shelves and keeping us all on task.
Last,I do believe that this show is over the top and each and every artist has done a fabulous job, without their contributing and creating as they do...this show wouldn't exist...we can't wait for you to see.
Stop in, call us with a bid and watch for pictures online, we'll keep you posted.

Today I came home with a great piece of art by Kim Hamblin a Sheridan artist.

Her pieces are made from paper that's precisely cut and then nailed onto a thick piece of wood. Pretty fab.

Everyday when taking a walk in our neighborhood I find myself looking at various shapes on the ground, it may be moss, stones or just sticks. I spotted this twig and walked right past it, the further I walked the more I thought about it's shape. I walked around the block, found it again and brought it home with me. Simple sightings of nature and being enamored with a silly stick. I like to think of it as "organic sculpture."

"Trashion Show"

This evening I was honored to judge a "Trashion Show" at Abiqua School. I loved seeing these kids showing such enthusiasm in creating art out of trash. Truly, these are our next budding artists!

Books, Books, and more books!

We are in the process of receiving the books for the 100 Artist Show, "Inside-Out/Educating Without Boundaries". Amazing works are coming in that we just can't believe, we love all of the fantastic works each artist has done this year.....they have gone above and beyond.
The show will go online for everyone to view in the next couple of weeks. Be ready to have your socks knocked off!
Here is a peek at a few of the finished books....can you guess the titles?

January Show

Today I spent the day with Alison O'Donoghue and Kim Murton setting up their new show. Crazy afternoon.

Vacationing at Trillium Lake

This December we have had tons of snow in the Willamette Valley but in our craziness we decided to drive to find more. We drove up to Trillium Lake, snowshoed 1.5 miles in the dark with 3 dogs to find our cozy cabin...it was quite an adventure.

We have closed the gallery to spend time with our family and friends but will reopen on Friday, January 2nd. Our new show is "Playful" art by Kim Murton and Alison O'Donoghue...a show that will bring a smile to your face for the month of January.

Catching snowflakes!

We woke up to lots of snow this morning and I couldn't help but take this photo. The mask that hangs on our house looks like he's catching snowflakes on his tongue.

It's snowing!

Even though we had amazing amounts of snow today the gallery was brisk with holiday excitement.
Thank you to all of our true customers who believe in supporting the arts. Yes....Art fills the soul.

Our Christmas Tree

Recycle-Reuse!

I've been working on a quilt for the past year and am finally almost done.(I do have a life outside the gallery!) I have been picking up old woolen sweaters at various thrift stores, washing them in hot water and then cutting them into shapes. Layering and stitching the shapes has been fun until I had to figure out how I would turn it all into a quilt.
I really enjoy the creative process BUT hate to follow directions. When people would ask me..."how are you going to put it together?" I really didn't have an answer because I loved the process of creating the squares. After making a zillion of these and having them take over my house I decided that I would go into a quilt store to ask a few questions. After explaining what I was making and looking at their puzzled looks I realized that the quilt ladies at the store like to sew straight, cut straight lines and like order in their sewing lives. I was in the wrong place.
Since I don't particularly like to measure OR cut in straight lines I realized that I had to figure this out myself.

Recycle-Reuse!

Budding Artist Mathilda

Holiday Cheer at the gallery!

It's just wrong.

This morning I took a walk and encountered these "tortured trees". I couldn't help but spend the rest of my walk thinking about how this relates to life itself. This is about our environment and respecting nature. This just seems wrong.

What a life....

After decorating the tree, Cooper decided to take it easy by the fire.
There are times when we all wish we had a "Dog's life".

Deborah DeWit Marchant-"Painting Cats"

Our friend and artist Deb DeWit Marchant just released her wonderful new book titled "Painting Cats". We had a book signing at the gallery on Wednesday with many "Deb Followers".
This book is a must have for the holiday.

On the brighter side.

Art begins at a young age as with positive feelings on life. Let's all dream of rainbows for our future.

Celebrate with "ding dong style"

We love celebrating birthdays with our special homemade ding-dong cakes.
This cake was built for friend who just turned 18 on Sunday. Perfect for the artist who doesn't like to stay inside the lines.

Dog day afternoon

It is a sunny day with dogs visiting the gallery.

Art

Art is insightful, posing questions and seeking unexpected answers. Art is a refuge, encouraging reflection or just stillness. Art is diverse, offering perspectives beyond our own. Art is educational, examining our world and our histories. Art is inspirational. Looking at art gets us imagining our own next creative venture. Get engaged. Go visit an art gallery.

Driving Home

While driving home from Portland I just couldn't help but take a picture of the beautiful lights of the city. Hanging out the window with slow shutter speed...goodbye Portland.

Studio Visits

Today my husband and I drove to Portland to visit the studios of Kim Murton and Alison O'Donoghue. Lucky us.
Alison has been working on a commission for the Salem Hospital where she has been painting a 21' x 6' mural in her living room. Her detailed painting of people, animals and other imagery just took our breath away.

Close up of painting

Alison in her studio

Alison and her little friends

Kim Murton's studio

Comfortable kitty

While visiting Kim's studio we noticed her little black cat curled up on her work table.

Gathering of Artists

Tonight we are taking our "Face the Public" artists out for dinner and conversation.
We will be gathering together,toasting the arts with upbeat feelings of what is on the horizon. This will be a good night.

Creative Time

I'm going to a election party on Tuesday night and thought I would make some
artful Obama necklaces to give to my friends. I'm thinking positive.

Studio Visit at the beach

Visiting artist studios...seeing, breathing art for an entire weekend.

Beach Retreat

We shared creative conversations, a late night, watched the stars and conversed around the campfire....a gathering of artists at the Oregon Coast.

Sometimes we stop and gasp.

Saturated colors on a beautiful day.

How do we REALLY feel?

We carry these crazy buttons at the gallery for our own entertainment. How do they relate to art? They really don't.... BUT they do enlighten us in this crazy world.
Mary Lou

Yahoo.

It's Friday!

Behind the scenes

We began the process of planning our 100 Artist show during the month of August. You can see how my kitchen table became my production space for preparing the books before they were sent out to the many artists.

To begin we try to figure out what to send. This year we decided to send old books. We began collecting and deciding just how to prepare them for the mailing. This year we had a bit more to think about and that was to figure just how we could hold each book closed. Seemed pretty simple to me until I met the man at the post office with 100 books in my arms with my eager face. First off, the post office wouldn't allow us to tie the books together with twine or even use a rubber band. What's a person to do? I just didn't fit into their little outline of the perfect shipper. "Oh, you are an artist....shipping to other artists.." I became a novelty.

And yes... the post office person thought I was a bit nuts...they couldn't quite understand why I was sending the book "as is" and why I wouldn't want to place each book in a little box. What perplexed them more is that I wanted actual stamps (and my god..."she wants to pick them out herself and not use our metered sticker?!#*). I was never good at following directions!

When I finished I was pleased with the outcome and love the idea of these books passing through many hands across the country and then landing on the doorstep of each artist.

When leaving the post office I couldn't help but smile...it's fun messing with the system.

"Stuff vs Art"

With the economy drastically slowing, many artists are calling with nervous voices wondering about sales, or lack of sales, regarding their artwork. I sometimes find that not only am I a gallery owner but also an art therapist of sorts. I talk with my artists about how they can market themselves, I tell them that yes, the economy sucks but their art doesn't - just because it's not selling now doesn't mean their work isn't beautiful and thought provoking and, most of all, meaningful.

All of us at the gallery spend much of the day educating the general public about our artists....not just who they are but how artists must rely on sales to live, support a family, pay taxes, pay health insurances, pay for gas, raise their children and basically live just like everyone else but on a much tighter budget. We mention that if we stop buying art we cut out a valuable segment of our visual environment. I just can't imagine MY life without art or artists....can you?

When I hear people say..."I'm just not going to buy stuff anymore", I hope that people realize that art is not "stuff". Stuff is filler...things...copies...manufactured items made by machines...stuff is usually not touched by human hands except when packaged and placed in boxes for shipping. When looking at your "stuff" do you know who actually created it?

Take a closer look at what surrounds you. Is it "stuff" or is it meaningful? Is it art?

Keeping Art Alive

The strained economy is making it increasingly difficult for artists to consistently maintain reliable health insurance and continue working within the fine art field. It is important to raise awareness throughout local and national communities by helping others respect the fact that artists are individual contractors or sole proprietors who need support as equal as any other profession. Our community cannot afford to see a diminishment in creativity and art production. Throughout history art has played a pivotal role in life. It continues, as we should continue its advocation.

Studio Visit with Doug Dacar

Behind the Scenes with Tracy MacEwan

Tracy MacEwan, a local artist with an interest in photography, painting, performance, instillation, and collage, is showing his most current work of oil and wax on canvas within The Mary Lou Zeek Gallery in The Alphabet Effect through the month of September. Gallery patrons have had the opportunity to become familiar with his work and final product, but what about the development of his pieces? How does he begin an artwork and what are his thoughts throughout the process?

“You begin with the possibilities of the materials,” Robert Rauschenberg said, a renowned multi-media pop artist, and one of MacEwan’s inspirations. MacEwan works instinctively, allowing his subconscious and materials to become active participants in creating his work. “My struggle is to simply let go of the limitations I place on myself and trust my intuitive response,” he stated.

Tracy MacEwan is an artist who enjoys experimenting and playing. He refers often to the abstract expressionists of the 1950’s, particularly those from the bay area. The works from this time have pushed MacEwan into letting go of boundaries within the medium, and to have confidence in the power of the subliminal mind in combination with conscious thought. “It becomes a performance at the easel,” he said.

MacEwan’s most current projects evolve through scraping and revealing layers. His panels and canvases, gripped with oil and wax, allow a history to develop. Each piece has several layers, varying in transparency and bold color. He prepares his surfaces often with acrylic and marble dust, giving them a rustic and rough foundation. MacEwan provides a sense of archeology within his paintings as he leaves remnants of material, allowing for an examination, or study, by the viewer. His pieces reveal stories that must be deciphered though piecing together the elements that he has provided.

Tracy MacEwan will continue to expand his work as he creates his own visual language. “Optimistically, I want my art to encourage an open-minded response,” he stated. “And while I hope it possible to inspire deeper though and contemplation, I’m also a big fan of being playful.” His work raises questions, creates open dialogue, and provides a new look into the history of the self, and of the medium.

by MiKayla Gattuccio

Tracy MacEwan

Mixed Media: Found and Recycled Art

With more and more focus on how people can reduce their negative global impact, artists too are influencing ideas about conservation and the reuse of materials. The Mary Lou Zeek Gallery represents several artists who work with these ideas as they provide their audiences with new ways of thinking about fine art. Such artists as Jackie Hoyt, Ben and Kate Gatski of Gatski Metals, and Tripp Gregson all represent this modern global drive toward supporting a more successful future. Whether or not an artist working with recycled materials sets a goal for environmental awareness, that artist pushes their audience’s mindset on what art means, and what art can do.

The tradition of recycling became common practice as early as 400 BCE. Over one-thousand years later, American pioneers began exploring new ways of reusing such materials and actively incorporated them into art practices. In the early nineteenth century, materials were being salvaged for creating decorative quilts, rag rugs, and various sculptural pieces. These influences then lead to such works as Fountain by Marcel Duchamp in 1917, and Bull’s Head by Pablo Picasso in 1943. The tradition continues to thrive and artists, like the ones represented through the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, are making their marks locally and nationally to promote change and critical thinking.

One such artist, Jackie Hoyt, explores time, space, and narrative through her use of found and recycled materials in her mixed media assemblages. After graduating from Portland State University in 1984, with a degree in graphic design, she began creating window displays for a local business. This job, which she said she accidentally fell into, helped to direct her art into what it is today. "If you can imagine it, you can build it," she stated.

Working on a small budget with this job, Hoyt had to use her creativity to stretch the dollar and evolve something that may seem small into something amazing. During this time, she frequented thrift stores and garage sales. She began her own collection of various board games, dice, dominos and other materials, not knowing that they would later launch her art profession.

In 2000, Hoyt began her assemblages. The sheer volume of the materials may seem overwhelming to some, but when the process begins, it happens very naturally and without uncertainty for her. Some of her finalized pieces may take up to two years to complete due to the collection process, being that her materials are rather specific and based out of a certain time period. Hoyt’s work is one of a kind, with pieces never being able to be duplicated. She may create works that fall under a similar theme, but in each piece she deliberately uses different elements to provide her audience with a unique look into our culture’s past.

When talking about found object and recycled art, questions of environmental and conservational practices come up. Hoyt finds value out of materials that may be discarded and overlooked. They are materials that once had a significant impact on a person’s life, and are now seen, by some, as useless. She looks for pieces that may be missing wheels or certain parts. She finds objects that may be sold for hundreds of dollars in mint condition, but are now deemed as rubbish. She brings a new life into these items. She refreshes the viewer’s idea about what is important and what should be appreciated, and she always upholds ideas about salvaging and reusing.

The Work of Jackie Hoyt

Along with Jackie Hoyt, Ben and Kate Gatski of Gatski Metals have established a unique art practice working with found materials. Specializing in metal work, with an important emphasis on honoring agriculture through art, the Gatski’s have combined their passion for farming with their love of art making. "We believe in the importance of the farming," Kate Gatski said. "We respect the people who farm. We believe in honoring the tradition of producing food, particularly food which is grown in a natural system. It is a tradition we all share, yet it is given little attention."

Kate received her degree in Human Ecology at College of the Atlantic, in Bar Harbor, Maine. "In some ways sustainable agriculture is the ultimate meeting of ‘man and nature,’" Kate stated. With the combined hard work and creative minds of Kate and Ben, one can see that they impact not only the art community but they are also dealing with global issues, one of these being sustainable agricultural techniques. Another issue that the two focus on is organic dairy farming. Ben began this line of business at age nineteen when he bought a herd of dairy cows.

With their care for farming and sustainable practices, the two have found a distinctive balance between ecology and art. Their metal sculptures are expressive and have a strong sense of history. Their pieces begin by scouting their community and central Pennsylvania, visiting scrap yards, farms, machine shops, and machinery dealerships. They have worked with exterior parts from disabled hay mowers, tractors, combines, hay balers, and silage wagons. "Metal suits our personalities," Kate said, "it is very tough and very forgiving."

The Work of Ben and Kate Gatski

For all four of these artists represented at The Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, it is clear that discovering joy through art is common practice. By using found objects and recycled materials, these artists have stretched their creativity and allowed their audiences to experience something old, as something new. They have pushed the boundaries in artistic mediums and given inspiration to others. With national and global concerns at hand, these artists bring to mind how one person can become a leader in influencing change and welcoming new ideas toward a more successful being.

by MiKayla Gattuccio