The little portfolio that could is still going! Our next stop for the traveling exhibition of framed prints from the collection is Candita Clayton Gallery in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
Most, if not all, of the boxed portfolio sets have been sold. Thirty-one individual framed prints are still available (one from each artist), and some artists are showing additional work as well.
Kelly O'Brien, Home is Where You Are (detail). Acrylic on paper on canvas. 2014
Here in chilly gray Frankfurt, change is in the air already. Where did summer go? This is our fourth one in Germany, and I'm still not used to August days in the 60s and nights that dip into the 40s.
Which means I've been in the studio, making new work! My current focus is on acrylic painting, with some mixed media sculpture to keep things interesting. It feels like acrylics are opening up a whole new level of freedom. I've only scratched the surface and am eager to see where this goes.
Kelly O'Brien, You Can't Run From Yourself. Acrylic on paper on canvas. 2014
If you're in the Frankfurt area this autumn, you can see the new work in two upcoming exhibitions in October and November. Stateside, I am delighted to have mixed media prints included in The Joint Portfolio Project, with exhibitions at the Providence Art Club and Torpedo Factory in September and November. More on each of these as dates draw nearer.
Kelly O'Brien, Inside Job. Acrylic on paper on canvas. 2014
Speaking of change, the theme I'm exploring is Geographic Cure. My husband and I are moving to England this fall, so the topic has been on my mind. As much as I love living in Germany and will miss the friends I've made here, I look forward to what lies ahead. I'm learning that with a little conscious effort, you can stay connected and involved, wherever you live.
Upcoming exhibitions:
September 7 - October 3, 2014: The Joint Portfolio Project Exhibition, Moitié Gallery, Providence Art Club, Providence, RI
October 24 - 26, 2014: To Be Continued | Fortsetzung folgt, grassgrün, Frankfurt, Germany
November 1 - December 31, 2014: The Joint Portfolio Project Exhibition, Printmakers Inc, Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, VA
November 2014 - January 2015: She is Herself, Frauenartztpraxis Dr. Med. Seelig, Bad Soden, Germany
The Joint Portfolio Project
One fun benefit of being a printmaker is that you get to exchange original handmade art with other printmakers. Sometimes, whole groups of printmakers get together to swap prints – a real bonanza! And not only for the artists involved. A small number of complete print sets are sometimes made available to the public (see below).
The Joint Portfolio Project is one such project in which I’m privileged to be involved. A total of 31 artists – 22 artists of the Providence Art Club in Rhode Island and nine artists of the Torpedo Factory Printmakers Inc. in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia – are busy completing 5x7 inch limited edition prints for the collection.
Several exhibitions are scheduled for the project through 2015. A traveling exhibition, Joint Venture+, will showcase the 31 framed portfolio prints, plus additional pieces by each artist.
There will be only 12 print portfolios for sale to the public, some of which have already sold. They are $550, which includes an attractive box to store the 31 signed, hand-pulled prints.
You can find previews of the prints that will be included and more detailed information about exhibitions on The Joint Portfolio Project Facebook Page.
You can reserve a portfolio or purchase one at the pre-publication price of $500 by calling Printmakers Inc. at 703-683-1342 or Providence Art Club at 401-331-1114 ext. 5. Telephone sales are accepted with a credit card.