Greetings, you are receiving this newsletter because you are registered for our Artist Round Table Bi-Monthly Zoom Sessions. We will be sending a follow-up newsletter like this after each session to highlight the key points discussed during the roundtable. Winter is coming! The temperatures are dropping here in NEPA and our first accumulating snowfall hit over the holiday weekend. Wherever you are we hope everyone is staying warm and cozy!
First, we would like to welcome three new members to our Artist Round Table: Michael Steddum, Victoria Steel, and Alex Jove. Michael was raised in California, joined the Navy at eighteen, and soon traveled the world. In the service, he went from Cook to Draftsman Illustrator. After his enlistment was up, Michael signed on to work with a gallery in San Diego but by 1990 Michael had left the position to pursue a career as a full-time artist.
New members Victoria and Alex are both graduates of the Ani Art Academies Waichulis. Alex’s current focus lies in Portrait, Landscape, Mural, and Sculpture work. He is currently continuing to forge his own creative path while working to uncover the processes that best serve his unique voice. Victoria was born in Miami, Florida, but was raised mostly in Northeastern Pennsylvania. She now resides in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey with her artist and educator husband, Kevin Moore (Ani Art Academies America Dean). At present, Victoria remains committed to her own artistic endeavors as well as her daily responsibilities as Gallery Director of DETOUR Gallery, located in Red Bank, NJ.
We will kick off this week’s praises with Christine Porter Lofaro. She has been busy in the last few weeks for sure! Her painting I won’t be Cooking Today (Oil on Board, 18x24") is currently a part of the IGOR 2021 Fall Salon Online Exhibition. IGOR received an amazing array of incredible submissions this year leaving the jury the difficult task of narrowing it all down to 223 works (divided into seven categories.) To view the full show please follow this LINK.
Christine Porter Lofaro also recently participated in an Art Trail which took place in Valletta, the capital of Malta. Allura Art invited registered guests to discover the creative secrets of some of Malta’s most exciting contemporary painters, in a weekend walking tour of pop-up open studios at various cultural venues in the capital city.
Christine is currently a part of the collective art exhibit titled BIG Show. The show is hosted by the Wignacourt Museum in Malta. The Big Show is part of The Allura Open Art Studios Program, supported by the Arts Council of Malta. Christine’s painting Strawberry Festival (14x11", Oil on Board) has sold already but will remain on display till December 9th. 2021. For more information please follow the LINK.
There is no stopping her! LOL! Christine is ALSO participating in a wonderful online art auction to benefit people with disabilities. She is donating her painting Pointless Without You (11x14", Oil on Board) to the auction. For more information on this event please follow the LINK.
Thank you Jamie Lindholm for your comprehensive and detailed presentation on NFTs. Below are the links to the articles that she found helpful in understanding the world of NFTs.
What You Need To Know About Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
10 Top NFT Marketplaces
Best cryptocurrency wallets
Challenges and Risks Associated with NFTs
NFTs cheat sheet: everything you need to know
The subject of the Non-Fungible Token (NFT) continued with generous contributions of knowledge and experience with this “entity”. Martin Pickup also shared with us two paintings that are “NFT themed” and will ultimately be distributed as …NFTs. Martin also started a thread on Smartermarx titled: NFTs (and Cryptocurrency). Make sure to check it out as he has included a great deal of interesting and insightful information. The post will be added to and updated as things develop.
Another big thank you to Alex Jove! He shared his knowledge of NFTs both in our Zoom discussion and with his first post on Smartermarx - NFT (crypto resources and articles). Please check it out, and leave him a comment!
We are excited for Natalie Featherston! She has sold two paintings at Maxwell’s Alexander Gallery Black Friday Exhibition. Natalie’s two paintings, Happy Trails and Sleeping Under Stars (both Oil on Panel, 11x14"), are on the way to their new owner.
Show Reminder.
Julie Beck is a part of the Annual Holiday show at Susan Powell Fine Art Gallery, Madison, CT. The show displays eighty oils and pastels works by twenty-six award-winning artists. On view will be numerous subjects, including still lifes, landscapes, seascapes, florals, and trompe l’oeil. The Annual Holiday Show runs through January 12th, 2022 - make sure to check it out!
Books mentioned this past session:
How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We Like by Paul Bloom.
Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World by Aja Raden.
ATTENTION ARTISTS!
One of Thomas’ Nash easels NEEDS A NEW HOME. It’s an antique Winsor&Newton easel built sometime in the 1800s. If you would like a real antique that is both useful and decorative (and you have the space in your home or studio) contact Thomas by private message on FaceBook.