The Seasons Section of ARA

Another book and show section for the Abandoned Rural America exhibition will be highlighting the seasons. Various photographs and paintings will be dedicated to showing the rural scene, especially containing old abandoned rural buildings during the 4 seasons. I believe that displaying the beauty of the rural landscape along with the vanishing culture puts an engrossing perspective on the imagery that we might otherwise overlook.

Here are the opening pages to the Seasons section:

Abandoned Rural America Part 4

Traveling Section of the ARA Book and Exhibit

Here are the opening pages from the section on abandoned farmhouses outside of Georgia that are part of the exhibit. I:m also considering doing some large (24“ x 48“) posters for the show to be available for sale to exhibit attendees. I'm really interested in feedback on this as it takes a lot of ink and archival paper to produce these large prints and have them mounted to foam board etc. So, if you think that you or a friend may attend and be interested in seeing or purchasing an oversized poster on the show, please send me an email or make a comment on my blog site. Also, all 4 of us (me, Blake Smith, Don Jolley, and Chuck Dyer) would love to get feedback about the exhibit either through this blog or during the exhibit in Milledgeville - March 25- April 20 2012). Copies of the book will be for sale and I plan to include a copy of the DVD video to anyone who purchases a book. Not sure of the price yet but I will post it when it becomes available.

A teaser trailer of the ARA video can be viewed on YouTube here: AbandonedRuralAmerica–trailer
If the link gets broken you can view the trailer by doing a search on You Tube for Abandoned Rural America trailer.

Abandoned Rural America update

Happy New Year everyone!
Here's hoping it is a lot more prosperous and uplifting than 2011.
These following pages are from the section of the Abandoned Rural America book about rural Georgia. By no means do they represent all of what is in the book, or images that will comprise the show. The exhibit will have much more imagery and information. If you click on any of these images, they should enlarge on your computer screen.

Abandoned Rural America

Artists Profiles for ARA Show

Here are profiles of the 4 artists included in the Abandoned Rural America show. All of us, like most Americans, have connections to the rural life in our earliest years. This may be a significant factor in our art  and photography choices. I've tried to present an insight into our personal lives so that viewers can gain a perspective on our connection to the show elements. Please email me and let me know what you think about this presentation. petermuzyka0@gmail.com

Abandoned Rural America Exhibit

I plan to exhibit the works of myself, Blake Smith, Don Jolley, and Charles Dyer in Milledgeville, GA beginning March 25th 2012. Here is a preview of what to expect. I will be posting more images and information as the exhibition develops.

Georgia In Bloom 2011

Hi All

It has been too long since my last blog effort. My time has been wrapped-up doing everything from commercial work to tending to necessary family matters. Now it's time for me to get busy with the important element in my life (besides my wonderful wife and family of course), and that is to work on my painting and art projects.
Part of this is the Madison Artists Guild projects. I've been putting together a newsletter for the past several months with the help of our officers and other members and friends. You can view a couple at our MAG website here. And it's getting close to springtime when we artists in Madison Georgia invite other artists in the region to participate in the annual Georgia in Bloom Art Fest. For those interested in participating or at least visiting the GIB Art Fest you can download a copy of the prospectus below. Or you can email me at peterjewelmz@bellsouth.net for a PDF copy.
See you soon with some new artwork.

Pete

Pigments Information

Pigments Through the Ages

http://www.webexhibits.org/pigments/

One of the most valuable resources that I have discovered on the internet to aid in my egg tempera painting is the website "Pigments Through the Ages". This site is a very comprehensive look at artists' pigments, the history of their use, their manufacture, their properties, toxicity, etc. It even has an interactive page that allows the user to go to a pigment (through a color bar) and it will take you to that pigment's complete analysis pages. I suggest that anyone truly interested in painting should examine this website and those serious about their art should keep this bookmarked on their computer browser. After you examine the pages let me know what you think. I find it exciting and exhilarating to be able to examine artist pigments so carefully. I hope that you will feel the same.

A New Painting Approach

Painting with a Knife

As most of my readers know, the painting technique which I am most known for and my preferred way of creating art is with egg tempera. Once in a while I will do pen and ink drawings as finished art and occasionally I will paint in oils or do a pastel painting. I decided to really loosen up on a current painting by working in oils with a painting knife, exclusively. Not as a textural add-on but as a completed work. Being a stickler for glazing technique and a lot of detail, painting an impression of a scene with a knife in a highly textured style was new to me.

Back in June I had taken a seminar in preparing work for high end galleries. The instructor was Jason Horejs from the Xanadu Contemporary Fine Art Gallery in Phoenix, AZ. He had a wealth of helpful and interesting things to say about organizing on

e's work and preparing portfolios etc. but one of the most interesting thing

s that I felt he proposed was, as artists we should study and develop

work in different mediums and styles than we are comfortable with. Not necessarily to change our direction of work but to experience new and interesting ways to produce art. Than when we return to our regular art routine, we can bring new ideas to the table. Now I am preparing to get working on some new egg temperas and hope that experiencing different technique will bring new excitement to my egg tempera creations.

I am including a copy of my painting knife oil along with

an egg tempera so that you can see the difference between the styles with a similar subject. Let me know what you think.

New Egg Tempera Class in Madison, GA

I will be instructing a 6 week class in egg tempera technique beginning October 7th, 2010.

Lake Oconee Living Nominee

Hello friend

I have just found out that I have been nominated for "best artist" in the Lake Oconee region. What an honor! Here is the complete text to the email:

Dear Pete,

Congratulations!

You have been nominated for “Best Artist” in the Lake Oconee region. This means you are eligible to win a 2010 Readers’ Choice Best of Lake Oconee Award.

All nominees will be listed on our Website, and the contest will be publicized in our holiday issue. The magazine’s online poll will open on September 3, closing for the final tally on October 8. Lake Oconee Living plans to feature the Best of Lake Oconee in our winter issue, which comes out in January 2011. Be sure to cast your votes between September 3 – October 8 at www.LakeOconeeLivingMag.com.

To help you garner votes during this exciting competition, we’ve attached a flyer, which you may print to mail or post at your place of business. You may also be interested in advertising in our holiday issue to attract votes from our readers. For more information about advertising, please call Bob Hogan at 706.342.7440.

Good Luck!

Ramsey Nix, Editor

Lake Oconee Living Magazine

Egg Tempera Class for 2010

I am teaching a class in Egg Tempera beginning October 7 in Madison, Georgia. Here is the announcement.

A more detailed description plus materials list can be downloaded from my website at this url: http://www.petermuzyka.com/newshowsandclasses.html

Madison Artists Guild Workshop