Valentines night at Patsy's

Our social meetup at Patsy’s was a great time. Those in attendance included Wire, Don, Kathleen, Patsy, Steve, Melissa, Chris, Cyd, Nancy, Clark, and me (Ben). We all enjoyed some spirits and delicious manicotti.

Everyone brought some work to share at show and tell (see images below)

Melissa impressed everyone with her new lion sculpture, named “Izingunder,” which she crafted from wool, wood, and various items provided by the Banks. Clark also made a statement by displaying a fender adorned with intricate crystal techniques and a metal-flaked gas tank, illustrating his innovative approach to materials.

Nancy showcased her artistic talents with a harlequin painting, complemented by two assemblage pieces titled “Day at the Beach,” as well as a striking bedazzled box purse. Meanwhile, Don introduced three new landscapes that he is currently working on, capturing the essence of nature in his unique style.

Patsy shared her entry for the nature contest, a beautiful 6x6 piece, alongside a delicate watercolor depicting vibrant flowers. Cyd took the audience on a journey through some of her past work, including a captivating jester surrounded by dogs and two stunning pieces of sunflowers—one viewed from the inside and the other from the outside, each offering a different perspective.

Wire contributed to the eclectic mix with a recent intuitive landscape in portrait and two standout pieces from his Tall Man series, one of which was creatively painted on cardboard and mounted to a canvas, adding depth and texture to his work. Finally, I shared another piece from my series of avian abstracts, featuring the vibrant blue-footed booby, further exploring the beauty of these unique birds.

We discussed upcoming shows and opportunities, and the conversation turned to Don’s interest in offering prints. He mentioned his test prints with some online services, which he was not entirely happy with, and he is looking for a good local source to get quality scans and Giclée prints at a lower price point for his ever-growing audience. Opinions on this varied. I suggested that I could take some photos that might help improve his results, and perhaps even produce a print with our large format eco-solvent printer. He agreed to this a few days after our gathering.

Overall, it was a fun and insightful event. I look forward to our next meetup at CJ Conner’s studio in Chetek. Maybe we'll see you there. Consult our calendar for details.