Thanksgiving

It's corny and it's traditional, but as I look over this year in art and life, I am overwhelmed with blessings:

• A family who is left to fend for themselves (sometimes they don't think this a bad thing!) for half of the year while I travel from show to show. It's wonderful to come home, whether the show was a bust, or I earned enough to pay the mortgage for two months. They don't care. They are happy to see me walk in door.
  
• A husband who loves every piece of art I produce. I have plenty of critics around me. It's good to have a fan.
• A daughter who has an artist's eye and Gandhi's soul.
• A son who helps me see the world a little slower and a little kinder.
• An extended family who are interested and patient and supportive, even though some don't really understand what or why I do what I do. It doesn't matter. They think it's cool.
  
• Friends. They are generous and funny, thoughtful and critical, talented and brilliant. And they want to hang with me! They insist on buying my work when I'm happy to give it to them. They live here in St. Louis, and all over North America: Tucson; Palm Springs; London , ON, Lincoln, NE; Montana; Tornoto; Memphis; South Dakota; upstate New York; New York City; Chicago; Madison, WI; Tenneessee; Washington, D.C. All amazing people and all very, very dear.
  
• A space to work. This is a big deal. The basement is still filled with older work and the dining room table is often covered and piled high... BUT a real studio is a gift. I was fortunate enough to find space last year. That space hasn't worked lately and a terrific friend, (see above!) has loaned me her studio while she's in graduate school. This is a little like loaning out a husband for weekly chores (no, not that kind!). A studio space is sacred; to share it is unbelievably generous. Thank you Ilene and Scott (and Noah and Gili, of course!)
  
• A space to shoot portraits. One minute I'm working as a fine artist and the next as a portrait photographer. Or are they they same thing? Doesn't matter. The spaces I work in are different. When I went to Dana Colcleasure at Wombats and asked if I could rent some space to shoot portraits, she didn't even hesitate! She and Kanagroo Kids have been promoting me and welcoming me. Thank you!
• My fellow artists who keep me sane and cared for when I'm on the road, who put me up when I need a place to stay, who offer constructive criticism that helps me improve and grow, and who understand without saying a word.
  
• The ability to work and make a living as an artist. Wow!
• Collectors and clients. Working an art fair is hard work. Long days, bad food, hotels, travel, setting up, tearing down. Why would anyone do this? The people, of course! My husband will tell you I'm lousy at parties. I hate small talk and trivial chatting. But I love talking to people who have something interesting to say. I get to meet the best people in my booth. I also get to meet some who only want to tell me they don't like or don't get my work. I ignore those folks. It makes my day when someone connects with my work and wants to tell me about it. Some people's whole lives -- dreams, disappointments, fears, accomplishments -- come spilling out while they stand inside my little white tent/gallery. That's a lot to be trusted with.
• Gallery directors and owners -- the good ones. You know who you are. We are partners in the art world. This year I'm very grateful to Art St. Louis and Imagine on Main in suburban Chicago. But to the gallery who stuck my work in a closet for six months-- plllltt!
  
• The ability to give back.
• Did I mention my family and friends? Happy Thanksgiving!
  

It's a Play Date!

"It sounded like a play date in there!"

That from a customer at Wombats last week during the first portrait session at the store.

I've teamed up with Dana Colcleasure at her upscale, designer fashion resale shop on 10090 Manchester Road in Glendale, to offer Heirloom Fine Art Portraits.

The boys were having a great time. If it sounded like a play date it meant they were "being themselves" and giving me a chance to capture it. That's my goal at a portrait session -- have a good time. I'll take care of the rest. I don't want to just show what you look like -- I want to show who you are.

I shoot a lot of formal portraits, but most of my clients come to me because they want something more. Any technician (and that's most most big box studio photographers are) can plunk you down, tell you to smile, push a button and shout "next!"

Instead, I add my artist's eye to the portrait session and capture personality, interaction, and relationships. These portraits take time. And are worth every minute.

I leave every heirloom portrait session thinking the same thing -- portraits are my favorite thing to do! And I never forget that these fine art portraits will be around for generations, so the work had better be good!

Isn't that why we want fine art portraits in the first place? Snap shots will be faded in 25 or 30 years -- some less than that. But heirloom portraits last for generations. I never forget that every portrait session is a gift to someone's great-grandchildren.

All the information about fine art portraits is on the website, or you can call me at 314.991.0143 for an appointment. Fine art portraits make great gifts -- for this year and in 2107!

Endings & Beginnings

Yesterday ended my art fair season for 2007. I have to say this was a great year. Thank you to all my collectors!

Each year I wrap up the season at an private indoor show in Webster Groves, MO. Potter Judy Guerrero generously opens her beautiful Webster Groves home and about a dozen artists fill the first floor with pottery, baskets, photography, jewelry and glass. It's the most fun show I do every year.

For the last two years, this show has been part of the 63119 Art! gallery and studio tour, which was put together by two incredibly talented artists, Aimee Smith and Ryan Clyde-Rich. Aimee and Ryan will assume ownership of Krueger Pottery in the spring when artist and owner Dennis Krueger retires.

So as the year winds down, I should have tons of time for new work, right? If only it worked like that!

I have several juried exhibits coming up, including Art St. Louis Exhibition XXIII, which I was very pleased to get into. Lost of artists grumble about not making the cut. It's an honor to have one of the 69 images (of 656 submitted) to be exhibited. Of the five images I submitted, the juror chose my least favorite, but it's growing on me.

"Beach Comber, Variation #2" is part of my new body of work in Infrared. I'm excited about it, but it's challenging to work with. Please watch for more.

I have lots of other announcements, too, starting with a new studio and and a new partnership!

I'm moving my studio to Webster Groves this month. My old studio in Benton Park is great, but for lots of reasons it's not working for me right now. I needed to be closer to home -- and the studio simply cannot be at home! Email me at jeane@vogelpix.com if you want to get in on the studio sale later this month!

And I'm excited to announce that I've partnered with Wombats Resale to bring fine art portraiture to the store a couple days a week. More about that later!