Moving!

Hey all,
I'm moving my blog over to my website, www.kateaustinavon.net.
I also keep a blog at www.myadvokate.com.

See you there!

Etsy class!

How to Sell Your Artwork Online
Saturday, Nov. 13, 10-11:30 a.m.

This beginner’s class with artist Kate Austin-Avon is for the artist or crafter who is finally ready to part with some of their work. We will focus on Etsy, an online community selling everything handmade! We plan to cover opening an account, setting up shop, photographing your pieces, describing your work, shop policies, promoting and more. It takes place at The Shirt Factory, corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets, Glens Falls, NY. Class fee is $20.

Sign up required: kate@kateaustinavon.net.

My artwork on an ALBUM!!!

As you may or may not know, folk singer/songwriter Gary Moon approached me about an album cover for his new CD, Big Sky. Now the CD release party is coming up! Listening to the songs over and over (I'm not kidding - if it wasn't a rude thing to do, I'd be in the front row singing them at the top of my lungs while Gary performs), I came up with some paintings inspired by them - and I'm really proud of the work. I'm really excited to see what he's done with them and to finally have the songs and art together as a package.

Come to Caffe Lena for the party on Saturday, March 20! It's also Phil Henry's CD release party.

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The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls

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North Country Arts Center

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Lots of news!

I have been asked to join the board of Art in the Public Eye (A.P.E.), the umbrella organization for Third Thursday Art Walks. Adding this to my already full plate will be a challenge, but I'm honored to have been asked. My first ever solo art show was through Third Thursday, so this is a nice full-circle moment for me in my art life. These folks are dynamic and going places. I'm excited to be a part of it.

I'm continuing on with North Country Arts Center as board member, and will again help chair this year's Colors of Fall Art and Craft Festival - which we are already starting to think about for 2010. If you have feedback, are interested in becoming a vendor, or would like to help out, please let me know! The organization is also looking to expand to the north - be in touch if you're up that-a-way and want to jump on board with some new initiatives.

I am also a part of the new Buttondown Gallery in The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls, which has its first show, Winterscapes, coming up. The reception is Saturday, Jan. 30, from 3 to 7 p.m. I think Rhea Love Doran (who will be running Buttondown) has a lot to offer.

I'm also helping out here and there at LARAC - another organization I'm proud to be involved with. I'm also helping out at Hocus Pocus Consignment, the awesome new children's store that has opened up next to Finders Keepers (same management) on Broad Street in Glens Falls. Some of my artwork and jewelry will be displayed there for sale, so come and check it out! Lots of quality kids' clothes, toys and more, too. Stop by Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. if you want to see me there.

Some of the artists in the vampire-themed show at Galleria Transylvania at The Shirt Factory were interviewed for Mountain Lake PBS (self included!!!). It was filmed in late 2009, but will be airing next week. We should be able to watch it online here once it's aired.

On the jewelry front, I'm trying my hand at silver chainmaille. Materials are crazy expensive, but the end result is beautiful. On the flip side, I'm also making some funky earrings made with garbage - Tupperware lids, take-out containers, styrofoam, broken scissors, etc. Keep an eye on IVYTEAKETTLE - I'll update once I have a free second!

Let's do it again!

There's a second open house this weekend at The Shirt Factory!!! Come check out my studio on the third floor from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 19 and 20. Be sure and pop in to all the shops, galleries, studios and and outside vendors on your way up!

New gallery!

I'm trying out a new way to host the gallery on my site - check it out and let me know your thoughts!

Also, don't forget the Shirt Factory Holiday Open House this weekend! Here's the info, pasted from my latest newsletter (which is available here, by the bye).

Annual Holiday Showcase at The Shirt Factory!
What: An old converted shirt factory houses studios, galleries and shops! Wander the hallways and do some shopping at the tea shop, art supply store, quilt shop, or any of the 30-plus studios! Pottery, fine silversmithing, jewelry, felting, paintings in oil, watercolor and acrylic, mixed media works, pastels, fabric art and SO much more! Just in time for the holidays!
*New this year -- a Shopper's Advantage drawing! For every $25 you spend at the open house, you'll earn a ticket to the raffle. The prize is a basket containing more than $500 in gift certificates and merchandise from Shirt Factory shops and artists! Whoa!
Date: Friday to Sunday, Nov. 27-29
Time: Friday from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (I won't be there on Friday, but it's nice to get a preview. Make your way up to the third floor to see my studio and browse my chainmaille and plarn jewelry and prints!)
Stay tuned for a possible second weekend!

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Classathon!

What can Kate E. Austin teach YOU?
Good question, my friend. You're about to find out...
CLASSathon!
Tuesday, October 27
Take one class – or a whole day!

How to Sell Your Artwork Online
2 p.m.
This beginner’s class is for the artist or crafter who is finally ready to part with some of their work. We will cover everything you need to know to start up your own online business, including which websites to use, how to use them, describing your work, shop policies, promoting and more.

Intro to Chainmaille
4 p.m.
Learn the basics of chainmaille – where to purchase supplies and how to put together a stunning bracelet in your choice of colors! All materials are included in this class, and you will leave with a gorgeous piece of jewelry you have made yourself! Students are asked to bring two sets of pliers. As an added bonus, we will also learn to make “plarn” from plastic shopping bags. Additional $10 materials fee.

Exploring Mixed Media
6 p.m.
Learn what Yupo is and how to use gesso, inks, kosher salt, Windex, cheesecloth and plastic wrap to create stellar textured paintings in this demo and hands-on workshop. Additional $15 materials fee.

$20 per class. $35 for two. $50 for three.
Sign up by Oct. 20: 353-2121 or email kate@kateaustin.net
Info: www.kateaustin.net

Classes held at Kate E. Austin's Studio, #307 on the third floor of The Shirt Factory
Corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets in Glens Falls, NY.

Click here for the class flyer, complete with photos!

You know what time it is!

New studiomate time!

So - We're looking for a studio-mate. (Yeah, again.)

The studio's on the third floor of The Shirt Factory, which, in case you don't know, is a converted old shirt factory in Glens Falls at the corner of Cooper and Lawrence Streets. It's a community on the up-and-up, full of respected and professional artists, shops and galleries.

Right now, it's Larissa Cardone (teaching children's classes and "sprucing" up furniture), Cindy Gorman (master metalsmith), Sarah Bates (pottery person) and me, Kate E. Austin (mixed media artist).

PERKS:
- There's 1200 square feet of room total, and you'd get your very own sectioned-off block that you can paint any color you choose, refinish, tear down the wall, whatever you want.
- Lots of light, high ceilings, and just a really cool building to be a part of.
- There's a Shirt Factory Association, and there's our biggest open house coming up -- plus there's an option for group advertising, if you like. Good way to get your name out there & sell stuff.
- There's a sink right there, we have a fridge and a microwave you can use, and a quite fetching green couch. The bathroom's close by, in the hallway.
- You can get in to do your thing any time of day or night that you want.
- You can keep and do whatever you want there (as long as it's not stinky, dead or illegal).
- Your new built-in studiomates are pretty talented & responsible people.
- It's great for artists, crafters, musicians, or people in need of some storage space.
- It's $120 a month, a year's lease, plus security deposit.

Interested? Drop a line, we'll talk. I have pictures, or can give you a tour.
kate@kateaustin.net or (518) 353-2121.

Vendors needed for Craft Fair!

Would be lovely to see you there! Feel free to comment here with questions.

Donate to the Freedom To Read Foundation!

Ten percent of proceeds from sales in the Idiotic Idioms shop benefit Intellectual Freedom, now through July. Support the American Library Association's Freedom to Read Foundation and own some fun prints while you're at it!

Check it out in the Office for Intellectual Freedom blog and also on their Twitter feed.

The idea came from Gail Weymouth, at the Sherburne Memorial Library. Thanks, Gail!

Check out the shop:

Open house at The Shirt Factory!

OPEN HOUSE!

The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls holds its annual Spring Open House on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Shirt Factory, located at the corner of Cooper and Lawrence Streets, houses artists' studios, galleries, a holistic healing center and shops. The tenants offer demonstrations, art receptions, sales and information on classes, custom work and services. In the building: Artists working in paint, textiles, pastel, clay, glass, fine jewelry, photography and more; plus shops selling tea, quilting supplies, art supplies, art, framing services, gift items and more. Admission is free.

Come see me on the third floor! You can meet my new studiomate, pottery girl Sarah Bates!

Studiomate needed, once more!

Hey you out there in internet-land,
It's that time again! We're looking for a studio-mate.

Right now, it's Larissa Cardone (teaching children's classes and "sprucing" up furniture), Cindy Gorman (master metalsmith), Mitzi Miller (making awesome paintings) and me (mixed media artist).

The studio's on the third floor of The Shirt Factory, which is an artist's community in Glens Falls on the corner of Cooper and Lawrence Streets.

- There's 1200 square feet of room total and you'd get a decent chunk of that.
- There's a sink handy, we have a fridge and a microwave you can use, and a fetching green couch.
- The bathroom's close, in the hallway.
- You can paint your walls any color you choose (and we're working together on a co-op gallery/shop idea, which you could be in on).
- You can get in to do your thing any time you want.
- You can keep and do whatever you want there (as long as it's not stinky, dead or [very] illegal).
- Lots of light.
- Your new built-in studiomates are pretty awesome.
- It's great for artists, crafters, musicians, or people in need of some storage space.
- It's $120 a month.

Interested? Drop a line, we'll talk. I have pictures, or can give you a tour.
kate@kateaustin.net or (518) 353-2121

The new studio & open house

Well, the planets aligned and there are likely to be five of us in the studio rather than four, which means a cheaper rent and more exciting things happening in one room. I'm psyched about it! We've got Mitzi, who's a painter and a friend of mine, and Cindy, who's a metalsmith and jewelry designer. They'll be moving in (Cindy is still a maybe at the moment) as of December, and Larissa, who is taking old things and sprucing them up, is already moved in! I really am lucky.

But before December, there's the annual Shirt Factory Holiday Showcase! It's this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Come in and see what the Shirt Factory is all about!

Studiomate needed!

Well, our studiomate Zack Zoll is looking to move out, and that leaves us with a gap in the rent. Right now, it's Casey the Candy Thief (seamstress and funkmaster), Steve Gallucci (piano rockstar) and me (messy person visual artist-slash-stuffmaker).

The studio's on the third floor of The Shirt Factory, which, in case you didn't know, is an artist's community in Glens Falls on the corner of Cooper and Lawrence Streets.

- There's 1200 square feet of room total and you'd get a corner of that.
- There's a sink handy, we have fridges and a microwave you can use, and a fetching green couch.
- The bathroom's close, down the hall.
- You can paint your walls any color you choose.
- You can get in to do your thing any time you want.
- You can keep and do whatever you want there (as long as it's not stinky, dead or [very] illegal).
- Lots of light.
- Casey, Steve and I are pretty awesome.
- It's great for artists, crafters, musicians, or people in need of some storage space.
- It's $150 a month.

Interested? Drop a line, we'll talk. I have pictures, or can give you a tour.

mantras, wishes and prayers.

Tonight I won a prize at bjsartworks' "From Victim to Victory: A Domestic Violence Awareness Project" art show. It was a good show - normally I'm not wowed by every single piece in a show, but there was so much emotion in every single one of them that I really was in awe. The reception itself was powerful, too, with a sing-along and original song by Pam Barker, who had inspired Bev Saunders to put this show together.

The painting I put in is called "STOP." I have a way of trying to use my art as a way to wish, pray, do mantras or voodoo or - I don't know what. It's like if I painted this hard enough, it would stop. I've done that with others - if you look on the website's gallery and click "Tell the Sky" or "Wish" you'll see the same sort of thing. Let's hope this stuff works.

Here's the winning painting, and the ribbon. Thanks to Bev for putting it all together - this was a really wonderful show and I'm glad I could be a part of it.



Bjsartworks is located on the second floor of The Shirt Factory, on the corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets in Glens Falls, New York. The show is up until Halloween, and I really recommend checking it out.

Obama vs. McCain: Arts policy

What just came through my email inbox? Why, it's Barack Obama's Arts Policy. Just skim the headlines - funding for the arts and arts education, cultural diplomacy, this Artist Corps sounds fun... even... WHAT? HEALTH CARE for artists. Wow. WOW. I think I'm hooked. Reading through this is like eating candy, like reading a wish list of mine. Even if most of these things don't happen in real life, I can't believe we've actually got a guy running for President that's actually thinking this way. Artists are so used to working late into the night for little to no recognition that this nod our way seems way too good to be true.

However, in the interest of fairness - and I don't mean this sarcastically. I work for a newspaper now and am increasingly aware of the importance of fairness - I thought I ought to look up John McCain's arts policy.

From what I can find on the internet, he doesn't have one. I'm not the first blogger to bring this up, either. A google search on "McCain's arts policy" brings up several posts about this very topic. Artocracy has actually tried contacting McCain's campaign to figure out his policy and gotten no response.

Elizabeth Currid of Election 2008 writes, "McCain doesn’t have an arts policy, other than a desire to eliminate spending directed toward the arts."

Her entire article is worth reading, as it outlines what cuts have been made to arts funding in the last 15 years and provides statistics that are hard to argue with about how the arts makes up a good percent of the workforce.

I have to say that this is very smart marketing on Senator Obama's part. Senator McCain must not realize how many of us there are who, while are also concerned about the economy and safety of our country, really struggle every day with this stuff.

I'm open to rebuttals -- has anybody out there seen otherwise on this issue?

Okay, maybe I get it now.

I just may have figured out why so many people around here paint pictures of Lake George.



Some background, if you're not from around here: When you're checking out the local art scene, it's kind of a "blah blah blah Lake George" thing. EVERYONE does paintings of Lake George, and it's a serious snooze. Sure, it's pretty, but it's decorative. My idea of good art isn't decorative. Blecch.

My idea of good art is that it means something. It pushes envelopes. It's personal, it's emotional, it's important, it invokes a reaction and conveys something real and human. It makes people angry, or sad, or joyful, and number one, it's original - it's not just blahhhh, ANOTHER painting of a lake - how very exciting for you. There's so much "pretty" art out there, and I really have no desire to clutter up the world with more of it. How many times can people paint the same thing before the painting police put a stop to this!?

Honestly, I realize that people want to have something pretty in their homes, but gosh, it's so boring. Admittedly, I've done a landscape or three, done my small share of florals, succumbing to the sad fact that nobody really wants to buy my angsty life on paper.

However, I had the opportunity last week to go out on Lake George for the first time, for an Editorial meeting in my boss Mark Frost's boat. And I think I get it.

When you're actually there, soaking up Lake George, you want more than anything to paint it, to take that feeling of exhilaration and relaxation and capture it so you can share it with everyone else. When people buy paintings of Lake George, they can point out the islands - Lake George vacationers and natives know the names of them, and have good memories associated with them. It is a personal thing. I took lots of pictures...



I even liked it so much that I went back to the Lake with my boyfriend Cory. We hiked in, laid out a picnic, jumped in the water and laid in the sun. I took pictures of that, too. Watch out - you just might see some Lake George paintings from me yet!



... I'm not gonna pretend they're anything original, though.