Republique

Everyone looked like winter.

How

How we gonna save this...when there are stains on every wall

Hours. Info. Art Pick up and Payment.

Our hours this week for pick up and payment:

Wednesday 16th: 12-3pm

Friday 18th: 12-3pm

Saturday 19th: 11-2pm

Monday 21st: 12-4pm

Tuesday 22nd: 12-2pm

Please swing by or have someone pick up your check/piece during these times.
Please email/ring me with any questions. Maranda 713.922.8584

More More More

Another Huge thanks to the 240 Artists providing more than 700 pieces of art for the largest attended show in Austin. More than 800 peeps packed the gallery for 6+ hours Saturday night. The show runs until Dec.20th. There are 550+ 12x12s still for sale. The perfect Holiday gift :)!
A huge heartfelt thanks to Austin's World of Rentals, Platinum Vodka (a huge hit) and Sweetish Hill Bakery on 6th...and the dynamic Duo pulling it all together: Rockstar event Planner and all-together badass Mariska Nicholson and Caroline Keys, art assistant extraordinaire.



"Such a fierce diversity of styles and colors and permutations for a simple square to accommodate! One show and a helluva party."

--Austin Chronicle Dec.4th 2009

Artistic Logistics

We would like the show to run until December 20th.
Artists may pick up their art at anytime though.

Payment may be picked up anytime after Decemeber 12th.
Artists will need to sign out that payment has been received.
No checks will be mailed.

Please check our website and this blog for detailed times and instructions.

Gallery Times this week:
1-3pm M-F
Wednesday 11-3.15pm
Saturday 12-3
Sunday 2-5pm

We will add more times tomorrow.

You are invited to Become a Fan of Maranda Pleasant Gallery on Facebook and upload any/all photos taken at the show...including your artwork. Please post your name and medium with the photo. My vision is to build a tighter community where we can share, witness, collaborate and connect with other artists mixing all mediums.

Thank you for attending. We had more than 800+ in attendance. Also, Please feel free to post any comments on our gallery's page. What an amazing night. Thank You all. Maranda

Notes to 12x12 Artists

A few quick things for the artists involved:

Please email me if you have not, so I can email you the invite to forward.

Please read all the instructions and website thoroughly before calling or emailing. We are so knee deep in art love prep right now...and with 225 artists now participating...our response time might be slow.

We need 5 people to volunteer the night of show to assist buyers or serve wine (how fun!)

We also need a few photogs to volunteer the night of the show. Video would be great as well!

On Saturday...the night of the show...from 4-6pm will be reserved exclusively for interested buyers and collectors. Artists are encouraged to arrive at 6pm. The show from 6pm-10.30pm...but buyers may purchase and take the art beginning at 6.10pm. So get here early if you want to see/photograph your piece.

How it works: Buyers take the piece off the wall, pay at check out and then have the option to place it back on the wall with a red dot until they are ready to leave. It is a really kinetic active show and it's always a blast.

Drop off is this week 12-3pm and 6-8 pm every day until Thursday at 8pm.

We have 700 peeps RSVP'd and have many sponsors. Thanks for being a part of my community and collective creativity. Welcome to the largest attended art show in Austin all year...come prepared to dance, drink and discuss your work.

In Gratitude, Maranda

A Big Thank You to the Austin Chronicle!!!

Thank you to the Austin Chronicle for the concise, awesome calendar write up these past few weeks under Creative Opportunities...

MARANDA PLEASANT GALLERY: 12X12 HOLIDAY ART BOX SHOW Pick up your 12x12x2 panel to create your contribution to this posh and popular show, which features more than 450 pieces of original artwork for $100 each. See website for details. Deadline: Dec. 3. Exhibition: Sat., Dec. 5, 6-10pm. 2235 E. Sixth, 713/922-8584.bigmodernart.com

Modern Luxery Houston.

Thank You to Modern Luxury Houston Magazine for showcasing my Show at Laura U Gallery.
Click on image to enlarge.

A Big Thanks to our newest SPONSORS. Sweet Leaf Tea + Tribeza Magazine

A big Thank you to our two newest Sponsors:

Tribeza Magazine and our favorite media Maverick, Karen Landa.

Click on the article above to enlarge.

Sweet Leaf Tea...thank you Danny for your generosity! 17 Cases!

A Few of our Featured Austinites Transforming Lives and Communities.12x12 Show

Rebecca Powers of Impact Austin

Susan G. Komen Foundation

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Central Texas



Ann Webb of AW Skin Care

Rochelle Rae of Rae Cosmetics

Cindi Rose of Rose Ribbon Foundation

Whitney Casey-ex.CNN anchor, national television host and Author

GirlStart

Kitty Murray of Foodies

Lisa Beneford- Lisa's Hope Chest

Sanieh Yoga

Gioconda Yoga

Lynda Coleman-Austin parks and Recreation and 'Teens Totally Cool,totally art Program".

...and a few of our wonderful local business donating to the event: Luna Bars, Central Market, Whole Foods, Platinum Spirits, Texas French bread Bakery, Sweetish Hill Bakery...the list is growing. If you would like to donate food or beverages :713.922.8584 Maranda

200 Artists. Instructions.

To the amazing 200 artists: painters, photographers, Figurative peeps, mosaic, glass, metal, mixed media, graphic designers, mixed media gurus, conceptual word yogis participating...

Please email me: maranda@bigmodernart.com

I can email you all the swank email invite you can forward to friends, family and collectors.
In that email, if possible...include your medium and the approximate number of pieces you plan on having in the show.

This year we have around 155+ Austinites...30+ from Houston, several from Paris (yay for Anthony, Florent and Philippe)...and amazing photogs from D.C.,Dallas, and New York. Artists from Mexico, Italy, Canada are also posting their pieces in.

I feel really grateful to be surrounded by so much talent, creativity and mindful collaboration. Please read the instructions for artists on our web page before dropping off.

Your Questions about the 12x12 show.

To address a few questions:

*yes of course it's free to attend!

*Only 600+ peeps: 200 artists, 400 pieces, $100 each along with...designers, collectors and philanthropists all thrown together loving and buying art! The more the better. We'll have great food, wine and music (outside).

*Everyone receives a strip of dots when they enter. It is a fun, active highly kinetic show. Buyers take their piece off the wall to the checkout...then place it back with a red sold dot next to it. It gets active as people try to by their favorite pieces as quickly s possible.

*Buyers can take the piece when it is purchased...so artists* get there at 6pm if you want to make sure you see your piece before it sells.

*I highly recommend painting the sides of your piece. Put a little love and time into the quality of what you are presenting.

**Dark Brown is always what I recommend for the sides (if it works with your color scheme).
If you're doing a black/white...I recommend Dark Gray. I don't really recommend black sides, but if it works for your piece...great.

**If your panel needs a little something extra...try adding a gloss finish.

**If you have more than 3 pieces together, I cannot guarantee individual hanging situations. Call me if you're a special case :).

How

How the Silence Sits

Real-ity

I've lived my own fiction.





Shot at the Pompidou.Paris.2009. Collaborative Elle exhibit.

Panel pick up Hours

**Please click on our flyer to enlarge**
A big Thanks to Luna Bars...our newest sponsor of this years show!

Panel Pick up Hours:

Saturday and Sunday November 7&8th

Please call first. We are installing, but around.

Monday 1-3.15pm and 4-6pm

Tuesday 12-3pm and 7.30pm-10.30pm (evening)

Wednesday 1-4.25pm

Thursday 12-3

Friday 12-3.25pm and 4.45-6pm (evening)

Please call if you need additional hours.

Not reasonable

The heart has reasons that reason does not understand: Bosseul

watering down

Let's not...
water ourselves down-
Make ourselves easy to swallow-
dampening our spirits-
dissolve

The Art Of Awareness

This is one of the Most attended Art Shows In Texas.

Our annual 12x12 Holiday $100 Art Box Show Saturday December 5th.2009 merges our large Artistic community with philanthropic support and nurtures arts education and presentation.

More than 160 Local, National and International Established and Emerging Artists, Painters, Photographers, Designers, Graphic Artists, Ceramic/Glass/Metal artists and Students come together for One Show exhibiting more than 450 pieces of original art work (12x12) for $100 each.

Last year our walls were packed with designers, collectors, artists, and performing artists and well as musical performances outside. We will have events for the kids outside again this year to help integrate the presence of children in galleries. We believe the correlation of good experiences with art/exhibitions should begin at an early age.

Last year we had more than 500 people attend, making it one of the largest art attendances in Austin for the last 2 years.
The Theme this year is Transformation. Wine, food, and beverages will be served.

_______________________________________________________________

This year, Explore Austin, is our local children's charity. It combines the benefits of mentoring and outdoor experiences in a six-year program for 6th through 12th graders. Focusing on team building and leadership training, the program’s mission is to create opportunities for inner-city boys to develop the skills, tools, and habits they need in order to become effective leaders. It strives to increase self-confidence, build character, and develop a sense of responsibility for themselves and those around them. In addition to this year's 75 participants and 15 mentors, Explore Austin plans on adding growing to over 90 boys and 18 mentors, as well as beginning a girl's program in 2011.

Deeply Yours

Sitting in the gallery tonight, collaborating with Parisian artist Philipp, he looked up and said...

" if one does not cultivate something that is really deeply theirs in life...what is the point. What separates them from the masses."

----leave it to the french.

Our Annual 12x12 Art Box Show. Call to Artists

WHO: More than 150 Local, National and International Established and Emerging Artists, Painters, Photographers, Designers, Graphic Artists, Ceramic/Glass/Metal artists and Students come together for One Show. You are invited. This is our only open call show of the year. There is no age requirement. We also have 15+ International artists submitting this year.

Last year we had more than 500 people attend, making it one of the largest art attendances in Austin for the last 2 years.

WHAT: The Holiday 12x12 Art Box Show. 400+ pieces of art. The Theme this year is Transformation. Each Piece Sales for $100. The Artist receives $50 of each sale. Our children's charity, Explore Austin, receives 10% and the gallery receives 40%. Again we will provide wine, food, water, performing arts and musical entertainment. We are also highlighting 40+ "Influential Austinites" that are transformative in their community and highly successful in their fields.

HOW: Artists may purchase a 12x12x2 panel from our Gallery for $11 each or provide their own high quality 12x12 inch ready to hang structure/canvas/panel. You may submit as many as you wish. Panels are $10 each when purchasing 5 or more.

WHEN: Panels may be picked up at the Gallery between October 16th-November 29th. Please call us in advance before picking up your panels. We are out on frequent installs.

Logistics: Panels are due back by November 1st-Dec. 3rd. No Boxes will be accepted after Dec.2rd. Please call us if you have a special circumstance and cannot deliver until 12/4. ALL artists MUST PRINT their name and title of their piece in black ink/sharpie on the back of their pieces.

Official drop off times are:

Sunday November 29th 4-6pm

November 30th-December 3rd from 12-3pm and 6-8pm.

Please notify us if you need to make other arrangements. Please may Every effort to have someone drop off your art during these times if you cannot make it.

Artists may pick up any unsold boxes along with payments after December 15th. times will be posted.

Involving Local Businesses:

We are encouraging local businesses and companies to have employees participate, cohesively bringing them together through creativity. Last year we had computer companies, cafes, design firms, toy shops, grocery markets and tons of South Congress and Guadalupe businesses join the exhibition, as well as non profits.

Universities and Schools

We are also encouraging educational growth through active art involvement.

University of Texas

and St. Edward's University Fine Art Department will also be returning this year.

We are pleased to welcome accomplished students from:

The Girls School of Austin's Program for Fine Arts

Art Institute of Austin

Austin High Arts Program

McCallum Fine Arts Academy

St. Andrews Episcopal

St. Stephens

All students in Texas are allowed to submit, display, present and discuss their art pieces. This helps build their self confidence, college resume, and begins to actively integrate the youth into the arts. It is our wish to build a foundation of lifelong connection with galleries, art and presentation.

Dirty Fingernails

For the past 4 months I have pondered, meditated on and questioned the balance of presentation and substance. Always creating, birthing, painting, shooting...I get lost in the process and routine things fall behind. I found myself comparing myself with lovely useless objects...until I received this facebook photo comment today. I made peace with those dirty fingernails.

"Maranda, what I really love is seeing you in all your fashion gear, model beauty, and your fingernails short with evidence of dirt or paint. You always have your hands into creating. not just standing around looking pretty, or even being wild as some think. You are constantly planting dynamic seeds."--Bonnie Lambourne. Art Teacher and Critic. Houston, Texas.

I found peace today.
Updates on the new book and art collection this week. Promise.
...and the Art Box show is Dec 5th at my Gallery. All are invited to participate.

It Creates itself.

"Let's call it “pure painting” in so far as she is not limited by subject matter or any pre-conceived expectations for the outcome of the work—

just experimentation from the beginning to the end and a high level of creativity that includes making her own painting surfaces in them.

I can imagine that, in some cases, the paintings fail, as must be the case with this high risk way of working. I can also imagine that if she gives too much more, she will have nothing left. As she mentioned though, the personal rewards are high when the work does succeed.

That magical moment when the mess begins to come together, when those formerly dead colors start to ignite and the painting comes alive, is the most exciting moment for an artist. It is perhaps the very reason to be an artist. I presume that this is why she paints and, from what I can see, she paints a lot."

---New York Arts Magazine

The Term 'Pure Painting' best incapsulates my work and best describes it. I am grateful the NYAM has coined the term nicely.

Everyday was a Another World.

Everyday In Paris was a new World. For 8 weeks this summer, I worked with some the best French and Italian Photographers, Writers and Performing Artists on my upcoming new book. Here are a few snapshots of our creative collaboration. © Anthony Maragou 2009. Paris

© Florent Deux. Paris 2009
© Anthony Maragou 2009. Paris
© Anthony Maragou 2009. Paris
© Anthony Maragou 2009. Paris

There is something to be said, that cannot be spoken.

© Florent Deux 2009. Paris
© Anthony Maragou 2009. Paris

© Anthony Maragou 2009. Paris

© Anthony Maragou 2009. Paris

© Florent Deux 2009. Paris

I have photos...and stories...and lots of them.

but for now all I can give you is my French Cellphone number.

country code 33-6-32-72-97-81.

I have been writing and meditating beyond comfort.

I will share them soon along with great photos. Maranda

Recent and Upcoming Exhibitions at MP Gallery

Love Big

---May we be ever overwhelmed by how many people you love.

I am packing. Monday comes early.