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.

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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.