I am exhibiting the whole body of dessert paintings in my collection from Riviera Bakehouse, formerly in Ardsley, (now known as The Bakehouse at Tarrytown) this coming weekend:
To help you plan your action packed Artists’ Studio Tour weekend, click here to see a printable map of the 70 participating artists located in the 6 river towns on the Tour – Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Ardsley, Irvington, Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow.
An interactive map is also available here on the RiverArts Studio Tour site. You can search by village.
Personally, I find the paper map much more useful at this point for planning purposes. You can see the visuals for each artist at one glance. Then you choose the studios you want to visit based on your personal taste. The interactive map might be more useful on the day of the tour as you drive between locations.
Finally, I will have some printed maps available this weekend. And I’m happy to help you plan your tour. Please feel free to email me at beverlyshipko@mac.com if I can help in any way.
GDC and The Lofts has graciously offered up the 3rd Floor Lounge for the show. It’s a large beautiful space with shelves, where more paintings can be shown than in my apartment. GDC (Ginsberg Development Corporation) will be providing food and drinks both days.
Saturday from 2-4 Cheese, Charcuterie and Wine & other non-alcoholic beverages
Sunday from 12-2 Bagels and Cream Cheese, Danish, and Mimosas, and other drinks
Notecards will be available for sale, including Riviera’s signature slanted birthday cake.
Of course, Oreos will be provided for biting (GF Oreos too!). Maybe your bite will turn up in a future painting…
Flowers – video, small paintings and fresh
There will be a running video of my favorite Sogetsu Ikebana arrangements from my weekly online zoom class. Plus I plan on showing at least one Ikebana arrangement – a creative activity that began during the pandemic and is still going strong. It’s like painting with flowers!
Also, some small flower paintings like the Lotus and Orchid will be exhibited, and featured on notecards scattered among the sweets.
Fun – a community of like minded people and a taste of AI
Expect the unexpected. Are you using AI (artificial intelligence)? Hope you’ll share your favorite AI apps with me. And I’ll share what I’ve learned since last year.
I plan to experiment with AI and see what happens. AI has evolved a lot in the last year. This is something relatively new for me. Your guess is as good as mine about how this will come out. Come see for yourself!
Logistics
Tour Maps For the RiverArts Studio Tour Weekend
Over 70 artists in the Rivertowns (Hastings, Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown, and Sleepy Hollow) will be participating in this event. You can download a printable map here and plan your strategy. My location is #23 on the map in the Ardsley section, and the other talented, realistic artist in my apartment complex is #22 on the map, Linda Friedlander. Linda is a short walk away in the 3rd Floor Lounge of Building C (1 Mill River Lane). So this stop is a twofer (two artists for the price of one!).
I’ll be updating this post with new information as it become available. I’ll have a few printed maps on hand, and will be happy to help you plan your route.
GPS Directions and Entry
GPS apps can be quirky. If the address in bold above comes up as being in Hastings-on-Hudson, that’s correct. The Lofts complex is on the border between Ardsley and Hastings., about 30 minutes north of Manhattan by car. As if it wasn’t complicated enough, there’s a second address for the building that you could try – 5 Mill River Lane.
The Lofts is located on Saw Mill River Road (west side), one mile south of the Lawrence Street exit off the Saw Mill River Parkway. Go to the northern building in the three building complex (the Lofts has red trim). Park anywhere in front of the buildings, or in the hidden lot on the southern end of the complex by the maintenance shack.
Hopefully the building door will be open. If not, type Beverly into the directory to reach me or call my cell 914-954-7779 so I can buzz you in. Take the elevator to the 3rd floor.
.If you’re coming by train from Manhattan, take the Hudson Line of MetroNorth to the Hastings-on-Hudson train station. Grab a cab or Lyft to The Lofts at 423 Saw Mill River Road. Call me if you have questions.
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Please note: For those of you who have been coming to the Studio Tour in April for many years, Sunday hours end earlier at 3pm.
Feel free to contact me with any questions through email at beverlyshipko@mac.com or by cell at 914-954-7779. You can also reach me on Facebook (Beverly Shipko, Artist) and Instagram (@beverlyshipko).
2024 Studio Tour | Preview Shows
In addition to the main Tour weekend, there will be two preview shows.
Sunday, October 20 from 3-5pm at Hastings Village Hall Gallery, 7 Maple Avenue (for artists from Hastings, Dobbs Ferry and Ardsley). I will have a painting in this show.
Sunday, October 27 from 3-5pm at Shames JCC, 371 S. Broadway (for artists from Irvington, Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow)
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This is always a joyful event. It feels like a big celebratory party! Hope you can make it. Bring your family and friends. Everyone is welcome. Feel free to forward this invitation.
Finally, I’m looking forward to seeing all of you art lovers and foodies, and exchanging ideas. See you soon!
GDC and The Lofts has graciously offered up the 3rd Floor Lounge for the show, a large beautiful space, and will be providing food on Saturday from 2-4 and Sunday from 12-2.
Work-in-process will be included.
Of course, Oreos will be provided for biting (GF Oreos too!). Maybe your bite will turn up in a future painting…
Flowers – paintings and fresh
I’m working on a few small flower paintings, and plan to assemble at least one Sogetsu Ikebana arrangement – a creative activity that began during the pandemic and is still going strong. It’s like painting with flowers!
Fun – a community of like minded people and a taste of AI
I plan to experiment with AI (artificial intelligence) and see what happens. This is something new for me. Your guess is as good as mine about how this will come out. Come see for yourself!
GPS apps can be quirky. If the address above comes up as being in Hastings-on-Hudson, that’s correct. The Lofts complex is on the border between Ardsley and Hastings. As if it wasn’t complicated enough, there’s a second address for the building that you could try – 5 Mill River Lane.
The Lofts is located on Saw Mill River Road, one mile south of the Lawrence Street exit off the Saw Mill River Parkway. Go to the northern building in the three building complex. Park anywhere in front of the buildings, or in the hidden lot on the southern end of the complex by the maintenance shack.
Hopefully the building door will be open. If not, type Beverly into the directory to reach me or call my cell 914-954-7779 so I can buzz you in. Take the elevator to the 3rd floor.
And the bonus is that another talented realist painter, Linda Friedlander, is a short walk away (#22 on the map) in the 3rd Floor Lounge of Building C (1 Mill River Lane). So this stop is a twofer (two artists for the price of one!).
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Please note: For those of you who have been coming to the Studio Tour in April for many years, the switch to November is permanent. Also Sunday hours end earlier at 3pm.
Feel free to contact me with any questions through email at beverlyshipko@mac.com or by cell at 914-954-7779. You can also reach me on Facebook (Beverly Shipko, Artist) and Instagram (@beverlyshipko).
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This is always a joyful event for me. Hope you can make it.
I look forward to seeing all of you art lovers and exchanging ideas. See you soon!
For those of you who have visited in the past, this is the same event that was traditionally held in April. Studio tour preparation involved planting spring flowers… While I’m still in Ardsley, it’s at a new location. See Directions and Parking below for details. The most important thing that never changes is my passion for painting desserts – and sharing them with you!
Consider this an official invitation.
You are invited to my Open Studio this Saturday & Sunday, November 5 & 6, from 11 am – 6pm
Beverly Shipko’s Home Studio at The Lofts
423 Saw Mill River Road, Third Floor Lounge, Ardsley, NY 10502
Please note: The Lofts management has graciously offered the beautiful, contemporary Lounge space on the 3rd floor in my building (Building A) for this event. So I will be able to show you more than in my own apartment. While technically this isn’t my working studio, there will be work-in-progress and materials to show you. Plus, I’ll just picked up my newly framed prints that I am proud of!
When you arrive at the building, you will have to be buzzed in. Scroll down to read more about that.
And, the bonus is that another talented realist painter, Linda Friedlander, is a short walk away in the 3rd Floor Lounge of Building C (1 Mill River Lane). So this stop is a twofer (two artists for the price of one!).
Please feel free to contact me with any questions though email at beverlyshipko@mac.com or by cell at 914-954-7779. You can also reach me on Facebook (Beverly Shipko, Artist) and Instagram (@beverlyshipko).
Tour Maps For the RiverArts Studio Tour Weekend
As you can see from the official Studio Tour poster below, 80 artists in the Rivertowns (Hastings, Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry and Tarrytown) will be participating in this event. You can download the map in advance and print it at home and plan your strategy. I’ll be happy to help you plan your route.
For your reference, I’m #24 on the Studio Tour map and Linda is #23. Another fellow Ardsley artist and friend, Carol Sommerfeld, is #25 on the map.
2022 Studio Tour Weekend is here!
This is really a major milestone year for RiverArts which is celebrating its 60th year anniversary. Congratulations, #RiverArts!!
RiverArts Studio Tour Registration
Please click here to register in advance to help secure future funding for this annual event. “Attendance” matters (sounds like we’re in school again…).
Directions and Parking
Please contact me at beverlyshipko@mac.com for information for directions and parking.
I look forward to seeing you this upcoming weekend – and restarting this annual tradition!
Recently I went to the Preview Show at the Hastings Municipal Building of this years abbreviated 2021 RiverArts Artists Studio Tour, this year as a visitor rather than a participant. I decided to take a break this year to figure out my 2022 post-Covid strategy now that I’m living in an apartment. (In 2020 I only got as far as my postcard…) The Hastings show is up through October 24th, while the Dobbs Ferry Library Preview is up through October 29th.
Now let me introduce you to a new face on the Tour.
My walking buddy and fellow realist, Linda Friedlander, decided to participate in the Studio Tour for the first time. She is an accomplished artist, and her striking still life painting greets you on the left as soon as you enter the Hastings Municipal Building.
Linda Friedlander, “Elaine’s Bowl/Amy’s Apples”, 2015, Oil on canvas, 24 x 36 inches
Lets take a closer took. The details of the fabric and porcelain are so rich, the apples so enticing, and that pierced dish is so exquisitely painted. I would never have that kind of patience!
Linda caught all the subtleties of the glass reflections and cast shadows from the pierced porcelain.
This is the best of contemporary realism. Linda’s fascination with transparency and complex tabletop compositions evoke the work of Janet Fish (who had a fabulous retrospective at DC Moore Gallery in NYC a few years back) – the ultimate compliment to Linda since I love Janet’s work and she’s such an acclaimed artist.
You can see Linda’s work for yourself this Saturday at the Dobbs Ferry Presbyterian Church. She’s number 11 in Dobbs Ferry on the Studio Tour map.
If you can’t make it, you are invited to the Opening Reception of her solo show on November 14th at the same location from November 7 -December 12.
Back to the Hastings Preview Show for a moment. I must point out this epic painting by veteran Studio Tour participant, Madge Scott. It has much more presence in person.
“Identity Series Welcoming Committee”, 2021, oil and other media, gold leaf, 24 x 50 inches, by Madge Scott.
When you come right up to the painting, you see that a section of the dress is a beautiful collage (which I actually missed the first time around until Linda pointed it out to me.)
Vicky Youngman, “Breaking Free“, 2018, clay and glaze, 15 x 12 x 3.5 inches
Here’s Vicky on the right with Kara Lenkeit, who is on the Studio Tour Committee.
Below you can see more of the tribe. Thank you to Kristen Javier (on the left below), talented mosaic artist, who posted this photo on Instagram.
I wish I had taken more photos of people like Doug Coe, retired RiverArts Executive Director, not to mention a selfie or two… But wouldn’t you know that I found this ethereal photo of me entering the Hastings Municipal Building on Instagram. There I am, in all black, with my big purse.
It was such a shock to see the front hall empty. In this new world of Covid, the banquet table of delicious food from past years went AWOL, but I was somewhat consoled by outdoor music near the Hudson River.
I’m looking forward to going to the Studio Tour this Saturday – and seeing what Linda and other artists have been up to lately. That’s the value of the Studio Tour. It’s a great opportunity to talk to artists and hear firsthand about their techniques, materials, and how they think about the creative process.
It’s an annual tradition that has been sorely missed. I’m glad RiverArts didn’t wait until the spring to return. Hope you can make it.
I could never have a Studio Tour without Oreos. I just couldn’t.
Before the pandemic, I struggled with how to display my smallest Oreo Cookie paintings on 9 foot walls in an open apartment layout (not to mention how to host the Oreo Contest with limited space…).
My Oreos felt too intimate to be floating on huge walls – even the largest one, Cosmic Oreo, at 24 x 30 inches. They needed a more defined space, like the front stairs of my old house in 2018, where Oreo prints and paintings greeted you when you walked in.
Finally, one night the solution came to me after I fell sleep, and just relaxed. Give the Oreos their own gallery! Their own room. A room that was dry enough to hang prints, and where guests would see them.
My Oreo Cookie Gallery featuring Cosmic Oreo
I just needed to reframe the issue – and think outside the box. I had an extra room. Not a closet, but the guest powder room! (I bet the toilet paper roll above gave it away…)
When you walk in, this left view, showcases two of my favorite Oreo prints.
And here I am taking a photo in the mirror on the right, re-creating a childhood dream of endless Oreos with the reflections. Ok, it was a nice try…. Using the mirror is the only way to photograph this room without a wide angle lens.
My Oreo Gallery is a work in progress. As I inventory all my paintings in storage, I’m still finding little Oreo paintings that I can’t do without.
Last week I uncovered Stack of Oreos. I knew the perfect spot for this little gem (all 5 x 7 inches of it, oil on panel) was above My Oreo Cookie (6 x 6 inch drawing, unframed).
Stack of Oreos Oil Painting and My Oreo Cookie Drawing
I hope one day you’ll be able to see the Oreo Gallery in person, and its anticipated additions. With 9 foot ceilings, there is still room to grow upwards as I unwrap more paintings.
Until then, enjoy this virtual tour!
P.S. Did you notice that Cosmic Oreo is a blown up version of My Oreo Cookie?
It was a gorgeous day on Saturday, so let’s begin my 2020 Virtual Studio Tour outside, with three of my favorite cake paintings in contrasting styles and compositions.
I was lucky enough to have Bonnie, my very own Vanna White, to showcase my paintings as she has in the past. (See Getting Ready for the Virtual Studio Tour). Only this year she is outdoors for a change of pace – and social distancing.
“Bundt Cake”, My first cake painting. Oil on canvas. 16 x 20 in. Beverly Shipko
Lets begin at the beginning with my very first cake painting, Bundt Cake, from my favorite bakery, Riviera Bakehouse, right here in Ardsley.
This work uses thick paint throughout. Back then, I experimented with a palette knife, and caked on (pun intended) the heaviest paint layers to depict the powdered sugar topping.
The subject is almost the paint itself.
Detail of “Bundt Cake” showing impasto
Notice that this painting shows a slice of cake taken out, as if it is ready to be served. I took creative license by eliminating the plate it was originally on. That way the cake is larger, and the paint texture of the cake could pop. Hardly anyone noticed the awol plate…
Thick paint texture on detail from “Bundt Cake”
Contrast the earlier Bundt Cake painting with this more recent blueberry cheesecake, titled Falling Blueberries. I painted thisfor my solo show in Rockland, Maine at The Michael Good Gallery – where the wild blueberry (vaccinium angustifolium, aiton) is the official state fruit.
“Falling Blueberries”, Oil on linen, 15 x 20 inches
However, I must confess that these berries came from… drumroll…. Riviera Bakehouse. Not a surprise, is it? BTW, Riviera is open and my friend and owner, Liv Hansen, would appreciate your business.
I spent a great deal of time painting these blueberries, and am proud of this painting. The composition is frontal and bold as cake paintings go. While a few pieces of the cheesecake are missing, they are not shown.
I think of it as my in your face approach to painting a fruited cheesecake. The plate hangs right over the front edge of the table, daring you to pick up those loose blueberries with your fingers.
Finally, I give you Blueberry Crumble Pie, unfinished at my last Open Studio. Unlike the rather pristine Falling Blueberries, Blueberry Crumble Pie is just that – crumbling, in a big way.
One of the challenges was to accurately depict the cake tin with all its little crevasses and crinkles, vs. the smooth metal fork.
You can see how the cooked blueberries turned into a rich, reddish blue color. The crumble crust oozes wine colored filling.
Lots of crumbs here – and you all know how much I love painting crumbs!
I took about 100 photos of various permutations of this pie over a period of 2 hours as we devoured it. There were photos with a pie server, 1 fork, 2 forks, 3 forks, no forks or pie servers. Then there was a 3/4 view of the pie, half a pie, a piece of pie, and no pie at all – just a god awful mess!
In the end, I decided to go with more of an action view – and leave you salivating over the forkful of pie you’re about to eat.
So are you hungry for more? You’re invited to come back soon.
P.S. WordPress updated their online program in the middle my 2020 Virtual Studio Tour, and the learning curve is steep. There are so many new options, and several of my favorite buttons moved or are hidden. I’ll have to seriously study the online manual. It took me way too long to get this posted. My apologies for the delay.
In yesterday’s post, I neglected to mention that my Open Studio preparation always included fresh flowers (see Two Flower Artists) to greet you at the front door. Typically I bought pansies since it’s still cold at night in late April. This year I simply forgot about flowers until it was too late. Since I haven’t been going out much, I was resigned to do without them.
Then these beautiful pansies magically appeared at my door this morning, courtesy of my friend and neighbor Regina and her daughter Tori!
Thank you Regina and Tori! What a beautiful way to start the day! They didn’t even know it was my Studio Tour weekend. To top it off, Bonnie was coming to visit, mask and all, and her favorite color is purple.
Here she is right now! My first (and only) guest is contemplating her strategy on how to get from the street to my apartment without opening multiple doors.
Looks like she figured out a plan!
She’s carrying something. Let’s take a closer look…
I see tulips on the right. And is that toilet paper in the other hand? Is she really bringing me TOILET PAPER??? What a daughter!
Needless to say I was delighted to receive a gift that was worth its weight in gold. You can see the big grin on my face…almost.
I went inside to put the tulips in water for (all) my guest(s). They look gorgeous! Thanks, Bonnie.
While I was busy with the flowers, Bonnie went back to her car to get her lunch. I returned just in time to see her elegant entry. Looks like she’s getting the hang of it.
After that workout, she sat down to enjoy her lunch from Riviera Bakehouse and “her” purple pansies – while practicing proper social distancing.
Then she surprised me by pulling a container of treasured alcohol wipes out of that big bag! It was an amazing day.
After tossing around options to properly display my paintings for the 2020 Virtual Studio Tour, we finally decided on an approach.
Normally I would be scrambling around hanging paintings, rehanging paintings (see The Day Before The Open Studio), moving furniture, not to mention cleaning. In short, exhausting myself. Webmaster Laura would be documenting it all.
Bonnie would be planning the dessert menu for our sweet table to go with the paintings on this postcard. She considered Dunkin’ Donuts donut holes the most popular staple. And did I mention we always have Oreos? Lots of Oreos.
As usual, I agonized over this years postcard invitation, which I put together on vistaprint.com. I hesitated over the black background since it’s a color usually reserved for somber news…but the colorful images really popped against it. What do you think?
Don’t worry about missing the event this year. I plan on giving you my own Virtual Studio Tour to keep up the tradition through the end of April. So stay tuned.
Thanks to popular demand, I am posting photos from my Open Studio. The original post never made it up since it was scheduled for 2019… (my bad).
It was a glorious weekend! The weather was great, as was the turnout. The week leading up to the Studio Tour was less hectic too than in previous years; we learned from past experience.
This year’s guests were greeted by this Oreo themed display, including oil paintings, pencil drawings and original giclée prints, covering a span of over 15 years. Thank you, Bonnie, for putting together this visually pleasing retrospective. It made quite a first impression, especially for first time visitors.
My studio never looked so clean! I had plenty of room to show my latest vending machine paintings. I discovered I could fit eight 20 x 10 inch panels over the fireplace, which turned out to be the most requested spot for picture taking.
Vending Machine Series by Beverly Shipko
Husband Jay Sloofman, Beverly,our friend Rhonda, Daughters Bonnie and Laura
My friend Linda
Annette and her students
Work was scattered all through the house. At times, it was really packed with visitors. We somehow never get photos of those moments since we’re all so busy… It would have been smart to ask other people to take photos. I guess there is always more to learn…
The Three Muskateers from Central School
Desserts waited in the dining room for guests who were craving sweets after looking at so many food paintings.
The dessert table from Riviera BakeHouse in Ardsley
The very first arrivals
A lot of the fun comes from being surprised by who walks through the door, from different times and places in all of our lives. I’m happy to say the Shipkos were represented by my first cousin Robert, who I grew up with in Detroit, and his son Harrison, who grew up in New York like my two daughters.
Every time I looked at Harrison, I kept seeing my brother Stuart in my minds eye at the same age. It’s funny how strong familial resemblances can be. I was delighted that my Heart Shaped Box of Chocolates found a happy home with Sarah, who had been admiring it since first seeing the painting in the Hudson River Museum exhibit called I Want Candy.
And I can’t end this blog without moving into the kitchen for the annual Oreo Cookie Contest – where we had the unexpected pleasure of being entertained by Samantha’s amazing flexibility.
Finally, this year was a first when Charli and Jack brought their own work – and gave me an art show! That was just plain fun. I look forward to seeing more of their creations in the future.
As usual, I enjoyed Studio Tour weekend. Thank you all for coming!
Thank you to the team – my daughters, Bonnie and Laura, husband Jay Sloofman, and friend Maritza – for helping make this event a success. I could never do this without all of you! A special shout out to Doug Marouk-Coe and RiverArts® on the 25th Anniversary of the Studio Tour.
P.S. Despite our best efforts, there were several surprises that were out of our control, creating some concern in the weeks leading up to the Open Studio (an understatement…). I leave you with these two photos, when we were working on Plan B, just in case…
I come for the art, but stay for the chance to spend two blissful hours talking art with other artists. Here’s what Jay comes for….
Husband Jay Sloofman Digging In
Notice that he headed right for the sweets rather than the other options, which sparked ideas for other paintings.
This year I got a chuckle out of seeing Oreos on the buffet. Maybe Cosmic Oreo influenced that decision, combined with Oreo Mandala from last year, and my annual Oreo Cookie Contest…
The Hastings Preview Show is well attended every year, and the Municipal Building is a wonderful space for a artist reception.
The exhibit includes a variety of media – paintings, drawings, sculpture, etchings, photography and multimedia.
Mosaic, charcoal and painting
Vicky Youngman and her ceramic sculpture, “Breaking Free”
“Trumped” by Neil Lahey
Mitch Goldberg with his etching, “Richard”
Brooklyn Bridge by photographer John Maggiotta
Mosaic by Kristin Javier
Towards the end of the reception, two of my friends asked me to demonstrate Oreo biting before they took their own bites… out of the painting!
Artist Deborah Offner-Freidkin and RiverArts Board Member Kara Kenkeit
For more information on the other two Preview Receptions in Tarrytown (tomorrow, March 29, show ends April 29)) and Irvington (April 17, show ends April 27th), go to the RiverArts Studio Tour page.
The RiverArts Studio Tour itself takes place the weekend of April 21st and 22nd from 11am-5pm. My studio will be open both days. I hope you eat first – but not too much – so you can enjoy the desserts, both real and painted.
When I came home from visiting Mom in Michigan, a big Vistaprint box awaited me on the kitchen table. I knew what was inside – my 2018 Open Studio postcard invitations. The excitement of opening the box was mixed with a teeny bit of apprehension. Will I like the postcard? Did I choose the right paintings? Are there any typos?
I am happy to report there that I like it, there no typos, and it’s ready for the big reveal. Drumroll please…
Choosing the paintings and deciding on placement for the postcard is more an art than a science, almost like hanging the Open Studio art show itself. I’ve had to reprint (and rehang!) on several occasions in the past.
How many images should be partially eaten sweets vs. whole ones, with and without wrappers and logos, in vending machines vs.on the kitchen? What geography should they come from? The Blueberry Crumble was baked right here in Ardsley by Riviera Bakehouse, while the macarons hail from the DelRey Shop in Antwerp, Belgium.
After selecting the visuals, it’s time to play with balance and placement on the card. For example, I was concerned about the darker vending background overwhelming the delicate tonalities of the macarons. This year there’s even a nod to two healthy snack options with Mr. Peanut and a stalk of broccoli.
What would you choose to satisfy your appetites – both artistic and gastronomic?
Come and decide for yourself the weekend of April 21st and 22nd, from 11am to 5pm. You’re all invited to 36 Sheldon Street, Ardsley, NY 10502. Please bring your friends and family, all ages – especially kids and grandkids who are willing to join in the fun of my Oreo Cookie Contest simply by eating Oreos. I name a painting after the best biter!
Please let me know if you have any questions or need any additional information. If not, it’s time to mark your calendar. I look forward to seeing you!
I just registered for the RiverArts® Studio Tour 2018 and had to update my artist statement, resume and website in the process. Notably absent was my summer 2017 solo Maine show, You CAN Have Your Cake and Eat It Too!, at the Michael Good Gallery in Rockport, ME. So I have some work to do.
How time flies! I need a better plan – my first lesson learned. The next time I come across an outdated art website, I’ll have more sympathy for the artist.
My friend Lori, who was in charge of Maine public relations (PR), did a phenomenal job of getting press coverage for this show. Her outreach to the press resulted in my having two stimulating and fun phone interviews for newspaper articles. Both far exceeded my expectations! The first awesome article, Shipko Shares Her “Sweet Revenge” was by Dagney C. Ernest, appeared in the Arts and Entertainment sections of The Courrier-Gazette and Camden Herald. The lively phone interview comes through in her writing, and she included our discussion on how my work has evolved because of technology.
The second interview was with Bob Keyes, arts writer from the Portland Press Herald, the closest large city to Rockport. Bob’s thought provoking phone interview somehow managed to cover almost my entire artistic life in 45 minutes. It turned into an extensive, insightful feature article with a shoutout on the front page! Here I am, the proud artist, right after buying the paper in Cape Neddick Light, ME.
Photo Collage by Bonnie at Cape Neddick, ME
Webmaster Laura is always reminding me to insert links. Laura – I’m listening! Being a conscientious student, I decided to put a link to this feature on my resume and website. This morning when I googled the article, I discovered the newspaper wanted $2.95 to download it.
One of the reasons I decided to write this particular blog today was to post the article so you can read it for free. Just click on the following link.
I was lucky enough to have a friend who was a Portland Press Herald subscriber and put a pdf together for me. Thank you Gary!
Being a former business school newspaper editor and high school yearbook editor, I was delighted to find my Strawberry Kiwi Blueberry painting in the masthead! Totally unexpected. A true honor. And I was pleasantly surprised (an understatement) that coverage dominated the front page of the Food and Dining section, with more on an inside page.
My strong presence in the Food & Dining section changed how I view my work, opening the door to new possibilities. As a former marketing person, I am embarrassed to admit that I had never approached food editors. Nor had I seriously considered the fact that Portland, ME is such a foodie town. Luckily Lori did!
There were several lessons learned for fellow artists:
The Story. Have one. Talking to Bob and Dagney helped me clarify my story in my head. Because of these two phone interviews, I researched my grandfather’s gourmet grocery store in Michigan, got more details, and realized how much more of an impact it had on my psyche as a young kid than I thought. The experiences helped me take a step back and reconsider my work in a broader context, first autobiographical and then art historical.
Be Open. Don’t limit yourself. Be positive. Get rid of your preconceptions about your art. That’s what Lori did – she realized Portland was a foodie town and went for it. It paid off in with great exposure to a larger audience, in an unexpected section of the newspaper.
Maintain your website. Just do it! Be more vigilant about this. From now on, I’m going to put regular check-ins on my calendar. Somehow this got away from me. And don’t forget to ask for digital copies of all PR! You never know when you want to post them in your blog…
I wasn’t the only person who learned something from this PR experience. Chef Bonnie (whose day job is teaching) realized that it was time for her to do something with her own dining experiences, whether in restaurants or in her own kitchen. She and I tentatively played with the idea of collaborating together in the future. Maybe one day Bonnie and I will be on the Today show as a mother-daughter duo…. Or maybe it will be a trio with Laura talking about promoting the book with a new algorithm she developed. We can dream, can’t we? As a first step, Bonnie decided to separate her personal Instagram posts from her foodie posts. And so @BonniesBitesOfLife on Instagram was born in Rockport, ME.
As I look back on last summer, I realize there were some big lessons learned, with implications for years to come. I shouldn’t be so surprised. After all, isn’t every new experience a potential learning experience?
I know I say this every year after my Open Studio, but I could never do this alone. There are always so many moving parts. This year felt more rushed since I repainted my studio and tried a new display system for my small panel paintings.
Here is the family crew, Bonnie, Jay, Laura and I. We sure do clean up well!
From previous years, you probably know our friend Maritza, who is an indispensable part of the team. Somehow she just knows what I need to do before I do! Maritza, I am grateful for your friendship and your ongoing support.
Here Maritza is with Bonnie putting the finishing touch on the dessert table.
And here’s Bonnie’s handiwork. If Bonnie ever wants a second career, I think there’s a place for her in the food world.
And a special thanks to my friend Eve, who spent hours here in the two days leading up to the event helping me velcro, label and arrange 60 panel paintings.
Eve and I were so busy that I didn’t even think of taking photos of her and the process, which would have been interesting for all of you to see. What a mess the dining room was! In fact, I would have liked to see the pics so we could all give ourselves a pat on the back for getting everything together in record time. Next year.
This year’s Oreo Cookie Contest started off quietly enough, with these three boys carefully plotting their strategies and taking their bites.
The contestants kept on coming, and the bitten Oreo Cookie Contest entries rapidly piled up on our kitchen table.
Then on Sunday these two biters arrived, Jill and Rick. This was Rick’s first visit to my Open Studio, and he was a willing participant. He had talked about coming since last year, so he was ready, as was Jill.
After taking a look around, Rick sat down at the table and started chomping down, holding his plate under his chin to catch the crumbs. (Notice he didn’t have an audience yet…)
He was so disappointed in his first entry, that we encouraged him to try again. He got fancy with this cookie, and basically crushed it… and let all the crumbs fall out of his mouth. Clearly he knew I liked crumbs.
As Rick was assessing his entry, and writing his name on the plate so I would know which bite was his (as if I could forget!), he described his entry as regurgitated crumbs (spoken like a true doctor!).
The regurgitation comment really caught us by surprise. You can see his wife Jill laughing hysterically in the background at that comment.
It was a very funny moment that had us all belly laughing, including Rick.
Bonnie was having a hard time holding it together at the other end of the table.
All of this biting worked up Rick’s appetite for carrot cake, and he suggested I sponsor a second contest…
Rick certainly has a knack for biting Oreo Cookies, which you can see here (maybe carrot cake not so much…). How he got all that icing to hang out is a mystery to me. So to Blake, the 2015 Oreo Cookie Contest Winner, I say, “Watch out!”
I’m definitely not declaring this cookie the winner – especially since I haven’t painted any of the Oreos yet. I am suggesting that it’s interesting, along with entries from many other contestants. It was a good contest and I am inspired to get to work.
However, I will say that Rick won my Funniest Contest Participant Award! And for that, there wasn’t even a close second.
