William & Dorothy Yeck Award

Heistand Galleries of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, through the generous support of William and Dorothy Yeck, celebrates young painters each year with a competition for a $10,000 purchase prize.  I have been fortunate enough to participate in the finalist exhibition in 2008, 2010, and this year 2012, alongside many talented painters such as previous winners Omar Chacon and Christine Gray.

The event takes place in the bitter month of January each year.  The top ten finalists are welcomed down to Miami University for a lecture given by the esteemed juror; this year, the vivacious Irene Hofmann of SITE Santa Fe. There is a reception open to the public at the gallery where two works from all ten finalists shine. This year the work in the exhibition was exceptional. A few of my favorites: a drawing by Caleb Taylor of Kansas City, Missouri, acrylics on panel by Kevin Bernstein of Manhattan, Kansas, and paintings by Angie Zielinski of Pocatello, Idaho.  The awards, cash prizes for 2nd and 3rd, as well as the William & Dorothy Yeck purchase prize are announced to an eager crowd of artists, students, and faculty.  Artists make the journey from all across the country, not knowing who will be the fortunate winners. After announcing the 2nd and 3rd place prizes, which went to two of my favorites in the exhibition Caleb and Angie, Irene Hofmann announced my name as the 2012 winner.  I was overjoyed and extremely surprised! Surrounded by so much wonderful painting, I felt honored to have been chosen.

A sincere and special thank you to Irene Hofmann, Ann Taulbee, Miami University, and the William and Dorothy Yeck Foundation. Thank you to all the painters in the exhibition that made it such a wonderful night, it was nice to meet and chat with so many of you!

I am my father's daughter.

Thought I'd share an interesting story. As you may know, I work two days a week at The Bonfoey Gallery in Cleveland, doing web and graphic design, and general office assistance. A couple weeks ago Diane Schaffstein, a swell gal, and on staff appraiser/assistant director, explained how she and Tom were gathering art from a clients residence for storage during their move and came upon a painting signed Oldfather.  At first Diane thought it was mine but realized the style wasn't familiar to her. Upon inspecting the back, she found a tag from the Cleveland Museum of Art's May Show indicating the work to be of Mark Oldfather.

Mark Oldfather is my Dad.  He is a realist painter of amazing talent, in my not-so-humble opinion. :) He gathered some attention in the 1970s (while in his 20s), participated in the May Show a few times, and was pursued by some top notch galleries.  However, he soon became a father, and has not exhibited since I was born thirty-three years ago. Dad taught me how to mix oil color from Alizarn Crimson, Cad Red Medium, a couple Cad Yellows, French Ultramarine, Burnt Sienna, and Titanium White when I was just a kid.  Although my pallet has expanded a bit to include some Cobalts, Deeps, and Veridians, the foundation stuck with me.  Perhaps that is why, after touching up the edges of "Anima Study" (where the previous frame rabbit had lifted the paint) so that Bonfoey could put it in a nice hand-gilded floater frame, I was shocked to see it on the wall with my work; the paintings looking to me as related as father and daughter.  Thinking of you this holiday Dad.  Hope everyone has a Happy Christmas and Jolly New Year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Randall and I are going to New Jersey to see family and drive into Manhattan on Black Friday to visit my excellent cousin Piper and the Guggenheim (to get me some Kandinsky).  Hope everyone has a happy holiday stuffed to the brim with food, family, and friends. 

Big Paintings call for big girl brushes!

Here are two of the new paintings I'm working on for Eaton Corp.  The one on the left is 8 x 5 feet, the one on the right is 5 x 5 feet.  They are about 3/4 done.  There is a third one as well (another 5 x 5 footer) on the painting wall to the left of this wall.  I'm real happy with how they are coming along.  Here is my new big girl brush set up that my husband help make. :)

Scene Magazine - Art: Around Town

Thank you to Joseph Clark for doing a little phone interview with me so he could write this nice preview of the Zygote show.  Check it out in this week's issue of the Scene Magazine.

Zygote Install - Day 3

Day 4 of install went very well.  I was relieved that we (my sweet, tall husband, who isn't afraid of heights or ladders, and my scardy-cat self) were actually able to get the 5,400 feet of crocheted rope up and strung between 4 walls and a ceiling. Going back for 5th and final day tomorrow to work more on the painting and hang a few more bits.  Randall says if everything is still hanging and in the air when I go in tomorrow we're in the clear as far as it staying up there. The heaviest rope segment is only 45 lbs. and the hooks we used have a 100 - 135 lbs. capacity - so here's hoping!!!!!

Zygote Install - Day 2

Here is a sneak peek of the installation and wall painting I'm doing for the show at Zygote opening next week.  I'm afraid of heights and ladders especially but was able to get all this up in the last two days.  I think its about 10-12 feet high.  The rest of all the crocheted material is going above this business.  Thank goodness my husband is tall, not afraid of ladders, and just downright fantastic.  He's going to help out these next two days.  Here's hoping it all works!