Sunny Day in Seward

View of Exit Glacier from Resurrection River

Today was absolutely gorgeous as the clouds dispersed and we were able to see the tops of mountains and into the bay. In the morning we took a short hike up to the foot of Exit Glacier and then painted it from this view below.

In the afternoon we went into Seward to paint on the bay and wait for Joe who went halibut fishing all day on the rough seas.

We got lucky and had fresh halibut on the grill at our campsite tonight.

Alaska seems like heaven, so lush and abundant we couldn’t ask for more!

Tomorrow we move on to Homer for the last leg of our trip. We’re not sure what to expect, but we are sure that we won’t be disappointed.

Beautiful Rainy Day in Seward

Boats in Resurrection Bay

Today the clouds clung to the mountainsides all around Resurrection Bay and the rain drizzled down.  This kind of weather has its own special magic to it. We did brave the wet cold and paint a little under umbrellas. The rest of the day we saw Seward and watched the fisherman bring in their catch of halibut in the afternoon. It was a good and relaxing day with a mysterious mood. We are hoping for clear skies tomorrow to get a different view for our last day here in Seward where we plan to visit and paint Exit Glacier before moving to the other side of the peninsula where we’ll be in Homer.

Each day is a little gem here and we’re loving the RV Alaskan life!

On the Road..Arrived in Seward!

Heading South on Highway 1 towards the Kenai Peninsula

 Today and yesterday was a lot of driving. We’ve already totaled 1,000 miles in our short trip and have seen some of the most amazing landscapes you can imagine! Although most of Alaska has no roads, we feel like we’re getting to see the best of it all including glaciers, streams, spruce forests and we camped on the boggy mosquito infested Paxon Lake last night, campsite complete with moose scat! There were also cranberries, blueberries, spruce and the only sound we heard was the blowing wind.

This evening we made it to Seward and are parked on Stoney Creek. Even though there was a light steady rain when we got here, Tanya and Kelly set off down to the creek to paint the mist on the moutains.

We’re looking forward to spending the next few days here in Seward and sharing our paintings and adventures with you. Seward has a beautiful port and Exit Glacier, both potentially exciting places to paint and we’ll be checking them out first thing tomorrow morning.

First Days in Alaska

RV Painting, Denali National Park

It’s our third day out and we’ve got to be the luckiest visitors ever because we got the chance to see Mt. McKinley 3 days in a row. Yesterday we stopped to paint it with the tundra landscpe in the foreground and the big blue sky and snow capped mountains stretching into forever.

Although it’s summer, it’s pretty chillyout here and there’s a great artic wind blowing most of the time in the park. That didn’t slow us down though, and we’ve been out painting for hours, as it never really gets dark. There are a few hours of half-light, but we haven’t stayed up late enough to really experience this Alaskian version of darkness.

After two days in the park we’ve headed up to Fairbanks to spend a day checking out Native Alaskan art before heading south to the Kenai peninsula.

We can’t wait to keep you updated, so depending on internet connection availability we’ll be posting as often as we can..

You canalso see more pictures on The Galley’s facebook page by clicking here. Thanks for following our Alaskan adventure!

On the Road Again

Barbara Brogdon, owner of the Gallery, is on a trip to Alaska to paint. Over the next few days and weeks, we are looking forward to her posts and photos documenting the trip. Check back often for updates!

Reflections on the Functions of Art Galleries

hen you hear the phrase “art gallery” what comes to mind? Stark white walls, painfully modern furniture and people walking around dressed entirely in black, drinking martinis? Or do you think of a wing of an art museum?

Most artists need to sell their work in order to make a living. Of course, some teach or have other means of earning money, but many need a way for people to see their work so that it can be purchased. Art galleries serve that purpose. They provide a way for artists to get their work in front of prospective buyers and a way for those prospective buyers to see a range of work.

When an artist has an “opening” at a gallery, it is a chance for that artist to be in the spotlight. The opening or exhibition is a chance for one artist’s work to be featured and seen by a larger-than-usual number of people. Some exhibitions travel, from gallery to gallery across a region or even across the country, giving the art featured in the exhibition an even wider audience.

A growing trend, especially among smaller galleries, is event hosting. If you want to have a unique wedding, for example, you may choose to rent an art gallery. Perhaps you need to host a large corporate event? An art gallery usually has plenty of open space and might be the perfect setting.

Embracing & Encouraging Creativity

When you hear someone described as “creative” what do you think of? A painter at an easel, maybe, or a poet scribbling in a notebook? Chefs are creative, teachers are creative and parents must certainly be creative. People who say “I am not at all creative” are laboring under the illusion that you need to artistic or crafty in order to be considered creative.

In reality, creativity is the ability to look at things from different angles in order to solve a problem or create something. Webster’s Online Dictionary defines creative three ways:

1 : marked by the ability or power to create : given to creating <the creative impulse>
2 : having the quality of something created rather than imitated : imaginative <the creative arts>
3 : managed so as to get around legal or conventional limits <creative financing>; also : deceptively arranged so as to conceal or defraud <creative accounting>

So, if you create something entirely new or if you consider a problem from an unusual perspective, you are being creative. The importance of creativity to success cannot be overstated. When we are creative we solve problems and make the world a better place.

Children are usually much more creative than adults because in most cases they don’t know that any given way of thinking is “usual” or “normal.” As we get older and go to school we begin to think of ourselves as either creative or not and that self-classification alone is probably enough to limit our thinking.

Exposing children to all types of creativity from art and stories to the scientific method is one way to encourage them to remain and even develop their own creativity.  Neighborhood art galleries such as the Red Bank Gallery give children access to art and a chance to see how others put their creativity to work.

Workshops are another good way to expose children to different ways of being creative. If you have the opportunity to attend a kid-friendly woodworking, painting, sculpture, writing or other type of workshop with your children, do yourself a favor – Go! You’ll both have fun and learn something.

Casual Purchase, Daily Impact

If you are going to spend your hard-earned money on a piece of art, how do you decide what to buy? Some people are collectors, of course, and are looking for specific pieces by specific artists. People who do not collect art for investment purposes have an entirely different set of criteria for making purchases.

Perhaps most people simply buy what they like, what is appealing, or perhaps what will complement their existing decor.

Owning an original work of art brings an emotional satisfaction that few other purchases do. When you buy a painting or a sculpture, you know that the artist spent time conceiving of the idea for the creation, worked to make it a reality and is at least somewhat emotionally invested in the item.

Whether it is an item you see regularly, that makes you happy or makes you think or a functional item that you actually use, there is no denying that handmade artwork can make a positive impact on  your life. We at the Gallery are interested in learning what motivates your purchases of original art?

Everyday Art

The concept of art or what is artistic is different for everyone.  At the Gallery, you can see art in frames, on walls, art sitting on tables or being used to hold beverages, and art in the parking lot welcoming you.

Paintings, sculptures, pottery, photographs, children’s drawings, architecture and many other forms make up “art,” and everyone encounters art everyday. We are interested in learning where you come in contact with art in the course of a normal day – and if it gives you pause.

If you are an artist either by vocation or avocation, your day is probably permeated with all forms of art and your eye is likely tuned to it. If you are an aficionado of art you probably notice the curve and beauty of the cornice on your office building, or the colors of the flowers in the planters at the shopping center.

Please share your thoughts about art in your everyday life. Does having an original oil painting in your bedroom start your day off right? Do you have the vibrant colors and exuberant lines of the drawings of a first grader on your walls to brighten your life?

The Nelson Boren Workshop at the Booth Museum

Recently Barbara Brogdon and Molly Rich had the pleasure of attending a workshop conducted my Nelson Boren at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA.

Barbara painting at the workshop

Molly painting and learning

Nelson earned a degree in architecture and followed that career path successfully for 15 years before becoming a full time artist.  The class lasted seven hours, but the students would have been happy to continue longer.

Class photo

If you are a fan of western art, you should definitely make a point of seeking out Nelson’s work. It is represented in some of the finest galleries in the country.

Nelson teaching the class

Hopefully we will eventually see Barbara’s creation in the Gallery:

Barbara's UNFINISHED painting