Indiana artist, Margie Prim & "Inspiration"

The August art exhibit in our gallery will feature new works by featured artist, Margie Prim. An Indiana plein air enthusiast, Margie also paints still life scenes, often the traditional floral arrangement or fruit bowl. In Margie's paintings, however, there is a distinct difference to many other local oil painters. The surface of her canvases are crazy wild with paint. Applied with a heavy hand and a palette knife, the paint becomes an important element in an almost bas-relief way, drawing the viewer in, then back out to see how it all blends together into a beautiful, quiet scene. This piece,

"Still Life with Tulips," for instance, is a lovely image of bent-over pink tulips and different vases on a table. The movement of the tulips' stems creates a little dance, but closer inspection would expose the real dance going on in this work: surface bumps and ridges scatter this way and that, and somehow, they all blend in the viewer's eye into what you see here. A beautiful painting.

Margie Prim has been painting most of her adult life, but the title of this exhibition points to a renewed inspiration for her craft. Twenty paintings depict her Indiana world of country homes, Prairie Creek Reservoir, Mount Summit Lake, her old apartment, and several still life scenes she arranged. The inspiration is apparent in both the range and robust completion of this latest series. Canvas sizes range from 8' x 10" to 16" x 20", with prices from $550 to $800, framed.

The exhibit will open with a reception for the artist on Thursday, August 5, 2010, from 5 to 8 PM and will continue through August 30th. You are invited to visit during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5:30 PM, Saturday, 9 to 3, or by appointment. (Call Brian at 765.284.8422.)

Prim's works are included in several collections, both corporate and private in east central Indiana and beyond, and she has won several prizes and honors for her "impressionistic" paintings. A complete biography is available at the gallery or upon request.

We hope you'll join us for this August delight! Visit http://www.gordyframing.com to see other works by Margie Prim, along with works by our other featured artists, including Kim Anderson, Carol Burt, David Dale, Eric Ernstberger, Jim Faulkner, Charlene George, Brian Gordy, Paul Laseau, Alan Patrick, Carol Strock Wasson. Also, in our gallery you'll see work by John Peterson, Heidi Hale, Martha Gilliom, Sarojini Johnson, Cindy Disney, Cheryl Ann Lorance, Shonet Martin, and many more Indiana artists. I think you'll also feel, "Inspired."

Giclee Print Exhibit of Indiana Artists

Since giclee prints are pretty popular with collectors - and the artists themselves -we at Gordy Fine Art & Framing have started hosting an annual show dedicated to the genre. All of our 2-d artists have giclees made from their favorite paintings now, usually in multiple sizes. We have bins stocked with matted and wrapped lovelies by Eric Ernstberger, Charlene George, Paul Laseau, Brian Gordy, David Dale, Jim Faulkner, Alan Patrick, Margie Prim and Carol Strock Wasson. These bin items will be offered at 10% off during the July exhibit. The pieces hanging on the walls, of course, will be framed. The piece above is from a new painting by Brian Gordy, titled "Turtle Overlook."

The term, "giclee" (zhee-klay), is French for, literally, "spray of liquid." In this case, what is being sprayed is very high quality inks, directed by computers and a very able technician. The inks themselves are prized for being fade-proff, and the paper onto which they are adeptly sprayed are also extrememly high quality, archival papers. At least the ones we house are. So the final print is not only a dead-on ringer for the original work of art, but it is also acid-free! Another wonderful quality of this printing phenomenon is that the artist may choose the sizes of the prints, adding a market quality of choices for the art patrons. The fact that the prints are signed and numbered by the artists assures buyers that these prints will retain value through the years.

(Zhee-klay) - the title of the show - opens First Thursday, July 1, 2010 at 5 PM with a public reception. Gordy Fine Art featured artists will drop in throughout the 3 hour event to visit with patrons. Light refreshments will be served, but the true feast will be on the walls! Please join us for the party, or any other time during normal business hours; the art gallery is open Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5:30 PM, Saturday, 9 to 3, or by appointment. For more information, visit http://www.gordyframing.com/, or call us at 765.284.8422. We are located at 224 E Main Street in downtown Muncie, along with several other excellent art galleries.

The complete list of featured Indiana artists in this downtown Muncie, Indiana gallery is:

Kim Anderson, pottery

Carol Burt, pottery

David Dale, pastels, Indiana & other landscapes, portraits

Eric Ernstberger, acrylic abstract paintings

Jim Faulkner, Indiana watercolor landscapes & farm scenes

Charlene George, Indiana landscapes, farm scenes in oils

Paul Laseau, watercolors of Indiana & other landscapes, porches, more

Alan Patrick, oil paintings of Indiana landscapes, riverscapes

Margie Prim, plein air paintings of Indiana landscapes, still life

Carol Strock Wasson, plein air oils & pastels of Indiana landscapes, farm scenes

Galleries are set up for each artist on our website, if you'd like to preview their works. Thank you for your interest in Indiana artists and our Indiana art gallery! http://www.gordyframing.com/

Two Indiana Artists Paint Italy; Exhibt at Gordy Fine Art

Artists throughout the ages have traveled to see the famous statues, frescos, landscapes and architectural wonders of Italy. Two local art professors recently returned from a month-long trip with enough visual imagery to fill dozens of canvases and the walls of a downtown Muncie art gallery. Scott Anderson and David Hannon (photo at right) have titled their upcoming exhibit, Vistas, Vandals, Visions and Vermin - Excerpts from Italy. An opening reception will take place during the monthly First Thursday gallery event at Gordy Fine Art and Framing on June 3, 2010 from 5 to 8 PM. Refreshments will be served and the public is invited to attend and experience Italy through two artists’ eyes.

The pair taught during the “Art in Italy” program offered biennially by the Ball State Department of Art to students and faculty. Anderson notes that his paintings were inspired “by the regions and cities we visited, as well as the longevity of the Italian culture, the food, religion, everything we saw and everything that happened – all of it inspired our work.” Several of Anderson’s canvases feature a painterly backdrop upon which float images of political, or psycho/social images: towers alongside dream-like figures, saints and colorful biomorphic shapes. Titles point to the artist’s intentions, “Teeter Tower,” or “Arrival of the Tea.”

Hannon’s pieces include both landscape and interior views of his journey.
He offers,” It was simply very inspirational. To experience the Italian landscape is almost impossible to put into words much less paint or draw; these works are my attempt.” His “East Olive Grove” features a rich yet subdued palette – blues, greens and browns – on a field of olive trees that seem to be dancing in unison. “I think that the true lesson of creating art in Italy is that experience is everything."

Featuring works by Indiana artists, Gordy Fine Art and Framing is located at 224 East Main Street in downtown Muncie. For more information call 765-284-8422 or visit http://www.gordyframing.com/

Indiana Artists Do It with Authenticity!

"What makes Indiana artists special?" I asked myself.

Comparing Indiana artists to artists from other areas, could I point to anything that separated them from any other painters, potters, sculptors? If their technique is similar, color palettes comparable, what could I uniquely say about Indiana artists? " Authentic," is where my thoughts landed. These artists that I know create because they must. Lacking major art centers like New York or Los Angeles, and with very limited access to galleries, still they create. Using dial-up internet service to connect to the wonderful web world of art, still they paint. Shipping their works all over the U.S., and sometimes beyond, and often not realizing a profit from their art expenses, still they make art. Indiana, as a state, often lags behind in commerce, median income and other enticing markers, but it is not without lovely attributes. Unspoiled countryside still compels one to make "Sunday drives." The changing seasons bring an Oz-like spring, bursting of colors and scents, followed by pregnant critters of all sizes and shapes who graze abundant woodlands and ever-cleaner waterways. Plant a seed in Indiana, and jump back, because stuff grows here! We may be one of the "greenest" states of the Union.

People in Indiana, "hoosiers," have some idiosyncrasies, no doubt. Some of these seem to be based on an underlying politeness, or patience. For one thing, we just do not use our car horns in Indiana! That is only for lightly "tooting" to a walking friend, or, if the green light is just about to turn yellow and the front car driver hasn't yet put down the cell phone, one may lightly "toot," at the last possible moment to move things along. All lanes of traffic stop for passing funeral processions. Hoosiers are not known for loudness or rudeness! (Do not apply this to athletic events, altho I would argue that Peyton Manning, saintly man that he is, demonstrates Hoosier behaviors even though he was not born here. Rarely are famous Hoosier athletes known to be louder, less patient types, a.k.a. Bobby Knight.)

Indiana artists, in my opinion, are authentic by definition: trustworthy, original, genuine. Whether they paint/create like historical Hoosier artists - J. Ottis Adams, T.C. Steele, Wm. Forsythe, others - or have their feet firmly planted in the modern, contemporary realms of art - Indiana artists create with an undeniably grounded "sense of place." They paint what they see, feel, are compelled from their souls to paint, moved by their gardens, backroads, and antique buildings, quaint villages, flowers and fauna. Rarely are these artists supported by professional agents or galleries. They are supported by that spark within their Hoosier hearts that made them artists in the first place.

Please visit our website, http://www.gordyframing.com to see the work of 11 fantastic, authentic Indiana artists that we are honored to represent in our downtown Muncie art gallery, including our featured artists: Kim Anderson, Carol Burt, David Dale, Eric Ernstberger, Jim Faulkner, Charlene George, Brian Gordy, Paul Laseau, Alan Patrick, Margie Prim, and Carol Strock Wasson.

Thank you for your interest in Indiana artists!

Spring into Indiana Art Galleries Downtown Muncie

May and art gallery visits go hand-in-hand in downtown Muncie. It's not our "official" ArtsWalk or any other specially-designated month for openings, but our First Thursday in May is always packed with patrons. This month we were delighted to show David Dale for the first time in our gallery. Dave is well-known throughout the state for his amazing pastels. He honors beautiful vistas and back road scenes of Indiana with his sharp eye and masterful strokes of soft pastel. At this opening, Dave set up his easel and worked while patrons crowded around and chatted with the artist. He brought along several exquisite portraits he had painted, which further delighted the patrons.

Indiana artists are enjoying a renaissance in east central Indiana, particularly in downtown Muncie. The past decade brought a vibrant art scene complete with a variety of art galleries, all featuring works by Indiana artists. Occasionally eateries and pubs get in on the First Thursday openings by hanging new artists' works. But the "official" gallery spaces have new exhibits each month and invite guests down for wine & cheese and to meet the artists during the event. Patrons stroll from gallery to gallery throughout the evening, often ending up at one of downtown Muncie's special restaurants or pubs. Indiana artists are thrilled to have such an active scene near home, as they previously had to find galleries outside the area to represent their work. And patrons. The patrons obviously love having new works by Indiana artists brought to nearby galleries where they can drive a short distance and park (free).

Our own Featured Indiana artists include, in alphabetical order, Kim Anderson (clay pottery & sculpture), Carol Burt (pottery), David Dale (pastels), Eric Ernstrberger (acrylic abstractions), Jim Faulkner (watercolor landscapes of Indiana), Charlene George (oil painting, scenes of Indiana), Brian Gordy (watercolor, scenes of Indiana), Paul Laseau (watercolor & pen & ink), Alan Patrick (oils, scenes of Indiana), Margie Prim & Carol Strock Wasson (both plein air painters in oils, scenes of Indiana). Several exceptional contributing artists fill out our gallery space and include John Peterson, Shonet Martin, Dave & Sarojini Johnson, Michael Hoots, Martha Gilliom, Sally Myers and Cindy Disney.

Please drop in on the downtown Muncie art scene. Galleries are open 6 days a week during normal business hours. A gallery guide is available on our Visitors Bureau website, http://www.visitmuncie.org/ . You may view many of our Indiana artists' works on our website, http://www.gordyframing.com/. For more information, call 765-284-8422, or email genny@gordyframing.com . We'd love to show you our gallery and our artists' works!

Indiana Artists - Keeping Art Authentic

As an art gallery owner in Indiana, I am always checking to see that our downtown Muncie gallery does 3 things. First, my husband/partner, Brian, and I strive to provide a gallery space that appeals to art patrons. Without patrons, no gallery. A very close second to that goal is our commitment to exhibit authentic Indiana artists, that is, artists who live, work, exhibit, and participate in the art scene and offerings of our region. And finally, we strive to work with artists and show art that pleases our own tastes. How else could we market the works of our artists, if we didn't first have an authentic appreciation of their art? This oil painting, titled, "Asters & Mums," is by Indiana artist, Alan Patrick.

Personally, I love contemporary art, and the modern movement. But I also fall in love with traditional landscapes that bounce light around the canvas, or quiet back roads scenes that make me still, or my husband's watercolor turtle series. It is important to me to know what an artist is trying to do, trying to show, and why. This, too, points to the authentic factor. Is he/she just trying to knock off a look-alike of Indiana artists of the past, or does this artist live along back country roads, on a farm, or have some special connection? Is this their authentic artistic view? Is this their world, and their own interpretation of those scenes?

So please visit any month of the year to see an authentic Indiana artist exhibit. Wait a minute - we do occasionally invite out-of-state artists, who have some connection to us or to Indiana, to show in our gallery. So you might want to call or email before you come: 765.284.8422, or genny@gordyframing.com . All of our exhibitors are award-winning, professional artists, and many of them make their art full-time. Our website lists our featured artists and houses selections of their works. http://www.gordyframing.com/ These artists include: Kim Anderson, Carol Burt, David Dale, Eric Ernstberger, Jim Faulkner, Charlene George, Brian Gordy, Paul Laseau, Alan Patrick, Margie Prim, and Carol Strock Wasson. Enjoy!

Pastel Exhibit by David Dale in May

A new art exhibit, "Hills O’ Brown and Other Places," will feature new pastels by well-known area artist, David Dale, at Gordy Fine Art & Framing during the month of May. A reception for the artist will be held on Thursday, May 6th from 5 to 8 PM which the public is invited to attend. Dale will paint during the opening, giving guests the opportunity to watch the development of a pastel painting, and to interact with the artist. Light refreshments will be served throughout the evening.

Now living in Nashville, Indiana, Dale’s new work has been inspired by the southern Indiana landscape and the homestead he shares with wife, Cynthia, where a pond, a pine forest, speckled chickens, and barn provide scenes to compete with that other view: the hills and woods of Brown County. All are eloquently captured in the pastel strokes of the award-winning artist. “I work in the studio, but painting outdoors is my passion.” The artist works to balance the visual experience with the emotional one. “Each painting brings back memories of the day I painted it – the light and color, the smells and sounds.”

But it isn’t only landscape work that pulls Dale’s interest. The versatile painter will also display portraits he has been commissioned to create, including one of a ruddy-cheeked baby in the beaming mother’s arms. “I particularly enjoy painting children. I like working from life initially, and can finish the piece from photographs. But it’s nice to first get to know the subject.”


David Dale’s major exhibits include, “River Odyssey, Two Artists Follow the Wabash, “and, “Oakhurst Gardens through the Seasons.” He has received numerous awards in competitions including those hosted by The Hoosier Salon, Indiana Heritage Arts, Richmond Art Museum and Minnetrista.

"Hills O’ Brown and Other Places" may also be viewed throughout the month during normal business hours: Monday – Friday, 9 AM to 5:30 PM, Saturday, 9 to 3. Gordy Fine Art and Framing will close for Memorial Day on May 31st, but accepts appointments outside business hours.

Gordy Fine Art and Framing is located at 224 East Main Street next to Civic Theatre in downtown Muncie. For more information call 765-284-8422 or visit www.gordyframing.com.