New Art...

When I was in art school, I read an essay about how artwork was for the rich.  In the article, it said that throughout the ages, it was a status symbol and nothing more.  It made me so mad.  While I don't care if people have money or don't have money, I didn't like the idea that my chosen profession was about catering to a certain demographic and my life would mean nothing more than securing someone else's societal place.  For me, when I create work and it goes to a new home, I want people to really want it and love it.  Art isn't just a status symbol to be worn on someone's sleeve, but an enrichment of one's life and imagination.

That's one of the reasons that we run the Project Wall at Allegory Gallery the way we do.  For us it's all about introducing new ideas and images to people and making it accessible.  I like the idea that people can afford to enhance their lives and add beauty to it.  It isn't just for one group of people.  I also like the idea that by buying artwork, you're helping support an artist and their ability to make things.  Even though we don't have a lot of money, we make a point of collecting work we love and hope it helps the artists continue to do what they love.

With all that being said... here are a few of the things we found while we were away.  Nothing is super big and over the top... they're just things we fell in love with and wanted to add to our collection.

This mug was made by Karen Newgard.  I've been admiring her sgraffito pieces for awhile now.  My sister has a few of her mugs and I've wanted one since the first time I saw them years ago at a fine craft festival.  I remembered that she had a studio in the River Arts District and made a point of visiting it.  I love my new mug with the red wing blackbirds.

One of our new favorite galleries is Horse and Hero.  It represents some of my favorite artists that I've been following online for years.  The nice thing is that it is all under one roof and they have such an eclectic vibe.  One of the pieces that we found was a small one from Rosy Kirby.  It was propped up next to the cash register and I knew that it had to come home with us.  I love that there's a story here.  I don't know what it is, but I look forward to spending years living with it and figuring out just what that story is for me.

Another piece that we found at Horse and Hero, was this archival print from Hannah Dansie.  I love the surrealistic symbolism and the fine line work.  We admired her work the last visit to Asheville and finally decided to pick this one up.  It has such a dreamy feeling.  It's called, "An Urban Space House".

One of my favorite new additions was made by my sister, Cynthia.  She created these airy backgrounds with the new Pan Pastels and then added these creatures in.  She calls this piece, "The Final Form".  I'm smitten with the expressive little critters and how they're all in a state of transition, exploring the vastness of the universe.

I'm really happy with all the new pieces and look forward to seeing them every day.  Maybe one of these days I'll take a picture of our walls, crowded with little treasures we've collected over the years and surround ourselves with.