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Issue 853
ARTIST OF THE MONTH by Jennifer Cunningham Owner, Gallery 132 Sarah Gonzalez, aka Sarah G., has been a creative spirit as far back as she can remember. At 5-yrs-old she made the prophetic statement, “When I grow up, I'm gonna do what I love for a living!” Those words have become a reality. Sarah has lived in Colorado for 12 years. A decade ago she had an aha moment and decided to “go for her dream!” She began creating painting after painting, experimenting with all types of material, and working towards finding her artistic voice. She had her work in some small boutiques and coffee shops and participated in local events and festivals, but with little success. This went on for almost three years. Sarah often thought of quitting but knew in her heart she could not. In preparation for one particular show, Sarah decided to combine several techniques she'd been using individually. Applying texture compound, metallic paints and her signature raised dots to canvas achieved amazing results. She sold almost everything in one day, which has now become a regular occurrence at shows. This new momentum allowed her to pursue art full time after five years. Sarah now participates in some of the top art festivals throughout the front range and mountain communities. She has several pieces of her work in The Evergreen Gallery in Evergreen, Colorado, and now Gallery 132 in downtown Monument. She is also teaching some of her signature techniques at Gallery 132 with amazing results. As Gallery 132’s Artist of the Month for March, all of Sarah’s work is specially priced. She will also be holding a live demonstration on Saturday, 10 March from 11am – 1pm. Stop by and let her pieces inspire you! Issue 854
CREATIVE HEALING by Jennifer Cunningham Owner, Gallery 132 Art can be much more than a painting on a wall or a sculpture on a desk. For many, art is an outlet. It’s a chance to escape the everyday grind and be present in a way that helps explore or flesh out emotions. The use of art in therapy is fairly young, beginning in the mid 20th century. It has evolved over the years with the development of national art therapy organizations, required licensure and strict standards. It is more than just drawing a picture. Art therapists and other professionals are educated to administer and interpret specific assessments, which range from analyzing the number of colors, line length and page placement of a picture to asking a series of questions related to an individual’s drawing of a house. Art therapy is geared towards individuals who have experienced traumas, whether physical, mental or emotional. According to Thong in “Redefining the Tools of Art Therapy,” any type of visual art and medium can be used within the therapeutic process, including painting, drawing, sculpting, photography and digital art. On a less clinical level, creating art in any manner or form is therapeutic. Pablo Picasso summed it up beautifully when he said, “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” You don’t have to be a master to be artistic. Your expression is yours and the opinions of others shouldn’t matter. Any creative or rewarding hobby can (read should) reduce your stress levels and leave you feeling relaxed and accomplished. While Gallery 132 is not an official art therapy location, it does offer lots of opportunities to develop or hone artistic skills. Set in a relaxed and lighthearted environment, surrounded by the creative works of more than 25 local artisans, it is the perfect place to let go and be present in the midst of everyday life. Issue 858
THE ART OF ENCOURAGEMENT by Jennifer Cunningham Owner, Gallery 132 Each year, Air Academy Federal Credit Union (AAFCU) sponsors an art contest for each member school district in which students in grades K-12 are awarded cash scholarships for their achievements in the arts. This year more than 200 D-38 students from the charter school, middle school, two high schools and five elementary schools, as well as the Home School Enrichment Academy, participated in the competition. All grade levels can submit 2D or 3D artwork which is chosen by the student’s art teacher. The number of entries is limited, with only three to six entries per grade per school. With the higher student population in the high schools, being chosen as one of the eighteen allotted is a significant honor. Submissions for the competition are highly regulated, with specific entry guidelines, permissions and labeling required for each piece. AAFCU recruits all the judges and oversees the judging process. Scores are tallied and ribbons hung on winning pieces. AAFCU then sends a letter to each of the scholarship winners notifying them of the level and amount of the award. Scholarship amounts vary by school and grade. For D-38, first place prizes range from $25 for elementary-aged children to $500 for high school seniors. The junior and senior scholarship amounts doubled this year from last. First place students from each school also have the chance to win a “Best of” award and additional scholarship. AAFCU will award a total of $4,030 to D-38 students. The awards night, scheduled for April 23 in the D-38 administration building, will be packed with participating students and parents. It is during this event AAFCU will announce the “Best of” awards. Winning artwork will be on display to the public at the district building from April 13 to May 4 during normal business hours. Issue 862
GRABBING THE GOLD by Jennifer Cunningham Owner, Gallery 132 The “Best of the Springs 2018” competition wrapped up on 26 April with a big reveal party at the Pikes Peak Center. Amidst the throngs of people was Jennifer Cunningham, owner of Gallery 132 located at 251 Front Street in downtown Monument. She, along with her husband, Jim, and assistant manager, Wendy Wadge, was anxious to find out where the gallery landed in the Best New Store category. “We had to flip through the Best of magazine to find our placement,” said Cunningham. “I got to our category first and couldn’t believe it. We took top honors as the number one new store. I let out a couple screams, followed by some tears, then more screams and tears.” Cunningham opened the gallery in late October 2017. Her goal was to create a space where local artists could share their works on a permanent basis. More than twenty artists are currently represented. She also wanted to give the community a place to grow and create through art classes. Offerings began in January and to date, more than eighty have been scheduled. Wanting to make this a community celebration, Cunningham organized a party on 28 April recognizing all the Best of winners from Monument. Among them are WireWood Station, Back East Bar and Grill, Bella Art and Frame, Pikes Peak Brewing, Horseshoe Donuts, DC Fighters, U.S. Taekwondo Center and Bob’s Discount Mattress. There was live music, food, cake and numerous door prizes. Gallery 132 is open seven days a week. It’s a lighthearted environment with lots of laughter and encouragement. For more information, visit gallery132.com or just stop by. Issue 863
BUILD YOUR OWN POND by Jennifer Cunningham Owner, Gallery 132 Have you heard the names Monet, Manet, Cézanne, Degas, Pissarro and Renoir? They were the first Impressionistic artists of their day. And they were all friends. They ate together, created together and commiserated together. What possibly would they have to commiserate about? Being little fish. You see, their goal in life was to get into the Salon, the preeminent art exhibit in Paris. Being accepted into the show was an indicator of “making it.” Manet’s feeling was that the Salon was where “one must take one’s measure.” However, entries into the Salon were restricted to members of the French Academy. Art was required to portray the Academy's conservatism. Creating that kind of art would have required the Impressionists to paint what they did not find meaningful and become lost in the crowd. Thousands of works were hung for the exhibit. People would travel across the globe to enter and up to a million traveled to view the artwork. But because there were so many pieces of art, it was very hard to stand out. The walls in the halls were two stories tall, making the assigned “lesser” works, which were closest to the ceiling, almost impossilbe to see. Instead of succumbing to the pressure of conformity, the Impressionists took a different tact. They created their own art society and exhibit. There was no competition, no juries and no medals. Instead of being little fish in a very big pond, they became very big fish in the small pond they built. Their first exhibit was met with tremendous response and today their paintings hang in every major art museum in the world. The name I least recognized in this group of friends was Manet. It turns out he did get into the Salon. And he got lost in the big pond. |
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