Opportunities for artists to exhibit their work

If you are an artist looking for additional places to exhibit your artwork, check out the "Call to Artists" page on the California Arts Councils website. They usually have an assortment of listings, while many focus on California based artists, there are usually opportunities for artists located nationally and internationally too.

For more info: http://www.cac.ca.gov/artistcall/

Gifts of the muse - benefits of art education and appreciation

The Rand Corporation has a new monograph titled: "Gifts of the Muse - Reframing the debate about the benefits of the arts." By Kevin F. McCarthy, Elizabeth Heneghan Ondaatje, Laura Zakaras, Arthur Brooks

(from Rand's site:)
"Faced with intense competition for audiences and financial support, as well as adverse political fallout from the “culture wars” of the early 1990s, arts advocates have increasingly sought to make a case for the arts in terms of their instrumental benefits to individuals and communities. In this report documenting the most comprehensive study of its kind, the authors evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these instrumental arguments and make the case that a new approach to understanding the benefits of the arts is needed. Critical of what they view as an overemphasis on instrumental benefits, the authors call for a greater recognition of the intrinsic benefits of the arts experience, provide a more comprehensive framework for assessing the private and public value of both intrinsic and instrumental benefits, and link the realization of those benefits to the nature of arts involvement. In particular, they underscore the importance of sustained involvement in the arts to the achievement of both instrumental and intrinsic benefits. This study has important policy implications for access to the arts, childhood exposure to the arts, arts advocacy, and future research on the arts. "

There is a free downloadable PDF summary of the monograph towards the bottom of the page.

I've only read the summary, not the full monograph… from what I've read, they make some interesting and valid points on the importance of art in our lives.

-wren

Studio update

Just a quick note to let our patrons and blog readers know we are on vacation for the next week. We'll be back with new posts and new paintings... stay tuned!

Tips for creating a water-wise garden

Here in California and much of the West we are in a drought again this year. Here's some tips for creating a water efficient garden.

1. Get rid of the water guzzling lawn (or cut it down substantially). Lawns need a lot of water and usually fertilizer too, in order to look good. I've heard statistics that claim 50%-70% of residential water use goes to watering the landscaping (the lawn). You can have a great looking landscape that is more water efficient and needs little to no expensive fertilizer by planting flowers and shrubs native to your area. Here in California, since we have a climate similar to the Mediterranean we can plant drought tolerant plants from that region, in addition to native plants. In our garden, instead of a lawn we planted native plants along with some pretty Mediterranean plants like lavender and rosemary. Once drought tolerant plants are established they can be watered once or twice a month when there is no rain. When we have bad heat waves in the summer, then I water 'em one extra time, but mostly the plants in our garden live off the rainfall and get a little supplemental water during the dry hot summer.

Another trick is to group plants with similar water and light needs together - that equals less maintenance for you.

2. Irrigate your garden efficiently. In terms of saving time and water, drip irrigation is the best way to water the garden. Most of our garden is on drip irrigation that I installed myself. Its easy and inexpensive to set up and well worth it in my opinion. It took me an afternoon to set up. If I can do it anyone can. Its like putting together Lego's. Also avoid watering during the heat of the day when a lot of water evaporates - try watering after dusk or in the early morning.

3. Water deeply. By watering deeply and infrequently it forces the plants roots to go deeper into the soil and in my experience creates a stronger plant. I've found this works with plants that typically need lots of water - like roses. If you aren't able to install a drip system yet, then dig little wells encircling the plants root area. Fill up that shallow well with water once or twice a week and ween the watering down to once a month. This is what I've done with our roses, they're doing fine. (Installing the drip irrigation for them is still on my to do list!)

4. Mulch, mulch, mulch! I'm a big believer in organic mulches. Not only does mulch conserve moisture, if you put it on thick enough it will block out weeds from sprouting and as it breaks down its turns into free fertilizer for your garden. It also enhances the soils texture and encourages earthworms to till the soil for you. Use fallen leaves, grass clippings, etc. Add more mulch each year as it breaks down into the soil.

5. Harvest rainwater. This project can be as simple as a rainwater barrel or as complicated as a rainwater catchment system that collects the rainwater from your roof and channels it into your garden. For most people, its probably best to start with a rainwater barrel.

Here's some websites with additional information on collecting rainwater:
http://www.zonagardens.com/landscape/rainwater.asp

http://www.kidsfromkanata.org/~kfk/files/rainbarrels.html

Here's a couple of books for those who want more info on the subject:

This one is in my reference library…


This one is next on my "buy list"…


For some ideas and pictures of water conservation gardens check out these sites:
* The water conservation garden project at Cuyamaca College http://www.thegarden.org

*http://www.usewaterwisely.com

*The Southern California water agency has an informative website on water conservation as well as info on any current rebates for the latest water saving technologies and strategies for your home or business. http://www.bewaterwise.com/

*If you are in the Los Angeles are, you can find native plants at http://www.theodorepayne.org, also check out your local nursery they usually have a "native plant" section or "drought tolerant" plant section.

Hope these tips give you some useful ideas. Have a great weekend!

Daily painting - Summer Strawberries fruit painting auction ends Thurs. 6/19/08

Here's a little daily painting that reminds me of the joys of summer. Strawberries!

This painting, titled "Strawberries" is 6x6 inches, acrylic on panel, by R.L. Pereira. The auction ends tomorrow night, June 19th at 5:00pm Pacific time. Click here to view more images or bid on the auction.

Daily painting - Cherries impressionist fruit painting

Here's another little gem of a still life painting, simply titled "Cherries". This original painting is 6x6 inches in size and painted by R.L. Pereira.

Its up for auction on Ebay right now. The auction ends Thursday June 19th, 2008 at 5:00pm Pacific time. Currently, we are offering a summertime special of "free shipping in the United States" on all our auctions currently on Ebay. Its a great opportunity for new collectors to pick up one of R.L. Pereira's paintings at a great price.


Here's an example of how the painting could look framed. Be sure to check out our other auctions too.

Daily painting - Pumpkin small 6x6 impressionist painting auction ends 6/18/08

Here's a small little painting up for auction. Its 6x6 inches, acrylic on wood panel, titled "Pumpkin" by R.L. Pereira.

The auction ends tomorrow night, June 18th at 5:oopm Pacific time. You can see an example of the painting framed, here on the auction description page.

Art Event: Frida Kahlo Exhibit at the SFMOMA museum

For those of you in Northern California, this past weekend, the San Francisco Museum of Modern art opened an exhibit featuring the work of surrealist artist Frida Kahlo. The exhibit runs from June 14, 2008 to September 28, 2008. The exhibit commemorates the centennial of the artist's birth and brings together paintings that span her career, along with a selection of her own collection of photographs - most of which have never been on public display.

If you aren't in the area, the museum has an online interactive feature on their website. It gives highlights of the artist’s life and work through video commentary by artists and art historians, as well as zoom-enabled images of Kahlo and husband Diego Rivera at their home, Casa Azul.

You can check it out at: http://www.sfmoma.org/media/features/kahlo/index.html

Daily painting - Red Pear fruit painting auction ends tomorrow night 6/17/08

"Red Pear" by R.L. Pereira is an impressionist style still life painting - acrylic on wood panel, size 5x7 inches.

The auction ends tomorrow night, June 17th at 5:00pm Pacific time. To view the larger image or to bid on the auction click here.