Solo Show Opening & Hamptons weekend

Well it has been two weeks since my solo exhibition Andrea Kowch: American Magic Realism, opened at RJD Fine Arts Gallery in Sag Harbor and it still feels like I was only just there yesterday. I know I am a bit overdue on the updates here, but better late than never, and I have already been busy painting again since then, too. More new work coming!



It's hard to find a place to start in describing my short but extremely eventful weekend in the Hamptons. I could not have asked for a more enjoyable, memorable experience, and I thank everyone involved, from my gallery to all the great new people I had the privilege of meeting - and above all, my wonderful collectors. The show looked beautiful, and the VIP treatment I received was, simply put, AWESOME. :) Huge thanks to my gallerist Richard Demato and his wife, artist and internationally-acclaimed textile designer, Harriet Sawyer, who accommodated me at their gorgeous Long Island Sound home and showed me a great time. For a glimpse, check out the February 2010 issue of American Art Collector (#52) to see the feature on their home and art collection. Amazing stuff.

Sag Harbor is everything I expected, charming, friendly, historical, and I was stoked to spend some time exploring it before the show. A museum-goer at heart, the Custom House and Whaling Museum were some of the stops I had to visit, and they did not disappoint.



And did I mention the weather was perfect? I also got to ride in a Ferrari for the first time! It was quite the beautiful, stylish experience (to put it mildly)! Montauk Point and the legendary Lily Pond Lane in East Hampton were on the next day's agenda, courtesy of Richard and Harriet who were kind enough to shuttle me around and show me many worthwhile spots. I was able to catch a passing glimpse of the summer homes of Martha Stewart, Steven Spielberg, etc. as well as Grey Gardens, which I did not see, but I know we passed it somewhere down that road!

In between these jaunts, I also made house calls to a few of my collectors whom I thank for having me stop by. It surely was a weekend to remember, and I wish I could have shared the moments with each and every one of you. I tried to take lots of pictures, but was so involved, I had to often remind myself to do so. Be sure to visit my Flickr page to see it all. I could not have asked for a better way to kick off my first showing there on the east coast, and celebrate all the long days spent in the studio over the last few months. It was amazing.

Visit my Flickr PhotoAlbum to view all pics from the opening!

Last but not least for all you collectors and lovers of antiques out there, Leigh and Leslie Keno of Antiques Roadshow were on my flight to NY! Two nice guys who had no problem lending me a minute for a photo. I love the show, and was SO excited to meet them! This is us at La Guardia!

"On the Point"

48" x 36"
acrylic on canvas



Aside from the urge to portray a slightly different landscape and to further study gulls and take my compositions to another level, On the Point is a painting about navigating uncharted horizons. The unpredictable nature of things is often cause for contemplation, and I wanted to get a sense of that here. The figure is in a state of limbo, facing the new and unknown, focusing in on a course, unmoved by the devouring frenzy that surrounds her. Tone and atmosphere were important factors for me in this. The fog is symbolic of a curtain about to unveil something hidden, and I want viewers to be able to feel that damp mist and wind, stand on the brink, smell the coast, feel the sun about to break through, hear the birds; all the sensations associated with the everchanging moods of a coastal landscape.

"Night Hill"

36" x 24"
acrylic on canvas



This was the first painting I completed for my new set of work for my solo exhibition. Stemming partly from a need to explore a night palette, as well as to represent the mood and mystery personally associated with night itself, Night Hill speaks of those still moments where our subconscious takes over. I have sat on the shores of Lake Huron many times at night, listening to its crashing waves, feeling the breeze and seeing the stars. Each time, I couldn't help but realize how small I felt alongside the universe as it stretched up and on into dark oblivion. We make up such a small part of it, despite our immense impact; mere fireflies which circle about, lighting the way before flickering out.

I came across this very stagecoach at an antique shop on the side of the road on U.S. 23 one day. It was strangely intriguing to me, and I thought, why not put it up on the hill? It encompassed an ethereal almost spiritual quality, like an artifact of the supernatural realm, where all things legendary and ghostly dwell. Fire holds several meanings for me, and I often find my thoughts unintentionally centering around the concept of duality as I paint, coming to realize its steady presence at the core of my pictures. The real and unreal, history and the present, opposing emotions, endings and beginnings, nature's seasons and cycles, all of it is present there. I wanted this painting to capture night's magical quality, when the unreal feels realer than anything.

Quote of the Day

"Every day we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture, and, if possible, speak a few sensible words." -Goethe

Solo Show info & new work!

It's a wrap for this show! All new work is now posted on my website, so feel free to visit and check it out! Above is the show card for the event. In the days to come, I'll begin posting work individually here on the blog with some personal tidbits behind each painting.

If any of you are out on Long Island next week, make sure to mark Sag Harbor as a destination so you can see the show. I look forward to meeting new faces and sharing my work with you!

Please Save the Date and Join Us for a
Collection of New Work by Andrea Kowch

Andrea Kowch: American Magic Realism

Opening Reception
Saturday, July 17
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Richard J. Demato Fine Arts Gallery
90 Main Street
Sag Harbor, NY 11963
(631) 725-1161
rjdgallery.com

Work featured in American Art Collector ArtHamptons Preview

I am very honored to be featured in American Art Collector once again, this time, in their previews of ArtHamptons 2010. This July issue is out now, so grab a copy wherever books and magazines are sold! Check out the article on my gallerist, Richard Demato and the gallery's future collaboration with Miami-based gallery 101/exhibit, which represents the likes of David Bowers, Bo Bartlett, and Mark Ryden among others, and see one of my new paintings, The Visitors, featured alongside the article!

Meanwhile, I am nearly finished wrapping up this latest body of work for my show, and am looking forward to taking a short, much needed break from all the long weeks spent painting full speed at the easel. I'll be posting all the new images at that time, as well as my thoughts behind each work here on the blog. Thanks again to all for your comments and support throughout as always! Hope everyone is having a fantastic summer! :)

ArtHamptons 2010

ArtHamptons, one of the top major international fine art fairs in America, is happening in New York this July and I'm excited to announce that my work will be represented there along with several prominent figures in today's art world. The event draws thousands of high-end art enthusiasts each year, where the weekend is spent perusing work from top US and international art galleries in a museum-like setting. I am extremely excited and honored to be a part of it!

Visit http://www.arthamptons.com/ for ticket information and to learn more about this annual summer event.

Sneak Peek . . .

A few sneak peeks of some paintings I've been working on. Check back here and my website in the next few weeks to see all the new stuff!

Review in American Art Collector

If you haven't checked out my review in American Art Collector yet, the June issue has hit the stands! Check it out to see one of the many new paintings that will be on exhibit at my one-woman show this July, as well as the interview, and info about the upcoming event. Available now wherever books and magazines are sold!

Issues may also be ordered through http://www.americanartcollector.com/

Teaching acrylic painting at the GPAC!

Calling all painters! I'm happy to announce that I will be teaching a summer painting class at the Grosse Pointe Art Center in Grosse Pointe, Michigan this July. It will be a total of 4 two-hour sessions running Thursday evenings, from July 8 - August 5, 2010. Registration is open, so visit http://www.grossepointeartcenter.org/ for information, and download the schedule for GPAC Summer Art Education Classes.

I will be teaching an intermediate acrylic painting course, so if you (or someone you know) have some experience with the medium and want to brush up (no pun intended) on your basic painting skills, then contact the art center today! I look forward to meeting everyone and sharing tips!