Events | Cabin Art

Changing Spaces

The Three Rivers Veterans Memorial Building is a regular location for art and craft bazaars. I’ve been participating here for many years in many different places in the building.

This was in 2011, along the wall. I’ve learned to not overload my space and overwhelm the visitors with so many paintings.

Whatever year this was, my booth was in the center of the room.

2014 was consumed by the book “The Cabins of Wilsonia”, which the printer failed to deliver as promised in time for this show; so, I just took all my extra knitted items to sell, along with my usual cards, Mineral King tee shirts, a friend’s knitting and another friend’s lavender. This is the same corner space that I had last weekend.

This window location is a common space given to me and we’ve learned to deal with the bulky drapery in the way by scrunching it together using a bungee cord. That big banner is now gone – just got worn out.

The windows provide wonderful natural light, especially in the springtime.

Spring of this year: the big round table has been useful through the years but does take up a lot of space in the roughly 10×10′ space.

This year I set up the space this way. No more large round table.

It was a good location, because when people entered the building, they immediately saw my colorful table with affordable items on the right side.

Every year I have slightly different merchandise, different paintings, different ideas for display, and it presents a new puzzle each time. It is all part of the business of art in Three Rivers.

Friday and Saturday I will be in another new space here in Three Rivers, NOT in the Memorial Building.

Friday Fun

Trail Guy went to Mineral King last week. This is how it looks at this time of year.

Farewell Gap with the Crowley Cabin from the bridge at the end of the Mineral King Road. November is bleak and colorless, waiting for snow.

That hardly qualifies as “Friday Fun”. What does? How about Pippin in the leaves!

Look hard. Might need to enlarge the photo to see Pippin, camouflaged in the leaves. Very very camouflaged.

Pippin didn’t want to share with Tucker.

See you tomorrow at the Three Rivers Memorial Building for the annual Holiday Bazaar, 9-4!

Three Rivers

A Busy Month (and you are invited)

November is my busiest month. For the first time in several years, I have no selling events in Visalia. However, there are plenty of other opportunities to see me and my art: a list might be the easiest way to see all the upcoming events.
1. Holiday Bazaar, Three Rivers Veterans Memorial Building, Saturday, November 23, 9-4, free (of course). Always a nice event with good stuff made by interesting people who are eager to tell and sell.

2. Perfect Gift Boutique, 41837 Sierra Drive (that’s Hwy. 198 in Three Rivers) in a borrowed empty storefront, sharing space with the other Kaweah Artisans. Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30, 10-4. (the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving). The address on this poster is where we were last year; this year’s will be in the next building just downstream, next to the Kaweah Commonwealth office.

WRONG ADDRESS, WRONG DATES, WRONG DIRECTIONS (but right event)

3. In other events, I am teaching drawing lessons at Arts Visalia each Tuesday evening from 6:30-8:30. Five students, good times!

4. But wait! There’s more! The Festival of Trees and Globes is the annual fall fundraiser at St. Anthony’s Retreat Center in Three Rivers, this year on Thursday, November 21. My part? Judging the decorated Christmas trees, along with 2 others. It is a little stressful, knowing that people poured their hearts into these trees, and trying to be objective when I know most of the participants and every worthy organization; Three Rivers is a small, self-contained community, and anonymity is rare. The event itself is quite fun, lots of food and drink, a silent auction, and the live auction of the trees. (It’s not fancy like the similar event in Visalia – we are easy-going and informal here in 3R.) You can buy tickets in advance or at the door or from me.

P.S. First Saturday, December, is also coming up, and for the first time in a long time, my studio will be open!

Now the 2nd side of the path to the studio door is planted. This is where I draw, paint, and occasionally contemplate matters of consequence, which results in fascinating blog posts such as this one.

Art Inspired by Mineral King

On June 29, I participated in the 2nd annual Art Inspired by Mineral King. This is the title of a show and sale on the deck of the Silver City Store, 4 miles below the Mineral King Valley.

The Oak Grove Bridge still almost had this much water beneath at the end of June.

I headed up the road the day before the show, my first time up this season (resulting in yesterday’s post about the condition of the Mineral King Road). When I got to the Oak Grove Bridge, I remembered that I forgot my screen covers. The bridge is 6.5 miles up the Mineral King Road, and my house is 2 miles from the MK Road, but I turned around anyway.

Since only one campground was open and the road is terrible and many of the passes are almost impassable, attendance was spotty. But I’ve told you before how I feel about this: when attendance is low, time with each visitor is high.

My screens helped 2 other artists display their pieces, so those covers were important. But, you can see that I still forgot one of them!

Linda Hengst was one of the artists. Her work is visible on the right side of this photo.

Photographer Brett Harvey was also a participant.

Working diligently at the table is jeweler (and Silver City employee) Ryan, or perhaps Rianne.

Doesn’t this look intriguing? I’m sure if you were above the store, you’d want to walk down to see what was happening.

Sales were slow, but contacts and good interactions were steady.

Next year, together with the Silver City Store/Resort, we will decide if it is worth putting together a 3rd annual show and sale. I know it is important to be in the public eye, but oh my goodness, I certainly prefer being on vacation while up the hill. Besides, once I get my little old car to the valley, I am loathe to put it through any extra miles on that sorry excuse for a road.

silver city silver city resort

Art Inspired by Mineral King

SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 10-2, SILVER CITY RESORT

Featuring the oil paintings and pencil drawings of Jana Botkin and the photography of Brett Harvey

Farewell Gap #4, pencil, framed to approximately 11×14, $400 including tax

P.S. When you comment on the blog, I have to approve the comment before it appears. This doesn’t mean that your comment didn’t “take”; it means I am not near a computer to release your comment. Thank you to those who go to the trouble to comment; I appreciate you sharing your thoughts!

Mineral King

Out There

“Out there” is a strange turn of phrase. Does it mean on the edge, in outer space, and weird? Or does it mean away from one’s comfort zone, out in the world? Either, but today it means having my work out in the world away from the comfort of Three Rivers, my known and beloved drawing students, and my own private studio.

I entered two pieces in “Seascapes” at the Exeter Courthouse Gallery. It is a juried show, but I have doubts that any entries will be turned away. The part that feels “out there” (vulnerable) to me is this: WILL ANYONE CARE ENOUGH TO SPEND $ ON MY WORK?? (or more accurately, $$$)

Excuse me for shouting. This sort of show makes me shudder, but at least it isn’t an auction. The shows are interesting to see, but it is nerve-wracking to interact with the public and wonder if they care or if they are just making conversation to be polite.

A Walk to the Rock, 11×14″, $275, oil on wrapped canvas (looks square here, but that is simply misbehavior on the part of the blog)

But wait, there’s more. I also will enter these 2 pieces in a juried show at the Tulare County Government Plaza Building. And, I’m in the process of producing a third piece to enter.

Before M&Ms. . ., pencil and colored pencil

What if they aren’t accepted? What if no one wants them? What if someone does, but can’t get them for an entire year?

Stop it. Just stop it.

Okay. I’m fine now. Thank you for listening.

“Seascapes”

June 1-28, Exeter’s Courthouse Gallery, 125 South B Street, Exeter, California.

Opening reception: Sunday, June 9, 2-4 p.m.

Do-Over

Sometimes my pencil art doesn’t sell. It might win awards, sell as a reproduction print, garner much praise, get borrowed by someone to decorate their vacation rentals and second homes, but just not sell. It is a mystery.

Sometimes I can look at a drawing and see what it is lacking. Sometimes it needs a bit of perfecting or polishing. Other times I see that although it is technically well done, the subject doesn’t speak to anyone in my circles.

This is one of those drawings that lots of people have been happy to buy a print or borrow the original but not willing to actually buy it. Some people say it is because my prices in general are too low; other people say it is because the price is too high. By now, I don’t even remember what I asked for it back when it was out in the public eye.

Recently, I pulled it out of its frame, studied it and made some subtle changes. Next, I’ll rephotograph, and reframe it and touch up some scratches on the frame.

Why?

There is an opportunity to put some art in a county building, a juried show where the pieces need to be relevant to Tulare County, larger than 2′ in either direction, and finally, for sale.

So, why not? No one can see it on a shelf in my storage area. New people will see it inside the county building. I don’t know what purpose the building serves, but it houses offices. People who work in county offices ought to be reminded of the good things of Tulare County.

About shows

The Perfect Gift Boutique at the Three Rivers Arts Center, November 2007

There are several different kinds of shows for artists to participate in.

The elegant type at an art gallery – a dress-up indoor event, usually with wine and hors d’oeuvres, often shared with other artists and usually preceded by a postcard mailing. These range anywhere from a nice opportunity to a Big Deal, depending on how shiny the floor is and how far apart the art is spaced on the walls. There is no entry fee, you have to be invited to be a participating artist, and the gallery keeps a percentage of the sales.
The arts and crafts fair. These tend to be outdoors, have an entry fee, and attract all manner of folks. Some are looking to spend money, and some are just looking to spend a little time. The sales can vary with the weather, the amount of publicity, or just economic times. A show can be wonderful one year and a dud the next, and it is hard to predict in advance.
Setting up art at some sort of an open house, a reception, a dinner or an annual meeting. Unless the artist is the featured speaker, I have found these to be a waste of time. Exposure is only important for a little while when starting out; after a while, a person can die of exposure. (We need sales to stay alive.)

As a regional artist, I do local shows, so I know a high percentage of the folks who visit. It is like a reunion/party combined with being tuned in to people who actually want to buy something. There is a balancing act between chit-chatting too much and missing sales as a result, or just zeroing in on potential customers and not having time for friends.

The items that sell well vary from year to year. Back in the 1990s, it was all about cards and reproduction prints. Learning to oil paint in 2006 opened up an entirely new avenue. A few years ago, coloring books were the hot item. This year at the Redbud Festival, Mineral King Wildflowers was the star.

And look at my booth 10 years later than the photo above:

Gilligan or Ginger? (at 6 weeks they are venturing outside)

Redbud Report 1

The 45th Annual Redbud Festival in Three Rivers took place on a very nice day, not crazy hot or cold as we’ve experienced some years. Today I’ll show you the beginnings of Saturday.