The Bay School is excited to welcome visitors back to the Art Speaks Gallery, starting Tuesday, May 19. The gallery will be open limited hours during Virginia’s Phase One of Re-opening, Tuesday – Friday, noon – 4pm, and Saturdays by appointment. Staff and visitor safety and comfort are the highest priority, so the gallery will be limited to ten guests at a time, and face masks will be mandatory for staff and visitors. A hand sanitization station will be at the front door. Guests are asked to please sanitize their hands upon entering the gallery, and to refrain from touching any artwork or objects. Staff will be happy to assist customers with items they are interested in purchasing. Guests are also asked to maintain appropriate social distancing between parties while in the gallery or on the patio. During Phase One, visitors will not be allowed to bring in food or drink and will not be allowed to use the Bay School’s restroom. The Bay School plans to maintain these hours and guidelines as long as Phase One lasts, but may adjust as needed. The school’s website, social media, and outgoing phone message will have the current open hours listed.
The spring gallery exhibition, Sculpture and Garden Art, has been extended to June 23. Viewing and purchasing will still be available online for those who are not yet ready to venture out. Curbside pick-up and free local delivery will continue to be options, along with shipping. The gallery will be hosting pop-up sales featuring gifts for graduates and Father’s Day over the next few weeks. Gib Pulley is the May featured Artist of the Month, and her watercolor paintings can be found in the gallery and online. Gib will be in the gallery Tuesday morning, May 19 at 11:00 to record a live Facebook talk about her work.
We asked our teachers what they have been doing during the quarantine
Nan was set to attend a show in Richmond in March that was to coincide with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). Not long after she was finished setting up the conference was cancelled and the gallery was closed.
From Nan: I have been selling a few pots to people who saw photos of that show and wrote to ask about buying them. It's been great! A real relief, given that my normal outlets for selling have shut. If anyone is interested, I am happy to send snapshots, dimensions and prices of the pots here.
For more info on Nan you can visit http://www.nanrothwellpottery.com. You will find resource information and links to several short demos.
Check out Nan's online store https://nan-rothwell-pottery.square.site/ During May Nan will be contributing 30% of online sales to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank https://www.brafb.org/
Nan is also teaching online. Her courses can be seen here https://www.teachinart.com/take-your-throwing-to-the-next-level.html
You can also find Nan on Facebook facebook.com/NanRothwellPottery/
Nan's preferred email contact is nan@nanrothwellpottery.com
Meet Bay School instructor Janly Jaggard
Janly Jaggard studied ceramics as her major at West Of England College of Art and Design, England earning her BFA in 1971. She has been a practicing artist and teacher since the 1980’s and came to Virginia as an exchange teacher from England in 1988, returning to the USA as a permanent resident in 1992.
In 2001 Jaggard became an instructor at Beverley Street Studio School, Staunton where she offers drawing, painting, ceramics and vitreous enamel classes and workshops She introduced the vitreous enamel program there in 2004.
In 2014 Jaggard returned to England attending Norwich University of The Arts where she earned a Masters Degree in Fine Art: Painting that brought clarity to her intentions and practice, setting the course for her current work.
Jaggard's work has featured in many group and solo exhibitions regionally and internationally. Her work is included in many private collections as well as the permanent collection at The Enamel Arts Foundation in Los Angeles. She has written articles for The Enamelist Society.
We asked Janly what she has been working on during the quarantine:
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- slab plus additive modelling, - The Four faces 8" tall ;
- an additive/ subtractive form hollowed and modelled with separate "legs" to be added post firing 18" :
- coiled then added and modelled features life size head. 12" .
- slabbed and then added bas relief features and pierced 9" tall
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We asked our teachers what they have been doing during the quarantine
Just Another Ordinary Day: Kathleen Noffsinger
As I try to inspire my creative self while self-isolating during Covid-19, I remind myself that I now have lots of time to paint! So why is my time spent doing other things? Well it’s because I cannot seem to actually open my palette. Instead, I am “organizing” my studio, planting my garden with flowers to photograph and paint and forgiving myself when I do nothing at all. I have read 4 novels and revisited all of my gardening books and favorite online gardening websites. Thankfully, I can keep up with my weekly watercolor class through our new private Facebook page! Yes, I give them lessons and homework and they call it Noffsinger University! I look forward to actually seeing my students in person and teaching classes and workshops again … I miss my artist friends!
I am spending lovely afternoons on our dock with my husband, Tom, feeding our freshwater fish, our pair of Canada geese (Clyde and Penelope who are expecting their goslings to hatch any day) and enjoying the antics of our resident Great Blue Heron, whom we have just named Willie Nelson to make life in isolation more fun. Willie enjoys the pleasures of fishing as much as Tom does! With my camera in hand I photograph Willie as he gives me new compositional ideas for my Heron paintings!
On my easel and my newest work-in-progress is “Just Another Ordinary Day”, 24” x 24”, Oil and Cold Wax Medium - A huge butterfly on an osprey nest! I hope to finish it by the end of April. And I am excited to share the news that my new oil painting “Flamingo Party” has been juried into the Art Speaks 2020 show coming soon to the Bay School gallery.
I will be posting updates on classes, shows, new paintings and prints on my website at www.kathleennoffsinger.com and I invite you to visit and leave a comment on the contact page. If you are in the market for a new painting or commissioned artwork, I would be happy to talk with you about your ideas! And no matter how you are spending your isolation, I hope you stay healthy and have as much fun as possible! Here’s to a very happy and joyful Spring!
Use this link https://bayschoolarts.asapconnected.com/StaffDetails.aspx?pk=70075 to check out the great classes Kathleen will be offering at the Bay School.
Use this link https://www.bayschool-arts.com/collections/kathleen-noffsinger to see the artwork Kathleen has in our galery.
The Outdoor Eye Spy Photo Game is a great way for the family to get outside and have some fun! Each week 3 photo assignments will be posted here in the blog, on the Bay School Facebook page as well as the Mathews Talk Facebook page. You can post your photos on either of the Facebook pages in the comment section. We will pick a few each week to post on Facebook and on our blog posts. If you have not done any of the previous exercises look back at the past assignments and post them also!
Flower Assignments:
1. Flowering Tree- Look for a tree that is covered in flowers and take a pictures.
2. Flowering Bush- Find a bush bearing flowers and take a picture.
3. Flowering Plants- Look for any flowers that are growing from the ground. They can be wild flowers or growing in a garden.
We can't wait to see your pictures!!
After the stay at home order went into effect artist Bob Carlson decided to inspire his young grand daughter with some virtual art instruction.
"These are three sets of paintings from three sessions that I had the pleasure of sharing with my ten year old granddaughter. The first took place here, where we both painted a bowl of fruit on our dining room table. The next two sessions were post stay-at-home order, so we painted from photos; one of a vase of daffodils, and the most recent of a tree in bloom. We visited over our Echo Show and discussed painting and whatever else came to mind. Theoretically, I am offering her some instruction, although she has a good eye and artistic ability, and a freshness and originality to her creations that I would hate to spoil with a push toward my more representational style. Admittedly, I could not finish the latter two paintings in the time that she finished hers, so I completed them later on my own." Bob Carlson
We asked our teachers what they have been doing during the quarantine
Nina Buzby has finished 11 pine needle baskets during this sequester and is headed toward number 12! She encourages her former students to keep on coiling and creating! These haven't been shellacked yet, but will be when she finishes the last one. Any correct predictions on how many baskets Nina will make before the sequester order is lifted earn a 15% discount on purchase.
Stay safe and sane!
Take a look at Nina's beautiful baskets in our gallery using this link https://www.bayschool-arts.com/collections/nina-buzby-pine-needle-baskets-and-gourds
Nina will be offering a class on weaving your own pine needle basket in July. Use this link for more info.
https://bayschoolarts.asapconnected.com/ClassDetail.aspx?pk=1669039
The Outdoor Eye Spy Photo Game is a great way for the family to get outside and have some fun!
We asked our teachers what they have been doing during the quarantine
Before the corona virus pandemic, I was working as a full-time Art Teacher for Suffolk Public Schools, and had several Silver and Copper classes on my calendar from March through December. Now the Public Schools are closed, metal clay classes are cancelled through May (and probably will be for June too)…sigh. I miss my elementary school students and the enjoyment of teaching metal clay classes. I tearfully took all my bags of metal clay supplies, and several kilns to my backyard studio for storage. Will just have to wait this out. I will be so happy to return to the Bay School when this is all over.
What I am doing now: I am still employed, and spend my days checking emails and answering questions that come up through the school system. I have a Google Classroom for Art and I post lessons, You Tube videos and Kahoot activities to my students who have access to a computer. I’m on my fourth week of this and it’s no fun.
What I am Working on Now:
In January of this year (pre-pandemic) I was fortunate to take a silver clay class with Master Artist Lora Hart. That was a real treat. The challenge was to construct a hollow form inspired by ancient amphorae. Think of the shape of a Greek urn…only jewelry sized…
The technique was very challenging. I built my form over a solid base, cut it off of the base in two pieces, and put it back together. That alone was a true challenge. Once I did all of that, I faced another challenge to design/ decorate it, build a lid, and design a way to make it wearable. Not sure if this will be a wearable piece, or a fancy vessel…. It is not finished…Ideas?
Cindy is offering some great classes at the Bay School! Use this link to see what she has on our calendar through the end of the year. https://bayschoolarts.asapconnected.com/StaffDetails.aspx?pk=70078
See some of Cindy's beautiful work in our gallery with this linkhttps://www.bayschool-arts.com/collections/precious-metal-clay-jewelry-by-cynthia-quesenberry
The Outdoor Eye Spy Photo Game is a great way to get outside and have some fun! This is a game for kids only. Each week 3 photo assignments will be posted here in the blog, on the Bay School Facebook page as well as the Mathews Talk Facebook page. You can either post your photos on the Facebook posts in the comment section or here in the blog. We will pick a few each week to post on Facebook and on our blog posts.
Assignments
1. Pattern- Look for patterns in anything and everything. It might be a fence, cars in a parking lot, leaves, etc. and capture it on camera. Make sure that the pattern is the focus of your picture.
2. Bud Close Up- Spring is here and the plants are budding! Find a cool bud, focus on your subject and capture your image.
3. Tree Hole- Find a hole in a tree. It could be in the bottom or up high. Make sure to zoom in when you take you picture.
We can't wait to see your pictures!!
