AMak Color

Photos from Albany-Carroll Arts Building Open Studio

Last Sunday's Albany open studio event went great as usual. This years' jazz performance was off the charts. More people gathered to watch the jazz show then ever before, with standing room only at the performance space. Here are some photos of the event:
My art setup at Connie Hinkle's studio space

Ari Brown playing sax

Kahil El'Zabar and his Ritual Trio band

Crowd gathered to watch the performance

The last three photos are courtesy of my husband, Kurt. (He wanted to make sure he gets the photo credit for them!)

Louisville reflections

The Louisville St. James Court Art Show greeted its artists with beautiful weather and three days of crowds. Our section was set up on a tree lined street, full of old grand Victorian-style houses, which reminded me a lot of Fullerton Ave. in Chicago. I spent my days at the booth, and evenings hanging out with Matt, my Louisville friend whom I know from my last art venture here. My art festival neighbor was Xavier Nuez, an amazing “urban night" photographer.
So what was the biggest image seller at the Lousville festival? Not the skylines of Louisville, but my recent Wrigley Field! Despite (or maybe because of) the Cubs' tragic loss on Saturday. Go figure.
On Sunday night, I packed up the show and endured a five-hour drive back to Chicago, thus officially ending my 2008 outdoor art festival season. Now I am very excited about getting some serious studio time – completing several commissioned works, putting new ideas on canvas, and experimenting with new mediums! Also, will be preparing for the 9th Annual Albany-Carroll Open Studio and One of a Kind Show, more information on which is coming very soon.

The house across from my booth


I enjoyed the view of this unique building from my hotel window. It is Kaden Tower, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright’s protegé and son-in-law, William Wesley Peters. I was told that the locals call it simply “The Lacey Building.”

Saugatuck and South Haven Shows

During the 4th of July weekend I traveled to the other side of Lake Michigan - to do more work, of course! I had 2 one-day shows planned in Saugatuck and South Haven. Luckily, this time Kurt came along to help - but still, doing two consecutive shows in one weekend is pretty exhausting. (And I will probably be here again doing the same thing next year! This side of the lake is just so nice and pleasant...) Our first night we stayed in Holland, with a warm evening of lakefront fireworks on the 4th of July. Then, both festivals took place in beautiful settings - in parks by the harbor. This weekend's weather was nearly flawless - sunny, in the 70s, no wind. Psychologically, it was much needed after last week's Evanston disaster. For better or worse, all three cities we visited were overloaded with the 4th weekend crowds.

The next two nights we spent on a property owned by our company's president (Kurt's current company, a.k.a. my former employer - back in the days of me having a "real job"). He has about a million acres in the quiet green lands of rural Michigan, facing a small lake which we happily canoed under the setting sun on Sunday night.

Showing art is always great, but because of these responsibilities I never got an opportunity to swim while in Michigan. By the time I got to the water, it was mostly late and dark. Then Monday morning came, along with its never ending thunderstorms. So we drove back to Chicago, where it was very sunny, hopped on our bikes and went straight to the beach. Finally, a swim!! The water in Lake Michigan is still freezing, but it felt perfect.