art, art education, art exhibition, art gallery, art resources, Karen Tashkovski

Mayer on Cloth

Image February 23, 2017 Karen Tashkovski Leave a comment

At 6:00 p.m. tonight, Jeffrey Mayer, Associate Professor of Fashion Design at Syracuse University, will be presenting a talk on the Art for Every Home: Associated American Artists exhibition at the SU Art Gallery. He will be focusing on the clothing and textiles that are in the back gallery.

I took these pictures when I was at the opening reception.

Here is more info taken from their Facebook invite page –

Join Jeffrey Mayer for a thrilling discussion focusing on the costumes and textiles featured in the current exhibition “Art for Every Home: Associated American Artists,” on dislay through March 19th in the galleries!

Post World War II fashion, with a new silhouette and a new appreciation for the designer as an artist, created the perfect opportunity for Associated American Artist to team with textile manufacturers to produce art based fabric prints. Creating series of textiles for both home decoration and clothing use these prints were marketed as being created by ‘fine artists’. The collaboration with textile manufacturers would only last for a very few years before AAA designed print fabrics would cease to exist. This lecture will include additional textile print examples from the Syracuse University Sue Ann Genet Costume Collection which document how the trend became popular and what contributed to its demise.

Jeffrey C. Mayer is Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Fashion Design in the School of Design, SU CVPA, as well as the curator of the Sue Ann Genet Costume Collection for which he has designed many historic costume exhibitions. He is also author of ‘Vintage Details; A Fashion Sourcebook’ published by Laurence King, London.

The show continues though March 19, 2017. The gallery is located in the Shaffer Art Building on Syacuse University campus. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 am – 4:30 pm. The gallery stays open until 8:00 pm on Thursdays. They are closed during university holidays. Call (315) 443-4097 for more information or email them at suart@syr.edu.

art, fashion, jewelry, Karen Tashkovski

Tashionista on Fashion

Image February 22, 2017 Karen Tashkovski Leave a comment

img_20170125_091950_624 — Banana Republic cardigan, Trina Turk dress, BCBGMaxAzria belt, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots

img_20170119_085221_679 — BerkleyCashmere cardigan, Free People dress, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, Nine West booties

img_20170127_082738_083 — Free People Cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria top and leggings, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots

Here are the #ootd Instagram pics that I hadn’t posted (have I?). Oh well, I can’t remember. I haven’t done a fashion blog post in a while. It seems that I may be running out of new combinations and so, we are talking a lot of re-runs.

img_20170210_124917_445 — Free People Cardigan, Bailey 44 top, BCBGMaxAzria leggings, EnzoAnglioni boots

img_20170209_095949_650 — Banana Republic sweater, Trina Turk skirt, Hue tights, Nine West booties

I just received all the March issues of all my fashion magazine subscriptions. They are so thick with the Spring collections! Makes me desire new stuff. I am loving what Marc Jacobs is doing. Just saw the fashion show on-line. It was cute mini dresses with oversized jackets and mid-calf boots (and funny bowler hats). Loved the proportions. I feel the urge to on-line shop…. Someone should really try to stop me.

img_20170216_084212_287 — Free People cardigan and top, BCBGMaxAzria pants, BCBGeneration sandals

img_20170131_100004_151 — Free People cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria dress, Karl Lagerfeld boots

img_20170201_093953_374 — JCrew cardigan, Free People top with BCBGMaxAzria tank underneath, BCBGMaxAzria pants, Nine West booties

img_20170203_090953_834 — Banana Republic sweater and skirt, Hue tights, Nine West booties

img_20170206_084714_831 — Free People dress with Victoria’s Secret tube top underneath, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots

img_20170207_095126_707 — Free People cardigan, BCBGMaxAzria dress, belt and leggings, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots

img_20170202_103602_760 — Michelle DaRin jewelry bracelets, BCBGMaxAzria dress and leggings, Ralph Lauren boots

img_20170130_085629_758 — Banana Republic cardigan, Bailey 44 top, BCBGMaxAzria pants, Nine West booties

img_20170217_092026_273 — Free People cardigan and dress, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots

img_20170208_092342_947 — Michelle DaRin jewelry choker, Banana Republic cardigan, Trina Turk dress, Nine West booties

art, art exhibition, art for sale, art gallery, ceramics, Karen Tashkovski, mixed media

Gallery Girl

Image February 21, 2017 Karen Tashkovski 4 Comments

Visiting Novado Gallery for the first time was like entering a magical place akin to Oz for Dorothy or the Wonka factory for Charlie in that I had been privy to the adventure of it long before the opening in December 2016. Anne Novado relocated to Jersey City, New Jersey from Syracuse, New York a year ago with a plan to open the gallery at 110 Morgan Street in the Modera Loft building within three months. That plan took additional time due to paperwork and construction. I had visited Anne twice before in that time; the last time I could only peer in the window to see this vast space (3,000 square feet) and imagine what it might look like filled with art.

And…so, on Sunday evening, I got to experience the full fruition of a dream. A beautifully artful space organized by Anne’s keen eye and aesthetic to deliver the Jersey citizens and surrounding area cool people (including NYC, only a hop, skip and train ride away) with many wonderful options of artwork to buy, enjoy and collect. It is a magnificent space filled with a lot to love!

She and business partner Steve Pearlman plan to have monthly exhibitions, as well as a stable of artists’ and artisans’ work displayed throughout. The current show is called Identity and features work by Lacey McKinney, Carrie Will, David Samuel Stern, Brandy Kraft and Alyssa McClenaghan.

The original opening was snowed out due to a bizarrely timed blizzard. It has been rescheduled for Friday, March 3, 2017 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will include food, drink, entertainment and a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Fulop in attendance!

A portion of the proceeds from sales of the artwork will be donated to Women Rising, Inc. of Jersey City. Identity runs through March 9, 2017. The next exhibit, tentatively titled The Power Show, will feature Jim Ridlon, Dusty Herbig, Brian Gustafson, Rainer Maria Wehner and Maurizio Zuluaga.

Anne is also a working artist. If she is not drawing or painting, she spends her off-time away from the gallery doing studio visits. If you are a local artist looking for gallery representation or interested in more information about the gallery, you can contact her at (201) 744-6713.

Current gallery hours are Wednesday and Friday 11:00am-6:30pm, Thursday 11:00am-8:00pm, Saturday noon-5:00pm and Sunday noon-6:00pm and by appointment. The gallery specializes in industrial and live-edge furniture and contemporary functional and decorative ceramics, as well as mixed-media fine art. For more about the gallery visit www.novadogallery.com <3

art, art exhibition, art for sale, art resources, Karen Tashkovski, painting, sculpture

Visions of Hope

Image February 20, 2017 Karen Tashkovski Leave a comment

I was able to take a quick trip to New Jersey – thank you, Mother Nature, for providing magnificent weather for a safe journey in February! Yesterday I visited the Novado Gallery in Jersey City (blog post to follow), and today I stopped at the Summit Medical Group in Berkeley Heights.

I went to pick up the eight paintings I had on display (from April until a few days ago). It is such a beautiful space and the people are so friendly. I just love it there! Now, space planner Elizabeth Wiech has installed a show of these brilliantly hued text-infused paintings by Susan Hope Shaffer.

Shaffer, a cancer survivor, created these images to empower herself and others on their healing journey. Through art, she has discovered a source of positive energy and this is such a beautiful and magical resource. The exhibit is incredibly cohesive and captivating.

Refreshments and entertainment will be provided at an opening reception on Friday, March 3, 2017 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. The gallery space is located on the basement floor of the Lawrence Pavilion at Summit – 1 Diamond Hill Road (07922). A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the artwork will be donated to Pathways Women’s Cancer Support.

For more information call (908) 277-8806 or visit their web-site – www.summithealthmanagement.com

art, art education, encaustic, found object, hearts, Karen Tashkovski, mixed media, painting

Valentine-ing

Image February 18, 2017 Karen Tashkovski Leave a comment

On Tuesday, I gave each of my twelve Studio in Art students a valentine. I prepped 3″ x 5″ canvas panels with a few layers of beeswax. I carved in a heart stencil. I thought this would be a quick and fun way to introduce them to encaustic painting.

I took an encaustic course (graduate level) at Syracuse University in 2012 with free credits I’d earned for hosting a student teacher. Davana Robedee was my instructor. I love incorporating this relatively new-to-me media in the art classroom.

Students melted oil pastels on pancake griddles (all the windows in the room were open and the fans were on high) and went to town tackling their tiny canvases. The thing about wax is that when warm, it produces a luscious liquid color on the brush – but as soon as you remove it from the heat source, it solidifies, so…that brush stroke needs to be a quick thinking confident one – needs to count! They really loved the process. We decided to add a second day of it, which gave them time to process the process and make better decisions once they got the hang of it.

I painted 11″ x 14″ canvas panels with black acrylic paint for each of them and glued wooden plaques to the centers. Students carved into their encaustic paintings with clay tools to enhance the texture then added mixed media items to it and/or to the black frame. We brought the encaustics in for the landings with Elmer’s glue.

I am in love with the decisions they made and the fact that in three classes they all created these wonderful emotionally-charged finished products. So beautiful. I love heart energy! <3

art, art exhibition, art for sale, art resources, found object, Karen Tashkovski, mixed media, printmaking, quilting

Rage of Love

Image February 12, 2017 Karen Tashkovski 5 Comments

The artwork presented by storyteller artist and quilter Vanessa Johnson is an extension of her being. The outstretched arms of this humanoid fabric art are inviting, welcoming and loving, connecting the women they represent, the artist and the viewer in a heart-warming embrace. She is honoring women as she visually interprets their struggle while contemplating her own life journey as an African American with roots in Ghana.

Vanessa begins with the bodies – sewing cloth to cloth, much of it found in West Africa. This becomes her canvas and from it sprouts limbs, heads and the detailed decoration of meaning that produces emotionally-charged and animated floor-to-ceiling quilts.

Last night was the opening reception for Unwrapping Vanessa at ArtRage, 505 Hawley Avenue, Syracuse, New York. The art exhibition continues through March 25, 2017. ArtRage is a gallery that focuses on social issues. They hold several exhibitions a season and coordinate them with other events – lecture/discussions, musical performances and poetry readings, film screenings and theatrical plays. There is a pancake breakfast on Sunday, March 5, 2017 beginning at 9:00 am. On Wednesday, March 8, 2017, Vanessa Johnson will give an artist talk at 7:00 pm.

Vanessa has been creating art quilts for over twenty years and has exhibited her work all over Central New York. She displayed work at the Chittenango Middle School library a few years ago! Since then her work has evolved considerably.

There is so much raw emotion to be discovered. Of the love of identity, of the power of friendship and of the joy of knowing a world where so many women of color are respected in their achievements. She is certainly inspired by these women and by the strength of the community in which she lives.

The artwork is combined with stories, text in quilted books and woven into the tapestry. In addition, pouches of soil from her homes here and in Ghana are lovingly added as a type of talisman. She calls them “gris gris”. It is this narrative that blurs the lines between artist and artwork, iconography, environment and inspired action. So much beauty in the richness and flavor of her life! <3

ArtRage is open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 2:00 – 7:00 pm and Saturday noon – 4:00 pm. They are available for school tours as well, and are always seeking submissions from artists for future exhibitions. For more information, contact info@artragegallery.org. Their website is www.artragegallery.org.

art, art for sale, Karen Tashkovski, painting

Mandala Man

Image February 11, 2017 Karen Tashkovski Leave a comment

Ken Nichols‘ mandala paintings have been on display in the Chittenango Middle School library since the end of November 2016. They are coming down on Monday. Ken is a painter and a potter, a Syracuse artist who believes in the passion of creation.

He uses Golden Artist acrylic paints. He begins by painting the surface of the canvas black then uses an intuitive process to shape the composition relying on color to forge a path of rhythm throughout. The result is vibrant and fun abstracts that keep the viewer hypnotized in his psychedelic vortex.

Ken spoke to students during a 10th period art reception in December. He had them mesmerized! I have a short video at the bottom of this post. It is always a win-win for students to meet artists. A mutual admiration society of positive energy that transcends age and time. Belief in yourself is always the message. Taking pride in what your hand can manufacture. Art for art’s sake and for peace of mind. Really good conversation.

Check out more about Ken Nichols by visiting his web-site here.

art, art exhibition, art resources, fashion, found object, jewelry, Karen Tashkovski, mixed media, sculpture, Syracuse University

Army of Thieves

Image February 10, 2017 Karen Tashkovski 2 Comments

According to the literature for this exhibit of sculptures by Vanessa German, “when assembled together, these power figures resemble an army of women on the march”. German creates them from a plethora of found objects. The mannequin parts are plastered and tarred then assembled and dressed via wiring, sewing and gluing the objects in place, adding jewelry and dress that evokes some form of armor.

They become modern soldiers lined up in effect, like those terra-cotta figurines found at the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in China. It is incredibly breathtaking and powerful to witness. The work is in the Sculpture Court and in the Wampler and Robineau Galleries on the first floor of the Everson Museum of Art (400 Harrison Street, Syracuse, New York).

Tonight was the art reception for this exhibit titled de.structive dis.tillation (a nod to the chemical construction of tar), as well as for the Bradley Walker Tomlin retrospective. I will be attending an in-service for teachers in March that focuses on the latter. I titled this post Army of Thieves because the German sculptures stole the show, which is totally ironic in that the upstairs galleries are full of local artists work and that has ALWAYS been my dream for the Everson, lol, and includes my colleagues and former S.U. professors in its mix. Vanessa German is a product of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

German’s dolls are meant to tell the story of/create a dialogue about the social injustices of the African-American experience. It’s to do with destructing in order to construct. Rebuilding a world and giving voice to a type of commitment to peace, joy and love in spite of challenges. The result is the whimsical and harmonious sound of texture, a cultural heritage-based beauty and personification that has the potential to resonate for everyone in our community.

It is the flavor of intense joy. There is so much to see here! Flea market finds that take your breath away. Attention to detail with regard to fabric and fibers. The sculptures are skateboarding and riding tricycles, standing on soap boxes and rejoicing as they stand for one’s tears and for the healing hope of a better future.

You need to see them! I really ought to plan a field trip for my Studio in Art students. We just finished creating sculpture/mobiles of paratroopers using plaster, found objects and humanoid forms, so, this would be right up their alley.

The exhibit continues through May 7, 2017. The Everson is planning a day camp for students during the week of Mid-Winter recess (that starts a week from today). Go to their web-site for more information or call them at (315) 474-6064. They will also be doing a Saturday workshop for children, and in addition, several events such as family day and docent led tours of the exhibitions. <3

art, art education, art exhibition, art resources, illustration, Karen Tashkovski, landscapes, printmaking, Syracuse University

Educational Camaraderie

Image February 2, 2017 Karen Tashkovski 1 Comment

The gist of the art exhibition currently residing on the walls of the SU Art Gallery at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York is the sense that art matters. It was a factor in business in the 1930s, as artists worked in tandem with corporations to promote products and lifestyles. A mutual admiration society of people helping people.

Thomas Hart Benton is at the core of this show, an artist a bit more well-known than others (with the exception of Grant Wood; he is now a household name to most of my students). They used Benton’s clout to generate sales for all the artists in the stable of a company called Associated American Artists. Prints were sold to customers to bring art to every wall in American homes with lesser known artists being carried along for the ride of capital gain. The company closed shop in 2000.

The conscious acknowledgement of and respect for artists is what I walked away with from this exhibit, a system that worked and should continue to work. I would love to see artists promoted by local businesses in this way – perhaps a group showing of work based on local and regional products that would catapult said products into the national spotlight. It’s a mutual win-win. Artists would maintain their stye and sense of freedom in the creation of the art and still create work that represents a company’s point of view.

Syracuse University does an outstanding job curating this gallery. It is remarkable how different it looks from the last show they had and how well more than one hundred thirty objects of art fit into the space. I like to think I am well-versed in art history but … I learned so much tonight. A truly educational experience. I would expect no less from my alma mater! Loved it!

This show, titled Art For Every Home (Associated American Artists, 1934-2000) came from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas. It will continue through March 19, 2017 with a gallery talk by one of the curators, Elizabeth G. Seaton. Ph.D, curator of the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art at Kansas State University, scheduled for Thursday, March 2, 2017 at 6:00 pm.

Sascha Scott, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Art and Music Histories at Syracuse University, will give a presentation on Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 6:00 pm.

The gallery is located in the Shaffer Art Building on SU campus. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 am – 4:30 pm. The gallery stays open until 8:00 pm on Thursdays. They are closed during university holidays. Call (315) 443-4097 for more information or email them at suart@syr.edu.

art education, fashion, Karen Tashkovski

Me & Karl L.

Image February 1, 2017 Karen Tashkovski 1 Comment

img_20170110_085438_024 — Free People dress, BCBGMaxAzria top and leggings, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots

img_20170113_084703_629 — BCBGMaxAzria dress, Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots

These Karl Lagerfeld Paris boots are in heavy rotation right now. They are 2 1/2″ heel – over the knee boots in both blue and black suede. I couldn’t decide which color to get, and you know that meant I had to have both of them. So comfortable, so amazing! They go with everything in my closet. It is incredible how a new item makes everything else that’s old appear fresh again. Karl Lagerfeld Paris definitely gets the Tashionista seal of approval. <3 <3 <3