The WORLD, Coos Bay, OR: Art news columnist reviews Coos Art Museum CAM Biennial--323 reasons to vote for people's choice

Wine on the Vine III 24x20 ©Sandi Whetzel

I'm so delighted to report that my art at the Coos Art Museum, CAM Biennial, has received a very favorable review in the Friday, Oct. 31st edition of The World, Coos Bay, Oregon's local newspaper. From 323 art entries/reasons to vote for the People's Choice, Teri Albert, columnist for the newspaper described two of three of my works displayed at the CAM Biennial:

"Brilliant hues and a light touch with her subject bring Sandi Whetzel’s Wine on the Vine paintings to a place near the top of my list. She combines acrylic with a co-polymer pour to fashion transparent, glass-like textures on her paintings. The fiery palette of Wine on the Vine II fairly pops from the museum wall, while Wine on the Vine III sports a cascade of plump grapes, tumbling into a beautifully rendered goblet. No wonder that Whetzel’s work has been used to promote the wine industry of the Umpqua Valley. To this imaginative artist I say, cheers!"

And on top of that, one of my wine paintings, Wine on the Vine III, I think, is also pictured in the actual newspaper, I'm told. I'm getting my hands on that newspaper issue ASAP. I was mildly hopeful about winning the People's Choice Award before this, but now I'm really hopeful.

Teri started her review by piquing readers' interest in voting for their favorite art works to determine which lucky favorited artist will receive a SOLO EXHIBIT at the CAM in 2009. She also commented on the work of two other artists. You can read all of Teri's reviews of the CAM Biennial by clicking HERE.

Coos Art Museum opens its galleries to new works by artists from Oregon: The CAM BIENNIAL and the People's Choice Award, October 10-December 6, 2008

I am happy to announce that I have three acrylic paintings on display at the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay, OR as part of the CAM BIENNIAL: The Art of Oregon. Continuing the tradition of supporting contemporary Oregon artists, Coos Art Museum opens its galleries to new works by artists from around the state. The CAM Biennial provides Oregon artists an opportunity to exhibit their work within an art museum setting without the extensive jurying process. The artworks exhibited in the CAM Biennial range from paintings to photography, ceramics to glass, textiles to metals and more. Galleries will be covered from floor-to-ceiling with participants’ works, professional and amateur hung side-by-side. CAM Biennial 2008 will be displayed throughout all five of Coos Art Museum's Galleries from October 10 through December 6, 2008. Come to CAM and see The Art of Oregon.

Voting for a People's Choice Selection will be conducted by Museum visitors during the entire run of the exhibition through the closing at 4:00 pm on Saturday, December 6, 2008. The winner will be given a solo exhibition at CAM in 2009!

Two of my wine series, Wine on the Vine II and Wine on the Vine III are displayed on the wall facing the entrance to the main gallery and one of my succulents, Tequila Sunrise, is hanging in one of the two galleries upstairs. I don't happen to have any friends or family living near Coos Bay to cast votes for any of my paintings but I am hoping that enough visitors will vote for my red orange Wine on the Vine II painting. This surrealistic painting was conceived and executed entirely from my imagination. It is defined as surrealistic in that it involves the combination of images that would not normally be found together, as if in a dream. I'd say it's only slightly surrealistic because it's not too far from reality. The images of grapes growing inside wine bottles suspended from grape vines aren't normal but I think I've portrayed them in an almost believable fashion. The painting and it's predecessor, the original Wine on the Vine, have drawn a lot of favorable attention. You can preview this painting by clicking on my wine series of paintings.

It would be great to win the solo exhibit at the CAM in 2009! If any readers plan to visit the Coos Bay, OR area between Oct. 10 and December 6, 2008, I highly recommend checking out the artists of Oregon at the CAM and please vote for your favorite painting. The museum is located at 235 Anderson in Coos Bay, OR. Museum hours are Tues.-Fri., 10 am - 4 pm. Sat. 1 pm-4 pm. Closed Sun., Mon. & holidays. Group tours available upon request.

Earth, Wind, Fire: A Painting to Stimulate your Senses

Earth, Wind, Fire 24x30 Acrylic
Originally uploaded by sandiwhetzel

I am happy to report that this painting is hanging in the Coos Art Museum at present from April 26, 2008 through July 5, 2008 as part of the Expressions West 2008 Exhibit in Coos Bay, Oregon. Over 200 artists from the thirteen states of the western United States, including Alaska and Hawaii submitted over 400 painting images to be juried by Gary Faigin, the juror for the exhibit. Faigin is the Artistic Director and co-founder of Gage Academy of Art in Seattle. He is the monthly art critic on Seattle’s NPR station, KUOW. A retrospective of his paintings was presented at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle in July and August of 2001. Faigin selected 65 paintings by 60 artists to be included in the exhibit. I was very glad to be among the artists accepted into the show. You can tour the entire exhibit by visiting this link: http://www.coosart.org/expressions/expressions_entries_index2008.html

The inspiration for this painting came from a photo of a very washed out, almost entirely pale green wooded scene on flat ground. Because I admire the grandeur of gracefully leaning trees, I could see the opportunity to exaggerate the curves and colors and invent the curvy patterns in the barks to create my vision of a dramatic early evening scene. In a thumbnail sketch I arranged the trees and branches with exaggerated leaning curves and anchored them into rolling banks of earth. Then I decided to add the flaming sunset. The whole painting is about wondrous curves, luscious colors and movement; a painting to stimulate your senses. When I was done painting, the rolling earth, fiery sky and leaning trees said "Earth, Wind, Fire" to me.