Today is the final day of my Show in Piermont.  It has been a great show and I have had a wonderful time meeting new people and catching up with friends and fans of my work.  Next for me is the giant leap of getting our new place GARNER24 Gallery up and running.  We will be working on the space this summer with a some work up in August and a big opening bash in September.  More to come on that in the next few weeks!

Keep Makin Art!
Carl

The Best Comment Ever...

I just finished my second weekend of my show 'Close to Home' at the Piermont Flywheel Gallery.  Having a solo show at a gallery is a very interesting experience.  In general my shows are well received by the people see it and I get nice comments.  Sometimes my work will move somebody and that is really great.  Other times I end up having these amazing conversations.  Today I had a compliment that I will carry for a long time.  I'll think about it on those inevitable days when I question choice to follow my dream and pursue my art full time.  A gentleman took a while looking at my photos and not saying anything.  He kept coming back to this photos.  Finally he spoke and asked if I was the artist.  I said yes.  He was interested in how the photo came to be and had some technical questions and some nice comment.  The last thing he said, without knowing me and passion for the work of Edward Hopper and my deep connection to him, said "If Edward Hopper were a photographer this is the kind of photo he would have made."  It made my day to hear those words.  

Keep Makin' Art!

Carl

Spring Photo Workshop

On Tuesday, June 10th I taught a spring photo workshop with the very talented teacher and photographer Michael Malandra.  We spent the morning photographing Stony Brook in Harriman State Park and then went to the Torne Valley Winery for editing, printing and a wine tasting.  We had 8 students of all levels and they all got amazing photographs, as you can see by the images below.  Everyone had a fun day!  Michael and I are working on a schedule of future workshops which I will announce here.  Artistic balance Photography is off to a great start.

Students hard at work making their masterpieces! 

Our home for the afternoon the beautiful Torne Valley Winery 

One of two IMac editing stations set up at winery for the workshop.

The Amazing work produced by our students.

Keep Makin' Art!

Carl

The adventures of Artistic Balance

Close to Home exhibit at Piermont Flywheel

So where did I leave off with the adventures of Artistic Balance.  Oh yeah... I remember.  I started this blog for two reasons.  the first was to show off the work I was doing.  The second was to have a place to talk about the work life balance of an artist with a full time corporate job.  In the 6 or so years I have had this blog I have grown in so many ways as an artist and a person.  I'm now convinced growing up is a process we do our entire lives.  I have had much success in these six years and have found the biggest struggle has been having enough time and energy to do everything I want to do and do it well.  I finally came to the decision this year, with my lovely Wenderina's help to pursue my art full time!  I am cutting back at my job to a per diem roll of two days a week.  That helps us pay the bills but gives me time to purse Artistic Balance as a business.  June 1st is when this took effect.  Since June 1st I have had a booth at a street fair, taught a nature photography workshop (with the excellent photographer and teacher Mike Malandra), opened my third solo show at the Piermont Flywheel Gallery. and signed the lease on an 800 ft studio  / gallery space I am opening this summer with Mike Malandra and the very talented photographer Julie Scholz.  The solo show is called close to home.  I have posted about that in recent posts.  The Studio / Gallery (we really need to figure out a name) will be a work space during the week where we can work, do shoots, teach classes and workshops and on weekends be converted to a gallery.  It is a very exciting time for me.  I will continue to use this blog for my photos as well as weekly updates about the things I learn about starting my own small art business for those that care about such things or are considering taking the same giant leap of faith I am taking.  I could not do this with out my amazing wife Wendy, our loving and supportive parents and our friends who are encouraging me on.  I am really excited to be starting the gallery with Mike and Julie.  They are both incredible artists but also and more importantly great people.  Wish me luck on this new, crazy adventure I am on!

Keep Makin' Art!
Carl

P.S. Thinking of my friend Dave King today.  He would have been cheering wildly and sending all sorts of greetings from England in that wonderful understated way he had.  I miss exchanging comments with you daily sir.

CS

NYC Weekend June 7th and 8th - Infrared B&W

I had  a great weekend running around NYC with my camera!  I took photos around New York Public Library, Bryant Park and Central Park.  There are many more to edit and share in the weeks to come.  It was only a few days ago, but seems like weeks.  Since Then I have taught a nature photography workshop for 8 people with Mike Malandra and then today I hung my new show at the Flywheel Gallery in Piermont, NY.  The opening reception of the show is this Saturday from 5-8pm.  If you are in the area please do stop in and say hi.  The show is called "Close to Home"  My last two solo shows have been been travel photos from Italy / London / Cape Cod and upstate NY.  This time I limited my shooting to 50 miles from my home and showed off the beauty of the Hudson Valley.  I am really proud of the Infrared prints in this show they are printed on traditional fiber based silver gelatin paper that has been selenium toned.  There is nothing quite like a traditional B&W print on fiber paper after all these years and new options for printing it is still the high water mark for B&W printing.  Stop in to the show and see for yourself.  The prints are extraordinary, they were printed by the brilliant folks at Digital Silver Imaging.

Keep Making Art!
Carl