Vivaldi Concert at the Cathedral
watercolor painting by Jane McElvany Coonce

I am always entering shows . Last weekend, I entered a show at Hollin Hills.  I was thrilled to learn that I won the Frame Masters Award for my piece, "Vivaldi Concert at the Cathedral." 

I did this piece from photographs I took in Venice. In June of 2018, I took a group of students to Venice to paint for a week.  One night, we bought tickets to a concert held in a church close to our apartment.  It was such a spectacular setting for the musicians.  I knew I had to paint it.

Entering shows is a lot of work.  You have to decide first which paintings you are going to select.  You have to type up an inventory sheet and labels.  You have to schlepp the paintings there, and you have to assist in hanging the show. You have to work at the receptions and sometimes at the sales desk.  At the end of the show, you have to schlepp them home.  It takes  a lot of work from start to finish.  If you sell or win a prize, it makes it feel worthwhile. If you don't sell, you sometimes wonder why you bother to do all this.  But it's part of the business of being an artist. (Not the fun part either.)  Most artists just want to paint.  The business aspect is not the part most artists enjoy.  This time of year, there are many art shows to participate in and it can be exhausting!  At the Ft Smith show in December, I sold quite a few paintings.  I sold 7 paintings which is quite a lot for one show. It's been a busy season and it still isn't quite over.  Thanks for all of you for supporting me by coming to my shows and art receptions and just sending words of encouragement when you see a painting on my blog and letting me know you like it.  It means a lot to me. More than you'll ever know.  It's like winning a prize!  Thanks, everyone!

Rainy Day at the Flower Market

Night Lights on a Venice Canal

Small Works at Ft. C.F. Smith this weekend

Pansies in a Blue and White Bow
oil painting by Jane McElvany Coonce
5x5

Georgetown View from Roosevelt Island Bridge
oil painting by Jane McElvany Coonce
5 x 5

I thought I might put up some of my smaller pieces that will be up at Ft. Smith.  They make nice Christmas gifts, wedding presents or a gift for yourself.  The square ones are 5x5 and the rectangular ones are 5x7.  I can only put 2 small ones out at a time, but if they sell, I'll replace them with the ones below. 

Night at the State Theatre
oil

Night at the Diner
oil

Sunset Kayaker in Georgetown
(watercolor)

Small Works:  Georgetown
(watercolor)

Peony Blossom
(oil)

Pansies in Urn
(oil)

Ft C.F. Smith - Artfest- this coming weekend

Rainy Day Flower Market
watercolor by Jane McElvany Coonce

This coming weekend is Ft. C.F. Smith's Artfest.  It is probably one of the best shows of the year. 
I have several new paintings that will be in the show. 
I have both watercolor and oils in the show this time. I have some big pieces as well as some very small pieces.
Come do some Christmas shopping early.

Ft. Smith is located at 2411 N. 24th St. in Arlington.
The opening reception is Friday, Nov 22 from 6 to 8 pm.
Saturday, Nov 23 from 10 am - 5 pm
Sunday, Nov 24 from noon to 4 pm.

Hope to see you there!

 

Night Lights on a Venice Canal
watercolor by Jane McElvany Coonce

Rainy Day Amigos - ARTregious!

Rainy Day Amigos
oil painting by Jane McElvany Coonce

On Saturday, November 2 from 6 to 8 pm, the Arlington Artists Alliance will hold their annual fundraiser at Gallery Clarendon.  Artists donate a painting to the silent auction.  We have over 70 artists that will be participating.

 My painting is called Rainy Day Amigos.  It's a large painting, 2 feet x 2 feet.  It is done in shades of gray, blue and purple.  It's a little different than what I normally paint.  In my class, I had my students do monochromatic paintings in shades of gray.  This is a take off on that theme.  I also have a series in watercolor going on right now with white umbrellas.  So this is a cross between the two projects.

Tickets to this event are a mere $10.  This includes entry to the auction, beer and wine and food from the local Clarendon restaurants.  I guarantee a fun time for all.  Also, it's a good way to pick up a painting for a VERY reasonable price (much cheaper than if the paintings were in a normal show at the gallery.) There will be lots of paintings to choose from in all styles and sizes.  There will be abstracts, representational works, sculpture, glass pieces, wood turned pieces and ceramics.  So don't miss it.  It's a great way to help our organization and also a great way to decorate your home.

Tickets can be purchased on line at :  www.arlingtonartistsalliance.org
Go to the website and click on Upcoming Events.

Hope to see you there.

Rainy Day Mission at The Art League, Old Town Alexandria

Rainy Day Mission
original oil painting by Jane McElvany Coonce

Each month, The Art League has a juried show.  I enter pretty much every month and roll the dice to see if my painting is accepted.  This month, "Rainy Day Mission" was accepted into the show.
It's always thrilling when I get the notice that my painting has been accepted.  I'm like a kid who just found the bag of Halloween candy that the mother has hid.  I clap my hands and do a little happy dance!

The show will be up for the month of October in the 1st floor gallery in the Torpedo Factory Center. 
The Art League is located at the corner of Kings St and Union St. in Alexandria, VA. 

Chaos

Saigon Traffic
oil painting by Jane McElvany Coonce

The new show at Gallery Underground this month is called "Chaos."  I submitted this piece, "Saigon Traffic", and it was used on the postcard to advertise the show.  That's always exciting for an artist to be featured on their advertising. It's hanging in a prime spot in the gallery.  It really looks great!

 I did this painting from a photo I took in Vietnam.  I was on a bus, and as I looked at the window, all I saw was wall to wall mopeds on the street.  It was an amazing site. Although the official name of the city is Ho Chi Mien City, the locals there would correct me and say they still called it Saigon.

Crossing the street as a pedestrian is a daunting task.  The locals also told me not to look both ways. They said to have faith, and step off the curb and look straight ahead. Whatever you do, you must not look at the oncoming traffic.  The reason is, if you just look straight, then you just walk at an even pace, and the drivers on mopeds know how to go around you.  But if you look at the traffic coming at you, you will stop.  This will mess the drivers up, and they will hit you.  So I followed the advice, although it was very scary not to look, and I just walked straight, knowing that hundreds of mopeds were coming towards me.  But the advice was sound; the mopeds went around me and I made it to the other side in one piece.

Vietnam was a beautiful country.  I really enjoyed my visit there.  If you want to get a little taste of Saigon, come to Gallery Underground in Crystal City this month.  The reception is tonight, Friday, October 4 from 5 to 7 pm.

Iona Gallery

I entered a show for Urban Landscapes and 10 of my paintings were accepted.  The show hangs from September to January.  The opening reception is this Saturday night, Sept 14, from 7 to 9 pm.

Bright Lights of New York City
original watercolor by
Jane McElvany Coonce

The gallery is located at 4545 42nd Street, NW in Washington, DC.  (phone number:  202-362-1815).

The opening coincides with the Tenley Town Main Street Event:  "Art All Night. " There are 19 venues that are participating by showing art and/or having musicians perform. At Iona Gallery, I will be one of the 7 artists showing urban scapes. There will be music from acoustic Guitarist, Spencer Hodgson. 

If you are looking for something to do this Saturday night, please join us at Iona Gallery.  You can also visit the website for the other activities going on that night near Tinley Circle.
https://tenleytownmainstreet.org/event/art-all-night/

Hope to see you Saturday night.  If you can't make it, feel free to stop by Iona Gallery in the next couple of months.

Koi in the Pond

Koi in the Pond
watercolor by Jane McElvany Coonce

I've been painting a lot this summer especially since my art classes ended, and I'm not teaching.  I finished "Koi in the Pond" in watercolor this week.  It was from a photo I took up in Rehoboth Beach.  It was a challenging painting; it was like solving a puzzle trying to figure out what to do first. How do you make the stones look like they are under water. Putting in ripples in the water was challenging as well.

I have to say it's one of my favorite watercolors that I have ever done.  I think I might have to try some more koi paintings and see if it gets easier.  I can't wait to see it framed.

Black and White

Rainy Day Mission
oil painting by Jane McElvany Coonce

A new show is going up this week.  It's a show of my students' works. The assignment was to do something in shades of black and white, but not using a tube of black.  The artists had to mix colors to make a black such as blue and brown.  But everyone came up with shades of gray!
We hang it this week and the opening reception is this coming Friday, July 12 from 5 to 7 at Gallery Clarendon. I hope you can make the reception, but if not , the show will be up from July 7 - Aug 4.
This is a very interesting show and the artists really stepped up to the plate.

Falls Church Arts Show: It's About Me

Sunday in the Outdoor Cafe
watercolor by Jane McElvany Coonce

There is a new show at Falls Church Arts called "It's About Me."  Artists had to submit paintings that reflect something about themselves. I am an observer of people. I'm always looking at people in scenes to see if it might make a good painting.  I take thousands of photographs that don't don't ever get used for a painting.  But I continue to take photos because every once in a while, I hit the jack pot.

This is one that I submitted to the June show. It's not large:  11x14, but I love how it turned out.  I have two others in there, a Key Bridge watercolor and some Oysters on the Half Shell.  Hope you'll stop by and see the show. It's at 700 West Broad St. next to La Famille Cafe and the Kensington.

Afternoon at Key Bridge

Oysters on the Half Shell

The Light of Venice

Gondolas at St.Mark's Square

Yesterday, we hung the new show, "The Light of Venice" at Gallery Underground. It is a blockbuster show!  There are 10 artists in the show and there are 65 paintings!  It's a show not to be missed. 

The reception is this Friday, June 7 from 5 to 7 pm.  We will have special food for this occasion to get you in the mood for being in the light of Venice. Free parking in the garage on 20th St. between Route 1 and Crystal Dr.

I hope you can make it to the reception, but if not, the show will continue from June 3- June 28.  The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 6 pm.  Free parking is provided. Just ask for your parking stub to be validated.

Gallery Underground is located at 2100 Crystal Drive.

The Grand Canal

Virginia Watercolor Society

Rowing on the Potomac
by Jane McElvany Coonce

Once a year, Virginia Watercolor Society has their annual show.  This year is the 40th anniversary of the organization. I enter the show every year, but it's a juried show, so the judge has to pick 80 painting out of hundreds of paintings.  There have been many years that I don't get in. This year I entered and got in. I was happy that my painting was accepted.  I was even more thrilled when I heard I won a a prize.  I was unable to attend the awards ceremony, but it was still exciting just the same. I have often said that entering juried shows is like playing the lottery. Some times you win, some times you don't.  One judge might reject a painting and then you enter the same painting into another juried show, and the judge picks it and gives it a prize. So I never get a swelled head if I get into a show or if I win a prize, nor do I get discouraged if I don't get into a show at all. It's just one person's opinion.  As my dad used to say, "If first you don't succeed, try, try again."

Mother's Day #2

Hydrangeas in a Blue and White Vase
oil painting by Jane McElvany Coonce

Here is another painting of flowers that I have in my studio at Gallery Clarendon this month. I love hydrangeas, and I wished they lasted longer when they bloom. With this painting, they will be blooming all year long!  There is a reception at Gallery Clarendon this Friday night, May 10 from 5 - 7 pm. I'll be there. I will also be there on Saturday, May 11 from 3 - 5.  So stop by and say hi.

Mother's Day is Approaching

Sunflowers

For the month of May, my studio space at Gallery Clarendon will feature flowers.  Mother's Day is approaching and instead of giving your mom flowers that will die in a week, how about giving her flowers that will last a lifetime.  Of course, I'm talking about paintings of flowers. What a special gift to give to the woman who has done so much for you.

This Saturday, from 3 to 5, I will be over there and can answer any questions you might have.

But the gallery is open 7 days a week. So stop by and see all the florals on the 2nd floor.

Please Vote for Gallery Underground as Best Gallery in Arlington

Sunflowers
watercolor by Jane McElvany Coonce

Hi everyone!

I've got a favor to ask you. I'd like you to vote for Gallery Underground as the best gallery in Arlington.  You don't have to live in Arlington to do this survey.

The Best of NoVA magazine survey is up
and ready for your votes!
Please vote for Gallery Underground
as Best Art Gallery.
https://www.northernvirginiamag.com/best-of-nova-vote

Thank you! Poll ends Feb 18.

In case you haven't heard, Amazon is coming to Arlington and specifically to Crystal City where Gallery Underground is located. We want to make sure that they realize that the gallery is a valuable asset to the community. We bring local art with great prices to the community. 

JBG Smith, the owners of the property, have been very good to us. I am impressed at how much they want to help a local arts group.  A good way to thank them would be to show that we are the best gallery in Arlington.

PLEASE, take a minute out right now to vote. The survey ends this Monday, so please do it right now while you are thinking of it. Ask your family members to help us, too!  Thank you so much!!!!!

The Best of NoVA magazine survey is up
and ready for your votes!
Please vote for Gallery Underground
as Best Art Gallery.
https://www.northernvirginiamag.com/best-of-nova-vote

Thank you! Poll ends Feb 18.

February 2019 Reception at Gallery Clarendon this Friday

From Georgetown to the Cathedral
by Jane McElvany Coonce

It's been a while since I've blogged. I apologize.  No excuses, but I have been painting quite a bit getting ready for several upcoming shows. One of them is this Friday at Gallery Clarendon. The painting in the photo above is a large watercolor painting of Washington, DC.  It has Georgetown and Key Bridge in the foreground with the Washington Cathedral in the distance.  It's the largest watercolor I have ever done ( a full sheet) and I have to say it was quite intimidating.  I've done large oils before, and I don't bat an eye at the prospect. But something about watercolor...what if I get 80% done and I screw it up? All kinds of crazy thought go through one's head.  Anyway, I finally finished it, and this is the first show that it's been in. Everyone is invited; bring your friends , bring your family. It's from 5 to 8 pm this Friday at Gallery Clarendon, 2800 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington, VA. We are located at the corner of Fillmore St and Clarendon Blvd. Look for the red awning on the corner. I might be up on the 2nd floor pouring wine, so come and look for me. I'll be there. We are having spring-like temperatures so come out and take advantage of some warm weather in February.

Sign of the Times

Family Time
by Jane McElvany Coonce

The Arlington Artists Alliance sponsored a national juried show called "Sign of the Times."
Works have been entered from across the country for this show to interpret signs of our times in various ways: real or imagined, literal or figurative, positive or negative. I put some thought into what I was going to paint for this show. I decided that one of my pet peeves is people always on their cell phones instead of talking to each other. I see people in restaurants, and the people at the table are all on their cell phones instead of talking to each other.

So this painting is actually from a photograph that my son, Kevin, took. It was a photo of my oldest son Nicholas, my youngest son Brian, and me sitting in the airport waiting for our flight. And here I am on my cell phone instead of talking to my family! I thought it was funny so I painted it.  I was thrilled that it was accepted into the show.

The reception for this show is this Friday, January 11 from 5 to 8 pm.  It is at Gallery Clarendon Clarendon located at 2800 Clarendon Blvd (at Fillmore St) in Arlington. Our gallery was just voted "Best Place to Buy Local Art" by the Arlington Magazine readers for 2019. I hope you will come out and see the show.  The show runs until Feb. 3.