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.