Wow! I think 2021 was one of my busiest art seasons ever…and the most fun!
This year I participated in the Tippecanoe Arts Federation (TAF) First Friday Events in downtown Lafayette. The first Friday of every month TAF connects artists with businesses downtown to offer a unique afterhours shopping experience.
I was able to display my artwork and do colored pencil demonstrations at ESSENTIALLY AQUA on Main Street during the May, June, September and November events. I really enjoyed these events and getting to meet Aurora, owner and creative mastermind of Essentially Aqua. Her shop specializes in natural beauty and skin-care products that feel luxurious on your skin and smell divine. Umm, I may have shopped and sampled a little while I was there. Here are some of the items that sold at these events.
The Kokomo Howard County Public Library (KHCPL) hosted my solo show, MARKS OF A MAKER, during the month of August. KHCPL has a nice, open gallery space within the main library in downtown Kokomo. The show consisted of twenty-two colored pencil drawings and pastel paintings and was on display for the entire month.
During the month of August I also had three pieces on display at the Blackford County Arts Center in Hartford City, IN. They have a lovely gallery space in their downtown location.
I had two works on display September through mid October at the Opera House Gallery of Contemporary Art in Delphi, IN. Works in this show needed to be in reference to a NICHES Property.
I chose to submit two pastel landscapes inspired by a walk through the Berkshire-Tarnowski Forest Preserve near Camden, IN.
The Delphi Preservation Society hosted an Historic Home Tour of some fabulous older homes in Delphi.
I was invited to setup at one of the homes, The Rock House (a.k.a. The Goff House) and sketch on-site during the tour. I was very fortunate to be blessed with a beautiful fall day in late September. I was able to to set up an easel on the front porch of the house and complete a graphite pencil sketch of the house during the afternoon. I was also able to offer a selection of unframed prints and originals for purchase during this tour as well. The Rock House is an incredible home, now an AirBnB, and I was honored to be their artist on-site for the home tour.
Athens Arts Gallery located in Crawfordsville, IN hosts a national juried art show every two years titled, [untitled 2.0]. Interesting title for an interesting show. The call for entries for this show received over 250 entries from artists in 23 states. Only 85 entries were accepted for the show and my colored pencil drawing, FREE SPIRIT, was selected for the show.
She didn’t come away from the show with any awards, but I was honored to have been accepted in to this national show.
The last show I participated in was the Gem City Art Show Ruby Jubilee hosted by the Frankfort Community Public Library in Frankfort, IN. This show was also a first for me. Wow! I was impressed with this show! For a show lasting only three days in a small town like Frankfort, I was very impressed with the number of participating artists, the amount of works presented and the support by the community. I displayed a bin of unframed prints and originals as well as three framed works, WOODLAND NYMPH, CHILD’S PLAY, and FALTERED PRIDE. I am happy to say that WOODLAND NYMPH sold during this show.
2021 is quickly coming to an end. I have only one more show left and that is the Tippecanoe Arts Federation Holiday Show in December. Stay tuned for more information on that upcoming show.
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Lisa Bliss Rush - Artist 