Art's Fringe Benefits

Hanging out with other artists and talking art is nearly as good as making the stuff. No one gets it like other artists do, and an extended stretch of time with art pals is just a wonderful time to share news, enthusiasms, stories and opinions about art.

Binnie Birstein before the opening of NEW @ FAC

Last weekend I spent nearly two days talking art and hanging out with friends at the NEW @ FAC show in Fairfield, Connecticut. We even managed to fit in a pajama party at Binnie's on Saturday night.


Here are a few images of work in the show. There were 55 pieces of work in encaustic altogether, so not all the work is included here. (NEW members can see all my photos on our yahoo site.) The show is on until June 25th, which means it will still be up during and after the encaustic conference.

This work was in the entryway: LtoR - Kim Bernard, Pat Gerkin, Binnie Birstein, Nancy Natale

It kills me to post this horrible picture of myself, but I do want to show you Billie Jean Sullivan, Director of FAC, in blue, Show Organizer Binnie Birstein in the white shawl and Curator Laura Einstein on the far right. Laura did an excellent job selecting the work and finding a way to hang it all and meld it into a unified exhibition.

This is part of the first wall after the entryway. LtoR work is by Donna Hamil Talman (2), Misa Galazzi (top), Dawna Bemis (2), Ken Eason (2), Helene Farrar (top), Barbara Cone and part of a work by Earl Schofield.

Work by Beverly Rippel (top), Sharon Coffin, Sue Katz (2) and Binnie Birstein.

These are by Diane Langley on the left and Linda Cordner on the right.

Corner piece by Carol Odell, sculpture and painting on right by Kim Bernard.

Kim's piece again with two by Gregory Wright.

LtoR: A diptych and single panel piece by Rick Green, two landscapes by Pam DeJong, blue landscape by Charyl Weissbach and bottom work by Suzanne Des Rosiers.

Two pieces by Alison Golder on the left, then Kellie Weeks and Lelia Weinstein.

On Sunday we did a two-hour talk and demo and were happily surprised when Joanne Mattera stopped by on her way out of New York. (LtoR: Binnie, Dawna Bemis, Joanne, Misa Galazzi.)

Here is Binnie demonstrating use of a propane torch.

Dawna talking about her work.

And Misa showing us a book that documented a recent solo show of her work.

Do you think Binnie is talking about painting with encaustic or techniques of flying here?

Whatever it was, Binnie did a great job introducing New England Wax to the Fairfield Arts Council and providing lots of fun for artist pals.

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Bulletin: The number of Art in the Studio followers has hit 100! Welcome followers. I hope I can keep you interested and entertained - or at least amused.