There will be a Preview Party from 5:00 to 7:00PM the day before, on Friday, June 17, at Santa Fe University of Art & Design Fine Arts Gallery, 1600 St. Michael’s Drive. They will be serving refreshments at the Preview Party and showing samples of all the artists’ work. The work of J T Gunn will be displayed to celebrate her talent and her commitment to the artistic community of Santa Fe.

The Studio Tour is an opportunity to see wonderful art made of diverse media by talented Santa Fe artists.

Please stop by!

Jennifer left word that she would be painting in Positano, Italy

She would want you to seize the day and the rich variety of Santa Fe Art.

Refreshments will be served.

I have worn many hats in my work life. They include marketing consultant, job developer, career coach, executive director of a nonprofit and CEO of a management consulting company. However, none of these roles is as fulfilling as being an artist. Yet, I believe, that I am and will continue to be a better artist because of my background.

A good friend of mine gave me a quote, by Rachel Naomi Remen, that I keep close by to remind me about what it means to be an artist:

“At the deepest level, the creative process and the healing process arise from a single source. When you are an artist, you are a healer; a wordless trust of the same mystery is the foundation of your work and its integrity.”

At this stage in my career as an artist, I am formulating a plan to combine all of my skills to become more successful as an artist, to promote public art for the enjoyment and healing of as many people as possible as well as to facilitate the success of other artists of all ages.

The projects that I am considering, in addition to developing my own art, include:

Project #1: Take an active role in getting more positive art into public places.

I do have some ideas of public sculpture that I want to create. However, I want to think far beyond my own art. Many communities do not consider the importance of public art in the process of designing and developing their infrastructure. I believe that this is a mistake from both an artistic and an economic point of view. Using my perspective as a marketing consultant, your town or city is a product that needs to be effectively positioned in the marketplace to be viable. If you have a beautiful setting, but allow unplanned development without regard to aesthetics, eventually, that strategy, or lack thereof, is going to backfire. Whatever your location, you want to entice people to live and work in and visit your community; thereby increasing the your community’s vitality and tax base. To accomplish this goal, you need to have incentives. Public art, environmental design, and effectively planned architectural design are among those enticements that encourage people to visit a new place. When they come, whether to relocate or to visit; they will spend money. Then, friends tell friends.

Have you ever walked down a street in a town or city and just felt good being in that place? It is difficult to measure the impact of the public art, public gardens, and well-planned architecture. Yet, many European cities understand the importance of this draw and visually demonstrate the pride that they have in their communities. More U.S. cities could benefit from employing this approach.

Project #2: Establish a foundation that focuses on promoting art education, art careers and art businesses.

I have often heard, to my chagrin, that “art is no way to make a living”. This attitude is more pervasive than I would like. Many children are not exposed to art in their education, much less as a career option. We all have an inalienable right to pursue happiness in our careers as well as our lives.

There are many jobs in the field of art that will allow a person, of any age, to pursue their passion and make a good living—if they are truly passionate about an art career as a goal. Clearly, talent is not enough for success.

Many people who are skilled artists need business and marketing help. There are many varied models for being a successful art entrepreneur. More people need low-cost information about these practices. I say “low-cost” versus “free” because I believe that everyone who obtains help should pay something to reinforce the value of that help and “pay it forward” so there are continuing resources for others who also need help in the future.

I am putting forth my ideas as one means of networking with individuals and organizations that may be able to facilitate my achievement of these goals.

If you have an idea, a lead or represent an organization that is in tune with my goals that might help them come to fruition, please contact me at gunn@ix.netcom.com or call me: 505-231-8054.

Photographic Note: The photograph at the top is one that I took of an outdoor sculpture, created by Arnaldo Pomodoro, which is located at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

I enjoy working with clients to create one-of-a-kind artwork for gifts, for their home or business.

The sky and your imagination (and mine) are really the limit in creating that special piece.

Here are some examples of artwork that I have created on a commission basis.

Cali The Cat
A group of friends gave a “shower” for another of their friends who had acquired a new kitten after living alone for a long time without a furry companion. One of the shower presents was a gift certificate for me to do a portrait in pastel of the new cat. I spent a lot of time photographing the cat (named “Cali), learning about the unique behaviors that made the Cali special so I could settle on just the right pose. The portrait, which was created in pastel, was a big hit. It was so well received that Cali’s owner had a party to show it off.

Billie Holiday
A man was looking for the perfect gift for his wife for Christmas. She loved jazz and the blues. He happened to be visiting one of my studio mates at a time when I shared a studio. He saw me creating a blues singer out of Sculpey. Sculpey is a plastic-like clay that is shaped and then baked as the final step. It comes in a wide range of colors. On the spot, he commissioned me to create a small sculpture of Billie Holliday, about 4” tall that could be used a holiday ornament. This was a time-consuming process as I researched various historical photos of the late singer. Then, I created my “take” on her–complete with the flower in her hair. The client was most pleased with the result.

Ginger The Dog
A couple came to one of my art shows and saw one of my pastels of a dog that reminded them of their own dog. They asked me if I would do a portrait of their dog. Ginger. Ginger was a wonderful dog but very old and frail. My challenge was to create a painting of Ginger that was realistic yet showed her when she was a bit more spry than when I met her. It took me multiple attempts to create the composition that made sense to me. When it was done, I presented it to her owners and they were very excited. Ginger died two months after I completed her portrait. Her owners told me that it really helped in their grieving process to be able to look at Ginger’s portrait. Please see Ginger at top right of blog.

I look forward to hearing about your special projects whether they are in paint, pastel, bronze or another medium. I love challenges. However, if I do not believe that I can successfully create what you want, I will tell you up front. Please call me or email for more information.

I have always enjoyed making jewelry, whether the materials are precious stones, silver, hand-wrought materials or found objects.

Long ago, my grandfather taught me about the many secrets inside dirt-encrusted rocks that we found strewn around the family property in Tucson, Arizona. He would pick up a stone and say” This is Malachite.” Then, he would see another and say” This is Jasper.” I did not really understand until he showed me how to cut and polish stones in his workshop. The malachite became a gorgeous deep green and the jasper was transformed into shades of rose and terracotta.

From these early beginnings, I have collected stones wherever I have traveled. I continue to add to my collection, focusing on semi-precious stones and sterling silver beads and clasps. Most recently, I have started to sculpt in Precious Metal Clay. This clay allows me to use my sculpting skills to create one-of-a kind pendants and beads that when fired become a high-quality hardened silver.

Stones come from deep in the earth and have been here a lot longer than man. Thus, many people believe that certain stones have properties that they can use to help them focus on goals, maintain a positive attitude or heal themselves.

My goal is to create jewelry that has special meaning to the wearer. Wearing a necklace with stones that are each selected for a certain goal helps the wearer focus on that purpose. Each piece of jewelry is different. I use high-quality stones and silver to create life-long treasures. I do not skimp: I believe that the bright flash of just the right stone and bead; in concert with just the right clasp, makes the jewelry just that much more special to the wearer.

As an example, I created one necklace for a clinical hypnotherapist who works with people who have serious health issues. The necklace was combined with a series of stones that represented each of the chakras, sterling silver beads, and a snake as a pendant. The snake is a symbol of healing. (No mystery that the symbol for physicians for over a hundred years has been the caduceus which consists of a staff intertwined with a snake.) The hypnotherapist loves the necklace. She wears it regularly, particularly when she sees clients.

Another necklace that I created had Labradorite and Sunstone as the main components. Labradorite is a bit of a chameleon. It can flash purple, green, blue or look gray – depending on the stone and the light. It is a stone with magical protection. It works well with the orange-gold, saucer-shaped stone, Sunstone. Sunstone has a story that includes leadership, personal power, creativity and a heightened ability to positively address any self-doubt that you might have. It was given as a gift. I was told that as soon as the recipient put it on, he felt wonderful…and that, to me, is the ultimate compliment.

Another of my jewelry commissions was for a woman who was a university professor: After years of hard work, she received tenure at her university. Her family gave her the necklace as a gift. I created it based on what I knew of her personality, her preferences and achievements. It was created for “Continued Realization of Her Goals and Dreams”. One of her favorite colors is purple so I picked the purple stone, Sugilite, for the key stone. Sugilite is a gorgeous stone that conveys the properties of spirituality and enlightenment to help people achieve their dreams. Other stones that I included were Labradorite, mixed beryl (Amethyst, Aquamarine) and Sunstone. Amethyst increases Sugilite’s protective qualities and offers protection from negative influences and helps the wearer maintain balance and clarity. The cool blue Aquamarine has soothing and cooling properties. It is also a stone of good luck and clarity of communication. It is described by experts as the stone of “empowerment.” With this combination of stones and silver accents, it is a power-packed necklace. The professor loved the necklace and immediately wore it to her next presentation.

I give special thanks to The Book of Stones: Who They Are & What They Teach, by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian. I use this comprehensive book as a reference guide for insight into the properties of the stones that I use for jewelry.

I look forward to making jewelry for you or for you to give as a gift.

View larger image»

In 2001, my studio was a shared space on the third floor of what was an old Civil War hospital overlooking King St. in Old Town Alexandria. It had wonderfully high ceilings, lots of windows, and the original pine floor.

I was looking forward to holding my first, self-produced, art show at the studio in October. The invitations were carefully created with the image, Goodbye for the Summer shown at the top of this blog post. I had worked for over a year on this pastel which was close to life size.

The invitations landed in local invitees’ mailboxes on September 11.

This art show became one of the most memorable events during that difficult time because of the joy that it generated. To my surprise, many people came to my art show in October. The tragedy did not keep them away.

Serendipity was a part of the event as I had already designated the William Wendt Center for Loss and Healing in Washington DC as the recipient of a donation. The Center helps children who have lost a loved one. I always choose at least one charity to receive a donation from some of the proceeds of each of my shows: This charity was chosen long before 9/11.

Goodbye for the Summer was auctioned to the highest bidder at the show: All of the proceeds went to the William Wendt Center. The subject of the painting is Mrs. Mary Cleer McLaughlin, known far and wide in Old Town Alexandria for the joyful way that she conducted herself each day in her job. The scene shows her on the last day before summer vacation with two of my dogs. Mrs. McLaughlin was a crossing guard for decades in Old Town. Miss Mary, as she is known, has retired, but is still recognized by children, parents and her four-footed friends when she walks down the streets of Old Town Alexandria.

The event was a success for the Center, for me, and for everyone who attended. We all had fun, enjoying art and each other’s company.

Joy trumped grief!

After the Night sculpture»

I work with water-based clay. Many artists, particularly for larger pieces, use an oil-based clay.

Once I am done with the sculpture, I give it to my moldmaker, Fran Nicholson. Fran is a very talented sculptor herself and has created the molds for many well-known artists including Glenna Goodacre.

Fran carefully creates the mold based on her years of experience as a moldmaker and as someone who has worked in a foundry. She knows how to make certain that the finished bronze comes out well.

After the mold is created, Fran creates the waxes and “dresses them,” cleaning up any seams from two-piece molds, etc. Then, she returns them to me. I perform the final quality control on each wax before it goes to the bronze-casting foundry.

Madd Castings of Colorado is currently casting my sculptures. They will make a series of sprues (plumbing attached to the wax sculpture) to ensure a good pour. Then, they create a a shell using several coats of a silica-based compound.

Once the shell is hardened and ready; then, they pour the hot bronze, usually at least 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, into an opening in the shell.

Once the bronze has cooled, the bronze is “hatched” by breaking open the shell: The new bronze sculpture is born! It is an exciting process.

The bronze is then delivered to me. My job is to make certain that the bronze is finalized  according to my vision. That means having it chased (grinding, sanding and buffing the metal) to clean up any blemishes that might have been introduced in the casting process and then deciding on the patina and having it finished in the chosen patina.

Once again, I have the help of a talented sculptor, Deb Martin, as my patineur. Some patinas are complicated. For these pieces, I am choosing a rather simple patina.

Bronze is a time-consuming and somewhat costly process… but the end product makes it worth all the effort.

A giclee is a high-quality reproduction of an original painting or work on paper that is signed by the artist and limited to a certain number of editions. Examples of my work available in giclee form are Velocity, Northwest Memories and Close Encounter.

The process occurs in three steps:

1. Photographing the original. To obtain the maximum quality requires an experienced photographer and expensive photographic equipment. I use High Desert Arts in Santa Fe for my photo captures and the printing of my giclees.

2. Quality control. Once the photo capture has been made, then both the photographer and I compare the photo capture in a draft print to the original to evaluate how true the colors are. Adjustments are made through a digital photographic process.

3. Printing of the giclee. The artist decides on the size of the edition, the type of paper or canvas, and the size of the Giclee. The paper or canvas is high-quality and archival, the same material that artists use for original work. Once these decision are made, the giclee is printed either individually or in quantity.

Most artists print in small quantities so as not to have a lot of inventory on hand. That is why is necessary to wait 1-2 weeks for your giclee print.

Once the printing process takes place, it is ready for you to enjoy!