Urban Groove Salon Austin Texas

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

You are invited to come out and enjoy some libations with me this Thursday evening from 6 – 9ish pm in Austin, Texas. I will be there to show you 18 of my artworks, some of them brand spankin’ new from my latest trip to Italy.

Come on out to:
Urban Groove Salon -- solo art exhibition by Kelly Borsheim
4301 W. William Cannon Dr., Ste. 260 [upstairs]
(SW corner of Mopac and Wm. Cannon - enter parking lot at take right after the circle, then left, next to Staples)
Austin, Texas 78749
Tel. 512.891.7070

Exhibit of 18 artworks (sculpture and 2-d works) continues from now to 9 November 2010.
Urban Groove Salon Hours:
Tues-Thurs: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Fridays: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sun and Mon: CLOSED

See you there!

Grove Park Inn North Carolina

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Recently my father and his wife Peggy wanted me to see the stone work and architecture of The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. I love Asheville, what little I actually know of it. I had chosen (and was accepted) to go to college in that wooded city near the Blue Ridge Mountains. But once I found out that Texas was not all tumbleweeds and had some gorgeous trees and rivers, I changed my mind and chose a university closer to my father’s location in Austin. I did not know what I wanted to be when I grew up, only that I loved mathematics, so instead of a major, I chose trees and the mountains. But that was 1982.

Today, The Grove Park Inn has probably not changed much since it officially opened on Saturday, July 12, 1913. The 150-room hotel was built of stone and concrete. Each five and a half inch thick section of the concrete roof was poured continuously to avoid unnecessary seams. The walls consist of the natural, uncut edges of stone in a way I have never seen before.



Edwin Wiley Grove and Fred Loring Seely kept the economy going by buying “carloads of mules.” The mules pulled sleds of boulders down the mountain to the “automobile trains” waiting in the roads below. The trains were made up of about 14 wagons tied together in a line and towed by one of three Packard trucks. They were able to carry about forty tons of rock per trip.


This reminded me of la lizzatura -- the centuries-old act of carrying the marble out of the mountains of Carrara, Italy, and down to the ships in the ports by way of large wooden logs and oxen.

So you can imagine my delight as my father and I continued to read about the building of The Grove Park Inn and look at the framed enlargements of 100-year-old photographs and discovered that Italian stonemasons were hired. They insured that Seely’s instruction that only the uncut, exposed edges of the stones were visible.

Shortly after the 1912 groundbreaking, 450 men were hired and earned the best wages of the region – “one dollar a day for a ten-hour shift.” Additional workers from the Deep South were brought in and housed in circus tents. They worked around the clock and the construction was completed in eleven months and twenty seven days.

Today the inn now includes a cave-like pampering spa (see my last image in this series), a golf course, and outdoor swimming pool, shops, and more. The day that we were there, we teased Peggy about stalking a wedding as she “oohed and aahed” over the bride and ceremony. It was a lovely setting and a perfect day!

The Grove Park Inn is completely fireproof and open all year long. The only thing I never saw an answer to was my question “Why is Fred Seely’s name not on the inn with Edwin Grove?” You may see more of my photos from this stone resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains on my public page on Facebook

And speaking of family, I would like to say a “Bonjour” to Marie-Madeleine Delmaire, mother of my dear friend Hélène, who tells me that her mom is now one of my blog fans in France.

Darryl Pottorf Links Art Exhibit

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

My life in Florence, Italy, always seems surreal to me. I am not sure why. It is just on such a different wavelength than my life in America. Of course, I tend to be a bit reclusive when I am working in Texas, not living so close to a city. In Florence, it seems sometimes that the most unusual and interesting people pass by and sometimes engage with me, especially when I am streetpainting on Via Calimala.

So, one night there about midnight last June, a couple of my colleagues and I met renowned artist Darryl Pottorf and Mark Pace. Darryl said that he was just cruisin’ along and saw the streetart, which stopped him in his tracks and he went back to get Mark and show him. My friends and I spent almost every evening hanging out and drinking with these guys during the rest of their Florentine stay. Darryl is quite the animated storyteller – and he has so many stories to tell!

I am currently in North Carolina on a trip that mixes business with family visits. My brother Steve and I recently delivered to a new client (but seasoned art collector) my bronze and stone sculpture “Against the Dying of the Light.”.

I was able to time this adventure so that I could stop by Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia, to attend the art reception for my new friend Darryl’s exhibit titled “Links.”

Darryl’s strength lies in his compositions. He has the ability to take objects and images and arrange them in such a way as to delight the eye and give a sense of order, as well as creating confusion or mystery simultaneously. Darryl spoke about the importance of the circle in his work. He likes the connectivity of it and this shape seems to give him comfort. [I found that interesting as well since I see the world in triangles, although I know that in at least one of my artist statements, I mention that if you were to take an equilateral triangle and spin it from its center, you would see a circle.]





I feel a bit … something … sharing this next with you, but it does prove how generous a person and artist that Darryl Pottorf truly is. I sat on the carpeted floor of the gallery somewhat close to Darryl so that I could get some good photos of him during his speech without blocking the view of those behind me. Darryl had been speaking about his work and his long-time collaboration with Robert Rauschenberg, even sharing some stories about what he did with his dear friend Bob’s ashes.

Imagine my shock and surprise when Darryl looked down at me and pointed me out to everyone as he retold the story about meeting my colleague Johnny McGrogan, Simon Steele, and me on the streets of Firenze. And he said -- I kid you not -- that if there were an exhibit in the next room of our works, no one would come over to see his! [This was videotaped by the university, in case you think I am exaggerating.]

Seriously, I felt the blood rushing to my face and humbled beyond words. At dinner later, I thanked Darryl for being way too generous and teased him that he was not such a good businessman because an artist should not belittle himself and speak of other artists at his own show. Darryl tilted his head a bit confused, paused, and then laughed at said that “I cannot think of a better time to do it!” I thanked him, perhaps too often. But seriously, that was pretty amazing.


My favorite piece in the show was a dark one. I show it here – the composition with the spider on the figure’s head. Darryl said that when he is angry, he makes his darkest (but still good) pieces; however, if he writes on the art the name of the person who enticed his anger, he will not exhibit the work. Haha. The spider was one of his angry works -- and an interesting composition of found objects, charcoal, and other materials.


This last image was taken of me with Mark and Darryl at a nearby restaurant, 2 Dogs, after the reception. I feel very fortunate to have met such cool people who understand art and the art business way better than I and who are pretty down-to-Earth about it all.

Click on the highlighted words here to learn more about Darryl Pottorf and his current exhibit “Links” (going on through 21 November 2010).

If you would like to see more of my images of Darryl’s show, check out my Facebook Album (not sure if you must “befriend” me first or not …)

Pastel Workshop Texas

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Due to a very special request, I am teaching again in Texas. (And if you like this workshop, I hope you will consider joining me in Hawai’I in January 2011.)

Texas Art Workshop Dates: October 23 & 24, 2010: 2 - 6 p.m. each day
Studio of Kelly Borsheim, Cedar Creek, Texas (20-minute drive southeast of Bergstrom International Airport - Austin)

In this hands-on introductory 2-day workshop, you will learn how to improve your drawing and observation skills and how to achieve a more 3-dimensional effect in your art using pastels and charcoal. Kelly will demonstrate, as well as assisting participants on an individual basis. For this workshop, we will work from photographic references - either from your images or copy a classical work of art. Or, if you prefer, bring in a current project that you wish to improve. Other topics discussed during the workshop as participants desire: framing, marketing, and pricing.

Participants do not need to have had prior art experience, although some drawing skills will be helpful. Class size is limited, so please enroll early. Details, as well as the supply list, are online at http://borsheimarts.com/art-workshops/Pastel-Workshop.htm.

Thank you for your interest! Let us paint together . . .

Tuscan Sky Art

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Many years ago, I met an Italian artist who has passion galore, but little formal training. She drew constantly as a child and even once met the famous Pietro Annigoni. She was just a little girl, but she always remembered that he stopped by her table to compliment her drawing. She recalls, “I was in Castagno di Andrea, a village in Tuscany , I think Mugello, when I met Pietro Annigoni. He was painting a famous Crucifixion in the village church. I was in the little trattoria near there for lunch with my mother and my grandfather. Annigoni passed by . . . . My [English] mother didn't like Annigoni because he was Italian and also because of some story about him, so...” Another time she had told me that her mother did not care for the portrait Signore Annigoni had painted of the Queen of England. So, apparently, his opinion about my friend’s artistic potential fell on deaf ears.

Yet throughout her life and many adventures, my friend Hafiza Malik, subject of my last post and pastel painting, continues to pursue her art whenever she can. She is a sensitive soul with many stories to tell. She loves Nature, and has a special affinity towards trees. She prefers to draw from life (which is how I met her), befriending artists and people from all walks. Hafiza collects Nature’s souvenirs and creates drawings, etchings, and paintings.

I have with me here in Texas a limited number of prints from one of Hafiza’s pencil drawings of the Tuscan landscape. The image is printed on a thick quality Italian paper and is a signed limited edition of 50. The image is approximately 7” x 11” and is titled “Cielo Toscano” (“Tuscan Sky”).

The price is $80 unframed (+$10 shipping and for Texans, sales tax). However, if you would prefer the art framed, I recommend all acid-free mat and foam core backing, with glass in an elegant black frame. I can offer a completely framed print of “Cielo Toscano” at the low price of $150 (+15 shipping, plus any applicable taxes). If you love Italy or even cloud watching, this image might be just for you. A great gift idea, too, for the travelers you know.

Please contact me if you would like to see this Italian artist’s work in person. (And if you find yourself near Florence, Italy, and would like to buy this print directly from Hafiza, let me know and I will connect the two of you . . . )


“Cielo Toscano” (“Tuscan Sky”)
7” x 11”
Limited edition of 50 signed print on Italian paper
Copyright and original pencil drawing by Hafiza Malik
Unframed Art Only:

+++++++++++++++++++
“Cielo Toscano” (“Tuscan Sky”)
7” x 11” (Framed size = 13” x 18”)
Limited edition of 50 signed print on Italian paper
Copyright and original pencil drawing by Hafiza Malik
Framed with elegant black frame and glass:

The following is an image of Hafiza explaining something about plants to me. These are capers, growing out of a Tuscan wall.

Songbird Pastel Art

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I have (almost) always felt privileged when a person includes me in a personal part of her life. I am referring to those kinds of things that two people share in an often quiet moment in life, such as when viewing a powerful sunset or one-to-one learning situation. This next pastel artwork is a painting that I did of my friend Hafiza in her home near Florence, Italy.

We were both sitting on Hafiza’s bed talking, while Hafiza was slowing gathering a warm blanket over her lap and legs. She had paused to formulate her thoughts before speaking and then, I saw her turn her head towards the window. She had heard a bird singing outside for just a moment and I realized almost simultaneously that we had not heard any birds in a while and also that the light coming through the window and falling onto my friend was truly lovely. I asked her to stay still for a moment.

I am having a good time with pastels and enjoying the transitions areas, such as blending pinks and oranges into the folds of the curtain behind my friend, as well as the grey parts of her backlit hair. In the second detail image, you can see the radiator and bed. Although I tend to work in a realistic style, I am trying to do this with fewer strokes. And I was trying to depict the texture of fringe vs. the other soft parts of the blanket.

Maybe you did not hear the bird’s song, but I hope that I was able to depict a feeling on intimacy and peace, and maybe even sharing the joy of spending quiet time with a dear friend.

“Songbird”

11.5" x 17”
pastel painting on Wallis Museum-Grade paper
copyright 2010 Kelly Borsheim
Please inquire on price – the work is currently framed with
Museum Glass (no glare means that you can SEE the work you want to enjoy)

Art and Mathematics

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I get pretty frustrated when I hear again the old argument about how art in schools is an option and mere fluff in the education of a child. Creating art is not just expression, it is problem solving. And art is mathematics. I say this as a former math major in university. As an artist I am constantly using one form of math or another.


People tend to tell me that math belongs to the realm of the left brain hemisphere (logical lobe). But I see it as right brain (the spatially thinking side), aided by the left lobe’s strengths. Like the notes on a page of sheet music, mathematical formulas are only symbols representing something else.

I had a real problem (not like those crazy-speeding-train-word-problems in my mathematical youth). This was the second time that I tried to place an order with a limestone supplier only to get absolutely no response! [And yes, they are still in business!] So, needing a large stone and having just returned from Italy, I took out my tape measure and started eyeballing a couple of limestone bases that I had bought for various exhibits. I got lucky and found one just large enough.

While I hated to give up a lathe-turned tapered stone cylinder, I also knew that if a quarry had chosen to go to the expense to shape this stone, she had to be a beaut. And she is!
But I needed a 4-sided pyramid shape (missing the top point), not a circular form. So, out comes the math work (Mr. Phillips would be proud) . . . and I only had one shot at it. That is what makes stone carving so exciting!

Here are a few progress images, as well as the finished stone. This is part of my bronze and stone figurative sculpture titled, “Against the Dying of the Light”. I received this order just as I was leaving for Italy and he is now almost complete!