Shamrocks and Shenanigans for ALL

"Leap" acrylic painting by Karen Swanson,
"Green Fields"oil painting by Megan Perkins, and
"Celtic Love III" assemblage cross by Shanda Woodward

It's Saint Patrick's Day and Garland Avenue in Spokane is getting on its Irish!

Later tonight is a Pub Crawl, that from reservations made already looks to be successful, but earlier is Little Dog Art Gallery's last art reception. The gallery show Gaelic on Garland (et cetera) is up until end of business Tuesday, March 21st. But tonight is cause for celebration, setting aside the commercial aspects of selling art, and celebrating the creativity of the artists who have shown their work here.

Looking at Karen's painting of an Irish dancer, I think of how rigidly such dancers hold their bodies from the waist up, their arms straight at their sides, hands immobile, while their legs and feet are constantly in motion with intricate stepping and leaps.

It makes me reflect on how owning and managing an art gallery is similar to Irish dancing. The public persona is cool, professional, calmly answering visitors' endless questions, providing insight in to the various artists' approaches and back stories. But the other component of the gallery dance is the blurring footwork that goes on: seeking and meeting new artists, getting their information and photos, coming up with show themes, contacting prospective and proven art buyers and collectors, making sure communication with everyone is clear, designing and hanging the artwork, shuffling business forms and reports, bookkeeping, making sure everyone receives their commission checks, endlessly coming up with publicity ideas, printing, mailing, collaborating with other galleries and art organizations, THEN all the social media to maintain with regularity.

Dance, dance, step, leap, don't fall on your face (too often), point your toe, leap, hop, even distribution of weight!

Yes, indeed! Running an art gallery keeps one on their toes, Irish or otherwise!

Eire Go Brach!

What are you going to do?

"What are you going to do when the gallery closes?"

This is probably the most asked question by friends, acquaintances, and total strangers, when they find out I'm closing Little Dog Art Gallery.

I have a whole list of ideas, projects, bucket list items from which to choose. I'm planning to maintain the Little Dog Art Gallery blog and website. The website is set up for online sales.

A year ago, the gallery was just such an idea, quickly jumped into primarily because a desirable space came available. I had a business plan, a whole city of talented artists from which to create shows and displays. I ran out of operating capital before I ran out of ideas.

Those ideas are still churning around in my head. I've made a small impact in this community, so I hope to follow through with that momentum, perhaps promoting standalone displays of artists' work in alternative venues or locations, for varying duration.

I feel the urgency to do something while the reputation the gallery has gained is still of significance in the community.  Everything moves so quickly these days. Work it or lose it.

Ideas are like bulbs,
you plant them, nurture them and see what blossoms

I don't know yet what the new day brings.
I see the promise and potential of a new daybreak.

So. California Monoprints Showing in Spokane

HORSE/CROW

January 31 – February 28, 2017

Featuring monoprints by California artist Terry Davitt Powell and Idaho Clancie Pleasants’ acrylic paintings, plus additional works celebrating Horse and Crow by Carmen Hall, Karen Swanson, Karlene Schoedel, Ann Contois, Kay West, Kim Long, Marion Flanary, Tom Quinn and Rob McKirdie.

Terry Davitt Powell

The images I create become, for me, a framework to celebrate animals and the natural world they represent, asking the viewer to once again see the creatures represented as living individuals, rather than as the generic concepts of horse or bird communicated by the disembodied graphic imagery typically used to describe animals. That is, I seek to re-nature that which has been de-natured.

Terry Davitt Powell's statement set the tone for this showing of the many interpretations of theme. LITTLE DOG is pleased to bring art from another part of our country and introduce it to Spokane viewers.

Following are a few of the works in Horse/Crow. The rest can be seen on LITTLE DOG website at www.littledogartgallery.com

"Polka Dot Mare" Monoprint Terry Davitt Powell

"Horse/Crow Meet" Acrylic by Clancie Pleasants

 

"Feather Your Nest #2" Acrylic by Linnea Tobias

"Equus" Acrylic by Kay West

A portion of the work displayed in Horse/Crow exhibit at LITTLE DOG

"The Pallid Bust of Pallas" Acrylic by Tom Quinn

More of the exhibit along a back west wall, including "There Are Crows in My Wheat Field" by Karen Swanson

"Deliberation" Monoprint by Terry Davitt Powell

Reflecting on Past, Looking Ahead to Future

I've been actively engaged in building a reputation for LITTLE DOG Art Gallery as a fine art sales gallery in Spokane, Washington since May 14, 2016. I mean ACTIVELY engaged. It's a small display space, a mere 200 sq ft, with a huge front window, at 903-1/2 W Garland Avenue, next to Rocket Bakery on one side and Groove Merchants on the other.

The art exhibits change on a monthly basis, which keeps it fresh and interesting for frequent return of gallery visitors. I encourage folks to return to see new work, work of new artists, new themes and subject matter.

One of our most discussed, interactive shows was "Origins of Fear" an open call to artists show in October curated by Megan Holden. Much to my extreme delight, the subject was taken to heart and some very provocative, thought-inducing paintings, photographs, viewer interaction pieces, mixed media, 3D art, kinetic art and drawings were submitted for juror selection. Holden selected an incredible body of artwork and the show went up. Gallery visitors really looked at the work presented, and some of the images were unsettling to see or imagine, but there seemed to be a tacit understanding, or in some cases, recognition of a portrayed fear. With that show we had the viewers vote on their choice as to which work of art moved them the most. Fascinating!

Wait 'Til They Go to Sleep by Joseph Tomlinson

Room 208 aka Mother Please by Tom Norton

Loss of Family Home to Wildfire, Digital Collage by Julie and Kristen Gautier-Downes

It was with that particular show I knew my goal of presenting artwork that people could view and come away with better appreciation, challenged to think about what they saw, or inspired or encouraged to incorporate art in their daily existence, was on the right course.

Since then, we've had other shows with softer themes, featuring art by out-of-the-region artists as well as work of Spokane artists. It's provided access to art work people haven't access to in other venues in Spokane. It's been nice to have something exclusive to LITTLE DOG Art Gallery.

Looking ahead to continued growth and community interaction!