My favorite art gallery is in the center of town, right next door to my favorite book store and two doors down from Starbucks. I pass it all the time. Every few weeks I go inside to soak up the beauty and see what’s new.
Once, feeling extravagant, I bought this beautiful painting of a girl and a chicken by Michael Maczuga.
So … Having bought a painting I became one of the Cole Gallery‘s collectors, qualified for an invitation to their 9th Annual Anniversary Show and Collector’s Gala. Cool!
I brought my sister along to enjoy the fun.
I saw a few people I knew. It was a good crowd.
Don’t you love it when they bring the goodies to you? I couldn’t very well refuse a bite of chocolate decadence when this sweet girl offered it to me, could I? 
The gallery served wine and champagne. Served with a smile.
A jazz band played from the loft. The gallery owner’s husband plays in the band. Sax, I think.
Below is one of the paintings I liked a lot. That bright light at the top of the painting is not a camera trick. It really looked like that.
I wonder if people from the future will consider the kind of paintings I like when they fill museums with art from the early 21st century? Maybe they’ll choose as representative of our time the kind of paintings I don’t like at all or have never seen. I hope not.
Are you a frequent visitor to art galleries? Do you support the arts in one way or another?
Check out some more pictures of art from the Cole Gallery. I think you’ll like what you see.
I have been to a gallery showing as I am privileged to be related to a rather well renowned artist in the Chicago area. It is a lot of fun and to have the opportunity to be served decadent chocolate…. well gee….. it doesn’t get much better than that does it? It is quite a lovely painting and I can see why it caught your eye and your heart.
What a classy event! I went to several openings when I was in Shanghai but I think people went there basically for the free food and booze, haha.
I wasn’t intending to buy anything, so I guess I went for the food and booze … also for the paintings and for a chance to dress up a little. I spend way too much time in jeans or sweat pants.
Now that I work from home I also look forward to any occasion to wear something more fancy, haha!
A party in a gallery! I have never seen or attend one!
The art exhibition in North Sumatra is usually done in hotels, convention centers or even shopping malls. I have never seen such intimate and “warm” party. 🙂
The party was very nice, but, of course, the main reason for it was to sell more paintings. That night only they offered a 15% discount, and I did see people walking away with paintings wrapped in brown paper.
I’ve never bought a painting… I wonder how it feels like to carry a painting home. XD Maybe I’d be wondering where the hang it all the way home!
Do you sell your paintings? Do you hang them in your house?
Yes. I love art galleries and since my b/f is an artist we can be quite snobby. 😛 But seriously, food + art = heaven!
What kind of art does your b/f do and what kind does he like?
He works mainly on the computer and has developed a style that looks like paint on canvas. He has a fine art background, but being an expat, working digitally allows him more freedom. And he’s mainly influenced by darker artists (or those who would be considered dark) like Francis Bacon. His art is not for your foyer or dining room 😛
I looked up Francis Bacon. Yes, rather dark. But interesting.
Ooh, that looks like fun! I love going to museums, but I haven’t had as much time recently. It’s a little harder to reflect and admire when the kids are moving right along to the next piece.
My sister and I took her two-year-old grandson with us to an art museum a couple months ago. Thank goodness he was too short to reach the paintings. It also helped that there were two of us and that it was a quiet morning with few people to disturb.
I love the painting you purchased and the fact that they invited you to the Anniversary show as it seems it was a very nice time.
My husband and I go to the Fine Arts Museum in our area once or twice a year. They have exhibitions which change every 3 or 4 months and most are free.
I like to purchase art from the places I have traveled. One of my most prized paintings is a traditional Balinese painting which I actually didn’t even want to buy [I was younger and art didn’t really interest me at the time], but I did because I wanted to spend the last of my rupiah. It is so beautiful and detailed and a great conversation piece.
Oh, Constance! I love Balinese paintings. I regret very few things in my life, but one of the biggest is the Balinese painting I didn’t buy. This was a very long time ago, probably 1973 or ’74. Bali wasn’t yet a big tourist spot, so they were offering really cheap trips from Manila. I think it was something like $300 for 5 days, including airfare and hotel stay. I went with a friend not knowing what to expect. On a day trip to Ubud I left most of my money in the hotel. I didn’t know Ubud was such a great art colony, so I didn’t have enough money to buy the painting I fell in love with. It was gorgeous!
Here’s a portion of a painting I painted from a photo of the drive that day:
But I still miss that Balinese painting.
I love your little girl painting, Nicki. So sweet! My small town has an art center that hosts frequent events similar to this one ~ always enjoyable. Art, music, and good company together are irresistible. Definitely, seize the chocolate!
I’m a sucker for chocolate or any good dessert.
It seems that many of my writer friends also enjoy art.
Art galleries and writing go so well together! Plus music, you were for a real treat, Nicki.
Your sister and you look so much alike, it’s amazing.
Although I don’t listen to jazz very often, it seemed the perfect accompaniment for a party at the art gallery. You mention art and writing. I think many writers make an effort to observe carefully, the way artists do. I wish you could have seen the beautiful paintings of kelp. By observing with great care, the artists made realistic, detailed paintings which at the same time seemed abstract.
I Love Cole Gallery! I actually take art classes there, in their basement. Cole is a wonderful representation of the art world. We’re so lucky to live close. Mindy
I really admire Denise Cole. She’s a ball of fire: an artist, a teacher, and a business woman who does a good job with all three. I also took an art class in her basement. I’m sorry to say, I didn’t put it to good use yet.
I love art galleries! My husband’s father was an artist (the kind that made a lot of money) so we have way more paintings than room to hang although every once in a while something speaks to me (buy me, buy me). You and your sister look so much alike (at least on a photograph) that I had to scroll back and forth to make sure it wasn’t just another picture of you. Beautiful ladies!
Your father-in-law was a rare breed of artist indeed. Most artists don’t make nearly as much as someone who works at McDonalds. Still, it’s a pleasant hobby. Probably nerve wracking if you intend to live off your art.
What an enjoyable event!
My favorite gallery events or the ones I accidentally stumble upon. I came upon the coolest art gallery in December at the welcome center of a town. Some of the local artist have studios there and their work is showcased throughout. I saw several things I wanted to purchase but couldn’t limit myself to one, so when I return I will see what truly speaks to me.
Another place I enjoy looking at art is at one of my favorite cafes/coffee shops. They display the work of local artists, changing the display every month. I can enjoy my coffee, write in my notebook, and look at art all in the same trip.
Yes, we have a local coffee shop and a couple of cafes that do it as well as the mall. Love taking in what you normally won’t get the opportunity to enjoy.
Your jacket pairs well with the paintings behind you in that first photo.
My favorite painting is peeking out from behind the bass player ~ I imagine turquoise swirling around sunbeams.
We visit galleries and shows on a regular basis. Due to space and budgetary constraints, we admire more pieces than we buy.
Next time I pass the gallery, I’ll go upstairs and see the rest of your favorite painting, Nancy. I can’t think which one it is. But maybe it’s better to have the beauty your imagination composed from the small sliver of a painting–turquoise swirling around sunbeams.
I think it might be this one ~ A Tribute to Monet:
http://colegallery.net/title.php?page=14&exhibitionId=&artistId=2368&ititlenum=7169&artistname=Kimberly%20Adams&title=Tribute%20to%20Monet%20~%20Wooded%20Path
The other two behind the jazz musicians are by the same artist ~ Kimberly Adams:
http://colegallery.net/searchresults.php?artistId=2368&artistname=Kimberly%C2%A0Adams
I’ll bet you’re right. Good sleuthing!
Well, if the paintings and plates of hors d’oeuvres look like the ones in your gallery, I would totally be in there with you. We don’t have much wall space — or any space — in our little house, or I’d spend money on artwork. That is a gorgeous painting of the creek disappearing into the light. Want.
Ah, the old wall-space problem. I like a fair amount of open space on my walls–just nothing but the wall. And then there are clocks and calendars and shelves taking up space.
What a pretty picture of you, Nicki…and your sister too. You look so much alike.
The painting you purchased is beautiful. When I lived in D.C. I frequented all of the museums…so much to see.
When we were younger, my sister and are were seldom told we looked alike. I don’t know what has changed. But thank you for your comment.
My youngest daughter has lived near D.C. for about five years, but there’s always so much to do when I visit her that I haven’t begun to scratch the surface of what the area has to offer.
What a lovely visit, Nicki! Thanks for bringing us along. Love the painting you bought. The other paintings you showed are amazing!
I used to visit galleries more when I took art classes. I’d like to get back into that. I like to visit art galleries and museums in the cities I visit (like San Diego).
I also like to visit art galleries when I travel. El Prado in Madrid immediately comes to mind. But one nice thing about art galleries is that the paintings they display keep changing, so we can see new exhibits without traveling.
That is very generous of the gallery to invite you to an exhibition. It is a lovely painting you bought – in the painting, the girl looks loved by the chicken and the chicken loved by the girl. Lovely. Also, the girl serving you chocolates was very sporting to pose for your camera.
That last shot of the painting there is stunning. Or rather, the painting is stunning. Wonderful illusion of light.
I do visit galleries every now and again. Not so much galleries that showcase paintings, but if they are themed along the lines of identity and multiculturalism, I’d consider going. The other day I went to one such gallery, and it talked about the history of racism and belonging in Australia. There were traditional costumes and cultural artifacts on display, as well as info graphics.
Yesterday, Mabel, I had my niece, an arts graduate, over for lunch, and she talked about an art exhibit that sounds like something you’d like. It’s the paintings of Kehinde Wiley. He’s a contemporary artist who focuses on ordinary men of color in their everyday clothes. He paints portraits that contrast “a history of aristocratic representation and the portrait as a statement of power and the individual’s sense of empowerment.” They’re beautiful paintings with a cultural theme.
Very nice for your niece to visit for lunch. Thanks for the link. That is very interesting to see, and what vibrant shots. People of colour, or cultural minorities, can be and have every right to be ordinary…but at the same time deserve a voice and the opportunity to stand up for themselves.