First Friday at the South End

I was very pleased to be able to go to First Friday last weekend. I hadn't been to that event in a while, and it was awfully nice to see familiar artists again, as well as discover some new ones! It looked like there had been a bit of shuffling, which meant I got to see some interesting new stuff.

It was very interesting to speak with artist Sharon Whitham about her process. At first glance, her prints seemed ambiguous, with interesting texture. However, when I later learned that she used tape and hot glue to make her plates, the textures immediately made a lot more sense to me. I don't have a lot of printmaking experience but her innovative techniques made me want to try!

I also had an involved talk with B. Glee Lucas about color and palette. I have very little experience (or, frankly, interest) in painting, and she has a very different approach than I would take. I tend to use very muted colors and limited palette, and I was very impressed with her bright colors and photorealist approach. Her paintings are almost overwhelming, an effect I don't think work of mine would ever be able to create.

It was also great to chat with Sophie Hughes again. She makes beautiful jewelry and was full of useful advice about getting and using a studio space. It's a great inspiration to hear someone talk about deciding to just go through with making and showing things. I feel like I've been taking a more cautious route, but it's still going well, slowly but surely.