Jennifer O’Keefe’s Award in Photography (2010)

Posted on March 31, 2010 by John O'Keefe Jr.

In 2010, the Cheshire Art League sponsored its Annual Exhibition. Jennifer O’Keefe entered one of her photographs, “Old Fashion Winter.” To Jennifer’s great surprise, she won an award for her photograph. The exhibition judge was Connecticut artist Beth Ellis. Beth commented on the photograph, saying, “So much warmth for such a cool image.” Therefore, congratulations were for Jennifer O’Keefe’s Award in Photography.

Jennifer’s O’Keefe’s Award in Photography at Cheshire Art League Exhibition

Jennifer captured the image while she and I were stuck in traffic during a snowstorm. The photograph came out so good that she decided to frame it and enter it into the exhibition. Here is the photograph.

Old Fashion Winter, Award in Photography, Photograph, 8x10, Jennifer O'Keefe, 2010 — ***“Old Fashion Winter”***
Photograph, 8×10,
Jennifer O’Keefe,
2010

Jennifer O'Keefe and Old Fashion Winter, Award in Photography — Jennifer O’Keefe and *“Old Fashion Winter”*

Short Video: “Old Fashion Winter”
(A short 2-minute and 5-second video documentary of Jennifer O’Keefe’s Award in Photography for best photograph at the Cheshire Art League 2010 Exhibition award ceremony.)

Our daughter Danielle took a short video clip of the award ceremony. The award ceremony was at the Cheshire Public Library in Cheshire, Connecticut. When the awards were being handed out, Jennifer was asked to describe to the attendees the circumstances surrounding the creation of the photograph. She explained how we passed by the house almost daily for decades without ever noticing it. Jennifer continued, “we got stuck in traffic directly in front of the house, and the house was the only interesting thing to look at.” The scene was quiet, serene, and captivating. At that moment, she pointed her camera at the house and took a photograph.

She never expected the photograph to look the way it did, having the snowflakes appear frozen in place as they lay across our windshield. Her story makes a person ask, how many exciting things around us do we never stop to notice? How did that one random event and the resulting photograph affect us? Ever since that day, we always take notice whenever Jennifer and I pass by the house. The award ceremony was a nice experience for Jennifer. Good job!

Also, check out the entire exhibition.

Spring Auctions by Salmagundi Club (2010)

Posted on March 18, 2010 by John O'Keefe Jr.

Important news to announce, I was recently accepted as a member of the Salmagundi Club! I thank Claudia Seymore and Christine Ivers for sponsoring me. My first member event is the Spring Auctions by Salmagundi Club. I decided to submit two small paintings at this event, and I included two short videos showing me going through the auction process.

Event Literature – Spring Auctions

Spring Auctions by Salmagundi Club, Brochure front — **Front View of Event Brochure**

Spring Auctions by Salmagundi Club, Brochure back — **Back View of Event Brochure**

Exhibition Drop-Off (2-27-2010) – Spring Auctions

We made it safely to the drop-off for the 2010 Spring Exhibition and Auction at the Salmagundi Club. Recently I participated in a local auction near my home, but this was a much bigger event. I am very excited to go through this process at the Salmagundi Club. I entered two early and more miniature paintings, “New England River” and “The Road Home.”

*“New England River”* by John O’Keefe Jr.

Spring Auctions by Salmagundi Club, John O'Keefe Jr. with paintings 'New England River' and 'The Road Home'

Spring Auctions by Salmagundi Club, John O'Keefe filling out entry form

Opening Reception (3-5-2010) – Spring Auctions

I had one of my paintings accepted into the Exhibition/Action (“The Road Home”), so we planned to take the family to the opening reception. However, due to poor planning on my part, we did not make it to the opening reception on time. We left Connecticut too late and hit heavy traffic upon entering New York, which proved fatal for us, making it to the opening reception on time. We did film the day’s events and produced the following video.

Salmagundi Auction Part 1 of 2
(A short 11-minute and 15-second video documentary of John O’Keefe Jr. at the Salmagundi Club 2010 Spring Auctions. Opening Reception Day!)

John O'Keefe's painting The Road Home at The Salmagundi Club — John O’Keefe Jr. painting “*The Road Home.*“

Salmagundi Club post reception main gallery — **Salmagundi Club main gallery – post reception**

Auction Day (3-18-2010) – Spring Auctions

The auction day went better than the day we had for the opening reception. We arrived in New York early enough to have dinner and be at the auction well before the auction start time. I was nervous when my painting came up, but that soon turned to excitement when it sold. After the auction, Jennifer and I mingled for a while, and we met several well-known artists, including Del-Bouree Bach and Charles Bierman.

Salmagundi Auction Part 2 of 2
(A short 10-minute and 2-second video documentary of John O’Keefe Jr. at the Salmagundi Club 2010 Spring Auctions. Auction Day!)

Jennifer and John O'Keefe eat at Knickerbocker's Bar & Grill — Jennifer and John O’Keefe Jr.
at Knickerbocker’s Bar & Grill in New York City

Helen Dayton and her award winning watercolor 'Old Door Renewed' — Helen Dayton and her award-winning watercolor “*Old Door Renewed.*“

Charles Bierman and John O'Keefe talking after the auction — **Charles Bierman and John O’Keefe Jr.**

Danielle O’Keefe’s Year of Watercolor (2009)

Posted on December 31, 2009 by John O'Keefe Jr.

Danielle O’Keefe’s Year of Watercolor represented a giant leap forward in her artistic skills, compared with artworks she had produced in her younger years. Motivated by her positive experience with the 2008 Art Exhibit and Fundraising Event for National EB Awareness Week, Danielle started creating more art in 2009. This was the year she learned how to work with watercolor paints. As you look at her 2009 watercolor paintings you can literally see her progress with the medium from month to month. Her favorite subject was portraits and she used photographs of close family members and some of her good friends as her baseline reference material.

Danielle O’Keefe’s 2009 Watercolors and other Artworks

Little Boy Joshy, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, June, 2009 — ***“Little Boy Joshy”***
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
June, 2009 (13 years old)

Nora, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, July, 2009 — ***“Nora”***
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
July, 2009 (13 years old)

The Eyes of Dina, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, August, 2009 — ***“The Eyes of Dina”***
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
August, 2009 (13 years old)

Pinwheel Flowers, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, August, 2009 — ***“Pinwheel Flowers”***
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
August, 2009 (13 years old)

Guess Who!, Finger Paint on Canvas, Danielle O'Keefe, August, 2009 — ***“Guess Who!”***
Finger Paint on Canvas
Danielle O’Keefe,
August, 2009 (13 years old)

Lady Blue, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, September, 2009 — ***“Lady Blue”***
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
September, 2009 (13 years old)

Green Eyes, Watercolor on Paper, Danielle O'Keefe, September, 2009 — ***“Green Eyes”***
Watercolor on Paper,
Danielle O’Keefe,
September, 2009 (13 years old)

Danielle’s watercolor titled “Pinwheel Flowers” was one of her first true original compositions. Thus, still life compositions and abstract compositions were among her themes. After having worked in watercolors for most of the year, with some experimental use of graphite outlining in her watercolor paintings, an interest was expressed in developing skills with graphite and ink by themselves, along with a desire to create additional works using other mixed media. By the end of the year Danielle had a significant number of artworks that she produced and her family called this period of her artistic development, “Danielle O’Keefe’s Year of Watercolor”.

Art Show & Sale at Cheshire Nursery by Cheshire Art League (2009)

Posted on November 18, 2009 by John O'Keefe Jr.

After the good time I had at the Ives Farm fundraiser, I was ready for another local event. I signed up for the Art Show & Sale at Cheshire Nursery by Cheshire Art League.

Show Drop-Off (11-18-2009) – Art Show & Sale at Cheshire Nursery

The artwork dropoff was scheduled for the day before the show was open to the public. Here is a picture of my simple setup. Nothing is fancy; only five of my smaller paintings are nicely displayed.

Art Show & Sale at Cheshire Nursery, John O'Keefe painting display wall — **John O’Keefe Jr. at his display wall.**

Opening Reception (11-19-2009) – Art Show & Sale at Cheshire Nursery

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the opening reception. My friend Joan Shackford took the following pictures of the event.

Art Show & Sale at Cheshire Nursery, Dale Spaner — **Dale Spaner**

Art Show & Sale at Cheshire Nursery, Ron Gagliardi and Karla Koch — **Ron Gagliardi and Karla Koch**

Concluding Thoughts (…and Cheshire Nursery plug)

The Art Show & Sale at Cheshire Nursery by Cheshire Art League was another lovely experience. My wife and I have bought many plants for our garden through the Cheshire Nursery. They have even specially ordered plants we researched. Here is a photo of some plants from the Chesire Nursery.

One More “Provocative” Comment about the Art Scene

I want to discuss another feeling I had during this Art Show & Sale at Cheshire Nursery by Cheshire Art League. Some might consider doing an art show at a local “garden shop” detrimental to their “artistic resume.” I don’t hold that view. I’ve been around the bigger, more reputable galleries and art associations, and there is a definite attitude shift among patrons between the two that I’m uncomfortable with. I can only be blunt about my observations in terms I relate to upper-class versus middle/lower-class mentality. Please don’t hate me for saying that because I get both perspectives.

Do I have a bias? Yes! I’m not in the upper class and have never been there. I find that middle/lower-class folks are more personal and easy-going, and upper-class folks are more egotistical, snobby, and worried about the financial aspect of art collecting. (I’m not saying all rich people are this way… but there is a noticeable percentage in my experience.)

Once, I debated with the owner of an upper-class galley about reproduction giclee prints I was offering on my website. Partway through the exhibition, we argued about me selling giclee reproductions of my paintings. Their client didn’t want to buy one of my original paintings because the idea that a “copy” of the painting existed elsewhere in the world was a deal breaker. I was shocked that someone could demand I not let other people also have access to my art, albeit in a reproduction form at a much cheaper price than an original painting.

Ultimately, the client bought the original painting because it was beautiful, and I genuinely appreciate them for that, but the experience left me with a bad feeling. I saw a significant attitude shift between people with money and people just getting by. The view of art between the two was obvious, an “investment” and prestige versus something beautiful you want to hang on a wall and look at. This is my honest observation and opinion. This experience changed my feelings about pursuing the “big league” art scene as hard as I had been.

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser at Ives Farm by Cheshire Land Trust (2009)

Posted on August 29, 2009 by John O'Keefe Jr.

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser at Ives Farm by Cheshire Land Trust, Artist tent — Artist tent at Ives Farm,
Cheshire, Connecticut

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser at Ives Farm by Cheshire Land Trust was my first art fundraising event. Until then, I focused on showing my work at high-end galleries and art leagues. Doing something local felt good after traveling all over Connecticut and New York the past year. (You can read the press release.)

Setting Up (9-29-2009) – Art in Good Taste Fundraiser

At first, I was a little nervous because I had never done an event like this, but as the day progressed, I started to relax and then had a good time. I want to participate in more fundraising events like this in the future. I have also begun researching the equipment I need for events like this. Thankfully the sponsors provided me with a table, chair, and hanging wall this time.

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser, Setting up before event

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser, Setting up before event, Joshua adding labels

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser, Setting up before event, Joshua posing for camera

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser, Setup completed, full booth

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser, Setup completed, back wall

The Art Show and Auction: (9-29-2009) – Art in Good Taste Fundraiser

There was a second tent for the food and musicians. People mingled between that tent and the artist tent where I was located. I met and talked with many people as the evening progressed, including fellow artists. By the time I went home, I was flying high from all the compliments I received about my paintings. I had one of my new reproductions (‘Summer in the Valley’) sell at the event auction. Of all the items sold at the auction, my painting reproduction brought the second-highest price!

*“Summer in the Valley”* by John O’Keefe Jr.

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser, John O'Keefe Jr. sitting at his booth waiting for the crowds

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser, John O'Keefe and Carla Koch — **John O’Keefe and Carla Koch**
(Carla is a Cheshire resident and fellow exhibiting artist.
Carla’s mother is the famous artist Charlotte Joan Sternberg.)

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser, Art patrons start arriving.

Ives Farm - John O'Keefe working his booth and talking with art patrons

Joshua and Danielle helped me at the show: Joshua worked earlier and labeled all my paintings and reproductions. Danielle worked with me for the event and handed out business cards. Danielle also took most of the pictures of the event.

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser at Ives Farm by Cheshire Land Trust, Misc. picture of the event

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser at Ives Farm by Cheshire Land Trust, Misc. picture of the event, Cheshire artist Angela Orsene

Art in Good Taste Fundraiser at Ives Farm by Cheshire Land Trust, Misc. picture of the event, John O'Keefe seen through the crowd

Concluding Thoughts

The Art in Good Taste Fundraiser at Ives Farm by Cheshire Land Trust was a different experience for me. At gallery opening receptions, you mingle around as part of the crowd. Here, you have your booth, people walk by, and you are the focus of their attention. I received more feedback from people and had great conversations than at most other events.