{"id":569,"date":"2009-08-14T14:44:00","date_gmt":"2009-08-14T14:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.johnokeefe.net\/blog\/?p=569"},"modified":"2023-02-15T15:59:29","modified_gmt":"2023-02-15T15:59:29","slug":"2009-53nd-regional-exhibition-by-mystic-art-association-drop-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.johnokeefe.net\/blog\/2009\/08\/14\/2009-53nd-regional-exhibition-by-mystic-art-association-drop-off\/","title":{"rendered":"53rd Regional Exhibition by Mystic Art Association (2009 – Drop-Off)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Mystic
Mystic Art Center,
Mystic, Connecticut<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

It is time for the 53rd Regional Exhibition by Mystic Art Association<\/a>. Exhibitions like these are similar to job interviews. The first meeting is to review your portfolio (i.e., resume). If you pass that, you go to the next phase of being judged against other candidates (i.e., meeting more people who review your work and give you a thumbs-up or thumbs-down). Lastly, you might get to do a walk-through (i.e., the exhibition).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artwork Drop-Off (8-?-2009) – 53rd Regional Exhibition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here I am dropping off two paintings: “Big Cork Tree” (not accepted into the exhibition) and “Summer in the Valley” (accepted in the exhibition). I never presume which of my paintings will be well received, and it varies from judge to judge and patron to patron. However, I always get excited to hear what people think of my paintings.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Summer
“Summer in the Valley”<\/em> by John O’Keefe Jr.<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"53rd
John O’Keefe on Receiving Day<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Mystic Art Center (8-14-2009) – 53rd Regional Exhibition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We missed the opening reception of the 53rd Regional Exhibition by Mystic Art Association. We had personal scheduling conflicts, and the exhibition lost out. But my family and I did visit the gallery on a different date to view the show. Below are some pictures taken during that visit.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"53rd
“Summer in the Valley”<\/em> by John O’Keefe Jr.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"53rd<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"53rd<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"53rd<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Concluding Thoughts – 53rd Regional Exhibition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I’ve learned something else since starting this art journey: it is hard work. People generally think artists do nothing but sit at their easel and make art all day long when in reality, that is just a fraction of where their time, energy, and money go. There is a lot of research on venues and galleries, traveling and meeting people, gas and eating out expenses, self-promotion expenses, commissions if you sell a work, tax on sales, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a brief breakdown for just one painting I sold: $1,900.00 for the painting. Deducted from that sale were sales tax, gallery commission, and FOUR trips to the venue (the interview, the drop-off, the opening reception, and the pick-up). For me, these trips always included my family, so we had lunches and dinners out. When all the expenses were added and deducted from the sale, I pocketed about $350.00 out of the $1,900.00. And that painting took over two weeks to create! These experiences taught me firsthand the meaning behind the phrase “starving artist.” You have to be genuinely committed to your craft if you want to make a career out of being an artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Judge – 53rd Regional Exhibition<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Carolina
Carolina Pedraza<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Carolina Pedraza is the Head of Youth & Family Programs at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, a national leader in the exhibition of challenging contemporary art and the emergence of mid-career artists. 1<\/strong><\/small><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Footnotes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Bio information is taken from Mystic Art Center ‘call to artists’ exhibition press release.<\/small><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    It is time for the 53rd Regional Exhibition by Mystic Art Association. Exhibitions like these are similar to job interviews. The first meeting is to review your portfolio (i.e., resume). If you pass that, you go to the next phase … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[180,181,86,116],"yoast_head":"\n53rd Regional Exhibition by Mystic Art Association (2009 - Drop-Off)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It is time for the 53rd Regional Exhibition by Mystic Art Association. 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While I am comfortable working in most mediums, I specialize in landscape oil painting, similar to the famous Hudson River School and Victorian-era artists. ART IN MY EARLY LIFE Like every other artist, I have loved viewing and creating art for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I always drew with pencils, colored pencils, watercolors, and just about every medium I could get my hands on. I received formal art training during my primary school years. When attending elementary school, I received specialized training at the Paier College of Art in New Haven, Connecticut. The first formal recognition of my artistic ability happened in elementary school when I won an award, placing me in the top five of a statewide student art competition. During my middle school years, I was invited to attend college-level art classes one day a week at the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Also, during this time, I studied watercolor painting with Connecticut artist Kathy Singer. However, my most beloved art teacher was my Aunt Ann Fucich, who instilled in me a love of art when I was a small child. John O'Keefe posing with a drawing outside of the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York, when he was seven years old Outside the Museum of Natural History (NYC) at 7 Years Old. (My Aunt Ann Fucich took pictures) My love for art led me to seek a career in mechanical drafting. As new technologies emerged, I advanced to more sophisticated 3D CAD modeling systems, new product development, and, eventually, project management. Throughout the years, I completed many university courses and job-specific training to advance my mechanical design\/engineering career. Even though my work was very technical, an artistic element was involved in designing new products and the associated documentation processes. My love for creating art did not stop at drawing and painting. As a teenager, I started pursuing musical skills. My first love is the guitar, and I ran a small recording studio out of my home for a time while also playing guitar in a few bands. The computer soon became another outlet for creating art. With my computer skills and 3D modeling experience, I began to develop a sophisticated DC-9-41 add-on cockpit package for Microsoft Flight Simulator. The project focused on the Scandinavian Airline Service (SAS) DC-9 airplane OY-KGR. There was extensive programming and many computer-generated renderings and image files assembled in real-time when the game was running, giving the person playing the experience of sitting in a real DC-9 cockpit. A RENEWED LOVE OF ART In 2007 my wife, Jennifer, rekindled my zeal for drawing and painting. Her encouragement and support motivated me to create O'Keefe Arts and take up oil painting as a professional artist. Jennifer also enjoys creating art, and we are working together to promote the business and my paintings because of our shared love of art. I sell original works, accept commission work to create custom landscape paintings, and offer a variety of high-quality pigment prints, i.e., Giclee, reproductions of my artwork. (Websites: www.okeefe-arts.com and www.johnokeefe.net) John and Jennifer O'Keefe outside of the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York, when he was thirty-seven years old Outside the Museum of Natural History (NYC) at 37 Years Old. My paintings have been well received in the art community, allowing my works to be displayed in prestigious exhibitions and art shows. In my home state of Connecticut, the Lyme Art Gallery, Mystic Arts Center, Cate Charles Gallery, and the Mill House Gallery have exhibited my artwork. My paintings have won awards, and I have been a featured artist in a group exhibition at the Lyme Art Association's \\\"17th Annual Associate Artists Exhibit\\\". In April of 2009, I was elected onto the board of directors of the Cheshire Art League in Cheshire, Connecticut, and I created and managed the league's website until the fall of 2011. Organizations that I belong to are Oil Painters of America, Lyme Art Association, The Salmagundi Club of New York City, Mystic Arts Association, Cheshire Art League (until 2011), and Landscape Artists International. In 2012, Jennifer and I created Painting Frames Plus, where people can purchase high-quality reproduction painting frames. 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While I am comfortable working in most mediums, I specialize in landscape oil painting, similar to the famous Hudson River School and Victorian-era artists. ART IN MY EARLY LIFE Like every other artist, I have loved viewing and creating art for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I always drew with pencils, colored pencils, watercolors, and just about every medium I could get my hands on. I received formal art training during my primary school years. When attending elementary school, I received specialized training at the Paier College of Art in New Haven, Connecticut. The first formal recognition of my artistic ability happened in elementary school when I won an award, placing me in the top five of a statewide student art competition. During my middle school years, I was invited to attend college-level art classes one day a week at the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Also, during this time, I studied watercolor painting with Connecticut artist Kathy Singer. However, my most beloved art teacher was my Aunt Ann Fucich, who instilled in me a love of art when I was a small child. John O'Keefe posing with a drawing outside of the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York, when he was seven years old Outside the Museum of Natural History (NYC) at 7 Years Old. (My Aunt Ann Fucich took pictures) My love for art led me to seek a career in mechanical drafting. As new technologies emerged, I advanced to more sophisticated 3D CAD modeling systems, new product development, and, eventually, project management. Throughout the years, I completed many university courses and job-specific training to advance my mechanical design\/engineering career. Even though my work was very technical, an artistic element was involved in designing new products and the associated documentation processes. My love for creating art did not stop at drawing and painting. As a teenager, I started pursuing musical skills. My first love is the guitar, and I ran a small recording studio out of my home for a time while also playing guitar in a few bands. The computer soon became another outlet for creating art. With my computer skills and 3D modeling experience, I began to develop a sophisticated DC-9-41 add-on cockpit package for Microsoft Flight Simulator. The project focused on the Scandinavian Airline Service (SAS) DC-9 airplane OY-KGR. There was extensive programming and many computer-generated renderings and image files assembled in real-time when the game was running, giving the person playing the experience of sitting in a real DC-9 cockpit. A RENEWED LOVE OF ART In 2007 my wife, Jennifer, rekindled my zeal for drawing and painting. Her encouragement and support motivated me to create O'Keefe Arts and take up oil painting as a professional artist. Jennifer also enjoys creating art, and we are working together to promote the business and my paintings because of our shared love of art. I sell original works, accept commission work to create custom landscape paintings, and offer a variety of high-quality pigment prints, i.e., Giclee, reproductions of my artwork. (Websites: www.okeefe-arts.com and www.johnokeefe.net) John and Jennifer O'Keefe outside of the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York, when he was thirty-seven years old Outside the Museum of Natural History (NYC) at 37 Years Old. My paintings have been well received in the art community, allowing my works to be displayed in prestigious exhibitions and art shows. In my home state of Connecticut, the Lyme Art Gallery, Mystic Arts Center, Cate Charles Gallery, and the Mill House Gallery have exhibited my artwork. My paintings have won awards, and I have been a featured artist in a group exhibition at the Lyme Art Association's \"17th Annual Associate Artists Exhibit\". In April of 2009, I was elected onto the board of directors of the Cheshire Art League in Cheshire, Connecticut, and I created and managed the league's website until the fall of 2011. Organizations that I belong to are Oil Painters of America, Lyme Art Association, The Salmagundi Club of New York City, Mystic Arts Association, Cheshire Art League (until 2011), and Landscape Artists International. In 2012, Jennifer and I created Painting Frames Plus, where people can purchase high-quality reproduction painting frames. 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