Thank you, Jim Carpenter!

The following post recently appeared on Nanci Hersh's blog "On and Off the Walls".  Selected artists feature an artist whose art they collect.  I am honored that artist Jim Carpenter chose me and grateful to Nanci for creating the opportunity!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Exuding Authenticity- Artist as Collector

Florida based artist Jim Carpenter is this week's guest blogger for our Artist as Collector Series.

Sandra J. Hadley
It's All About Me
Charcoal on paper
20" x 16" (matted and framed)

Sandra’s paintings in charcoal have long enthralled me with their uncanny ability to ignite my senses. 

I saw the sunflower on the table in Sandra's studio just as she was preparing to frame it for a show, and found myself spontaneously, cheerfully, talking to it: 

"Well, LOOK at YOU!” I said,  as if it were a living creature waiting to be adored. 

It was, in fact, love at first sight. I asked her what she was going to name it and she said, “Either ‘Here’s Looking At You' or 'It’s All About Me.'” I said, “If you name it 'It’s All About Me' I’ll buy it.  

The truth is, I would have bought it no matter what she titled it. 

I know that the phrase “it’s all about me” has its detractors, but for me it is a reminder that you can’t paint authentically from anyone else’s heart but your own.  This sunflower expresses that sentiment; it radiates confidence, joy, authenticity, and exudes a sense of being totally present and in the moment. 

My house is full of art created by others, but Sandra’s painting is the only work by another artist that hangs in my studio. 

Jim Carpenter is a painter living and working in the Gainesville, Florida area. His work addresses a multitude of themes and imagery that tend to run throughout his work:  the theatre, dance, spirituality, and family among others.

Honored to be the Guest Artist for March!

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens

Many thanks to Jordan Goodman for inviting me to display a selection of floral portraits in the main gallery at Kanapaha.  My work will be up through the end of February 2013.

Website

Happy to announce that I now have an official website that is up and running!  To see more of my work, please visit www.sandrajhadley.com.

Art in the Modern World

My charcoal portraits Growing Pains and Buy One Get One Free (aka The Brothers Grim) were both selected for this current juried exhibition of contemporary art.

Strokes of Genius

My charcoal portrait Are We Having Fun Yet? has been selected for inclusion in The Best of Drawing's Strokes of Genius 5: Composition, to be published in September 2013.  Honored to be among the 93 artists worldwide whose work will be featured.

Line-by-Line: The Art of Drawing

Honored to have my work included in this newly opened 
invitational exhibition at The Doris Gallery in Gainesville.  
No Regrets (above) is the first in my new series of full-figure 
charcoal portraits -- all with tales to tell!  
Hope you can join us for the opening reception on Friday, 
29 June, from 7 - 9:30 pm. 

61st Annual All Florida Juried Competition and Exhibition

Just received word that two of my charcoal portraits, Are We Having Fun Yet? and Buy One Get One Free, have been selected for inclusion in this show. Out of over 1,500 submissions by nearly 500 artists, 100 artists were selected this year. "Florida's oldest, statewide, annual juried all-media competition showcases the best prominent and emerging Florida artists today." At the Boca Raton Museum of Art in Boca Raton, Florida 30 May - 8 July 2012.

GFAA's 2012 Winter Members' Show

Honored that Santa Fe College Professor of Art Matthew Newell awarded Don't Ask Don't Tell Best of Show. At Gainesville's Trinity United Methodist Church, the exhibition continues through 20 March 2012.

Don't miss Corpus, an outstanding exhibition at The Doris Bardon Community Cultural Center in Gainesville, where you'll find some of Professor Newell's exquisite work.

4th Annual Florida Artists Juried Exhibition

Spanish Red and Vidalia Balancing Boilers is one of only 40 pieces of art selected by Jack King, Professor of Art at the University of Tampa, for this year's exhibition, which features the work of artists from throughout the state of Florida. Hosted by Santa Fe College, the exhibition will be in the President's Hall Gallery through 8 February 2012.

Allied Artists of America's 98th Annual Exhibition

Not only juried in to this prestigious national exhibition, Are We Having Fun Yet? also received The Pauline Law Memorial Award. Judges were Audrey Lewis, Curator at the Brandywine River Museum, and Gary Erbe, President Emeritus of the Allied Artists of America. On display at The National Arts Club on Gramercy Park South in New York City, the exhibition runs from 4-20 November 2011.

For additional information, please click here.

"Beyond Color" Exhibition at Santa Fe College

Honored to be the guest artist in the President's Gallery at Santa Fe College! Twenty-seven of my charcoal paintings will be on display from 23 August - 28 September.

2010 Regional Award Winners Exhibition

As one of five artists from around the state selected for a Juror's Choice Award in last summer's Regional Juried Exhibition, I currently have six pieces on display in the Thomas Center's Main Gallery. Some new works are featured below.

Hope you'll join us for a reception hosted by the City of Gainesville on Thursday, 9 June, from 5-7pm. If unable to attend, the show will be up through 10 July, and gallery hours are: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, Tuesday 8am-7pm, and Saturday 1-4pm.
Address: 302 NE 6th Avenue - Gainesville, FL


Are We Having Fun Yet?


Sunkissed Quintet


Spanish Red and Vidalia Balancing Boilers

"Beyond Color" Exhibition at the Melrose Bay Art Gallery

Honored to be the guest artist for the month of January at the Melrose Bay Art Gallery! We had a fantastic opening reception on Sunday, 9 January. If you weren't able to attend, there's still time to see the show. Hope you'll stop by to see my exhibition, as well as the works of the Melrose Bay Art Gallery artists. The gallery is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5pm.

3rd Annual Florida Artists Juried Exhibition

Honored to share news that juror Ben Thompson, Curator for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Jacksonville, selected Buy One Get One Free and Don't Ask Don't Tell for this year's exhibition.

At the opening reception on Friday, 7 January, I received the Award of Excellence (second place honors) for Buy One Get One Free. Don't Ask Don't Tell is featured on the exhibition poster (top row, center). There's still time to see the show before it closes on 3 February 2011. Additional details available in the SFC press release.