Opening of the exhibition

Well, the opening of the show was a success. Friday night was the opening reception and we had a good response, despite the approaching snow storm. The work was very well received and the new gallery space was a hit! Thank you to everybody at Virginia Wesleyan College who helped organize and promote the show. It will run through the end of March. If you didn't have a chance to make the opening reception, please make a point to get out to the college and experience what the incredible new gallery space has to offer.

At the Edge of Dawn

The new show is ready to be delivered to Virginia. After months of studio time, "At the Edge of Dawn" is complete. I will be driving the new body of work up to Virginia Wesleyan College on Tuesday. The show runs from January 15 - March 31, with an opening reception on Friday, January 29 from 6 - 8pm. I will also be giving a gallery talk on Thursday, January 28 on campus in Clarke Hall, Room 118 at 11:00am. Hopefully you will be able to experience the show!

Hunter's Point

The new series of paintings titled, HUNTER'S POINT, is coming along very well. Cortez Village, one of the last remaining working fishing villages in the state of Florida is the inspiration. The salty, genuine feeling of the village (similar to the likes of Avon Village in NC) continues to capture my attention; a slice of Old Florida that rests quietly, tucked away in a sheltered bay behind Anna Maria. Wooden skipjacks, long-line fisherman, real Florida fishing cottages, real Florida heritage. Authentic to the bone.

I have always been fascinated with Cortez. How could one not be? The ever-changing landscape of Florida continually frustrates me. From the cookie-cutter subdivisions to the strip mall revolution, from the condo giants to the addition of sidewalks in Anna Maria. How has Cortez managed to elude the masses. Or has it?

With the new Federal ban on long-line fishing, the Cortez way of life has been seriously threatened. Hopefully the locals will continue to fight the wave of progress that is bearing down on such a wonderful slice of real American living.

The pieces depict a utopian Cortez. Floating boats, weathered shacks, cast nets and docks are woven throughout the compositions. I have returned to canvas for these works, craving the weave of cotton and the soft interaction of the brushes against it. As I lay the last few layers on them, I can't help but wonder how my daughter will see Cortez when she is my age.

Studio Time

My painting professor in undergraduate school, Barclay Sheaks, used to say that every painter should be in their studio everyday. Whether it is a full day of studio time, random hours or even just to open the door and look at what you did the day before. This relationship with your space is THE most important thing we as artists have. It teaches us more than any book, class or workshop can ever do. The studio is our life support.

Sometimes I enter my space with a cluttered brain and see an equally cluttered studio. I tend to organize, put things away, sweep or make lists on things to do. Often times this helps to free the creative flow of my mind. Other times it blocks my brain from continuing on a path of creativity. However, one must face this dilemma and work through it. The way to do this is to continually visit the studio, hang on for the ride and make it happen. We tend to make excuses for these mental blocks of creativity, by saying that we can't find the inspiration or that it is just not there at this point in time. Understandable. However, tomorrow is a new day and it WILL flow again.

The reason I decided to talk some about this topic is because I have been fighting a clogged creative flow for over 2 weeks. This is something that I don't usually have a problem with. Why have I suddenly begun to feel this way? Well, if I look back, over the past month or so, my life has been challenging, financially, emotionally and spiritually. I have sacrificed studio time for other things that life has thrown my way. AH HA! Lack of studio time has set in and I have dug into a rut. It is now up to me to grab the horse by the reigns, put in the time and get the magic back.

So, today was a good day. I have been working on a series of 6 paintings that have been a struggle over the past 3 weeks. Today was a breakthrough. I can see the final product in my mind. Granted, they have a long way to go, but in due time, they will prevail. I just need the studio time, my life support.

Musicology

It appears that we have a new Bluegrass band in the making. Last Friday night we played the ArtsHop here on Anna Maria for a very interested group. Thursday night we will be playing at the Waterfront Restaurant's debut of Brewgrass. The beer tasting will be supplemented by no-pressure, laid-back acoustic bluegrass/old time pickin'. Our line up includes: Rusty (guitar), Tom (upright bass), Howard (banjo), Steve (fiddle), and me (mandolin). Looks like the haphazard band name is "SR-64," (state road 64, manatee ave) the road that leads out to Anna Maria Island...or the road that brings us all together! Should be a great time!

Welcome to Will Corr

Well, I did it. I joined the blogger revolution. I tried Facebook (didn't last very long), created a Twitter account (sort of forgot about it) and now I am jumping on the blog train! This seems to suit my needs a little more. I can post pics, preview new works and release some of the writing that I love (instead of keeping it locked up in my brain). Welcome to Will Corr's blog!