Collectors, admirers laud local photo show

Fine art photographer Bill Voight's dual art shows--Tiger Cruise: USS Nimitz, which chronicles his week-long stay aboard a US Navy aircraft carrier, and Just Between Us: Stories of Form & Figure, which debuts a decade of Bill's work studying and photographing the female form (yes, nudes)--will hang now through August 3 at Black Iris Gallery in Spooner, WI.

The Nimitz show hangs along the ramp in the lower level of the Black Iris building, while the Form & Figure show hangs separately in Suite # 1, just off the upper vesituble on the street level.

Bill's artist reception was this past Saturday, and as you can see from the photo at left, Bill looks very happy! Attendance was strong and sales were good. Bill's softcover Nimitz book nearly sold out (we have 1 left), and he had to replenish his selection of fine art greeting cards before the show even opened because they were selling so well!

We have only 6 hardcover, coffee-table quality Nimitz books left. At $74.95 each, they make an excellent, thoughtful gift for the photographer, Navy sailor, or aviator in your life.

Members of the Northern Lights Camera Club (NLCC) attended the show in full force. Bill happens to be one of only two photographers in the club who shoots film, not digital, photography, and he is the only photographer in the area who develops his prints in his own darkroom.

If you missed Bill's reception with our spicy bruschetta, mouth- cooling cucumber bites, and plenty of fine wine to go with the fine art, that's okay! You can still see Bill's beautiful, elegant photographs at Black Iris Gallery & Custom Framing on Hwy 63 in Spooner. Free parking on Oak Street.

Our summer hours are Mon - Sat, 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. Appointments are welcome on Sundays.

While art is our passion, framing is also our passion and our main business. Please remember Black Iris Gallery for your framing and matting needs. We offer Framing for a Lifetime.

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely, JoAnn
Black Iris Gallery & Custom Framing
JoAnn@BlackIrisFraming.com

Are you ready? (1 Artist, 2 Shows!)

Gestalt I
Human Form Series
Bill Voight
BillVoight.com


Dear Friends in Art,

Are you ready to answer some hard questions--or at least to ponder them?

• Should the human form (nudes) be displayed as artwork?
• What is the difference between the human form as fine art and pornography?
• If an art show causes you to think or to feel uncomfortable, is that automatically good? bad?
• Is a nude show that depicts the female form automatically a feminist show?

If you're ready to contemplate questions like these, you'll want to attend black-and-white photographer Bill Voight's Artist Reception THIS SATURDAY, June 20, 6 - 8 PM, at Black Iris Gallery. We are located on Hwy 63 (River Street) in Spooner, and we have free parking on Oak Street.

Bill's human form series is called Just Between Us: Stories of Form and Figure, and it will hang in a separate room from the main gallery (Suite #1, top of the ramp).

If a nude show is too personal for you, please visit Bill's other show (lower level, ramp area), which showcases his elegant photography of the USS Nimitz. If you are a military buff in general or a United States Navy supporter in particular, this show is a stunning example of some of Bill's best-selling work. See below.

Wave Off
USS Nimitz Series
Bill Voight
BillVoight.com

On Saturday, Bill will be selling framed works ($250 - $400), matted prints ($100 - $225), and greeting cards ($5 each or 6 for $25) of both shows. Bill's prices reflect the high quality, archival materials he uses as well as the extensive labor required to print his fine art images. Even if you can't buy yet, please come in Saturday night to show your support of an artist who is publishing some of the best images I have seen recently. Appetizers and wine available, of course.

Bill's USS Nimitz show also features a coffee table book (hard and soft cover) that allows you to own the entire Nimitz show for less than $80.

See you Saturday for this fabulous art show. Bill will be here to answer questions and to discuss his fine art photography, which he captures on film and develops in his own darkroom.

Don't miss it--but if you do, his works will hang at Black Iris Gallery though August 2.

See you Saturday,
JoAnn

Black Iris Gallery
Hwy 63
Spooner, WI

P.S. What are your thoughts on this show? Please post your response by clicking "comments" below.

Carole's Watercolor Class a Success!

Hello, Art Lovers!

As I type this, Carole A. Burval (shown left, green shirt) is teaching a watercolor class in the hallway just outside my gallery door. Students have come from as far away as Hudson to take Carole's class, and I've heard nothing but positive feedback!

Carole's teaching style is patience mixed with humor and a lot of technique. She shares tips and advice from her many years as a professional painter and teacher, so you don't have to learn the hard way. Carole also asks about your goals for your work, and then she helps you get there. Carole is a sparkling diamond in Spooner's local art scene--we're so lucky to have her here.

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As you may already know, Carole's specialty is transparent watercolor painting. While I don't know everything there is to know about this challenging technique, I do know that what Carole does with thin layers of watercolor paint is absolutely amazing. She can use just one tube of paint (that's just one color--see above left for an example) to create an entire scene with all its moods, textures, shadows, details, and emotions. By changing the value and tone of the pigment (by using more or less water), Carole's works come alive.

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Please come visit us TONIGHT, 6 - 8 PM, for Carole's Artist Reception here at Black Iris Gallery (Hwy 63, Spooner, WI). We'll have food, wine, and fabulous fine art, plus you'll get to meet Carole and her very handsome husband.

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If you've always wanted to learn watercolor painting in a workshop setting rather than from "how-to" books, Carole Burval's classes are an excellent choice. To take a class from Carole, please contact her at her Web site or call 847-840-7731 (that's her cell #, which is the best way to reach her). She can let you know her upcoming schedule.

And now I have a question for you, Dear Readers! Are there other workshops you'd like to take? Are you interested in oil painting, black and white photography, or weaving? What about glass work, metalwork, or wood carving? Do you want to learn how to capture people's faces in charicature drawings? I have several artists who are interested in teaching classes, but most don't have room for group sessions in their home studios.

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To help them and you, I am coordinating an art class schedule for the remainder of 2009...so let us know what medium you're interested in. Please respond by posting a comment, below.

Thanks!

Artfully,

JoAnn

Left: Layer, shadow, & Light Lesson

Carole A. Burval: Perfection on Paper

Greetings, Art Lovers!

Our next art show at Black Iris Gallery is now hanging, and it is absolutely stunning!

The artist is Carole A. Burval, TWSA, WHS, MWS, from Minong, WI and Barrington, IL. All those initials after her name mean that Carole is an award-winning watercolor artist with Signature Status in several Watercolor Societies.

Carole's work is normally showcased at national exhibits, making her show here at Black Iris a rare opportunity for art lovers in general and for watercolor fans in particular. Don't miss this show.

Samples of Carole's work are shown along the left side of this page. Top to bottom, the pieces are called Almost Spring, Fall on Washington Island, and Iris Abstract (click for larger images).

You can see how well Carole captures the shapes, colors, textures, moods, and emotions of a scene. My favorite is the middle piece. The wooden cart of pumpkins reminds me of late summer and fall, with all their smells and colors and quite moments. For me, Carole's artwork is perfection on paper.

Since Carole's works often hang in large cities like Chicago and Tuscon, her show at Black Iris Gallery is a chance to see nationally acclaimed work right here in Spooner--don't miss it!

Carole's Artist Reception will be Saturday, June 13, 6:00 - 8:00 PM, here at the Gallery. We're located at 410 North River Street (Hwy 63) in Spooner, with free parking on Oak Street.

See you on Saturday, June 13th for fine art, fine wine, and fine food!

To learn more about Carole and her work, please visit her Web site at http://www.caroleaburval.com/. You can also sign up for Carole's watercolor workshop, which will be held June 12 & 13 in Spooner.

See you Saturday, June 13, for Carole's Artist Reception!

Artfully,
JoAnn
Owner, Black Iris Gallery
JoAnn@BlackIrisFraming.com

Summer is Show Season at Black Iris

For those of you who attended Don & Linda Ruedy's art show and artist reception on Saturday, May 9, you know what a magical afternoon it was!

Linda sold several framed photographs, including Blue Heron Visitor, shown left. Don played his Celtic harp for us, above right, making the entire day an elegant and cultured affair.

My good friend Leila agreed to sit as Don's live model, and the pastel portrait he created of her is stunning, as you can see below.

If you would like to commission Don to create a portrait for you (or of you) -- they make very thoughtful gifts! --please contact Don directly at ruedy715@centurytel.net.

I think one of the best parts of the day was when a long-lost relative of Linda's arrived to see her. They had lost touch over the years, but her daughter's paternal aunt had heard about the show in the newspaper. See below for a photo of their happy reunion.

Stay tuned for information on our next art show--it's hanging now and it's absolutely stunning!

Happy Memorial Day, and thank you to all veterans. Our freedom is not free, and we have you to thank for it.

Sincerely and artfully yours,

JoAnn

And the winner is...! Our next Art Show...! (Plus, are you on Facebook?)

Hello, everyone!

I finally have a winner of the Blu-Ray Disk Player! I've been taking names for my drawing since before Christmas. In early January, I drew the winner's name and called her, but she was in Florida for the winter! Once I finally reached her (e-mail is amazing), I was able to give SALLY LINDSTROM of SPOONER, WI the good news!

When she came home in late February, Sally bounded on in to the frame shop to collect her prize. I think she was walking about 3 feet off the floor that day. As you can see, Sally looks very happy that she won the Blu-Ray player. "Out of 400 entries, JoAnn? Really?!" she kept asking me. Yes, really! :-)

Congratulations again, Sally!

Our next art show features artist and Lutheran pastor Paul Oman. The reception will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2 - 5 PM, and you'll get to see Paul paint an original work of art, right before your eyes. For more details and to see samples of Paul's beautiful work, click here: www.BlackIrisFraming.com/artshow.php.

And yes, I am finally on Facebook. After four of my girlfriends asked (within the same two weeks), "Are you on Facebook?" I decided it was time to join and see what FB is all about. It's actually very fun (and potentially addicting). If you're not on FB yet, you should definitely try it.

You can easily find people you know by joining groups (high school, college, jobs, interests, etc), by checking out the profiles of your "friends" (people you already know on FB), or by using the Search function (that's how I found my girlfriend Amanda!). And get this (to all you business Bloggers out there...), withing 24 hours of being on FB, I landed an $800 framing order. I had heard that FB can be a great way to make business connections...I guess that's true! Thank you, Holly P., for becoming my friend and my customer. It's been great getting to know you on-line and off. I can't wait to finish framing your beautiful artwork--you have impeccable taste.

Sincerely,
JoAnn

Black Iris Gets New Logo!

Hello, everyone! Check out my new sign!

As we speak, there is a bucket truck parked outside my front door. Brad, the sign guy, is re-lettering the other side of my sign to display my new logo. (See photos, left & below.)

With help from Promotions by Karla in Shell Lake, WI, I now have a new logo and new tagline.

To celebrate, I'm giving away a Blu Ray DVD player in January! To sign up, click here. The winner will be notified by e-mail no later than January 15, 2009. Good luck!

My new tagline is Framing for a Lifetime. What sets Black Iris apart from other frame shops in the area is that I use conservation framing methods and materials. Unless the customer requests otherwise, I follow the guidelines set forth by the PPFA--the Professional Picture Framers Assocation. This means I give your artwork the same care and attention here in my shop that certified framers give the highly valuable works of art they are framing for museums. I guarantee it.

My new logo depicts a Black Iris in full bloom (appropriately symbolic, I think) on a bright, green background. Both are framed in bold black. My new, shorter name, Black Iris Custom Framing, is also part of the new logo.

Let me know what you think, and stay warm out there!

Happy Thanksgiving and Many Blessings to you and yours this Holiday Season.

Sincerely,
JoAnn Martin

Black Iris Custom Framing
Spooner, WI
715-635-4548

joann@blackirisframing.com

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Top to bottom:

Readying and Waiting on a Crisp, Sunny Day

Here Comes the Lettering...

And Now the Green Logo-- Ta-daaa!