This year’s ArtOMatic is missing so many of the names and art I always look forward to (including mine).

First let me say that as a participant in every ArtOmatic including and since 2002 at the old EPA building in D.C., I understand the hours and hours and HOURS of work that goes into this type of event.  I wonder if anyone has ever tallied them up.

And let me say that I was writing blogs about the small ArtOMatic show at Reagan National Airport, ArtOMatic Takes Flight, and earlier this year before a new place had been found to hold this one.

So I was surprised when I didn’t hear of this one until AFTER the first call – I got a 2nd call (and couldn’t believe that I was seeing a 2nd call for an ArtOMatic – unheard of.  We artists broke the system on more than one occasion by all trying to get on it one minute after the call opened).

When visiting, I set aside a solid 6 hours for what I anticipated would be my first of several forays to see all the art.  I was finished in 3 hours.  *3* hours.  Lots of open space on the floor and on the walls.  I missed the jammed juxtaposition of *every* kind of art and the energy that comes from that.

Let’s just say this wasn’t my favorite ArtOMatic.  I did find some new artists and one or two that I know already, and was happy to see that it still is wide open to anyone who wants to put the time in and their talent on display.  And I guess, in the end, that’s what it’s all about.  So I am going to share favorites over the next several days…which brings up:  I googled to see “favorite lists” and can’t find any.  Can’t find it on Pinterest (last time we had board that were open for people to pin to….).  So you’re just going to have to go with my word or have a look at the ArtOMatic list which is less than search friendly (you can’t scroll artists.  You have to scroll names and click each one individually).  Onward.

Two “old” favorites:

Karen Peacock:  I first ran into her art at the Frederick ArtOMatic in 2011.  Her paintings are large and she incorporates clothing – the results are enchanting.  I love the way she continued the picture onto the wall  – wonderful presentation (2nd picture below)

I first saw Jamie Peterson’s work at ArtoMatic in Flight where my husband was attracted to this painting of twins, also showing at ArtOMatic. I was taken by this piece in the current ArtOMatic show (he had a suite of crow paintings – love crows and I like the way he captures their energy and interaction with people)

New to me this show is Phyllis Mayes, who unfortunately does not have a website (at least on her card).  She was there when I was, and was friendly and introduced herself and I was not friendly (shame on me) as she was the very first work I saw and I was focused on moving through the show, not on talking to artists.  Go figure.  You’d think as an artist I’d be better about that.  At any rate, whether or not I was less than chatty, I found her work in my top favorites of the show.  Apparently I missed her work in the 2009 show – I found this self-deprecating self description when I googled to see if I could find more of her work or more information. I fell in love with her meticulous castle in Frederick Artomatic 2011:

and her work in this year’s ArtOMatic which is in my overall top favorites of the show:

Terry Sitz participated in ArtOMatic 2012, her first foray into art per her video here.  Here is her page from the last ArtOMatic – by the way I loved this format and wish they had done it this year.  Her work this year absolutely captivated me….the primary colors, the raw energy,  and the abstracted figures speaking to my inner muse (who happens to be my inner child, holder of all of my own creativity). I  can’t do this kind of art well, and have always wished I could!

read Terry’s blog on “LIberatas” above here

That’s it for today.  I hope you enjoy these artists and I hope that you will peruse the ArtOMatic catalog – or if you are local go see it in person – to find the paintings which speak to you.  I have found in the past that my mood of the day changes what I see and don’t see as I move through all of the art.  So I should go back again because I am sure my take on some will change and that there is art that I completely didn’t register.  Art is like that.  Kudos to all the artists who put themselves on the line for our enjoyment.