She is my source of unconditional love. And my reminder to always remain energetically balanced thanks to Cesar Millan. Go rescue a dog but do yourself a favor and learn from Cesar first. If you live in northern California and are up for a rewarding challenge, visit the Border Collie Rescue of Northern California at http://www.bcrescuenc.org.

Also, did you know I donate a portion of all my sales on Etsy either to Kita’s rescue agency or the ASPCA? You can check out my offerings at http://www.birkeloart.com/handmade-art-jewelry/1.html.

I just attended the First Friday Artwalk for May down in Denver’s Santa Fe Art District.

Raucous crowd, lots of activity and lots of art.

I definitely observed certain original artwork that stood head and shoulders above the rest. The obvious professionalism, pride of presentation, clarity of vision and mastery of a chosen medium evident in these pieces shouted to be recognized above and beyond their fellow exhibitions.

I’m going to take a moment and shine a deserving spotlight on just a few of the artists exhibiting along that crowded stretch of Santa Fe Drive on May 4th, 2012.

I could add a couple more to my list, but here’s a quick note to any and all artists showcasing their work for the public, especially on a night bursting with potentially inebriated art lovers.

People are unlikely to stand and take notes on the who and the why, even if they love your work, when being pressed in on all sides by fellow viewers in cramped, hot gallery spaces.

Provide takeaways (i.e. business cards, brochures, postcards) and make certain they’re idiot-proof obvious that they belong with your work and are there for the taking.

Otherwise, you may well miss out on an opportunity you had no idea just walked by you. It could have been a lasting fan, an eventual patron or a chance at some free publicity…

So, I’d like to start this short series with a spotlight on the artist Mai Wyn Schantz. I was immediately drawn to her work and stayed to enjoy the presence of her paintings much longer than many others.

This was despite the extreme body heat sauna that was going on inside the gallery. Her vision was positively intriguing to me. It lit up my curiosity receptors. Oil paint on sheets of stainless steel.

Though much of her subject matter evoked shades of western art, which is very prevalent here in Colorado and typically doesn’t appeal to me on a personal level, her execution was absolutely modern and, dare I say, flawless.

The juxtaposition of her earthy, nature-driven subject matter over such an industrial-looking, man-made material as sheet metal was incredibly powerful.

Her use of the brush was painterly yet smooth, with very refined edges between her paint and its “canvas,” the highly polished steel surface.

Deer, antlers, twigs, landscapes and groves of aspen seem to shine and shimmer at you, almost like a reflection on water but with a tangible weight.

I was particularly drawn to the aspen, the perfectly rounded stones that looked as though they’d been washed by water for aeons and the artfully rendered bundles of twigs.

It seemed the perfect balance between nature and the modern world, especially to someone like me, who digs modern furnishings but wants to house them out in the middle of the forest.

Not only was her work superb, her skilled brush hand evident in the strokes upon her painting surface, but the artist herself was professional and warm.

She was ready to engage in conversation as I asked about her process and the techniques she used to paint on such an unforigiving, nonporous surface.

This was of particular interest to me, as I have always been drawn to non-traditional surfaces and alternative means of framing and presenting, paintings in particular.

My proverbial hat goes off to Mai. I’m so glad I was able to gain exposure to her personal version of artistic brilliance and that I could share the love and bring it to the rest of you.

If you’d like to check out more of her work, try visiting the following websites:

Artist’s Personal Website

Excellent representation of her work at the Grace Chosy Gallery.

Enjoy!

Help me decide which illustrations, environment and character concept art are the best pieces for my upcoming promotion. Getting outside opinions about the top tier of the artwork in my portfolio is very helpful for me as an artist. I value your time and your thoughts and want to thank you for taking a moment out of your day to add your two cents to my opinion poll. Just visit my Illustration and Concept Art Portfolio  (it’ll open in a new tab) then pop back here to post a comment on your top two or three favorites.

As an artist, particularly with a background in the theatre, I’m used to being backstage, not onstage. But it was time for me to step forward and speak directly to you, not just through the work I create.

To help me through those speech class jitters, I was playing a crystal bowl meditation in the background that was composed by Rhys Thomas. His work as a teacher and healer is nothing short of illuminating, so if you liked what you were hearing and are curious to find out more, you should check out his website at http://www.rhysmethod.com/rhys-method-crystal-bowls/.

Of course, you’re already on my website if you’re watching this post outside of YouTube, but it includes some personal tidbits I wanted to share with those of you who have already checked out my work.

Thanks for being here.

Know of other great sites for artists?

Share your resources by adding a comment to this post.

I’d like to know what gems of wisdom other artists have stumbled across while surfing the internet, and I’m sure others would, as well.