Carol McGraw | Art http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:52:40 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Dancing Spirit http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/dancing-spirit/ http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/dancing-spirit/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:03:43 +0000 Carol McGraw http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/?p=269
Yellow Dancer by Carol McGraw

Yellow Dancer 2011

Recently, I was invited to a figure painting workshop being run by my long time teacher, mentor and friend, Tammra Sigler.  I have taken summer classes in figure painting from Tammra for many years.  What I love about Tammra is her combination of guts, freedom and a painter’s eye.  She helps you to jump in, loosen up and break boundaries in a way that is true to yourself.   She also teaches you to assess yourself along the way.  During much of this day and a half workshop, the model was continuously moving, which really helped me to push my limits of expression and abstraction of the figure.  A variety of media also gave my pieces in this series a nice texture.  Look for the full series to be added to this website under “Figures” soon!

]]> http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/dancing-spirit/feed/ 0 Local Talent http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/local-talent/ http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/local-talent/#comments Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:30:52 +0000 Carol McGraw http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/?p=263 Soaring Above (In My Dreams) by Carol McGraw

Soaring Above (In My Dreams)

Prior to relocating to the Baltimore area in 1997, I felt I was creating in a vacuum.  After the move, I felt encouraged and inspired in my artistic pursuits.  Here I found wonderful friends, teachers and organizations that have sparked insights and opened up possibilities I never could have imagined.

Baltimore fosters creativity and has so much talent to offer.  Now is the time of year when many artists in the Baltimore area are nominating themselves for the annual Baker Artist Awards.  These awards, started in 2008-2009 by the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, are for artists living and working in the Baltimore area.  Art entry categories include visual, performance, sound, cinematic, design, community, written and new forms.  Three $25,000 Mary Sawyers Baker awards and nine $1,000 b-grants will be given out.  The nomination process is digital and is encompassed on the Baker Artist Awards website.  Reasons for Baltimore area artists to nominate themselves, even if they have the “but I know I won’t win anything” attitude are (1) it gets you to organize your work and your thoughts about your work – always a good thing and (2) free exposure, how great is that?  Everybody looks at this website!  Gallery owners, curators, etc.  I know because I’ve been contacted by people because of it and I have contacted people because of it.

The best thing about the Baker Artist Awards website is that you get to see some amazing work, whether Baltimore is your backyard or a speck on a map.  It’s kind of a one stop shopping of what’s happening in the arts in the Baltimore area.  It also forms a community of artists as such and reinforces a camaraderie among creative individuals.   I like to see the evolution each year in the work of my favorite artists and to see which new works will catch my attention.

Please stop by and see my nomination at the Baker Artist Awards website by following this link and typing Carol McGraw into the “Find an Artist” box at the bottom of the page.  I am still building my nomination, so watch it as it changes and let me know what you think over the next few months until the deadline date on January 15, 2012.  Awards will be given out in the spring of 2012 and you will still be able to view the 2011-2012 nominations for some months after that until time to start nominations for the next year.

P.S. Thanks to my good friend and photographer, Joseph Hyde, who first talked me into nominating myself for the Baker Artist Awards.  Look him up on the site as well, lovely work!

]]> http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/local-talent/feed/ 0 The Crow Maiden http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/the-crow-maiden/ http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/the-crow-maiden/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:32:09 +0000 Carol McGraw http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/?p=256 The Crow Maiden Waves Goodbye by Carol McGraw

The Crow Maiden Waves Goodbye

I have started to render fanciful figures in medieval gowns using acrylic and charcoal on paper.  These new larger works (30″h x 22″w) get their roots from my enduring interest of medieval life and lore.  I enjoy connecting this influence with items more familiar to my surroundings and experiences.  Although rendered in a more realistic fashion, these pieces still maintain an abstract quality in the way the paint is worked on the paper to give it a stained and weathered appearance.

While you’re on my website, please take a look at my new gallery, Landscapes!

]]> http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/the-crow-maiden/feed/ 0 Rediscovering Earlier Artwork http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/rediscovering-earlier-artwork/ http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/rediscovering-earlier-artwork/#comments Fri, 12 Aug 2011 03:27:49 +0000 Carol McGraw http://www.carolmcgraw-art.com/?p=235 Hunched Shoulders by Carol McGraw

Hunched Shoulders

I have been taking some time this summer to organize my studio.  I need a smoother flow so that I can concentrate on my art.  It also helps to be able to find what I need when I am looking for it!  In cleaning up, I have uncovered many earlier works that intrigue me and inspire me.  This particular sketch from a life drawing class some time ago is one such work.  I love the simple, exaggerated shape.

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