Marian L. O'Connell      Artist, Printmaker

News - Fall 2009

If you have visited my website before, you know that I won “Best in Show” at the 2009 Newport Annual Members Show at the Newport Art Museum for my handmade accordion book “Walls, Gates and Fences” and it was bookended by the Newport Art Museum Award. The Museum’s new award entitles me to a solo show which has now been scheduled for January, 2011. I have already started making plates for two new books that will be in the show with single etchings from the books framed and hung on the walls.

The first book will be a series from the onion dome photos I took on the river boat cruise from Vienna to Amsterdam a year ago. Then the Russian trip this June gave me even more material for the series and “Uglich” is one I have finished with gold leaf. (I have been learning leafing this summer too,) “Uglich” has already been accepted into the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club’s 113th Annual Open, October 1 to October 23, 2009 at the National Arts Club, New York City.

The second accordion book sounds strange but live and dead flowers. Imagine a yellow bright dandelion and later the white puff ball. I find the colors, texture and abstract forms of the dead flower exciting when we take the time to observe the wonders of nature.

My husband had a business trip to San Diego in April so we left a few days early and visited Death Valley and Los Angeles. So the idea of “Across the USA” may be in the beginning stages of ideas for possibilities for another series. More possibilities came from a trip to Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands and Devil’s Tower after attending my Mother’s funeral in Minnesota in July. When I was about 8, I had been on a trip with my parents to the Black Hills so being that close we kind of repeated where I had been.

I have seen a few of you at the summer outdoor shows and hope to meet more of you soon. I hope you have enjoyed your visit to my website and I would love to hear your comments.

~~ Marian

© 2009, Marian L. O’Connell, all rights reserved

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