Ta-Da!!

The Finished Pieces!

Close Ups

Here is a series of shots showing the tiny paints and library memorabilia. The tiny paintings are of books, maps, computer equipment and other items you might find in your library.

Art Friends, March 18, 2008

Greetings All,
I know it has been quite a while since I sent an Art Friends eletter. The beginning of the year saw me traveling quite a bit and working to finish some critical projects. Finally, I feel like I can take a breath and catch up.

Meet the Artist -- There will be a "meet-the-artist" day this Saturday, March 22, from 10am-2pm at the Fresh Express Cafe where I have artwork currently on display. The Fresh Express Cafe is at 35 E. Burlington, Riverside, IL. The display continues through March and the first part of April and is open from 6:30am-4pm, Mon-Sat. I hope you can stop by.

Women's Works -- I am very pleased to announce that my artwork has, once again, been selected for the Women's Works Fine Arts Show. This is an annual event and has grown in stature with each year. Artists apply from across the U.S. ensuring very high quality. Yes, this is a show by women and it presents women's unique perspectives. But, you know what? Even my husband appreciated the work. Woman's Works runs through April 26, at the Old Courthouse Arts Center, Woodstock, IL, "on the square." The art center is open Wed-Sun in the afternoons. My two works there are Grand Bakery and Cheesecake and Pie. You can also see those on my site.

Well, that is enough news for now. Next time, I will tell you all about the art-tables I have just completed for the Algonquin Public Library!

Warmly,
Barbara Sistak Baur, Artist

Now On Display
-- Algonquin Public Art Display, Eastview Elementary School, showing Lemon or Cherry?, until October 2008.
-- Fresh Express Cafe, 35 E. Burlington, Riverside, IL, until April 12. Hours are Mon-Sat, 6:30am-4:30pm.
-- Women's Works, Old Courthouse Arts Center, Woodstock, IL, until April 26. Hours are Wed-Sun, afternoons.

Now Online http://barbarabaur.blogspot.com/
-- Carol's Gift (Motorcycle), a commission I just completed before Christmas. A great study of a powerful motocycle. Click on the Commissions topic.

On the Easel
-- I have a couple of things in the works. One is shelves & shelves of bread! (Some of you have asked to see this.) Another one has desserts on a quaint little cafe table.

Barb's Blog
Fresh Paint! - Paintings, Sketches and Studies
http://barbarabaur.blogspot.com/

Feedback and correspondence are always welcome. If there is something you would like to see in Art Friends, please let me know.

Yes, please go ahead and forward this to a friend. By the way, If this email has been forwarded to you, I want you to know that you are not automatically added to my e-letter list. If you would like to continue receiving Art Friends, I need to hear from you. Click barbarabaur@comcast.net and type "Yes, Art Friends."

On the other hand, if you would like to stop receiving Art Friends, I understand. Click reply to this email and just type “unsubscribe.” Thanks for your friendship!

By the way, I continue to "clean up" of my address book and find friends that I think might enjoy Art Friends but may not be getting it. So I decided to sent it to you. If this is the first time you have received this, I say "Welcome!" I hope you like it. However, if you would rather not receive it, please let me know (see the previous paragraph).

Art Friends and all images are ©2008 Barbara Sistak Baur and all rights are reserved. If you wish to copy this material to other publications or mail lists, great!! Just let me know so I can give you permission. Thanks for your respect.

Barbara Baur Art
Lively, Textural, Vibrant
3404 Highland Dr.
Island Lake IL 60042
and
2944 S. Harlem #4
Riverside IL 60546
708-372-2798
barbarabaur@comcast.net

Fresh Express Cafe

Several pieces from my "bakery" series are on display at the Fresh Express Cafe, 35 E. Burlington, Riverside, March 17 through April 17, 2008. Hours are Mon-Sat, 6:30 am to 4:30 am. Meet-the-Artist Day is Saturday, March 22 from 10 am to 2 pm. For more information, contact me or the Fresh Express Cafe: Fresh Express Cafe.

--

2008 Women's Works

Once again, I am honored to have work selected for inclusion in the 2008 Women's Works art exhibition. This is the 21st year for Women's Works. It has grown to be a widely anticipated event by both artists and patrons throughout Illinois and the country.

GALA OPENING RECEPTION:
Sat. March 15th, 2008 7p to 9p
LOCATION: Old Court House Arts Center 815-338-4525
101 N. Johnson on Woodstock's Historic Town Square
GALLERY HOURS:
Thursday thru Saturday 11a to 5p
Sunday 1p to 5p
SHOW DATES: March 6 thru April 26.

Carol's Gift (Motorcycle)

Carol's Gift, acrylic, 11"X14,"© 2007 Barbara Sistak Baur

Just before Christmas, Carol contacted me to do this painting of her friend's special motorcycle. Yes, it was a very busy time but I decided if I focused, I could complete it in the tight time frame I had. Sometimes that is the best because you concentrate only on what is really important. You don't get sidetracked by what just isn't going to work. What I really wanted to bring out is the excitement and power that surrounds a fine machine like this and its gleaming look.

The close ups show the powerful brush strokes in the chrome and background.

Peek at the Week

ArlingtonHeights-Post.com
Member of the Sun-Times News Group
Currents

Artist's work looks good enough to eat

January 17, 2008
SRO: PEOPLE TO WATCH
Life is sweet for Island Lake artist Barbara Sistak Baur at the moment, as she has been busy displaying her "bakery art" at several venues in Chicago and its suburbs. Instead of piling on frosting, she adds thick layers of acrylic paint to her depictions of cakes, cookies, pies and doughnuts. The technique, called impasto, creates realistic three-dimensional swirls and ripples that look good enough to eat.

Sistak Baur's inspiration for the series was a bakery case in a small supermarket. "It had very colorful, very unusual bakery pieces," she said. "I went back and took pictures, thinking they would be fun to paint. Of course, they thought I was nuts."

That first painting of little more than a year ago, "Strawberry Pastries," has led to more than a baker's dozen of hunger-inducing works. Two of her more recent pieces, "Eat Cake II" and "Choose Your Treat!", have been acquired by the McHenry County Government Center and will be hung in the courthouse in Woodstock. "Lemon or Cherry?", featuring trays of cookies, is currently tantalizing students at Eastview Elementary School as part of a Village of Algonquin Public Arts Commission program. The painting is on a year-long loan to the commission. Her "confections" will also be exhibited at the Fresh Express Cafe in Riverside for most of the month of February.

Sistak Baur doesn't confine herself to the kitchen, however. She is currently working on a commission of two book-themed end tables for the Algonquin Area Public Library. After painting images of books on the tops of the tables, she is surrounding them with library memorabilia such as bookmarks, library cards and Dewey Decimal labels. The whole is then encased in resin. She also creates "car art," paintings of sedans, sports cars, hot rods and more, which complements her husband's business of selling collectible license plates.

Her work has also been displayed at the 2007 Chicago Art Open, Caffe Luna in Crystal Lake, Norris Cultural Center in St. Charles, and Women's Works at the Woodstock Arts Center.

Sistak Baur's Web site is http://barbarabaur.blogspot.com.

-- Compiled by Susan Kane-Parker