Trays of Sweets

Large bakery trays sweep into and out of the picture plane creating it own enticing movement. The tones of yellow range from almost white to deep brown. This small painting is 12” x 9”. Sold. ©2007 Barbara Sistak Baur

Art in Library Park, Kenosha, WI

This painting, Cake Reflections, was acquired by the Friends of the Kenosha Public Museum for the museum collection. It was purchased during the Friends' Art in Library Park, July 2o, 2008. It features just one impasto pastry -- the front cake. The other cakes are painted "flat" but they have great texture. The moody blues help move the "behind" cakes further back. The muted reds provide the perfect springboard for the brighter front cake. It is 14"x11" and acrylic. framed.

In addition to this honor, I was awarded Best of Show during the event. How cool is that! The judge was Kim Greene of Carthage College.











Here is what the whole display looks like.

Real People 2008

Blue Woman, ©Barbara Sistak Baur, 8"x10," acrylic, framed, ($250), has been selected for the juried exhibition Real People 2008, Aug. 7 through Sept 28, at the Old Court House Arts Center in Woodstock, IL. The show is organized by the Old Court House Figurative League. The Gala Opening and Awards presentation is Saturday, Aug. 23, from 6-9:30. There are lovely restaurants within walking distance of the show making this a delightful outing for anyone.

Collections

Artwork by Barbara Sistak Baur is among these

Selected Collections

Kenosha Public Museum, Kenosha, WI
Epic Systems Corporation, Verona, WI
McHenry County Public Art Collection, Woodstock, IL
Algonquin Area Public Library, Algonquin, IL
Mike & Roxanne Butterfield, Hot Springs, AR
Ken & Chris Arthur, N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL

Highwood Fine Art Festival

I am in booth number 5. Look for me!

Double click the Poster to see a larger size

Loaves

I accepted a challenge recently – take the textural style I have developed further. Push it to a different place. This is the happy result. I used raw canvas as the major textural element, along with large brushstrokes and impasto paint. The raw canvas was cut or torn into appropriate shapes. That process left some loose strings and fraying that I decided to keep. The raw canvas shapes were adhered to the board and stuffed a bit to give them more depth. I painted on the raw canvas using a large brush. I dripped glazing on the rolls for “icing.” I like how the roughness of the canvas, raw edges and thick paint serves the subject. Plus, there is a more abstract feel. © 2008 Barbara Sistak Baur, 16”x30”, acrylic, turned canvas, mixed media.

Close ups of the loaves and rolls.


Go to the Fresh From The Studio store now

Disaster at Evanston Air Fair

You may have seen the news about the disaster at the Evanston Art Fair, June 26, 2008 with tornado-like winds wiping out 20+ artist tents. Mine was among them. Not only that, but I was inside my tent when it was crushed!

I was at Evanston. Here is my personal story:

About 10 minutes before the storm, show officials ran around and told everyone that a bad storm was on the way and to take your art work off the display walls. First I tied on all the tents walls and clipped them tight. I was in my closed tent and taking some of the larger pieces down and leaning them together.

The wind was horrendous. The tent fabric was flapping violently and the everything was shaking. But I was ready for high winds, due to my experience earlier in spring, and felt secure with my weight system. Then the wind really picked up speed. I grabbed on to the tent frame to give an extra weight. Then it got heavy. And heavier. Then it pushed me, the display walls and the entire tent down the ground. I was trapped under it and the tent next to me which had blown on top of me. It was a domino effect. I fell into the next tent. I was holding the debris away from me and saw large chunks other people's stuff flying by. I couldn't get out. The tent and display frame was twisted and the fabric flapped around me. I heard crashes and screams from all around and I was hoping nothing would slam into me.

When the wind died down a bit, rescuers ran from debris pile to debris pile uncovering people. They finally got to me and said the storm wasn't over and to run for cover. Which I did. After a few moments, swarms of artists picked up all of my stuff and art work out of the rubble and pulled it to the sidewalk. The tent was carted away to a "dead tent" pile with dozens of others. I quickly threw artwork and everything else into boxes. Several young men picked up everything and carried it inside a nearby church. Thank goodness because then it hailed and rained like crazy.

I was bruised and scraped but okay. The artwork, somehow, made it as well. I think it was the fast action picking up everything. I examined everything and just minor repairs are needed on the frames. My able assistant (husband) thinks he can fix enough of the display panels to get me going for the Madison show. I will have to buy a new tent.

So that's the story!
Here is a link to a news report.