Now on Houzz

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Art Studio News: August 2012

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Current and Upcoming Exhibitions:
Sizzle!


Night Swimming - Awarded 2nd prize
40 x 30 inches, oil & charcoal on canvas
©2012 Morgan Johnson Norwood

Show runs from:  August 1-31, 2012

Reception:  August 15 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

US Geological Survey National Center Gallery 

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive

Reston, VA 20191

Come join in the celebration of talented local Reston artists at the USGS Building!  Click here for more information about Night Swimming and other show details.

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Shadow | Light


Shadow Dance - winning title by Karen Smith
40 x 30 inches, oil and charcoal on canvas
©2012 Morgan Johnson Norwood

Show runs from: September 6, 2012 - January 22, 2013

Reception: September 8-9, 2012 from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

North Gate Vineyard

16031 Hillsboro Road

Purcellville, VA

A solo exhibition including several NEW pieces, paired with North Gate's fabulous wine.  Let's celebrate!  Read more about the exhibition on the Leesburg Patch.


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Reston Market at Lake Anne 

End of Summer 2012 Booth Dates
Saturdays 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

August 18
September 1
October 13, 27
November 3

I look forward to helping you select a perfect painting for your space.  Hope to see you!  Click here for a map to Lake Anne Plaza.

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Award for Night Swimming!

Nice!  I just found out that my painting, Night Swimming, has just won an award in my current exhibition, Sizzle, now hanging at the US Geological Survey in Reston, VA.  Sponsored by the League of Reston Artists, Juror: Carolyn Grosse Gawarecki

Come celebrate with me at the reception on Wednesday, August 15, 3-5pm.  The show will hang through August 31.  It's a federal building, so don't forget to bring your ID when you visit.

Night Swimming
oil and charcoal on canvas, 40 x 30 inches
© 2012 Morgan Johnson Norwood

While evocative of bubbles and pools of water, Night Swimming, like most of the paintings I've created in the past year, is actually inspired from the patches of dappled light through the trees on the pavement.  In this piece I am exploring those round shapes; forms that also echo the pattern of holes in a lotus pod, another recurring symbol in my paintings. These shapes remind the viewer not only of patches of light, but also of rain, of air bubbles rising through deep water, and of stones. Sometimes when we explore the darkness we find the light.  In creating this painting, I used layers of paint in inky blues, warm reds, and buttery yellows through which I scrawled simple charcoal gestural drawings for texture and interest.

Name That Painting Contest--Award time!

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in my Name That Painting contest.  So many gorgeous and thoughtful titles were submitted and it took a very long time to decide the winner. 

Shadow Dance, Detail
© 2012 Morgan Johnson Norwood

Congratulations to Karen, who submitted the winning title, Shadow Dance.  Karen, please send me a message (email/website/Facebook are all fine) as to how best send you your new 6 x 6 small abstract painting!

I plan to have another similar contest in a few months, so don't let your creativity caps get dusty.  These titles were FANTASTIC.

 This painting will join three others at the US Geological Survey visitor center's National Gallery now through August 31.  I hope you are able to see it in person, but I will share pictures of the exhibition soon.









Top Finishers
1. Shadow Dance - At first I dismissed this selection because of the similar title to some of my other works, but the idea of dance kept me coming back to this title.  I like that the word dance reflects the bouncing energy of the shadowy shapes, and I like that the title is a contrast in itself between softness and liveliness.

2. Ascent - A one-word poem that embodies the movement of the shapes.  An emotional contrast to the potential opposite title (Descent), causing the viewer not to read the painting left to right, but instead from the center out.

3. Fluid Crown - A beautiful, creative combination of words that hint at ideas beyond nature.  I find myself thinking about this title all the time.

4. Forever Fall - I love the alliteration in the title, and the tie to the fall-like color scheme.  When the trees are bursting with color, I do sometimes wish that time would stop, just so I could enjoy it a little longer. 

5. Some Enchanted Evening - This title evokes a glowing sunset walk around the lake, slow and graceful. 




Honorable Mentions
6. While She Was Sleeping - This one totally made me laugh, because it's true-- all my paintings were made during naptimes. 

7. Morning Mist - I really enjoy the use of the word Mist in the title.  I see this title for a painting with a cooler palette of pinks and yellows.

8. Clarinda - A beautiful and very different name, and I like how you went about choosing this title.  But I didn't choose this one because while I was listening to music, I didn't feel the close connection to the music and/or geography necessary to affect the aesthetic.

9. Haven - A good title, evocative and peaceful, but I see this title for a different painting, perhaps for one of the seed pod-inspired paintings that examine the protective nooks and crannies

10. Vine and Vine Again - A funny play on words!

11, 12. A Magical Season, The Magical Hour -  I find the word Magical very interesting.  I am going to ponder these for awhile. 

13. Sunshine in the Rain - There is a wonderful glow that happens when the sun comes out in a rain storm.  I like this title, but perhaps for a different painting.

14. Something Firey This Way Comes - I love the use of FIRE in the title.  I like the energy that reflects the colors.

15. Dancing Vines - I like the suggestion of the movement of the vine shapes. 

Thank you all again for playing.  I hope this was as fun an exercise for you as it was for me to read and consider.