The Willcox Hotel Exhibit

A few photos from the Willcox Hotel exhibit in Aiken, South Carolina. The hotel has graciously asked if I will extend the exhibit of my steeplechase paintings through the month of March which is the heart of their steeplechase season. I said, yes!

Aiken Standard Article February 4, 2011

The walls of The Willcox are beaming with equestrian pride this month, as the Chisholm Gallery,
a leading international dealer of sporting art, has brought an exhibition of more than 20 artists from
all over the world. Paintings, drawings, sculptures, needlepoint collections, vintage photographs, pearls, botanical water colors, lithographs, caricatures and more are on display and sale throughout the hotel for the rest of the month. Chisholm Gallery owner Jeanne Chisholm said, in her business, she strives for a
mix of fine art from new and established artists in a variety of media and subject matter. One of Chisholm’s favorite exhibits in the gallery is that of Susan Smolensky, an artist who depicts Steeplechase horses and scenes. “She has captured a dynamism that nobody else has,” said Chisholm of Smolensky. “The elevation, the angle at which she depicts the steeplechase horses jumping – she really makes you feel like you’re right there with her, right there in the moment of the jump or landing.” Many thanks to Ashleey Williamson, Aiken Standard writer.

Marketing Cards and Sheepish Feelings

I wonder if any artist in the world loves their gallery like I love mine! Jeanne Chisholm of Chisholm Gallery is a marketing goddess and ever since I met her last October she has presented my paintings to the world so enthusiastically and in such high style. I am so grateful to her for her energy and unflagging efforts. This is the marketing card she has developed for the Aiken Willcox Inn exhibit. I love it! I adore it! I think it is absolutley perfect. But I must say I feel ever so slightly sheepish. Upon seeing this I suddenly realized I am the featured  painter in this exhibit - I had no idea! In any case, I am extremely thrilled and  can only say that I was so focused in getting ready for this show - framing and shipping and getting a decent portfolio pulled together - that I must not have been paying quite enough attention. Anyway, there is also a sculptor in the exhibit, Patsy Davis,  and you can find her lovely whimsical bronze sculptures on the Chisholm Gallery site as well.  I hope some of my readers and blog followers who live close by will get a chance to visit the Willcox Inn during this exhibit. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Look Out Aiken, South Carolina - Here I Come!

Quantum Poetry 24x36 oil on stretched canvas

I spent this past weekend framing and printing out marketing materials for the exhibition hosted by the Chisholm Gallery next month at the Willcox Inn. Its a GORGEOUS place and has a pretty interesting early American history. Apparently notables like  Winston Churchill, Harold Vanderbilt, Elizabeth Arden and Count Bernadotte of Sweden have all stayed there at one time or another - how fun is that! I am so thrilled to have my steeplechase series hanging out there for a while! Tomorrow I will take a grand total of 11 paintings to be crated and shipped off. This has been a real learning experience for me and I am super excited about it.
In between all this hectic preparation, I had a little time to paint and what I did was take a painting I thought I had finished a couple of weeks ago and repaint the entire thing! I dont think I have ever done that before.  I liked some things about the painting but the color was not working for me - which was odd because I loved it at first. I changed pretty much everything about it and like it much better now - it feels right. I still have a few final highlights before I will call it done but its 99% there now.

Steeplechase Series

 This is a 36x24 oil on oil primed linen panel. What a luxury it is to paint on oil primed linen. I love the way the texture of the linen grabs the paint off the brush. The Chisholm Gallery is working on a show for me in February at the Willcox Hotel in Aiken, South Carolina. Its a gorgeous place and I think my steeplechase work would be well displayed there. I hope all the arrangements can be worked out. If it happens, I will be looking for a company to crate and ship the framed pieces - what fun! Here is a link so you can see this glorious place: The Willcox Hotel.  I am very excited about this unique opportunity. Apparently steeplechase season is coming in South Carolina!