Nigel Fox Artworks

I am putting on an amazing, super, great, stupendous, all out, no holds barred, free artwork draw! My last draw went to Katherine Clayton, who won a $200 serigraph, Butterflies. The next one will go to whoever enters the draw before my page reaches 500 likes!!!

This draw, I am giving away a superb quality pigmented ink work titled “Bears”.

To enter, simply (1) “like” my facebook page, and (2) post on my wall that you would like to be part of the contest. If you would like to be added to the draw a second time, then share on your Facebook profile about this draw. that’s it, that’s all. Hope to see your name!

Also, I am exhibiting as the Lakes Artisan Centre’s first guest exhibitor. This exhibit goes on for the month of February. Opening night is Friday, Feb 3rd, from 6pm to 8pm at the Lakes Artisan Centre in Burns Lake. I am displaying one of my newest pieces there and it should be a good show.

Okay, here’s the deal. I am planning on giving away an impressionist painting to one of my facebook fans when my page reaches 200 likes.

Here’s how to enter: 1) like my page, 2) post on my wall that you want to be part of the contest.

My facebook page is here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nigel-Fox-Artworks/168821496495506

When the page reaches 200 likes, there will be a draw from among the people who entered.

The piece is called Red Sunset. Here are more details on this piece:
http://www.nigelfoxartworks.com/?page_id=69&artid=80

I have been teaching a basic drawing workshop over the past four weeks at the Houston (BC) public library using the concepts taught in Betty Edwards’ book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. In this book, Betty explains that sometimes seeing and talking are two totally different things. As an example of this, try naming out loud the actual colors from the list below without saying the names of the colors.

If you are like most people, you probably had difficulty naming the actual color. The reason for this is because the part of your brain that gives names to colors is different than the part of your brain that perceives colors, and the part of your brain that gives names is usually more dominant.

Anyways, going on the theory that drawing is mostly a right-brained activity, students can more effectively learn how to discern and improve their drawing ability. It has been a fun course, with a good set of students and I have learned a lot.

I have digitized my latest northwest coast tessellation, “Butterflies #3”.  Currently, I think that I will probably make this into a print.  This particular design is a play off my second butterfly tessellation, which I made my first silkscreen print from.

Basically, I made a slight modification to the lattice, or “frame”, of the original butterfly tessellation and adapted the motif (butterfly) accordingly.

Rangi Kipa, Maori Artist

Rangi Kipa, a leading Maori artist from New Zealand, came to the class today in order to introduce himself and meet the students. This is part of what has become somewhat of a “teacher’s exchange”. Dempsey Bob and two Freda Diesing graduates went to New Zealand in October in order to learn more about the Maori culture and its carvers first hand. They met with Rangi while they were down there. While Rangi is here, he will be doing a bone carving workshop for Freda Diesing students; former FDS students are also welcome to attend tomorrow (bring your own bone to carve).

Naomi Yamamoto, BC's Minister of Advanced Education

While Rangi was meeting with the students today, we had a surprise visit from BC’s minister of advanced education, Naomi Yamamoto. Naomi seemed quite interested in what we are doing at the school, learning about the various facets of the school. I got to talk with her and even show her a cedar mask that I am carving. She seemed very interested to know about how and why we dry the wood while we are carving it.

On a similar note, I was a bit surprised to hear that Rangi has a degree in social anthropology and a masters degree as well. I am finding that a lot of the more academic art schools encourage written and spoken communication. I think that this is because words are important, especially in the context of art. Words often provide a context for a piece of art, sort of like the light in a room, and that is part of the reason why I have learned to love to write.

Tomorrow we start learning to carve spoons from alder wood. Alder is a semi-hard wood that grows in recently disturbed soil on the west coast. It literally grows like a weed and yet it makes very beautiful carvings. Most of the birch that we are using this year at Freda Diesing came from trees that were blown down during a one-in-200-year storm over the thanksgiving weekend and taken from CN land near Kitsumkalum.

We are coming up to the month of February, when we will be exhibiting as a class in the Terrace Art Gallery. We will be showing numerous paintings from first year students at Freda Diesing School. Opening night is Friday, February 4th at 7pm to 9pm. I will be sending out reminders between now and then, so please be patient if you hear this message a few times. Below is a photo of one of the paintings that I am submitting to the Terrace Art Gallery.

This painting is a reflection a rather strange experience that once happened to me in Topley, BC.

The story behind the painting shown above was from when I was walking with my cat in Topley, yes she’s a strange cat that follows me around wherever I go.  Anyways, I was sitting on the bridge over the Bulkley River, letting my cat catch up with me when all of the sudden I felt these claws on the top of my head.  Startled, I quickly shooed what I assumed was a bird of prey after my cat, off of my head and as the bird flew away, I realized that it was a raven.  It was yet another strange but true story from Topley.

On a more subdued note, I am currently working on a business plan for my art business. There are a few things to consider with a business plan, but it all basically comes down to two things: cash flow and write up. The cash flow is the bones of your business, and is basically what you expect to make and spend based upon historical data from your own and other similar businesses. The write up is the flesh of your business, including a description of all the different aspects of your business: products, services, suppliers, employees, vision, competitors, competitive advantage, marketing plan and any other information that may be relevant.

One item to include in your write up is your competitors. In fact, during the small business workshop that I recently attended, they recommended that we keep a book on our competitors with as much relevant information as possible. They said to “keep your friends close but your enemies closer.” This is a theme that I have seen covered a few times by different speakers in the art world, including Greg Shaaf, director of the Center for Indigenous Arts and Cultures (CIAC), who recommended taking “competitors” out for lunch. He said that while they are enjoying their “creme brulee” (that you paid for) ask them some questions and hopefully they will tell you something in return for your courtesy, and if not, then they will still be thankful because you bought them lunch. It seems like a good idea either way.