Nancy Lou Canyon -- 2012 Artsmith Fellow

Each day this week, the Artsmith blog will feature the work of one of the 2012 Artsmith Artist Residency Fellows. Today's fellow is Nancy Lou Canyon, who painted the above painting during the Vernal Equinox and while in residence.

Working title: Fluttering From Her Hand

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas, 12 x 12

This painting is part of a new series started in 2011, based on reflections on water.

You can see more of Nancy's work here: http://www.nancycanyon.com/

Shhhh ... Artists at Work

The artists are in residence! A big welcome to the 2012 Artsmith Artist Residency Fellows:

• Katie Ryan Roth
• Lana Hechtman Ayers
• Lin McJunkin
• Nancy Canyon
• Shirley Sachiko Kishiyama

We look forward to a week of inspiration, creativity, and sharing of work. Let the residency begin!

Bad News for Poets...

Enter the Summer Solstice Broadside Contest

Artsmith has partnered with Dwell Press to offer a Summer Solstice Broadside Contest. In the long tradition of marrying poetry with art, the contest seeks to showcase the words of the winning poet in a broadside produced by Dwell Press. The winning entry will be produced in a limited number edition broadside of 75 prints, 50 of which will go to the author and the remaining 25 will go to the press. An original woodcut or pen and ink polymer will be printed alongside the poem on 100% cotton paper using a 1916 Chandler and Price 10 x 15 letterpress. Remaining proceeds benefit Dwell Press. Deadline is March 31, 2012.

For complete guidelines, please visit http://dwellpress.typepad.com/dwellpress/broadside-contest.html.

Thanks to Jason Skipper for reading at the Artsmith Literary Salon last night from his novel, Hustle, about three generations of southern men hustling for money, women, and art, and, ultimately, redemption. Definitely worth a read. Not convinced? Read what Charles Baxter has to say about this compelling debut novel:

What do the generations owe each other? Everything and nothing, Jason Skipper’s beautifully plain-spoken novel tells us, as it invites us to watch its young protagonist learning his hardscrabble survival skills from a few amazingly unreliable mentors. Some human truths need to be presented without embellishment, and the central truth of Hustle is that we’re all on the edge of a cliff. This is a fine story, honestly told.

—Charles Baxter, author of The Feast of Love

Shark Reef call for submissions

The online Journal, SHARK REEF, is now accepting submissions for poetry, prose, and artwork for their upcoming summer issue. Check out their guidelines and winter issue at sharkreef.org.

Jan Madill Exhibit

Artsmith Artist Residency Fellow, Jan Madill's exhibit at Warner Pacific College in Portland is already creating a buzz after her artist talk with a surprise performance by Robert Kikuchi Yngojo from Eth-Noh-Tec Kinetic Story Theater of San Francisco. Madill's artwork is inspired, in part, by her career as a Medical Internist as well as a childlike fascination with science. The show opens Friday, February 3, 6:00-9:00 pm. For more information go to Warner Pacific College.