Literary Arts Publication Now Available at Gallery

Third Wednesday Is Now For Sale at WSG

Check out the back of the gallery this week for a literary arts journal called Third Wednesday. It’s published quarterly.

Third Wednesday grew from a group of eight poets who met the third Wednesday of each month at the Ann Arbor Barnes and Noble bookstore and then at Borders, to read and discuss their own poetry. That group became the first Associate Editors of the journal.

The first issue was published in Fall, 2007. The magazine has become international, publishing literature and artwork from Canada, Great Britain, France, the Philippines, Uganda, Italy, Romania, Ireland, and more.

Editor Laurence W. Thomas is an Ypsilanti poet, teacher, and lecturer who has published 11 books of poetry, fiction, humor, and creative nonfiction and a number of poetry chapbooks.

The art of several WSG members and visiting artists grace the pages and covers of past and current issues of Third Wednesday. We plan to include more in the future.

For more information on the journal, the editors, submission guidelines, subscribing, etc., please visit our website, www.thirdwednesday.org . In addition to poetry and short fiction, we welcome high-quality black and white and, occasionally, colored artwork for covers. See the guidelines on the site.

We’re grateful to WSG for including our journal at the gallery.

Judith Jacobs, Art Editor

Nora Venturelli in Figure Show at Sisson Gallery

Visitors to the show opening Jan. 25, 2012 at Sisson Gallery, Henry Ford Community College will be treated to an all-star line-up of artists representing the figure in their work. WSG artist, Nora Venturelli will have 6 paintings from her "Vice Versa" series on the walls. These spectacular pieces layer drawings and studies of the figure on the canvas with a final, more voluminous figure anchoring the foreground. I love the way the pieces play with your perception of positive/negative space and figure/ground.
The pieces from Venturelli's "Vice Versa" series belong in a museum!

The show runs January 25 through March 16, 2012, with a reception Jan. 25, 6-8pm.

WSG artist, Valerie Mann, is keynote speaker, visiting artist at Saline High School

Gallery artist Valerie Mann was the keynote speaker and art project facilitator for the 1st ever "Art Day" at Saline High School, Friday, Jan. 13, 2012. The art career day was organized by 2 moms who have daughters interested in art careers and/or interested in keeping art a vibrant part of their lives, if they major in another subject. Mann spoke to them about managing their 2 most important assets, their health and identities, to prepare for whatever career they choose. She encouraged them to find ways to manage stress in their lives, and added that making art was one way to do that. Her message of "art is really about problem-solving" was intended to open the students' minds to the importance of making art a part of their lives.
After her keynote speech, the students broke into 3 groups, rotating between a hands-on public art project with Mann, a panel discussion with recent Saline grads who've gone on to study art in college, and a "getting into art school" discussion with a few college reps. Read more and see the photos at this link: http://www.annarbor.com/news/saline-high-schoolers-explore-a-future-in-art/

new year/new work: Francesc Burgos at WSG

New for 2012 at WSG Gallery is a show of recent clay work by Francesc Burgos. New Year/New Work is on exhibit through February 11, 2012, with a reception Friday, January 6.

Burgos comes from an architecture background, earning an MFA in ceramics from University of Utah after a career as a commercial and residential architect. That background in structure has a significant influence on the artist's thought process as he sketches and refines ideas for his pieces. The platter (above) has what looks like a little village or grid of sky-rises in its center.


Pay special attention to Burgos' surface treatment. He uses a technique called "terra sigilata" to build up a surface that somehow celebrates the essence of clay - the earthy quality. Yet the finish is somewhere between matte and glossy and seduces the viewer into touching it....yes, touching the piece of art. The piece above has raised bumps, at once sophisticated in design and reminiscent of an ancient tradition of ceramic work.

Burgos was inspired into pursuing the study of ceramics by an exhibit of medieval Japanese ceramics. "The simplicity of form" was what grabbed his attention and imagination.

Stop in the gallery over the next 6 weeks and see where Francesc Burgos' imagination took him.
Read these older blog posts to see more of his work and read an interview, start with May 14, 2010: http://wsgartgallery.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00:00:

WSG looks back at 2011

In this last week of December, 2011, it seems necessary to remind ourselves of the highlights of our year.

1. Our 13th year in business!
2. We celebrate the life of longtime member Dee Ann Segula, while mourning her death and the loss of a wonderfully creative friend.
3. Lynda Cole takes 3rd at Art Prize in Grand Rapids.
4. Our first wedding proposal happens at the gallery.
5. Scream 4 hits the movie theaters, featuring the artwork of several WSG artists - most prominently, Nora Venturelli's in the scene where the bad girl throws her body onto a glass coffee table.
6. More art from WSG bought & rented for the filming of 5 Year Engagement (watch for it in theaters this year).
7. Another year of top-quality, sometimes challenging, art made in Michigan.

8. Gallery artists Connie Cronenwett, Lynda Cole & Elizabeth Schwartz' artwork featured on Adams Outdoors billboards throughout Southeast Michigan.

WSG's Venturelli shows at Chelsea Center for the Arts

The Legacy Land Conservancy and Chelsea Center for the Arts have collaborated in a landscape show running through February 29, 2012. The show is a gathering of landscape "heavy hitters" in Michigan, and, we're proud to say, they're all local! Check out Ann Arbor.com's article:
http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/chelsea-center-stand/

WSG's Holiday Show Opens

Middy Potter's "Long Tall Sally" greets visitors to WSG's Holiday Show, which opens with a reception Friday, Dec. 2, 7-10 pm. The opening coincides with downtown Ann Arbor's Midnight Madness kick-off of the holiday season.

We have many smaller, unique items in the Holiday Show. Our artists have created smaller paintings, hand-made cards, jewelry, felted, recycled wool mittens and many other objects d'art to fit your list of gift items this season!

Parking will be crazy Friday, but the atmosphere will be festive with music, outdoor performances and special sales in our unique group of local retailers downtown.

We have a new neighbor in our building - Lily Grace - a specialty cosmetics shop, and Friday will be her Grand Opening, as well.

Buy local, buy handmade, BUY MICHIGAN!

Hope to see you at the gallery!