My Stockpile

Just a few of the frames waiting patiently for their turn. I've kind of taken over my family's living room, though you can't tell from the photograph.



I hope you are all healthy! The family and I have been very sick this week so I barely got anything done. And something else big is happening soon-my portfolio defense is on Tuesday! For those who don't know, a portfolio defense at my school is when seniors get together all of their best work from college, write a little bit about each one, arrange it in a professional binder of sorts, and then show off that work at a business meeting with their advisor and the man who decides where your internship will be. So although I have a lot more work to do on the show, and it's getting down to the wire (two weeks, People!), my portfolio must be done first. I'm off to be productive now . . .

In Which I Read the Newspaper

Has everyone gotten their copy of Thursday's Sentinel & Enterprise? If not, pick one up on your way through the check-out line. Then turn to page 15 (in the "Weekender" section) for a little story on an FSU student's art show!

If you can't get yesterday's paper, you can still read the story on the Sentinel & Enterprise website here.

NEWS RELEASE

February 3, 2012

Contact: Julie Barrows
JulieBarrowsArt@gmail.com

Fitchburg State Student Announces Upcoming Art Exhibit

Fitchburg State University student and Westminster resident, Julie Barrows, announces the completion of her senior project with a solo art exhibit in Townsend, MA. The show, Engaging Moments with Ordinary Sights, has been in development for nearly a year and will open with a reception on Saturday, March 3^rd from 12-2pm at the Townsend Meeting Hall Gallery.

FITCHBURG, MA., Feb. 3, 2012 — Fitchburg State University student and Westminster resident, Julie Barrows, recently announced that her senior project will be concluded by an art exhibit in the Townsend Meeting Hall Gallery. The show, called Engaging Moments with Ordinary Sights, is a collection of Ms. Barrows’ high school and college artwork which contains brilliantly colored landscapes, still lifes and photography. Her work will be on display throughout the month of March beginning with a reception on March 3^rd from 12-2pm.

This art show fulfills Ms. Barrows’ thesis requirement, the final stage in Fitchburg State’s esteemed Leadership Academy program. Each senior in the academy must spend two semesters on an original thesis paper or project. For Ms. Barrows, this meant planning, publicizing and constructing her first solo art exhibit, as well as a public reception. She designed the project to utilize the skills learned from her major, communications media, and her minor, art. “It seemingly focuses more on the art,” says Ms. Barrows, “but the project is really about networking, event planning, constructing the exhibit and designing professional materials.” These materials, she says, include invitations, gallery cards, posters, business cards and a press release, to name a few.

Ms. Barrows says her art mimics the vibrant colors and unique textures found in nature in a wide variety of media. “I really like oil paint because it lets me go back and change things days later . . . I’m always trying to get the details right,” she confesses. Her most recent work experiments with photography as a medium rather than as a tool for creating other pieces. Notable landscapes include Mt. Rainier, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Cape Cod, Prince Edward Island, and views from her home town of Westminster, Massachusetts.

Ms. Barrows, who graduated from Oakmont Regional High School in 2008, will present her year-long experience with the project at two research conferences this spring.  After completing an internship and a month of art-related study in Italy, she expects to graduate from Fitchburg State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications media and a minor in art. For more information about Julie Barrows or her upcoming show, visit JulieBarrows.BlogSpot.com.

Engaging Moments with Ordinary Sights will be on display from March 3 to March 30, 2012 in the Corridor Gallery of the Townsend Meeting Hall, located at 14 Dudley Rd., Townsend, MA (adjacent to the Townsend Public Library). The community is welcome to attend a reception on Saturday, March 3rd from 12 to 2pm. Light refreshments will be served and Ms. Barrows will talk briefly at 1 o’clock.

For gallery hours and other information about the show, visit www.TownsendLibrary.org. This event is partially funded by a grant from the Westminster Cultural Council.

###

Please mention the Westminster Cultural Council when using this story.

T-One Month

So today is Friday, February 3rd, exactly one month from the date of my opening. Still so much to do! I'm currently working on distributing my press release and modifying it for each town's newspaper. Next up: printing gallery cards.

I've also been preparing each frame for display, which can be really tedious, so I'd like to thank Zach, who stopped by last night to help me wash the glass in all my frames.

And finally, don't be alarmed by the huge press release that I'm going to post. I'm putting it here on my blog so that the news papers can refer to it for more information. Things are getting exciting!

In Which My Mind is Blown

KA-POW! You hear that? My mind was just blown. My blog just hit 600 views in the first 5 months! I'm blown away by the amount of attention it has been getting. Thank you all for the incredible outpouring of support! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

Keep those happy vibes coming. Just 33 days until the show opens!

Invitations Are In!

I'm back, and so are the invitations! Many of you will be receiving one in the mail soon, but here's a sneak peek (they're much nicer in person).





Goals for the week:
1. Address and send invitations
2. Finish press release by the weekend and start sending to local papers
3. Finish gallery cards and artist statement for printing next week

T-51 Days and Counting

Hello and welcome back to my blog! Winter vacation has been very busy; filled with writing, measuring, calling, e-mailing, shopping and ordering. There's still lots to get done before the show (truth be told, I'm a little paniced) so there's sure to be lots more updates in the near future (as I run around like a chicken with my head cut off)!

The Townsend Meeting Hall has already posted a brief paragraph (that I wrote) on the art gallery's page under the title Coming In March: "Engaging Moments with Ordinary Sights". Just click on the link and scroll down to the title. It also features my pastel piece "Cade's Cove."

On a different note, I can't believe that classes start on Wednesday! I often forget that I will have 4 other classes to worry about on top of this show, so I need to get as much done as possible before the homework starts to pile up. Surprisingly, it's my last semester of class . . . ever. Gosh, is that strange, or what? But I can't deny that I'm excited!

And in other news, I have a slightly-unrelated-but-still-exciting announcement! This summer (4 days after graduation) I will be traveling to Italy to study art of the Italian Renaissance with my professor, Jessica Robey and 9 of my FSU classmates. We will be gone for a month, exploring and studying art in Verona, Venice and Florence, to name a few. I am so excited that I had to share the news! Ok, now back to work!