What's New?

Now that the holidays are past and us here in the North are in the middle of the long dark months of winter I have been busy, busy in the Studio.
I can't tell you just how many sets of batteries I have been through in my heated socks!
I have also been busy planning out the year - penciling in show dates on the calendar - working out schedules and sending out entries/applications. Hopefully, soon I will be able to announce a slew of new festival and exhibition dates. So, lets keep our fingers crossed!

I recently completed my newest “Fish” sculpture - this one is near and dear to me as it has been on the bench for quite some time while I worked out and collected the parts to get all the details just right.

I am also honored to have been selected as the recipient of the Mickie Workman Scholarship for the Arts Business Institute winter workshop during the Buyers Market Show in Philadelphia, PA in Mid-February.  I am very excited to attend the workshop and feel that it will serve as an incredible asset through the knowledge gained in furthering my art career. Again, I can not express my thanks enough to the Arts Business Institute for having been selected for this honor.  
For all my artist friends I will be sure to take good notes!
A Link to the workshop can be found below
http://bit.ly/XgDF. Q8


Thanks for reading and stay warm!

How quickly it has become a long road!

This armadillo is the second piece I ever completed! I can not remember exactly how many years ago that was. I know it was before I had moved to Pennsylvania and still lived in Texas. I guess that was my inspiration!
I gave this piece to my sister some years ago as a gift and had not seen it in quite a while. It was brought back to me over Thanksgiving in need of some repair work after meeting the business end of a tennis racket while they were chasing a bat in their home. Apparently, this is a big problem in upstate New York!
Well, it is all fixed now and the damage was not so bad considering.  However, while working on it I could not help to reminisce  on originally building it and the journey since then but what struck me the most was just how crude it is!
Don't get me wrong my work lends itself to crudeness but I liken that to abstract painting. I will be the 1st to tell you that I am no Art Historian and this is only my opinion, abstraction does have to be done with great skill to be done correctly and “work”.
Looking at this armadillo - noticing the rough welds the clunky details etc.... it is fun to see how my work has evolved and if I may say so improved from this early piece.
In revisiting this piece the one fact that struck me the most was that even after all these years I still have that same passion for creating these works and still feel the excitement in completed pieces - in the end I hope that still shows.
So, who knows what I will be writing about or where I will be years from now!

By the way the image below is the 1st piece I ever completed!

A new product line?

As they say desperation leads to innovation - I think I have stumbled on to a new Product line - Wearable Art!

While creating a piece for a recent holiday party I was intrigued by how the handle on a tea strainer can be easily made into a clip for a Lapel Pin or Brooch. The first piece was a hit and even better worked!
I have been working on other ideas and designs  - the one picture above is based on that original idea as a commissioned piece requested by a wonderful client.

So, get your orders in now!

Time to Re-Group

People are always asking - Where do you work what is your Shop/Studio like? Every once in a while I will even get a request for a studio tour to which I always reluctantly decline.
So, here you go - actually this is a terrible example but yet a peek into where my sculptures originate.
This is actually what 4 months of feverishly working on various pieces will get you!
Well  - me anyway!
Now that things have quieted down a bit I have decided to take a brief hiatus from building and attempt to organize this chaos.
So, this is my self imposed project for today, this weekend - Hell, next week!

Oh - and never mind the grinder clamped in the vise - you didn't see that!

New Work & Latest News

Chameleon

Fish Decoy

Well, September has quickly come and gone. I have been busy on new work - my take on the traditional "Fish Decoy" and a foray into the world of reptiles with my Chameleon. 

  

The shows at CALC in Carlisle and at PCCA in Newport were very successful and I would like to Thank everyone again for their support and the opportunity to show my work at these two fine Galleries.

In case you happened to miss these shows your in luck! Several events are in the works for upcoming exhibitions.

 I will be participating with my fellow Yellow Breeches Chapter of the PA Guild Artists in the Fall Into Fine Craft Fair on October 27th - 28th.

I have also received notification that my "Pike" sculpture has been accepted into the CraftForms  2012 Exhibition at the Wayne Art Center in Wayne, PA. The exhibition run from December 1st - January 26th. Check it out at http://www.wayneart.org/

Get Your Orders in Now!

Have you noticed, the chill in the air, the colors changing in the leaves or all those apple festivals?
Well, we all know what that means - the Holiday Season is just around the corner! This also means it is time to get your orders in now for that commissioned sculpture for the special someone in your life. If you have that special someone who has a certain  "Creature" that is near and dear to them a personalized commissioned piece makes the perfect holiday gift.  Commissioned items are some of the most enjoyable projects to build and just about anything can be created at various price ranges. So, please contact me now to insure delivery in time for the holidays.

JLyons76210@yahoo.com
jasonlyonsarts.com

A Busy September is Shaping Up!

I have new pieces completed just in time for viewing at several exhibitions I am participating in during the month September.
If you are out and about please stop by and check out my works at these incredible galleries across the area. I believe I have all directions covered.

First Stop - The Carlisle Arts Learning Center 

19 N. Hanover Street in Carlisle, PA.
I have the incredible opportunity to be one of two featured artists in September at CALC - "Images and Objects"
There will be an artist meet and greet/public reception Thursday Sept 6th from 6:30 - 8:00 in the evening in addition to the official show opening on Sept 7th (First Friday) and runs through the month of September.

Second Stop - The Perry County Council of the Arts 

One S. Second St. in Newport, PA.  
I am honored to be included in an Exhibition of Incredible Steam Punk creations by Erin Keck at the Perry County Council of the Arts in Newport, PA
The show opens August 29th and runs through October 13th

Third Stop - Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen's Center of American Craft

335 N. Queen Street, Lancaster, PA.
I have had work accepted into their Open Celebration Exhibition - "Home at Last"
which opens also on Sept 7th and runs through December 1st.

Finally if you are heading to Philadelphia my work can be viewed at the Snyderman-Works Gallery located at 303 Cherry Street, Philadephia, PA.