Postcard from the Easel

The First Day of the Next Year

2010-06-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

So today is the first day of summer. With this auspicious seasonal date I am starting a new goal. I am going to blog every Monday for the next year. Why this goal? Well I have been told by several people in the know that the more you write the easier it gets. Sounds good. Why is this important?Well I am now in my second year of grad school and I am expected to create a thesis statement about my work. The powers that be are now expecting me to start thinking and writing about things like where my work fits in with contemporary art, what sets my work apart from the rest of the art world, things of this nature. The problem is that when I try to analyze what I am doing the work changes to fit in with this new justification. This change generally affects the work in the worst way. What I need to do is create a thesis statement that stands alone from the work, won't affect the work, but that is about the work.

This need is the reason for the start of this blog. I will be taking you along the winding journey of grad school, creating art, and my life in general. My set goal is to post every Monday in the hopes that my over achieving soul will have something meaningful to say every day.

I must state at this time that I am not the complaint department. However; there are several grad students who think that I am. Why do they come to me? I like to think it is because I am not a deceitful person. I don't lie or stroke some ones ego. I try to give helpful advice. But, this is putting me in an awkward place. There is one student who keeps coming to me complaining about the University and stating that if he doesn't get an assistant ship that he is going to go some where else. He decries the fact that he could go teach anywhere because he has so much knowledge. My first thought was why are you in grad school then? If you are so knowledgeable about your subject go teach. The people wishing your knowledge will find you. My other thought is that in today's climate of Universities cutting budgets they are using grads to fill the gaps. If you are not getting what you want from an institution then perhaps they have doubts about your ability to deliver. You need to take the initiative and prove to them that you are of value. Not stand around demanding, to who ever will listen, that if you don't get your way your out of here.

Musing about Waxing Poetically

2009-07-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

Definitions and Rewards

As I sit here thinking about events of the past couple of weeks I find myself recalling something that happened to me about a year ago. I was working at a retail farm store in the southern part of Illinois. July and August in Southern Illinois are very hot and humid especially in an old building with no air conditioning. Think Okey Fanokey Swamp without the cool breeze. I'd been putting up stock all day long in the seasonal department when a woman approaches me with questions about Japanese Beetle traps. As I turn to answer her query she literally looks me up one side and down the other. This woman was obviously making judgments about me and the value of my information based on my appearance. I've been wondering what sort of conclusion she came to based on her reaction. Did she deem my appearance satisfactory to warrant my advice on Japanese Beetle traps of value? Could she from her judgmental Point of View conceive that the person standing in front of her was a professional oil painter. Would her mind reel with the knowledge that the person she had visually judged and juried has her own web site with links to the Saatchi Gallery in London. As I tell her that the only thing Japanese Beetle traps do is draw the pest to your yard could she understand that I'm a graduate student with people seeking my artistic advice and instruction.
I don't wear a beret, nor do I wax poetic about things. I don't wear my identity as an artist on my sleeve or on a t-shirt. I have often had to work odd jobs to make ends meet. These jobs do not define me nor my mode of dress. The work that I am creating this is how I define myself.
With this in mind I'd like to invite you to view my painting “Green Door” at the Swope Art Museum in Tere Haute, having been accepted into the 65th annual Wabash Valley juried Exhibition. Further, I would like to thank the Joint Board of Directors and staff of the Swope Art Museum as well and the judgment of the Award Sponsor for choosing my painting for the Indiana State University Permanent Collection Purchase Award.

2009-06-25T06:38:00.000-07:00

The convenience of marriage strikes again
Married artist Jackie and Daniel Tice have once again found themselves in the same exhibition. Painter Jackie and photographer Daniel previously exhibited together in a show entitled “The Convenience of Marriage” at the Longbranch coffee house in Carbondale Illinois. This time they have both been accepted into the 65th annual Wabash Valley juried Exhibition (WVE) at the Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute Indiana. Recent transplants to the Wabash Valley they have wasted little time getting into the local art scene. Jackie is pursuing a Master of Fine Art at ISU, maintaining her online gallery at www.jackieticestudios.com, as well as seeking gallery representation. Daniel is working on his photography business, moving into video production, as well as building his own website at www.heppkattproductions.com. Their work can be seen at the Swope Art Museum at 25 S. 7th Street in downtown Terre Haute Indiana through August 29 with an opening reception on July 11th from 1:00pm – 3:00pm est. More information about the WVE can be found at www.swope.org. Become a fan of the Swope on your facebook.

2009-06-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

New Show

The work of painter Jackie Tice has been accepted into the 65th annual Wabash Valley Juried Exhibition at the Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute Indiana. This is the second time Jackie has entered work in the WVE but does so this time as a graduate student in the MFA painting program as ISU Terre Haute. Although a full time graduate student Jackie still manages her web gallery at www. jackieticestudios.com. The show runs through August 29th with an opening reception on July 11th from 1:00 – 3:00pm at the Swope Art Museum at 25 S. 7th Street in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Recognition by the Illinois Arts Council

2008-05-16T07:23:00.000-07:00

I am very happy to announce that I have just been accepted into the Illinois Artisans Program.
The Illinois Artisan Program was created to focus national attention on the art and artist of Illinois. The Program markets Illinois arts through locations at the James R. Thompson Center, Chicago; the Museum Store at the Illinois State Museum in Springfield; the Museum Shop at the Dickson Mounds Museum at Dickson; and the Southern Illinois Artisans Shop at Rend Lake. This new oppertunity will ensure greater public access to my work. I invite everyone to come view my paintings in person. I will post dates and locations when they become avaliable.

I am busy creating a new studio since we moved to Carbondale and have two new paintings on the easel. I hope to create a slide show for these paintings and will be posting them here.

Free Shipping

2007-11-26T08:03:00.000-08:00

In celebration of Ciber Monday anything purchased on November 26 will be shipped for FREE. This includes the www.jackietice.artspan.com site and the gallery at www.yessy.com (search Jackie Tice)

Want to earn free artwork, join the 10% club. For every person you refer, and they make a purchase, you receive a 10% discount. These 10% are accumulative for one year. Get ten people to purchase work you get a free piece of art. How do you join. Send me an email of your name and a list of who you are referring. You can add names by simply sending me a new email. I will keep you informed of your discount.

Holiday Special

2007-11-21T19:54:00.001-08:00

I am now taking pre-orders on select limited edition numbered prints. Each print is created using high quality acid free art paper using the Giclee printing process. Please go to http://www.jackietice.artspan.com/ to view images and reserve your print for this one time offer.

For a limited time I will be offering a special price of $40.00 instead of the regular price of $60.00. No deposit is required. To order yours now send me an e-mail at jackieticestudios@gmail.com to reserve yours while this offer lasts.

Price Reduction

2007-06-02T13:21:00.000-07:00

Price Reduction

A gallery association coming to an end means that I can lower my prices. I have removed the very high commission rate I was being charged from this gallery. Now I can pass on the savings.
I must say that when I signed the contract with this "gallery" a 50% commission seamed a little high but I know this is almost a industry standard any more. My disillusion with this gallery started three months later when I was informed I was expected to create, print, and distribute brochures about his gallery. I informed him that it was not in the original contract and was not going to do it. Needless to say the six months went buy with absolutely no sales.

Show Update
I have been working so hard for my boss that I come home exhausted. I have not had the strength to paint for several months now. I have let my paying job get in the way of my art. This is not what I wanted when I started this job. My bosses new assistant confided in me that on the weekends he brings in movies to watch. Last years sales were $59,000. This year I shipped out $159,000. My boss gives me a $50. gift card for reaching $100,000. What really irks me is my bosses boss thinks that I am reaching these shipping totals to easily and I need higher goals. I wonder how many people they are going to have to higher when I quite.