art delivery : 02.03.24

Ooh, the spotlight is bouncing off all of the mirror ‘n glitter in the collages of Texas based artist Kelly O'Connor! The first time I wrote about Kelly’s work was in… 2010!? Well, I loved it then, and I love it now. Here’s a snippet from her full artist statement:

“… Playing with color and scale is central to my process. Sickly sweet, candy-colored surfaces are juxtaposed with colored paper sampled from vintage record covers. The contrast of sparkling rays and bright neon against weathered, dull tones acts as a metaphor for dualities within our society. Appropriated images, enlarged from their original source to exaggerate their apparent content, introduce nostalgic and familiar themes that provide a rich access point for the viewer…”

She has a new show, titled “Deepfake”, opening on March 8th at David Shelton Gallery in Houston. Until then, you can find Kelly on Instagram at @kellyoconnor_art… and check out her online shop!

Santa Fe in May!? Yes please! The workshop I’m doing at Jen Tough Gallery (May 6th - 10th) is now ON SALE with a sign up deadline of February 14th! A lot of people have asked me for a little more detail, so here’s what you’ll get:

• 🌸 5 days, in a beautiful studio space (bring supplies!), to really take a look at the relationship you have with your art. Should you be spending more time together? Are you truly committed? How’s your communication? Are you in a rut? Do you need a little spice to get the magic back?

• 🌵 Group sessions (1 hr) each morning with exercises (the creative kind, not the sweaty kind) that will help us take a closer look at what you’re making now, where you want to go, and how you can get there. We’ll push ourselves to try new materials, new techniques, and we’re going to write, oh, so many lists (… will there be a ‘success ladder’ list? You better believe it!) These daily sessions will be led by me and my insightful, talented friend, Oregon based artist Alexis Mixter (FYI, this brilliant workshop was her idea!)

• 🔥 One-on-one sessions with me throughout the week.

• ❤️ Studio time, in your own studio space, to explore the ideas we’ve talked about as a group, and one-on-one.

• 🌱 Time and space for connecting with the other Artists-in-Residence to share ideas, frustrations, blocks, and insights. It’s amazing how much knowledge we each hold, and sharing it can change someone’s life.

• ⚡️ You’ll leave feeling inspired, more connected to your artwork, and with a fresh set of goals for your future!

• 🎉 THIS JUST IN … I talked to the curator at Meow Wolf, and asked if our group could get a behind-the-scenes tour before the doors open one morning? SHE SAID YES! (If you haven’t been there, it’s fantastic… such an inspiring, weird and wonderful, art-filled world!).

We had so much fun last year, and I know this year’s workshop will be life-changing, too! You can learn more and SIGN UP right here, and the registration deadline is February 14th ❤️, so make sure you check it out before then.

Happy weekend ~ Danielle