Jamie M. Speck

Selection

2011-12-21T12:55:00.001-06:00

Selection (20x16, mixed media on canvas)

Selection is currently available at Estelle Stair Gallery, Rockport, TX..

Felicity

2011-12-21T12:44:00.000-06:00

Felicity (mixed media on canvas mounted to wood panel)

CURRENT

2011-11-05T21:30:00.001-05:00

Here is picture of my banner from the Current: Banner Project, in Downtown Georgetown, Texas. The project was made possible by a grant from the city of Georgetown Arts and Culture Board, with additional funding provided by Georgetown Art Works & Graphismo. The project included the works of 54 artists from around the world, which were presented as banners in the city streets and at the library. My banner is located on the corner of S. Austin Ave. & S. Main St., right by the courthouse lawn. The banners will hang for a couple of years during the month of October to celebrate the month of the Arts.

10/22/2011

The Banner Project 2011 - "Current"

2011-10-07T17:12:00.000-05:00

I am delighted to announce that of my artworks, Maternity, was selected to become a banner in Georgetown's downtown 2011 Banner Project, titled, "Current."

o October 22nd, 3-5pm: Artist reception celebrating the Banner Project artists. Music, complimentary food and wine at the Hill Country Bookstore, Georgetown, Texas.

Hill Country Bookstore Link: http://www.hillcountrybookstore.com/contact.php

Selected artists will have their artwork reproduced in the form of banners. The banners are 2 feet wide x 4 feet tall. The art will be used around Georgetown downtown and public library (for several years) during the month of October, in order to celebrate the month of the arts. Eventually, Georgetown hopes to find a home for them in their future Art Center. Selected artists will be featured in both an exhibit program/book, as well as a banner project directory that will be available to the general public.

Estelle Stair Gallery

2011-10-07T16:25:00.000-05:00

"ESG is now carrying work by Jamie Speck...."

I am honored to be represented by the Estelle Stair Gallery, a beautiful historic Rockport, Texas art gallery owned by resident artist, Lisa Baer Frederick.

http://www.estellestairgallery.com/index.html

Butterfly Garden

2011-10-07T13:00:00.004-05:00

(21x21, mixed media collage on canvas mounted to wood panel)

(Detail View)

Butterfly Garden is currently on display at Estelle Stair Gallery. It was created using machine and hand stitching on paper and fabric. Other materials include: acrylic, India ink, beading, and found objects.

Portrait of Fowl Play

2011-10-07T11:00:00.001-05:00

(35.5x12, mixed media collage on paper and canvas mounted to wood panel)

(Detail View)

Portrait of Fowl Play is currently on display at Estelle Stair Gallery. This collage incorporates: Charcoal, acrylic, cut paper, corn husks, raffia, hand stitching, and found objects.

Bathing Beauties

2011-09-03T17:41:00.001-05:00

Bathing Beauties (25x25, mixed media & collage)

(Detail View)

(Detail view)

Sailor's Abacus

2011-09-03T17:31:00.001-05:00

Sailor’s Abacus (25x25, mixed media & collage)

(Detail Views)

Pin Pillow Stack

2011-09-03T17:30:00.002-05:00

Exhibit No. 215

2011-09-03T17:18:00.000-05:00

Exhibit No. 215 (15Hx25W x12D open, 5Hx25Wx12D closed, mixed media collage/assemblage)

(Outside View)

(Inside View)

Turquoise & Blue Sea Star

2011-08-28T21:43:00.000-05:00

Hemingway's Bar & Grill: A Starving Artist Night

2011-08-19T21:47:00.000-05:00

SUNDAY
August 21, 2011
7PM

In collaborative forces with Camp Aranzazu, local artists Lisa Baer, Cody Bauer, Jamie Speck and Mark Wilkerson, Hemingway's is proud to host an enchanting & charitable night of art and entertainment!

We will be featuring works of local artists for one night, available for purchase through silent auction with a portion of proceeds going to Camp Aranzazu of Rockport!

http://www.camparanzazu.org/

$25 per person
Includes Champagne and Appetizers
Silent Art Auction 7:30 - 9:30

361-729-7555 for Reservations

Transformation

2011-08-19T21:45:00.000-05:00

Transformation (36x34, mixed media on wood)

Sea Star: Intuition

2011-08-19T21:15:00.002-05:00

Chocolate & Light Blue Sea Star "Intuition"

Peace in the Midst of Chaos

2011-08-18T20:41:00.000-05:00

Peace in the Midst of Chaos (26x48, acrylic and collage on wood)

Rescued

2011-08-18T20:38:00.000-05:00

Rescued (36x48, acrylic and collage on canvas)

2011 Merit Artist Award

2011-01-14T17:38:00.002-06:00

On December 10th, 2010, I was selected as a 2011 Merit Artist by the Rockport Center for the Arts, Rockport, Texas. Each year five Merit Artists are selected by juror and one by popular vote. The six Merit Artists exhibit in a group show of new work the following August. This year's juror was Christa Brothers, the Owner/Director of Bismarck Studios in San Antonio, Texas. As a winner I will be able to submit up to ten pieces to show as a series of new works for the Merit Artist exhibition taking place August 10th-September 10th.

Maternity

2010-09-28T12:15:00.012-05:00

Maternity (mixed media on canvas, 24x18)

(Detail View)

Pride and Precipitation

2010-05-15T17:22:00.029-05:00

This is a commission for Afton Kolbe, which is loosely based on the theme of a peacock. The piece consists of four individual canvas panels, sizes 40 x 30 inches, with the finished piece totaling 80 x 60 inches. The format resembles an abstracted landscape created in mixed-media: acrylic, embroidery, paper, found objects, etc….

At the moment, I am not able to figure out why I cannot display the pictures without the large space in the middle of the grid; however, please note that all four canvases are meant to be displayed with the same spacing between. For example:

A1,A2
B1, B2

Blessings

2010-02-26T10:48:00.001-06:00

When working on this piece, in the true spirit of a collage artist on the hunt for the perfect inspiration, I discovered some chalk drawings made by my husband on Stonehenge paper, consisting of female hand and face studies. I created a print of his drawings on my panel by using a rubbing method. My husband decided to finalize the angel’s face later with oil paint. The wings are created out of corn husks (more traditionally used for tamales). I really enjoyed working on this piece for the actual textural qualities inherent with the addition of the corn husks, and it was a great experience collaborating with my fellow artist and husband. We plan to do some more collaboration in the future- I look forward to it!

(mixed media on wood panel, 24x48) *collaborative piece with John A. Speck

(Detail View)

New Life

2010-02-26T10:45:00.001-06:00

While at an Antique Fair in Round Top, Texas, I found three old keyholes that I knew would make a lovely addition to my collection of possible collage elements. It was not even a couple of days after bringing them home that they made their debut as part of my piece, New Life. I have worked a lot in soft pastel; however, this was my first attempt at oil pastel in many years. The process of applying oil pastel is more difficult for me, but I did enjoy the experience once more. You cannot see it on this view, however, the three keyholes and the doorknob holes (if you peep in them) contain the following images: the crucifixion, a man, metallic gold paint, the text: “new life,” and a clock.

(oil pastel & mixed media on wood panel, 13x24)

Winter Squash

2010-02-26T10:43:00.001-06:00

This is the third in the series that began with Gourd of Education. This “Winter Squash” appears wrapped in a patchwork quilt and wears a winter cap complete with winter words and phrases like: let it snow, cold, & skiing.

(soft pastel & mixed media on paper, 22x30)

Pumpkin Pie Sky

2010-02-26T10:41:00.003-06:00

This was my second pastel/collage piece in the series that began with Gourd of Education. I am in love with pumpkin and gourd shapes, and being that they were in season at the time, the inspiration was automatic. This collage, like the other two in the series, was made by cutting a negative shape out of my pastel landscape and adding a decorative paper collage from behind. As the title suggests, the sky and horizon line remind me of a pumpkin pie.

(soft pastel & mixed media on paper, 22x30)

Gourd of Education

2010-02-26T10:38:00.001-06:00

This piece is my first attempt at collage on a more traditional soft pastel work. I have been doing soft pastel landscapes for several years, but during this session and being the collage artist that I am, I found myself bored working in an all pastel medium. I spontaneously cut out a gourd shape and mounted decorative paper behind the pastel. Being satisfied with the result, I created two more works in the series: Pumpkin Pie Sky & Winter Squash. I have plans to work this way again in the future, as it is a fun alternative to an entirely pastel painting.

(soft pastel & mixed media on paper, 22x30)

Rhinestone Cowboy

2010-02-26T10:36:00.001-06:00

This is one of my largest pastel works on a wood panel. The piece is not with me at the time, so I will have to add the exact dimensions at a later date. I began by building a base texture with paper and gesso. I then used chalk pastel on the surface, mixed with water in some areas. I used my hands and a paint brush to blend layers of the medium. Initially, my only goal was to paint a large barren landscape, allowing the chalk, water, paper, and gesso to build layers and create areas of textural interest upon closer inspection by the viewer. After living almost a full year with the large empty landscape, I felt it was time to add life. My choice of the iconic horse and rider was easy- he just seemed to fit…a western hero to the rescue! The central placement of the figure is intentional, contrary to traditional design methods. To top that off, I added a circle, bulls-eye like, to accentuate the grandeur and importance of this horseback hero in my lifeless desert land. It is difficult to see in full view, but the top half of the circle sports rhinestones, hence the title.

(soft pastel and mixed media on panel)

Dedication

2010-02-26T10:32:00.002-06:00

The image of the white church building is my loose interpretation (from memory) of my own childhood country church building. I meant for this piece to maintain a folk art quality. The siding of the building itself I constructed from individually collaged pieces of shredded bills and credit card offers. The birds contain text from an old church dedication hymn. Various rhinestones and beads are incorporated into the black and white dotted sky. The steeple and doors were formed by an ink-soaked paper towel. Before I could conclude the piece, I was inspired to place 13 circles at the bottom foundation-level of the panel…it then felt complete.

(acrylic and mixed media, 24 x 48)

(Detail View)

Coming Home

2010-02-26T10:26:00.002-06:00

This piece is my first attempt at working soft pastel over watercolor. The result was much better than I had expected. This piece is definitely a narrative about a journey. Is the cowboy walking into the clouds or is he walking to the house in the distance. Is “home” heaven or earth? The perspective is purposely left flat. The calendar months are literally a stepping stone in this character’s journey. April has a special significance to me since it is the birth month of my Father; however, as I was laying out the composition, I did not notice the significance of the month the figure was stepping on until the work was finished.

(watercolor, acrylic, & mixed media on wood panel, 24x36)

(Detail View)

The Red String

2010-02-26T10:20:00.001-06:00

Several years ago,I read The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, as well as several other pieces of literature that focused on the inferior label placed on Chinese women and female babies, and their hardships endured for generations. Perhaps that had everything to do with the inspiration of this piece, which includes plaster painted white baby faces, bedded in gender specific pink felt blankets held in place by black, red, and gold beaded hat pins. I also incorporated red and gold embroidery, gold line drawings around the perimeter, sprinkled white long grain rice at the bottom, and an antique diagram of a human heart on the second row. Did you notice that some of the beds are vacant? What is the purpose of the red string? These are mysteries I enjoy leaving for the viewer to ponder!

(acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 16x20)

(Detail View)

1 Dozen Fragile

2010-02-26T10:04:00.002-06:00

The church-like building is constructed out of hand cut nickel and broken egg shells. It sits a top a “nest” of wooden skewers. The stars consist of hand drawn pen and ink designs, as well as the darker far background that surrounds the orange circles. When I thought I had finished this piece, I asked my four-year-old son to tell me what he thought (he is great at critiques). He said, “Mama, you did a great job, but you forgot the egg-shell moon!” He always offers good honest advice, so I created the last element: the eggshell full moon, as my conclusion. My color palette, drawings, and design decisions are loosely based on a more Eastern influenced style.

(acrylic and mixed media, 24x48")

(Detail View)

Clean Heart

2010-02-26T09:50:00.001-06:00

In this piece, I had wanted to work with figures similar to that of a folk art corn husk doll. I chose to use plaster faces instead, keeping the bodies (dresses) the corn husk. The husks were hand sewn to the canvas. The wings I cut out of copper, hammered for texture, and heated over a flame for color. I then stitched them to the canvas. One of my favorite actual textures in this piece is the ground of colored sea shells. Rhinestones seem to reappear in my work as a signature favorite collage element. Psalm 51:10 is part of my inspiration for this work: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

(acrylic & mixed media on canvas, 18x24)

(Detail View)