Downtown Presbyterian - Show Pics

For those of you who couldn't make it out to the opening, here are a couple of images from my Love: Lost & Found show.  I have to give a special thanks to all of you who came out and made the opening reception so amazing. The attendance was great. It was packed for most of the show. So crowded in fact, that I couldn't make it around to say hello to everyone (a belated "hello and thanks for coming" to those I missed). I thought it was rather amazing for a South Main Art Walk especially one in February. 

The show was very successful not only in terms of attendance. The opening was listed on ilovememphisblog.com calendar and the Memphis Flyer listed it in the We Recommend section with a picture. A special thanks goes to my incredibly supportive girlfriend Katie who was probably responsible for more than half the people that attended and bought my art.

There were some other little things that I've always wanted to do at a show that I finally made happen this time. For example, I dropped a special playlist of songs onto my iPod and played it during the show - here's a Spotify playlist if you're interested Love - lost, broken, found .  I listen to the same playlist when I'm working in my studio and I've always wanted to share it during a show. Also, I finally got my act together and had 5x7 prints, greeting cards, and 8x10 originals all for sale at the show. It was really beneficial to have some 'impulse buy' art options. At one point, I had a line of people waiting in line to buy them. It was really unexpected. This was probably one of my best art shows to date. 


Suggestions for artists interested in showing at Downtown Church (they recently changed their name from Downtown Presbyterian Church).

• Book It Now. Trolly Night openings book fast. I think I had to ask about six months in advance. So get in touch Gretchen Becker Shaw at Downtown Church and get it on the calendar ASAP.

• Lighting is a bit of an issue. You should attend an art walk night and see for yourself. The artist who showed before me chose to bring his own extra lighting. I worked around it by just displaying work on the best lit walls.

• You will need power tools. The first wall on the right as you enter the space is concrete. You will need a drill and special screws to get new wholes in that wall. Thankfully the rest of the gallery space is drywall.

Save the Date for My Opening Reception

Friday, February 24, 6pm-9pm
South Main Art Trolley Tour 

Downtown Presbyterian

502 South Main St., Memphis, Tennessee

Love: Lost & Found 
“I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues” – Duke Ellington

Love, both the good side and bad, is great source of inspiration. A musician turns to his guitar, an artist turns to his canvas. For this February show, I thought it would be an appropriate time to pull together all of my work that resulted of the ups and downs of love. In addition to expressing the different emotions and states of love, the four mini-series showcase a variety of my artistic styles and a range of mediums from collage, acrylic, mixed media, illustration, and watercolor.

It’s very personal collection of paintings created over the last eight years, but I feel that everyone can find a connection to at least one painting since they address a universal experience.

Richard Fudge:
Richard Fudge received his BFA from the University of Memphis in 2003. He pursues his passion for painting by creating works in his studio and live on-stage during The Stirring. As the senior artist and gallery manager at The Stirring, Fudge promotes the enrichment of the worship experience through visual art.

Print Sale and Give Away

So I just learned about this C3 conference ( Christ : Church : Culture ) in Nashville in March. This year they are also having a juried art show. I've submitted some of my work and I'm hoping I'll get chosen. You can help send me to the conference by buying a print. The conference isn't that expensive but I had a $700 car repair bill last month. It would be great if I could raise some of the money I need for the conference through some art sales. So any little extra bit will help.

5"x7" photo print, signed - $8.00
8"x10" photo print, signed - $16.00  
First 25 orders get free shipping. To order, email me at richard.fudge@gmail.com 

To kick things off, I'm offering a free 5"x7" - print of your choice. To enter, leave a comment on this blog post, say which is your favorite of the designs pictured above, and leave your email address. The winner will be randomly selected on Monday Jan. 16 at 8am.

UPDATE: The randomly selected number was 7, and the 7th comment is Pattie VZ. Congrats

Now showing at The Stirring Art Gallery

The Church by Jennifer White 

Artist Statement:
Jennifer White’s work reflects a deep interest in the church, particularly in the way church families work. Drawn to studying the seven churches in Revelation as a base for her work, Jennifer explores obstacles the church faces, and the different conditions, positive and negative, church families can find themselves in. For more information about the series, please visit www.squidoo.com/churchandart.

"Neither Hot, Nor Cold" - Church in Laodicea by Jennifer White

Artist Bio:
Jennifer White is a professional artist living in Olive Branch, Mississippi. She graduated from Union University in Jackson, TN with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Art. Her goal as an artist is to create art that touches another others and changes them for the better. White finds blueprints to be visually inspiring and often uses lines and grids in her paintings. More than a simple element in her painting, White uses the lines as a symbolic reference to God’s plan and role as “Divine Architect”.

Expressions of The Stirring 

"The Stirring" by Richard Fudge

 

Art is an integral part of the Stirring. It’s presence in the service draws people in to one of the many ways others can use their talents to worship God. For The Stirring’s 10th anniversary, 10 artists were asked to each complete a painting expressing The Stirring in their own unique style. What do you think of when you think of The Stirring? How would you visually express the experience or character of The Stirring? 

Participating Artists:
Annalisabeth Craig; Alberto Cabrera; Chris Reed; Gail Wilkins; Glory Hamilton;
Jill Harvey & Hope Special Needs Students; Jeff Rower; Jessie Miles;
Kathy MacDonald; and Richard Fudge.

Both Opening Sunday Oct 9th for The Stirring's 10th Anniversary 

We're celebrating 10 years of The Stirring this Sunday! It will be a night of art, Stirring worship and special music highlighting the years of memories that have brought us through this decade. Eli Morris will touch our souls with a message remembering the foundation on which The Stirring was built while looking with great anticipation to what our future holds.

We'll host an Afterburner in the Foyer following the service complete with snacks and live entertainment. This is a great time to browse the Gallery upstairs featuring local artist, Jennifer White, along with other beautiful new art. Bring a friend and let God use His music, message, art, community and atmosphere to create a stirring inside of them.

We will open the doors around 5:20 PM and as always coffee, tea and StirringKids* is available during the service. If you are unable to attend that evening, be sure to follow the live Twitter feed (@TheStirringHope) and "Like" our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/thestirring). Please consider joining us as we celebrate you, the community that is The Stirring.

*Please pick up your StirringKid prior to celebrating with us at the Afterburner.

Stirring at Hope Market Square

Please come check out The Stirring's booth at Hope Market Square tomorrow! We'll be selling original art by many of our Stirring artists and brand new Stirring merchandise. Visit us in the Gym near the stage. See you there.

2011 Art of Caring

After sketching out a t-shirt design for ShareHope's Walk of Remembrance and Hope (above), I decided to go ahead and take the sketch all the way to completion for this year's Art of Caring donation. The painting is based my piece Not Alone, a 9ft x 8ft painting is apart of the art collection at the Baptist Trinity Hospice House & Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief.

"Better Near to You" by Richard Fudge.
Donated to the Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation's
annual Art of Caring reception and silent art auction.

Recommended listening: "Near to You" by A Fine Frenzy

This is my 5th year to participate. It was a real honor to participate and donate my work to such a great cause. It's also fun to see a bidding war erupt over your work. It's a wonderful compliment. It was almost as enjoyable as hearing compliment after compliment paid to my girlfriend and the lovely dress she was wearing. The two combined to make a really memorable evening.