My friends at Prairie Art Alliance will welcome all comers to the reception for featured acrylic, pulp and pastel artist Pam Miller of Springfield and modern metal sculptor Darren Miller of Decatur from 5:30 5o 7:30 at the PAA Gallery, 420 S. Sixth St., Springfield.
I have come to know these talented people over the last five years or so since wading into the visual arts business, while wading out of the local poetry mire. Darren organized a terrific “preserve mother nature” event that ran for several years. I recited pages from Whitman’s Leaves of Grass at these events, so maybe I”m prejudiced. I am equally “prejudiced” a/k/a enthusiastic about past CIVAG supporter Pam Miller who has grown so much as an artist, creating what I call “comfort tableaus” based largely on views from lakes large and small, water color and recently pulp painting. If there were such a thing as visual artist steroids (there is no such thing) if I didn’t know better, I’d swear she’d be taking them. Darren’s prolific work is representational abstract, accessible creations you can hold with your eyes and have a pretty good idea of what you’re holding. I mention this to tell you they are known, talented hummin’ beans you will enjoy meeting at the reception, whose work you will appreciate and celebrate.
PAA receptions are always well attended, a proliferation of “business casual” for most and “church formal” for older folks, The finger food and wine are tasty, and there’s plenty of it. Where will I be having “dinner” Saturday night? One guess.
Be sure to visit the third floor of Hoogland to visit the Sangamon Watercolor Society’s exhibition in their meeting room gallery. This local band of (one guess) artists generally ranks first in eatables, prodigious arrays of home-made baked confections, wine and soft drinks, and friendly people a plenty. Consider the Sangamon Watercolor Society as much a part of your Saturday night itinerary as the Prairie Art Alliance doings downstairs.
I’ll be there, and I hope you will be too.
Live long . . . . . . and proper.
