Amy Novelli - A Painter's Spring Break

Artist’s Statement

For this Wee Gallery exhibit, I had a few goals. As the Scenic Charge Artist for the Arizona Theatre Company, my season of work is busiest from August through the beginning of March, usually too busy to get much fine art or other activities done. With this show opening April 6th, I had a major deadline....what can I make and hang in a month or less? And how might that accelerate my future art progress?

At the same time, my work in galleries had slowed in sales over the recession. I had been interviewed and advertised as “Tucson’s Cowgirl Artist”. Though proud to still be riding and painting after all these years, I worried; “Is my work becoming predictable, cliche, repetitive, created strictly for sale?” My production slowed, either via my assumptions of what the Southwest art galleries or art buyers expected or my lack of new ideas for subject matter or direction. Tom Baumgartner, owner of Wee Gallery’s owner, chose a few older pieces that never got much gallery play and encouraged for any new works, ”Have fun, make whatever you like, fill the walls....” So my other goal became: Get the train rolling....hopefully in new and exciting directions!

To find direction for such a tight deadline and open expectations, I remembered my brother John Paul’s advice on how to jump start one’s attitude: “Change ‘em up, Learn something new, get involved in something....” And I remembered the class I took at The Drawing Studio with Andy Rush, TDS founder and master printmaker. I started sketching more, trying my hand at plein aire painting. I signed up for a woodblock printing course, taught by Joe Marshal and intaglio print shop group at TDS.

These combined efforts in art making remind me of the way work developed when I was in art school, I have been finding that everything informs everything else. And I am remembering that some art is not made to be framed and put up for sale. Some is about educating oneself, leading one’s ideas into new places, finding “Change Em Ups” all around and inside my head.

In short, I think the train is rolling and taking me somewhere. And I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I am!

Biography of Amy Novelli

1994 MFA Carnegie Mellon University
1987 BFA The Columbus College of Art & Design

Born 1963, Warren, Ohio

Lived and longterm visited: Columbus, Ohio, Pittsburgh/Connellsville/Philadelphia Pennsylvania, New York City, New Orleans, Belgium, Berlin, Albuquerque, Tucson, Portland Oregon, Montana, Xios Greece.