WHY I MAKE ART

I make art for a variety of reasons. The main reason is that it's fun to make things; I love to work with art materials and draw/paint.

Art is the thing I am good at. I could certainly be in a different profession; however, color, design, making something appear three-dimensional is a true joy, as if by osmosis, I know the answer. Art is also an inner expression, and something that brings me calm and satisfaction.

I also see art as a form of entertainment, and I love seeing someone delighted or moved by one of my pieces. Ultimately, my goal is really to make myself happy (sounds selfish, but it's true!) while making others happy. It's as if the happier I am, the happier my art appears, and the happier the viewer becomes. 

When I channel the spirit of nature into my work, I hope that the viewer can recognize something within it, either themselves, the feeling, or their own emotional existence.

Photo by Dan Cook on Unsplash

POP-UP Shop! at WEST ELM with CYNTHIA MOSSER

Saturday, April 14th, I am thrilled to offer a 4-hour pop-up exhibition at WEST ELM furniture/decor store in Portland's Pearl District. I will have originals, reproductions and prints - all available for sale -- surrounded by WEST ELM decor.(westelm.com) (cynthiamosser.com) This venue is a great way to view my work in a contemporary space. Plus my work is for sale! I am looking forward to sharing my work with you. The first five customers receive a FREE PRINT! WHEN: Saturday, April 14, 2018 TIME: 12-4PM WHERE: West Elm 1201 NW Couch Street. Portland, OR 97209 (directions http://tiny.cc/west_elm) FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS EVENT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

Home Art Shows

At the start of 2018, it was suggested to me to try a home art show. A home art show is a small art exhibition, where I bring my work to a friend's or acquaintance's house. They invite over their friends. I display some work, discuss it, and talk about my art process. (And of course, the work is for sale.)

I am trying home art shows to bring my work to those who can't always make it to galleries. Many people live out of town or far from the center. Additionally, people are busy, especially if they have children. Another reason is that galleries can, on occasion, be intimidating. 

What I love about this type of event are the connections I make, the direct contact with collectors, and the ability to meet people in an intimate and comfortable environment.

If you are interested in having me come to your home for a home art show in the Portland/Vancouver region, send me an email: info@cynthiamosser.com

LIVE PAINTING EVENT!

This Saturday, from 1-3PM, I'll demonstrate my GOUACHE painting technique at the Dick Blick art store in the Pearl District. Bring a friend, and see how I use it within my work!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this art medium, gouache /ɡwäSH/ paint is a matte watercolor often used in illustration, It's rich, saturated, and opaque, which is why I love using it.

Here is a link to an article I wrote about it last year: GOUACHE

Dick Blick art store is located at 1115 NW Glisan St, Portland, OR 97209.

DETAILS:
When: Saturday, February 3rd, 1-3PM
Where: Dick Blick Art Store 1115 NW Glisan St, Portland, OR 97209

I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN ME!

Short Studio Tour - CYNTHIA MOSSER

Here is a quick tour of my art studio. 

Being Vulnerable

Being vulnerable in regard to my art and life is something that feels new for me. When I say vulnerable, I mean allowing others to see who I truly am.

I often hide behind a wardrobe of black. Don't smile always. In the art world, it isn't cool to be vulnerable (read: weak). Ultimately, I haven't shared who I truly am out of fear of shame.

My new goal in life is to share myself. Share my fears, and let that be OK. Be authentic.

So my new way of being is to allow others to see that my raison d'etre is all about PLAY and FUN. Play and fun are what fuels me and my art, and makes both better.

Additionally, each week I am going to share something that makes me afraid.

This week's topic is rejection.

Rejection is what keeps me stuck and not moving forward in my business.

It paralyzes me at times.

It is as if I am controlling the outcome before I even try.

So I am going to move through my fear and try,

even if it is uncomfortable.

How I Got into Art

How I Got into Art

Doing art has always been something I've wanted to do, especially as a child. I was good at it in grade school and often won the carnival poster contests. Later on in high school, I was a photographer, but never thought I could make a living from it -- even in college I felt that way.

The event that pushed me further into art was simply the knowledge that I didn't want to do anything else. I simply made a decision, and that was when I was 25. From that point on, I went to art school at Pratt Insitute. I started practicing art on a more regular level when I moved to Prague, CZ right after art school (1998). 

You can see what I do at cynthiamosser.com

This Makes Me Happy: Fair-Haired Dumbbell

This Makes Me Happy

I live for moments like this: seeing a new building in Portland, OR with an exciting exterior.

The building is called the Fair-Haired Dumbbell, and it is an office building with a mural by LA artist, James Jean. Every 10-15 years, the building owners are thinking about changing the mural.

I love it for its playfulness and color. 

bizjournal

Order Reproductions and Cards Directly from my Website

NEW WEBSITE

I am thrilled to announce my partnership with ArtStorefronts.com. Now buyers can purchase cards and reproductions directly from my website: cynthiamosser.com

Additionally, buyers can see how the piece would look on their wall based on size and the type of room. It's a great feature.

Check it out: cynthiamosser.com

ArtChat Northwest: MATT COSBY

ArtChat Northwest: MATT COSBY

My second ArtChat Northwest interviewee is artist/painter, MATT COSBY (mattcosbyart.com). Listen in, and hear his thoughts about trinkets, his love for oil paint, movement and color. (14:11min) 

ArtChat Northwest is a podcast about artists living and working in the Pacific Northwest.

ArtChat Northwest: SHARON BRONZAN

ArtChat Northwest: SHARON BRONZAN

My second ArtChat Northwest interviewee is artist/painter, SHARON BRONZAN. Listen in, and hear her thoughts about the desert, trees, gouache paint, and superstition. (24:24min) 

Sharon Bronzan is an artist/painter, and a longtime Oregon resident whose work evokes myth, folklore, and religious iconography. Her paintings often tell a story through the use of the portrait.

Sharon received her MFA from the University of Oregon, taught for 27 years at Portland Community College in the Art Department (Sylvania campus), and is currently represented by the Augen Gallery in Portland, Oregon.

ArtChat Northwest: DAVID SCHELL

ArtChat Northwest: DAVID SCHELL

I would like to introduce my first podcast called ArtChat Northwest. My first interviewee is artist/painter, DAVID SCHELL (davidscottschell.com). Listen in, and hear his influences, ideas, and thoughts about painting. (19:47min)

Seattle Art Fair 2017

The Seattle Art Fair this year was quite inspiring.
My favorite pieces were:

• The necklace below by Jean-Michel Othoneil (Galerie Perrotin)
• The swirling wall sculpture by Linda Fleming (Robischon Gallery), and 
• Amy Ellingson's (Robischon Gallery) encaustic painting.

Finished and in Collector's Home

It took a month, and the painting is finished. It fits really well into the collector's home.

Amazingly, it matches the wall!

Back in the Studio

June 2017. I am back in the studio painting a new work.

The background line work has been done. 

Now the actual painting begins. Because I use such 

a small brush, it feels like needlework. Slow and steady.

Color at Target

Occasionally I'll run into color that hits me over the head. Target's children's section is a great source of bright color, even in winter!

This is why I use bright color in my paintings:I love the visual stimulation, and my misty, often gray environment (Portland/Vancouver) can get a bit dull. It's like a breath of fresh air!

Image source: cynthiamosser

ART SHOW! Cynthia Mosser - April 2017

I am thrilled to show new and existing paintings at the Art Institute of Portland's POCKET GALLERY during the month of April 2017.

Location: 1122 NW Davis Street. Portland, OR 97209


First Thursday Reception 4/6 • 5-8PM
Exhibition runs Monday April 3 - Tuesday May 2 • 8am-8pm

Learn more about my work at: cynthiamosser.com

ABOUT CYNTHIA
The work of painter, Cynthia Mosser, has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in the United States and abroad, which includes the Czech Republic and Hungary. Her work has been critically reviewed in ARTnews Magazine, Willamette Week Newspaper, and featured in PortlandMonthlyMag.com

Cynthia received a B.A. in Art History from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington and attended Pratt Institute in 
Brooklyn, New York. She is represented by the Augen Gallery in Portland, Oregon.

Image: 
Sprightly, 2017
Gouache on Museum Board
6 x 4.5 in

Fun Meter Button

As goofy as this button is, this the way I live my life. The intention is for MAX FUN, so my art reflects my experiences.

View some fun art at:
cynthiamosser.com

Image inspiration: Carmen Farmer

What is Gouache Paint?

Many would like to know...

I use water-based gouache paint exclusively in many of my paintings,
and love the density and color.

So what exactly is gouache paint? 
Pronounced /gw'osh/, the word's origin comes from the Italian word
"gouazzo", which means dampness or puddle or mud.
It was originally used in fresco paintings during the Renaissance.

It is a matte, opaque medium with gum arabic added for flow.
(Gum arabic is a natural gum from the acacia tree.)
The matte factor comes from the addition of chalk.

If you look at New Yorker Magazine covers, often the illustrator uses gouache
because it does not shine when reproduced.


Compared to watercolor, gouache has a higher pigment load (quantity),
which makes it richer in color. With watercolor one can see the
"white" of the paper below; whereas with gouache one cannot.
This allows an artist to work starting with dark paint at the
bottom layer, then lighter colors/values at the top layer.

The reason I use it is due to the fact that it reproduces nicely and
is incredibly rich in color.

BOXED CARDS SETS Now on my Website!

Now you can purchase an 8-card assorted note card boxed set for $20.00 from my website. 

Free shipping to the US.

Only 12 left!

I accept VISA/MASTERCARD, etc.

One of my newest pieces...

Cynthia Mosser
Swirl Puff, 2016
Gouache on Museum Board
5.5 x 4 in

Sold to private collector

OPEN STUDIO Sat/Sun • Nov. 12 & 13 • 10am - 5pm

Sharing my love for art at my OPEN STUDIO.

10am - 5pm

First 75 attendees receive a free, signed ltd. edition print.

40% off all studio paintings.

NEW! Cards, prints and drawings.

DIRECTIONS: http://tinyurl.com/zravfxm

PART OF CLARK COUNTY OPEN STUDIOS

#cynthiamosser #clarkcountyopenstudios #art #abstractart#contemporaryart #openstudio #vancouverwa #paintings #pacificnorthwest#color

STUDIO SALE! Sat/Sun NOVEMBER 12 & 13, 2016

___________________________________________________________
I am thrilled to be part of Clark County Open Studios here in Vancouver, Washington. 
In addition to showing where I work and how I work, I will be having a STUDIO SALE.

The first 75 attendees receive a free and signed limited edition print.

All paintings located at my studio are 75% off!
NEW! Prints, cards and drawings

STUDIO SALE DETAILS:

• Sat/Sun NOVEMBER 12 & 13, 2016
• 10 - 5 
• 138/17 NE 49th Street Vancouver, WA 98682

Contact me: 503.807.9126

Link: clarkcountyopenstudios

Andrew Goldstein's Thoughts on PAINTING

I love what Andrew Goldstein says about painting (in his interview with Hans Ulrich):

However, when it comes to the market, painting remains the paramount seller because it is, at the end of the day, a remarkably efficient piece of technology. It packs maximum visual power while taking up a minimum of three-dimensional space. No electricity is needed. It’s easily portable, universally readable, effortlessly Instagrammable, and, in some cases, easily resalable. 

Source: artspace.com

After a SOLO EXHIBITION

After a solo art show, it seems a month-long nap is necessary. It seems strange to go from being an extrovert (marketing, talking with clients, openings), to an introvert again. My wish is to keep the pace up, and engage with people in the same manner (mainly because it is so much fun), but it just isn't humanly possible. 

My fear is that people will think I don't care about them during this period of hibernation. I do care immensely, and I am incredibly grateful for how supportive people are of my art life. Ultimately, I have to simply trust in the ebb and flow of life. 

Does anyone else have this kind of experience whether it is art-related, or otherwise?

Learn more about my art at: www.cynthiamosser.com


(Image: "Flaming June", 1895 by Lord Frederic Leighton.)

ARTIST TALK - Augen Gallery - Saturday, July 16th - NOON with CYNTHIA MOSSER

Oh yes! LEARN more about how WHIMSY, COLOR, and DESIGN infuses your interior spaces with LIFE and LOVE!

CYNTHIA MOSSER
Artist Talk
Saturday, July 16th at Noon.

AUGEN GALLERY
716 NW Davis Street
Portland, OR 97209

augengallery.com
+001 503.546.5056

July 2016 - ARTIST CYNTHIA MOSSER - Augen Gallery

Cynthia Mosser
Solo Exhibition
July 5-30, 2016

Augen Gallery
716 NW Davis Street
Portland, OR 97209
augengallery.com
Tel: +001 503 546 5056

• Preview Wednesday: July 6, 5-7:30PM
• First Thursday: July 7, 5-8PM
• Artist Talk: Saturday, July 16 at NOON.

Wisdom from Experience

As an ARTIST at the age of 46, what I know for sure is slow and steady wins the race. I used to burn myself out, running on adrenaline making art nonstop. 

I pace myself now. My work is currently at the framer in preparation for my Augen Gallery July 2016 solo show. I'd like a nap. I used to need to sleep for days after dropping off my work. Oddly enough, I feel I could even start anew...

Image:
Cynthia Mosser
Fraternal Foliage (fancy)
Mixed media on panel
24 x 24 in

SAVE THE DATE: July 2016 - Cynthia Mosser - Solo Show - Augen Gallery

Save the Date:
Cynthia Mosser
Solo Exhibition
July 5-30, 2016

Augen Gallery
716 NW Davis Street
Portland, OR 97209
augengallery.com

Preview Wednesday: July 6, 5-7:30PM
First Thursday: July 7, 5-8PM
Artist Talk: Saturday, July 16 at NOON.

"Unexpected intrusions of beauty.
This is what life is."  -Saul Bellow

TRANSFERENCE Print Project at PSU

Mark and Rae Mahaffey of Mahaffey Fine Art studio, assisted the Northwest Patternist artists with the idea of how to print work using a monotype process (a one-of-a-kind print). Out of this experiment, nine artists (including myself) from the Northwest Patternist Group, will show their prints in a show titled TRANSFERENCE. 

I will show an installation of my cut up monotypes (see image below).

Image: Cynthia Mosser
Fraternal Foliage Installation, 2016
Monotype (colored pencil on Rives BFK paper)
44" x 28"

TRANSFERENCE Exhibition on view March 3–April 6, 2016

Autzen Gallery | Portland State University
Neuberger Hall 2nd Floor

Opening reception: Wednesday,
March 30, 7–9:30pm

Regular hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm

724 SW Harrison St
Portland, OR 97201

Northwest Patternist artists are:
Cynthia Mosser
James K-M
Mark R. Smith
Matt Cosby
Michael Knutson
Rae Mahaffey
Sally Finch
Shu-ju Wang
Tamara English

Art Show - PULL OF REPETITION

Curated by Mark R. Smith, PULL OF REPETITION is an exhibition in Portland, Oregon at Portland Community College (Sylvania Campus) Northview Gallery. The show looks at various ways artists use pattern within their work.

Runs Thursday, January 14 - Saturday, February 13, 2016.

Artists:
Cynthia Mosser
James K-M
Matt Cosby
Michael Knutson
Rae Mahaffey
Sally Finch
Shu-ju Wang
Tamara English

WHY I LIKE FOLK ART

There is something ultimately, decorative, feminine and complex about folk art. The shapes, stitch work, color, and overall feeling, whether it's a floral painted wall or lace from Alsace, France, reverberates with me.

Generally, there are no sharp edges. It is these rounded edges and motifs taken from natural elements that I like.

Additionally, there is a strong element of time. The time in which it takes to create a piece, is quite long. Which leads one to the idea that it was also a very interior type of work. This idea of decoration is familiar to my eyes. As if I recognize the shapes from another life.

Image source: hu.wikipedia.org

KUNDERA Quote

We can never know what to want, 

because, living only one life, 

we can neither compare it with our previous lives 

nor perfect it in our lives to come… 

We live everything as it comes, without warning.

-Milan Kundera, Czech/French writer 

from The Unbearable Lightness of Being

As an artist, I do believe we know what 
we want, it is the living of it for which
we are unprepared. We just have to figure it out.
That is the beauty of life.

MICROCOSMOS Exhibition - Gallery 621

I have two pieces in this show.
Come check it out if you are in the BAY AREA!

MICROCOSMOS Exhibition - Gallery 621
Benicia, CA - OCT 29 - NOV 29, 2015

Curated by Chester Arnold

WRITING ABOUT MY ART

I want to start a dialogue about my art so the viewer can gain more insight into what I do and how I do it.

In my work, I am trying to create a whimsical feeling with biomorphic shapes, color and value changes.

Whimsy is my necessity. Europe embraces whimsy easily through public sculpture, architecture and installation. This lighthearted feeling through imagery and art lifts one out of a serious mood. Whimsy creates a feeling of poetry in one's everyday life that seems missing in the USA.

Trump HAIR

The wind has bestowed a gift upon us all.

Thank you wind and Donald Trump.
(And @jerrysaltz for the tip.)


Image source: bostonherald.com

David EDGAR - Plastic Artist

David Edgar is a North American sculptor who creates a variety of sculptures from consumer-based recycled materials.

The hanging lamps from his series "Plastiquarium", are called "Jellyfish Lamps", and are about 15 x 5 x 7in.

Edgar creates these whimsical creatures as an antidote to our stressful culture.

I relate to his colorful, playful, sea-oriented shapes.

Image source: pinterest.com

Ballpoint PEN Sketches

I am working on sketching in my sketchbook, and I just love it. I will have a series of these in my next show. (July 2016, Augen Gallery, Portland, OR).

JULIE ALPERT - Splat!

Julie ALPERT, a Seattle-based artist/painter, exhibits a partially collaborative show of work called SPLAT at the Archer Gallery inside Clark College (Vancouver, WA). I love the work for its use of color, whimsy, pattern and arrangement within the gallery.

The show is based around one image, essentially an icon or symbol of layers of colorful splattered paint as it drips down the canvas/paper. The splats are created in a variety of materials: paint, paper, pen, and incorporate pattern, another reoccurring theme in Alpert's work. The splats are organized often in a grid-like pattern, perhaps alluding to organized chaos. The idea of the splat itself could certanly be related to a feeling or action: angst, whimsy, fun or simply the act of irreverence (or all at once).

In terms of the show, half of it was a residency where she taught students and half was her own. (I have posted only her work.) I appreciated her working with students, giving them an opportunity to see the workings of a gallery while incorporating her Splat idea. 

My only gripe is that I want in on the fun too. (I want an interactive Splat corner where I get to experience splatting!)

 Image source: cynthia mosser