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| Entrance to the Salmagundi Club for the AAPL 83rd Grand National |
We were off to NYC bright and early last Sunday to attend the American Artists Professioinal League's 83rd Grand National Exhibit held at the Salmagundi Club on 5th Avenue. We looked forward to attending the painting demonstration by artist Charles Brandenburg which was starting at noon, so we were sure to be on the 9:00 A.M. Acela. We were right on time and had great seats and then we waited to roll...and...we waited. Announcements began to be made every couple of minutes updating us on the "technical difficulties" that would be resolved shortly. Finally a resigned announcement came over and I quote "Folks this train is going nowhere"! We were told another train was being brought in two tracks over so we all bustled our way there and then waited for the food car to be stocked :( Finally we left right before the 10:00, more as a matter of form I think. So we arrived at Penn Station and I won't take your time here with the taxi debacle and the heated words between our taxi driver ant the Little Caesar Penn Station employeed who wanted to run the show. We told them to take it up with one another later and hit the road! We arrived at the Salmagundi just as Mr. Brandenburg finished his painting. So much for well made plans.
We were starving and the wonderful aromas from the restaurant downstairs lured us the the much acclaimed Salmagundi Brunch. It did not disappoint. Then off to enjoy the show......It is a beauty! Now, I knew Jill Banks also had a painting on exhibit but what I didn't know was that friend and fellow ALPAP (Art League Plein Air Painters) Lynn Mehta also had a piece selected. Just as I found mine, I turned around and there was Lynn who had just found hers! We were both very pleasantly surprised:) Lynn's lovely painting, "Appalachian Valley" won the John Collins Memorial Award! A post or two down you can see Lynn at work painting when we went to Wide Water.
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Lynn standing below her "Appalachian Valley"
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| Me next to my "Along the Old Potowmack Canal" |
A very nice color catalogue of the exhibit was available and I brought one home for posterity. I have also been juried in as an artist member of the Salmagundi so I was very happy to receive a tour of the "inner sanctum" by member Roger Rossi who has been extremely helpful and welcoming. I said after my first trip here that the first thing that struck me when I passed throught the door was the warm and welcoming atmosphere of this place. I suppose the imposing elegance of this 19th century mansion on 5th Avenue might make you forget that it is inhabited by friendly artists eager to share their work. As a lover of history the tour meant a lot to me. I have read about the famous artists who were members here and seeing the palettes and brushes of artists such as Childe Hassam and William Merrit Chase was for me like a baseball buff seeing Babe Ruths bat or having an original Mickie Mantle baseball card! The library was really something! When you take the tour online you don't get to see the size of it. The walls are lined with books that must be treasures. Between the tops of the bookcases and the ceiling are all the palettes of noted members. In cases and on the mantle are the porcelain beer mugs the members used to paint and hope to sell. The original tiles, hand painted by artists members, that made up the fireplace surround in the first Salmagundi location were moved to surround the fireplace in the conference room here at their permanent home. This magnificent mansion has been the home of the Salmagundi Club since 1917.
The main gallery has a large tray ceiling which used to be an enormous skylight. This coming June work will begin to recreate that skylight and the gallery will be filled with natural light! Big job! Exciting time to be here.
http://www.salmagundi.org/
Also on exhibit right now at the Art League Gallery in Old Town Alexandria in our annual Small Works Exhibit are "Berry Strawberry" and "The Knitter"
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| "Berry Strawberry" 8x6 oil on panel |
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| "The Knitter" 8x6 oil on linen panel |
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