Buy More Art: We Heart NYC print for hurricane relief, Quarry Street Hymnal, Vol. 1, Christmas cards from James B. Janknegt and bonus from poet Billy Collins
Introducing Buy More Art, a subtly-titled weekly collection of art and art events I'm recommending to the world. An close runner up for the new series: Love your Artist Neighbor, Buy More Art! (borrowing language from Lauren Winner's advice for art patrons in this book)
After writing 101 Monday Mixtape posts, I'm throwing a farewell party and welcoming in the new guy. You'll notice the mixtape lives on in spirit. We're just hanging up the jersey on the metaphor.
In case you're wondering, a couple of things I consider when I'm putting together my collection:
- Is this an emerging artist who could use a shout-out?
- Is this an emerging artist I've met, friend of a friend, reminds me of someone I know?
- Do I enjoy the painting/print/tunes/exhibit/piece/pages so much I want to own it for myself?
- Does this artist have a risk-taking story I'm cheering?
- Does this work feature the banjo? Move it straight to the top of the list.
Artist and hometown friend Erin McMahon created this reproduction print to aid hurricane relief in New York City. Many of Erin's drypoint prints capture NYC architecture so it makes sense that she is now using art to help with relief efforts there.
In Erin's words:
New York City is one of my favorite places in the world. I created this shortly after the impact of Hurricane Sandy. The original is a drawing done in thread on Arches Watercolor paper, with a rice paper heart. You are purchasing an archival reproduction of this work, with the proceeds going to support the relief efforts in NYC as they recover from the devastating impact of this storm.
Erin L McMahon, Printmaker
2 Pug Studio on Etsy
I'm grateful to worship leader and generous blogger Bruce Benedict at Cardiphonia for recommending the debut release from Quarry Street Hymnal. It's no secret that I'm an avid fan of the re-tuned hymn album and have featured similar projects. (two examples: here and here)
This release from Philadelphia's City Church music director Bethany Brooks moves right to the top of the list of my favorites.
from Bethany Brooks/Quarry Street Hymnal's press release:
Brooks’s music career is as deep as it is diverse. Bethany holds her masters in piano performance from The Royal Academy of Music in London and has performed as a soloist and collaborative artist in Philadelphia, New York, London, Mexico City, Odessa, Istanbul and eastern Hungary. Brooks has a classical chamber duo and is an active participant in the Philadelphia roots & rock music scene, playing and singing in numerous well – regarded projects and bands. She currently serves as Director of Musical Worship at City Church in West Philadelphia.
Quarry Street Hymnal is the product of more than 15 years of writing new music for old hymn texts. Bethany began composing new music to these historic texts as a senior in high school with the hope of exposing audiences to obscure texts by putting them into an original folk-classical style.
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| Joyful Mystery #3: Nativity |
Meeting artist Jim Janknegt is one of the highlights of my first year in Austin. I've featured his work several times and am delighted that this year he is offering a selection of his original paintings printed as Christmas cards.
To purchase cards, click through to this page at his site.
To purchase other works by the artist, visit the home page at Brilliant Corners Art Farm
-- bonus --
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"The God who impoverished himself is also the God of abundance, and somehow, perhaps at times nonsensically, Christians are called to live out of an ethic not of scarcity but of abundance—an abundance that extends both to the homeless neighbor and to the artist neighbor. . . " -- Lauren Winner, from her chapter THE ART PATRON: Someone Who Can't Draw a Straight Line Tries to Defend her Art-Buying Habit in For the Beauty of the Church
