Orlando Art Salon Members Show (and grow) Together

 It's cool. We aren't collaborating on crazy hair cuts. It's this kind of salon;

 "Salon: from the French word salon (a living room or parlor), means a conversational gathering. Usually this is a select group of intellectuals, artists and politicians who meet in the private residence of a socially influential (and often wealthy) person." - arthistory.about.com

Interior of 27 Rue de Fluerus, Salon of Gertrude Stein

  I'm pretty stoked to be a member of a group called a salon, especially since esteemed artists such as Matisse, Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir, Picasso, etc. attended Gertrude Stein's salon,

 but this particular salon isn't an esoteric group held in an ivory tower at 27 rue de Fleurus. 

Like most great teams, it all started with a coach.

 Alyson B. Stanfield, aka the Art Biz Coach, has made a very successful career for herself. With thousands upon thousands of social media followers, she has an impressive reach and even more impressive audience engagement and quite understandably so. As a former museum curator, educator, and art history scholar, she helps artists do what we (well, at least me)  dread; the biz side of our art careers. So, when Stanfield offered free course materials to local artists that met in groups, I was all about it. Just my luck an amazing Orlando artist, Robin Maria Pedrero, offered to host the group in her FAVO studio.
 As an artist that actively participates in local art events and shows, I already knew quite a few of the artists that joined the Orlando group. This actually made it easier than I had imagined. Rather than a stuffy "all business" approach, it was a real pleasure to meet, brain storm, encourage and sometimes just commiserate with such a diverse and talented group of artists.

 Honestly, I'm not organized enough to give you a quantifiable measure of how the biz side of my art did benefit from the course. I can tell you that there were quite a few days when I wanted to throw in my paint rags, but I left our salon with lighter shoulders and a renewed spirit.
I don't know about you, but I'll take warm and fuzzy over the former any day.

  One of my favorite affirmations of all time comes from a fellow salon member, Dawn Rosendahl,
"I am a creator, not a competitor."
(Fyi, she's not showing with the group b/c she's busy as an artist-in-action at the Maitland Art Center and getting ready for a solo show there. Awesome!)
 This salon fostered a sense of kinship rather than a competitive, market-driven atmosphere.
That's why I'm so proud to show alongside some of these salon members at Dandelion
Communitea Cafe. (A place so awesome and truly community driven, it deserves its own post.)

Meet us at the opening reception this Wednesday, September 4 from 7-10pm at Dandelion

618 N Thornton Ave, Orlando FL 32803. 

Salon members featured in the show are listed below. Simply click on the name to learn more about the artist and see artwork.
Gail Peck
Robin Maria Pedrero
Aimée Trudell Wheaton
Susan Sloan
Gregory Stock
Leah Hossler Wiedemer
Dlynn Roll
D. Renée Wilson
Bethany Taylor Myers
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