Free E-ART Newsletter / DVD information
by Bruce Pech
2010
The Journey of Arleta Pech-artist.
Born to Melvin and Chesta Glasco in Illinois.
As an only child, I grew up on a farm in southern Illinois. With few peers to play with,
drawing was an activity that came naturally to me. My most vivid memories are of sitting
in the apple trees watching the light play across the blossoms and drawing.
Moved to Colorado in 1960
As a young girl my family moved to Colorado and I continued art as a hobby
into my teen years. With no formal art training, a high school teacher noticed my
abilities and asked if I was going on to art school. I replied "I had to get a job, since
my family could not afford art school." The next day the teacher came in with an
ad for an assistant commercial artist job in Denver. I applied and got the job.
Assistant Commercial Artist 1969-1971
Working on designs and seeing them though to a final product. My most noted
design was the Denver Bronco football helmet emblem which was used from
1970 to 1998.
Joined Colorado art group "Mountainside Art Guild" 1972
These groups are great support systems for beginning artists. They
allowed me to learn and show my early oil paintings. And I started to learn
more about the art world and wonder how some artist become nationally known.
1978 -1980 Represented by Colorado galleries
"Among The Iris" 1984 private collection
Maxims art gallery in Greeley and Estes Park Colorado from 1982-1989, the "Among
The Iris" was painted in 1984 for my first show at Maxims. I also showed with Markay
gallery in South Denver, Arron Fine Art in Lower Downtown Denver,
and Hello Colorado in Copper Mountain.
1981-1985 My style of art is set
If you create art, you eventually find your muse. For me it was floral
images, high contrast, and LARGE formats. I started entering local competitions and winning
a few awards. With paintings starting to sell, it was the encouragement I needed
to try for bigger goals and to dream the impossible dream of my work reaching national
exposure.
1986 - First One Woman show at Foothills Art Center in Golden, Colorado.
1987 - My first greeting card with Leanin Tree in Boulder, CO.
"Circle of Begonia" 1986 private collection was reproduced on a greeting
card by Leanin Tree Cards, and the original hangs in their collection.
1988 - Acceptance into The Rocky Mountain Watermedia Exhibition
"Cluster Of Peony" 1988 Private collection
This is the fourth top watercolor show in the country with over 3000 entries the show
only hangs 125 paintings. "Cluster Of Peony" was one of the award winners in the
1988 show. After acceptance into this show seven times, artists are awarded with a
signature membership. I attained this goal in 1995.
1986 - Gallery representation in Connecticut.
In the late 80's the art market was down in Denver, due to the oil market,
so I took a chance on a gallery out of state. Cinnamon Teal Gallery in Connecticut
would play a big role in my career.
1988 - American Artist Magazine - National Talent Search.
"Lavender & Lace" 1988 private collection
It was during this time that American Artist Magazine ran a National Talent Search.
I entered, but didn't win a spot in the magazine. But behind the scenes,
Greenwich Workshop, a publishing agent representing many artists, was looking at
the entries and picked my work for consideration. I was thrilled since I knew this was
a great opportunity. But alas, the company could not decide, and left me wondering
for over nine months.
May 1989-Fate takes a hand!
While I was on hold waiting for Greenwich to decide, a representative of Mill Pond Press,
another international publishing agent, visited the small gallery in Connecticut where my work was hanging.
The gallery director relayed that "If they were interested they better hurry since another
publisher was looking at representing me."
June. 1989 - I signed with Mill Pond Press
This was a turning point in my art career. In one month I went from a local Colorado artist
to my work receiving international exposure though Mill Pond Press galleries internationally.
I was so busy with the International art scene..... I dropped out of the Denver art scene and
didn't return until 2010.
Lady of The Evening" 1989 private collection
watermedia
Mill Pond decided very quickly that they would sign me in 1989 and reproduce my large
flower images. This is a heady experience and can really shake an artist to be vaulted into
this much exposure in such a short time frame. Every original that was available sold in less than a month, and I would
take my art career on the road doing personal appearances world wide, signing prints for collectors. This lead
to over 20 sold out editions of fine art prints.
1991-Let there be Lace
"Grandmother's Gift" 1989 collection of the artist
watermedia
Mill Pond Press loved my large flowers, but I was already looking to stretch as an artist
painting a few lace pieces. Mr. Lewin, the owner of Mill Pond, did not like my "Tablecloths".
Then One of the print editions of a lace original sold out. Mr. Lewin then sent me an entire box
of antique laces. Why lace? It's part of that passion and love I express in my paintings and
for me it speaks volumes of my love for my grandmother who taught me to crochet.
1991 - Canadian Tour 27 gallery appearances in 23 days - 4 provinces.
This solo tour of my originals and prints across Canada was exhausting and thankfully
well organized by Natures Scene, a distributor who works in conjunction with Mill Pond Press.
I learned on this tour, what my smile quota was....ten days. After
that I needed to tape my mouth into the smile position, and I missed my studio and family.
1991-2005 Solo exhibits across the United States
I have lost count there have been so many. The states I have done personal appearances in are,
CT, RI, VT, NJ, NY, NC, SC, FL, TX, OH, MI, IL, MN, CO, WA, OR, CA. Many of these
locations I have been back to many times for personal appearances, developing friendships with
galleries that represented my original paintings such as Tony at Cardinal
Art Gallery in Vernon, NJ, David and Judy Simpson of Germanton Art Gallery in North Carolina,
and Gallery One in Mentor, Ohio had many One woman shows for me and I showed with these core galleries,
for almost 13 years.
March 1995 - First article for The Artist Magazine
watermedia
The magazine placed "Heirloom Memories" on the cover. They received so much mail in
response to the article, they asked me if I would be interested in doing a book on my paintings.
This was a scary idea for me, since I doodled though English class in school, so writing is not
one of my strong suits. But when a door opens, walk though it and do your best. I started writing
and painting for the book in early 1996. It would be released in 1998.
1995- Taught first Watercolor Seminar in California
After the magazine article, there were inquires of, "Would I teach?" This allowed me to do
one of my favorite things. Share information and my passion about art and the creative process
with other artists. So many artists wanted to attend that we had to do a second seminar a month later.
I continue to teach watercolor seminars around the world until 2009.
1996 - Invited to show in "The Great Women Artists Of America", Chicago, IL,
1998 - Top Watercolor Instructor for The Artist Magazine
Being selected as one of the top eleven instructors was a thrill, the event in Monterey, Ca. where
I met artists who's books I had learned from and over 400 artists who attend the event.
"Its A BOOK" Aug - 1998 "Painting Fresh Florals in Watercolor"
Thank you, to everyone who purchased a copy.
Books take over a year to write and to complete the paintings. When it's finally released it is a great
feeling. You catch yourself looking for it in bookstores and pulling it out of the stacks just
to see how real it feels. The hardbound version sold over 40,000 copies and has since sold out with the paperback
version released in 2003.
1998 - 15 minutes on NBC
In Cleveland in 1998, It was an NBC Saturday morning news program. I will not tell you here that,
I was in anyway prepared for this event. It was filmed live and they would come back to my painting
at the top of every hour for about 5 minutes. The funny part is they wanted me to paint on an
easel and with watercolor that can be challenging. So when the camera was on my brush work,
I would just pretend to be painting-then drop the painting to my lap and paint like crazy, before
the camera would come back around again. It was an experience I will never forget.
1999 - Garden Series of originals
"Garden Daydream" 1999 private collection
watermedia
Throughout my early career of floral originals, a few garden pieces would emerge.
Unlike the large flowers, these originals were very large, up to five feet and took months to create.
The fun part was they were totally from my imagination, like "Garden Daydream". It was
my dream garden where the flowers bloom at will regardless of seasons.
2000- Realism Today show at the John Pence Gallery in San Francisco, Ca.
This was in conjunction with The American Artist Magazine article in Oct. 2000
June 2001 - Goodbye Mill Pond Press
I was represented by Mill Pond for over 12 years. However companies change or are sold to
new owners, which was the case with Mill Pond.
July 2001- Signed with The Hadley Companies
Hydrangea Melody" 2002 private collection
watermedia
In 2001, an opportunity to work with the Hadley Companies began with my first release
scheduled for Sept. 2001. This is also the time that I started a
new series of originals such as "Hydrangea Melody.
2003- Accepted into archives of "The National Women in The Arts Museum"
Fascinated with Glass in 2004
I took a break from my antique subjects in 2004. I worked with glass objects most of the year
and even reflected these on to a mirrored surface. This series of originals are explorations of the light
passing though the colored glass and the reflections. It's always about luminosity in my paintings in one
form or another.
Sept. 2004 Birds In Art
Birds in Art is one of the top museum shows in the country, and I have known of this show
for many years. But I'm a still life artist and the show was devoted to bird art, mostly wildlife.
Then one year I realized the Woodson Museum www.lywam.org was much more
open minded about what type of bird imagery they would allow. So the inspired idea
for a painting of glass birds tickled my imagination. "Birds Of A Feather" was
just to much fun to paint. It was accepted for show and the 2004 museum tour of Birds in Art.
watermedia
"Birds Of a Feather" 2004
April 2005 "Quackers" is accepted into the 2005 Birds In Art and 2005 Tour
"Quackers" 13" x 19" 2005 watermedia
This inspired piece came from watching my grandchildren playing with complicated toys.
So the idea to paint simple old toys became a quest, and even the old wooden blocks
that spell out "Quack" was found in antique stores.
The little bird to the left came all the way from New Zealand where I found it in an antique shop.
"Quackers" has also been accepted in “The New Reality: The Frontier of Realism in the 21st Century.”
for www.SmithKramer.com This touring museum exhibit will run for four years starting in 2007-2011
and visit many states.
Dec 2005 - A return to Oils
My career has been about the "luminosity" of light and drama in watercolor.
My oils are a continuation of this concept. I love working with glazes of transparent color.
The darks of the backgrounds intensify the feeling of light and create an image
that glows even in dimly lit room. So my artistic path has come full circle back to oils where I started.
"Silver Hydrangea" Oil on Board
Summer's Last Blush (oil on board) was accepted into the
"Best of Realism Show" at the Winstanley-Roark Fine Arts
Red Satin and Peonies was accepted into the
International Realism Guild at the Manitou Galleries Sept. 2006.
Red Satin and Peonies -Oil on board
2007 -Listed in Who's Who in American ArtAugust 2008
The Publishing world changes and NEW OWNERS so I returned to MILL POND PRESS in Fall of 2008.
One of my first two canvas giclee releases was Winter Berries below.
Published from an oil painting
Jan 2009
Oil on board
Elements of a Still Life was accepted into the
International Realism Guild exhibition 2009
Feb. 2009
Oil on Canvas
Florals have always been part of my art, and so LARGE format flower portraits ,
with a bit of suspended Reality with a large falling water drops
started my new Alice Series "Through the Looking Glass" 32 x 50 oil on canvas.
2009 "Allegory In Alice: A Novel Approach" One woman show
Oct. 2009 Charleston, South Carolina.
"A Proper Time for Tea" 24 x 68 Oil on Canvas & Time Suspended 24 x 56 Oil on Canvas
for Mary Martin Fine Art Gallery where I chose to unveil my new series based
on Alice In Wonderland, and showcased in American Art Collector in the Oct. and
January Issues. The show was a great success with lines of people waiting to
see the show.
2010 "International Realism Guild" Palm Springs, Ca.
Summer Splendor 15 x 32 Oil on board
2010 "Radiant Oils" new book released
"Showing in Denver, Colorado-Back home again!
After traveling the world with my art, it's nice to be represented back in
Denver, Colorado my home town at www.abendgallery.com and continuing
to create new paintings in my Suspended Reality series:
Knock Knock 14 x 30 OIl on Canvas
August 2010.......Fascinated with patterns
I used to paint lace as the patterns fascinated me, but now a simple checked piece
of material has been used in many paintings. These eye poppers originals have sold.
The newest painting called "Favorites" 18 x 36 oil on Linen will premier in a show in 2011.
OPA - Oil Painters Of America accepted my painting "Counterweight"
into the Western Regional in Jackson Hole, WY in 2010
Back to the studio.....................
