Photographer Stephen Edward Kennedy is creating a wonderful documentary series of artists in their studios called Cross Country Camera. I am pleased to announce that I am included amongst his unique artists! I was delighted to share my painting studio in Vermillion, South Dakota for this memorable photography series that features contemporary artists across the the United States. Please visit the Cross Country Camera website to view all the photos from this project. 

I have been wheat pasting art exhibitions as public art installations for a few years, and I want to share my process with you! I created the “Wheat Paste Basics” instructional video, and it’s available at the Unaccredited College of Klaire on Patreon.  I will show you all the steps necessary to wheat paste in this video tutorial. First, I will demonstrate how to mix up “gluten free” wheat paste. Then, I will share how to use the paste to glue paper to an outside wall.

Are you looking for affordable art lessons, including instructions on the behind-the-scenes aspects of being an artist? Join the Unaccredited College of Klaire on Patreon to check out my video tutorials, including the brand new “Painting Palette Creation” workshop. When you paint, you need a palette so you have a surface to mix your paints and hold all your colors. I prefer to use a glass palette, especially for oil paint, and I’ll show you all the steps on how to create your own. Glass palettes are great because they provide a smooth surface for mixing paints and they’re easy to clean.

​Your artwork is valuable, and I want to show you how to preserve and display it. Whether you need to prepare your artwork for an exhibition or you want to hang artwork you’ve purchased for your own collection, I’ll demonstration how to professionally frame your artwork without matting it. Head over to the Unaccredited College of Klaire on Patreon to view the “Framing Artwork” instructional video and download the framing guide.

The Plain Talk published an article titled "South Dakota Arts Fellow Debuts Paintings," which is about the brand new artwork I made with the South Dakota Arts Council Fellowship. The opening reception for Name a Ninja Turtle after Me, You Cowards is Final Friday, April 28th, from 5-7 pm at No. 7 Center Gallery, 7 Center St., Vermillion, SD. The show will also include paintings I created with the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant. 

I spent the last year creating two incredibly detailed figurative oil paintings of brodalisques because I was awarded the South Dakota Arts Council Fellowship. Help me celebrated this epic accomplishment at the Final Friday art reception of Name a Ninja Turtle after Me, You Cowards from 5-7 pm on April 28th, 2023 at No. 7 Center Gallery, 7 Center St, Vermillion, SD. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were named after famous Renaissance artists: Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello. I also share a name with a famous Italian artist, Artemisia Gentileschi, who did not get a Ninja Turtle named after her yet. See my newest figure paintings in person, along with artwork I created with a generous grant from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation.

Don't miss your chance to be part of the upcoming Packard Group National Exhibition 2023 in South Dakota! All artists from the United States are eligible to submit their artwork of any size to the show for free. Selected artists will have their work professionally printed as 8x8" squares, which I will wheat-paste to the exterior wall of No. 7 Center Gallery in Vermillion, SD. Read the Packard Group art call details, and send your submissions to me by July 15th, 2023. 

Did you catch my interview on South Dakota Public Broadcasting about my latest curation project? I was a guest on In the Moment with Lori Walsh so I could talk about the opening of the Thunderdomesticity: Damsels vs. Distress exhibition. During the “Vermillion Event Celebrates Women in Art” segment, we discussed Women’s History Month, the post-apocalyptic artwork, and the wheat-pasting installation process.

Miss Art World South Dakota Klaire Lockheart invites everyone to honor the end of Women’s History Month on Final Friday, March 31st at No. 7 Center Gallery, 7 Center Street, Vermillion, SD. The celebration includes the opening reception of the Thunderdomesticity: Damsels vs. Distress exhibition. The art reception, hosted by the Packard Group, LLC, lasts from 5:00-7:00 pm, and it’s free and open to the public. Thunderdomesticity: Damsels vs. Distress was juried by Klaire Lockheart, and prints of the selected artworks will be displayed outside on the north wall of No. 7 Center Gallery. This is the second annual Thunderdomesticity party, and guests are encouraged to dress up in post-apocalyptic costumes!

Thunderdomesticity: Damsels vs. Distress is a national juried art show designed to celebrate the strength of all women (including but not limited to: cis women, trans women, nonbinary, two-spirit, and gender fluid people). The current political climate can feel like the end of the world, but 50 amazing artists from across the United States offer encouragement through their artwork. This exhibition celebrates the heroic characteristics of women, which counterbalances traditional post-apocalyptic narratives that frequently exclude or mistreat women. The artwork is feminist, dystopian, and everything in between! There are over 100 works of art that include photography, paintings, mixed-media, henna, digital art, assemblage, fiber art, drawings, and ceramics. The range of art, from abstract to figurative, from traditional techniques to innovative uses of media, is exciting! These awesome artists know how to create powerful narratives through visual compositions.

The Thunderdomesticity: Damsels vs. Distress artists include: Abbie Graham, Abby Daleki, Amber Wright, Amy Langoni, Anndell Wubben, Anne Spooner, Art Fuentes (ARF), Becky Roberts, Bill Stamats, Blake Walker, Caitlyn Chellew, Cecille Santos, Cherie Lee, Cindy Hansen, Constance Klippen, Danny Sigelman, David Ezziddine, Donna Milligan, E. Schwinn, Emily Waters, Eric Anderson, Eric Marts, Evelyn Schmelling, Francine Fox, Hannah Bishop, Heidi Bennett, J Burke, Jacy Rooney, Jenna Robertson, JoAnn Telemdschinow ,Kate Glass, Kayla Koeune, Lacey Eidem, Leigh Nelson, Liana Lucier, Luci Hudson, Marla Goodman, Michael Doering, Naomi Even-Aberle, Nicole Houff, Phyllis W. Packard, Rachel Coyne, Racquel Banaszak, Remi Koebel, Rhonda Urdang, Rita Collins, Samantha Schenatzky, Shiri Phillips, Tia Sculpt, and Winnie van der Rijn.

In order to display such an abundance of fabulous artwork, the Packard Group professionally printed all the images as 8x8” squares. Juror Klaire Lockheart, will wheat-paste (glue) all of the artwork to the exterior of the building. When handling the artwork Lockheart stated, “I am honored to be able to curate this incredibly unique exhibition! Last year, I organized the first Thunderdomesticity art exhibition, and ‘Thunderdomesticity’ is a combination of ‘Thunderdome’ and ‘domesticity,’ which is why there is a feminine post-apocalyptic theme. This year, the show has ten times as many artists, and it’s wonderful to conclude Women’s History month with such a powerful art show.” The outdoor print exhibition of Thunderdomesticity: Damsels vs. Distress will be on display on the north wall facing City Hall from March 31st through May 19th, 2023 at No. 7 Center Gallery, 7 Center Street, Vermillion, SD. The prints were created by Aaron C. Packard from the Packard Group. Due to the ephemeral nature of the wheat-paste installation, the prints are exposed to the elements and public. Over time, the prints will change, and they will be destroyed in the removal process after the show ends.

The artwork is also available to view on the Packard Group’s website: https://www.packardgroupllc.com/exhibitions/damsels-vs-distress