Edition Announcement #253 - Carolyn Swiszcz

Pelican Harbor Park Boat Ramp, Miami Beach, FL by Carolyn Swiszcz
8"x10" ($20) | 11"x14" ($50) | 16"x20" ($200) | 30"x40" ($2000)

Post-art-fairs-insanity greetings my friends! Did you catch all the hubuzz about our good-looking, not to mention terribly handy, Art Fair Survival Kits over the weekend? Based on tales from the trenches, I think they were a hit! Team 20x200 reported back with glee having met many of you long-time collectors and I think there just might be a few newcomers reading today's newsletter — we love having you here! Before I bring forth details about today's edition, I have good news: you still have a chance to win one of our $200 prints through our weekend-long contest. Upload your photo of someone carrying a tote to Twitter or Flickr by midnight tonight, tag with @20x200 or #20x200, and we'll send you a $5 20x200 gift certificate PLUS you'll be in the running to snag the aforementioned $200 print!* We'll announce the lucky winner in tomorrow's newsletter.

Till then, I'll let you daydream about this gorgeous print from West St. Paul-based painter, Carolyn Swiszcz: Pelican Harbor Park Boat Ramp, Miami Beach, FL. As I was preparing to write this newsletter, I came across this write-up about Carolyn's exhibition last year at Franklin Artworks, by Melissa Stang on mplsart.com. Her essay is titled Carolyn Swiszcz makes interesting pictures and just happens to use buildings — and if I do say so myself, the lady has a point! As I waxed on some time ago about Carrie Marill's House Plants series, it's not so much that Carolyn paints buildings, but that she paints those buildings with her own particular style.

In this instance, she's painted the sign and surrounding landscape of the Pelican Harbor Park Boat Ramp in Miami Beach in such a way that it instantly conjured the Miami I know from several art fair pilgrimages south. While this painting is specific to Carolyn's perspective and marked by her own tools, which, in this case, include a stencil and stamps, it's brought up my own memories of that city by the sea — palm trees, pinky-purple skies, 1950s architecture and cars. I can almost smell the salty sea air mixed with exhaust. Setting her sights on un-monumental landmarks, Ms. Swiszcz makes them into memorable works, worthy of a second look, or two.

I've got my own sights set on the South: not Florida, but Texas will soon find me stomping around. I'll be touching down in Austin later this week for South By Southwest and a round of Battledecks. Till then!

* Please play fair! Only three photo entries per person will be accepted. Retweeting doesn't count. Gift certificates cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers.

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