The End is Near .. for My Gallery, That is. - Newsletter

For those of you that don't get my newsletter, I felt I should include this one here.  I'm closing my gallery as you will read:

The End is Near .. for My Gallery, That Is. It has been more than a couple of months since my previous newsletter. I keep thinking, "I'll wait a few days so I can write about such and such." Well the few days pass and so does such and such. Most of you know me well enough to know that, even though I procrastinate, I always follow through in the end. No more procrastinating now, here you go:


Coming up on the agenda is an art reception for Lester Sensat, Thursday, March 10 from 5:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. at Jo Castillo Art Studio & GALLERY, 1009 Main Street #3, downtown historic Bastrop, Texas. Refreshments will be served.

Lester paints in an intricate and realistic style that has warmth and a welcoming feeling to it. He was a long time member of the Bastrop Fine Arts Guild where his paintings were very well received and sought after. He was also represented in Austin and Fredericksburg. Recently, Lester has been painting the missions near San Antonio. I hope you can come to the reception to meet and learn more about him and his oil and acrylic paintings. My gallery will have a large showing of Lester's work on exhibit from March 10 - March 30. More info and a preview on my my website.

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Lester's show is the last event at my gallery. Yes, I am giving up my gallery on March 31. My gallery/studio has been open a year on March 31. The original plan was to give it a year and see how it would go. It has been amazing to have my own gallery, isn't that the dream of every artist? My foremost reason for closing is that we have been retired since 1994. Gene did consulting work for a few years after that, but I have not worked, except as a volunteer. Having the gallery is a full time commitment, even open only four days a week. This commitment has seriously interfered with our retirement schedule! There can be no spur of the moment trips to Austin or anywhere else.

I have been most fortunate to have the help of my good friend and artist, Judy Hawes, to take care of the gallery when I am gone. She is ready at any time to help out. I am so thankful for her. Thank you, Judy. Be sure and keep up with Judy and continue to purchase her beautiful jewelry. You will find her at the Bastrop Senior Center on most Wednesday afternoons at 1:00 p.m. offering instruction in painting. You can contact her by phone at home 512-303-2436 or her cell 512 626-4177.

I will continue to paint, sketch, enter shows, do plein air and enjoy my painting. I hope you will stay in touch via the internet by reading my blogs, facebook, and Twitter. You can always keep up with my new work there. I will still send out my newsletter.

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2011 Annual Juried Member Exhibition Austin Pastel Society

I will have a pastel painting, Summer Aspens, in the, March 6 to May 1, at the Annual Austin Pastel Society Juried Members Exhibit at the Corridor of Art, 700 Lavaca Street, Austin, Texas, 78701. The show consists of fifty selected paintings from the excellent artists in the Austin Pastel Society. The juror is Lis Haywood-Sullivan well known and respected pastelist. http://www.haywood-sullivan.com/pastel/index.html

Please come and bring a friend to the artists reception and awards ceremony on Sunday, March 27, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served. (Free parking in the garage at 8th and Guadalupe on the day of the reception.) You can get a preview of the beautiful paintings on the Austin Pastel Society website, http://www.austinpastelsociety.org/

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What will I be doing after March, you might ask? I am always busy painting and sketching. We will be traveling to New Mexico again this summer and will have a show there.

I have been working on a small series of work, somewhat like the Daily Painters which have been so popular for several years. I call these small creations, Jo's Notions. The pastels are placed against the glass for instant framing. The acrylics and oils are also unframed and ready to pop in a frame of your choice or display on a small easel. I have created a new blog for these works where you can see and purchase them via PayPal and credit card. I will take a check, just give me a call or send an e-mail.

These will be mostly "from life" and not photos. I really enjoy painting from the actual scene or objects. There is so much color and mystery in shadows. Most photographs do not capture that and deep shadows just look black. You will find color and light in my paintings.

Because we travel, the shipping is free. Most can be mailed out within a few days, but if we are on the road, it might take a little longer.

Check out Jo's Notions at http://jocastillonotions.blogspot.com/

My pastel, oil and acrylic paintings are always on sale on my website and you can make an appointment to see my work at my home studio.