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Spotlight on Jamie Perry |
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One of the
things artists Jamie S. Perry likes best about Tapestry Art festival is that
“they are the most artist friendly show on the circuit, from the volunteers
to the staff to the early artist set up on Friday night.”
Jamie, a colored pencil artist, has been in “the business” for 23 years and
has spent Labor Day weekend with her friends, new and old, at Tapestry ever
since. She started her career with a B.A. in Sculpture from the University
of Illinois and for seven years was a practicing Registered Art Therapist.
Along the way she met a cat and a man - that man was Michael who is now her
husband. Along they way they have welcomed several other cats into their
family and have hit the road, selling Jamie’s wonderful drawings at 15-20
shows per year. With her combination of talent, technique, and personality,
Jamie's award-winning drawings have caused her to become one of the most
popular colored pencil artists in the United States. |
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Her originals take between 120
and 600 hours each to complete, depending on the size and complexity of the
piece. Her works begin virtually as free scribbles - then comes the
designing and refining. She then transfers the preliminary drawing to 100%
rag paper. The pencil, used dry and almost always sharpened, is then
meticulously laid down layer by layer blending both color and stroke-work,
to produce the rich hues and textures for which her drawings are noted.
Jamie uses Prismacolor Pencils and her work has been selected by Berol
Corporation to represent them at national and international trade shows. In
1988, her magical CALL OF THE WILD took First Place for Overall
Interpretation of Cats in Los Gatos (Ca) Cat Art Competition. And so it has
gone with Jamie's work - with awards, featured articles, showcased drawings
and sold out editions. Her overwhelming popularity as a cat artist has
generated a large following of established collectors who anxiously await
her new work. Because of the amount of time it takes to complete each
drawing, Jamie averages only 10 - 12 new originals each year.
As for being an artist at Tapestry for 23 of our 30 years, Jamie is thrilled
by the recognition she has received from the public and from Tapestry’s
juries through the years. Her artistry first made her a member of the
Invitational Circle (a jury selects a few artists who they feel exemplifies
excellence in their work) and then one of the first members of the Hall of
Fame (awarded to artists after 5 years as members of the Invitational
Circle.) This year she will be in her booth (A501-502) at the corner of
Almaden Blvd and Park Avenue in downtown San Jose, at the 30th Annual
Tapestry Arts Festival on Labor Day weekend, September 3, 4, & 5, 2005,
displaying her wonderful cats.
What else does she like about Tapestry? The fact that the proceeds from the
event go back into the community in the form of art programs. Having worked
as an art therapist, she is well aware of how cutbacks in funding have
drastically reduced funding for the arts, and how few children now have the
opportunity to know they can express themselves through art. For the past
15 years, Tapestry has been providing arts education programs that are based
on the California State Framework for the Visual and Performing Arts and the
State Standards for Arts Education, for children in schools, community
centers, and alternative learning sites.
Go to Jamie’s website and see her artwork
www.jsperry.com. |
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