My Little Art Corner In The Big Apple

A Just Mary Designs solo show in New York!  Who would have thought that one day I would be sitting in my studio in South Dakota reminiscing about my art show in New York City!

The day started out with a long anticipated meet up with the amazing Sydney Stone of Stylaphile, the sponsor of my show.  Finally meeting face to face was so fun, and let me tell you - she is even more fabulous in person!  

I packed up my art boxes and we headed to the Caelum Gallery in Chelsea to get things set up for the show.  It was so fun to walk into the space, scope out the layout, and then begin to arrange the art.  Sydney's husband, Carlos, helped hang the art and then arranged the lighting so that each piece was strategically lit beautifully!

By 6:30 we were ready to roll with champagne, white wine and dozens of bite size cupcakes Baked By Melissa - delicious little morsels that are all the rage in the city.

 Our first guest happened to see the sign outside the gallery, and to our delight enjoyed the art and visiting for quite some time!  As the night progressed we had as steady stream of people peruse the art and enjoy the exhibition.  I even was fortunate enough to sell a few pieces!

The most amazing part of it all, however, was not the show itself.  It was not the excitement of traveling to the big city and being fortunate enough to share my work in an up and coming gallery.  It wasn't even the making of a new friend in Sydney.  The most amazing part of the show was the likemindedness of the people who gathered that night.  These people were here to celebrate body positivity.  To encourage the world to embrace our bodies - curvy & thin alike - just the way we are.  One guest commented several times about how delighted he was to see such uplifting and inspiring messages in art, and that positive themes were not what he was used to in the art community.  What I walked away with Saturday night was more than just an awesome show on my art resume, I walked away knowing that we had made an impact.  That we had brightened a small corner of a big, big city.  That we had brought a bit of beauty and positivity into an often jaded and cynical world.  For one night, my art lit up a gallery in New York City.  And I hope the memory of it shines forever!

 (To find these images check out my Body Fab-YOU-lous Collection!)