Geer's Creations

WVTF Art Show

2010-06-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

Walking with Grandma will be on display at the WVTF juried show in July. Please stop by for the opening: Friday, July 16, 2010 5-9 p.m.

Arts Council of the Blue Ridge GAP award

2010-06-19T19:09:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to be one of ten recipients of the Arts Council's Grants for Artists Program. I will use the award to study mold making. Plans call for an exhibit and talk at Gallery 108 my experience in June, 2011.

The Grants for Artists Program is supported by the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge, and by local individuals.

2010 Sidewalk Art Show, Roanoke VA

2010-06-04T13:48:00.000-07:00

Be sure to visit the Sidewalk Art Show in downtown Roanoke,June 5 and 6, 2010.

I will not have my tent at the show this year, but please stop by Gallery 108 and Signature 9 Gallery to see my latest work. Enjoy the show!

Swimming Polar Bear

2010-03-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

In the snowy winter months, when I cannot carve in my outdoor studio, I work in clay and pewter. This graceful swimming polar bear is my response to the threat of global warming. Every time you pick up your keys you will be reminded that the polar ice is melting, and the polar bears need our help!

It's also available as a pendant, or free-standing miniature sculpture. See it at Gallery 108, or contact me.

Bluebirds and Daffodils

2010-03-01T17:44:00.001-08:00

The snow is finally melting, and my daffodils are valiantly pushing up from below.

The first bluebird of spring showed up about a week ago. He has been back every day since. He sure is puffed up about it, too!

2010 Open Studios Tour - Tenth Anniversary!

2010-02-14T19:05:00.000-08:00

Spring is coming! And so is the Open Studios Tour. This is the tenth anniversary of the tour, so mark your calendar and plan to visit!

In the meanwhile, follow the artists preparations on the Open Studios Blog!

New Work for the New Year

2010-02-11T13:02:00.001-08:00

Winter Bear

is featured at Gallery 108's new show New Work for the New Year.

Gallery 108 members have created new pieces to display as a featured show for February. The gallery is located at 108 Market Street, downtown Roanoke. Regular hours are Tues-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-4. Closed Mondays.

Gallery 108 Members Show

2009-12-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

See my latest Bull and Bear at the Gallery 108 Members Show!

The show began December 1st and continues until the end of the year. It is titled Places We've Been, and features member artists' work from near and far. The gallery is located across Salem Avenue from the Taubman Museum in downtown Roanoke. It's open Tuesday thru Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 1-4. Please stop by!

And don't forget, the Gallery is open late Fridays during December for Dickens of a Christmas!

Happy Holidays to everyone!!

VAEA Conference

2009-11-27T12:51:00.000-08:00

The Virginia Art Educators Conference was great! Art teachers buzzing everywhere, looking for old friends and signing up for classes. My class on Native American Fetish Style Stone Carving was well attended. This year was slower for me; my walker was like a small wall... to remind me to slow down.

There were 27 art teachers in my class. They made wonderful carvings: birds, sheep, bears and horses. Perfect reminders of the talent that lies within all of you. Thanks to all that took the class, and to my daughter and husband who helped make it work.

2009 Lynchburg Art Festival

2009-09-22T16:14:00.001-07:00

Water Gatherer won the N. B. Handy Company Award at the 2009 Lynchburg Art Festival!
Thank You to the Judge, and to the N. B. Handy Company for sponsoring the award.

League of Roanoke Artists Showcase

2009-09-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

Bull and Bear are now at

The League of Roanoke Artists Showcase 2009
Jefferson Center, Roanoke VA
August 31 - October 26, 2009
weekdays Monday through Friday
9 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Reception: September 27, 2009

The gallery is also open one hour before and one hour after Shaftman Hall performances.
541 Luck Ave
Roanoke, VA
540.345.2550

Bath County Art Show

2009-07-13T19:46:00.000-07:00

Compelling Bear and Twitch are at the 45th Anniversary Bath County Art Show.

Visit the show at
Valley Elementary School,
Hot Springs, VA
July 19 - 26, 2009 1:30 to 5:00 pm daily

The Perry F. Kendig Award

2009-07-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

I was honored and pleased to be among the members of the Roanoke Branch of National League of American Pen Women at the Perry F. Kendig Awards. The League was honored with the award for Arts & Cultural Organizations on June 24, 2009 at the Taubman Museum of Art.

For more about the award, and Dr. Kendig, follow this link to the Pen Women Site.

Sculpture in the South II

2009-06-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

Sculpture in the South was wonderful again this year. I am still in awe of some of the great sculptors I meet here every year.

We had rain on Friday, of course. It is the lowcountry in May after all. But the installation was done by the time the downpour hit, and the black-tie reception was held indoors - thankfully!

We had two beautiful days for the show-until about 3 PM on Sunday. Then the skies opened again. My neighbor's Blackberry showed a line of storms coming that was sure to last for hours. Customers disappeared when the rain came, and the show organizers wisely closed the show early.

They passed out ponchos to those of us who were not prepared, and we proceded to load up without damage to the artwork or displays. Even Karryl's 300 lb giraffe was loaded without damage.

Sales were down from last year, but the show was worth the trip. I'm looking forward to next year already!

posted 5/23/2009

Sculpture in the South

2009-05-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

Sculpture in the South is my favorite show of the season - partly because it's early, and we aren't exhausted yet, and partly because it's a sculpture-only show, which let's me meet and talk with some of my favorite sculptors, but mostly because of the wonderful people of Summerville.

These folks really know how to put on a show. They arrange every detail. Sculptors come from as far away as Minnesota, Texas, and California ship their work here. The show staff provides the help and equipment needed to move and set up the displays, provides tents, refreshments (including Carolina Barbeque!), and handles the sales transactions.

And local patrons put on the greatest meals after the show. I can still taste the shrimp and grits! The best part of all is their love and appreciation of sculpture. In spite of a low-country downpour last year the Friday night black-tie outdoor reception was well attended.

If you can't come to Summerville, you must visit their web site, SculptureintheSouth.com.

2009 Open Studios Tour

2009-05-19T05:13:00.000-07:00

The Open Studios Tour was great this year! Thanks to Nan Mahone, Steve Mitchell and Kevin Kittredge for the great coverage in the Roanoke Times. We had lots of visitors.

Open Studios is the first outdoor show of the year, and we always look forward to it. We air out our tent and scrub the accumulated dust from the pedestals. This is usually the first chance we get to show my new pieces for the year. And we get a chance to meet our local supporters face to face.

We won't be doing the Sidewalk Show this year due to conflicts with other commitments, but do look in at Gallery 108. I'll have some new pieces there.

Taubman Museum of Art

2009-03-06T06:45:00.001-08:00

Architecture by Randall Stout Architects
Photograph by Tim Hursley

The new Taubman Art Museum in Roanoke is a delight!

I am not one to admire modern architecture. Yet I waited anxiously to see the space. I went as soon as I could and was amazed! The large size and functionality of the interior space took awhile to assimilate. The space is huge! The angles and views of the city and surrounding valley are grand.

This is a wonderful addition to Roanoke, and a "must see". The cafe is excellent, especially the Sunday Brunch. The art is familiar with a few new twists. The "hands on" room, the pocketbooks and the tattoos made the experience a bit different.

Outdoor Shows

2008-06-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

I love art shows!

Yes, it is a hassle, involving applications, deadlines, photos, and heavy lifting. But I love talking to people who love art, especially sculpture.

So far this year I have done two: the Open Studios tour in Roanoke, and Sculpture in the South in Summerville SC.

We were at Mary Jane Burtch's new house for Open Studios. My studio is in the County, too far off the beaten track and with no parking. We have been showing at Mary Jane's for many years. She moved away from her old house on Grandin Road last year. We set up at Grandin Gardens then, just down the street, but this year we were in South Roanoke at Mary Jane's new studio.

We saw less traffic, but had good sales. The people who came wanted to see us! They didn't just happen by. Many old friends came, including one young collector who has bought a piece every year since she was eight years old! She's thirteen now.

Sculpture in the South was an awesome experience. Thirty-six sculptors from all over the US were there. Artists from as far away as Oregon, California, Colorado and Texas came to show their work. And it was wonderful! I have been following the careers of several of these people for 20 years, since I first began to carve stone. They are my heroes! It was an honor to show with them.

The show itself was by far the best organized of any that I have seen. They welcomed us with a "good Southern breakfast" on Friday as we set up. They provided tents and cashier services, as well as motorized carts and helpers to carry our work. Friday night there was a black tie gala, where I re-discovered the joys of shrimp and grits, low-country style! Our host was a bed and breakfast in an old Southern mansion. Everywhere you looked there was a piece of sculpture, purchased by the owner, not on loan from the artist.

Saturday and Sunday were warm, busy days. The low-country humidity came in with the heavy rains late Friday, but the rain left as quickly as it came. Attendance at the show was good. There was so much great sculpture to see! And, there were talks on clay sculpture, stone carving, and bronze casting by working sculptors. Saturday night and again on Sunday the artists enjoyed a great feast provided by local art patrons. The artists got a chance to get together and swap tips and stories. There is never enough time for this during the show. (The price of bronze and gasoline were big topics.)

I am looking forward to more shows in the Fall, when the weather is cooler. As I write this it is 95 degrees at 4 PM in these Virginia mountains, too hot to be outside.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose... sometimes it rains.
(apologies to "Bull Durham")

Baby Elephant

2008-01-14T17:07:00.000-08:00

When we visited the San Francisco Zoo in October, I saw a young girl climbing on this wonderful statue of a seated baby elephant. It inspired me to create a baby elephant in pewter. And, of course, a seated donkey!

Here are my newest pewter miniatures. I gave my elephant a raised trunk for good luck.

You can buy them at Gallery 108 in Roanoke, VA, at the other galleries listed on my web site, or direct from me at Geer's Creations.

Traveling Workshops

2007-12-19T08:20:00.000-08:00

Doing what you love to do, and having other people enjoy it is the best! Teaching children to sculpt is just that. I find it amazing that high school students, middle schoolers, and even elementary school students in the third grade are excited to learn how to carve stone. In as little as two hours they can make an animal fetish from Brazilian soapstone.

In addition to my usual schedule of after-school classes at Roanoke City and County Schools, and adult classes at the Art Museum in Roanoke, I did a series of "two-a-day" two-hour workshops at schools in Augusta County in November. Liz Moss of the Artisan Center of Virginia arranged them as part of the Center's outreach program. It gave me a chance to visit new schools and meet new teachers and students.

Thanks to the Artis Council of the Blue Ridge for organizing the Roanoke City School program, The Art Museum of Western Virginia for the adult program, and KICS for the Roanoke County schools. And special thanks for the efforts of Nancy Newhart Farrar for the Artist in Residency at Allegheny High School, and Liz Moss at the Artisan Center of Virginia for the Augusta County program.

Fall Show Season

2007-11-03T07:22:00.001-07:00

October is Show Month for us, and this year was no exception. With an outdoor show every weekend, plus four month-long indoor exhibits, we were on the road most of the time. It was exhausting, but very rewarding. Shows are the lifeblood of our business. Thanks to all you buyers and fans!

We ended the month in San Francisco, a great city to inspire all that visit. We went to a shopping mall to see Bernie Buffano's sculpture - elegant yet simple, just what I want to create!

Next we visited the zoo to see the bears. California's state flag has a grizzly bear on it, yet there are no grizzlies left in the state - except at the San Francisco Zoo: two one-year old cubs. Wow! They are massive even when this young. The hair is long and the fat bump on their backs is very distinctive. Their original home was Montana. Mom was killed and the San Francisco Zoo built them a huge house and took them in. Great place with lots of room for them to grow.

The polar bears were great also. Huge, resting by the pool, waiting for the next meal, and mugging for the amateur photographers. Both the polar bears and the grizzlies looked strong and healthy.

The bears gave me food for the creative process. I am ready to start a new series of carvings. I also saw a baby elephant that will be in my pewter collection very soon.

Lynchburg Art Club Show

2007-11-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

I love the Lynchburg Art Club Show at E. C. Glass! It is the first "out-of-town" show I ever did, about 18 years ago, and I've done it every year since. We always see lots of old friends from Lynchburg, and many fellow artists from Roanoke.This year I won a prize - the E. B. Fleet Award! Thanks to judge Andras J. Bality, organizer David Eakins, and all the people to work to make this a special day every year. And Congratulations to Michale Farrar of Clifton Forge for winning Best in Show! (That was Michael's Barbeque Dance on the cover of City Magazine last month.)

An Occasion for the Arts

2007-11-03T06:56:00.000-07:00

We just returned from An Occasion for the Arts in Williamsburg. It was probably our best show ever! I love Williamsburg, for the art, for the history, and especially for the shopping! We always go a day early, so we will have time to visit the outlet mall.

This year we drove to Rocky Mount, NC to pick up Bella at the Rocky Mount Arts Center on Friday afternoon. We continued to Williamsburg after the reception, expecting to arrive by 11 or so. Surprize! Our GPS was set for the scenic route instead for the fastest, so we arrived after midnight. We did get to enjoy the Virginia Byway, which we had never seen (or heard of) before. Turns out it is a favorite route for our son Thom's scooter club. Too bad it was too dark and we were too tired to enjoy it.

We saw lots of old friends at AOFTA, both patrons and fellow artists. One lady in particular was waiting for us when we arrived to set up a 8 AM. (She's the owner of Kat-Kat Pal, one of my favorite commission pieces). We weren't there last year, so it was gratifying to hear folks say they missed us.

It was the hottest day we can remember for the show. I was dissappointed when they moved my booth from Duke of Glouster Street to Prince George, but it was a blessing. We were in the shade all day, and the reduced traffic on the side street gave people more time to browse. Altogether a wonderful experience!

Bath County Art Show

2007-11-03T06:54:00.000-07:00

The Bath County Art Show was bigger than ever this year, with over six hundred works from nearly two hundred artists on display. The selection of sculpture was also much larger.

Many of our friends won prizes, including Mei Shu - 1st place for watercolor, and Betty Branch - 1st place for sculpture. Yumiko Ichikawa, Z.L. Feng, Barry Wolfe, Gina Lothian-Stanley, Michael Farrar, and Nancy Newhard also won prizes. Congratulations everyone!

As usual, many works were sold from the show.

2007-11-03T06:51:00.000-07:00

The Columbus Arts Festival was an astounding success for us! The weather was perfect, the crowds were enthusiastic, and best of all, they bought our work! For a first-time show it was great! We had some concerns about doing a four-day show that runs from 11 AM to 10 PM every day. It was exhausting, but it was worth it.

We met several students, and an instructor, from the Columbus College of Art and Design. Our neighbors were friendly and helpful, and we even met some visitors from Roanoke.
posted 6/18/07

Columbus OH Arts Festival

2007-06-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

My next outdoor show is the
Columbus Arts Festival
Columbus, OH
Downtown Riverfront
June 7 - 10, 2007
Thursday - Saturday
11:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sunday 11:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

See you there!

Art Show at Historic Yellow Springs, PA

2007-06-03T09:46:00.001-07:00

Criis had a wonderful show at Historic Yellow Springs this year. Thanks to everyone who came, and especially the volunteers who work so hard to organize it!

posted 5/19/07

New Work

2007-06-03T09:45:00.001-07:00

I've been busy this Spring!

See Bears and New Work pages on my web site for my latest work.

2007 Sidewalk Art Show

2007-06-03T09:42:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Ann Glover for winning Best in Show, and to all the winning artists at the Roanoke Sidewalk Art Show this year!

posted 6/3/07

Geer's Creations

WVTF Art Show

Arts Council of the Blue Ridge GAP award

2010 Sidewalk Art Show, Roanoke VA

Swimming Polar Bear

Bluebirds and Daffodils

2010 Open Studios Tour - Tenth Anniversary!

New Work for the New Year

Gallery 108 Members Show

VAEA Conference

The Virginia Art Educators Conference was great! Art teachers buzzing everywhere, looking for old friends and signing up for classes. My class on Native American Fetish Style Stone Carving was well attended. This year was slower for me; my walker was like a small wall... to remind me to slow down.

There were 27 art teachers in my class. They made wonderful carvings: birds, sheep, bears and horses. Perfect reminders of the talent that lies within all of you. Thanks to all that took the class, and to my daughter and husband who helped make it work.

2009 Lynchburg Art Festival

League of Roanoke Artists Showcase

The League of Roanoke Artists Showcase 2009Jefferson Center, Roanoke VAAugust 31 - October 26, 2009weekdays Monday through Friday9 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Reception: September 27, 2009

The gallery is also open one hour before and one hour after Shaftman Hall performances.541 Luck AveRoanoke, VA540.345.2550

Bath County Art Show

The Perry F. Kendig Award

Sculpture in the South II

Sculpture in the South

2009 Open Studios Tour

Taubman Museum of Art

Outdoor Shows

Baby Elephant

Traveling Workshops

Fall Show Season

Lynchburg Art Club Show

An Occasion for the Arts

Bath County Art Show

Columbus OH Arts Festival

Art Show at Historic Yellow Springs, PA

New Work

2007 Sidewalk Art Show

The League of Roanoke Artists Showcase 2009
Jefferson Center, Roanoke VA
August 31 - October 26, 2009
weekdays Monday through Friday
9 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The gallery is also open one hour before and one hour after Shaftman Hall performances.
541 Luck Ave
Roanoke, VA
540.345.2550