My Hawaiian Connection

Never let distance or time zones stand in your way if you need design work or marketing materials developed! Kenny and Kristi Gibbs of Happy Hour Design are the best - even if they do live in Hawaii! Way back 9 years when the gallery opened, Gilly mentioned her friend Kenny - photographer, surfer, bartender - as the right guy to help "brand" Bishop's Stock. Well - he did a fabulous job - most everyone knows our cow and the great look he has brought to our marketing materials.

When Kenny and Kristi moved west - way west to Hawaii - they assured me their  great service and creative ideas would not float away. For 5 years my ads, material reprints, logo modifications have been provided through email and a few phone calls. The difference in time zones actually works in our favor. Kenny and Kristi go to work when I am winding down the day. When I get into the gallery in the morning I  have the fruits of their labor - overnight!

Now best of all, Kenny and Kristi finally convinced me they could redesign our website at a very affordable cost and in a very short period of time. Now they say I can manage the content (after Kenny gives me a tutorial by phone)! And www.bishopsstock.com can be read on all platforms! Check it out and see why I am so excited and so happy to have Happy Hour Design working for me thousands of miles away. Thank you, Kenny and Kristi!

Doug & His Ducks

Many of you know our resident artist and gallery assistant, Doug Fisher, but I am not sure you know some of the great work he is doing. In the spring he won a first at the Ward Museum's World Wildfowl Carving Championship for a beautifully crafted black duck. Before this he had a display at the Ocean City Boat Show and was approached by someone to make a set of working decoys. This was quite a project but he was up to the challenge! He made seven "larger than life" decoys out of cork with wooden keels. (Ducks must need to see large ducks to be fooled!) Of course, Doug is a hunter so he knew exactly what a working decoy had to be. After 6 months of shaping, sanding, sealing and painting the project was complete and ready for delivery. Glad I snapped a photo to show off these lovely birds! Take note serious hunters!

McBride & Rehak Recognized

Just in the past week several of our artists have received recognition. We love to hear this kind of good news! Kirk McBride has again received an invitation to participate in the prestigious Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational sponsored by the Laguna Art Museum. This is the 14th annual event and it will be the third year in a row Kirk has headed to California for a week of painting the beautiful landscapes of coastal canyons and coves. What we love is that Kirk takes a lot of photographs while there and comes back to his studio to paint larger paintings with lots of California light. Check this link to find out more about this event. While his favorite painting partner and wife Lynne Lockhart does go to paint (although she has been invited in the past) she spends the week taking great photos which often become subject matter for future paintings.

                                          Carmel Mission by Kirk McBride

                                            American Discovery Trail by Jim Rehak

Jim Rehak is the other artist who won several awards at the Rehoboth Art League's Annual Member Show. Not only did he receive Best in Show, he also received Best Eastern Shore Landscape. I have judged this show so I know the quality of the work submitted. Jim's  American Discovery Trail shows how well he captures the atmosphere of coastal dunes. Jim is a wonderful plein air painter so these are much deserved awards. If by chance you are in Rehoboth stop by the Boardwalk Hotel to see the other side of Jim's creativity. He is the best caricature artist around! His talent delights beach visitors each summer. 

Congratulations Kirk and Jim!