Day 28 - Caribou Interview

 Another challenge has come to an end... The past few weeks of painting and posting have been a wonderful affirmation of art, great art friends and art lovers!  What a fun ride it has been!  

Today's painting, titled "Caribou Interview" was a design I've had waiting to be painted for quite some time. It works that way sometimes, where I will design a painting, and then, for some reason, its just not the right time to paint it.  But then, all of a sudden it is!  I knew I wanted to paint this sweet caribou for the last day of the challenge, perhaps simply because she just makes me happy.

A few facts and then I'll wrap this up.. Did you know that caribou and a reindeer are the same animal? True.  And how do I know this caribou is a girl?  Because, while both males and females get antlers, the female's antlers are narrower and straighter.. and, lastly, they can run at top speeds of about 50 km per hour (31 mph).. 

Thank you again for following along this month :) It means the world to me that you come in and take the time to read my ramblings and comment on my artwork. Tomorrow, I will post a collage of all the work I created this month, so don't forget to check back!

"Caribou Interview", oil, 8"x8", Click here for purchasing details

Day 2 - A Windsong of Balance

 So, I did not technically paint this one today.. but it is a VERY recent painting of mine and is currently hanging in the Studio B show - Flora and Fauna.  AND, it is an award winner!  I am quite happy with this painting as it is a return to my exploration of the theme Spirit Animal, which I explored in many paintings a few years back.  The time is ripe to revisit this theme and as such, I feel affirmed that the very first painting I have completed and shown has gained some attention. To further explore this theme, I am trying my take at combining abstraction with realism, something that has fascinated me for some time, yet until now, I've not been happy with my results.  I will be further exploring this combination as well as part of my new Spirit Animals and am excited to see where it takes me.  

(by the way, if you get the chance to see the show in person, please do! It is a wonderful show filled with an eclectic mix of local talent. Info below..)

"A Windsong of Balance", oil and mixed media on panel, 16"x16", $790

The two birds represent the iconic and opposing forces of yin and yang.. and the necessity and inevitability of both in our world. If you look closely, you can see a portion of the yin yang symbol in the background.. I painted this on a panel that I textured ahead of time with a texturing medium I whipped up using PVA glue, marble dust and gesso... a recipe I found, where else, but on the net... There are many variations of this recipe to be found, but they basically all call for varying proportions of PVA to add elasticity, marble dust for the texture and gesso probably for opacity and as a binder.  I experimented around until I found a recipe that I like.  The painting was done in many layers from there, which is a complete diversion from how I normally work.  I tend to prefer to paint in a style called Alla Prima, meaning all at once. But, this painting took me several painting sessions, allowing layers to dry in between, until it was complete.  

There will be more to come with this technique and theme! :) 

Below are details of the painting that better show texture and paint application.

Studio B is located at 39 E Philadelphia Ave, Boyertown, PA 19512. 

Contact them at (610) 563-7879 for purchasing details. 

The making of a solo show

Last night I hung my solo exhibit, Spirit ○ Animal, at Art Plus Gallery. I have been actively preparing for this show the past 3 months and am a little in shock now that it is finally hung, perhaps similarly to when you are preparing for finals and you don't quite know what to do with yourself the day after you take the last test. I put a lot of work (literal blood and sweat... no tears) into the theme and creation of this show in an effort to weave some new ideas and mediums together with my love of animals and my life long interest in spiritual matters.

Over the past few months, I wanted to post more posts about the process of preparing for such a show.. the planning and designing, surface preparation, painting, frame design and building, finishing and preparing the work for sale... all this between being a mom and a gallery director! But, alas, I found myself so busy with painting and frame making (and momming and directing)  that I just didn't have a lot of time left over for blogging and telling y'all about what the heck I am doing.  If you are here, reading this now, I just want to thank you for taking the time to check this all out.  Below are just a few highlights from the past few months, and a little sneak peek at my freshly hung exhibit.  I am looking forward to sharing my work with everyone who makes to it the opening on May 11th, and, fyi, if you can't be there, the show runs through June 3rd.

Its great fun to take progress shots of my artwork as I complete it.  I don't always have a chance to look back on it right away, but going back through my pics later, I'm always grateful to find these painting 'diaries' to remind me  of what works and how I got there...

Telephant, oil, 12"x12", on display on APG

Below are just 3 of the about 50 works I have on display in Spirit ○ Animal...

Chickadee with Cherry Blossoms, 6"x6", oil, for sale at APG

Lost in Thought, 20"x20", oil and mixed media, for sale at APG

Nevermore, oil and mixed media, 12"x12", for sale at APG

You may also know that I make frames in addition to painting.... It isn't the most glamorous part of the job, and I find that only a few can really appreciate what goes into making frames... The past two weeks, I made close to 40 frames, which even I can't comprehend.  It takes a lot of math, staring at the wood, hundreds of cuts with a variety of saws, sanding till your arm is numb and plenty of loud music for me to make so many in such a short amount of time. Oh yeah, and the most important thing... the support of my husband.  (Yes, he brings me coffee and dinner, washes the dishes I don't have the energy to wash and makes sure I know he has my back...) I wish it was as easy as the pictures make it look, but all I will say is, IT'S NOT. :D   And the pictures skip Plenty of steps. But...this gives you a brief idea of the frame making process and the piles of wood I have to manipulate through it all. To be truthful though, I am not in this business because I like to do things the easy way.  Just the opposite actually, as the easy way is often thoroughly boring... 

And finally, after putting all of my paintings in their brand spanking new frames, and making them look all professional and what not, I get to hang them up in the gallery!  The absolute best part of the whole thing....

So, the show is hung, and I am most pleased with how it all came together.  A wonderful thing about intensely creating work... ideas build upon ideas... I have so many new things I want to explore from all I found in the past few months...There is so much more to come! Thanks for reading and looking and I hope to see you at the opening on May 11th!

Collecting Fine Art

Growing up, everyone I knew collected something.  Sports cards, matchbox cars, stamps, coins.

Me?  I have always loved rocks.  I can remember enjoying the hunt for a piece of fool’s gold, or a particularly beautiful piece of granite and the thrill of finding what looked like gems to me in the Rock Run creek that ran behind my parent’s house.

Common Blackbird 1, acrylic, 8"x8"
Private Collection

As an adult, everyone I know STILL collects something! It would seem that collecting is in our nature…  As Mark B. McKinley, Ed.D. noted in The Psychology of Collecting article in The National Psychologist “During the 1700s and 1800s there were aristocratic collectors, the landed gentry, who roamed the world in search of fossils, shells, zoological specimens, works of art and books. The collected artifacts were then kept in special rooms (“cabinets of curiosities”) for safekeeping and private viewing.”  Our motivations to collect are many – some people collect for investment, to preserve the past, or as a way of expanding their social lives.   Like me, some people simply enjoy the quest for the next piece to add to their collection. And still others find pleasure in classifying our world.  

Common Blackbird 2, acrylic, 8"x8"
Private Collection

Most of all, collecting can be fun and enriching. And in this respect arguably highest among collectibles is art. The value of having original fine art to enrich and personalize your life can not be overstated and building a fine art collection can be hugely rewarding.   If you are new to collecting, you may wonder where to begin?  Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. First and most importantly ask yourself, what do you like?   I will let you in on a secret:  You can start your art collection without really knowing anything at all about art.  If you LOVE a piece of art, than it is worth adding to your collection!    

2.  Relax.  There is no rush.  Part of the joy of any kind of collection, is the search for the perfect next piece.  Whether you are looking for a particular genre, work by a specific artist, or something that will look good in your living room, don’t feel you need to rush it.  When you find it you will know it. 

Tuesday's Blackbird , acrylic, 8"x8"
To purchase click here

3.  Spend some time looking at all of the options.  Start local, if you can.  Searching galleries, art fairs and the like give you the chance to see the art work in person (the best way to view art!) and to know the artist and/or the story behind the artwork.  This will only serve to add depth to and enrich your collection.  If you like the idea of buying art from the comfort of your own home, a few reputable sites to browse fine art include  Daily Paintworks (which I sell through), invaluable and Artfinder.  These types of sites have several benefits – the diversity of artwork to be found is practically limitless, you often can read a little about the artist and sometimes find out what went into the artwork. 

4. Know your budget.  Depending on what you can spend at the time, your search can be narrowed.  Limited edition prints are a great starting place as these tend to be less expensive if you want to own something by a well known artist.  But original fine art can be found by lesser known artists for under $200, so don’t forget to search in smaller, lesser known venues. 

 5.   Do your research.  Most artists, well known or not, have a website, facebook page, blog or somewhere you can find out more about them and their artwork.  Find their bio page to see a list of exhibitions they have been in, prizes won for their art, where else they sell and any press they may have.  This kind of information may be the determining factor between two pieces you love equally, but can only afford one of them.

Friday's Blackbird , acrylic, 8"x8"
Private Collection

There are other things you can consider when adding to your art collection which you will learn over time, but thinking about these few things will get you well on your way to a beautiful collection.!

If you want to delve even deeper into how to start an art collection, check out this article from the blog “In good Taste” -    ‘How to Start a Fine Art Collection’

Cheers, and happy collecting!

More on the psychology of collecting can be found here http://nationalpsychologist.com/2007/01/the-psychology-of-collecting/10904.html,

Day 16 - In the Road

I am doing birds for the next few days as they are fun and generally quick... I have daughter's birthday coming up, an art opening Friday and a party to throw on Saturday, so it is necessary!  This guy is the same rooster as yesterday, just in a different position.  I like everything about how this one turned out... like it even better than yesterdays rooster.   He looked to me to be standing on a road somewhere... I just hope he made it across!

In The Road, oil on panel, 6"x6"
to purchase please  click here

Three Little Birds and Tiny Tufted

Happy July!  Things are going great for me and my art...  I am busy with several commissions, the gallery I belong to is making some awesome changes to help the artists and I am very happy with the direction my painting is taking me!  The two paintings below are two of my recent ones painted for an upcoming exhibit at the West Reading Tavern on Penn Avenue in West Reading.  The exhibit is all about birds, which are a lot of fun to paint.  I came up with these two compositions, wanting to paint a bit of cuteness... Hope I achieved that!

3 Little Birds, Oil on Panel, Framed, $175

Tiny Tufted, Oil on Panel, Framed, $175

Moravska

Wow... June is zipping  by and I am just getting around to posting... I have been so busy painting commissions and with my new responsibilities at Art Plus Gallery that I seem to have no time to post anything!  I don't know how some people keep up with everything you should be doing as an artist in the 21st century.....
Anyway, this is one of my latest paintings.. It is a new one in my latest series of paintings that are more illustrative and narrative.  Although, if you were to ask me what this one is exactly about, I am not sure I could pin it down. At the time that I designed it, I was really thinking about the sad plight of elephants in our world... (and all creatures that are nearing extinction..)  I am just in dis-belief that in our lifetime, we could see a world without elephants.  But it is true.  It has already happened to the Western Black Rhino.  It is sad, terrible, lamentable and a clear testament to some of the worst qualities of human-kind, which is our tremendous disrespect and irreverence for the well being of our home.... Mother Earth.  While contemplating these very concepts, an image began to appear on the slate of my mind and this is how it developed as the painting you see below.  As I said above, I am not entirely sure of it's direct relationship to my thoughts, but, I am fine with that.  I hope you can find some kind of message that you can relate to....
I have entered this one into the 35th annual BAA juried exhibition... Keeping fingers crossed that it will make it in!

Moravska, oil on textured, 3/4" cradled panel, 24" x 30", nfs (yet)