Saturday, January 31, 2009

RedVelvetArt


We were honored to be invited to our daughter Elsie's new store opening "Red Velvet Art". It was so nice to be able to spend some time visiting with family and viewing the store as it is ready to open tomorrow. Sorry, I didn't take my camera- I will let her take the photograph's and post them, but I will say it is soooooooooooooo cute! Holy cute!! Red Velvet Art.com is the online store.
I thought I would post something though. This isn't exaactly the photo I had in mind, but it is so Elsie! She designed this costume, and yes the pink hair was her idea too. My little pony was the theme. The photo that I would have like to have had to post, is her when she was six months hold sitting on the floor with a jar of buttons. She would sit there for hours sorting out all of these buttons by colors and size. Yes, only six months old. It was truly amazing. My mother thought I was crazy allowing her to play with these. "She'll choke on those" she would say. But, she never would put them in her mouth.
The amazing thing to me is that if you were to see her studio today, not much has changed. She still loves all those buttlons,
colors, and stuff. Only today instead of calling it sorting, we call it creating. I have countless more stories- that remind me so much of what she does today, for a living!
I am so very proud of her, that it brings tears to my eyes as I am writing this, because I have been given the privilege to see a young child grow up to develop and use those God given talents.

Thanks for the comments on the abstract paintings. I got another idea for a title from them.
I decided to post the abstract painting from yesterday's post "Sewing Frenzy." I had a blogger friend comment that it reminded her of a stack of materials waiting for a pattern to be picked out to be sewn. The black area being the sewing machine. I always love hearing what others see in the abstracts! It really is fun and gives each piece their own story.

I really love this title because it reminded me that as I was growing up I learned to sew from my grandma Lula. She would allow me to go through all her left over materials and make barbie doll clothes, and in the fourth grade she taught me how to use a pattern and make my own clothes.
It was a creative outlet for me, and I loved going to material stores and choosing the material for my home made outfit. Thanks for the comment which reminded of my love for materials!

And then lastly, today I would like to say- continue to encourage one another. It has been so encouraging to me to hear your so kind comments on my blog, and I truly mean that. I've read many of your blogs and have tried to leave a comment- but for some reason it doesn't let me. But give me some time and I will figure it out. Also, today I recieved a comment from an e-bayer, which is where I've been posting and selling my flower paintings, that so encouraged me like you would not believe- and so I would like to say pass it on and let's help and lift each other up!


Thursday, January 29, 2009

A Mess!

A Mess!
Well, I haven't blogged for a few days because it's just been too cold to go outside, and photograph my work. We had another ice storm, but this time it didn't hit us nearly as badly as it did in northern Arkansas. We still have power! I have been keeping myself working on the abstracts. Not really sure about them yet. Maybe I just made a real big mess, but I had a lot of fun in the process!









And another one. I'll have to just let it sit around for a few days before I
make any more decisions on it. Seems like maybe too much red.



















And then there is this one, which I am really liking it as it is.




And lastly, the title for this last one that I posted last week is "C maj 7." I am not at all a musician, but I did have someone leave me the comment (Titles post) that it reminded them of a keyboard. I thought that was really neat, so I consulted with my musician husband, and asked him how you would translate high key color to music. He gave me his favorite, beautiful chord.
Thank you for your comments on titles!





Saturday, January 24, 2009

Titles




We got high speed yesterday!! It's so awesome to be able to load photographs and download without waiting days! These are a few more abstracts from this week. I'm still working myself around the studio. The first day was play day. I laid all these canvases out on the tables, put some music on, cup of coffee, paint brushes and paint on hand, buckets of water, lots of towels and just went through and put down whatever on the canvases. That was fun! Then came the challenge of going back through and making something out of all these messes. I've posted six of these from this week, but still have many more to resolve.

Titles. Some of these come to me as I'm working, some later, some much, much later, some never come to me and it will be other peoples ideas for a title that click. I always think the titles are a lot of fun, and many times they'll be stories as to how the title came to be. I also think the titles are as much a part of the art as the work itself, so they are also very important to me.

I've kind of had some ideas for these, but not anything that is really standing out to me. If you would like to post a title on any of these abstracts- I would love to hear of them!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Watercolor Withdrawals!


Image size: 6 1/2" x 8 1/2"

I painted on another small abstract painting this morning amidst all of the interruptions. I'm not sure if it's finished yet so I will post it later. Yesterday,(after much resistance) was my first day to make the switch and work with the abstracts for awhile. I found it interesting that from time to time I just wanted to get my watercolor palette back out. Watercolor withdrawals?! I did fight the urge, and only gave in once! So, I went and cut some paper, and did a drawing in preparation for a painting. This is one that I completed recently. I miss the watercolors.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Famine



Image size: 12"x12"

Well, here they are- Abstracts! I've been putting this off for a while. Some people will say abstracts are really easy just throw some paint on the canvas. I know it appears that way, but the actual painting of them for me is more difficult than working realistically, but change is good.

I started yesterday by laying all these canvases out on tables in my studio. I began by first of all putting some music on and then just having fun with paint and brush in hand going through and splashing color on the canvases. While the paint was still wet I went in and began blending and working with colors I had placed on the canvas. These three squares seemed to go together.

Today, I decided I would spend more time on a particular one. I chose to work on this set first. There is a lot of problem solving going on with this process of working. The image is just not there, so I have to continually be asking myself questions and responding to the work. It's like a dialogue that is going on. I was thinking as I was working today, how much safer I feel when I am working with the realistic paintings. For one there is a photo to work from and for the most part I know where I'm going with it. With the abstracts I feel as if I am constantly needing to take a risk and that makes me nervous, but it pushes me towards more problem solving and creativity.

Also, I feel much more vulnerable when I display the abstracts. I think it might because I am pouring my self out and am feeling exposed. I know this may sound a little strange. I experienced it the first time I displayed my collage abstracts. As I was working on these, the title Famine, came to my mind. It made me think about the famine that our country seems to be in, with everyday there is more news about jobs being terminated, the economy, etc., It seems like we are in a famine, and then is it only a financial one? It seems as if there is a fog, but there are still shimmers of color, of hope and truth to be seen. Fix your eyes on the hope.

Well, I hope to work on another set of these tomorrow.


Saturday, January 17, 2009

Blue Sky

Image size: 6" x 7"

Funny how things work. I've been seriously working with these realistic florals for the past three months, and just finished putting up this show on Thursday, when.... I get a call on Friday from a local gallery I had shown work to last October. They had expressed an interest in my abstract work but I had not heard from them since and so I had put many of my abstracts in along with the florals in this recent show when I get this call asking me if I would like to bring pieces in. What is funny, is that I've been feeling lately like switching over to working abstracts for awhile. So, I made an appointment to bring abstracts in end of February.

Abstracts is a different process of working for me. There is almost no pre-planning but alot of problem solving along the way. They can be frustrating in that I have no idea where it is going.
Any way, more on these later. I have a few more realistic florals to post and then abstracts. Perhaps the two will someday merge. (Abstract and Realistic) They both seem to be such extreme opposites that I don't really see how this could happen. There is a real feeling to playtime when I'm working in the abstract mode, and I guess I've been needing that lately.

For those of you who found me through Elsie's blog. We spent Friday helping to paint the furniture for her new store "Red Velvet Art". It is going to be such a cute, cute,cute store. It really has such a fun feeling to it, and so unique. So, that was my daily painting for Friday!



Thursday, January 15, 2009

Art Show


Today we hung the art show! We really had sooo much doing this! It's always such a pleasure to be able to see the end product being displayed and the enjoyment that others get out of it. I also sold my first two pieces as we were just getting finished! That was such an encouragement to me. This one that I posted and it's pair were the first to be sold.

This is really a neat thing that is sponsored by the Springfield Arts Council. It's a way to promote the arts in local businesses as well as help the artist to expose and be given an opportunity to sell their work. If you happen to live near or in Springfield, Missouri and would like to see my work, it will be hanging at the Fulnecky Law Firm, 1530 East Primrose, until February 26th.


Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Lov e Love

Image size: 7 1/2" x 7 1/2"
Sold

Well, I really am meaning to keep up the blog each day, but... It's really been rather sad around here the last few days. On an earlier blog I posted a picture and talked about Emma's pug Love Love, and how excited we were to see her for the holidays, but that she had also decided to take Love Love back with her to L.A. We have been taking care of this pug for two years and had grown very attached to him, and on Sunday it happened. He left. Gi Gi my black pug and Love Love have been together as well, and today is the first day that she has perked up.

So what does that have to do with the title of this red rose? I worked on this rose Sunday afternoon, after he left. and so, decided to call it Love Love. I really don't feel like this is a very good photo. I like the feel of the background, which is much more of an olive green and a nice complement to the red. I may try to photograph it again today. It's just so cold out- the arctic blast is dipping down our way.

Tomorrow we will be hanging all my work at Fulnecky's Law firm in Springfield! We picked it up yesterday from the framers and I am very pleased with the way the matts and frames turned out. I had forgotten about a few pieces I had dropped off several months ago, so I was pleasantly pleased. These were a couple of abstracts, so I think I'll photo them and post soon. I've been working with the flowers for many months, but lately I've been feeling like working with the abstracts for awhile. I know I've been talking about it, but i will get to it soon!

Monday, January 12, 2009

"White Chocolate"


Image size: 7 1/2" x 7 1/2"
Sold

I'll soon be listing this one on e-bay. The background reminds me of milk chocolate and I think it's nice contrast with the white rose. Yum-Yum!

Friday, January 9, 2009

So Busy


Image size: 8"x8"

Seems like I have been so busy lately with various things. I took most all of my floral watercolor paintings and am getting them framed for this show, which pretty well left me with just a few for e-bay. So, I've been trying to get caught up. Honestly, also I'm feeling as if I have exhausted my photographs, so I've been re-painting my favorites for e-bay. This one is another one of those, "A Day for Daisies" that I've painted twice. The colors in this are much brighter. Am I anticipating spring?! The other one is in one of my past blogs if you wanted to compare the two. I can't decide if I like one over the other.
Also, lately I've been feeling as if I just want to play! That means I'll be getting into doing some more abstract paintings. Just a few more.... and then time to play! Oh, ya I'll post a few of those when they happen.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Snow White

Image size: 7"x 12"
Sold

Today's painting is a another re-paint. I posted this several weeks ago. It was what I called my breakthrough painting- in other words after months of painting I painted this flower one day, that just encouraged and helped me to feel as if maybe I really could do this. Well- I framed and gave that one away for Christmas. I really missed it so I painted another one!




Saturday, January 3, 2009

Lime Star ll

                                                                           SOLD
Whew! Well, just got another one done today. I'm getting ready for an art show, so I've been re-painting the paintings that I sold on e-bay. Initially, as I was going through my stack of photographs I was attracted to the yellow greens in the center of this flower contrasted with the pinks. Hence, the title "Lime Star" The colors are very tropical, and I like that! especially this time of year in Missouri. I've got one more and I will be taking them to be framed on Tuesday. I'm pretty excited about this show, and will post more.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating Emma's birthday. A few weeks early, but because she will soon be leaving for L.A we thought we would celebrate and get everyone together.
And, it will be good to take a little break.

Enjoy!

Friday, January 2, 2009

"Two Blooms and a Bud ll"

                                                                            SOLD
This is the second painting from this photo that I've done. The first one was a success and I sold it on E-bay, so I painted another one of it recently to add to the body of work that will be in an art show. I love the way one bloom is open and facing the viewer, the other one has it's back facing the viewer and then there's the bud.

Well, it's the new year and with it go all those new year resolutions. This year I don't find myself making new year resolutions, but instead I'm reflecting on the past year. Perhaps it's because I made such a drastic decision in leaving my job in order to pursue creating art everyday. After ten years as working as an art teacher there are a lot of things and people that I miss. There are many of days when I'm looking backwards and thinking and wondering if I made the right decision. Right or wrong, though, it's done and so all I can do is look forward, which is where I'm at most of the time.

There is so much I have learned since June. Oh ya, I really didn't get a summer vacation, because I went to work right away. I knew that I had it. There's the technology of it all. I had to learn so much about taking photographs, posting and listing on line, an e-mail address, pay pal, etc., At the same time I started in on painting. I really didn't know what I was doing, which direction to take, there was so much I didn't know, but I knew I just had to start. So, I started.

As I look back on those first works from last June and compare them to where I am today, I see soooooooooo much improvement. Still though, I see so much more that I would like accomplish and improve. So much to learn. But the important thing is that I love, love what I am doing. I enjoyed and learned to be a good teacher, but deep down I knew that I really would never be an excellent teacher. I am an artist. Can I make a living at it? That is the big question, the one that keeps me working!

So, like the blooms- a part of me is looking back, a part is open and looking forward, and there's the bud just beginning a new journey!

Happy and Prosperous New Year!