Cut Paper

I made this still life out of scrapbooking paper. I really like building pictures out of cut paper. Its fun to create the little shapes out of paper and put them together in a way that makes sense. It has a slight sculptural quality to it.

da Vinci Intervention

So I was experimenting with a canvas and I took a red oil stick and scribbled all over it. Then I took a black oil stick and went around some of the curves. Then, I put it in the corner of my studio and forgot about it. This is it...
I returned to the studio after being gone for a week (moving :( ) and I saw her! The Mona Lisa is in my painting! Some people find the Virgin Mary in their pancakes, or Jesus in a life guard flag, I see Mona Lisa... heh! Instead of Divine intervention, Davinci intervention!

Great video...

I love this song, and the illustrations are great!

Petite Art in the Park

I painted at Odiorne State Park today for the Petite Art in the Park show that they will be having Sunday. I submitted these two paintings which will be available for sale for $75 each Sunday, July 18th.

DO NOT TOUCH...

I was searching for calls for entries and happened upon Sharon Arts' call for a show for visually impaired and blind people. They encouraged artists to submit art that can be touched. I was instantly inspired! As an artist I strive to create things that are beautiful to look at. This is a pretty broad spectrum, however, adding the dynamic of something that is beautiful to touch, is thrilling!

So I went out and bought some acrylics (all I had were oils and watercolors) and had a blast playing around with all the pastes and gels. I have not created any "art" yet, but I had a wonderful time playing with all of my new toys! I was thinking that I could create interesting textures in my work, then seal and varnish the daylights out of it, so that people could touch it. That, comibined with high contrast would make the work more accesible to those with visual imparments, but more enjoyable for all! (who doesn't want to touch art?) I think that eventually the mark of many hands would change the work, but I think that concept contains it own beauty...

Ink Drawing

I did this horse with nut brown ink on paper. I like the impulsion and strength behind horses.

Horses!

I have been painting horses recently, I find that they have very masculine angles and lines but with a great sense of movement, which I don't seem to find in the human form. The best part is, I have been around horses so much in my life, I don't need a reference. This is one of my paintings, I don't think that it photographed very well, some of the subtleties are lost in translation. I think I like the combination of drawing and painting.

Accepted!

So both of my paintings were accepted into the Ogunquit Art Association's Annual Regional Artist's Open Show at the Barn Gallery. I am thrilled, as I had been terrified to submit to a juried show. I understand that as I will not achieve the same success everywhere I submit, but it is nice to have my art speak for itself. The show will be up from 6/30-7/31 with the opening reception on July 10th from 5-8.

Ogunquit

I went to Ogunquit, Maine today. I love the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, the sculpture garden is great! I painted this picture there last year. I also dropped off two paintings at the Barn Gallery for my first juried show. I was so nervous I was shaking while I filled out the forms. It is really nerve racking to submit your art to someone else to judge. It is also the ultimate test; my art needs to speak for itself as I won't be there to defend it as I would be in a critique. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Painting in the rain

I painted this at Fort McClary in Kittery, Maine the other day. I was facing the other direction, painting a storm coming over the water, and it was going poorly. I packed up and was ready to leave, but decided to do a little sketch on some aquaboard. I started this painting but it began to rain and got spots on my little washy sketch. When I got the painting home, I decided that I rather liked it, it has an undone feel and I like how the rain drops left little spots on my work.

Self Apprenticeship

So, Today marks the end of my first week in my new studio space. I created 7 paintings this week which is rather prolific if I do say so myself. What I am finding is that this attempt at art full time is about more than just creating, it is about networking, marketing, budgeting, designing, planning, and remembering to breath. I feel well prepared for the actual creative process, but it is all that other stuff that can leave me a bit befuddled. I was talking with a friend about this and she reminded me that I cannot figure it all out in a week! She compared it to an apprenticeship, but without the mentor, "self apprenticeship" well...okay so I guess I'll give it a go!