New Painting blending Landscape and Figure

This painting I did as inspiration from my vacation a couple of months ago. I'm not a landscape painter but really wanted to do something with the lighthouses so I melded a figurative element in... It's one of those either like or hate it...

Back to some Cars

I have been wanting to do more cars again lately and finally had the chance with my latest drawing endeavors. It is of course a Bel Air, one of the most popular and readily available classic cars. I even found another rusted one this past weekend that was a Bel Air. It had fabulous rust colors though and I think I'll probably get a good painting out of the photos I was able to get. It fascinates me at all the old "classic" cars sitting around rusting and rotting away. #1 I don't think "todays" cars will hold up to sit around rusting away and if they are, will they look as cool? #2 Will our kids and grandkids be restoring 1990's and early 2000's cars and will they be going to car shows with restored cars from today??? .... I think not... (now maybe with the new Chargers or Magnums...) But the one in this drawing/painting was a restored car. I am still searching for the perfect back view of a car for a painting I have that has been hanging on the wall unfinished for a couple of years. It is a landscape with a black asphalt road running straight down the center so it needs a car... I just don't know what car yet...

New Portrait Drawing

I just finished this portrait. It is of my sweet little niece. I took family pictures of them last week and this shot was just so cute and perfect for a portrait because it showed so much of her personality. I have really been wanting to get back to some drawing and this is the 2nd drawing I've done in a while. It actually ended up as a mixed media piece. I used graphite, charcoal, and thin washes as well as dry brush of acrylic paint. I liked mixing the pencil and paint and might do that some more.

Who Am I

This is the first self portrait I have done in 10 years... let me rephrase.. it is the 3rd attempt at the first self portrait I've done in 10 years. This is the expression of a feeling I've had lately and an expanded sketch I did for a project in my Art Theory class in college several years ago.

When we are doing so many things, trying to BE so many different things, it is easy to get lost in the busyness that we forgot who we are. I know we are not supposed to find our identity in what we do, but today's culture is so fast paced it is hard to not get caught up in it. I interpreted this through the wearing of several hats, because that is in essence how I feel... I'm wearing so many hats - is the real me under there somewhere??? Who is that anyway??? But such is life I suppose.

Normally I work in acrylic paint but have really wanted to get back to some drawing basics lately so that is how I started this one. It is graphite with a few touches of charcoal and an acrylic wash in some areas. I really enjoy doing portraits but I must say at this point, Self Portraits require more self examination than I am up for... so I probably won't be doing any more portraits of me!

Wall Design

This is a wall design I just finished. It was pretty tedious but I really am very happy with the way it turned out.

I used a paint made from the collagen of egg shells! It's called Ecotrend Collagen www.naturalinteriorpaint.com... It is a healthy alternative to regular latex paint and it will not grown mold! So it would be perfect for bathrooms. It is made from used egg shells from food processing plants. The shells are cleaned, dried and ground into powder that then has the collagen separated from it and is used to make the paint. It does not have any Benzene, Toulene, Xylene or Formaldehyde. It worked really well and if you are looking for a paint that will not off gas I would recommend this brand or AFM Safecoat (www.afmsafecoat.com) which is another excellent brand that has a very large product line including Stains, Exterior paints, metal paints and more. AFM Safecoat produces healthy paint products that do not contain any of the carcinogenic chemicals found in regular paints that although are not labeled "VOC's", they aren't the best for your health. So AFM is great for chemically sensative people and those trying to create a healthy home environment. In Georgia, you can get these products from Pure Life Healthy Homes in Atlanta and they will ship the paint to you also! They carry a variety of healthy and environmentally friendly products. They are extremely knowledgeable and will answer any questions you have and always make sure you are getting the product you need. www.purelifehealthyhomes.com

I really like the wall and can't wait to do more projects like this. I think this simple, understated look will complement many rooms and can be varied to be even more subtle that this.

New Painting

Yesterday I was able to spend about 12 hours in my studio - researching and sketching mural concepts and samples, painting, ordering art supplies... it was great to be able to get in the creative groove and stay there all day... I haven't done that in a LONG time. And the best part is I actually started and finished a painting that I really like. It was great too because I took photos of my model on Friday and was able to quickly follow through on my ideas. What was cool also was my husband spent the day painting a motorcycle which he did a great job on. - I'll post pics of that later..

For this painting - which I haven't titled yet. I took pictures of the process from how I start, a couple of photos along the way and then a finished product (top picture). That way you can see how the painting evolves as it goes along. I was so excited after my day of fun that I'm ready to roll on more ideas...the only problem is I'm out of canvas... now I just have to wait my canvas materials to arrive at my doorstep : ( not that I'll have another day to spend that long painting anytime soon.

Wrap Skirt

So.. Yesterday I made a wrap skirt out of some fabric I painted a couple of years ago. I love fabric and have lots of designs for it and a couple of years ago tried to bring some of it into reality.. this fabric came from one of those attempts that didn't work out to well. However, after seeing it again I did kind of like it and wanted to use it. Typical me style, I wanted to do something quick and easy and no fussy pattern. I cut some off the length with I should not have done because it barely wraps, but it still works ok. I do need to reposition one of the eye hooks, but after sewing them on backwards...twice, yes twice, I decided to wait to do that another day. I tested it out today anyway and it did ok although it will require the leggings which I intended to wear with it anyway. As many fights I have with sewing I still seem to keep trying, maybe one day I'll get better at it : )

Pillow from Recycled Clothes

This is the pillow I just finished. It took me way longer than it should have, the material creeped and crawled like crazy. I made it from 2 different dresses (one is a hand me down from a friend that I cut the top off of and made into a shirt, the other from another hand me down that wasn't made correctly - I tried to take it apart and put it back together but with no luck thus it became part of my fabric box), a ribbon from a gift, a random button, and the blue and black detail is part of a scrap piece from a weaving I did in college over 7 years ago. I don't throw anything away because, hey.. I might can use it for something. The pillow case has a white insert with a 95% polyester 5% Silk filling and the overall size is roughly 10" x 13".

Walking in Sand

This is a painting I've been working on for several months. I've kept putting it away and pulling it back out... It really has been giving me fits. I've reworked and reworked again but I really like parts of it, although I'm still not sure how I feel about it. It's titled Walking in Sand because it is in fact someone walking through the sand at the beach. Strolling along the beach is a free and happy feeling, although it is a little of a challenge at times to pick your feet up and through either the dry fluffy sand or the wet sand near the water. It takes a little work but the feeling you get from feeling the wind and hearing the sounds of the ocean is rewarding... I guess it's kind of like life... any thoughts?

New Mural

This is the mural that I just finished. It depicts crumbling and cracking plaster to reveal bricks and has a tromp l'oeil window with a bird perched in the opening.

New Painting

I've finally managed to complete a new painting.... At least it's mostly complete. I may go back into it a little in the next couple of days. I'm continuing my main body of work with the figurative theme which I really do enjoy - Although I'm feeling the urge to paint some more cars : ) This one has the figure in color as my last two have had the figure in gray values with limited color palattes in the background. I'm trying to loosen up my brush strokes on the figure and not have everything so tight. It's hard to loosen up on the detail though. I want to continue to focus in on emotion with each of the pieces in this body of work. Now for the the hard part... the name.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog.  I'm finally going to try blogging and this is where I will have frequent updates about new artwork.  I'm currently working on figurative paintings as my main body of work.  However, I just finished a rooster as an anniversary present for my husband (he has wanted a rooster or chicken painting for a while)  I actually had a lot of fun with this painting and might even do more.  I really haven't painted very many animals but it was a nice break from my normal work and using really thick paint and the palette knife, which I love, lended itself perfectly to the rooster feathers.  

My husband encouraged/(made) me to clean out and organize my studio today so hopefully with my clean and somewhat organized studio, productivity will now increase while frustration will decrease : )  He is so supportive and helpful.