Saturday, December 29, 2012

kindness, part 1

Wow, I've been a really lousy blogger. Things really have been happening, and I will try for the New Year to get back on track with at least one post  each week.

I've gotten started on my large scale paintings, the first of which is kindness. I've been putting the time lapse camera to good use, and here are the first 2 days work.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

ATC meet up

Yesterday was the meet up and actual trading day for the ATC Challenge. September posts are almost entirely ATC cards. The challenge was for 30 artists to make 30 cards in 30 days. Then it was upped to 40 cards in 30 days. Not everyone went for the 40, but I did. I'm good with a deadline. It all worked out, though because we had 30 artists and the those of us with leftover cards made additional swaps.


Kim Clanton and I drove up together. The meet up was in The Box Factory in St. Joe, Michigan, which is apparently an old box factory that now houses galleries,a performance space, and a ton of artist studios. Most of them were closed, but it was still cool to walk around and peek in the windows. Quite a few of the artists involved had studios there.

After the set up, we drew numbers to pick the cards and we lined up and picked in order. There was no choosing your favorites, you just picked up the first one from each artist. Some of the artists were fairly consistent in their work, and others had all different media and styles. A lot of artists did not leave contact info other than a phone number or email address. This was really a little disappointing, I was hoping for lots of new online connections. If any of you have an online presence in some form leave it in the comments and I'll add in some more links!

A few of my favorites...
clockwise from upper left: Susan Henshaw, pastel;  Jan Sonneman, ink; Deborah Landry, encaustic



left to right: Pamela Jolley Riggenbach, mixed media; Sibella Talic, graphite; Kim Pruitt, mixed media.


Here's a few shots of the set up.






Friday, October 26, 2012

easel-y done

Tonight was the Easel-y Done session I was leading/instructing at Studio 659 in Whiting. The idea of the evening is people can show up, have all the supplies provided for them, and create a painting during the course of the evening. The end result is you leave with a completed canvas.



I was asked to something fall-ish. I wanted it to be something similar to my work. I decided on pears, my favorite fall fruit. A pair of pears.




I sketched the pears out with watercolor pencil. I used the acrylic paint that we would be using in the class. I only used red, blue, yellow and white. There was green and black available for the class, as well, but no one used either of them. I had a painting completed and then painted a second version during the class, along with everyone else.

I made a couple of stencils of pears, and one of apples, in case anyone wanted to use them. Everyone did, so that was a good call. Here's a few class shots.



It was lots of fun and I was very happy that Studio 659 asked me to do it, and that I said yes. Below, the original on the right and the in-class painting on the left. I donated both of these pieces to the Studio, and they are available for sale.


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

grant update part 2

I don't have a whole lot to update since the last post as far as the grant work goes, but I have been working jointly with another regional artist, Melissa Washburn for updates at nwicreative.org. She is also an IAC visual arts grant recipient this year, so the two of us are representing northwest Indiana.

Here's  a few of Melissa's drawings from her time at the Field Museum, which didn't make it into the updates.





You can follow our previous progress on nwicreative.org: the introduction, the first month, the second month, and the third month.

nwicreative is an online group which focuses on creative professions in northwest Indiana. It's very design heavy, but they haven't turned me away. You can continue for follow our progress there monthly. Melissa also posts updates on her facebook page and if you want to see some of her non-grant work in person, you can check out her show Out of Place at HAC on October 19th.

Monday, October 1, 2012

grant work!

So, despite the lack of updates, I have been working on my grant project. I have been trying to set aside one day each week just for this project. It's mostly working. Last week I had two mornings instead of a full day, which is a little less ideal, but I just have to work when I can.

The mixed media pieces I'm working on are meant to be a bridge between my paintings and drawings. I think this is where my artwork is heading, in general. I am really enjoying it. I'm slated to do 4 of these pieces (and 4 large scale paintings.) One of the odd things about working this way is the show is already scheduled, before I made any work for it at all. And the 8 pieces were planned. So everything I make, I now have to consider how it will work within the show. How will it hang? How will it all work together? All the frames have been painted white. I originally planned to paint the frames black to make them look more cohesive, but the canvases will be unframed and so white on the edges. So white frames.

the ties that bind
I'm in the done-for-now stage with the ties that bind and this woman's work. I think the ties that bind is a bit to geometric in the bottom right corner, so that will need to be tweaked a bit. The spoons in this woman's work are going to be moved into a less dangle-y position and I think I'm going move the crochet work in the embroidery hoop to the right side.

this woman's work
And now I'm working on fairy tales...

line drawing and placement

ink writing under"painting"

acrylic
I've since put silver ink over the light pink section. The writing in the first layer there says "where is my silver lining?" The picture frames were going to get happy little individual landscapes in them, but then I went for blue skies, which had a kind of Magritte feel. I settled, for now anyway, on using them more as windows, in a rose colored glasses way. I still may work more on the background painting: more ink, more washes? maybe.

This is just set together right now. I am not sure exactly how I am going to attach the frames to the painting. I may cut it and insert them that way, but I'm fairly scared to cut this.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

ATC: Day 30

The end!


acrylic and watercolor pencil. This is the very last card of the challenge. I signed and dated and loaded them up with contact info today. Note to self: do this daily, it was annoying to have to look up each and every image to see when it was done. Somehow I am missing one card. It's completed, but Missing In Action somewhere in my house.


The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are posting albums on facebook.

Tomorrow: grant work! Stop back tomorrow afternoon for an update on the mixed media pieces I'm working on for the IAC grant project.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

ATC: Day 29

Next to the last post and it's a two-fer. One card and one day left.



The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Friday, September 28, 2012

ATC: Day 28

It's almost over! Yesterday I started a new mixed media piece for the grant work. I am going to get a little bit more done on that today, and I'm thinking a very low key palette for it. Probably mostly greys. I used black in these two pieces, which I rarely use. I prefer to mix my own, the color is much richer that way.



The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

ATC: Day 27

The end is near! The end of the challenge, I mean. Three more days and I have 5 cards left.


The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

ATC: Day 26

acrylic.


The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

ATC: Day 25

better late than never. and it's a two-fer. I am not crazy about painting at night, because the light is off. I really like to paint in indirect sunlight. Night paintings and overcast days usually result in super bright colors, like I am somehow overcompensating visually.



The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Monday, September 24, 2012

ATC: Day 24

acrylic. So not much of a surprise, I guess. I didn't even stop to consider watercolor paper cards. For half a second, I looked at the mixed combo pack, but didn't have any interest in using them. It'll be linen paper for the rest of the month.


The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

ATC: Day 23

acrylic:


The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

winner announcement! (and ATC Day 22)

I just emailed the winner of the good karma giveaway. I can't announce who it is, because he/she didn't leave a name, just an email addy...so check your email, it could be you!


Thanks to everyone who participated in this giveaway! I can't give away something if I have no one to give it to. Your support is greatly appreciated!

And back to our regularly scheduled ATC daily card. Only one more week and then I'll be back to posting other artwork, like the mixed media pieces I've been working on for the grant.


The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Friday, September 21, 2012

ATC: Day 21

acrylic...


The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

ATC: Day 20

acrylic and ink on watercolor paper. I know, you can't really see the ink. I sketched this out in ink and planned to watercolor over it, but found a few minutes and got out some acrylics. This was the last watercolor card I had. The rest will be on canvas paper cards, unless I get to the store to buy that last pack for #31-40 and I change my mind...


The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.


Don't forget! Tomorrow is the last day to register for the good karma giveaway by signing up for my mailing list! (right over there ->->->)

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

ATC: Day 19

two acrylics this morning.



The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

ATC: Day 18

watercolor pencil. I have pretty much decided that the final pack of ATC cards I buy will be canvas, because I prefer it to the watercolor, but the wc does seem a whole lot quicker. decisions, decisions...


The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Monday, September 17, 2012

ATC Day 17

Just one watercolor today. This is my grant-work day, so the focus in my artwork was on one of the new the mixed media pieces this womans work.


The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

ATC: Day 16

Today is a true three-fer. I checked yesterday to make sure I was on track to do 40 cards in 30 days, and I'm right on track. (phew!)




The ATC is an artist trading card and this project is a challenge issued by Susan Henshaw's Art Challenge. 30 Artists, 30 Days, 30 ATCs. The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell, Susan Henshaw, and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

ATC: Day 14 and 15

Today is a three-fer, sort of. I didn't want to post one yesterday inside the good karma giveaway post because it seemed a little confusing. Not that I've let that stop me before, because, if you've been reading, you know I'll throw whatever's going on into the mix. So to start off today's post, I have yesterday's card.


Today, I did two, a little darker for me than usual.



The links .... I am still posting on pinterest. You can also follow Kim Clanton and Teri Partridge on their blogs. Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell and Leslie Lambert are both posting albums on facebook.

Friday, September 14, 2012

good karma

A few days ago, I decided it was time for another good karma giveaway. To convince me this was the right thing to do, I got two pieces of potentially good art related news later that day. So, if I had any doubt about it, the Universe was clearly telling me I was on the right track.

I did a good karma giveaway earlier this year, with a yet-to-be-created giveaway. (Although it's been created now and is happily in its new owner's home.) This time around, I have an actual piece completed especially for this. It's a 4"x4" canvas with a little bitty america painting on it. And it could be yours. Or yours. Or yours. Any one of the three of you reading this post could have this little piece of america all for yourself!


Last time I asked that you like my facebook page, because it was related to the giveaway celebration, but this time you don't have to. (but, really, you should.) no pressure. (but do it. now. and tell all your friends to do it, too.) This time I asked for suggestions, and you might be happy to learn that I chose not to go with the entry idea of who had the longest walk to my house.

Here's how you enter: sign up for my mailing list. There's a handy form right there on the right side of this blog post. You don't even need to leave this page ->->->

You've got one week to get around to signing up. But seriously, you're right here, just do it now before you forget. I will not sell your email info and I do not send out a lot of emails, usually less thanIf you are already on the mailing list, just leave me a comment to include you in the drawing. So sign up for the mailing list by 9.21.12 and I will announce the winner on Saturday the 22nd.