Tools of the Trade

I’ve been working on something exciting lately, but I’m not quite ready to share it. But in the meantime, I’ve had the honor of doing an interview for the super cool website Tools Artists Use. The site is a must-see for anyone looking to maybe try new materials, or anyone who just enjoys seeing how something was made (like I do!). The interview is here.

I’ve also recently put a few of my smaller original paintings up for sale on Etsy (I’ve got the spring cleaning bug!). These are the available paintings:

Lonesome George

Mah Apple!

Sansa and Lady

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to enjoy this beautiful Saturday, and I hope you are as well!

Fertile Ground

It’s been over a month, hasn’t it? Geez.

Anyway, I can finally share the paintings I finished a little while back! The first is this guy:

Fertile Ground, in acrylic ink and gouache, for Light Grey Art Lab’s Macro & Micro show, where all the work fits into a category; animal, vegetable, mineral, or other. The show opens tomorrow night in Minneapolis, and if you can make it, I’m jealous! I remember visiting the MCAD campus as a teenager, and if I knew such a cool gallery would be right across the street from campus, I maybe would have given it more consideration! C’est la vie.

The second, I’ve already shared.

This little guy (a mere 6×6″!) will be for sale at the Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery in Lauderhill, Florida at their starter art show. Personally, I love starter art shows; who doesn’t like scooping up cute little affordable pieces of art?

Anyway, I regret not having a more substantial update, but over the next couple of days I hope to have more to share!

 

Spring Has Sprung

I’ve been on a plant-painting kick lately! I’ve never been much of a girly-girl, but flowers have been finding a way into my life lately, weather I’m painting them, or wearing floral socks, or dreaming about how beautiful Point Reyes is this time of year.

It’s been so fun to work on some paintings that are bright and happy. I’ve also been making more of an effort to work out my color palette completely before starting ( the website Color Scheme Designer has been invaluable).

Here’s one painting without a predetermined palette:

It’s okay. But not amazing. Here’s a second go using a palette:

So much brighter! So much more eye-catching! Even with the weird paint-shadows my scanner is making.

I finished another plant painting last night, but it’s for a show at Light Grey Art Lab next month. Until then, here is a sneak-peek:

PS, my cat has been taking advantage of all the extra sunshine.

Odds and Ends

As I promised before, I’m not dead yet! But it’s been an odd week of art related things. I wrapped up a small painting. I was on the front page of Etsy, and suddenly found myself with a stack of orders to fill. Even at my retail job, I spend an afternoon making a tree out of cardboard and printer paper in the break room.

I’m really pleased with how this came out (apologies for only having a photo and not a scan!). So much of what I paint is figurative, it was a nice break to play around with colors and shapes I don’t normally use. I’m excited to frame this guy and send him off into the world in a few weeks.

I had some little green friends help me find reference photos.

I wish I had more to share, but things get slow sometimes, I suppose. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

 

I’m Not Dead Yet!

Don’t worry, I haven’t gone yet. There’ll be a more substantial update in a few days; in the meantime, here is a WIP/exercise.

Missing You

New cards, straight off the presses (a.k.a. my hands).

Is there any worse feeling than missing someone profoundly and not being able to tell them? Reunite with them? I think not. It was nice to have a way to act on that feeling.

Today’s soundtrack while printing:

Strangeness and Charm

Every few months, like clockwork, I decide I need to get better at painting portraits. Well, my clock started ticking a few days ago. Hence, Miss Florence here.

I took the opportunity to bust out my gold ink that I bought a few years ago and never used. It’s pretty amazing looking in the right light.

Also, it is clearly magical stuff.