New Landscape

Here are some pictures of my latest landscape painting. It is fairly big measuring 48 in. across. I was concentrating on the surface texture in this one. I don't think it is going to fit in with my next show so I may try to hang it at Paddiwhack or at MT's Chop House for the Summer.
Speaking of the Summer, I have some definite art plans and that has helped me focus on what art needs to be done next. I need to focus and plan ahead more often. But I guess there needs to be times of too many ideas and wondering which way to go, then choosing one and completing it. I wanted to do a fund raiser art show for my fortieth birthday this Summer but I have settled on participating in a fund raiser to benefit the Arts in public schools. I will be painting a chair for a "Musical Chairs" night May 22nd. More to come as that develops. I will be having a birthday celebration by showing with abstract artist, Ande Lister at the Melrose Bay Art Gallery for the month of July. The show will be called Shaped by Time. It is going to be very cool, I can't wait to install it. The Harn store is also featuring four of my paintings. I am happy for this opportunity since wall space is very limited there.
I have been introducing the Modernist, Jasper Johns, to my preschool classes. I get so much enjoyment out of their creations. I'll post some of those soon.

Printing Scarves

Here is an option of printing directly on silk scarves. What do you think? I created the image from a photograph of one of my paintings. The printing process as opposed to painting keeps the silk soft.

Scarves

I'm going to keep working on this idea.

Fatal Flaw?

I tried painting on silk yesterday and I am happy with the way that they look. But I think they are too stiff to wear. They feel more like Gortex than silk. I am going to try soaking them in Fabric Softner, maybe dry clean? to get them soft. I am using acrylic paints and an acrylic fabric medium. I don't want to go the using dyes and a steamer route that makes for soft silk painting. I want to use the acrylics that I am familiar with. Maybe I should try painting on another material? I do enjoy them hanging from the light fixture in the sunlight though. Any ideas?

Art Walk

Hey facebook fans! I am showing for the ArtWalk this Friday night in the Sun City Center at SCORE. It is in conjunction with an Environmental Film Festival Downtown. Let me know you are a fan and I will give you an 8.00 discount on a 28.00 print. Hope to see you there!

Another one

I did one more late last night for the Open Air Arts event. I did this from a boat ride sketch that I did on Saturday. It is more illustrative rather than the painterly methods I was intending to explore. But it's fun and I can see doing this type of illustration for hire. I didn't put it in for the judging.

Open Air Arts Judging

This is the work that I have produced since last Wednesday for the Open Air Arts event in Melrose, FL. I have to choose just one of these for the judging and pick one category: either painting or mixed media. I am really happy with my experience. Having to produce so much so quickly made me experiment with my materials and use new methods of painting. Things that I want to explore further. It was like going to a workshop; really beneficial. I met some interesting people too. The closing gala will be so much fun to see all the work that they created. I feel it was all worth while. The only reason I want to win an award is to cover the supplies that I bought. It is really hard to choose just one. What do you think?

Affordable Products

I have been racking my brain this week trying to figure out a product that would be affordable and still worth my time to do it. I think it is impossible in a gallery shop with the high commissions. Having a shop on Etsy.com and selling some things like pillows with my images printed on them is feasible. I painted a lampshade this week and I want to experiment with different materials like parchment lampshades. I would need to offer this large hand-painted lampshade for 95.00.

Teaching Mondrian

I have been teaching Mondrian to preschoolers this week and have been truly inspired by their creations. I love it when a plan comes together.

New Paintings

With these I was trying to limit my colors and think more about playing with the consistency of the paint. I am also still working with organic shapes.


I have a new proposition brewing about using my images on home apparel. Would you like to see this in your home on a placemat? Mirror imaged for two pillow cases?

Open Air Arts is coming

Spring is fast approaching and that means lots of outdoor art activities in Florida. I will be participating in the Tioga Art Festival this weekend. The burst of beautiful weather this past weekend makes a very exciting start to the Spring Arts season.

I have also been working on designing the Melrose Open Air Arts poster this week. I feel like it is a work of art because I have been going through many delicate balances of color combinations.

I also designed a postcard on dark blue:

For the Dogs?

This painting really made me crazy. I kept going back to it and thinking it was going to really change as I altered the colors over and over. But it virtually remained the same. Not a free and fun painting experience. I like the composition of the close up view, perhaps I can make a print of that.

New Paintings in 2010

I'm trying to get into a rhythm of painting after being on a break for the holidays. I really enjoyed painting the palm trees in the frame. It is the fourth painting in recent months that I have painted over an old painting. Each one, I have really enjoyed the painting experience and been pleased with the results. Currently I am trying to figure out how to recreate that painting experience and layering without having to paint over another painting.

Homemade Christmas

Here are a few of my Christmas efforts. No wonder I want to add patterns to my current easel painting. I also painted another wooden sign with a bear theme.

My husband led many family projects including the making of soap and lotion, chocolate candy, fleece sewing and soup and cookie mixes.

Christmas Ventures

We began a tradition of exchanging homemade Christmas gifts with our extended family last year. I have been wanting to transfer some of my imagery into cloth and sewing so I figured this was a good opportunity to give that a try. This is my first attempt and I think I gained some good experience from it. I would like the stitching to be more organic so that the mistakes didn't matter. Not sure how to go about that.

Small Works Show

Weekends through Dec. 20, 2009
"Small Works, Big Ideas, Thinking Inside the Box"
Melrose Bay Art Gallery

These two paintings are new small works for the show at the Melrose Bay Art Gallery. I hung them this morning. There are so many really good art works still available at reasonable prices. It really is a mystery to me what sells and what doesn't.

Paddiwhack Event

I am happy to be included in this event. I love their new location next to Fresh Market what a fun place to be. Thursday, November 19 from 6 to 9 pm.

The Paddiwhack annual champagne & chocolate extravaganza Thursday November 19, 2009 6 to 9 pm This holiday season visit Paddiwhack for the largest selection of hand-made gifts in the area. Work from well known national and regional artists ... Barefoot Dreams Department 56 David Marsh Sticks Patience Brewster Patricia Locke Natty B Elizabeth Garvin Ed Levin Gary Rosenthal Yardbirds Tin Woodsman Story People Shoestrings creations Island Cowgirl Kathy Bransfield Eleanor Blair Krinkels Bill Campbell Folkmanis puppets Carol Barber Linda Blondheim Holly Yashi Stacey Breheney Amy Peters' Studio Sharon McGinley Basic Spirit Elements Jill Schwartz Churchill Weaver Chris Roberts -Antieau Heartwood Creations Jan Barboglio Kay Ash Lampe Berger Sid Dickens Join Our Mailing List! Paddiwhack 4128 NW 16th Blvd Gainesville, Florida 32605 352-336-3175 Dear Carol, Please join us for our 6th annual Champagne & Chocolate Extravaganza, it is sure to be our best ever with the added space of our new location. Paddiwhack's new home has over 6,000 Sq of showroom giving you the largest selection of American handmade furniture and craft in North Florida. This holiday season we invite you to preview the wonderful offering from over 300 American artists and craftsmen.. This private event is for our loyal customers and their friends, as a select member of this group you and your guests will have the opportunity to relax and shop with a glass of champagne and scrumptious chocolates. The "Extravagant" part is the wonderful discount, for one night, and one night only take 20% off your entire purchase. We only offer this discount once a year to our most valued customers and their friends so don't miss this opportunity to select from the vast array of unique gifts, jewelry and furniture that Paddiwhack has to offer. Sincerely, Chuck Sapp Paddiwhack Barefoot Dreams Throws 54" X 72" Reg $132.50 This holiday season surround yourself with our BambooChic® throw or robe, and you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. You will lose yourself in its softness as you relive the peace and comfort of your favorite blankie. Barefoot Dreams® BambooChic® throws are also featured at 5-star resorts and spas, a favorite among celebrities and the modern mom on the go! Available in 10 elegant colors, the BambooChic® throw will add style and sophistication to any home. BambooChic® knit is unlike most chenilles in that it is machine washable and dryable. It won't shrink, pill or wrinkle and will always return to its original softness.One of Oprah's favorite gifts. Patience Brewster Dashaway Vixen by Patience Brewster 12" tall Patience Brewster many of you may know as the creator of the Krinkles' line for Department 56. this year she as ventured out on her own with the debut of her new line for the holidays. Dashaway Vixen, one of eight reindeer figures, shows the attention to detail and quality that makes this and instant holiday favorite and family keepsake. Paddiwhack carries the entire line of Patience Brewster ornaments and figures. Linda Blondheim My Yard III 12" X 16" Oil on panel unframed by Linda Blondheim Linda Blondheim is a painter of the south, her work chronicles the fast changing landscape of rural North Florida and South Georgia. Having grown up in the region she is pulled by her connection to the beauty of the real Florida. Each painting documents her travels, of the love of the rural landscape, and it's need for preservation. Paddiwhack is proud to represent regionally know painters like Linda Blondheim, our current show is of recent painting by Linda. 20% off your entire Purchase For One Night Only Take 20% off the regular price of your entire purchase! Yes even on special orders! Offer good November 19, 2009 only. 20% is taken off of the regular price, can not be combined with any other discount

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Success

I had a fun time working on this painting, Decadent Forest, last week. I painted over an older painting and I feel that helped me achieve the delicate balance between intention and discovery. Sometimes I plow right through with my intentions and forget to play and be involved with the process. I have also just played and felt the painting had no structure or intention. It's a tricky balance.
It also felt really good to make some sales this weekend. The prices weren't high but nothing makes an artist feel better than a sale. Thank you to those purchasers, I appreciate you. And those sales also help the Harn Museum of Art and Melrose Bay Art Gallery, places that we love.

Landscapes and figures

David Hockney at 72 is painting landscapes! Is anyone else awe struck by seeing a master from the art history books paint like this or is it just me? See his work at: http://www.colugapictures.com/

These painted landscapes on the blog are mine for the small works show coming up in Melrose.
I have also been working on the figure in a landscape.

Durham, NC

I went to a beautiful wedding this past weekend in Durham, NC. While I was there I encountered some inspiring art also.
One interesting place was the Scrap Exchange. I think if I lived there I would hardly buy paint again. I would just make art from what was available. I bought a packet of materials to make a collage. Sometimes I do my best work when there are some limitations. Just being creative and making what I can from what is available.
Also visited a non-profit organization that provides a foundry for the community and artists. They poured the bronze bull in the town's square. Loved the gates around the fire area.
Visited a ceramics studio and gallery. http://www.claymakers.com/ I had never seen ceramic tiles used as canvases and glazes used as paint in this way. Also looked like some collaged digital transfers on some of the vessels that were interesting.
LabourLove Gallery, Art co-op gallery at Golden Belt, was a great place also. One artist there had done something that I have been thinking about. She had cut out images from felt or cloth and had them sewn to the upholstery of chairs and a sofa. The images were inspired by her paintings. We went to the wedding reception at the Golden Belt and I didn't even know until right now that it had a whole floor of artists' studios. The Golden Belt was once a factory that made bags for raw cotton. I am so excited about this because this is only an hour away from where my parents live in rural Virginia.
Last but not least, saw a Picasso exhibit at the Nasher Museum of Art on the Duke campus. The exhibit was Picasso and the Allure of Language. I didn't even know Picasso wrote poetry which he did. The exhibit drew many different types of connections between his art and the use of language. One that I can use when I teach art to preschoolers this week is the influence of shapes of letters in some of his Cubist style paintings. One thing that inspired me, was Picasso taking one line drawing of a face and exhausting that image by drawing it as many different ways that he could without changing it proportionally. Like embellishing it differently or drawing it with different line qualities.