Challenge - A is for Apple

This year, I've decided to start monthly challenges....I encourage everyone to try it at least once and post your results! I will also complete the challenge and try and paint in a style that I am not accustomed to push myself as well.

Challenges will start at the beginning of each month and you will have until the 20th of the month to complete the challenge. The challenge may be a subject, as this one is, or may be a technique. We can all learn from seeing how each of us views the same object and interprets it in their style.

I decided to start at the beginning...A....I was photographing some still life on Sunday and liked this shot of the apple particularly, so I thought it would be a great start to our challenges!

You can paint the entire photo as shown, or you can pick a smaller area to paint. The canvas doesn't have to be large, even a 4"x6" will do....and you don't have to paint...whatever medium you would like to use works!

Deadline to post is February 20th...but post as soon as you like, and as often as you like. I look forward to everyone's interpretation of my photo!!!

Half Snow Day = Some Painting

So, we had a half snow day today....shut down around 2:00pm (not quite half day for me as I would normally be off at 3:30)...battled through traffic (they must have all had summer tires on and also didn't know how to slow down either) for over an hour....relaxed for a bit...got supper....showered...and now to check e-mails and blog before painting!

Starting a new painting tonight, one for our next show (stay tuned for details soon). Working title "April Showers Bring May Flowers in Boots". A little long, but kinda catchy I think....or maybe not. LOL

All I Can say for now is there will be flowers...tulips I think. Colour to be determined....

Flexible Flyer III

My latest painting....

I had one of these as a child....the Flexible Flyer III....with it's red runners. It came with another rope I'm sure, but all I ever remember is the yellow rope my Dad put on it....

Ready to Fly

10" x 14"

Acrylic on Canvas

$300



It went really fast down the hill behind my Grandparents house on Campbell Avenue (where the former Lester Hotel, not the Bristol, is nowadays). And I'm sure I used it at the sliding hill at Bowring Park too....and perhaps even sliding at Pippy Park (I only ever remember sliding there once as a child, Bowring Park was only a 15 minute walk from our house, so there was no real need to go anywhere else).

Did anyone else have a Flexible Flyer too?

First Painting of 2012

It's finished....my first painting of 2012. I seem to have some sort of trend going that monochromatic paintings (well this one is almost monochromatic) are my first painting each year....hmmmm.....

This one brings me back to childhood memories, of picking dandelion flowers to bring home, and then your hands being sticky from the milk flowing in the stems. And then in a few weeks, the sea of yellow that was your lawn turns into a sea of silvery-white when the yellow flowers turn to seed. We would pick these as well and blow the seeds into the wind, making wishes as we blew. I suspect our parents and neighbours wished we wouldn't help the weeds propagate so, unless they of course liked their feed of dandelion each spring!

 "Wishes" - Acrylic on 8" x 8" gallery wrapped canvas

As always, I wrap the paint around the edges to give a continuous flow around each side. Gallery canvas is meant to be hung without framing; however, it can be framed if one so desires, or in this case wishes!

From Wikipedia, for those who are curious about botany.....

Taraxacum officinale, the common dandelion (often simply called "dandelion"), is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Asteraceae (Compositae). It can be found growing in temperate regions of the world, in lawns, on roadsides, on disturbed banks and shores of water ways, and other areas with moist soils. T. officinale is considered a weedy species, especially in lawns and along roadsides, but it is sometimes used as a medical herb and in food preparation. As a nearly cosmopolitan weed, common dandelion is best known for its yellow flower heads that turn into round balls of silver tufted fruits that blow away on the wind.

Welcome 2012!

I've been busy the past couple of weeks...not just with Christmas holidays! I've been trying to plan my 2012!

I have already posted my 2012 goals here on my blog. I have spent time updating the format and look of my blog and my website and it seems Facebook has a new timeline format, so I updated my FB page as well. I have also signed up for Twitter, although I have not quite ventured into that quite yet.

I have also set-up an account with Fine Art America to sell a select offering on my prints (in differing sizes than I now offer them on my own website) and also NEW is a select offering of my original photographs for sale.

I will also be setting-up accounts to sell with Etsy and Zazzle in the near future. Stay tuned for more info on these as they become active.

I have been completing a fair amount of research for my theme this year as well as other research for other projects/exhibitions that are upcoming in 2012. Boy does this ever take up time!

I am also planning a monthly art challenge that will be posted here on my blog...check back soon for more information on this.

I will also be holding another contest starting later this week, so also check back for more on this new contest!

I also have some mini-tutorials on acrylic painting  techniques planned for 2012. Let me know if there are any techniques you'd like to see.

I also have some SALES planned for 2012 as well....March Madness is soon approaching again! More details in February on the MADNESS!!!

However, no actual painting has occurred so far this year....I had planned on starting my first piece last night, but alas, life got in the way. Hopefully tonight and maybe a sneak peak post will soon follow.

Looking forward to hearing from everyone as the 2012 painting journey continues on.....

B

2012 Artist Goals

The time of the year has come to reflect upon what has been accomplished (see my recent post - 2011 Progress Update) and what should be planned for the following year. Below you will find the list of what I am striving to accomplish in 2012 with my artwork.

Artist Goals 2012: To continue to find avenues to learn, produce and display artwork.

Learn:

·         Continue to increase my knowledge of various painting techniques and styles through online courses and/or local workshops.

·         Start a monthly painting challenge where we will focus on a particular technique or subject to explore.

·         Start a “create together” day once a month for the members of Arts Northeast to learn from each other, and perhaps have guest participants to increase our knowledge.

Produce:

·         Create a defined body of work (10-20 pieces) using a theme.

·         Create up to 30 pieces of artwork for 2 exhibitions in 2012 with Arts Northeast.

·         Spend more time sketching/drawing by completing one small piece per week.

·         Complete more plein air paintings.

·         Complete several winter/Christmas theme artwork.

Display:

·         Increase my online presence through use of facebook, my website, my blog and online art stores, such as Kijiji, Fine Art America, Esty, and Zazzle.

·         Explore venues for two exhibitions with Arts Northeast.

·         Explore venues for exhibitions outside of the Northeast Avalon.

·         Submit artwork to juried and non-juried art competitions/exhibits locally and globally.

Fun Fact Friday on a Tuesday - Trees

I've been very bad at keeping my Fun Fact Fridays going....hopefully 2012 will be better!

But I had to share this tip before I forget it...courtesy of Art Apprentice Online....

When painting trees, paint the outer branches with transparent paint, this keeps them soft and delicate.