Tango

Tango
30x24" Acrylic on Canvas

Limited Editions Now Available

Two of my images are now available as limited editions on various products, through Rubens and the Bard Online Art Gallery. "The Baseline" and "Take Five" are both available on various products, from laptop sleeves and bags to phone cases. Eventually there may be more images, and possibly available as prints on stretched canvas. If you are interested in checking out what is available, head on over to Zazzle and take a look.

My painting on a laptop bag.... how cool is that?

Next...

"Stomp"
30x30" Acrylic on Canvas

In my quest to fill up THE BIG WALL (which is what I've taken to calling it), I've managed to transform myself from a painter of small images to one who does fairly large ones. This is the largest I've done to date, at 30x30". I'm finding it fun working large... I can use those big brushes I've had for ages but haven't had much use for, and I've got a 3" silicone color pusher that I'm really beginning to love. I might actually have a problem going back to smaller sizes.

I was thinking about what I'd like to do next, and I think I'd like to do a big band... like a Benny Goodman or Count Basie style big band. I can't imagine how I can do that any smaller than a four foot canvas... there would be so many figures to fit in. Six feet would be better. And it would take me a while... a few weeks at least, probably closer to a month. Something I'm obviously going to have to put off for a while. Hopefully in 2013 I'll have a bit more free time to tackle so large a project.

Freestyle

Freestyle
18x24" Acrylic on Canvas

I think this upcoming show is making me a bit crazy. 

In some ways it's really good... I'm working every day. It's not always been this way. In fact, I don't think I've ever had a stretch this long when I was working every single day. I find that I'm not second guessing my ideas anymore.... I just go with whatever pops into my head. The canvases are stacking up, and even though I still don't think I'm going to have enough to fill that theatre, I've got more done in the last couple months than I have in some entire years. 

But...

My house is a complete disaster. My husband is doing what he can, but he also has a job and outside commitments, so time is limited. My friends haven't heard from me in ages, because every spare second is spent in my studio. Last night we went out for dinner with friends, and after about an hour I was wondering how long this was going to last because I really had to get back to work. I wouldn't have gone at all, but apparently, socializing is good for me. Who knew?

There has to be some kind of balance. But for the next three weeks, I know I'm not going to find it.

Feeling the Music

Acrylic on Canvas 19x24"
Untitled at the moment.... suggestions are welcome!

It's Gotta Swing!

the main exhibit wall
in the Meadowvale Theatere...
there are also many
other walls to be filled.

A couple days before Christmas I was notified I was accepted to exhibit in the lobby of a popular local theater. I had applied in the spring of last year, not really sure what to expect but figuring it was worth applying for, even if it didn't amount to much. 

When I got the notification I was excited and a little panicky... I have been painting like crazy this past year but my work has also been selling, so my inventory is a bit on the low side. But there was no point in panicking until I knew what I was in for, so I put it on the back burner and got to work. Well, this week I went by and took a look at the space. It's huge! As the curator walked me around and showed me all the spots to be filled I was trying picture how what i had available would fill the walls and how much white space could possibly be acceptable. I figured I had better spend every available minute from now until March with a paintbrush in hand. And I'd better go buy a few pre-stretched canvases in sizes bigger than what I've done to date. The bigger they are, the more space they fill.

It's Gotta Swing!
Acrylic on Canvas 24x30"

So, I'm back to the dancers. I'm sure I'm not finished with the musicians just yet, but the dancers are calling to me so that's what's going on the canvas. I really don't have time to question my instincts. I found a great photo of swing dancers online and figured I could use it for reference, using the music as a guide to the feeling. I think I got it down pretty well... the music has so much energy my foot was tapping the entire time I was painting (actually, I was dancing around in my studio, as much as is possible in such a small space). My goal is at least 1 painting/week until my hanging date at the end of Feb. It might not work out quite like that, but I've got to start somewhere.

Hello 2013. Now let's get to work.

Works in Progress

2012 has been an amazing year for me. I really feel like I've made some progress in my painting, and finally my work seems to be selling. Its been a struggle over the years to keep motivated when the canvases just keep piling up and I run out of wall space to hang them. For the first time ever I have gaps on my walls and am in a bit of a panic to have enough work to keep up with demand. It's a good feeling.

I spent yesterday trying to clean up and organize my "studio". In reality it's a very small bedroom in my suburban house, crammed to the gills with assorted art paraphernalia. It serves the purpose... I can go in, close the door and work (I have to keep the door closed because I've got two eighty lb. dogs who prefer to be touching me at all times.... it gets a bit crowded). I tossed a lot of accumulated crap... stuff I'd hung onto thinking I could use it at some point but then it's just sat in a pile. It's good to clear out some space. Now I've got a bit of room to breathe.

This is the cleaned up version. Crazy, right? Now, picture two large dogs in here...