I have always been a little on the shy side until I get to know someone. Because of this trait (or flaw) I have always felt intimidated when the attention is on me. This month I am the featured artist at a gallery where my work is shown, Ink to Media Gallery, and tonight is the artist reception in my honor. As the day passes I feel mixed emotions: 1) intimidation, as the focus will be on me and my art this evening, and 2) excitement, as I will be privileged to meet new people that are interested in art.
I always like to talk to people and hear the views they express about paintings and the emotions the work stirs up in them. People are drawn to certain colors, compositions, and/or subject matter because of how they feel. My palette consists of bright colors and most of my paintings draw people who like a lot of energy in their lives. The Shattered Reality Series brings many questions and comments: mainly, what process do you go through to create the paintings?, and the comment that the paintings remind them of quilts or stained glass.
So, as I focus on the upcoming conversations my fear is giving way to excitement for tonight's reception. I think it will be a lot of fun!
There are from 15,000 to 28,000 different species of butterflies throughout the world, depending on whose report you happen to read. In North America we have about 100 species. These lovely creatures are liked by almost everyone, even those who despise insects. For me, they have always held a soft spot in my heart.
Here in the Northwest one of the most beautiful butterflies is the majestic Monarch. I enjoy watching them in my flower beds and love the gorgeous orange and black wings speckled with dramatic spots of white. When I was thinking of what the subject of my next Shattered Reality painting should be, I didn't deliberate long before I settled on a Monarch butterfly.
My original plan was to combine a Monarch with two other species, lovely also, but they paled by comparison. I knew the Monarch had to do a solo.
This painting is the 46th in the Shattered Reality Series. I hope you enjoy it. It is off to have prints made of and then I will post it on my web site.
Most of the artists I know much prefer to paint than to do what I call "busy work", ie: matting, framing, researching, bookkeeping, maintaining a web site, etc. There are many artists who have their work professionally framed, which frees up their time to concentrate on creating art, however, there are many who handle all the busy work themselves. I am one of those who handle the whole of the process.
Today I have an idea buzzing around in my head for a new Shattered Reality painting that I am dying to paint. It involves colorful butterflies of different species that would lend itself well to the Shattered Reality concept. These paintings are full of color as a rule, and usually attract collectors who have a playful nature. They are great fun to plan and to execute. I explained the process in an earlier blog.
I must put the idea on the back burner today and tend to busy work. I recently had prints made of new paintings and I need to package them so they are ready to take to an art festival in July. I also have new paintings that need matting for future framing. The busy work is a necessary part of business and as much as I'd rather start that new painting, off I go to tend to business.
My husband and I visited our son David and his family in late March this year. The weather was nice and we decided to take a day trip to a small town on the Washington State Peninsula. Our grandchildren, Liam and Aliyah, wanted to play on the beach, so we stopped at a place where the sand was plentiful. As David and Liam walked away from me, daddy and son hand-in-hand, I couldn't resist catching them on camera.
After Glenn and I returned home I was putting together some photos to make a small scrapbook for David's birthday focusing on the events of the day trip. I was drawn to the touching scene of David and Liam walking toward the water and decided I wanted to paint the event. This painting is the result of that decision.
I got a call from the gallery where I show that they wanted me to be the featured artist from June 17 to July 17 and I should deliver a fairly large quantity of paintings to them this week. Well, today is the day, and I packed all of the paintings that are ready to hang into my SUV and will depart shortly to take the paintings to the gallery.
As an artist I invest much more than time into my paintings. When I paint a particular subject it is because I am emotionally drawn to that subject and I want to commit it to paper. While I am painting, an excitement builds up and I can't wait to see the finished product. The journey is fun and at the end of the journey comes a feeling of fulfillment. I am usually pleased with the results and can't wait to frame and hang the painting.
Packing the paintings up was a little like packing my children into the car to deliver them for a visit to their grandparents. I know they will have a wonderful experience, however, I will miss them.
Although nothing is more fulfilling to me that finishing a new painting, sometimes I just like to look at the creations of others. This afternoon I spent time on the Internet looking at pieces produced by artists that I admire and tomorrow I am going to a local art fest and see what is new this year. This art fest is a yearly juried event in my town and the booths will be manned by the creators of pottery, paintings, photographs, hand crafted jewelry, and I am anxious to see what else is on display. There is always something there that takes me by surprise: a new form of metal art, some new treatment for pottery, etc. I will share the experience of my attendance with you in a future blog and let you know what new art I discover this year.
I would like to share the web addresses of four of my favorite artists on the Internet. First is Marsha Robinette. Her watercolors are wonderful and her drawings exquisite. She is definitely a master of both mediums and the pieces she creates bring great pleasure to the viewer. You can see her works at http://.marsharobinette.com. I don't know Marsha personally, however, she has helped me with problems I have encountered with my own web site.
The second is Max Hulse. He does wonderful, grand landscapes in oil. Max is definitely a master of his craft and his work is executed with great finesse as he creates scenes from Northern New Mexico and the Texas hill country. He has collected art, sold art, and created art. You can find Max at http://.maxhulse.com.
The third artist I would like to introduce you to is Sharon Weaver. She is also an oil painter and my favorites of her paintings depict the gorgeous California Coast, which I fell in love with when I lived on the Monterey Peninsula. Her treatment of the ocean, beaches, and rugged rocks is delightful. Sharon also paints landscapes and architecture with a wonderful sensitivity. Her website is http://sharonweaver.com
And last, but not least, is my friend Patricia Elser. I have exhibited with Trish is a few shows and have enjoyed her happy, friendly personality. She paints watercolors that are vibrant and cheerful. Trish's subject matter includes portraiture, landscapes, and beautiful florals. Her work can be seen at http://www.patriciaelser.com
I hope you will take the time to visit the sites of these exceptional artists. Should you decide to do so, it will certainly be time well spent.
