Last of the Year

December is a slow month for almost anything not related to the holidays.  We even take the month off from Art League meetings.  However, I did really want to get this painting finished before the end of the year.  Made it - yeah!
"Tanager"

I was working with the concept of depth and varying light conditions.  And believe it or not, it was inspired from a dream I had.  This is the "Western Tanager" - not the "Scarlet Tanager".
Oh, and I didn't manage to get accepted into the two shows I entered a couple of months ago.  Frustration abounds...

Xmas early

I'm going to post my holiday card early.   I don't think it will spoil things for anyone I will be sending it to later. 
Husband and I have used bubble lights for the holidays for our entire marriage.  We also remember them from our childhoods.   Nice nostalgia. 

Just a few comments...

     I don't have any new art to upload; but did want to add some information.   The library "artists in residence" event on October 20th was fun - if somewhat under-attended.  There were six of us there painting and talking to visitors.  I still think this is a good idea.  It could have been better advertised; and we were tucked away in a back room, so less visibility.  Not sure if we will be doing this again.
     We also hung new art in the conference room on October 28th.   That art will be up until some time in 2017.   Longer showings are better.
     Two other art league members and I put up artwork in the Clearwater Casino Angeline Spa today.   This is a new experience and not related to the art league.  The Spa will be taking 25%, but the exposure is potentially great.
     I have two entries in to a brand new ferry art show - art to be displayed on one of the new ferries.
     And finally, I've entered three pieces in the Collective Visions Gallery contest.   I won't know the outcome of either of these two shows for at least a couple of months. 

Indulgence

I painted this one specifically because I am on yet another diet.   Ugh!   This one and the last are being submitted for the next Central Market show - we hang this Saturday.

September Already!

Several of us from my art league group hung a new show at an office building in town yesterday afternoon - some 30 items.   It's always a lot of work, but should be up for around 4-5 months.   Long venues are always nice.   We change the artwork at Central Market in two weeks and at the library next month.  A couple of us are scheduled to present demos on three consecutive Thursdays in October as well.   More on that later.

And -- here is my latest acrylic - "Attitude".   I'd sell it if there was an interested buyer; however, I really painted it for myself - to look at if I need to "kick myself in the butt" to get motivated over something.   The intention was to make the face look metallic.  

WooHoo!

As I've mentioned, I moved my art show to the Kitsap Golf & Country Club.  I just found out last night that someone wants to purchase one of the pieces.  Admittedly, it's been a long time since I've sold anything - so I'm really excited. 
"Eyes Over Stomach"

Happy news

My show at Artist's Edge, Silverdale came down on Monday.  The lady whose art was scheduled to follow mine told me that the venue she had just been located at needed an artist with work ready to hang - and gave me the contact information.  SO - now about half of the work I had hung in Silverdale, is now at the Kitsap Golf and Country Club in Chico, WA.  I hadn't even taken my paintings out of the car.  The lady in charge picked out about half of my work and hung it right away in the main dining room of the club.  Cool, huh?

Fantasy Art

Before I discuss my newest piece, I should report on the artist's reception I mentioned in my last entry.  The event didn't get into the local newspaper like the store owner expected.  So the turnout was less than stellar - maybe 4-5 people.  I did get into some interesting conversations with a couple of folks - disappointing overall however.
Now....
This newest art is a watercolor.  I painted it large and specifically so I could try a new method of display.  Some time ago I saw a demo on how to stretch watercolor paper onto stretcher bars (the kind used for canvasses).  I wanted to try it - and lets face it - it would be a lot less expensive than matting and framing with glass.
The transparent parts of the wings and the light brush-strokes along the edges of the wings is water-based iridescent paint.
"Reflections"

Artist Reception

Just a quick note here to mention...the Artist's Edge in Silverdale, WA has set up an artist reception for me this Friday, July 15th from 5 to 7 pm.  The owner has said they are going to put it into the local newspaper too.  Don't know how much traffic it will get - but should be interesting at any rate.  I told them I'd have artwork with me to be working on while I was there. 

Quick update

The latest painting is going really slow right now.  I've gone back to watercolor for another fantasy piece -- however, it's turning into summer with lots of distractions.  One encouraging note is that the show I currently have up at Artist's Edge has been extended for another month - to the end of July. 

Contest

Well, this was a new experience!  The local Peninsula Music & Arts Society is hosting an art contest for our area - and I chose to participate.  The contest is unique, in that, there was a time limit of three days to complete your work - from Wednesday, May 4th until Friday, May 6th.  I took about 15 hours to finish my entry, but it was a marathon.  I'm not use to painting long stretches of time (since I've retired).  At any rate, my entry is titled:  "One Dollar" - acrylic.  Everyone's work was the same size -
16" X 20". 

Personal show

I haven't had a personal show in ages.  I was complaining about not being able to show that acrylic nude I painted a couple of months ago - that most venues are worried about showing nudes.  A friend who works at an artists' supply store in the next town to mine, arranged with her boss to let me hang things there for the months of May and June.  They gave me 16 foot of wall space, so I grabbed up as many pieces as I could.  I ended up hanging 18 items - both watercolor and acrylic.  I realize it will be mostly other artists that see these, but I am just happy to have them out of the house for "some air".
Artist's Edge, Silverdale, WA

"Afterglow"

This acrylic is much smaller - 11" X 14".  It's somewhat of a companion piece to the one called "Glow" further down in this blog. 

Something huge

     I've had this canvass around forever - it's 36" by 40" -- and I haven't been painting this size for a long time.   This is something of a protest piece.   At one of our art league group displays, in a local market, one of our artists hung four (somewhat abstract) nudes.   We were told they had offended a few customers; and we had to take them down.   Then we were researching new venues - one in a upscale coffee shop and another in the conference room at the public library.   In both of those we were told "no politics", "no religion" and absolutely "no nudes".   So I've used this large canvass to paint a nude.  It's called "Inside The Box" -- because for crying out loud, don't think outside the box. 
     Anyway, it's done in acrylics with iridescent gold mixed into the other colors - so that the skin tones have a glow to them.  I may never be able to display this anywhere - at least not in this town.   Too bad.

First new artwork for 2016

This acrylic memorializes what I spend a good deal of time on - when I'm not painting.
And...I have another two canvasses in the works.
"Still-life With Dehydrator"