Got away again!!!

Time....yep. That's what keeps getting away from me.
Hard to believe that it's been a month since I last posted here....very sorry for that.
Guess it's hard to blame me though after the fierce winter we endured and now I've not only got lots of warmth and sunshine, but new gardens and beautiful deck as well.
Hey....a girls gotta get her vitamin D while she can....lol

I have been busy working as well though. Several more lovely Torn Paper Paintings done and I am also hanging in yet another new location....in Tiverton, RI. The Barksfield Shop. In this location I am a bit more free with displaying a wider range of subjects.
While The Little Beach Gallery is partial to coastal themes....and I can certainly understand that....I now have a new home for some of the subjects that I like to create in between the others.
There will also be new things coming up soon....new "products"....made from my Torn Paper Paintings.
I decided that, since everyone on the planet can create a shop of their very own products now that we live in the world of the internet....I may as well do the same!!
It is not open for business just yet....but soon. It's a long time consuming project since I really want to be picky and not just pop my images on everything and anything they fit on. No. I want to be very selective about what I put out there. I want only quality products and images that work well with them. I've even ordered quite a few of the items in advance so I can do a good quality check on them.

Here's a quick peek.

I'll continue to pursue this and hope to have everything up and available in plenty of time for holiday shopping....hint :)
Till then....hope everyone is joining me in that vitamin D!!!

Tis The Season

Three Amigos

the "busy season" that is!!
Waiting for the summer to actually take hold has been a long and almost painful process!! The spring has been anything but lovely. One of those very unpredictable New England springs at best.
Now...finally....I'm feeling optimistic!!
The weather seems to officially be on the upswing and people are getting out and about.
I just received word yesterday (yes, Friday the 13th...love it) that the Three Amigos just sold!!! Yay....that's a good sign that Cape Cod and The Little Beach Gallery are getting into full swing.
This means I'll be creating at full speed....because I'm also due to be one of this summer's "guest artists" during a trunk show weekend in July at The Art Stable Gallery!! Sooo....I've got to have plenty of stock not only for these two places...but for the upcoming local shows!!!

Been working pretty much non-stop to stay ahead of all this.

Seems that 12"x24" canvases have been my size of choice lately. Did another "cabana" piece. The first one I'd done last summer sold on the first day of a week long show. Figured I'd better produce another one.

Also did another Whale Tail because I've actually sold two others and have had inquires about more.



And...as always.....Mermaids!! The latest one...just finished today in fact....is Avalon.
I'm really pleased with her. It's not always easy to get that vision you have in your head to show up on the canvas. She came pretty darn close!!

Yes...all of these are 12"x24".

Got my next subject planned and ready for an underpainting!!
No...not a "coastal" subject this time. Sometimes you just need
to change the pace a bit.
Soo...stay tuned.
The "season" has begun!!

Two Tails

8"x16"

Whale tails....big & little!!
Previously I had created a Torn Paper Painting of a whale tail. Not a big one....just a nice sized 8"x16". I took it to The Little Beach Gallery and it looked lovely hanging there among the other coastal pieces! Well....since then it seems there have been requests and interest in having a whale tail created in a larger size.
I get it....whales are "Big"...so it makes sense that some folks would want to see them bigger....even though there is a bit of whimsy in seeing something huge done in a more delicate scale!


12"x24"

Soo....I just delivered another....this one is 12"x24". Not huge...but a bit bigger so that we can....ummm...test the water...lol
Although they are the same subject matter....I did try my best to give them each their own personality....and made each of the tails a bit different. Now....let's see what happens!! The season has just begun.

On my way home from the gallery, while stopped in traffic, I noticed the bumper sticker on the car in front of me. Luckily I had my camera beside me...so grabbed a quick shot!!
Need to get me one of those!!

New "coastal' sightings

When I made a recent delivery of art to The Little Beach Gallery in Hyannis the gallery owner told me that there had been some requests made for some new coastal images.
One of these was a "whale". In thinking about that we agreed that an entire whale might not make for a very interesting Torn Paper Painting....but a "tail" just might do the trick!
The other image request was that of a Piping Plover. Hmmm....since I'd already done so many seagulls....there didn't seem any reason that this couldn't be done as well.
"Piper" the plover turned out to be a fun little birdie to create. It gave me no real problems except for having to create some rice paper that could hold the look of some moist sand.
The "Whale Tail" was a bit of another matter. While the tail was interesting enough, I did feel the water had to take on a lot of life to give movement to this. Then...there was the matter of creating what would look like water droplets flying off the tail as it came out from the water. Not actually an easy task to be done with paper and make it light and airy. After a bit of a struggle with that....I finally found the answer!! (click on the pic to see a larger view)Yep...for now, a trade secret :) Unless some of you figure it out....not really all that hard...lol
I think the effect worked...and I'm almost sad to let them go!
 Oh well...no reason not to do it again :)



Lola

Another lovely lady of the sea.
Anyone remember the song...."whatever Lola wants, Lola gets".
Seriously...this is what mermaids are all about, aren't they? The sailors never stood a chance around them :)

A Big Oops!!

Yes...I guess mistakes do happen...even in the publishing world.
We of course expect to see it less often since there are numerous eyes that go over everything before going to print....but it still happens.

I'm honored and delighted to be a part of such a terrific publication as Cape Cod Magazine...but admit to being more than a bit disappointed in the mistake that happened in the Aug issue, especially after waiting months from when I was first approached by them till it hit the stands.


Left side - what happened...Right side - the right way



Seems that somewhere between the point where they received the images, to when it went to print, someone switched the orientation of the image...from portrait to landscape!! OH NO!!

I guess some would say an explanation is that the subject, being a fish, nobody could quickly see the mistake before it went to print.



What should have been!!



Well...being the artist...I nearly fell on the floor when I saw it. Seriously, the swimming position in that direction looks a bit unnatural to me. So...with the magic of Photoshop....I scanned that page in and corrected it myself. No, it doesn't help with the magazines out there on the stands....but made me feel better to be able to have this newly corrected page for my own personal use.



Oh well....as my daughter said when she saw it....."at least they didn't flip it the other direction and have it belly up".....lol

I told you...

Yes I did!! I said I could see a series coming from these chair pieces.
I guess I'm certainly on my way. Here's the latest. Yes....of course there is more to come!!
Lets face it....there are sooo many colors yet to be done.
And a group of rainbow chairs....yes....can't you see it now....

Seeds

With spring not too far away now...seeds of all kinds need planting.

a new little seed planted at Seeds Studio

I've been busy doing my "art seeding", with the joining of the co-op gallery to now...being part of a brand new gallery.
This lovely little gallery is not even a year old, but is in a great location on the coast of Maine in Wells. It is quite near Kennebunkport and Ogunquit.
What is especially meaningful is it's name...Seeds Studio.
As thir website explains, "Seeds Studio operates on the idea of planting positive seeds. Building upon the gifts, talents and abilities that each of us posses are the seeds we want to grow."
So..as of last week I have planted nine of my "Torn Paper Paintings" there....and I hope to watch things grow for all of us.
If you are in the area...stop by and take a peek. You'll enjoy what you see!
Check them out on FaceBook too...and be sure to "Like" them to keep up with what's happening!!

Merina

Yes...that's her name.

Have you ever been working on a piece of art and it somehow names itself? Well...every once in a while that happens to me. The name goes through my head every time I work on it.

Hey...who am I to argue. If that's what she wants to be called....so be it. I think it actually suits her.

This is the latest Torn Paper Painting. All she needs now is the varnish layer.

Off to see who swims by next.

Seagulls from scratch

Ahhh...and you thought seagulls were just those funny little ocean birds who flew into the picture looking around for everything and anything you may have left around!!

Nope...it's not that easy.

I've had a bit of a run on seagulls lately so I had to actually make some more "seagull" papers before I could even make more of those little birds.

The best papers in the shades of gray that I'd been working with were the ones I make myself. Sooo...that was the first part of the process.

 The result...my single guy...DB and my fun loving pair...Lucy & Ricky.

Yes...they sort of name themselves as they come to life.

The Newest

Just finished dropping off some new work at The Little Beach Gallery in Hyannis. They have been having a great summer there and sold 4 pieces of mine in one day last week.

Because of that....I needed to get the newest pieces I'd been working on down to them to fill that wall.

These are two of the newest that made the trip down today. Bill...the frog, and a pink lotus. 

Loved working on both of these.