Keeping up

Yes, that's my goal this year. For 2019 I plan to try to keep up with this blog once again. Not off to a very good start considering it already Feb. 2nd., but hey, takes time to get back up to speed.
I started off the year with the first month being mainly a huge clean up month for my art room. Needed to get into some very deep cleaning and purge whatever I could. Not easy. Still need to prune a bit more off the top, but after weeks of going at it, it's in darn good shape.
After the big clean up I finally got back to work and decided on some small bird pieces. Since the birds are all over the feeders right now with the single digit temps we've been having, they seemed like the perfect subject. My little "Woody" the woodpecker sold within a day after posting it to the Torn Paper Paintings facebook page.
I've also been keeping busy with the co-op gallery I joined about six months ago. Lovely place and lots of delightful and talented artist members as well. We have over 30 artists and the gallery is on two levels. Great space. Working in there a couple times a month is more fun than work. I can keep changing up my wall space, have nice chats with customers, and exchange information and inspiration with other artists. The gallery is The Hotpoint Emporium in the lovely town of Bristol, RI.
The name Hotpoint comes from the huge vintage neon sign on the outside of the building that referred to the appliances back in the day. Even though it's in desperate need of repair, it's a grand thing to see.
In fact, there is now a fundraiser for this purpose...to bring the sign back to it's former glory. We have already located a person who can do the repairs and get it back to glowing again with actual neon lights. Fingers crossed we can make this happen.
So, there you have it. This is what I'm up to and my plans at the moment.
I will do my best to stay on top of things here and will also update on any and all progress on the restoration of the Hotpoint sign.
Stay tuned.

a MAN

Yes....my first "merman"!
I've been interested in trying to make one for a while now since I've done so many lovely mermaids. I've discovered that the male version is a bit more difficult to do.
Being a female, I of course understand the form much better than the male. I wanted the merman to look strong and manly. However, as I soon discovered, just the very nature of the creature makes that rather difficult.
When you add the flowing tail to the male upper body, it had no choice but to soften the being.
Oh well, I can settle for now for a good looking "somewhat" strong male version and hope to learn more as I go.
Stay tuned for more to come I'm sure.
Oh yes...and if you have any ideas for some good male names for them, let me know.

Summer happens

Yep...it sure does.
As you can see, I haven't been here for a while. Sorry. I do try, really.
I'm sure most of you out there are actually very much like me and when the summer comes around and you're able to be out and about more often, some things take a back seat.
Here in New England, we try to enjoy every bit of summer weather we can before we fall back into those winter months.
Here we are, about to hit Sept 1st.  Where did the time go.
Well, here's a short run down on where mine went.
First of all, I have to have lots of Torn Paper Paintings ready for The Little Beach Gallery in Hyannis. Busy season there you know.
Secondly, this year was especially busy with being part of a fund raiser to create a yearly grant for women in need, in the name of my beautiful sister-in-law who passed away from cancer just over a year ago. The event was very time consuming, but raised a great deal of money to create this self sustaining grant.
Then of course there's all the regular stuff, gardening, beetlecat races, family gatherings...etc.
So, I do hope you'll continue to check in now, knowing that I'm aware I haven't spent much time with you....but that will change.
Why will it change you ask? Because I'm finishing up my new Torn Paper Paintings website as well, and attached to it, will be this blog. Yes. One stop shopping so to speak.
So, bear with me. We're almost there. I will announce it when it's "live".
And, since we're changing things up, I'll leave you with a pic of one of my latest pieces...Birds Eye 1.
Maybe there'll be some changing up of things in my artwork as well. Stay tuned.

As winter comes...

I hate to see the beautiful flowers in my gardens meet their end as winter comes in.
Looking at them fade, I found that I simply had to do something to keep their beauty alive in some way.
Yes...why not create a Torn Paper Painting of them!! So I did.
I had created an earlier piece with daisies, so decided to create a smaller daisy painting with a bit of metallic gold additions. Love the effect.
The next one I did was an assortment of the remaining garden flowers.
I have a cobalt blue vase. It's round with little holes all around it to insert flowers into.
I now have a lasting memory of the last blooms of the season.

Merry Christmas

No matter what or how you celebrate....I just wanted to take a moment to wish you a very Happy Holiday!!!

It's the little things!

Very recently my sister-in-law Amy returned from a trip to Myanmar. From all the photos she took and descriptions she gave it sounded like a most amazing trip indeed.
Since she was due to return shortly before her brothers (my husband) birthday, she bought a gift for him while there.
It is a most amazing "sand painting" on fabric. The colors are simply brilliant and the texture is lovely. Will be needing to frame this up nicely.


But....she didn't forget me in the process!! Oh no!! She knows her SIL well!

No, she didn't buy anything...no need. All she had to do was wrap up that sand painting in just the right "paper"!! YES....a local Myanmar newspaper!!

The text is just stunning....curvy and beautiful. Love it. I can't wait to make use of it in some of the next Torn Paper Paintings!!!
See...it really is the little things.
Thank you Amy!!

Welcome 2015

A brand new year to start fresh and make new memories!!
There is always soo much to look forward to in a new year. Travel, friends, opportunities, and all the unexpected surprises that make each year special!! I hope there are many grand ones for all of us!
I have new things in store for my Torn Paper Paintings....such as having my website updated soon as well as some special stealth projects in the works.
Also, my amazing husband and I both have a big...yes..Big birthday coming up this year...so we'd like to take another wonderful trip in honor of that too. Also...we still have more of our big backyard landscape renovations to complete this year. I'm sooo looking forward to that as well.
Sooo....cheers to all of us.
Here's to a big year ahead!!!

Really???

Is it Dec already??? Well....it will be in the morning!!!
Wow....I never seem to know where the time goes. If Dec. goes as quickly as Nov. did....I'd better get really busy...now!
The beginning of the month started with getting my new car...well, "new to me". She's a 2012 Mini, and in the most yummy color!!
Then, I finally got to hold the workshop for a private club...The Providence Handicraft Club. Had to cancel the previous date due to that being the day my old car got hit on the highway while trying to get there that morning. It was a great group of gals and a beautiful old building. This is just one (swimmer) of the works created that day!!
Well....I did manage to get some of my own art done.
I've been creating not only some 6"x6" Torn Paper Paintings ornament "paintings"....but I've also been doing some actual 3D ornaments. They are created on paper mache forms and layered with paper and varnish just as the paintings are. They are already a bit of a hit and I've got a batch going off to The Little Beach Gallery in Hyannis tomorrow! I also dropped off two more Whale Tail paintings at the gallery just over a week ago!
Then of course....Yes....we've just had thanksgiving!!!
It was a really lovely day. My husband & I & my MIL were invited to spend this holiday with our daughters new in-laws! It worked out beautifully and made for a nice way to all be able to enjoy the day together without the issue of who is going to who's house to see who!! We all know how tough that can be on newlyweds!! For this event I was to bring the cake. Well....I saw one on pinterest that caught my interest....and just had to make it. Almond/choco fudge shaped into pinecones with sliced almonds were the top of the cake.....a winner!
No....didn't get into the Black Friday thing....but I do plan to take a bit of advantage of Cyper Monday tomorrow!!
Soo....I do believe I've caught you up on what's been happening! Will try to do better :)
If you ever find me going MIA again....check in on the Torn Paper Paintings fan page. You don't have to have a Facebook account to see the page.
It'll bring you right up to date till I get back here again!!
Happy Dec!

Many interpretations

What would you think of with the theme "Surf & Turf"??
Hmmm....I think food mostly...lol  Shrimp & steak...ymmm!
Well....in the Westport area, about 85% think ocean, water, shore, beach...or anything that comes close to that.
Soo, when the latest art show was themed Surf & Turf...there was an abundance of beach/water paintings.
Never let it be said, that just because many artists are painting the same subject using the same medium, that they are at all "alike". Actually...far from it.
With each artist having their own style in their approach ...this was a show of many lovely water/beach/sea paintings!!  Subject & medium may have been the same, but none "alike"




Funny part....the winner for "best interpretation"...turned out to include "food"...lol




Best Interpretation

September already??

I can't believe it's Sept already. The winters seem to last forever....but not so for the summer!!!
I've been very busy and yes, have neglected my postings once again. Will try to do better this month...but must warn you....this is also the month that my beautiful daughter is getting married....so I may be a bit distracted...lol
To fill you in on what's been going on....lots of art. Yes...that's what keeps me busy in the art room and not so much online. Summer is certainly the busy season...and I'm happy for that!!















Newest pieces....I've done another Bass, different coloring than the first...and since two seagulls recently found new homes, I did another two..."Ben & Jerry"...lol



Right now I'm in the middle of a piece where I'm experimenting with backgrounds. This one is a seahorse. Usually I only do seahorses in the mini size..about 3" high. This one is 16" tall.
Will have to post a pic for you when it's done...but for right now...I'm pretty pleased with the way it's going.


The other update is that I finally got to deliver the four pieces that are becoming part of another corporate collection.
It is a brand new medical facility that is just doing the finishing touches on getting ready to open. I can't wait!!
Will tell you more about that too when the opening is official.

Soo...now that I've made a good start to a brand new month (and season) and have gotten you all up-to-date....fingers crossed that I come by here a bit more often.
At the very least...you can be guaranteed that there will be wedding pics showing up at the months end :)

Siren Sisters

I created a mermaid piece a few months ago that I named Serena...I felt she had a real serenity about her. Very peaceful.
Recently I decided to create another mermaid, a "Siren Sister" using the same basic shape that I gave the first...but, since no two piece can ever be the same even if I tried...I decided to not even come close.
This time I chose to go a more vivid route with the colors. While I kept her with the flaming red hair...the tail took on a colorful fun loving feel.
While the first is more of an inward looking gal....I believe the second is the party girl.
Or...as we can all relate to...maybe they are two different sides of the same person. You decide.

Serenity

Yes....that's how I see this piece....so I named her Serena.

She has an understated background to keep this calm scene. The only thing I added was a simple tone-on-tone design a little to the left....almost an image of sun reflected in the water. A peaceful thing for her to be looking at.

I've included a few detail shots for you to be able to see a bit more of what is hidden inside. (you'll have to click to see it better)

Love working on mermaids. I'm sure another one is right around the corner!

Tiny Art

Spent this week on a "mini" marathon.
No...not a quick run aound the block...a marathon of making little "mini canvases".
Since all the tiny art that was out in the gallery with their larger counterparts have sold out, it was time to stock up again.
This year, along with the seagulls...I've added little seahorses.
They make darling little holiday gifts when you want to give that something special but a big piece is just too much. The seahorses are 2"x 4" and the seagulls are 3"x 3".
I'm sending this little batch off to The Little Beach Gallery today then making a backup group.
I just love these tiny little canvases!!

Cocktail Time

It's only natural I guess that after having done the fist Cafe series my thoughts would go to "cocktails". A little something for everyone!
Just off the easel is a Bloody Mary....a personal favorite. I'm really pleased with this one. I think the colors work really well with each other. I tried keeping a fairly consistant pattern to the tears of the paper for the background and I think that was pretty effective as well.
Yes...you can be sure I've got others started, at least in beginning stages, for a cocktail series too.
Can't wait to show you.
Cheers!!

It's official

Yep...my latest venture is now happening. I am an official member of the Sandywood Gallery Co-Op in Tiverton, RI.

This is a gallery that is just about to reach 1yr old... so there are still learning curves ... but certainly well on their way. The building is delightful. It's bright, new, airy, and welcoming. The red door and front porch makes a nice first impression.

I realize that there may be challenges in taking this on and I'm honestly not sure how it'll go. I intend to start this in a very positive direction and have my fingers crossed that it'll all work out. I've got my dues paid, work on the wall, and am already on committees. All I'm waiting for is to have myself added to the members page on the website, which is in the works. Soo...we'll see how it goes.

My first and most important thing is to keep time to work on my art itself. I don't intend to let this take over to the point of becoming a problem with that. The galleries that already represent my art deserve to have new work to rotate and I also like to take part in numerous shows....not to mention that I hope to find myself published again if possible.

Soo....I do feel good about this right now and that it will fit into the plan just fine. We'll see. Can't know until we try!!

Never gets old!!

Nope....I have to admit it. Every time I see my work in print in another ad for the Cloth Paper Scissors new Emag...I get a bit giddy. I know..I know...it's not the first time I've been in print....

and with any luck...not the last. But let me tell you....it's always a pure delight every time I see it.
As any artist who has tried to get their work known can tell you....marketing is almost a full time job in itself. While I may work many many hours on my pieces...I work just as many hours getting myself out there. So, it's just wonderful every time you get to see how much progress has been made.
Cloth Paper Scissors has been amazing to me in that regard. These ads have been running in all their print magazines and I can't tell you how many of their email newsletters have had one piece or another of my work and sometimes refer to them directly. CPS....Thank You!!!

Fall Adult Classes.....sign up now!

Be sure to sign up early for classes at ArtWorks!!!

Another version



Click HERE for Download



Just wanted to pass along some information on the new eMag...Collage in Color.... from Cloth Paper Scissors.

 They have now created an iPad version and you can get the new downlond at the iTunes Store. How exciting. You're going to love the interaction in this eMag...so much more than you can get from a print magazine.
I can't wait for you to see it and look forward to your thoughts.

Some Great News

After all the sadness that has happened over the last couple of weeks...it's soo good to have a nice positive moment happen.

Some of you may remember that I'd been working on a special project back in June. It was one of my pail & shovel piece. Well....secret is now out. I have been featured in the very first issue of Cloth Paper Scissors eMag....Collage in Color!!!
You will totally LOVE this eMag. It's unlike your regular digital downloaded magazines. It's fully "interactive". You can watch videos...zoom in and out...see slide shows...and more!!

One of the coolest things you'll see is what was created with the pail & shovel piece. The editor had asked me to take photos all throughout the process...and what they created with them was a stop action video....so you can watch as it's being made. Cool indeed!
There are many awesome features in Collage in Color....so be sure to let me know what you think after you've seen it.

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.