Here's my newest abstract painting....just finished this morning.  It's acrylic on canvas (40 x 30) with lots on soft greens and bright reds.  I challenged myself - thought I would paint a red and green painting that wouldn't look like Christmas.  I think the painting is very successful.  It's great to be painting in my new studio.  This piece will be going to the Garth Gallery in Columbia, PA. 

I'm back finally - it was a long, hard move,  and at my age, it exhausted me, but it's at last over.  It's amazing to me how much "stuff" can accumulate over one's lifetime.  "Stuff" that is so hard to detach from.  We sorted - threw away, gave away, and boxed up our life's treasures.  It took weeks of loading and unloading boxes and furniture, with the help of our family and movers.  Now that it is behind us, parts of our new basement are loaded with boxes almost from floor to ceiling.  I'm not sure when we will ever use or need all the "stuff" we brought with us, but "just in case", we'll have it somewhere....

With all that said, I didn't pick up a brush from late October till just 2 weeks ago.  I was so anxious to start painting again.  Never do I want to go through such a dry spell of not creating - I love to paint, it's my passion.  Bob (my husband) and I worked on my new large studio (approx 25 x 17), though it's bare bones - cement floor, pegboard walls, handmade shelving, but it's mine - no carpet, no plush chairs, and no fancy store-bought furniture.  However, it's organized, has running water, lots of light, and plenty of room to paint and create:  several huge tables, portable lighting, a wall to attach canvas or paper to, an easel, shelves of paint lined up in a row, lots of storage, buckets of brushes and palette knives, and an encaustic area under the window.  What more can an artist ask for? Need I say more?  Two pictures of my studio are below...and as you can see, nothing fancy.  It will probably never be so neat again - I'm a messy painter.  What's so nice is that I now can paint at home - in the middle of the night or even at five in the morning if I want - where before when I rented a studio, I would have to drive 35 minutes just to begin.  I can now create, whenever.

It's heaven to be back!


 The Encaustic Area

My husband and I are in the process of moving - that's why I haven't posted anything for a while.  I did, however, complete 4 new paintings while studying independently at Springmaid.  I'll catch up with everything in a few weeks.  Our actual move starts tomorrow (Wednesday, the 25th) with our movers coming the following Wednesday (12/2).  We then have to get the old house ready for sale.  With that all said - "I'm excited" - I'll have a huge studio and gallery in my home!  I plan to post quite a few photos in 2 or 3 weeks.  Happy Thanksgiving to all! 

Well, I believe that I have taken the most wonderful workshop ... ever.  The instructor's name is Steven Aimone from Asheville, NC. (winter) and Monhegan, Maine (summer). Steve's website address is www.AimoneArtServices.com.  He instructs you to paint from within - does not do any demonstrating - simply gives you challenges to complete on very large paper (approximately 40 x 40).  You simply use drawing instruments such as charcoal, pencil, pastel, watercolor crayon - basically whatever will make a mark.  You may also use black and white acrylic paint - and very little color.  But, with that said, the color is the absolutely last piece of the painting - if you choose to use it at all.  I will strive to KEEP with me what I learned this past week.  I suggest to any artist who wishes to take a workshop to consider Steve's "expressive drawing" workshop - it's based on the "line and mark" - you will grow as an artist.  Excellent, excellent, excellent!  I'm already signed up for a second "abstract painting" workshop to be held in February of 2010 in Florida. 

  Summer - time has gotten away from me.  Like other artists, I’ve been busy over this past summer.  My art festivals were very successful - exhibited at Bethlehem, PA / Harrisburg, PA / Manayunk (Philadelphia), PA / and Lititz, PA.  They alone kept me on my toes trying to coordinate framing, pricing, booth set-up, etc., not counting the tear-down and putting away.  Art festivals are a lot of work.  Anyone going into them should do so with open eyes.  I have one more for the season - Kennett Square, PA which is a near Philadelphia.  It’s one of my biggest shows of the season, and I always enjoy being here.  I have a couple of photos from the art festivals above (Manayunk) and below (Bethlehem).
 

Other things that have been going on is teaching an experimental mixed media workshop at the Mechanicsburg Art Center.  It was a busy week of teaching and learning from each other.  Those who attended went home with several finished paintings.  Also, I attended 2 WONDERFUL workshops myself - even if you are a teacher as I, you NEVER stop learning!  The first workshop I attended was with Bob Burridge at Cheap Joe’s in Boone, NC.  I can’t say enough about Bob.  Not only does he keep you laughing, but he’s a wonderful teacher and I thoroughly enjoyed my week immensely with him.  The second one was with Pat Dews, again in Boone.  Actually, it was my second workshop with Pat.  I credit her with my journey to abstraction.  I always painted realistically, until Pat’s first workshop several years ago - her first workshop took me into a completely different style.  I decided to take her again since many of my friends from “Springmaid” were going to be there and we had a great time painting together and visiting one another.  Pat has become a friend.  It always amazes me to think of all the artist friends I have made over the years - from Florida to Maine and everywhere in between.  I always miss them on my return to home.  

Plus, I have been painting to my heart’s content!  I will post some of them soon - they have to be photographed.  Other news, I have been selected to exhibit in a new gallery opening here in Harrisburg, “Sparma”.  The grand opening will be early September, and I’ll, hopefully, post some of those  photos as well.  Talk to you soon!   Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Wow, I haven't posted for awhile.  I've just been too busy and I have so much to post.  At least I'll try to catch up on a few things.  I've been very successful with selling paintings.  The economy is definitely getting better!  During my past two street art festivals - Bethlehem, PA and Harrisburg, PA - I sold a total of 11 large original paintings and also a few smaller paintings.  I have been overwhelmed with the fantastic comments about my work.  I also completed a commission recently (Timeless). 

Some national and international shows that I have been accepted to exhibit are: 

1 - PWS (PA Watercolor Society) - "Wonderland" - water media  (opens in August)
2 - ISEA (International Society of Experimental Artists) - "Red Square" - encaustic (opens in Sept)
3 - Watercolor USA 2009 (Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO) - "All Things Remembered" - water media 
4 - VMRC (Harrisonburg, VA) - "Spectator" - encaustic
5 - A Fine Line (Center for the Creative Arts in Fredericsburg, VA) - "Green Squared" - encaustic
6 - Lancaster County National Juried Art Show - "Earth Matters" - encaustic.

So far, I have won 2 awards - in the national show in Lancaster, I won 3rd place for Earth Matters
and the the regional show at York County Art Association's annual abstract show, I took 2nd place for one of my newest pieces "Revelation" -

And I just received word today that my piece at the Watercolor USA 2009 exhibit at the Springfield Art Museum in Springfield, MO sold to a patron of the museum!

 

I'm packing up the van today - headed for Philadelphia tomorrow for the Manayunk (Phila) Art Festival that is being held on Saturday (11-8) and Sunday (10-5) on the main street in Manayunk.  If you are in the area, please stop by. 

Other BIG NEWS!  I just started painting in my new "Art Studio & Galley" at the Mechanicsburg Art Center in Mechanicsburg, PA.  Now that I have committed myself for the rental of a studio, I've been painting even more.  Next week, I'll post some photos of my (ever so humble) studio - it's small, but it's mine.    Till Next Week ...

I'm afraid that I'm falling in love with canvas.  Here is my newest piece - it's a bright colorful acrylic piece on canvas - and big - 48 x 36.  I exhibited it for the first time at the ArtFest in Harrisburg over the Memorial Day holiday and it got "lots of good attention" and great comments. 

Here are a few pictures of my encaustic demo at the Greater Norristown Art League (commonly known as GNAL) also a few photos of the actual workshop held in May.  GNAL is located in East Norriton (suburban Philadelphia, PA) and was founded in 1941 as a non-profit organization.  The art league offers day and evening classes to both the young and old along with all media workshops and exhibition opportunities.  They also offer summer camps for children.  The beautiful stone building is an historic E. Norriton schoolhouse and at least 40 people attended the evening demo.  The workshop was filled to capacity with 13 attendees.  I have also uploaded 2 photos of some of the beautiful pieces that were created during the one-day workshop.   

I just wanted to share last night’s encaustic demonstration at the Howard County Arts Guild in Elliott City, just outside of Baltimore, Maryland.  

First of all let me say - what a beautiful facility!  The guild is actually housed at the Howard County Center of the Arts which was founded in 1993 as a non-profit, volunteer organization that promotes art education and appreciation in the local community.  Not only do they have a grant program, but many adult and children classes and workshops are held in visual art, theater, music and ballet plus other specialized workshops and summer camp programs.  It also houses two galleries.  I know everyone who lives in the region realizes what a gem they have in the Center!  The building itself is a renovated former elementary school building.  What a wonderful use of a building that would normally have been demolished.

I have included several photographs of the encaustic demonstration.  My host, Cher Compton, President of the Guild, could not have been more welcoming or gracious.  All who attended left with a new appreciation of the encaustic medium.  Such excitement and enthusiasm!  If you haven’t observed an encaustic demonstration, you are missing out.  Never have I used a medium that is so receptive to all other mediums - dry pigment, pastel (both dry and oil), watercolor, charcoal, oil, collage and mixed media.  There was so much excitement about the encaustic process that the Guild plans to sponsor an encaustic workshop this coming September or October.    Some photos are below.