Apparition

I love to find the balance between chaos and refinement. I love splattering paint, and scribbling onto a canvas.. and then I love looking deeper, and peering close. 

I love finding little details to expound upon. I like blurring my eyes and seeing where images come out. I love watching faces emerge from out of nowhere and I like to ask my canvas, "Who wants to come out."

Sometimes I even leave a painting background for several days until I see something emerge from textures and colors. 

I have found that I usually paint women. I'm not entirely sure why. In fact, I was discussing this over tea the other day! Why do women painting other women?

To me, woman are beautiful and they hold a sense of mystery about them. When I paint, I like to convey emotion and spark thoughts. What better way to personify emotion, then to add a face.

The intuitive side of a woman is the side of mystery. The High Priestess of The Tarot represents the mysterious and secretive side of Woman. She holds the keys to greater understanding, and divine mystery. She is secretive, spiritual and mysterious. This is the type of woman I like to paint. 


This painting is called "Apparition" because she appeared like a spirit.This is one of the first "restricted color scheme paintings that I've tried in a while. I chose to keep the colors pink, and yellow, with slight variations of black and darker brown. I feel like the restricted pallet sets a mood and a tone.

I finished painting the background and couldn't decide what I wanted to use in the foreground. I was experimenting with intuitive painting as well as some new water soluble pastels. I started to notice some facial features within the brush strokes of the background.

So, I took my pastels and started drawing! The water soluble pastels turn into paint when you bring water over them. Kind of like a mix between acrylic and watercolor. I had so much fun drawing, then blending with water.

I kept kicking myself for not having bought these sooner! Especially since they were in my amazon card for four years! 

"Apparition"

16x20 mixed media Original

8x10 high Quality Prints

Feel The Rain

Last Friday I finally posted pictures of the finished painting "Feel The Rain." I couldn't be more proud of it. I don't think I've ever been this proud of a painting to be honest. So much of my soul went into this. This is the first real painting for myself that I did since my little painting "hiatus." I used my super high quality professional paint, using different techniques than I've used before. I had to admit to myself... I'm still learning. I am never ever going to be done learning this stuff... so the more I learn, the more proud I will be of myself.
I think you can see the differences in this one vs my past work. I still enjoy my older stuff, but there are differences. The skin tone is more realistic, and I really stuck to a color scheme. As I finished it I said, "Wow... I'm actually proud of this one."
Usually I finish and say "I think I like it, but there are things I would have done differently."
Here are some of the progress shots I posted on Instagram throughout the weeks I worked on her.

I also photographed the painting in a different way than I normally did. I made my entire home a light studio and took the photo on the easel with a white background. I really focused on photographing this one. The details came out amazing. Not a single detail is blurred and the lighting was perfect as there is no "noise" in the dark areas.

I have the original listed in the shop, as well as some prints! This painting is oval, so the prints will be oval too. The prints will be roughly 8x10 on 8.5x11 inch paper, so set in a standard 8.5x11 inch frame it should look like it has a white mat..  Of course you could always get it matted, but I'm not too sure on the matting process. (I did learn it in college, but for some reason that part never stuck, probably because it involves numbers and a little bit of math.) No regrets.

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Lady Unicorn

I've been working on this one for ages it seems! This painting "Lady The Unicorn" is quite obviously based off of the Lady and The Unicorn tapestries . Middle Ages art has always been super inspiring to me. I remember being very young and seeing paintings on the museum walls, and it clicked... I wanted to do that! For a while I've been painting my own style and just recently I've decided to dabble in a more themed look. I chose a more Middle Ages theme. You can still see my style in the paintings, but I've taken some traditional aspects of the classic works. 

These new paintings seriously made me miss my Art History courses from college! 

Those were my favorite classes, even over the studio courses! 

I have the Original  listed here. It measures 10x15.5 inches on wood panel. 

8x10 Prints are here.

Original 

Prints 

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Happenings, and a Sale!

So, I've been busy. These last few weeks have been crazy busy, and I'm incredibly lucky for it. You guys all know, I'm giving this whole work from home thing a go. The beginning of this month has been great! Shipping lots of paintings, prints and doing commissions. I've loved every minute of it. In fact I've got another huge box to ship tomorrow.

I was even able to get the printer I've been DYING to get! And, I'm in love. Here is a little bit about my new printer.  First of all, his name is Harry Potter. He's an HP printer, and I say, "Yer a printer Harry." every time I see him. I'm not even a huge Harry Potter fan! But I sure do love my new printer! That test print they did resembles my face upon seeing my printer for the first time!

This printer was specially made for me! Well, re-made that is...  It was a bit pricey, but I'm thinking it will be 100% worth it.
It's a continuous ink printer. There are little jugs on the side of it that constantly feed Harry Potter the Printing Wizard ink. It shouldn't run out of ink for a while... and it's soooo fun to watch. The print quality is fabulous too.

And of course, if you get an artist a new printer, they will need a new shelf to put it on.

If you get a new shelf to put it on, you will need to repaint the knobs, then decide you need totally new ones, which still don't do it justice so you will probably need to repaint the knew knobs too.



And if you get an artist a new shelf with newly painted knobs, you will need to get a new lamp, rug, baskets and containers, and while you are at it, just redecorate the studio!

And if you redecorate the studio, you might as well go to Ikea for other little elements needed in the newly decorated shop. And at Ikea, you might as well take a nap when you are lost in the maze. 

Don't forget to top the entire ordeal off by shopping for shipping supplies and being allowed to cut your own bubble wrap. And being so excited about it you dance down the aisles in a merry fashion. 

Okay, let's take this down a notch... 

Cause this hasn't been all fun and games and dancing with a bubble wrap flag.

I've been under a ridiculous amount of stress too! 

I received an email from my publisher, I'm now able to start the sequel to Cinderskella! 

(pssst go buy it!)

While this is great news, it's also super, mega, mind blowingly stressful. 

My dead line is in like a month... and I have 80 illustrations due! 

I jaw dropped when I saw that email.

Good thing I don't have a day job eh?

So, what this means is a lot of late nights for me. 

(It's 7:10 am as I type this. I have yet to sleep tonight!)

It also means no more custom paintings until after April. 

I'm so sorry about this, I currently have a waiting list you are welcome to hop on! 

Hat turn around time is about a week as well..

And new paintings and the Tarot Deck is on hold until after April.

Good thing time goes by fast when you are having fun??

The wrist brace was introduced after only 5 of 80 illustrations... eeek! 

I spoke with the publisher about the crazy amount of work that needs to get done in such little time, as last year for the first book I had only 40 or so illustrations to do in 6 months. He offered to cut the illustrations in half... but I couldn't do it.

I would much rather work my butt off and be proud of the work I do, rather than chicken out and only do half the work. So, if I ever "complain" about this, it's not really complaining, because to be honest, I love stress, and I love the way it fuels me. I was just explaining to Sterling how I need that stress in my life. I need deadlines, and a good amount of a challenge. It's how I thrive...


I'm very excited for this stressful busy time in my life. I'm excited about the new printer too! I've been wanting it for a very long time.. and I'm Very excited.  So I've decided to have a sale all week! This sale is in the art shop only this time.. since I don't have 3 hours to spend on hats right now. I can't wait for you guys to see the quality of these prints! Plus I'll try to include some special goodies in the packages this week too.
Enter the code THANKU35 for 35% off everything in the art shop. I still have some sale paintings up, so you can take an additional 35% off those paintings that are marked down. The sale lasts all week!

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Productive Days

This weekend was fantastic and full of my favorite things. Sterling and I went to our favorite antique and thrift stores. Found some really fantastic books, Sterling bought me a fire opal and pearl ring so I could always feel like a princess. We went to our favorite holistic and new age shops, and our new favorite "witchy" store, Gypsy Caravan. We spent so much time out and about in our favorite places together.  Our book shelves are overflowing with books. And my kitchen counters are overflowing with new herbs and oils.

We got home from our adventure and I started on projects. In one night, I made a rug from clearance placemats. I revamped a little cabinet from a thrift store into a little shelf to display my crystals. I also made some bath salts for aches and pains and relaxation. And even got a little painting done.

 

I love busy, full, productive weekends like this. 

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