MagicMarkingsArt an artful blog about color and whimsy

Valentine Art Prints for Children

2012-01-26T15:09:00.000-05:00

A few new inspirational prints

for the children in your life.

Count the waves, Periwinkle blue 8x10 inch print

An adorable art print for a little ones bedroom or bathroom reproduced from my original illustration.

Count the waves, Honeysuckle pink 8x10 inch print

And one just for the little girl who has captured your heart.

You are important, Apple green 8x10 inch print

An inspirational print that reaffirms and empowers with this quote from "The Help", You are kind, you are smart, you are important.

Funny Surfer Valentine, 5x7 inch print

This 5x7 inch print comes with a plain sturdy backing so it can be given as a card, placed on an easel or framed and hung!

These are just a few new prints which are available in my shop to view more just click here and thanks for looking!

In the mood for love

2012-01-22T14:28:00.000-05:00

These delicious red images put me in the mood for the season of love.

Food for thought and the sense of taste:

Not that I need any incentive, but don't you just adore this pop of red word art in a mainly white kitchen. Although, I think if these were followed by the letters C A K E the saying would be perfect ~ since we all know a meal is just not complete until dessert has been served! This typography can be created by painting wooden letters, which are widely available, with a couple of coats of red acrylic paint and a top coating of varnish. Or can be ordered ready made like those shown above through this web site here.

The figurative paintings of Russian born artist Andre Kohn are rich with color and an intense palette knife texture. Andre was raised by an artistically gifted family near the Caspian Sea in southern Russia where his childhood and art education corresponded with an eruption of cultural progress in all the arts, including ballet, literature, music and painting. Andre was principally influenced by such artists as, Nicolai Fechin, Ilya Repin, Valentin Serov, and the classics: Edgar Degas , John Sargent, Joaquin Sorolla. The precise convergence of these dynamic influences have produced one of the most collected figurative painters on the American art scene today.

Even mac and cheese would look like a five star meal if served on this gorgeous dinnerware by PiP studio's whose motto just happens to be ~ "Happy products for Happy people" In her warm and intimate style PiP often uses a mix and match concept with layered patterns and a sharp eye for tiny details and special finishing touches combined with a subtle colour pallet. Keep your eyes open for PiP products as she is beginning to make a name for herself in Australia and is taking her first careful steps in America too. I for one cannot wait to see more!

A sweet Valentine treat for the littles and bigs ~ cake pops made with an oreo truffle recipe and a cupcake mold. Only one word needed here: Delicious.

If in need of an elegant and tasty way to show your love, nothing beats Dipped strawberries. Box your berries up and present them as a gift or serve them on a plate surrounded by pink, white and red roses!

Je t'aime, mon amour.

Monday's in my studio

2012-01-18T18:17:00.000-05:00

WELCOME ALL ARTISTS

A glimpse back at this past Monday's art class.

Our sweet cat Roxy likes to hang out on the art table in anticipation of the artists weekly arrival. As soon as the ladies gather in my studio Roxy will begin looking for her favorite art bag in which she'll hide and take a little cat nap.

CAUTION: WOMEN AT WORK

A few different views taken from around the room.

Roxy in her favorite spot - inside the art bag. The best place to hide from a room full of painting, gabbing, laughing artists ~ yet close enough for a little loving if so needed.

A FINISHED PORTRAIT PAINTING

It's been the consensus in our art class that a painting cannot be signed until it has received a final critique and been given the nod of approval by almost all members of the class. Sometimes there is a great sigh of relief and cause for celebration when one can finally sign their name. This past Monday we had reason to celebrate!

Karan Alan received a nod from all, including one from her best critic and the model for her portrait painting - her beautiful teenage daughter. I wish I had a close up of the painting because Karan's composition and use of color is incredibly gorgeous!

And so this week comes to a close.

Thank you for your visit. Please feel free to join us again next week, Roxy will be waiting!

A little more love

2012-01-17T09:35:00.001-05:00

For your valentine

Having a husband and son who surf, I know it can be difficult to find a Valentine card that suits their personality. So I've been playing around with ideas and thought it would be fun to add humorous quotes to a few of my prints.

Surfing Valentine Prints

I've been searching for you everywhere.

I love you more than my surfboard!

You're swell retro surfing Valentine

All the prints are produced with high-quality archival pigment based inks on luster paper with beautiful color, which won't fade so your favorite surfer can save your love note forever. I've also added a sturdy backing so they can be placed on an easel or framed and hung after Valentines Day, making them a gift that keeps on giving!

I'm still playing around with humorous Valentine quotes for surfer boys and beach babes and will be adding more here soon. Stop on by and feel free to let me know what you think!

In My Studio

2012-01-16T08:23:00.000-05:00

Creating an art studio filled with hearts, love and creativity.

A whole new world. Every turn a surprise, every moment red-letter. Let me share this whole new world with you. Liberally taken from "A whole new world" by Aladdin.

There's nothing like the thought of Valentine's Day to get one's heart soaring, and one's mind churning with creativity. At least not in my studio where paper, in the colors of red, pink and purple, have been folded, cut and shaped into a kazillion little hearts all waiting to be strung together.

And pom poms, in the same luscious colors, along with a string of purple beads, now adorn the chandelier, creating a dazzling display with which our cat would love to play. The chandelier is hung right above my art table, and it has become one of Roxy's favorite decorations.

The art manikins, standing above my display board, have been linked together with a bit of pink rick-rack and each hold a pink heart. I'm thinking the use of these decorated manikins would create a fun Valentine's drawing and painting project for my art students - maybe on watercolor paper! Seriously, for the month of February, how cute would that be?!

I love having my studio decorated for the holiday and will be adding and posting more images throughout this week - so please come back to let me know what you think.

In my studio

2011-12-06T10:39:00.000-05:00

Custom home re-design

If it could really be this easy.

So, a customer purchased my custom home portrait ornament and along with her image sent the following requests: When painting the ornament please eliminate the car in the driveway, the telephone pole, the garbage cans, the bare bushes which obscure the house to the left of the front door and the bare tree which is blocking the front door.

Don't you wish reworking the landscape around your house could be this easy! With just a few swipes of a super large brush all those little things that drive you crazy, or take up a huge portion of your weekend could quickly be eliminated, fixed or built!

My yard boys ~ my husband and, when he's home from college, my son ~ could go from head scratching, hauling, digging, sawing and constructing to simply requesting a few minor changes to the backyard.

With a bit of erasing here, a swoosh of the brush there to add a little texture and color, and wallah you're ready for dinner on the deck!

Unfortunately, life doesn't work like that. So I'll go back to sketching, painting and filling customer requests and my husband will go back to planting, raking and fulfilling my requests :)

If you'd like more information on custom painted portraits, please click here. If you'd like to hire out my husband click here. :) just kidding, he's a keeper.

In my studio

2011-12-01T22:52:00.000-05:00

24 more days until Christmas!

Happy December.

After a nice little get-away over the Thanksgiving holiday to my families all time favorite city, Charleston, S.C., I am fill of grits and turkey and ready to get back to the business of painting. But before I go any further let me just say, if you ever have the opportunity to get yourself to Charleston you really must pay a visit to Hominy Grill. The food there is simply to die for!

BACK IN MY STUDIO

I began painting this portrait while we were down in Charleston. Since my son, daughter and husband like to sleep in and I tend to rise early, I used this time to get a few custom pieces painted. Which means, yes, I did bring my paints, canvas, bisque, glaze ie. work with me.

The painting was divided into thirds, cut and adhered to three sanded and stained wood blocks. Then given a clear coat of glaze to seal and protect my work.

The finished piece of sculptural art was packaged and shipped out yesterday to my customer in Australia ~ where if all goes well, it will arrive in plenty of time for Christmas!

This wedding portrait ornament is rather remarkable ~ and I'm not talking about the picture, which I totally love ~ but the fact that it is a custom piece ordered by the groom as a keepsake gift for his new bride. I have had male customers before, so that's not unusual, but my wedding portrait ornaments are almost always ordered by the bride, one of her female friends or by the brides mother or mother-in-law. So my feeling on this one is ~ what a thoughtful, loving gift. Yup ladies I would have to say I think this guys a keeper! I do love this image and can't wait to see what it looks like once fired in my kiln!

And here's another custom gift ordered by a male customer. This portrait is for the mans mother who was a huge fan of Regis Philbin. On the back is written, per his request, "Regis Philbin's Biggest Fan for 26 years The Morning Show & Live!" I hope this little Regge brings her many years of holiday happiness.

Thanks for stopping by - if you'd like to see a few more custom pieces, please bring your jolly little self to my shop by clicking here

In my studio

2011-11-22T14:25:00.001-05:00

New works in process

Paintings and Ornaments

This family portrait, in the process of being painted, is a Christmas gift for my customers grandparents. Using her photo as inspiration, the image is painted with acrylics onto an 8x10 inch acid free, cold press paper to look like a Polaroid picture.

When composing the scene, I cropped her original image down to this size, and focused on the four family members.

I adore this picture of four brothers hanging out in a tree, and think it's going to be one of my favorites custom ornaments once finished.

Two best friends ~ sketched, outlined, painted and fired in my kiln. It really is amazing how different glaze colors are once fired.

A baby boy crawling towards the camera, an image forever memorialized on an ornament. I love the funny perspective and think this has to be another one of my favorites!

This adorable ornament is a thank you gift for my husbands cousin and her husband, who let us stay in their gorgeous NYC apartment last Thanksgiving. Well, my two babies will be home from college in a few hours (Yippeeeee!!!) so I need to get my act together.

If you'd like more information on Custom Portrait Polaroid Paintings or Custom Portrait Ornaments please click here

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

New Holiday Home Decor

2011-11-19T11:50:00.000-05:00

For Holiday Entertaining

Hand drawn and painted Ceramic dinnerware with a whimsical, vintage inspired theme.

Vintage inspired trailer in coastal colors perfect for a holiday table, kitchen counter or for your favorite cook.

Hand drawn and painted with lead-free glazes, signed on the back and fired in my kiln. These plates are sure to add a burst of color and fun to your table, party or wall.

Polka dots in green, red and turquoise add a touch of fun which would be perfect for holiday decor in a beach house or coastal cottage.

This vintage inspired "Woodie" carries a Christmas tree back to its seaside home, while Jingle all the way happily plays in the background.

Santa, or party guests, would sure be jolly eating delicious holiday vittles off of a plate like this.

If you are interested in, or inspired by my holiday dinnerware - please click here. Happy Holidays from my home to yours.

Open Studio

2011-11-18T13:46:00.000-05:00

Open Studio ~ Pottery Painting

A new addition to my class schedule is an Open Studio on Friday mornings. For the past few weeks we've been painting bisque pottery for gift giving at Christmas.

This open studio is a great time for relaxing over doughnuts, coffee and talk while working on our holiday gift lists. Here, a beloved family pet pooch gets her portrait painted onto a bisque ball.

A Bethlehem star ornament is painted with thoughts of a baby girl whose arrival, according to her big brother, is in ten minutes. (Fortunately for us and his mother his concept of time is still a little bit off!)

While the very young grandmother to above mentioned grand-babies, paints keepsake ornaments for her daughters two boys. A mother-daughter morning out, how perfect.

And an ornament is hand painted in thanks for a dear friend whose arms and faith are strong and dearly appreciated.

These two ladies, who easily tire of too much chatter, happily share a cozy porch bench and dream of leftover doughnut crumbs.

See you in two weeks ladies - Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday!

Works in Process

2011-11-16T12:31:00.002-05:00

In my studio

This past weekend I finally finished sanding, priming and painting the extra large craft table I made for my studio. I absolutely love it - humongous work space, shelving units for storage underneath, and much better looking then the ratty old tables that used to occupy this space! My inspiration came from the site everyone is talking about, Pinterest! Find the plans for this fabulous table here

Roxy finds this new space very comfortable, especially when it's a little too cold on the porch.

Being up on my new craft table gives her an opportunity to watch me work, and seems to be a cozy spot on which to take her afternoon siesta.

On The Table

Works in Process

For the newlyweds, a first Christmas ornament, in the process of being sketched with a very sharp pencil.

For the OSU sports fan - a super cute image takes shape with a few strokes of the pencil.

For the animal lovers Christmas tree - three very special keepsake ornaments sketched and outlined.

And another order handmade in loving memory of a customers very special family pet, Reggie, who sadly passed away a few weeks ago.

A close up portrait of two newlyweds who were married on September 24th. This keepsake will hopefully hold a place of honor on their Christmas tree for many, many years to come.

And finally, a few Christmas tiles I'm creating for MOCA's (Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art) Holiday Craft Sale on Sunday, December 4 from 9 - 5pm.

Back to work...

Back to the table so I can finish painting these pieces and get them into my kiln. If you would like more information on my work, please feel free to visit me in my online studio here

In my studio

2011-11-10T18:24:00.001-05:00

Tis the week before Thanksgiving and all through the house, I'm painting like crazy ~ there's even paint on my spouse!

This keepsake ornament for a grandmothers tree, is a portrait of granny with grand-daughter propped on her knee.

The sweet portrait ornament with the old dogs covered in gray, was made for a friend and kiln-fired today.

And for the best friend who's been there through the years, is a keepsake gift which is sure to bring laughter and tears.

The ornaments once fired are so cheery and bright, I know they'll be met with unbridled delight.

Now back to the studio, there's more work yet in store - but you can click here if you'd like to see more.

Gifts for the hostess

2011-11-08T11:15:00.000-05:00

A few holiday gift giving ideas for your favorite hostess.

Do not wait until the last minute to start shopping for that great party hostess, or for the one who always has the door open and wine chilled!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T12:31:00.000-04:00

From my Spooky Family

May your day be frighteningly fun and fulled with ghoulish laughter.

Tis the season

2011-10-28T17:47:00.000-04:00

For days and evenings spent sketching and painting as Holiday orders start rolling in!

I love those wonderful customers who order their custom Christmas gifts before the holiday rush sets in!

I just finished sketching and painting three custom ornaments for one customer - they will be going into the kiln tonight, along with an engagement and baby portrait ornament.

I love the sense of fun expressed in this wedding portrait. The couple is on a football field and you can see a school in the background. This setting obviously holds a special place in the hearts of the bride and groom. I would love to hear the story behind their special picture.

I adore this little girls hat, which is probably as tall as she is. An outline pen is perfect for outlining the painted portraits.

For this engagement ornament, I had to crop together a couple of different photographs to create an image of the couple in front of Disney Land - where they are set to be married come March 2012.

Now...off to the kiln for the firing process. If you are interested in seeing more custom ornaments, or in placing an order ~ just click here And thanks for stopping by!!

The Storyteller

2011-10-24T12:48:00.000-04:00

And the patient pup...

Our sweet, and very patient, pup helped me watch my niece a few weeks ago. These images were just too cute not to share.

In Memory

2011-10-20T08:21:00.001-04:00

Susan Moss Bernhardt

July 18, 1961 - October 19, 2011

In my studio

2011-10-12T11:34:00.001-04:00

Working on a custom wedding portrait Christmas ornament

I recently received a request for a custom wedding portrait ornament along with this gorgeous picture. I had to smile at the hands clutching onto the grooms arm - mothers do love their sons! I am just about 100% positive that will be me when my son eventually ties the knot.

Since the photograph only included the bride and groom, sorry mom I couldn't include your portrait in my sketch. But I hope I did your handsome son and beautiful bride justice.

For me, painting figures on bisque is much different than painting them on canvas. In painting with acrylics, the colors are visible as soon as they're mixed on the canvas. Yet with glaze paints, the colors aren't true until after the piece is fired in a kiln.

The ornament is in my kiln ~ and I won't know how my mixed colors look until after the firing process is finished. Here's hoping for the best :)

And...fresh out of the kiln...the finished ornament! What a big difference between the unfired and fired glaze colors. So happy with the way results of this custom piece.

If you are interested in seeing a few of my finished custom portrait ornaments, just click here

Our happiest of days...

2011-10-05T15:42:00.000-04:00

I received this photo and lovely little note from an international customer who ordered a set of my VW van cuff links this past summer.

"just thought you might like to see, they were wonderful on our happiest day"

I love it when a grateful customer sends me a photo of their purchase. It is such a thoughtful gesture and one very much appreciated.

Thanks again Marije!

Love these!

2011-10-03T13:49:00.000-04:00

Performance based paintings by Ana Teresa Fernandez

Exploring the physical, emotional and psychological boundaries and stereotypes imposed on women and their sexuality.

Ablution

Untitled (Performance documentation) Oil on canvas

"Ablution is a series of paintings that derive from performances that submerge the body into specific sites, addressing rituals of cleansing and maintenance, focusing on gender, labor, sexuality and race."

Telarana

Untitled (Performance documentation) Oil on canvas

Ana Teresa's first paintings in the body of work titled "Telarana" were of women dressed in Tango attire, performing cleaning activities or domestic chores in private and public spaces. As in Tango, the women duel with their partner — the environment.

Tang

Untitled (Performance documentation) Oil on canvas

Her attempt to use the body as a symbolic and measuring device for exploration that pushes and pulls the space to its limits, activating it until one feels it pushing back. This dance references the battle between media and predetermined gender notions and expectations, versus instinctual desires and self-empowerment.

Untitled (Performance documentation at San Diego/Tijuana border )

Ana Teresa's work investigates how women identify their strengths and sensuality in performing labor in which there is no visible economic or social value, and which is frequently considered “dirty.” She also subverts the typical overtly folkloric representations of Mexican women in paintings by changing her characters uniform to the quintessential little black dress. Wearing this symbol of American prosperity and femininity, the figure tangos through this intangible dilemma portrayed by a multiplication of self and the endless and futile task of cleaning the environment to accentuate the idea of disposable labor resources.

You can see more of Ana Teresa Fernandez' work by visiting her website here

Wedding Portrait Painting

2011-09-29T08:00:00.006-04:00

I have become somewhat fixated lately with painting romanticized Polaroid snapshots. Perhaps it has to do with the sense of nostalgia one feels when seeing a Polaroid picture. I know I used to love playing with my Polaroid camera. The instant gratification received and the cool look of the images was priceless. These dreamy childhood memories are now sparking my creativity ~ the latest of which is painted portraits.

Inspiration for my first portrait painting came from a "Save the date" engagement picture. The bride is our good friends daughter, therefore we are quite fond of this cute couple.

I wanted to create a keepsake for the bride and groom to commemorate their special occasion, and thought a Polaroid painting would be perfect.

For my process, I taped off a square in the center of a piece of 5x4 inch acid free, cold press paper, then drew their portrait and painted it with acrylics. After removing the tape I painted the edges white and coated the entire piece with a gloss varnish to seal and protect my work.

Although I didn't include their names and wedding date, I think prints from a custom Polaroid painting would make unique "Save the date" cards, or fun thank you cards.

I hope the couple is pleased with the outcome of their painted Polaroid Portrait!

If you'd like to have an image made into a Portrait, visit my shop here. If you have any ideas for more Polaroid portraits and want to share them with me, please feel free!

In my Studio

2011-09-27T12:44:00.001-04:00

Working on another surf inspired Polaroid painting.

The Inspiration:

The original photo taken last week shows my husband heading out into the early morning surf. I love the bright reflection of sunlight off of his arm and surfboard!

The Painting:

The photo inspired painting in process. I am working with acrylics on a piece of 4 x 5 inch cold press paper in which I taped off a square before painting so the finished work resembles a Polaroid.

A close up view of my work as I try to recreate the reflective quality of sunlight. Hoping to have this painting finished today and listed in my shop tomorrow.

Please, don't be afraid to leave a friendly critique - on my painting, not my husband :)

Skateboard house

2011-09-26T13:20:00.000-04:00

Because some boys never grow up
The PAS House

Francois Perrin of LA-based Air Architecture was asked by former pro skateboarder and founder of Etnies footwear, Pierre-André Senizergues to design and build a fully skateable house. With the help of Gil Le Bon Delaponte, a long-time skating buddy of Seniergues, a full scale 753 sq. foot prototype dubbed the PAS house was built and put on display this past summer at La Gaite Lyrique in Paris.

"The concept of the house is a ribbon that creates a continuous surface to be skated from the Outside to the Inside. The house is divided into three separate spaces. The first one includes the living room, dining area and kitchen.

The second one includes a bedroom and bathroom and the third one a skateboard practice area. Each space is skateable as the ground becomes the wall then the ceiling in a continuous surface forming a tube of a 10ft diameter.

The furniture is also skateable, whether it is integrated in the curve like the sitting area, the kitchen or the bathroom or just as standing object like the dining table, the kitchen Island or the bed. Closets and drawers could be integrated in the curve too." The house is now being built at the top of Malibu's Las Flores Canyon and will be furnished with items from the Skate Study House.

What child doesn't grow up dreaming about a house like this - a real life dream just about to come true. It gives us something to which we can aspire!!

Autumn Surf

2011-09-24T15:00:00.000-04:00

Last week I brought my camera along for an early morning bike ride/surf check with my husband. Autumn along our coast is delightful, especially when the sun is just peaking up over the horizon and the beach is relatively quiet. As my husband surfed I was able to capture a couple of nice photos which proved to be inspirational for a new Polaroid painting series.

AUTUMN SURF POLAROID PAINTINGS

The peaceful nature of this man captured my attention as he fished patiently along the shore. I love the way the early morning sunlight reflected off the water and the fisherman.

After deciding this same spot was as good as any, my husband headed out to join a few surfers already in the water.

The photo that inspired this painting was too perfect not to paint. As they look off into the distance for an incoming swell it seems as if they're saluting the sun, or a naval ship that can often be seen along our horizon.

Meanwhile, more surfers peddled along the boardwalk with surfboards in tow, checking out different surf breaks before paddling out themselves.

Other surfers, who were out in the water much earlier, called it a day and headed back home. You have to admit, not a bad way to start the day - whether you're a fisherman, a surfer, or just a girl happy to catch it all on film!

If you'd like more information on these paintings, please click here

Love These!

2011-09-22T21:51:00.000-04:00

Paintings by Nina Nolte

Forever and a day. 2011 Acrylic on Canvas

German painter Nina Nolte was born in 1957 in El Salvador, grew up in Spain and Germany and lives and works now in Dusseldorf, Germany. Her works manifest a great understanding for the reflection of light, the freeness of spirit in realism, and pure colour. Her lines are soft and organic, complemented by the natural-colour backgrounds that brighten her figures and bring a simple elegance to her works.

Forgotten Dreams. 2010 Acrylic on Canvas

In the scenes of swimmers and loungers in the pool, the playful flittering of light across a watery surface is juxtaposed with the pockets of shadows and undulating ripples. The vibrant colours and confident gestures of her figures communicate a sense of serenity. One can feel the warm sun beating down from above yet experience the cooling, therapeutic relief of the water.

The song is you. 2010 Acrylic on Canvas

A bird’s eye view gives many of her works a cinematic touch. The close-up angles provide exposure to detail, thus inviting a certain level of intimacy and allowing the observer to make a personal connection.

You must believe in Spring. Acrylic

You can fine more of Nina's work on her website - Nina Notle

Wedding Cuff Links

2011-09-21T12:43:00.000-04:00

For a surfer

My new collection of surf cuff links, handmade for the surfing groom, groomsmen, father or husband.

Autumn Surf Cuff Links

Two Surfers Cuff Links

Surfer Cuff Links

Each surfing image is a print of my original surfer Polaroid painting, reproduced onto premium photo paper, mounted on a 7/8 x 7/8 inch glass tile with rounded edges and sealed with a non toxic, non yellowing, non tacky, acid free glass-like finish. They are a great gift idea for weddings, Christmas, graduation, anniversaries, birthday or any special occasion. Available in my gift shop

Surf Polaroid Paintings

2011-09-13T10:59:00.000-04:00

My newest art obsession continues as hurricane swell photographs taken last week inspire a few more surf polaroid paintings.

This photo of a surfer contemplating the surf was the inspiration behind my painting titled "Surfers Reflection"

Surfers Reflection

Acrylic on 4 x 5.25 inch cold press paper

The wave in this photograph - the size of which is hardly ever seen around these parts - inspired "Surfers Swell" polaroid painting.

Surfers Swell

Acrylic on 4 x 5.25 inch cold press paper

And the gorgeous blues and greens in this photo were the motivating factor behind "Morning Surf" painting.

Morning Surf

Acrylic on 4 x 5.25 inch cold press paper

My obsession continues with yet another Hurricane swell painting in process.

Wishing you a glorious, creative day as I head off to Richmond to meet my busy son for an early dinner and a little bit of shopping.

Morning Surf Original Paintings

2011-09-11T12:13:00.000-04:00

A few more paintings from my Hurricane Swell painting series.

Painted with acrylics onto a 4x5 inch acid free, cold press paper, and made to look like Polaroid pictures ~ Shown along with the photos which inspired them.

Surfers

Dawn Surfers

Surfers Beach

Surfer

Weather patterns during autumn always bring with them a few days of good surf along the east coast. I look forward to these beautiful fall days and picture taking opportunities.

It was 10 years ago, on one of these amazing fall days, that life in America changed forever. Today we remember, and hold close in our thoughts all those who were closely affected by those horrible attacks.

New Surf Paintings

2011-09-09T20:16:00.000-04:00

Inspired by photo's taken during the recent Hurricane swell.

Painted with acrylics onto 4x5 inch acid free, cold press paper, and made to look like a series of Polaroid pictures.

Surf Check Polaroid Painting

The surf along the east coast of Virginia is usually not much to talk about, therefore whenever we get a hurricane swell the air hums with excitement. With the recent surge of hurricanes I was able to capture a few good images of local surfers. These images inspired my new collection of Polaroid surf paintings. This of which is the first I've finished and have listed in my shop. Be sure to check back as more paintings will be coming - and hopefully, more good surf!
Have a great weekend.

Morning Surf

2011-09-08T14:33:00.000-04:00

Katia is letting herself be known to the surfers here on the coast of Virginia!

A swell morning

I have a feeling many students were a little bit tardy today!

And perhaps a few business men!

Including my husband!

It's not too often we see surf as good as this ~ so all should be allowed to enjoy this gift from Katia! Life is short...enjoy!!

In the Studio - Update

2011-09-07T12:45:00.001-04:00

An update on yesterdays "In the Studio" post:

Family Portrait Triptych Paintings:

Mother and Son

The original photograph

The painting in process

Painting on canvas

And...the finished portrait after it has been cut and adhered to three wood blocks.

Family Triptych

The original photo

Painting in Process

And the finished family triptych.

Now I'm waiting for the customers final approval before packing and shipping her custom order.

In the studio

2011-09-06T13:36:00.001-04:00

Paintings in Process
Family Portraits

Today's projects include working on an order for three painted portrait triptychs. The paintings are based on three different photographs from the same family and, hopefully, will become a wonderful keepsake.

The paintings are in various stages of completion. Once they are finished they'll be divided into thirds and adhered to 3 wood blocks for a sculptural triptych. You can see a few completed triptychs here
Hope you're enjoying official first day back to school here in the States!

Keeping busy

2011-08-31T12:05:00.000-04:00

While Irene was busy winding her way up the coast, I kept busy painting my way through a pile of custom wedding tiles.

The tiles, for a wedding taking place in Thailand on April 2, 2012, are filled with whimsical sea life associated with that area of the world. The couples wedding date and location will be hand written along the bottom of each tile.

In addition to the tiles, this wedding portrait ornament was painted then fired as soon as our electricity came back on. The ornament - in its finished state - shows how vibrant the glaze colors look after being kiln fired.

Thankfully for us, Irene left in her wake mainly yard debris, a day without electricity and the opportunity to finish a few orders. Our thoughts continue to be with all of those who were not as fortunate.

In my Studio

2011-08-25T10:23:00.000-04:00

Another gorgeous, almost the end of summer, low humidity day allows the windows to be thrown open and encourages creativity.

A new painting, inspired by the East Coast Surfing Champions, is in the works as continuous coverage of hurricane Irene sounds in the background.

The original painting, once finished, will be available in my shop and prints will be made once the painting is sold.

Meanwhile, Roxy keeps an eye on conditions outside and reminds me to get extra cat and dog food before the storm hits.
Hoping all remain well and safe as Mother nature takes her course!

In the Studio

2011-08-23T18:53:00.000-04:00

Hand painted custom wedding coasters

It's hard to focus my attention on the order at hand when the weather outside is so beautiful, and a brand new pair of walking shoes are sitting by the door.

But with a bride awaiting her custom order of 60 hand painted ceramic coasters, I have to settle for a view from my window ~ until I can stand it no longer.

Summer Surf Session

2011-08-19T22:22:00.000-04:00

Time to wax up the boards and hit the surf...

But, before heading down to the beach we have to design our own surfboards, after all this is art camp and any old board just won't make the wave cut. And since artists like to work with different mediums our boards will be made from materials not normally used for creating wave riding vehicles.

SURFBOARD DESIGNS

Foam core surfboards

Surfboards can be shaped with foam core board and painted with acrylic paints. Although not waterproof, this type of board is perfect for the wall of a room. In fact, with these light-weight and colorful boards, I foresee a new trend in surf and beach decor.

Pottery Surf Boards - Glazed and Fired

Surfboards can also be hand cut from slabs of pottery clay then, after air drying for a few days, kiln fired to a bisque consistency.

These pottery surfboards, although ~ once again ~ not water worthy, are very versatile within a home environment.

Painted with lead-free pottery glazes and fired in my kiln, these delightful surfboards can be hung on a wall, used in the kitchen, placed on a desk, or in a bathroom as a soap or toothbrush/toothpaste holder. I'm sure I've only dipped my toe in the water with practical ideas - the artists will surely think of other ways to showcase their awesome surfboard designs!

Surfer Boy and Girl Portraits on Canvas

Using bright acrylic paint, the surf artists moved onto creating surfing self portraits. The room seemed to glow with talent as the artists sketched and painted images of themselves on the beach and in the surf.

A colorful under painting makes a great base coat perfect for warm water surf portraits.

The artists captured a fabulous replication of themselves with their unique styles and personalities.

End of Surf Session Hungries...

And surf art camp comes to a close with tasty "fish on a sandy beach" cupcakes - DELICIOUS!

See you in the water!

I'm just saying...

2011-08-18T13:42:00.000-04:00

a few memorable quotes from my Monday morning art ladies after our visit with local artist Russ Marshall.

Monday Morning Art Class

2011-08-08T23:01:00.000-04:00

IN THE STUDIO

Another creative Monday morning with the art girls.

The ladies welcome and catch up with one another then get to the creative business at hand ~ focus, focus, focus...

Throughout the session each woman tackles her own painting challenge ~

and receives a helpful, and sometimes humorous, class critique

which helps them overcome their painting problems and reaffirms their painting prowess. Until next Monday...

Under the boardwalk

2011-08-04T17:58:00.016-04:00

Down by the Sea

A summertime collection of gorgeous blues and whites. More information can be found by just clicking on any of the images which are of interest to you. I'm heading down to the boardwalk now for an evening stroll and maybe some beach music.

Fine Art Beach Prints

2011-08-03T14:23:00.001-04:00

Summertime Memories

A new selection of fine art beach prints, reproductions from my original paintings, have recently been added to my shop. The rich colors and nostalgic images should induce happy memories of summer days gone by. If any of these prints bring back a story from your past please feel free to post it here!

Girls by the shore

These three vintage inspired bathing beauties are a nostalgic symbol of friendship and sisterhood.

Beach Dining Table for Two

The laid back appeal of oceanside entertaining will make you want to kick off your flip flops and jump on in!

Tropical Swimming Pool

Vintage inspired bathing beauty in tropical colors of turquoise, green, orange and pink.

Surf bus

A VW Surf bus aptly captures the carefree lifestyle of surfing and memories of great road trips.

Prints measure 8 x 10 inches with a small white border and arrive ready to pop into any standard 8 x 10 inch frame or matte. They can also be made into larger sized prints upon request. The nostalgic images are one way to make the sunny feeling and memories of summer last throughout the year!

In the Studio

2011-08-02T12:37:00.003-04:00

Working with Clay

After cleaning up and putting away paint supplies from my Monday morning art class, I had the afternoon free to work on a new art project. As a result of having a studio in the middle of my house, where a very curious kitty loves to "help" and nap on my art table, it's been a while since I've worked with clay. Lately my hands have been itching to work with this medium again, so it was time to get dirty!

Handmade Pottery Surfboards

With another surfing art camp starting next week I needed a bisque project for the students to glaze. Therefore, my first task was to create surfboard shapes for the artists.

After rolling out a slab of clay, the board shapes were cut out with enough for the class and a few extras for me!! The clay surfboards have been set aside to dry and should be ready for a bisque firing in my kiln in a day or so.

In addition, I also created a few smaller surfboards and had fun making little surfer boys and girls. I'm really excited about these cute shapes! I think they'll look really cool hanging on a necklace, or maybe hanging on a Christmas tree. If you have any other ideas they would certainly be welcomed!

Summer Art Camp

2011-07-30T18:14:00.000-04:00

POP ART

We invite you to join us for this weeks art camp as we take a little journey back to the late 1950's and early 1960's when the movement of Pop Art was first introduced in Britain and the United States. Pop Art, with its designs based on themes drawn from popular mass culture, is often distinguished by clear lines and bright, bold color ~ like that of our first artist, Romero Britto

ROMERO BRITTO
POP ART PORTRAITS

Romero Britto - Love

The beginning stages of the girls Romero Britto inspired Portrait Paintings.

To which they added color and pattern with acrylic paint.

The finished Master Pieces - both based on popular activities - ready to be framed and cherished.

ROY LICHTENSTEIN
PORTRAIT PLATES

Roy Lichtenstein - 1962

For our next project the girls created portrait plates based on Roy Lichtenstein's newspaper comic strip paintings .

The very hungry artist portraits ~ painted, fired in my kiln and ready for a piece of cardboard pizza (see recipe below) ~ Yummy!!

CLAUS OLDENBURG

Pop Art Sculpture

Claus Oldenburg - Floor Cake - 1962

For our Pop Art Sculpture project, we constructed a Papier Mache pizza. The crust was produced with foam core board, cut into a circle with rolled up paper taped around the edges.

Newspaper was torn into strips and glued to the pizza crust with laundry Starch.

The crust was given a nice golden brown glow with a little help from our friend the paint brush. Hand painted papers were put through the shredder to create a smorgasbord of cheese, which was then glued to the nicely toasted crust.


A pizza box, from one of our local pizza joints, was coated with white water-based primer and set aside to dry. Later, the girls designed their own box top and added color with a bit of acrylic paint.

Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza's in their own little carry out boxes. Dinner anyone??

I hope you enjoyed this bit of Pop Art time travel and the art that was inspired by our trip. Join us again in two weeks as we take a trip to sunny beaches, with waist to chest high waves, for our surf art camp.

Christmas in July

2011-07-30T07:16:00.001-04:00

Hand painted portrait ornaments
for the 2011 holiday season.


Another set of hand painted portrait ornaments - drawn, painted, kiln fired and ready for the Christmas tree.

Visit my shop here if you would like to order a portrait ornament or for more information on my hand painted pottery ornaments.

Unique Wall Decoration

2011-07-29T08:53:00.001-04:00

Triptych Puzzle Pieces

Recently I received an e-mail from a potential customer with a very unusual request. She wrote: I love your paintings! When I was looking through them, I had an idea. I am trying to find art for my bathroom and thought wouldn't it be cool if I took the Surfer Girl original triptych, the Surfers board meeting triptych, and the Blue surf bus triptych and mixed all of them up and then hung them in three rows of three on my bathroom wall (like a puzzle).

At first, I thought, "Huh? Seriously?" But when I started playing with, and rearranging the pieces I thought, "What a unique concept"! And wouldn't you know the customer, Mary, is also an artist and k - 8 art teacher who loves happy colors, happy subjects and happy places!! If she lived closer, I know we'd be great friends!

Puzzle piece triptychs arranged on bathroom wall.

Yesterday I received another e-mail and images from my new friend, Mary, in which she wrote - "The triptychs arrived and are hung up in the bathroom and I am in LOVE! I keep walking in there just to look at them. Thank you!!!" Well...thank you Mary! You have indeed made me very happy.

If you'd like to visit Mary in her cheerful little shop, just click here - and tell her Cathie sent you.

Beach Road Trip

2011-07-28T12:37:00.001-04:00

Grab your gear and head down to the beach while the ocean is still warm and the days long.

If you are in need of, or would like any more information on the beautiful beach items shown above, simply click on the image. And...don't forget your sunscreen!

Road Trip

2011-07-27T10:44:00.005-04:00

Time to get your camp on with a summer road trip. Just make sure you don't forget the essential ingredients...

Camp sign from JAndersonArt

Camp trip print by JAustinRyan - Camper salad plate by MagicMarkingsArt - S'mores in a jar recipe courtesy of How sweet it is - and Compass ring by LexiLevin

Happy Camping!

Getting a head start

2011-07-24T13:44:00.000-04:00

Just out of the kiln - my first custom painted portrait ornament of the 2011 Christmas Holiday Season!!

The bride and groom looking quite happy to be man and wife...

The ornament ~ drawn, painted and ready to be fired.

The finished ornament ~ fresh out of the kiln, ready to be packaged and shipped. Whew, working on this ornament made the holidays seem much too close ~ especially when the summer heat is still baking our plants! But then, I guess not everyone waits until the last moment to do their holiday shopping ~ unlike yours truly. Therefore, Merry Christmas in July!

Cooking Art - A recipe for success

2011-07-23T23:12:00.002-04:00

Have you ever experienced a gathering of teenage girls who, so involved with their work, were unusually quiet? I have, just this past week during my "Life is Sweet" art camp. These six artists were a delightful blend of talent, creativity and individual style - the perfect ingredients for a successful week of art production.

LIFE IS SWEET ART CAMP

Grand Mommie's Pecan Pie by Elly Chen - From They Draw and Cook

Inspiration for our first project came from "They draw and cook" a showcase for recipes illustrated by artists all across the globe. This talent filled site is quite addicting for those who love both art and food. The cool thing is anyone can draw their recipe and submit it to the site...so I thought ~ let's give this a try!

RECIPE ART

To make this recipe art project a little more meaningful to the girls, I had them bring in one of their families favorite recipes.

The first step in creating an illustration for the recipe was to think about a theme or design then sketch that idea onto an 11 x 15 inch sheet of watercolor paper. In doing so, the girls had to consider balancing shape, color, pattern and movement in their composition.

The sketches were filled in with water colors painted in various hues and shades.

Each artist had their own creative style which produced a diverse collection of recipe paintings.

ILLUSTRATED RECIPES

A collection of artistic recipe renditions destined to become family heirlooms in their own right.

WHIMSICAL CAKE PAINTINGS

For our next project the girls had to think like "The Cake Boss" and create a special cake. The wonderful thing about our cakes is they will last longer as they were painted on canvas, not baked in the oven.

Each girl thought of a fun design, drew it on canvas and painted it with acrylic paints. The finished pieces are a whimsical wonderment waiting to be hung.

FONDANT CUPCAKES

In keeping with the "Cake Boss" theme, the girls had an opportunity to work with fondant frosted cupcakes.

For the girls first time working with fondant I think these little cupcakes turned out great and there just might be a future for some of these artists in the cake decorating business...

or, perhaps, just in the cake eating business - or the "let's just have fun creating in the kitchen" business...

BISQUE POTTERY ICE CREAM CUPS

With local temperatures reaching into the mid 90's, our thoughts turned to mouth watering summertime temptations - and there's no better temptation then ice cream!! And, since you can't just serve a great scoop of ice cream in any old bowl, the girls painted their own unique ice cream cups.

Ahhhh....deliciously delightful - and ready to be filled with fresh made ice cream! We are loving summertime!!

My thanks to this great group of girls for inspiring me - and each other - with your unique talents. You are welcome back anytime!!!!! Keep on creating.

On the Road

2011-07-21T08:26:00.000-04:00

SUMMER ROAD TRIP

Take a trip over to PoppyTalk Handmade to view their delightful collection of camping, surfing, road tripping summertime art. No need to gas up the car, and I can guarantee great views from your computer window! Enjoy and don't forget to send a postcard.

Whimsical beach art

2011-07-19T11:25:00.001-04:00

Frames add a fun, tropical flare to these small canvas paintings.

I love the way these new frames, which were primed and painted in tropical colors, showcase and add color to the small beach paintings. The surf board and palm tree pottery pieces are an additional element of whimsical, summertime fun. These are just a few of the new framed paintings that are now available in my shop Tropical colors are my favorite because of the happy, summery feel they add to everything!

Summertime equals Mojito time!

2011-07-18T08:13:00.000-04:00

My husband makes the worlds best mojito's, using his special "mojito mint sauce" and summertime's freshest ingredients.

Slow Sipping in Summertime

There's nothing like a cool mint cocktail on a warm summer evening.

Special Mojito Recipe:

Mint ~ cut fresh from the garden

Limes ~ recently picked from your lime tree, if you are lucky enough to have one, if not ~ newly picked from the grocery store.

Muddle a handful of mint and juice from a quarter squeeze of lime.

Pour in a few ounces of your special mint sauce (recipe to follow), add about 3 ounces of Rum, along with a handful of ice and stir. Top off with soda water, a slice of lime and a fresh sprig of mint.

Throw in a bowlful of homemade, grilled corn salsa and a healthy bowl of tortilla chips, serve on your front porch and enjoy the waning days of summer.

Special Mojito Mint Sauce Recipe

Photo from "The voice of Reason"

1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water, a ton of fresh mint leaves, peeled from the stalks.

Place the sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. While the syrup heats, rinse the mint leaves to eliminate any dirt and remove from the stalk. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the syrup from the heat, and dump a ton of mint leaves into the saucepan. Cover and allow the syrup to cool overnight. Squeeze the mint leaves draining their juice back into the pan - discard leaves. Store the syrup in an airtight glass container and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Syrup will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks.

Mojito served on a new set of Longboard surf ceramic tile coasters available here

Special thanks to my husband for making and sharing this fabulous recipe. Cheers and Enjoy!

Summer Art Camp

2011-07-17T13:08:00.000-04:00

SURF"S UP!

This past week my studio was full of surfer dudes and dudettes as waves of creativity and paint rolled through our class. Surf, sand and sea were the inspiration for each surfers beach inspired art. I invite you to grab a towel and a cold drink then sit back and relax as you review these awesome works of art.

SURFER SELF PORTRAITS

The background scene for the surfers self portrait was created by dividing the canvas into 3 sections: sand, surf, and sky which the artists then painted with golden yellow, laguna green, and turquoise.

Example of a figure drawing broken down into basic shapes. Circles for head, joints, fingers and toes; squares and rectangles for neck, arms and legs.

The artists drew their portraits using the shape example as a guide. They then added facial features, hair, bathing suits, a surfboard and beach scenery to their portraits and the background.

The finished portraits, hand painted with acrylic paints and outlined with a black sharpie, are a showcase for the individual creativity expressed by each artist.

POTTERY SURFING SIGN

Our next project involved drawing on and painting bisque tile and surfboard pieces with pottery glazes.

The artists drew a background beach scene onto their rectangular tile, painted the drawing with pottery glazes, then attached their surfboards.

The tiles were coated with an over-glaze and fired in my kiln. As shown above, the radical looking tiles include a ribbon for hanging.

PAINTED SURFBOARD

Mini blanks, hand cut from foam core board, are a killer starting point for designing surfboards.

The designs, once drawn and outlined, are given color with acrylic paint. A top coating of Mod Podge seals and protects the work, and a small piece of ribbon, hot glued onto the back, allows the boards to be hung when not in "use".

SURFING ON INTO THE KITCHEN

For snack we headed into the kitchen to create everyone's favorite dessert - cupcakes. Each artist took part in pouring, cracking, and mixing the cake batter, eggs, sour cream and water. The finished cupcakes were cooked then devoured by a very hungry group of surfers.

COLORING BOOK SURFING PORTRAIT

For the last project, I took a picture of the surfing artists posed on a surfboard. The photographed portraits were made into a coloring book image and printed onto a plain sheet of paper. The artists used colored pencils to color themselves and the surfboard, cut out their portraits and attached them to a piece of white cardstock.

The artists created a wave and ocean background around their portrait to make it look like they were surfing. The drawings were painted with acrylic paint and laminated once dry.

KAWABUNGA...

And we leave you with a surfers artistic interpretation of "Off the lip". Totally gnarly dude!

Sneak Peak ~ Day Two

2011-07-14T13:51:00.001-04:00

In between teaching summer art camps and days filled with activities related to good ole summertime, I've been trying to crank out some new art work. Here's another sneak peak into what's been happening in my studio.

Roxy, in the middle of my art work - right where she loves to be.

TROPICAL COLORED

BEACH THEMED

PAINTINGS AND PICTURE FRAMES

Original surfing and beach themed small acrylic paintings on canvas, matted and framed.

Each one of my original paintings have been adhered to a 5 x 7 inch plain white mat board and placed into a hand painted, tropical colored frame. For a bit more beach flare, I added a hand painted pottery surfboard, palm tree or starfish. Then wired the backs so the paintings are ready to hang. These happy little pieces of art will be available here in a few more days. So please be sure to check back!

Sneak Peak ~ 2011 Holiday Season

2011-07-13T23:08:00.001-04:00

Although the outdoor temperature readings are in the mid 90's and summer is only half way over, I find myself busy creating new items for the upcoming holiday season. Craziness, I know ~ but a small attempt to stay one step ahead of the game.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

A little sneak peak into my workshop shows a few original Christmas tiles, hand painted and ready to be fired. These will be listed here in the very near future, so stay tuned if you're interested.

Summer Art Camp

2011-07-09T10:03:00.001-04:00

The Theme for this weeks art camp ~
Life is Sweet!

Life is Like a Piece of Cake

For the "Life is Sweet" art camp the artists designed their own unique "cookbook" full of delightful recipes for art projects that are almost good enough to eat! Follow along as the artists discover their tastes for all things sweet in life and have fun with the creative process. Sit back, relax and enjoy.

PROJECT I
Cake Painting Recipe

Ingredients: 16 x 20 inch canvas, pencils, erasers, paint brushes, paint palettes, acrylic paint, cake shape templates, imagination and a sweet dispensation.

Step One: To create a background for your cake, cover the entire canvas with acrylic paint in your favorite color. This can be done with one color or a combination of colors. For this project, we just used one. If you don't want to frame the painting make sure you also paint the sides of your canvas. Set canvas aside to dry.

Step Two: Using your pre-cut cake template, place the largest shape at the bottom of your canvas and trace around it with your pencil. Follow this by placing the middle and top cake template shapes on the canvas, in consecutive order, and trace around them.

Step Three: Decorating your cake. Add design elements by drawing patterns of shape, line and texture. For a festive touch, add a whimsical cake topper. Then, go over all pencil lines with a thick black sharpie or marker.

Step Four: Choose your favorite acrylic "Icing" colors and carefully apply them to your canvas. Once your cake painting is finished, set it aside to dry, then go back over all lines with a thick black sharpie or marker. This last step makes all the design elements "pop" and creates a beautiful piece of art that any cake boss would be happy to display!

PROJECT II

Cupcake Stand Recipe
Ingredients: Terra cotta pot ~ bottom and saucer, pottery glaze paints, brushes, paint palette, kiln and most import - CUPCAKES!!

Step One: Wash off terra cotta pots. Draw your cupcake stand design on the pot and saucer - remember, your pot will be turned bottom up so draw design accordingly. Carefully apply the glaze colors to your hand drawn designs. Cover the pot and saucer with a coating of clear glaze and fire in the kiln.

Make Cupcakes!!!

Everyone gets to help in the kitchen! From pouring in the cake mix, cracking three eggs, adding 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1 1/3 cups water to mixing the batter.

The handmade cupcakes look delicious once perched on top of our kiln fired cupcake stands!!

PROJECT III

Apron Recipe

Ingredients: Pre-washed blank white aprons, black sharpie, acrylic paint, paint palette, paint brushes

Since both artists and cooks can always use a really cute and unique apron, we made our own! A hand drawn rectangle forms a nice clean area in which to create your design - but this is just a preference and one of those "ingredients" that can be tweaked to meet your individual tastes. We found pencil lines hard to see, so the artists drew their designs with a sharpie, then added color with acrylic paint. To set the hand painted design, you can either dry the apron in a dryer, or run a hot iron over the back side of the design.

PROJECT IV

Pottery Ice Cream Cup Recipe

Ingredients: bisque ice-cream cup and spoon, pottery glaze, paint palettes, paint brushes, kiln

This is a pretty easy project that produces wonderful results. Paint the bisque shapes with various colors of lead-free, non-toxic pottery glaze, then fire in a kiln. Once finished, fill with ice cream and enjoy!

Recipe for an Art Show

Ingredients: Art work, artists, proud parents, proud aunts and siblings

Recipe for a wonderful, creative week: A group of fun, talented artists mixed together with a supply of awesome art projects and topped off with proud art patrons. Simply divine!

Summer Art Camp - Pop Art

2011-07-04T21:18:00.000-04:00

Romero Britto, "Good Friends" 2007

Pop Art

Inspiration for this past weeks summer art camp came from the Pop Art movement and some of the artists associated with this form of art. The summer camp artists learned a little art history and were introduced to a few major Pop Art players, such as Claes Oldenburg, Roy Lichtenstein and Romero Britto.

Claes Oldenburg

Claes Oldenburg was a Swedish born American artist best known for his large scale public art sculptures featuring everyday objects.

Claes Oldenburg "Spoonbridge and Cherry", 1988

PROJECT I

Papier Mache
Candy Sculptures

The artists were shown a few of Claes Oldenburg's food sculptures, including "Spoonbridge and Cherry". I had narrowed down the overall theme for this project to candy bars. The artists chose their favorite sweet treat which they shaped into a sculptural form with cut pieces of cereal box cardboard, tape and newspaper.

Once the structure was built, the artists applied papier mache, using torn pieces of newspaper and bowls filled with starch. ~ I find starch much easier, and less messy to work with than other forms of papier mache paste. ~ Once the forms were thoroughly covered, the artists set them aside to dry.

The boxes took a 1 1/2 to 2 days to dry. Afterwards, the artists coated their structures with white primer, let that dry, then sketched and painted their forms to look like their favorite sweet. The candy sculptures were completed on the last day of camp, at the final hour, therefore I don't have images of their finished pieces - but they turned out fabulous!

Roy Lichtenstein

Roy Lichtenstein produced a form of Pop Art influenced by popular advertisements and the comic book style, featuring thick outlines, bold colors and organized dots of color.

Roy Lichtenstein, Ohh...Alright, 1964

PROJECT II

Portrait Plates

After a little lesson on the comic book style of Roy Lichtenstein the artists drew portraits of themselves onto a bisque plate, added speech bubbles and painted the plates in primary colors favored by Lichtenstein.

The plates, with their humorous speech bubbles, were a great way to incorporate pop art portraits into a functional piece of art.

Romero Britto

Brazilian born artist, Romero Britto, uses clean, bold and colorful imagery to deliver fresh and upbeat messages within his work that reflects his optimistic faith in the world around him.

Romero Britto. "Great Pals"

PROJECT III

Pop Art Portraits

For this project the artists were shown images from one of my favorite artists, Romero Britto. We discussed his whimsical work and the elements of art used within each of his paintings including color, line, texture and movement.

The artists then drew a portrait of themselves, with reference to Britto's style, onto a 16 x 20 inch canvas and outlined their delightful drawings with a thick black sharpie.

Their paint palettes were filled with bright acrylic colors which were carefully applied to the patterns and shapes that filled their canvas.

The end result were glorious portrait paintings filled with color, pattern and a youthful sense of whimsical fun. The artists learned a bit of history and went home with new techniques for creating future works of art. Most importantly, there were huge smiles on the faces of the proud artists - which, for me, equals a most successful week.

Happy Fourth of July

2011-07-04T09:04:00.000-04:00

Jasper Johns

Tableware for Summer Parties

2011-06-18T11:51:00.003-04:00

Surfers Beach Plate Collection

BRAND NEW FOR SUMMER TABLE DECOR, BEACH PARTIES, AND BEACH WEDDINGS

Surfers Beach Dinner and Salad Plates

A collection of hand drawn and painted surfers road trip dinner and salad plates that I designed for lovers of summer, surfing, and the beach life. Painted in non-toxic, lead-free tropical colors of ocean blue, lime green, lemon yellow and tangerine orange; these whimsical plates will add coastal color and fun to your party or table.

Dinner Plates

These pottery plates measures 10.5 inches round and are hand drawn and hand painted with tropical colors and simple wording. Click on the images for more information.

Ocean Blue Dinner Plate

Lime green Surf Dinner Plate

Tangerine Orange Beach Dinner Plate

Lemon Yellow Swim Dinner Plate

Salad/Dessert/Appetizer Plates

Surf Camper Salad Plate shown with Ocean Blue Dinner Plate

Surf Bus Salad Plate shown with Lime Green Surf Dinner Plate

Surf Woodie Salad Plate shown with Lemon Yellow Swim Dinner Plate

Surf Jeep Salad Plate shown with Tangerine Orange Beach Dinner Plate

SURF PARTY IDEAS

Ideas for creating your own surf and beach themed parties can be found by clicking on the following two images.

Surf bus table decor from Hostess with the Mostess

Jello Shooters in Orange Slices recipe found here

Happy Summer - Party and Enjoy!

Summer Art Camp Week Three

2011-06-17T19:32:00.000-04:00

Surf's Up Baby!

Surfing safari

Take an imaginary trip with us as we create our own little world full of tropical art for surfer girls and boys. Don't forget your sunscreen, these kids are so talented and bright you're bound to get burned!

DAY ONE

Designing and Painting a surf board

Before camp began, surfboard shapes were cut out of foam core board. The mini surfboards were ready for my artists when they arrived on the first day. We discussed different surfboard design ideas then the artist drew and outlined their own creations.

Bright color was everywhere as the artists added paint to their boards. Once the surfboards were a top coating of Modge-Podge was painted on to seal and protect the work. A small piece of ribbon was hot glued onto the back so the boards can be hung when not in "use".

DAY TWO

Surfboard Name Plaque

Our pottery project this week was a surf themed name plaque. The artists drew and painted a beach scene on a rectangular bisque shape, then painted on wrote their names on a small bisque surfboard. The two pieces were given a top coating of clear glaze, fired in my kiln, and topped off with a bit of ribbon for hanging. These turned out so cute, but unfortunately I don't have any pictures.

Surfer Self Portraits

The artists were excited to paint themselves as surfer girls and a surfer boy. We started by dividing the canvas into thirds. The bottom third was painted with a combination of yellow and white acrylic for sand, the middle turquoise and light blue for ocean water and the top third light blue and white for sky.

Once the paint was dry the artists worked on their portraits. The figures were broken down into simple shapes - a circle for the head, a rectangle body, rectangles for legs and arms with small circles added for knees, ankles, and elbows. The artists added hair, facial features, and bathing suits. All pencil lines were outlined with a black sharpie to make the shapes easier to see when painting.

DAY THREE

Painting self portraits

The artists painted their canvas with gorgeous, bright colors - giving a tropical flare to their surfing self portraits.

SNACK TIME

Making cupcakes

While the paintings dried, we headed into the kitchen for one of our favorite activities - snack time!!

Each artist took part in pouring, cracking, and mixing - then worked on another project while the cupcakes baked. We finished eating just in time for the arrival of parents, who were so excited to see what their little artists had created during this weeks surfing safari. All I can say is "Dude, it was awesome - You should have been here!"

Summer Art Camp - Week Two

2011-06-14T12:52:00.000-04:00

All about Me!

What could be better than creating works of art centered on you and what you love? The theme for my second week of summer art camp was "All about Me". With this theme the artists and I had an opportunity to explore a rather self centered idea. The young artist talked about themselves and discussed what they most enjoy doing. These passions were then designed, drawn and painted into each students art work.

PROJECT I

Pottery Portrait Plate

For our first project the artists sketched a portrait of themselves performing a favorite activity. The room was unusually quiet as each student recreated a favorite past time onto their bisque plate.

The artists painted their portraits with pottery glaze and signed the back. The plates were fired in my kiln,

and are ready to be filled with favorite treats and fun things to eat!

PROJECT II

Portrait in a mirror.

Our second project was a portrait of the artist seen through a hand held mirror.

When working with a plain white canvas the first step is to cover the whole canvas with color. In an art class focused on you, this covering should be your very favorite color, and applied in whatever manner you deem necessary. Whether that is through painting the background in organized, straight lines, big splotches of color, or with organic and animal shapes.

Once the background was finished, we discussed what a portrait of a person would look like from behind. Would you see their face? What would the back of their head look like? Would it be covered with hair, could you see their ears, what about their neck, and how wide would their shoulders be?

After much dialogue and a wee bit of modeling, the artists drew themselves from behind, adding ears, hair, a neck and wide shoulders. Off to one one side of the face the artists traced around their hand and added an arm. Once the drawing was finished they went over their pencil lines with a black sharpie, just to make the lines easier to see when painting the portrait.

Paint was applied in layers, beginning with the darkest color then gradually dabbing and stroking lighter color on top for texture and highlights. As the artists painted I took pictures of them. The images were cut into a circle and glued onto a mirror shape.

The finished portraits of fine artists looking at themselves in a mirror - a reflection of line, color, texture, shape and talent!

SNACK TIME!!

For snack we headed into the kitchen to create everyone's favorite dessert - cupcakes! Each artist put on their pretend chef's hat and took part in the creation. First adding the cupcake mix....

then one, two. three eggs with a little egg shell thrown in for any vitamins and nutrients that might be lurking within...

a little bit of water and some yogurt to sweeten the batter, mix thoroughly, pour into cupcake tins, cook until done...

and devour with great gusto followed by smiles of a satisfied chef!

PROJECT 111

Photoshop Portraits

The last project involved the artists, a camera, a computer, a little photoshopping, crayons and the artist's imaginations. First the artists pretended they were participating in an activity they love - ballet, boogie boarding, rollerblading and yoga - then posed in that position. I took their posed pictures, worked with photoshop to make their portraits look like a coloring book image, cut out the figures - which the artist colored with crayons. Lastly, the artists drew and colored a background scene and we modge-podged their portraits onto the background.

ART SHOW

The end of the week art show is always a joy to see as proud parents, grandparents and siblings gather around to view the incredible art created by a talented group of artists.

And the artists walk away knowing a little bit more about art, a little bit more about themselves, and with some awesome portraits created in various mediums.

Gift ideas for the surfing dad

2011-06-11T08:27:00.000-04:00

FATHER'S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Father's day is one week away so I thought I'd post some last minute gift ideas. These handmade items are for all those dads who love the sport of surfing. Click on the image or on the title for more information or to place an order.

CUFF LINKS

Cuff links are a great gift for Father's day, Weddings, Anniversaries, Graduations or just to have for any special occasion

Surfer cuff links handmade for the man, who when out of his board shorts and dressed for an evening out, wants to show his love of the sport and passion for the water.
1) Longboard surfer 2) Surfer with red board 3) Surfing Couple 4) Father/Son surfers

1) Blue surf bus 2) I'd rather be surfing 3) Modern black and white surfer 4) Red surf bus

Custom photo cuff links, handmade from your photo, for those looking to personalize their gift to dad, husband, son or groom.
1) Your child or children 2) Photo of your guy surfing 3) Man's best friend - his dog 4) Father and son

Thanks for looking - and thanks to all those wonderful father's and father-in-laws out there!

Summer Art Camps begin

2011-06-08T20:25:00.001-04:00

Week I

This time of the year brings out the sweet sounds of birds tweeting, crickets chirping, and children asking "What's for snack today?". So begins another round of my summer art camps, filled with artistically inspired young students.

Life is Sweet!

This year my summer art camp season got a kick start with the theme "Life is sweet." The artists had a chance to explore the sweeter side of life as we produced, painted and baked works of art good enough to eat!

1st Project

Designing an apron

First on the agenda: discussing our favorite sweet things to eat. A few of the delectable morsels that rolled off our tongues included cakes, cookies, doughnuts, and ice-cream. The discussion became so intensely sweet, one of the artists finally lost her very wiggly front tooth!

After talking about our favorite treats, the artists got to work designing an apron ~ which will come in handy when either painting or helping out in the kitchen.

The apron designs ranged from chocolate chip cookies and a tall glass of milk, to a bright yellow sun casting its sweet rays down on the earth.

2nd Project

Painting a Cake

Since a blank white canvas can be rather boring, and sometimes rather intimidating, the artists painted the entire canvas with their favorite color. With these young artists it was quite amusing to watch how shape filled their canvas before color took over ~

and, as evident from these two images, how each side of the table painted in a distinctly similar fashion.

SNACK TIME!!!

Giving the painted canvas time to dry, the artists headed into the kitchen for a little brownie making and cooking creativity. Everyone took part in making the cupcake brownies, from pouring the mix to cracking one egg...

then another, and another until three eggs were staring happily into space waiting for the final steps....

measuring a cup full of yogurt, 1/4 cup of water and mixing the ingredients until everything was combined into one big yummy mess.

Cake Painting Continued...

With the brownies in the oven and the canvas paintings dry, it was time to create our own deliciously colorful cake. The artists drew a three layered cake, beginning with a large shape on the bottom, a medium shape in the middle, and a small shape on the top.

Then went crazy filling their cake shapes with designs pulled from their imaginations and enhanced by their surroundings.

The shapes were outlined with a black sharpie marker amd painted with vast amounts of acrylic paint.

3rd Project

Making a cupcake stand

Our final project was to make a cupcake stand to showcase the artists delicious cupcake brownies. The stand required a small terra-cotta pot and lid, that was a little bit bigger, to sit on the top.

The pot sits upside down, so the artists had to take this into consideration when creating their designs. And, since it wouldn't be prudent, or safe, to paint a cupcake stand with acrylic paint and shellac, the artist painted their pots with lead-free pottery glazes.

Not only does the top coating of glaze give the cupcake stands a nice gloss finish once fired, it also holds the two pieces securely together. With a nice full lid, the pots are quite versatile and can be used on a desk, on a bathroom counter, on a dresser or, of course, in the kitchen.

ART SHOW

During the week I ask my students to keep our projects a secret. They can tell their parents anything about the camp, except for what they've been creating. This way they can surprise their parents with their astonishing art work at our end of camp art show.

Wiping brownie crumbs from their mouths, the students explain each project. Meanwhile parents and grandparents look, with great admiration, on the work created by their talented off-spring. Later, as I clean paint off of the walls and floor, and reflect on the inspirational gifts these students have given to me and to each other, I can say - with all sincerity - Life is Sweet!!

Art show preparation

2011-05-19T12:15:00.000-04:00

Tent set up in backyard - with a 2 x 4 frame and pegboard display area built by my husband.

Since I hardly ever participate in outdoor art shows I haven't yet invested in a heavy duty "art show tent" and professional display boards. My tent is an "Easy-Up" purchased years ago at BJ's and while it's rather easy to get up, it also goes down rather easily in a heavy duty rainstorm. Trust me, it's no fun trying to protect your paintings as wind driven rain seeps in through the sides and top of your tent! Therefore I'm thrilled that the weather forecast for this weekend calls for clear skies and sunshine, perfect for an outdoor art show.

Wet Paint

Surfing Triptychs

A few surfing triptychs created for the show include a favorite, "Board Meeting", which was inspired by a photograph of my son and his two good friends taken during a surf trip. The orange van looks just like the one my husband had in high school - which he was driving on our very first date! Fortunately, years later my husband and I are still together - unfortunately, he got rid of the orange van way before we got married :(

Pre-Show Display Organization

Triptychs on view.

Hopefully thinking through and planning display areas ahead of time will be helpful when setting up at the show. I was delighted to see how easy it is to create shelving areas with just a few pieces of wood board and wire hooks found in our garage! The shelves are perfect for my triptychs and a couple of shells.

My "Swimming and Surfing" themed display showcases paintings and small prints hanging from surfboard clothespins. The shelf makes it easy to set up my small canvas paintings mounted on mat board.

A few paintings from my "City Scenes" theme period. Some of which have been made into small prints for those looking for less expensive art purchases.

Open for Business

If you can make it out to the Stockley Gardens Arts Festival in Norfolk, Va. this weekend, look for a tent that looks similar to this image. I'd love to have company and the weather should be perfect!!

Stockley Gardens Arts Festival

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Stockley Gardens Arts Festival

Saturday, May 21 10:00am - 6:00pm

Sunday, May 22 12:00pm - 6:00pm

Directions here

Please stop by and visit with me and the other artists who will be set up in the lovely outdoor park area of Stockley Gardens in Norfolk, Va. I am usually in the section closest to the main stage, located at the top of the park (A block) near Olney Rd. - click here for their music schedule.