Art show preparation

 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

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.

Magic Markings Art Summer Camps

Registration for Magic Markings Summer Art Camps is open and available here.  Classes will be held on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and are divided into the following age groups:  4 -5 years, 6 - 8 years, 9 - 11 years and 12 - 14 years old.  Pre-School classes begin on Tuesday, May 31. 

Great art, loads of merriment, and a few surprises are in store as another creative summer approaches. Sign up soon to reserve your special spot.

Then get ready to rock on with paint, pottery, imagination and fun.

Just paint it!

In our home if something stands still too long it's bound to get painted, which is probably why we have a pretty active family.  The latest piece to acquire a fresh coat of paint is the ottoman my husband gave me for Christmas.  It was, like most furniture in our home, "recycled" and in need of a little tender loving refinishing.  After contemplating recovering the piece, I thought "Hmmmm.....I wonder if I can just paint over the fabric?"

Sure enough!  All the fabric needed was a few coats of white Kilz primer as a base coat.  Although the floral fabric design was no longer visible, the primer leaves the fabric a little bit stiff.  Maybe not the most comfortable to sit upon, but for an ottoman, the stiffness factor was not much of a deterrent.

I was going for a whimsical, colorful look totally different from what the ottoman was in its past life.  Something cheerful, bright and summery.  Thus my choice of paint colors which included apple green, bright magenta, bright yellow, turquoise blue, pumpkin orange and a wee bit of crimson red. 

The top was painted with magenta pink, straight from the bottle.  It took a few coats of pink paint, then a couple of light pink swirls and dots to add an element of "just prop your feet up fun".

A bit of green was added to the cording, black and white checkerboard pattern to the cushion sides, a pattern of colorful stripes along the ruffle, and a peak of hot pink under the skirt.

Repainting the ottoman was super easy and, since I already had all the materials on hand, very inexpensive.  I love the lively color and joyful feeling the ottoman now adds to the room.

With a few colorful accents...bright flowers in an old pink thermos, surfboard garland hung across the mantel, yellow daffodils in a fanciful vase...

color-coordinated hand painted flowers, a tall pottery flower, a few small portrait paintings of my mom and the room starts to come together...

even the partially painted front door now matches when it's opened.

Painting the ottoman was so easy I'm afraid of what it might inspire me to do with the rest of my furniture! 

Ingredients for fabric painting

Kilz Latex Primer-Sealer, Acrylic paint, brushes, and water to wash out your brushes.  I'm not sure what I'll seal the ottoman with but am assuming, with our sandy feet and little animal paws, coating it with a sealant will be a pretty important last step.

Now off to see what else could use a fresh coat of paint....