Theme Thursday: Hats

At Theme Thursday this week the challenge is "Hats." Please take a look at the terrific entries there, and, if you have read the post below and visited Katherine's blog, please do. There's something I want to show you.

Love,
Alberta

Art and Meaning

Blackfish by Katherine Treffinger
Recently my friend Katherine Treffinger started a new project on her blog. Each day she introduces a different artist and asks each to respond to these questions: "What meaning does doing art have for you? Why do you show up in your studio, or wherever, and pick up your tools day after day?" Katherine hopes to compile their answers into a book someday, which I think would be fascinating. I was the artist on her April 18 post and you can read what I had to say here. Every day I look forward to discovering a new artist and learning what motivates and inspires each one. Please treat yourself to a visit to her blog Treffinger Daily to see her magical, intuitive abstract art and read what her artists have to say about what art means to them.

To Do List

1. Clean linen closet: check.
2. Antique picture frames and drop off at framer: check.
3. Plant window boxes: check.
4. Dust, mop and vaccuum pollen off screen porch: check
5. Finish mermaid painting: check.



mixed media on 8" X 10" canvas, $60 plus shipping
If you're interested in this painting, please contact me at katherinemccullen@yahoo.com


I started this piece last week for Mixed Media Monday's Mermaid challenge, but I was unable to finish it in time. The background is many, many layers of paint and ink: sponged, stampled, and splattered. You name it and I think I did it to this little picture. Fortunately, TGIF is having a Fish challenge this week, and MMM is doing Beaches, so I'm going to submit this painting for both. BTW my friend Serena's blog title, which has always made me smile, was the inspiration for this painting. Be sure to check out her amazing altered art here.

Art Inspiration: Susie Pryor

I absolutely love this artist. On Friday night I went to the opening of her newest show at the Bennett Street Gallery and realized how much her paintings remind me of memories of my own children. Susie says that Mary Cassatt and Andrew Wyeth are two of her major influences, and you can certainly see that in her work. If you are anywhere near the Atlanta area you should check her out, and if you can't make it to the gallery, you can see her work here. Magic Flowers and Creek are two of my favorites, but I'm really dreaming of hanging this one, Touching the Tide over my fireplace.

We Can Dance If We Want To

Well, I wasn't sure I was ever going to make it back to Blog Land. I just haven't been able to focus lately, but FINALLY: I finished a journal page. (Crazy Amigo, Creative Therapy Saturday Surprise ) I found inspiration from the assignment I gave my first period writing class on Friday ("The ABC's of Me")and included my own version in the text on the lower right side of the page.

Today I'm going to try to complete all the projects I've got going: plant window boxes, clean out linen closet, finish mermaid painting, and antique the two picture frames I painted gold. I know I won't get to the curtains I'm making, but maybe next weekend.

Glamour Girl

My fingers have been itching to create something new, but I've been so involved with cleaning out my mother's house, helping Ava move, and spring cleaning my own house that I haven't had the energy to do more that walking into my studio and sit down at the computer. My brain feels clutterd with all the "stuff" I've put my hands on this week. This is a photograph I took of a wig stand that I painted last year. Her name is Ava (as in Gardener, not my sister) I altered the color of the photograph to use as an element in a collage I'm working on, and I was intrigued with its painterly effect, after I changed the color saturation. You can see Ava in her natural state in the studio pictures below. So I'm posting it for the Art on the Darkside Mannequin challenge, Theme Thursday Glamour Girl challenge, and One Powerful Hour's circle challenge. Maybe next weekend I'll have time to work on the actual collage or finish one of the three other paintings I have in prgress.

Commission Work

Most of my life I've dreamed of painting portraits of children or illustrating children's books, and recently this fantasy of mine has come true. I've accepted several commissions in the folk art style of Are You a Good Witch , an 15" X 30" mixed media painting on wood, and I've decided to start a new project: mixed media folk art portraits by commission.

If you are interested, take a look at my portfolio on Flickr or at my shop on Etsy to get an idea of my style and range. You can contact me via e-mail, Flickr mail or Etsy with any questions or to discuss specifics, such as size, palette, price, and you can also send me photos of your subject. Please allow 6-8 weeks for completion, since I do have a full-time day job teaching school. When summer break comes, I may be able to work a little faster. Payments will be made in two parts: half up front and the other half, plus shipping, upon completion.

I'm very, very excited about this because I've been drawing my little ones since about fourth grade. Those of you who remember which birthday I celebrated this year, know exactly how long ago that was! I am so looking forward to talking to you about your ideas

Love,
Alberta

Postcards on Etsy

Sunday Postcard Art

I don't know about other artists, but I have a need to work in different styles and media. Other artists seem to specialize in one genre, but I find myself some days with an urge to make something funky and fun, and other days a desire to learn something and work intuitively. Other days I just need to paint something magical and pretty to escape into. Maybe it's because it's spring and cherry blossom petals are blowing across my garden, or maybe it's because Ava and I are going to visit our mother for a few days, but today my inner child needed to escape for a romp with a beautiful fairy tale bird. The little painting is called: Printemps Prend la Fuite, Spring Takes Flight, and, if you like it, the postcards are available on Etsy.

Saturday Surprise

Prints available on Etsy in 6.5" X 6.75" or 9.5" X 10"

IF: April Fools' Rabbit By Ava

16" X 18" mixed media on canvas (available on Etsy) for Saturday Surprise "Mother Nature Challenge" , Created By Hand Craft Challenge "Easter" and Illustration Friday "Talisman Challenge."

The rabbit is the symbol for faith in many religions and is also a talisman of love and fertility.

Isn't this painting awesome!!! I'm such a proud big sister. I've already commissioned her to do one for me.