in the studio

Lots and lots of cleaning happened in the studio this week. I can see the floor and sit on any part of the couch. It's pretty amazing.

Also this week: delivered work for a show which opened Friday and half installed a group show for a charity event next Friday. And painted this, and did a bunch of small sketches.

and then in a dream, acrylic, 11" x 14"

This week: I have to finish installing the PINK! Show for Studio 659 and install some large work at Hammond Library. PINK! opens Friday - I have 2 drawings in this show - but I will miss the opening, because I also have work at Beverly Shores Depot Gallery, which opens the same night. Both will be great events! If you are local to NWI, please stop by one or the other!

Live Art!

update 4.7.13: Photographer and blogger Wes Bushby was at the opening/event Friday night. You can see his blog post here. He shoots at lots of local events, not just in NWI but in Chicago, as well.

This Friday I participated in a Live Art Show at Studio 659 in Whiting. There were 10 invited artists, each was asked to bring one piece which would be hung at the start of the event. Then we were to create a brand new piece while visitors could watch us work, to be completed and cleaned up all at the end of the reception. The newly created piece was  to be hung at the end of the night. I brought renewal with me, framed. And a whole portfolio full of the rest of the #art365 landscapes.

renewal, acrylic on paper, 5" x 7"

During the evening, I created 2 new larger landscapes based on a local park.

wicker park willows, acrylic on canvas, 10" x 10"

wicker park willows II,acrylic on canvas, 10" x 10"

And, happily,  sunrise over the ridge sold. The first sale of the month! 10% of all my sales this month are being donated to NAA-NWI, the local National Autism Association, for Autism Awareness Month.

sunrise over the ridge, acrylic on paper, 6.25" x 4.75"

PINK!: Women Artists Call for Art

Studio 659 in Whiting has a new call for art posted. Link is below.  This is their third Pink! show, held annually in conjunction with the City's Paint the Town Pink program in support of breast cancer. I've been in the show the last two years. embrace was in the first year's Pink! What to enter for this year. hmmm....

Women Artists Call for Art

embrace, 2010, acrylic on canvas, 48" x 36"

10% for autism

#art365 4.1.13 new life, acrylic on paper, 5" x 7"

I've been thinking recently that it was about time to do another good karma giveaway. I have a lot going on art-wise and I am very grateful for it, even if I do sometimes think I have too much going on. And then I had one of those rare (for me) really decisive moments. 

 I'm going to give 10% of all my sales for the month of April to NAA-NWI.

April is Autism Awareness month.  The Northwest Indiana chapter of the National Autism Association offers support and information to local families. You can donate directly to them here.

I have a soon to be teenager with pretty severe autism. Depending how you know me, this may not have come up in conversation before. I am really not ready to have a teenager. Probably a lot of parents feel this way. Probably not a lot of parents who feel this way are in the middle of potty training their teenager. I talked about how having a special needs child impacts my work last summer in this video.

Currently I have artwork in Crown Point, Dyer, Whiting and Hammond. And I certainly have tons more in my studio. 10% of any and all sales for the month of April will go to NAA.

How to find my work:

A selection of #art365 landscapes are at Candy Café.

Alternate Realities is at South Shore Arts.

Recent paintings at Paul Henry's Art Gallery.

I will be part of Live Art Show, April 5th, at Studio 659.

And there's more work on my website and facebook page.

easel-y done

Tonight was the Easel-y Done session I was leading/instructing at Studio 659 in Whiting. The idea of the evening is people can show up, have all the supplies provided for them, and create a painting during the course of the evening. The end result is you leave with a completed canvas.

I was asked to something fall-ish. I wanted it to be something similar to my work. I decided on pears, my favorite fall fruit. A pair of pears.

I sketched the pears out with watercolor pencil. I used the acrylic paint that we would be using in the class. I only used red, blue, yellow and white. There was green and black available for the class, as well, but no one used either of them. I had a painting completed and then painted a second version during the class, along with everyone else.

I made a couple of stencils of pears, and one of apples, in case anyone wanted to use them. Everyone did, so that was a good call. Here's a few class shots.

It was lots of fun and I was very happy that Studio 659 asked me to do it, and that I said yes. Below, the original on the right and the in-class painting on the left. I donated both of these pieces to the Studio, and they are available for sale.