I'm Still Here

It has been SUCH a busy summer! But a good one. I know I mentioned on my facebook page that I was starting a new little artistic venture. That company I started has taken off and is soaring. I'm actually struggling to keep up! Eeeeeeeeeeek! It has been exciting thinking about the possibilities it has.

But that is not what this post is about. This post is that, yes, I'm still here and I'm still painting! I had a couple of opportunities to teach some kids and adult art classes this summer through the Stumptown Art Center. I'll do a post about those in a couple of weeks after my last class. This has been such a busy summer between my new little flourishing business, art classes and all the painting I've been doing. I've had several commissions this summer....that have taken me longer to paint/finish than I ever wanted them to. :( I know I can't paint everything super fast but sometimes it's frustrating when you aren't painting as fast as you would like. Thankfully, everyone has been super patient. (Bless their hearts). I only have one left to go and I should hopefully finish that in a couple of weeks as well (fingers crossed).

I have also been painting for an upcoming exhibition at Stephen Isley Jewelry in Whitefish, MT. I've been working on some western images in an art nouveau style. It's quite exciting. I love how they are turning out. This image is Annie Oakley. I took a quick snap of the painting on my phone, in bad light, just after I finished it so it doesn't look as nice online as I'd like, but it's there for you to get a sense of where I'm going with this.

I'm going to have paintings of Annie, Calamity Jane, Bell Starr, a bison, a horse, and (if I'm able to get it done in time) Jesse James. If I finish Jesse or not, I like where this is going and want to do a whole series! Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, Wyatt Earp, Stagecoach Mary, Laura Ingles Wilder, General Custer, Sitting Bull, Chief Joseph, Crazy Horse, ect. I want to paint a lot of western icons in this style. It's been fun exploring a different artistic style while trying to add my own little flair to it and painting what interests me. YAY for something different and trying new things.

If you do happen to be in area September 1st, the show will be from 5-8 at Stephen Isley Jewelry in downtown Whitefish, MT.

And thanks for sticking around to see what is new on the blog! Sorry it has been so long since I last posted!!!!!

Glacier Trees

Here is some progress on another piece I've been working on. This one is very tedious. It is from a photo I took in Glacier a couple of months after I moved to Whitefish almost 3 years ago. Shoot dang! Time goes by quickly. I've masked some parts of the trees to preserve the white from the light that will be hitting them, but everything else is painted one slow detail at a time. It may look simple enough but it is very time consuming. I think I've already put 10 hours into it...a little here, a little there. I haven't been keeping track as I ought because I've also been working on other pieces and will consistently take a break and work on another mini piece.

I'm on narrow horizontal kick right now! The last floral piece I finished was this format. I also have another horse image ready to go at this format...but I don't want to start that until I finish this and more minis and then apply for some shows. I have so many ideas and want to paint them all but I can't do everything at once! Plus, postponing a piece often gives me more time to think about it, tweak the composition, ponder about the painting process I'll use, and (cross fingers) lead to a more polished piece in the end.

Well, I just wanted to share! Happy Wednesday!

Thinking Spring

I started working on a forest of daisies last night. I got so into it and completely lost track of time! I felt I had gotten to a good stopping point and decided to watch a movie before going to bed. Well, as I walked to my living room to pick a flick, I noticed the time... 2:15am. HOLY BUCKETS! I didn't realize that so much time had passed. Lots of washes and layers sure can be fun :)

I've already worked on it a couple of hours today. Just taking a break to eat some lunch and then I'll be back at it! This piece is 30x11. can't wait to see what the final result will be.

Happy Saturday

Nice and Easy....

This is one of those pieces that takes time to finish...I'm so anxious for the final result that I have to constantly remind myself that I can't rush it. Gotta take it at little chunks here and there to prevent rushing. I guess that's the downside to a piece I'm excited about. I've also been working on some mini pieces...I'll share those later. Here is the progress I've made recently on this piece.

and a little detail on the face

The Work of an Artist Never Ends

I have several pieces in process. One of a snowy landscape, several mini's that might end up being submission pieces for The Hockaday Mini Show and the {mini} benefit show for the ZACC (Zootown Arts Community Center)....and then there is this piece.

This is the one I'm most excited about. It's 22x30 (I know, another big one...I am just loving painting big pieces!) It is based off an image I took at the Ski Joring event a week and 1/2 ago for the Whitefish Winter Carnival. For those of you who have never heard of Ski Joring, here are a couple of shots to show what it is!

Skiers are pulled by a rope over jumps by a horse and rider, while making sure they zig-zag around flags in the ground. It is SO much fun to watch!

Almost finished!

The next post I have will be the finished piece...I just need to do some last little tweaks and then scan the beast to get a proper digital image. OH i'm soooooooooooooooooo excited to share it with you! But since that will happen a little later today, here are two images of some progress I made earlier today.

I've begun working on the water. The next shows a little more progress on the water

Happy Thursday everyone!!!!

More Progress

I was able to spend the day working on my big piece, which was great since I didn't do any painting this past weekend. I had the chance to get away from it all. My dear dear friend and I rented a forest service cabin near Phillipsburg, MT for the weekend with the intent on going Snowshoeing. There really wasn't that much snow so we used our yaktracks to get around on the ice. I got some great reference photos and CAN'T wait to paint some of them. But first, this piece!

And here is one with progress on the rock with lichen

Progress

Here is a bit of Progress I made on the giant painting today.

And....a little more! :)