Thursday, October 27, 2016

Autumn Tree, Landscape Original Painting, 6x8 Oil on Canvas Panel



Since I live by the beach, I get very excited when I see Fall colors. This tree just seemed to glow. We were in upstate Pennsylvania, staying on a farm. What a different way of life from flip-flop-wearing, easygoing Florida. 

Carmen

Monday, October 24, 2016

Pumpkin Hill, Sketch Journal in Watercolor

We recently visited our family in Pennsylvania and it was just beautiful there with all the Fall colors. They live right on top of a hill which slopes down to cow pastures. See the little fat cow? That is not even exaggerated. 
A lot of cooking went on and we enjoyed it immensely. We hiked through the woods and found the mushrooms depicted above right. The big one was huge and very hard. Fungi can be quite peculiar.

I once had a high school biology teacher who had this question on a test: _______have no ________.

He offered not a clue. Worms have no feet? Fish have no pockets?

The actual answer: Fungi have no Chlorophyll.

Carmen

Friday, October 21, 2016

Beach Birds, 11x14 Oil on Canvas Panel, Seascape


This has been an interesting project because I used cold wax as my medium. I painted much of it before going on vacation, then added the foreground birds when I returned. Cold wax is very interesting to use and I am still experimenting with it. It has a soft look, and when painting over a layer that has dried it is very easy to wipe away any mistakes. Wax on, wax off. 

It also makes a nice final varnish and you don't have to wait months to do it. It is not recommended for stretched canvas, though. A rigid support is necessary to prevent cracking.

I realize if you're not an artist this is about as interesting as reading the Tax Code.

Carmen


Tuesday, October 18, 2016

The Gaze, 6x6 Acrylic


I've been painting a large floral painting that is quite detailed, so to loosen up a bit I did this little experiment. I used black and white acrylic over poured acrylic to get this effect. The poured acrylic was completely dry (which takes days) before I painted over it.

Today I got an email requesting the following custom order:  "A hand painting of steve Jobs that shows the white apple logo and says think different, and also it has to say in memory of Steve Jobs February 24, 1955- October 5 2011, I want the painting to be no more than $50, size 6x6."
Say WHAT? All that, in miniature, for $50? With lettering, yet! Wow. How insulting. 

Coincidentally, this morning I ran across this quote by an artist:

"I always wanted to live in poverty and be maligned and devalued by society and the business world. I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams." 






Friday, October 14, 2016

Sketch Journal Entry: Paradise Found



This is my journal entry of my sister and niece's new bookstore, Paradise Found, on Pine Avenue, Anna Maria Island. My husband and I were working on the store the whole time Hurricane Matthew was aiming at our home on the other coast of Florida. I painted murals for the children's section and Hap painted the entire inside of the store.

Located between the General Store and a bakery, we wanted for nothing. Can you imagine Coconut Key Lime cake?

It was nerve-wracking watching the predictions of the "Cone of Uncertainty," and we were relieved to find our house relatively undamaged in spite of the large tree down in the front yard. A group from a Mormon church in our town stopped by and helped cut the tree up and pile it by the road. They were wonderful! They saved hours of work for us. Thank you, lovely people in the yellow shirts!

Carmen


Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Simonetta, 16x20 Collage on Canvas, Botticelli's Venus


This collage is made entirely of paper torn from fashion magazines. It is a partial view of Sandro Botticelli's famous painting, Birth of Venus. What a challenge! The fun part was her hair. Much of it is from Charlene Theron's "J'Adore" perfume ad. Collage, especially in color, takes me twice as long as oil painting--sometimes three times as long. I do love the result, though.

Simonetta was the woman believed to be the model for Birth of Venus. Read all about her life in our Pieces of 8 member Fay Picardi's book Simonetta.

Carmen

P.S. The painting Hot Cubans has been reinstated on Etsy, with no explanation about why it was taken down in the first place.

Still Life, Radish Bouquet, 8x6 Oil on Canvas Panel



This would be such a nice picture in a kitchen. Radishes are such colorful vegetables, they beg to be painted. 

Carmen

Friday, October 7, 2016

Murals, Past and Future


I am painting murals in a new bookstore, Paradise Found, opening November 1st on Anna Maria Island off Bradenton, Florida. In these photos I am revisiting past murals I did for the children's room in a previous bookstore.

I think I need to use some of these again, especially Winnie and Tigger, below.


I love doing these characters. Oh, and I forgot to mention that Paradise Found will have exotic plants for sale also. Books and plants--two of my favorite things!

Carmen

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Landscape Oil Painting, Carolina Barn, 8x6 Original Art


Three of our painting group went on a quest near Waynesville, North Carolina to find picturesque barns to paint. We encountered cows and a gunshot, which added to the country flavor. 

The area around Waynesville is so beautiful, and I loved visiting the waterfalls and Sliding Rock, a huge rock that people slide down into shockingly cold river water. Very entertaining to watch. That water is too cold for my thin Florida blood!

Carmen