bluejay-sm

Need gift ideas? Got a few for ya here...

In the spirit of the holidays, I've started developing a series of small paintings  suitable for holiday gifts and stocking stuffers. The prices are marked to fit into any budget - small original acrylic paintings and mini framed prints starting at $35.

Also available of course are sets of assorted greeting cards - sets of 4 for $13, and sets of 8 for $25.

More small paintings are in the works - stay tuned!

[nggallery id=23]

RitasBackYard-sm

The comfort of home

(Pictured above, "Rita's Back Yard", watercolor)

A lot of painters use a method called "plein air" - which means to bring your paints and paper and set up outside in front of an inspiring view and paint it on the spot. In my travels, I've seen this a lot. Florence, Paris, London, San Francisco, New York City - you see artists in all sorts of places like this, set up in the middle of a crowded square doing their thing.

This has not been my method of choice. Firstly, I'm a little shy about people watching me work. If I were to do plein air painting in Chicago where I live, guaranteed there would be some people watching. Maybe this is something I should work to get over, but for now, eesh. Secondly, what do plein art painters do to record a winter scene? Or a night scene? or a rainy day? I don't believe in suffering for art.

I prefer to use photography to record scenes that move me and then paint later, in the comfort of my own home. Two paintings finished recently, both derived from photos I took while visiting my Aunt Rita in Pittsville Wisconsin last spring. It was cold, wet when I took these photos, but I completed them in warmth, privacy and security, in my living room.

Autumn River

Autumn River

IMG_4919

Popping up all over the country

Would you believe my artwork is now hanging in a home in California?

While visiting in Chicago, Donna Knippen of San Jose California found my booth at the Galleria and purchased this print of "Shadows". She just sent me a photo she took of the print, now framed and hanging in her home! How exciting!

My artwork is starting to pop up all over the country! I couldn't be more thrilled!

Thank you so much Donna!

snowman-sm

Who's afraid of a little snow?

I may be in the minority but I love a good snow storm.  Since I work from home, it takes away the stress of the situation and allows me to enjoy the beauty of the day. I often will take a long walk through the snow after a blizzard with my camera at the ready. Everything is clean and shiny and pretty after a snow.

With the holidays coming up I was brainstorming what I could add to my booth at the Galleria that might sell well during the holiday season. Greeting cards have been on my list for a while so I beyond the cards I already had in mind, I decided to develop a line of cards inspired by winter.

Of the images below, I've chosen to make cards from the snowman image, the winter trees, the snowflake and the snow angel. I'm also printing a series of penguins, and some of my still lifes of fruits and vegetables, sixteen designs all together. Envelopes and packaging are on order and all should be delivered by the middle of next week. Can't wait to see how they turn out!

[nggallery id=20]

slice-sm

Sweet attack

Wayne Thiebold made a name for himself during the pop art movement by painting cakes and pastries - and I can see why he chose them. They're so pretty! Like making a painting of a sculpture, it's art inspired by art.

While the Pop movement was about glorifying objects of mass culture, my inspiration is more of an homage to the work and talent that goes into making a beautiful cake or pastry.

These were way too fun to paint, and I have lots of ideas to continue the series. However, the fall out is a pretty hefty sugar craving. Uh oh!

[nggallery id=21]

Maya-sm

Pet Portraits R Us

I just finished a commissioned puppy portrait of Maya - a gorgeous Great Dane. My client purchased this painting as a birthday gift for her friend, Maya's owner. I always like to have a few paintings going at once so I'm not sitting there watching paint dry, so, while I was at it, I also did two other pet portraits. One is a portrait of Juno, a lab mix puppy owned by my good friends the Carrolls, and I also did a portrait commemorating my much missed cat, Daisy.

All three of these paintings are combinations of monoprints, collage and watercolor. I love the unexpected effect created by both the collage and the monoprint. You never know what you're going to get, but it's usually something good!

Juno-sm daisy-sm1

upearly-sm

Cleaning house and inspiration

Featured above: "Up early" - watercolor painting inspired by Milly's garden

For every finished painting, there are also a few that are started and then set aside. They're always in the back of my mind as I am working on other things, waiting for the day I am inspired to finish them up.

I finally took some time this weekend to give some attention to five paintings that have been sitting half finished for a while. Quite a sense of accomplishment. Most of them were started back in August when I was on vacation in Canada.

One of them, "Up early" (pictured at left) was started a year ago and based on a photo taken of my Aunt Milly's garden - a splendid and remarkable place. Forty years of nurturing have gone into her creation of this masterpiece which surrounds her home on the coast of Lake Superior in a little town called Cornucopia, Wisconsin. Many of my paintings are inspired by Milly's garden, including all the images in the presentation below.

[nggallery id=17]

 

 

lovin-sm

Love a gallery night

Woohoo! Even though the holiday weekend kept the crowd smallish, I had a great time! Thanks for all who came to see me at the Andersonville Galleria last night. I met some great new clients - regulars to the Galleria - who loved my fruit and veg series (more to come there!) And the birdies seem to be getting a lot of attention too. Some lovely neighbors also came by to show support and even bought a couple things! Thanks to everyone!

Sales included the following:

[nggallery id=16]

RO

Sign up for the mailing list.

©2024 Rochelle Weiner Carr Fine Art, All Rights Reserved