Gaining Perspective

Gaining Perspective

48"x32"

This January we flew to Phoenix to see my best friend get married. While I was on the plane, I drew the earth below us through the little airplane window in my sketchbook. I always get nostalgic about sketching when I travel. It seems like something that should be documented through drawing. This painting is from one of those sketches I made. I think I was looking at a river and the mountains against the sky, but it was super abstracted from being so far up.

Gaining Perspective is actually a title with double meaning for me. I was able to gain perspective from the land I was drawing through sheer altitude and I always feel that I gain perspective about life when I travel. There is something about when I take myself out of my routine and my geographical location that opens my eyes to new ways of thinking and observing everything with fresh eyes. Makes me wish I could travel more!

You'll have to come see this painting in person because my photo doesn't really show all the gold and bronze paint I used in the yellow and brown areas. Right now it is hanging in my store Wood Icing at the Chesterfield Mall.

Time Flies When You Are Opening a New Business!

So I have been MIA again, but for a good reason. I have been working very hard at a new business venture with my mom, Rose Wilde and two of my very good artist friends Mary Beth Shaw and Greg Barth. That is my dad in the picture after he finished hanging the new sign.

Our new store is called Wood Icing named after my mom and dad's business. My mom had been selling Wood Icing (the modeling paste that I use in my paintings) online for years and has decided to take it t the next level. Greg, Mary Beth and I have also decided to take our artistic careers to another level as well by making our fine art available to the public every day. We are offering our original art, framing services, photo services, workshops, and of course, the Wood Icing product in our store/gallery/studio.

Now, I can't lie, this has been stressful, but so exciting. The first day I worked with Mary Beth we both admitted we were excited to be there even though we had been there constantly painting and fixing the place up. Once we get everything into place, it is going to be such a great place to be. We plan to offer Girls night out, and helpful demos. It is the perfect combination of a sophisticated gallery, artsy hang out, and arts/crafts supply destination. We are welcoming crafty do it yourselfers, interior designers, faux finishers, artists, and art lovers. Obviously we hope people will consider us as they do their Christmas shopping. We offer many gifts anywhere from $10 and up.

So I guess I should mention where this super fun place is located. The Chesterfield Mall in Chesterfield, MO. We are located on the upper level next to Sears and across from Houlihan's. We are already open for business, but our Grand Opening is December 11, 12, and 13. We will have demos, cookies, Christmas Ornament painting, Greg is even planning to shoot free facebook photos, and we will be hosting a few special guest artists!

Oh and by the way, have you been to the mall lately? I forgot how fun the mall is. They have an H&M (love it) and GAP and Old Navy, and should I dare mention Aunt Annie's Pretzels. If my butt is bigger now you know why!