The Sound of Snow

I have 38 new paintings to begin sharing and I can't decide where to start! This leads to editing photos, updating my website, and so on. In my fantasies, I will post about each painting until I have written about all of them, but we shall see....

So, for now, let's start at the beginning. This is the first painting I made for the William Woods Exhibit starting in June of 2012 but I will consider it a 2013 painting since it didn't see the light of day until a week and a half ago. I gave a sneak peek of it back in August of 2012 in my post called Consistent Studio Time. I don't know how my goal of 25 paintings became 38, but I am glad it did, because the Cox Gallery was huge!


The Sound of Snow 42"x72"

The first time I visited the Cox Gallery, I knew I was making this painting. I had this vision of creating a series of paintings that capture the transition of seasons and the first one I wanted to work on was winter (in the heat of summertime in Missouri!) I used white, silver, blue, brown and black and it is my most special one. It is titled The Sound of Snow, because that is my favorite part of my least favorite season. That moment when snow covers the ground and the sound of everything is more peaceful. It is like having your hands over your ears, yet everything sounds sharp and clear, just. more. soft. I have decided this is my new place to go, if I ever manage to sit still long enough to meditate. Meditation is one of my many goals in life. I feel that I do meditate while painting, but I would love to experience true meditation.

The Sign of a Good Day

I love to look at my hands and see the colors of the day. I wash my hands and watch the colors go down the drain, but then later there will inevitably be the remnants of a color under my nails or in the cracks of my dry skin (sexy, I know) and it makes me happy. I smile at the sight of cobalt teal in my nails and cadmium orange on my wrist! I used to be embarrassed if someone saw my paint stained hands, but now I think of it as proof that I spent time in my day being creative and it makes me feel good.

Today was especially good because I was able to ship my commissioned tree painting to one of my favorite collectors. I can NOT wait for her to see it. I know I am being paid for this, but I feel like I am giving her a present and I can't wait to hear how she likes it. So for now, no photos until she gets it, because I don't want to spoil the surprise.

I also began three more paintings for the Cox Gallery exhibit at William Woods. The studio was cold, but I stayed warm with my creative juices flowing. I swear it is true. So now, the countdown looks like this, not counting yesterday or today. 10 in progress, 19 finished, and more to go cause I am a dummy and raised my final number. I think to 35. Call me crazy.

Here is my stack of finished paintings so far. I think you are looking at about 13 paintings there. We are having a little hiccup in progress, because two of the really large paintings had problems with the wood we used for the frame, so Ben is having to re-frame them. Ya gotta roll with what comes along, right? I am just grateful that he knows what he is doing.

Starting the year off PAINTING!

Wow, time goes by fast during the holidays doesn't it? In my head I had only skipped blogging for about a week. As you know, I am working towards a deadline. 32 (changed from 30) paintings finished by January 31st for the William Woods University Exhibit. Wow! I think I am going to do it. I really do.

Here is the count down so far... 8 Paintings finished, 19 in progress, and 4 weeks to go. Keep in mind that they are all different sizes ranging from 8 inches to 72 inches. Tonight I plan to work on the small ones at my kitchen table instead of down in my studio, so I can still hang out with my family.

Below is the image I sent for the post card. The exhibit is going to be called; Transitions in Color and Texture with Heather Haymart and Chris McCarthy. The reception will be Sunday, February 10th from 1:00-2:30 and then I will be doing an artist talk/demo afterwards. I think I have selectively forgotten about the artist talk. Better get to planning that too!

Beneath the Layers 16"x 24" 

I know all of this sounds crazy, and it kind of is considering that I am running the Wood Icing Gallery, finishing a commission, have another one waiting in the wings for after the exhibit (thankfully!), I am trying to help my 8th grader plan for high school stuff, and keep up with my 5th grader's activities, BUT, and it is a big BUT, I am so happy about this body of work I am creating. The other day, I finished a little section of one of my paintings where some orange showed through some blue and I squealed out loud right there in my studio all by myself. This is joy, and it is why I keep driving myself crazy with all of this. Those are the moments that remind me of why I HAVE to create.

2013 Art Calendar for sale on Etsy!
Click HERE to purchase.

Ooooh! I almost forgot! I sent my 2013 art calendars to my top collectors this year as thank you gifts and I have a few more I would like to sell. They are $14.95 in my Etsy shop and I have some available at Wood Icing in the Chesterfield Mall in Missouri too. If you are still looking for a pretty calendar to use this year, please think about buying mine!

The Countdown Continues....

7 paintings in progress, 6 paintings finished, 8 weeks left!

The Countdown Continues....

It's getting to be crunch time. My 30 new paintings need to be finished for the William Woods University exhibit by January 31st, but I need to send an image for the post card first thing next week, and I need to have all of the painting titles turned in by January 5th. No stress here! It's a good stress though. I am excited, and I am making paintings I really like. Holding them back for right now is KILLING me! My studio is beginning to fill up with finished paintings, and works in progress. I am also working on a commissioned tree painting right now too. Don't even ask me about my Christmas shopping! This is the dream though. I am making paintings from my soul, for a living and for myself.

 

Does it get any better than this?



William Woods Exhibit 2013 works in progress




Large Painting in Clamps

This is my next painting I plan to start as soon as Ben is finished building it. It is 42"x72". I need to make one to replace the one I sold in Memphis. I am planning to make four in total for the exhibit. One down, three to go!

My Big Show in 2013!

This spring, I received an e-mail from the gallery director of Mildred M Cox Gallery at William Woods University inviting me to exhibit in the gallery. I can thank my mother-in-law for this connection because they happen to be neighbors! After, reviewing my web site, Jennifer, the gallery director invited me to exhibit and I said yes, yes yes!

There are a couple of reasons why this feels like it is meant to be. For one reason, earlier this year, I took Stephanie Levy's e-course Creative Courage and she encouraged us to write our goals and one of my goals was to pursue having a solo exhibit of my work in a gallery by 2013 but I didn't know how it would ever happen, because I don't have time to submit to these types of exhibits. Another reason this is so interesting  to me is because when I was a high school senior and looking at colleges, I took a brochure from William Woods college and drew this really cool photo of these college students sitting in front of this beautiful, tall, arched window. I still have it somewhere in the recesses of my basement! I will post it if I ever find it. Lastly, I noticed that this summer, that one of my college professors from Mizzou had an exhibit at William Woods, so I decided that was the third a final sign I needed to know that this was the right decision for me. This professor gave me advice on drawing trees that still comes to me every time I work on a tree painting.

This summer, we visited Ben's mom and I went over to the college to meet Jennifer, view the gallery, measure and take pictures. I wanted to create an entire body of work for this exhibit. I still don't have a title for the exhibit and time is ticking. I need about 30 paintings by the time I am ready to hang in February of 2013. Daunting? Yes, but I love having this goal. When it is all finished, I will have plenty of paintings to sell during art fair season. I also decided instead of having the show be solo, that I would invite a glass artist to exhibit with me. My friend Sharon Spillar recommended Chris McCarthy, owner of Park Avenue Glass. His work is so beautifully unique and I felt that our work would look really great together.

I am beginning a countdown for getting my paintings finished to keep myself motivated and on track. So far, I have six finished, four in progress and 20 to go. I had two finished, but I took them to Memphis and sold them. I couldn't help it! I need the work to take with me!

 

Wish me luck!