Progress is slow, but it's still progress!

"Beargrass" - original painting

"Bluebells" - original painting

"Bluebells" - in progress

So I've been working on a series of paintings of Rocky Mountain wildflowers.  Ideally, these would have been done for the rush of summer tourists this year, but I have two (and a half) paintings completed, so that wasn't enough to release them for sale just yet.  But hey, winter will be here in no time and it'll give me something to do while the wind howls outside my windows.  Painting is my true joy, but for some reason I do so little of it.  Early New Year's goal:  paint more.  Okay, done.  Here's the two I have completed, and a few "in progress" shots.  Hope you like them!  

New drawing ' "Thinking of a Full Moon"

I have always loved a simple pencil drawing.  I love to sit down with pencils and draw for an afternoon.  I scanned the finished drawing and added the pink in Photoshop.  The result is a crisp, clean print.  The eye color was a last minute decision, and I'm happy with the look.  Owl's eyes are so expressive, I thought it needed (or deserved) to stand out.  I am also working on finishing up a drawing of a Gray Owl. 

When great things fall into place...

photo credit:  Montana Panoramic

This is Tart, a wonderful art gallery in Bozeman, Montana where I have sold my art since 2007.  It is the first gallery I sold my work through and that, among many other things, is why it is near and dear to my heart.  Anna Visscher is the mastermind behind Tart and she carefully chooses each artist and designer who sells there.  I am pleased to announce that Tart and some of its artists, of whom I am one, were featured on the popular blog Apartment Therapy!  I am so proud of Tart and of Anna and all the hard work she puts in!  You can visit Tart's online shop here:  http://www.tartique.com/ .  Here is a link to the article on Apartment Therapy about Tart:  http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/tart-the-last-best-place-for-artists-store-profile-179701

"Cut & Paste"

This is one of my latest paintings, finished last month.  It is done with Sharpies and oil on canvas.  I did several initial drawings of this until I got a result I was happy with.  It measures 12x24 inches and is for sale in my Etsy shop here:  www.paperandcanvas.etsy.com

"Teslow Grain Elevator" - SOLD

 Grain elevators are my favorite thing.  If I won the lottery, I'd spend the rest of my life traveling around saving them one by one.  I've always though an old grain elevator would make a great house.  Many of them were created with beatiful large wood beams that aren't available anymore.  They come with built-in awesomeness.  They are unique structures that I've always admired.  This one still exists in central Montana.  It is going to Washington D.C.! 

Oil on Canvas.  24x36 inches

"Rainbow Bar & Lounge" - SOLD

This painting, the largest in my body of work, just got a new home in Greenwich, Conneticut!  It measures 36x61 inches, and was just 1/2" under the limit to ship ground via UPS.  Yikes!  I think it's sort of funny that I sold two paintings in one week, and they were both sold to buyers from the same state.  This sign was an actual bar sign in the small town I grew up in.  I always thought it was humorous because I didn't understand what a "supper club" was when I was a kid.  It sounded pretty exclusive and mysterious when I was eight.  Right after I graduated from college, the bar was sold and this sign was taken down.  I felt the sign needed a resurection, so here it is, my homage to quirky small-town bar signs. 

"Before & After" - SOLD

This painting titled "Before and After,"  got a new home New Hartford, Conneticut!  I did this painting as a sort of study on a new medium I wanted to work with.  I liked using water soluble pencils in college and this is one of the first paintings I did using them.  I was at home on a weekend trying to get a handle on them, eating a granny smith apple.  I thought it would make a fun subject, and this turned out to be one of my personal favorites. 

"Billie Holiday"

 This is a painting I did of my favorite singer, Billie Holiday.  I easily have more of her songs on my iPod than anybody else's.  I bought a cd called "Billie Holiday Sings Standards" when I was in high school.  It is still the best album I own.  I'm offering this painting for sale in my etsy shop here: 
http://www.paperandcanvas.etsy.com/

New Work - "Cloud Balloons"

These are fresh from my sketchbook, and there's one more coming!  I will also be offering a limited edition poster in two different sizes that will feature all three "cloud balloons."  These two will be posted for sale in my Etsy store soon. 

Artist of the Week: Laura Amiss

I came across these wonderful creations on canvas while browsing through Etsy.  They are by artist Laura Amiss, who hails from the Netherlands.  Their design, colors, and use of textiles is a perfect combination.  I love her use of felt for certain parts of her composition.  It gives the canvas dimensionality, which is a totally brilliant idea.  Visit Laura's Etsy shop for more awesomeness here:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/lauraamiss?ref=seller_info

Favorite Thing of the Week..Ecojot Notebooks

I've been using these for a few years, and I still love them.  They're made of recycled paper and their cover designs are adorable.  They make me happy! 

 This one, I would say, is my favorite.  It speaks to my procrastinator personality.  I always dread the long list of tasks everyday, (I would rather be drawing) but it's much easier to get them done and move on with your day.  It feels much better to accomplish your task list than to let it grow to monster-sized proportions. 

This one is my color inspiration for the week.  This is probably my ideal color combination:  brown, light blue, green, and orange.  It's such an earthy collection of colors.  Someday, when I buy a house, these are the colors I'm shooting for. 

New Work - Limited Edition Posters!

This is an example of my new series of limited edition posters that will all feature new line drawings that I've been working on.  Among them will be hot air balloons, cowboy boots, and vintage typewriters.  This one, as you can see is "Anatomy of an Artist."  I will be listing this one, and others, in my Etsy shop in the coming weeks.