What's on the Easel? A new watercolor and a new acrylic!

Thought I would give a sneak peek at what is in the works!~  The left side is an new acrylic painting I am doing.  I just love the window reflections - they are little paintings themselves!  The top two are done, but I am still working on the other 4.  There are also some pretty flowers that I need to add the the flower box.   I am really enjoying this one :)

The right is a new watercolor still life.  I have decided that I really like doing still life watercolor paintings rather than landscapes.  Trees are really not my thing in watercolor.  I am still fighting with the doily, but other than that just a little more tweeking. 

Let me know what you think.  I would love to hear from you.  Also feel free to comment on what you would like to see me paint.  I may just take you up on it! 

In the presence of greatness - Joan Baez

No, I am not just showing off - 3 posts in as many days! 

I had the pleasure of seeing Joan Baez in concert last night.  It was a nice venue with stadium seating so the view of the stage was great!  This was a stripped down show with just Joan and one other musician. 

As she admitted, her voice has lowered an octave, but after 50 years in the business some changes are expected.    I will admit that my husband is the Joan fan more than I am, but you have to respect anyone that has been in the world of music for 50 years and still has her convictions.

She will be 70 in January and still does about 75 shows a year  - again, gotta respect that!

My first exposure to Joan's music was on my Woodstock '69 soundtrack.  Her voice was undeniable and hard to ignore!  Then in the 70's she had her biggest hit - 'The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down'.  I bought the 45 rpm record of that and still have it on my juke box.

The crowd was very quiet when she was performing, but showed their appreciation between songs.  No sign of the stray flash here and there since flash photos were not allowed.  I have to admit that I am a sucker for story songs so I was occasionally tearing up listening to her moving lyrics.  Songs like that will be around for a very long time.

It was a wonderful evening and I hope she passes our way again soon!

The great Wellesley Island paint out!

This is the wonderful view that I was greeted with when I arrived on Wellesley Island.  My Tuesday night painting group include a couple of members with camps on the Island.  They were so nice to invite us all for the weekend to paint. sight see and socialize.  Guess what got the least attention - painting, of course, but we did get to it eventually!

Wellesley Island lies between the US and Canada via the 1000 Islands Bridge in Upstate NY. 

This is Phyllis our boat captain.  She took us out on her pontoon boat for a tour of the islands.  There is so much to see in the area.

  We got up close and personal with Boldt's Castle.  There is a very romantic story surrounding the castle on Heart Island.  Boldt Castle in the 1000 Islands Region of the St. Lawrence River stands as a remembrance of the magnificence of a bygone era… a monument of love on Heart Island of George C. Boldt for his wife Louise.

We checked out many of the Islands in the area. 

 

Even though we weren't painting, we were gathering some great reference photos to use later.  We visited the very picturesque village of Thousand Island Park (not a park, but a community - go figure).  There are only a few year round residents there, but it is bustling in the summer months!

These are some of the 'painted ladies' in the village - beautiful Victorian houses painted in vibrant colors! 

It wouldn't be a trip the TI Park without stopping at the Guzzle for ice cream!  It was their last weekend, but we still found something yummy!

And , yes we did find some time to paint.  We all liked the view from the porch at one of the camps and decided to all work there.

 And as the sun started to set so ended our great island paint out weekend on Wellesley Island! I don't have anything to show yet from the trip, because plein air painting is not my favorite, but I hope there is something in all the photos that I want to paint.

Gearing up for the Holidays!

I noticed that my poor blog really needed some love. I have been very busy getting items ready for a wonderful Holiday House sale event coming up next month. Our local Art center dresses up with lots of artisan wares all for sale.

I am really enjoying painting some small canvases that sit on little easels. What a great way to get original artwork for a very affordable price. I am hoping they will stir up some interest at the sale.

I plan to package them in clear cellophane with a nice ribbon on top. This way they are all ready for gift giving and to display right out of the wrapping.

I have packaged up all of my hand painted scrabble tile pendants and my hand painted silhouette pendants for the sale too! I also have finished a couple new ones for the event. I still hope to get more done if time permits :0

I think that the silhouettes would also make great car art -hanging on the rear view mirror.   What do you think?

We have a winner of the 250 die cut business cards!

True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 27
Result: 7

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

( I didn't count a couple of comments that weren't really entries)


We have a winner of the 250 die cut business cards! Congratulations to Criscreates and boy does she ever!  Visit her Etsy shop for custom pet portraits and other goodies.

Random.org picked #7 as the winning comment number. I will pass Cris's info on to Uprinting and she can create and upload her design for her personalized cards!

Thanks to everyone that entered! Special thanks to Uprinting and Giveaway Blogs for providing the prize~!

Keep watch for more great giveaways!

250 Die Cut Business Cards Giveaway!



 I am offering another great Giveaway sponsored by Giveaway blogs and Uprinting.com.

Designer Cards, blogger cards and so much more… From marketing materials to personal cards, business cards have developed from the plain boring to a more modern and rounded corners, square cards and slim cards.

I have ordered great business cards from Uprinting before and they are top notch!

I am an independent artist so it is important to take charge of my own promotion. I want to help other indy art and crafters so I offer these giveaways to let you promote without breaking the bank!

Giveaway Prize:

250 Die Cut Business Cards for One (1) Winner

2 x 3.5”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.75 x 3.5” (slim card)

Die cutting options available: Rounded Corners, Leaf, Rounded One-Corner, Half-Circle Side, Circle

Paper Type: 14pt Cardstock Gloss, Matte, or High Gloss; 13pt Cardstock Uncoated

Color: 4Color Front, Blank Back; 4Color Front, Black Back; 4Color Both Sides

Limited to US residents only 18 years old and above

I don't know about you but I go through a lot of business cards and thankfully I also get 250 Die Cut Business Cards from UPrinting.com for hosting this giveaway.

Contest ends 11:59pm on Thursday, Sept. 23rd! Get those comments in! You have multiple ways to win! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post that includes your name and email address. Your address will not be used for anything other than allowing Uprinting to contact you if you win the prize.

You can also blog about this giveaway, linking back here to this post. Leave another comment that you did so to get another entry and/or Tweet about the giveaway and leave a separate comment that you did so!

If you would like to receive my newsletter, please sign up to the right and leave a comment that you did so to get another entry. I offer certain sales and specials only to subscribers!

If you are the lucky winner I will pass your info on to Uprinting and they will contact you directly.

Thanks again to Uprinting and Giveaway Blogs for providing the prize~!

Giveaway Blogs

http://www.giveawayblogs.com/

http://www.twitter.com/Giveaway_Blogs

VIsit my Art Opening via Photos!

Last night was the opening for my solo show at the Rome Art and Community Center.  I was in the intimate library gallery which I really love!  I wasn't even nervous at all which really surprised me.  So many friend came out to support me that I felt very blessed! 

I thought I would give a virtual look at the show to those that couldn't attend.

Me - many people commented on my dressing up - don't have much call for that anymore.

It was a small show - only 16 pieces, but it decorated the library gallery nicely.  I took most of these photos before guests started arriving.  Unfortunately, after that I was so busy visiting with people that I forgot to take more photos! 

Thanks for visiting my virtual show!  Yo can find prints of all these works at Fine Art America .