Small Works Invitational

This 5x7 original acrylic orchid flower painting titled "Red Abundance" is being included in Elon's Annual Small Works Invitational. All of the works in this show do not exceed 100 square inches.

The show opens today and runs through February 3rd 2010.

It is located at:
Arts West Gallery
Elon University
Elon, NC, 27244

Questions: Michael Fels, 336-278-5597

A sketch inspired by Albrecht Durer

I took too many liberties with it to call it a study, but it is inspired by Albrecht Durer's Venetian painting.

A bit of color...

This is an 18x24 stargazer lily original acrylic painting on canvas entitled "Vivid."

The museum, a sketch, and (untitled).

Above is a photograph I took during my trip to the Getty Museum. She's one of my favorites in the terra cotta room. I didn't manage to get a shot of her from the front that I'm pleased with, but I did like this picture. Although I've know for a while that it's okay to take pictures of art the museum owns sans flash; I've prior to this been to shy to whip out my camera and shoot. I'm not the best photographer, but I did manage to get a few that I liked from the trip.

I also saw the movie (untitled), it's about a pair of brothers who are both entwined with a contemporary art gallery owner. One brother is a composer of very unusual music and the other is a commercially successful painter. The gallery owner showcases very different art. I'm not describing the movie well at all, but it was an entertaining film.

I actually did almost finish a painting today, but I'm not quite ready to photograph it. For the moment, here is a quick partial sketch of the father of the Laocoon Group sculpture:

incomplete bits and pieces

Well, I haven't managed to complete a painting lately, but here are some sketches. The top one is after Raphael. The girl below is a partial of an image I started for the sketchstorm topic hair, but when I was interrupted while sketching, I found I liked this incomplete view. As for the eye, well, it was my favorite part of a sketch that I sketched just to sketch.





Last week I had the good fortune to go to the Getty and see the closing day of their exhibition "Capturing Nature's Beauty: Three Centuries of French Landscape Drawings." I very rarely paint or draw landscapes, but the work there was absolutely exemplary. They also showcased the work of Irving Penn. His photographs of people and their trades was very interesting. We also stopped in and visited some of our favorite pieces before we left. All in all a splendid day at the museum!

Illustration Friday theme sketch: Flying

I had decided not to participate in Illustration Friday this week. Then last night I dreamed of a little girl with curly reddish brown hair and eyes of blue with her hair flying up into the sky. Yes, I know, my sketch looks nothing like that. I decided to take the dream as a push to participate instead of as a direct directive. Also, as these owls hunt at night, I felt this sketch could also be a part of the sketchstorm topic for today of "night." So, I, erm, well, killed two birds with one stone, in a manner of speaking.

To see more Illustration Friday endeavors, please visit: http://www.illustrationfriday.com/
To visit imaginefx online, please visit: http://www.imaginefx.com/

The rain and a couple of sketches

It's raining tonight. I love the rain. I love the sound of it, the feel of it, the wonderful ambient quality of light during the day when it's overcast. Also we are parched and in a drought here and the rain seems like a gift to me right now.

Here is a unicorn foal sketch followed by a sketch after the painting "The Needlewoman" by Diego Velazquez:

A yellow and red tulip painting and a big kitty sketch

I'm in the very beginning stages of the 18x24 that I'm working on; but, concurrently I am attempting to work on some smaller paintings. This is a 5x7 acrylic tulip painting that is as yet untitled, but I'm leaning towards "Beacon of Color." I did a sketch of this one earlier this year. Down below is a sketch of a snow leopard, inspired by the imaginefx sketchstorm thread.

My white lily painting plus a couple of sketches...

Here is the white lily I was working on the last time I posted. It is an 8x10 acrylic painting on gallery wrapped canvas. Also below are two sketches. I'm still mulling about my faerie/angel portrait series, but I think the girl below is an excellent candidate. I also sketched an orchid that actually reminds me a bit of an insect somehow. I've started on an 18x24 stargazer lily painting, but it will take me a while to finish it.

Fallen off the wagon...

Well, it appears I fell off the wagon with my sketching goal for a while. Here are two new ones. I am considering doing a series of faerie/angel portraits, but that's something that's mainly in the mulling about phase. I have almost finished a small (8x10) floral painting and I hope that if I do finish it to add that in soon. Anyway, here are a couple of ladies that you may be seeing more of in the future:

Illustration Friday: Caution

Well, raccoons always say to me, "feed me, cuddle me." However, I know that's absolutely the wrong thing to do with a wild animal, so I must always caution myself not to listen to that sweet beseeching look in their eyes!





To see more Illustration Friday projects, please visit http://illustrationfriday.com.

Two flower sketches

I did these two sketches on two different days, the first one yesterday and the second today. I didn't have the opportunity to post the first yesterday, so I decided to include it today.

Angel sketch

I haven't decided yet if I'd like to paint her or not, but here is an angel sketch:

Leda and the Swan, my gothic lolita angel version

I started this painting in 2003 by doing two drawings based on Leonardo da Vinci's unbelievably gorgeous drawings. I then did a pencil sketch to canvas inspired very loosely by his. Over the years, I pulled it out, painted a little, put it back. This year I decided I would finish it, one way or the other, I would finish. So here it is, mostly finished:



I need to do a touch up to her cheek, but beyond that, I think I'm leaving it alone. Here are the two pencil drawings that I started with:



I did do a sketch for today, but I think that I will post her on another day.

Illustration Friday theme sketch: Wrapped

I have found that it takes me too long to take a painting from concept to completion to finish within the one week parameter that is set for Illustration Friday projects. However, I think it may be possible for me to participate sometimes if I do so with a pencil sketch and it will also go along with my challenge to myself to sketch more often.

I had a few ideas for the theme of "Wrapped" but ended up going with my first instinct. Here she is:

To see additional Illustration Friday projects, please visit: http://illustrationfriday.com

teddy bear with a rose painting

Allow me to introduce Smalbert:



The painting is an 8x10 acrylic on canvas. I painted him as a gift for my mother, she loves both teddy bears and roses very much.

As a challenge to myself, I've decided to try and do more sketching. Here is one of Smalbert's friends:

A sailboat on the ocean painting, "Drifting."

This small 5"x7" original painting titled "Crossings" is inspired by a photograph I took when I was on a boat in San Pedro. It is largely ocean and sky; with a little land, a sailboat, and part of another boat to the far right.



"Drifting" is the Illustration Friday theme for the week, and this reminds me of that. A day out on the ocean with very few worries.

A faerie, her friend, and a hot air balloon.

This painting was inspired by the Illustration Friday theme "balloon." I discovered that I paint too slowly to be able to finish it in the alloted time of one week, so I just posted the pencil sketch that I'd drawn on the canvas that week. It took me a while to complete the painting, but now here she is:



This painting is titled "More Than One Way to Fly," is acrylic on canvas, and measures 11x14 inches.

6x6x2009 art show and "Unfold"

Edit: This painting has sold, thank you!

It has been a while since I've had anything to post and also since I've had anything to post it on. My old internet computer crashed and I needed to replace it. So, I am now writing from my new machine. Genki, genki!

This flower painting is titled "Red, Red Rose," is painted on gessoed acid free watercolor paper, and measures six inches by six inches.



It was painted to participate in the 6x6x2009 show at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center in New York. The show is running from June 6th to July 12th. Every entry is 6 inches by 6 inches square and online purchases are an option. My piece number is 1185.

I also felt that this painting reflects the Illustration Friday theme for this week. It is of a red rose bud just beginning to "Unfold."

I actually did finish the painting More Than One Way to Fly for the last Illustration Friday project I participated in, but I will save that image until my next posting.

Show information:
6x6x2009
June 6 - July 12, 2009
Bleu Cease
Executive Director / Curator
Rochester Contemporary Art Center
137 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14604
585.461.2222
http://rochestercontemporaryartcenter.org