30 Day Challenge Day 5: Yellow Vessel

Yellow Vessel
12x12 oil on panel
$325

                                                             

Day 5: Trying hard to work ahead a little as I know life tends to happen. Grandchild, my health and that of my parents...a million things have the potential to sidetrack my commitment. The more I paint, the more determined I am to complete this...and that's a good thing! The teapots continue to beckon and so I listen...I listen to the color shapes. I listen to my soul. I ask myself questions...warmer/cooler...lighter/darker...softer/harder...brush or knife...and form begins to appear. I am having wayyyyy too much fun!!!

30 Day Challenge: Day 4: Blue Vessel

Blue Vessel
12x9 oil on panel
$300

                                                              

So Day 4: I am getting into a rhythm of sorts. It is helping to paint the familiar and loved. Way in the back of your mind the shape is already there. You will be seeing more of my teapot collection in this series...they hold residence on the rail between my kitchen and my dining room. More are scattered around the area not unlike punctuation marks in the decor! See you tomorrow! Oh by the way, if you should happen to come to my house this month...it's a mess...just sayin...:)

30 Day Painting Challenge: Day 3 Czechoslovakian Pitcher

Czechoslovakian Pitcher
9x12 oil on panel
$190

                                                             

Day 3: This pitcher was calling me after painting the sugar and creamer! I am beginning to feel like an artist is awakening in me again! Thank you Leslie Byrd Saeta (http://www.lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/) for creating this 30 day challenge. Well over 200 artists are doing it and you can see their work on Leslie's blog! I'm thinking the first 3 make a great set...don't you?

30 Day Paint Challenge: Day 2 Czechoslovakian Sugar Bowl

Czechoslovakian Sugar Bowl
8x8 oil on 3/8" panel
$150

                                                              
Day 2: I have decided to continue painting things found around my home (unless I can get outside to do some plein air I will stick with this for this challenge)! There is some comfort in painting familiar things that have form and color and sheen you "know". An interesting thing happens as you paint...you find a new respect for them...you notice things before unseen. I always loved the bright colors of this pottery and there is another personal connection with them as they were collected by a friend! Stay tuned for tomorrow!

ps...should you wish to purchase more than one painting...I could be talked into a bit of a discount...just e-mail me!

30 Day Painting Challenge: Day One: Czechoslovakian Creamer

Czechoslovakian Creamer
8x8 oil on 3/8"panel (unframed)
$150

                                                              

OK so day one was a bit of a struggle but I am determined!!! For today...I painted! Mostly done with my palette knife this is one of many pieces I have in my home. Tune in tomorrow!

January 30 day Painting Challenge! (I'm doing it!)

Yikes!!! I just signed up to do Leslie Byrd Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days painting challenge! (Not without some fear and trepidation!) I confess...I have had major difficulties getting motivated to paint recently. Something in the election kind of took the wind out of my sails and then there has been major family commitments as well and holidays and and and....

So maybe this is just the thing I needed to get going again! I will post my work here and on Leslie's blog as well (http://www.lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/2012/12/thirty-paintings-in-thirty-days.html?m=1). Wish me luck and even pray for me if you will!

Donating Art: A Struggle, A Rant and a Rare Occurrence

Artists are asked all the time to donate their work to benefit various worthy causes. As a co-owner of a gallery for many years I can tell you that almost weekly someone called or came in for that specific reason. I heard "give me your art so I can make money" so many times that I had to begin to define some personal parameters and some personal responses to this. I think anyone who knows me would agree that I am a generous person both with my time and my money...so why then does this bother me so much?

Perhaps I need to say this: I live in an area where art is not valued the way it is in some other areas of the country and I am on a personal mission to change that!  Perhaps that is why this is such a sticking point for me. Perhaps the attitude "Let the artists make the sacrifice" or "wouldn't it be lovely to have art?" or whatever the discussion is in various committee meetings begs this question: Why do people who normally do not perceive monetary value in original art (the "beer" fund is much higher than the "art" fund) then think there will be monetary value for fundraising?

As a group my gallery members once gave works to a worthy local organization. We were told that we could set a reserve price and that nothing would sell for less than that. We later found out that this agreement was not honored and that many of our pieces that normally were worth between $200 and $600 were sold for $10-$15!!! One of our artists later had one of his collectors purchase one of his works from a rummage sale for $10!!!

So I began to create boundaries around my giving determined to maintain the value of my work. Life is a circus but my art is not!

All that being said: Open the floodgates!!!...Cancer has occurred in my family...my sons beautiful girlfriend of many years is undergoing chemo at this writing. There is a fund raiser to off set the enormous costs of treatment being held at the Art*Bar in Riverwest ( http://artbar-riverwest.com/ ) this coming Thursday Sept. 20th and donations of any kind will be auctioned off. I have donated five pieces of art for the cause...this is what I have to give and give I will. For "love covers a multitude of sins"! 

These 5 pieces will be auctioned off at the Art*Bar this Thursday for the Save-a-Sweetheart fundraiser offsetting the Cost of Chemo Treatment for one very beautiful young woman!!! No reserve...all proceeds go to this cause!