A Gorgeous Collection on Etsy inspired by Handel's Messiah

There is a feature on Etsy called the "Treasury" where Etsy sellers can put together a collection of beautiful Etsy finds.  I just adore this one inspired by Handel's Messiah that included my Angel of Hope.

Thank you to Not Your Grandma's Vintage for this inspired beauty!

Can a simpler color palette lead to greater creativity? New drawings of the female nude in Citrus colors.

I was approached a few weeks back by a client looking for nude drawings in a specific color palette - namely citrus colors, such as oranges and hot pinks, with touches of Persimmon.  Over the Holiday, I hired one of my favorite models and put the call out to my fellow artists (come and draw!) so that I could work on a few new drawings in this specific color story.

One thing I noticed, was having that decision already made for me - "these colors are what I need" - allowed me a great deal of freedom while I worked.  I wasn't pondering which blue to use, do I reach for my favorite color (periwinkle!) again, do I add black...I just grabbed some pastels and a few watercolor pencils, and went to work!

The top two drawings are on Wallis paper, the bottom is on a pastel board (masonite primed for pastel).  I used only watercolor pencils on the top drawing, and the bottom two are a mix of pastel and watercolor.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Goals for 2010

Wow! Twenty ten.  Can you believe it?!?! It's a big year...nice round numbers.  Seems like it should be monumental in many ways! A good year to have a few goals...

(numbering only for the sake of the list...none of these are more important than the others!)

1.  READ MORE.  I go thru phases where I devour 3 or 4 good books and then don't pick up a new one for six months! I have lists of "top ten books", "great all time fiction", etc. floating around my house.  This year - I will read as many of those books as I can! Books stay with me for so much longer than movies.  The characters become so much more real, I worry about them, think about them for days - even weeks in the case of "The Road" and "The Poisonwood Bible' (I highly recommend both of those).  Read more great books in 2010!

2.  Less time on the computer!  I am SO greatful that I have been able to build my business on-line and sell my artwork around the world.  I love the fact that I can keep up with friends and family via Facebook and that I have a network of fun and friendly Artists who I can count on for support on-line.  But, the time has come to focus my time spent on the computer.  Less time "chatting", more time doing what NEEDS to be done. 

3.  More Date Nights with Hubby!   DH and I are very lucky to be active, social people who have a lot to do during the week.  Drawing classes, excercise groups, our children's activities, neighborhood events.  But we need to make sure WE get to spend some quality time together.  It's not going to happen on it's own! We will have to make the time.

4.  Become an Active Member in some local artist groups.  There are many active artist groups in the Atlanta area, and I need to build my Artist network locally, get involved with demos and critique nights, participate in local events and shows. 

5.  Enter at least 10 National Juried Shows.  For artists, your resume cannot just consist of a tally of "how many sales I got" and "looka t all my positive feedback in my shop".  The "Art World" still looks at whether or not artists are producing new, relevant work, and whether or not you are showing that work.

6.  Create every day.  It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, it could even happen while I'm sitting at the kitchen table drawing with the kiddos.  In fact it could become our afternoon activity...our "drawing of the day".  Use it or lose it!

7.  Communicate with friends and family beyond the occassional text message or an OMG on their Facebook page.  PIck up the phone and have a REAL conversation, write letters with the kiddos to their cousins, etc. 

OK I know there's a few more things I want to do every year...like work harder on my garden, give more money to charity, watch less TV, etc...but 7 is a pretty good number - not as ambitious as ten, but not too few.

I hope 2010 brings you laughter, love, and that you, too, reach your goals!

My Top Five (Personal) Moments of 2009

Ah...2009...you were so good to me and my family!

Some  moments that have stuck with me from this year...

5.  Joining a Zumba class!  This has been the BEST thing I have done for me, my health and well-being, and my sanity!  The excersize, returning to my "dance" roots while getting in (some kind of) shape, and getting a chance to meet some really great women!  The best part of it , beyond FEELING better, is that I WANT to go...which makes it a lot easier to go :)

4.  Watching my nephew, Austin (on the left), play with my son, Jack.  Austin is autistic, and doesn't always "engage" others in active play.  When we visited back home in Western New York over the summer, we were walking near my parents house - me, my two kids, my sister, and her two kids.  At one point, Austin reached for Jack's hands, and started singing "ring around the rosie" while spinning Jack around! This was incredible! Jack had been following Austin around for several days, tryin SO hard to get Austin to play with him, not understanding Austin's Autism.  You should have seen Jack's HUGE smile when Austin finally played with him!

3.  My two children going to school together for the first time! It was summer school, but it still counts! A couple hours to myself...Jack walking Ari to her class like a protective big brother...it was so cute!

2.  Finally making the connection with Jack's behavior and his sensitivity to food coloring.  I can't begin to tell you how much this has changed our day-to-day lives.  Jack is SO much calmer now, and no longer has a melt-down at the smallest problem.  His behavior at school is showing vast improvement, and he is following directions and rules much better. Sure, he's still an almost-5-year-old, and has his moments, but I used to be tense all day, not knowing Jack was going to have his next melt-down! If I could shout this info from the roof-top, I would.  I want nothing more than to help as many people as possible make this connection a LOT earlier than we did!

1.  Celebrating 10 years of marriage! I'm sure that someday, this will seem like a small feat...I want to reach 50 years together! But here, and now, I am really proud to be Mrs. D. H., and I am really proud of us, and truly Blessed to have such a wonderful husband.

I hope you had some wonderful, memorable moments in 2009...and I wish you many more in 2010!

My Top Five (Art) Moments of 2009

2009 has been a very good year for me! My top 5 "art" moments of the year...

5. Reaching almost 200 sales in my Fine Art on Etsy shop. It took me exactly 12 months to reach my first 100 sales, and in the following 6 months I doubled it. I have also had my first 4-digit $$$ sale on Etsy, original Artwork sold to several different countries including Australia and Singapore, and prints went to dozens of states and numerous countries as well.

4. Having three of my drawings selected to be used in the Mercer Frame Collection at Restoration Hardware Stores across the country. I think they have an incredible style, and was honored that my work complimented their collection.

3. Meeting a very talented Poet, miss Laura Mecurio Ebohon, who asked to use my painting . "Guarded" on the cover of her new book of Poetry. It is such a thrill, and very humbling, when someone connects with my work on a personal level. But then to want to have her work - her poems - associated with my Art is even a greater compliment.

2. Creating, thruout the year, several drawings and paintings that I am extremely proud of. Pieces that have pushed me further, that have captured something special. The Angel Paintings are a high point for me - I knew they were special as I painted them. They were pieces that consumed me for several days, all I wanted to do was paint! I love those paintings that obsess you for days on end.

1. Traveling to Italy and experiencing amazing, incredible, mind-blowing Art and Architecture. The opportunity to sit and sketch in front of Michelangelo's David, the chance to see the Sistine Chapel in person, standing in awe at St. Peter's...what a mind-boggling trip. (and a big thank you to my hubby of 10 years for making it happen!) I'm looking forward to returning to Italy, perhaps with fellow artists, perhaps with my children, so I can embrace the history and beauty even more.

I have to think of my top-5 non-art moments, too!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and your family a warm and wonderful Holiday! May your day be filled with JOY.

New Watercolor Drawings from the Live Model

Ah...the quest to use watercolors effectively continues!

I worked with my water colors the other night, delighted that all I needed to do was pull out my palette, add a touch of water to bring the paints back to life, and start painting!

I started with a few 2 minute gestures...this one is OK, although I can see I need to develop more "language" with the paint - the line quality over-all is very one-note.

When the model settled into a long pose, I started out with a 25 minute watercolor that was very colorful, and slightly abstract - her hips are especially exagerated.

I love the colors and the energy, the minimal amount of detail in her face and hands while still relating her gesture.

For the last watercolor I painted, I switched viewpoints and worked on Wallis paper, thinking that I may add pastel over the watercolor wash (I never did!)

 

The shadow along her spine was very strong, and it was coming across as too dramatic in my drawing...I was never quite happy with the values I ended up with on the back.

But I am happy with her face and jaw line, and the way the definition of her shoulder changes from line to shape.

It's not *quite* as steely-blue in person, and you can see I did try to add a little warmth with some orange and brown.  I think it would look very pretty in a silver frame.