New Drawings for Sale

Every few months I look around my studio and realize I have been spending WAY too much time drawing and painting and not nearly enough time selling my work.  The selling part is a necessary part of the art process...how else can I afford to buy guacamole at the taqueria across the street from my studio if I don't sell my work?!?  (The accompanying margarita that makes it's way into the rotation once a week ain't going to pay for itself, either!)

So I am finally finding myself catching up!  I have recently listed a bunch of charcoal drawings in my Etsy shop.  Browse...enjoy...shop...feed my avocado addiction...

View all of my original drawings on sale on Etsy!

Catching up: new drawings and paintings

There are cycles with every activity, hobby, relationship  career, etc.   There are times when you are enthusiastic and believe in what you are doing right down to the very marrow of your bones.  You put every bit of blood sweat and tears into taking it as far as you can.  There are times when you have to let it ride...coast along for a bit...enjoy the cruise control of a happy medium - nothing's going wrong, but nothing major is going to set your heart and soul on fire either.  There are times you also want to give up completely. Call it a day.  There's someone out there doing it faster, better, getting more attention or reward, and you just can't stand not getting the same.

The act of being an Artist goes through all of these cycles.  There are times when I am making strides with my work, breaking new ground and discovering new things about myself in the process.  But there are just as many moments where I want to give up out of pure frustration.  And then when the dust settles, and I reach that next plateau - even if it's not in an entire painting, but just a few moments where I REALLY got it right - then I'm back at that excited part of the cycle where I can't wait to put my whole heart and soul into my next painting.

Luckily, I've been caught up more in the "I can't wait to take this to the next step - the next painting!" cycle more than anything else in the studio.  Which is why (sorry!) I have been neglecting my blog.  I'm PAINTING, ok?!?  A couple recent pieces...

This painting is oil on textured 11" x 14" panel.  It's based on a sculpture.

(Prints are now available)

A thirty minute charcoal sketch from a live model.

A little 9" x 12" oil painting on panel. About an hour and a half from the live model.

Another little study, 8" x 10" (I think!)  About 90 minutes from the live model.

This portrait of a little boy is based on a photo I took outside of my studio during an event.  The panel is 24" 24".

And I did finish one more tree painting that was snapped up right away...not a very good photo, but it was really pretty.  I took the original photo on a very foggy morning.

And I have more, but that's all for now.  And you should see how many I am painting in my head...

Figure Drawing in the Garden. Paradise was HOT.

WOW I think it was like 94 degrees and 100% humidity today in Atlanta!  Perfect day to draw outside, right?  When you have the chance to draw a beautiful woman in a beautiful garden...the answer is YES!

I was working on the pastel sketch above (Nupastel on blue Colorfix paper), thinking I was done, of course it could have just been the heat and the mimosa kicking in, so I walked around to check out everyone else's progress.

H. had a lovely pallete, and really captured the beautiful gesture of the model's hand, as well as the subtle gaze towards the water.

B. works in almost an opposite approach - he layers in darker pastel with bright colors and highlights on top.  He always aims for a full composition - one where all elements are considered.  In such a complex setting, that is not easy!

So after my little walk around, I got back to work, defining a bit more of the bridge over the koi pond and deciding on the final direction of the light and shadow, which had changed quite a bit from begining to end.

After a delicious lunch (thanks B!!!) we headed back out to the garden for about an hour of drawing.  Even in the shade with a light breeze, it was still VERY hot!

This was an equally lovely pose, with a teasing light that peaked in and out of the clouds every few minutes.  Working with Nupastels again on a mossy green piece of colorfix paper, I first blocked in the large shapes with various shades of purple, then slowly added in blues, reds and oranges.

I tried to save the high light shapes until the very end, knowing that they would keep changing as the sun moved.  My husband likes this piece better than the first one...I haven't picked a favorite!   I think I need to look at them both in the studio for a little while, making sure I have a good sense of light and tweak the colors if needed.

Drawing the figure in an outdoor setting is a totally different experience than drawing in a studio, and one that I highly recommend!