Sunday Brunch II

10x10 oil on linen panel
$350 (sale price!)
PURCHASE

Last fall, someone from the Academy of Food and Wine Service contacted me from the UK and wanted to use an old image of mine for their membership brochure. Very cool.

I didn't have the original so I thought I'd paint a new one slightly larger and be able to get a hi res image of it for them. Well, they prefered the original so we made do. Perhaps the image is now in use for their organization.

What is next? Well... this is the last of my 2013 paintings and I've been mulling over some new ideas. I have some larger canvases and bigger ideas. Perhaps more "posed" and planned and less serendipitous references materials (models at home and posed family scenes) -- but narrative and inviting. I hope. I'm enjoying the larger canvases too. A LOT. Now a 12x16 seems tight to me.

I am debating the daily painters websites.... shouldn't mention that here I suppose, but I just don't think my work fits the genre. I get some inquiries, but my larger paintings are too much for most buyers on there. And now that I am going bigger still...
I have this constant debate with myself over how much self promotion and marketing to do. Should I bother with direct sales at all? Should I go entirely to direct sales? Should I enter more shows? Join more groups? Be all over ETSY and FineArtAmerica and DPG and DPW and advertise? Should I move my blog to my website? Open a "store" on my site? Keep everything on my own domain? Will I lose all my followers? Sheesh -- 717!?!?! When did that happen? (WOW!)
OR... should I enjoy painting and hope my galleries will do the work for me?

Its a real conundrum. The economy is still lagging, art sales continue to be slow and there are sooo many quality artists producing so much wonderful work that its hard to know how to compete and make my voice heard. Hence my desire to experiment more and move in new directions. Perhaps its just time for growth and I am ready for it. I started blogging in 2006. I started painting larger "gallery" work and dropped the small daily paintings somewhere in 2011. And now I'm ready for a new chapter.

Was this what I hoped this post would be about? No. It took on a life of its own. Its good to meander those unplanned paths once in awhile.
I'm hoping you all will come along with me as I wander.

At Court

16x20 oil on panel
Ask Castle Gallery about this painting

Sorry for my long silence. Life just moves at too fast a pace - no matter how I try to slow it down. Dogs (both ailing now), school, Girl Scout cookies, weather, life in general... you know the story!

The above is a scene from the Court of The Two Sisters restaurant in New Orleans. The photo doesn't do it justice - nor did I really. There are parts of it I like but sort of sent it out before I fixed a couple of things I'd like to adjust. Ah well... deadlines will do that to you.

I wanted to get it to Castle Gallery before their big Valentine's show "Amour de l'Art" which opens Friday night. Here's hoping another Arctic blast won't ruin their party.

I have been working on other things and stretching my wings a little which is exciting for me. I'm not ready to show the work yet tho. So for now, enjoy seeing what will be available at my galleries in the coming weeks.

Early Hours

12x9 oil on panel

Available at Castle Gallery

I did this sketch as an idea for a commissioned painting and decided to go ahead and send it to the gallery for their holiday opening. It looks rather festive! The setting is an Indiana restaurant "Joseph Decuis".

Is Paco In There?

12x9 oil on panel

Available at Castle Gallery

Reframed, signed, varnished and sent to Castle for their Holiday Show opening Dec. 14.
More about the painting here.

No Waiting

 16x16 oil on panel

Available at Castle Gallery

This is an interior view of a Kerrville restaurant "Franciscos" that I like a lot. I painted the sidewalk in front of this restaurant during the Kerrville Outdoor Painter's event in Oct. and that painting won the Quick Draw event. I'll share a better photo of it tomorrow since its also available at the holiday show at Castle Gallery Dec. 14th.

Kitchen Konfab

14x18 oil on panel

Available at Castle Gallery

Castle Gallery will be hosting their annual Holiday Show Saturday, December 14, 6-10pm. From what I hear its always a fun party with great art, yummy food and live music!

This is a recent painting featuring the kitchen of a local Austin restaurant Roaring Fork (great name). I took some liberties with the chef hats - the togues are such fun.

Friday night I was in Marietta at dk Gallery and had a lovely time meeting Donna and her husband, the gallery staff, several of my collectors and some wonderful artists. The gallery is really a unique blend with some really exciting art. Wonderful to meet you all Susan, Holly, Elizabeth, and Jodie!

I am in love with "May-retta" too - lots and lots of painting ideas now!

On A Wintry Day - Cafe Scene

6x6 oil on panel - sold
$100 + s/h

Aside from a few commissions this week, I am painting some small works that are perfect for gift giving. I've been debating ways to sell - there are so many options from ETSY to the daily painter's websites/auctions, to a store on my own website. For now, ETSY seems the best bet since there is a whole community or artisans drawing people to the site.

Later in the week, I am heading to Georgia for the opening at dk Gallery Friday night. I am really looking forward to this little excursion. I always enjoy exploring and it will be very nice to meet some of my new collectors. If you live in the Atlanta area, come by on Friday night 6-9 pm. 

Restaurant Themed Greeting Cards

$15 + sh - set of 8 blank greeting cards

I've made a set of restaurant themed greeting cards featuring 4 different reproductions of recent paintings. The cards are blank inside, about 4"x6" and include envelopes.

Zesty

7x5 water soluble graphite on paper (greeting card)
$30 + $5 sh
 

One of many small original sketches available at our "open studio" event.

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Please join artists Robin Cheers and V....Vaughan at their "satellite studio" for gourmet chocolate and new collections of gift sized artworks just in time for the holidays. With Joel's offering amazing artisan chocolates, locally crafted teas, fresh coffees and seasonal treats, Robin and V.... will be sketching from life. So bring YOUR LIFE, a child or pet to pose for an original sketch by the artists...a truly original gift idea. Also available are original art greeting cards and small paintings. 

Wednesday -  November 20th - 4 -8 pm

Joel's Coffee House

11301 Lakeline Blvd, Ste 120

Austin, TX 78717

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Upcoming Events: 

• November 20: Chocolate and Chiaroscuro Event, Joel's Coffee House, Austin
• November 29: Major's Fundraising Art Sale begins 
• December 6: Small Gems show dk Gallery, Marietta, GA

 

Kerrville Quick Draw

Is Paco in There?

12x9 oil on panel

I've been painting in Kerrville Texas this weekend and enjoying some spectacular hill country views. Last night was the quick draw event in historic downtown. I think I heard that 25 artists participated. 

It was hot. Very hot. And I chose a scene looking west into the sun. Not ideal but my painting worked out well. We had an hour and a half then put the paintings in frames and presented them for judging. 

I won again this year. Lucky 13, huh? Crazy! 

But I'm so honored. There are a lot of talented artists here and I saw many successful and interesting paintings! 

The title on this one refers to Paco, the owner of Francisco's restaurant. (Excellent food and lovely setting). Everyone who came by asked if I put Paco into the scene. "Where's Paco?" Would have been a good title too. 

 

This is the last day of painting and then we turn on work for the show at the arts center. Reception tonight from 6-8 pm. I better get out there! Cloudy this morning. And will be cooler thank goodness. 

Here is the setting I painted. This can't have been good for my eyes! 

Ooh - seeing that now I love the composition with the reflection in the glass!! Next time....

Bistro Business

16x16 oil on cradled panel

Available - $1,575

During a visit to Indiana in August, I asked the folks at Castle Gallery for some good local venues to try that would be good painting inspiration as well. One suggestion was "Paula's on Main" which has a seafood shop in the entrance and then a nice little restaurant attached on the side. We had a lovely lunch and I took lots of photos. The restaurant had an upstairs and I got my first birds eye view to paint of diners. Very fun.

Aw Shucks!

16x16 oil on panel

Ask DK Gallery about this painting

This began - and sort of ended - as a sketch. I just thought that I had said enough once I got the initial block in done. Its painted over a toned panel which allowed me to just be vague about the non-essential bits.

Friday opens the Farm to Table show at DK Gallery on the Historic Marietta Square. The show features all their gallery artists sharing works celebrating the growing focus on farm fresh foods. I am happy to contribute with some of my favorite subjects featuring foods being prepared or enjoyed. To see a preview of the variety of works you can click here. 

I'm still really excited to be part of DK Gallery. They have monthly show openings coinciding with their local First Friday Artwalk. The shows give artists and patrons an opportunity to explore all kinds of ideas and themes. I wish I was nearer and could attend. I'm hoping for a visit during their Holiday small gems show.

This scene is from my New Orleans trip earlier this summer. We walked for a long way to find that Cafe du Monde serves nothing but beignets. That wouldn't do for my family. We then found The Original French Market Restaurant nearby serving some excellent Cajun food and got to watch this man shucking fresh oysters for those so inclined.

Corner Bistro

16x20 oil on panel
sold

I'm excited to announce that I am going to be showing work as a guest artist with DK Gallery in Marietta, Georgia for a couple of their upcoming shows. The first one opens in August and is a gallery show called "Oh, the Places You'll Go".

My works will feature some NYC and New Orleans work - and maybe a museum or birds-eye piece to see how they are received.

I'm glad to have the opportunity to show my artwork to a new audience and new collector base. I never like to talk about the sordid business side of art on this blog, but let's face it, its the elephant in the room. The economy remains sluggish and so do sales. Its challenging being a creative individual these days. Prints and posters are so widely available - and so much cheaper - that people find it easier to purchase a cool scene from Target while they are getting their new fall throw pillows and accent rugs than to search galleries and attend art fairs to see what original art there is. I think too that people are unsure about buying art - "maybe its not good!" Oh, its a whole lot of reasons. The main one being that housing is slow, people are still out of work and there is a lot less spending money to play with.

That being said, having my paintings seen in a new area and being a new face in a gallery might give me a boost. The gallery represents some really interesting contemporary artists too and I'm excited to be  explore a more modern approach to my work and framing options as well.

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Aw, Shucks

Sometimes its just all about the paint! I was lost in just putting in stokes - color and value being my only focus. Then I step back and see those marks make a scene. I love it. V....Vaughan told me to stop at this point too. Good thing. I have made a few more marks but may just leave it in this state. 

16x16 oil on panel

A scene from French Market Restaurant in New Orleans

The panel this is painted on was coated with a pinkish grey oil paint scraped on over an old start using thr "mud" from clearing my palette. It makes a nice surface to work on - and allows me to leave some areas alone - that background color being a subtle neutral for the negative spaces.  

Just Desserts

18x18 oil on panel 
Ask Gardner Colby Galleries about this painting

The Slice of Life show opened last Thursday at Gardner Colby and I had a lovely email this weekend telling me about an article written about my work in the show. The article focused on the aerial perspective that I use in some of my paintings. I am really flattered to have sparked people's interest, especially Tom Hall, Arts & Exhibits Correspondent
of Southwest Florida. :-)
Click here to read the article.  

Saucier

11x14 oil on linen
Ask Gardner Colby Galleries about this painting

Click on this one to see it larger. I could have gone on and covered more canvas and added more details but I decided to stop. I loved it at this point - loose, fresh and gestural. This is more of what I want to do and I just have to be bold enough to do it. Hopefully, the gallery and their patrons will approve!

Brigade de Cuisine

14x11 oil on panel
sold

One of my favorite subjects to paint. Its on its way to the Florida for the "Slice of Life" show. Below is a nice little write up on the show which appears in the March issue of American Art Collector. I am still starstuck at the company I am keeping in this show! My parents are going to drive down to see it, and I wish I could join them especially as that is spring break week here in central Texas.  

Oyster Bar

 12x9 oil on panel each

I think I had names in mind for these but have forgotten them. Hopefully I will come up with something clever. For now, they are two more views of the Oyster Bar. I've sent these images to Castle Gallery and all three paintings are spoken for. That is a wonderful feeling. I guess I got it right!

Oyster Bar

16x20 oil on panel
sold

Last fall, I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful couple in their favorite restaurant - The Oyster Bar - in Forth Wayne, IN. It was a dim, narrow and historical old building with a lot of charm and character and they wanted me to paint some scenes from it. They get first pick of the scenes I've worked on. 
I'm sending this and two others to Castle Gallery soon for their annual Valentine's Show. Opening night is February 9th.

Gelato Counter

18x12 oil on linen
Available at Russell Collection Fine Art

We had a very fun opening reception last night at the gallery for the Femme show. What a great bunch of artists and a very eclectic show. Nine of the 11 featured artists were there. Several of my new paintings sold which I consider high praise. 

I had fun taking pictures with my iPhone apps. I used Hipstamatic on these below.  The show hangs until Dec. 22nd so do stop in to see it if you can.