2 Legit 2 Quit

So, honesty time. Lately I have been feeling slightly intimidated and overwhelmed in uncovering all that it takes to really make it in the art world. It is not only A LOT of work  in dealing with the artwork and constantly working at perfecting the skill, but a lot of time and investment in the business side of it all, hoping that it will pay off down the road.  But, several amazing opportunities came about recently that gave me a huge boost of encouragement to keep in hot pursuit.

Very excited…I fell like this week I am graduating from hole in the wall artist who paints in the basement to….well something more than that. So as of this week I will officially be displayed in two galleries. FINALLY people will actually be able so see some of my work in the Harrisburg area beyond my apartment. The first place is The Paper Lion Gallery in Lemonyne, PA. It is a framing gallery that I have been in conversation with since I completed my first piece…the owners are two great guys. The second is the 2nd Floor Gallery in Mechanicsburg, PA. I have had great conversation with the manager since the beginning of it all and am so excited to be a part of this gallery.

In addition to having my work displayed, I will also (drum roll)…..finally have a studio! I will have a studio space in 2nd Floor Gallery within the next week or so. This not only means that I will be able to have my own creative space devoted to painting, but will be able to have visitors! People will finally have the proof that I actually DO paint (my roommates still don’t believe me). I also love to have company while I paint…so stop on by! – 105 S Market St, Mechanicsburg, PA ‎

It technically won’t be ready till August, but I will be in and out the next two weeks.

SO, if you are by any chance interested in seeing some of my art in person…please mosey on down to either of those galleries. Again thanks to all for your support of these few months. Just the next step in a much larger picture of a big dream.

July Forecast

So June has been quite a month. I released my new website, I now have Limited Edition Prints available, AND I will officially have my work displayed in two galleries in Central Pennsylvania. I think the most exciting part for me, however, is that I have countless ideas for paintings to come!

GALLERIES: So most of June has been a little traveling here and there, trying to connect with different galleries.  I’m so excited to say that come mid-July, I will be displayed in two galleries. This is will give me the opportunity to have my work displayed for purchase, which I have never done before. I am working out some details and will be sure to let everyone know WHEN & WHERE my work will be displayed!

PRINTS: As of now, only prints will be available in the galleries (need to get more originals done!) SO, for those of you who are looking to order prints, I’d advise you to order them ASAP as they are Limited Edition prints and I will not know how many will be sold in either gallery.

ORDER PRINTS HERE

If you were wanting to wait to order for a special occasion, simply order the print, send me a message and I’ll be sure to reserve the print for you.

While visiting and connecting with galleries has been a fun & exiting  experience,  my main goal for July is to crank out as much painting as possible. With several ideas in the ol’ noggin, I hope to get at least two more paintings done by the end of the month (now you can keep me accountable to that).

Here is a sneak peek at my current piece I recently started.

 

 

The Power of H20

So, I am in know way suggesting that I am at all qualified to give painting tips or advice. That being said, as I explore this new medium of acrylic painting I am learning a lot of little tricks and techniques that are becoming useful with each new piece. So, I figured I’d throw some of them up on my blog.

The thing I’ve have gotten asked the most is how I create different textures in my paintings…from the rough, bristled look of a  lion’s mane to the fluffiness of the lamb in Refuge. Again, for me it almost always feels like I get lucky and stumble upon a certain look or texture. But, amidst my stumbling, one thing I am learning more and more is the importance of water when I am painting. I am not sure whether this is correct painting “technique” or not, but for me creating different textures usually rests in the amount of water I add to my paint.

I keep saying it sorta feels like cheating. Rather than mixing my paint to create a lighter color, I will often simply dilute the paint on my brush in order to create a lighter, softer look. For example, for the fur on the lamb in Refuge, I began with very rigid, dark outlining of the fur (I usually use a dark brown to begin my detailing), but used a diluted gray overtop to create a fluffiness to it. I then simply layered a diluted white overtop of the gray to add depth and light.

Another example…for the lion’s stage of stone in Power at Rest, it is simply a variety of diluted grays, whites and blues. The more rigid parts of the rock platform are used with thicker paint, while the softer parts of the stone are simply achieved with, again, several layers of diluted gray and white (I am using a layer of diluted gray more and more with my paintings).

Again, I don’t claim for these to be painting technique breakthroughs (lol although they are for me), After being asked how I achieve certain aspects, I just decided to share some of what I’m learning as I continue to stumble through my quest to master the art of rendering.