Family Christmas and current commision

Well, I finally spent some time in the studio yesterday, mostly tweaking this current commission.  I am happier with it than I have been.  So..keeping my fingers crossed that the client feels the same!!

Here is the original, a piece that I did 12 years ago!! It's a 12x12"

 

The clients wanted it a bit more muted and soft, a less acidy underpainting

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Here is the commission which is a 26x26"

I am excited to deliver it, and hope that they will be happy.  That is always such a stressful moment.  Usually I do commission from scratch, the duplication  process is completely different.

Yesterday was also my family's Christmas.  It was a fabulous night!  A yummy meal cooked by my brother and a good time with family. 

  

  

  

 

Wedding pictures

I think I am finally recovered from our wedding.  Two months post wedding! :-)  I have been sorting through the pics this morning.  Really it is allowing me to procrastinate.  This is so much for fun than cleaning the house.  Here are some lovely photographs, taken by either my brother or myself. (He is such a talented photographer!)  

(I had a blast going through old stamps - not so much doing all the math for correct postage)
My talented friend Martha did the handwriting, so beautiful!  http://www.etsy.com/shop/fineartworks

rehearsal dinner

Commissions

I had some fun commission's this year.  Here are two. The first was an oil painting for friends that really liked this view of two bridges.  It was neat, to go and take pictures of them  to see their vision and then do an interpretation that was totally my own.  Very cool.

The next, was something different...I got to decorate and expectant friends bassinet.  She wanted images from "Goodnight Moon".

Art Shows 2009

Here are some pics from two of this years exhibit.....

This was a great space at Volt restaurant in Frederick, Maryland

www.artiqueunderground.com

This next picture is from a show in August at James Pierce Gallery

Happy to be back

"Collection"  oil on canvas 36" x 36"  (Sold)

I have been away from blogging for a while.  Although, I have been quite busy in my studio.  I hope to post some of what has been going on with me since I last wrote.....  3 years ago!!!  I have begun to work with encaustic, which has really been fun and influential in my oil paintings.  I have been very fortunate to continue showing.  This year has been a good one.  I've found loving homes for some of my favorite pieces (like "Collection") and added "wife" to my resume.  

Since my studio space is at the moment in an unheated garage, brrrrr, I don't get much done in the winter.  So one of my goals for this year, is to work on some drawings or pastels when I can't make it to my studio.  At the moment I am finishing a commission, that has been pretty challenging.  It's a project where I am replicating an older smaller piece in a larger size.  I am hoping I hit the mark this past week, once it's dry I'll post it.

For today I spent some time, or more like ALL day, reading other blogs and being totally inspired.  And it's great to see such a community out there balancing their artistic lives.  So here I am.  Take a look at what I've been up to. 

"Drops (red)"  encaustic on panel 11" x 14" (sold)

 "Perched" encaustic on panel 11" x 14"

This piece had been in my sketch book for a long time, I just couldn't figure out how to make it come to life.  It finally found it's place in my encaustic work.  I really like how it turned out.  I think I want to play with this imagery some more.