Fun at Paint! Party at Memi's

A few spots open tonite for Paint! at Memi's!

There are a few spots open for tonite's paint party featuring "Morning, Noon, and Night" paintings. These will be 3 small paintings on artist board. Please call to reserve your spot! Bonnie 303-4843! Hope to see you there!

Paint! Funky Christmas Party at Memi's

Paint one of these - your choice - on Friday November 28th from 6:30 until 9:00. There are only 12 spots available so reserve yours today! You can call me - Bonnie- 303.4843 or Memi's 466.4099. All supplies included. You will be painting on a 12x24 canvas. Cost is $40. These paintings feature some metalic paint and funky Christmas designs. Come and have fun!

Paint! Birthday Party

This was so much fun! The birthday girl came over to my house the day before and we worked out the

design so she could help me teach her friends how to paint the fairy/angel. It is
always a blessing to me to

see the creativity of children
first hand. They interpret things so differently than
adults and are NEVER afraid to try things out!

This was a talented group of artists! I hope I will be leading more Paint! birthday parties soon!

Paint with Me at Memi's!

Morning, Noon, and Night

Come and Paint the above 3 (8x8) paintings with me!

Friday November 21st

6:30 until 9:00

at Memi's Pottery on Bank Street

$40 - all supplies included

Adults only

bring your favorite beverage

class size is limited to 12

payment holds your place!

I am very excited about leading paint-a-longs at Memi's! I have 4 more dates scheduled - one for teens - and I will post about those soon! Look forward to seeing you! Come and Paint! with me!

Memi's Pottery

Memi's is located on Bank Street in Decatur. They offer just about whatever you can think of in the way of pottery to paint. I have had a great time making things for gifts or for my home. My kids LOVE going to the pottery classes where they have created some unique pieces that I love to show off around the house. Check out their blog http://www.memipottery.blogspot.com/ and visit them TONIGHT for Decatur's downtown Christmas Open House.

Spike the cocker spaniel

This is Spike our cocker spaniel puppy. After using the colored pencils, I moved on to use a set of pastel pencils. I ended up having to go in with some pastel sticks to achieve the darks. It looks like Spike! He is a beautiful puppy. It also didn't take near as long as the colored pencil piece.

Ahh, to use colored pencils again!

Years ago, my passion was pencil - colored pencil, pencil pencil, pen & ink, you name it. Since I have had children, I have lost a good bit of the patience needed for this medium as well as any chunk of time more than say about 15 minutes to devote to any one thing at a time. Recently, I had such a longing just to "color" again that I purchased a bristol board pad of paper and set to work. I left it in my kitchen and got it drawn out in a couple of days. I then enjoyed working on it off and on for over a week. A little bit here and there. I am generally pleased with my first attempt at colored pencil in over 15 years. There is of course a smudge that will not go away on the side of the piece - hazard of working with my sweet 4 year old sitting next to me, coloring herself. I haven't quite given up on trying to get rid of it. I also haven't resigned myself to the fact that the blue sky may have to get bigger. Ahhhh, such is the life of an Artist Mom!

New Paintings!

These are two that I painted on my lake weekend. They will both be going up to Willis Gray Gallery for the holiday season. I hope you enjoy!

Kenley Collins of Project Runway

Acrylic on Board

Okay, so yes, I LOVE Project Runway on Bravo. I fell in love with Kenley Collins style this season and was inspired to paint some of her runway show dresses. There were some decent still shots on Bravo so it was easy to have the computer as my reference. I have always been inspired by most anything retro and to have the retro with a more modern twist was refreshing to see! Kenley may have been a bit defensive, but I found her confidence refreshing. I have always wanted to dress like a rockabilly and never had the guts. I have to admire that in a girl! I hope she would be pleased to see my painting and not appalled. I am sure it doesn't give her work justice! (p.s there are two more in this series. Of course, if you have followed this blog at all you have to know that I am trying not to give a timeline as to when a work will be done because it never seems to happen the way I plan!)

Just another word about the painting. I enjoyed this subject more than any in recent history. I also left the texture off this time. Like last post, let me know what you think!

Pepper Family

Acrylic on Board $150

I really enjoyed this one. It is a bit more controlled than I have been painting. I kept the texture underneath. I also enjoyed painting with the yellow much more than I thought I would. I have generally avoided this because of its translucent properties and it is easy to corrupt with other colors. Fear conquered. Let me know what you think!

Fall

I cannot believe it is the fall time of year again so soon! It seems like summer was JUST here! I am taking another quick girls trip to the lakehouse this weekend where I hope to paint. So, maybe I will have something to post come Monday! Also, the Pensacola Arts Festival is coming up in November and I am looking forward to heading down for that again also! Fall is full of so many fun, but time consuming events that take away from my all ready slim painting time. Fall Festivals, my oldest is turning 11 ( I can't believe he has gotten this old this fast!), pumpkin patch trips, weekend lake trip, Halloween, Pensacola Arts Fest, and the beginning of hunting season (this means my sweet man will be off in the woods from time to time) Somehow through all of this I will find the time to paint - or at least begin some paintings. I am so excited about having my work in a gallery that I want to paint more and more and more. Anyway - have a great fall!!!!

Willis Gray Gallery

My art is now available at Willis Gray Gallery in Decatur, Alabama. I am thrilled to have my work in this gallery and if you are in the area I encourage you to stop in and take a peek at the amazing artwork they have to offer!

Blair Osmer Photography

Check this out! This is my very talented cousin's flickr page with some of his great photos. If you have a minute take a look!

www.flickr.com/photos/blairosmer

Chocolate covered pear

8x8 Acrylic on Board $85

Please contact Willis Gray Gallery if you are interested in this piece.

256-355-7616

The past couple of weeks have been very frustrating regarding carving out the time to spend in the studio. We had an issue in our attic with rodents. The little creatures had been run out of their homes in the woods when the brush was trimmed up at the nearby campsite. Needless to say my husband and I have spent a good deal of time cleaning out the attic (the entrance of which is located in my studio). My studio was filled with Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and misc. boxes while they were being cleaned or thrown away. The interlopers are gone and all the boxes are back in the attic. Much more organized than before. There'a a plus.

I have also had the pleasure of watching my boys play baseball every weeknight but Wed. the past couple of weeks. In order to do this homework must be done in the short time between school and ball. What then was I doing while my boys were at school? Catching up the laundry. I am determined to figure this studio time out and stick to it. Stay tuned! Any ideas on juggling family obligations, housework, mommy and wife stuff, with studio time?

Choclate Cake

8x8 Acrylic on Board $85

If you are interested in this piece please contact Willis Gray Gallery

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I enjoyed painting this, though I am not sure I captured it quite the way I wanted. I am struggling with the smooth texture of the icing and the way the light reflects off of it. I love the plate. Overall, I am pleased!

Red Shoe

8x8 Acrylic on Board $85

If you are interested in this piece please contact Willis Gray Gallery

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I am having to create the time to spend in the studio these days. Being an Artist Mom is wonderful and frustrating. I am so blessed to be able to pursue my art. I am also blessed with my family to run - it is hard to carve out the time to spend immersed in my art.

I have spent the past year knowing that I want to have my art as my career. I have wanted so badly just to take that want and run with it and be successful. I am finding the patience now to slow down and concentrate on the art I want to create. It is hard to market a body of work I haven't fully created yet!

So, I am working in the studio for four days each week now that everyone has returned to school. I am also going to continue teaching the art classes I started this summer. I will have students once a week for an hour. I am very privelaged to spend time with these talented girls. They are a huge motivation for me!

So, here we go. Hopefully you will be seeing my blog updated more often as I work in my studio more often. I look forward to finding more Artist Moms on the web to see how they manage their time.

Commission

Acrylic on Canvas SOLD

Rosie #2

Acrylic on Board $125

If you are interested in this piece please contact Willis Gray Gallery

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This is the second portrait of Rosie doing her second favorite thing - hunting down the squirrels in our back yard. Our backyard was wildlife free while Rosie (who is now Zoe) was around!

Rosie #1

Acrylic on Board $125

If you are interested in this piece please contact Willis Gray Gallery

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This is the sweet dog we fostered for a few weeks. She is a German Shorthaired Pointer and has gone to live in Tennessee with a wonderful family. She had a really hard time learning how to be a pet (she was found as a stray) and her favorite place to be was on our couch.

Catch

A friend took several photos at my eldest sons baseball games and this is one of them. It is of the coach's son playing catcher. This team plays its first game in city tournament tonight! Wish us luck! Also, I have started two more from this team - both pitching pics. I am not sure when I will get to finish them. I am beginning art classes with 3 wonderful girls tomorrow and so my time will be filled with planning for my time with them for a while!

Max the dog and his boy - revised

I worked on the face some more - not a good photo, I know. My camera has gone wonky and is not focusing where I want it to. Anyway, I am much happier with it. It is interesting to me how differently I see my work on the computer screen than right in front of me. Its like its someone else's and I can be more objective.

Max the dog and his boy

This is my nephew and his dog, Max. Enjoy!

Fruit

acrylic on 9 8x8x1 canvases $540

If you are interested in this painting please contact Willis Gray Gallery

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I am very excited that summer has finally arrived! My children are home from school and with the excpetion of some lingering baseball games, I am free to set my own schedule! This means I am free to be in my studio again! I am also excited to have finished this one. I have been working on it ever so slowly for months now. I posted apple # 1 months ago.

"Shades" accepted for exhibition

The Carnegie Visual Arts Center in Decatur, Alabama has accepted this piece to exhibit and be juried as a part of their Embracing Art VI. It will be on display from May 16th until June 14th at the Carnegie. This was my first attempt at entering my art into anything and I am thrilled to have this piece accepted!

New Orleans Street Band

Yes, finally I can post another painting! I enjoyed painting this one - lots of detail. The canvas is missing the usual texture. I missed it, I really love the effect the texture has on the finished painting.

Alyson B. Stanfield, Artbizcoach.com

Recently, Alyson answered a question I had for her regarding what constitutes a "show" of paintings. I am grateful for her answer. If you get a moment, visit her site. It has been an inspiration to follow and keep me on track with my goals! She also posted one of my paintings on her blog - Buffalo#2.

www.artbizcoach.com

www.artbizblog.com

Also look for her new book I'd Rather Be In The Studio! - which you can find on her site or at www.idratherbeinthestudio.com

Thanks Alyson!

I am still here!

My trip to New Orleans was wonderful. My return home - not so much. Tom and I must have inhaled the flu bug when we boarded the plane and were both sick from Sun - Wed. of last week. Needless to say duties of mom and housewife have been in serious catch-up mode from the trip and the illness! I did start a painting today of one of the street bands in New Orleans. It is larger than usual so look for it next week! I also have almost completed my abstract tree - look for it soon as well!

Ballet Recital

8x16 Acrylic on Canvas

I painted this of my beautiful niece last night at Wine and Paint With Carole Foret. I had a wonderful time and met some fun ladies! Some of whom I hope were encouraged to begin painting! The image I used for this painting is from my niece's ballet recital in Beijing last year. The yellow was a challenge for me - especially since I only brought yellow cad light (lemony color). I had to mix some darker yellows for the darks in the costume - but I like how the red looks and I think it helps the background. I still need to finish her hands, but that will have to wait until next week! This is my last post until Monday! Off to NOLA!

From my sketchbook. . .

Yes, another guitar lesson. This is a sketch of my daughter at about one - once again at the beach. She is looking down playing with her toes in the picture. I enjoyed trying to get the angle of her face and her cleft chin also posed a bit of a challenge from the angle. I have really enjoyed having this 30 minutes of uninterrupted quiet drawing time.

Tonight I am going to Carole Foret's studio to "Wine and Paint" with her. I am very excited to get to spend some time with the wonderful woman as well as meet new artists too! Tomorrow will be the last post for the week. I am going to New Orleans for the weekend and need to get ready. I am hoping to come up with tons of reference photos and sketches. But, we will see. I am not very practiced at sketching from life, so this should be a wonderful learning experience!

Portrait #2

11x14 Acrylic on Canvas

Another one of my dear friends lent me a photo of her sweet daughter to practice my portrait skills on. I am happy with the painting over all, but not really satisfied that I captured this littlel girl as she truely is! It is still not exactly her. It's close, but not quite. Ah well, this is why I practice, practice, practice!

Portrait

12x12 Acrylic

I am working on improving my portrait skills. When I work on portraits I have to concentrate on relationship of shapes more so than on other types of paintings. This sweet little girl belongs to one of my closet friends. I am thankful to her for letting me practice on her child! This painting greatly resembles her, but is not really her. Not yet, anyway. I am putting it away for today because I have looked so closely at it I can no longer see it correctly! I am so thankful for art! It really is a passion!

Finished Buffalo #3

Acrylic on 24x48x1 canvas $590
If you are interested in this painting please contact Willis Gray Gallery

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Buffalo #3 is currently enjoying a proud spot in my living room I enjoyed working on this one as the "leader"as my daughter calls him proved to be challenging with more detail. I included a photo with a flash so you can see the reflective gold.

Buffalo # 2

Acrylic on 20x30x1 canvas SOLD

If you are interested in this painting please contact Willis Gray Gallery

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This is supposed to be a triptych. I am having a difficult time arranging buffalo for the other two panels. So, he and his faithful follower may be the lone buffalo for the final buffalo #3. He is still missing his gold highlights - hopefully to come today (if all goes well!) and I will post this one and the finished buffalo # 2 later today. I am anxious to get to this abstract tree I have had stuck in my head for weeks. . .

From my sketch book

Another Monday, another guitar lesson, another sketch! This is of my husband and daughter at the beach a couple of years ago.

Playing in the Surf

10x16 Acrylic on Canvas

This is a precious little boy! He found such joy in being at the beach and playing in the surf. This is one of the paintings I completed this weekend at the lake. I really had fun working on it.

Weekend at the cabin with the girls!

Lisa with a good book. (Above)

A view from the front porch. (Below)

Above - CeeCee (embarassed by the sweater I am sure, but it was COLD!) And our easels set up in front of the picture window for light.

We had a wonderful, relaxing time this weekend at my family cabin on Lake Guntersville. This year there were four of us to make the trip (two of our usual crew couldn't make it). We spent our time relaxing, reading, watching movies, and for 2 of us - painting! I was able to complete one painting and almost complete another one. Pics of those will be in my following post!

A big thank you to Lisa, Britt, and Michelle for making these weekends so special! I love your company and look forward to this trip again soon!