Saturday, October 31, 2009

Mini Show Results

The 1st Annual Little Washington Miniature Painting Exhibition has been a greater success than I had anticipated. Even in a recession economy! Seventy artists from all across America submitted artwork. We hung 183 pieces of art and we sold 28 pieces, which is 15%. Not too bad for a first endevor. The quality of the art was outstanding. The Senior Editor of the Piedmont Virginian Magazine was so impressed when he attended the reception, he has decided to do a feature article for the winter issue about the miniature artists of the Piedmont.

Look for next years exhibition to be bigger and better!

Happy Halloween

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Commission Completed




Here are final photos of the completed commission of the Tuxedo Cats, lovingly referred to as The Boys. As you can see, cameras don't always tell the truth. The photo on the left has better detail and less reflection from the shine of the oil paint, but the photo on the right is more accurate in color. The actual background is a beige, not yellow. The Ottoman is actually a burgundy or maroon color, not orangy red.
Anyhow, the client has picked up the painting and loved the end results. My greatest fear is that a client will not like anything about a painting I have done for them. I always expect a minor tweak or two, but have not yet encountered a totally unhappy client.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Foxhound commission nearly finished

I finally got the new camera up and running. I am slowly getting comfortable with all the new features on this camera. My old one did very little other than shoot pictures since it was purchased the year that digital cameras first came out. My husband has always loved photograpy and has had many cameras. He was the one who just had to have digital.

I am such a Dinosaur and slow to embrace technological advances.

The Foxhound's Dream copy is nearly finished. Just a few more minor things to do and it will be completed.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Bambi Alert - It's OK to Kill Bambi

Last night as I was coming home from the gallery, I hit a very large deer. A doe, I believe. She came out of nowhere and there was nothing I could do. CORRECTION, there was plenty I could do and I did it just like the driver safety manuals tell you and so today I sit here typing out this blog instead of ending up in the emergency room of our hospital.

The doe jumped down off an embankment on my left just a few yards in front of my car. I had very little reaction time, but what I did and did not do, saved me from worse damage and injuries. I hit the brakes hard, grabbed they wheel like I was clinging to a cliff and braced myself. Instead of trying to avoid the deer and driving off the road, I aimed for her. Please don't try to avoid the deer.... there are worse things waiting for you on each side of the road, such as huge boulders, trees, barbed wire fences and deep embankments your car could roll down and flip over. As it stands now, I have no injuries other than some back stiffness and my car damage does not look too bad. It is still driveable, but the insurance adjuster will tell me more soon.

This time of year is the worst for deer related accidents. Its all about LOVE right now and those bucks have nothing else on their minds. The does are all excited and spring out in front of cars. Then the bucks follow blindly. Remember, where there is one deer, there are usually more following behind. My accident occurred at one of the most active periods of the deer's day also....dusk. They are really busy at dawn and dusk so be extra careful driving at those times of day. Also, your visability is diminished.

So remember friends......"It's OK to Kill Bambi"

Friday, October 16, 2009

MINIATURES SHOW A HUGE SUCCESS

The 1st Annual Little Washington Miniature Painting Exhibition is a huge success and we still have two more weeks for this show at the Ice House Gallery. To date, we have sold 16 miniatures in just two weekends. We had a fantastic reception and per my husbands head count, 167 art collectors, artists, and Leaf Peepers attended the reception and gallery throughout the day. The Piedmont Virginian Magazine was so impressed, they will do a feature story on the Miniature Artists of the Piedmont.

Not Bad for a first time show!

I just got a new camera and will start adding pictures to the blog again.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Tuxedo Cats Commission

My camera is unfortunately on the fritz, so no pictures this posting, but hopefully I will have it back to working shortly.

I think that today I finished the commission of the three Tuxedo Cats. I was not so sure myself, but my fellow artist, Geneva Welch, came in to visit and I asked her what she thought of it. She immediately said, You are finished, leave it alone. So I will contact the clients and have them look it over.

By the way.......the trees are beautiful in Little Washington and the weather was absolutely perfect today.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Final Plein Air Workshop for 2009

Yesterday was once again absolutely perfect weather for a plein air workshop. The mountains were starting to show some color, skies were clear with those occasional Fall wispy clouds high in the sky and low on the horizon. There was a bit of a chill in the air which quickly turned into the perfect temperature.

I demonstrated a view in pastels and we all worked the day on our own views. The hilltop patio at Barrel Oak was quiet except for the occasional bird calls. By the way, we did not see our bald eagel this time. In case I forgot to tell you, at the last workshop a lone bald eagel flew over head and circled our area a good long time. Everyone at the vineyard stopped what they were doing to watch this majestic bird. Although we did not see our eagle friend this time, we did see the fattest ground hog ever running across the hilltop.

We of course did tastings again and then shared a bottle of wine during our lunch.

This was the last workshop for 2009 and I will resume the workshops in the Spring when weather is warm again.............I don't particularly like cold weather.

Ciao

Thursday, October 8, 2009

The Piedmont Virginian Magazine

I am honored to have my image "Tarara View", included in the Autumn 2009 edition of The Piedmont Virginian magazine. It is on page 41 along with a few other artists as part of an article about the upcoming Artists of Rappahannock Studio and Gallery Tour. The tour will feature 50 professional artists during the two day event. So mark your calendar for November 7 & 8, drive out to the fire hall in Little Washington, pay your $10 admission and then you can get your map and tour the working studios of Rappahannock's gifted artists.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Miniatures Exhibition Opening Reception







The photos top to bottom are of the Mitchells pouring tastings, Narissa Steel speaking with fellow artists, and yours truly greeting guests. Saturday, October 3rd was a perfect Fall day. Crisp and clear and at the perfect temperature all day. It was one of those days that make you feel young again. As you see artists and art patrons were happy to sip wine and nosh on cheeses and other delicacies in the open air, while others were arriving to view the spectacular show. Thats me behind the sign, glass in hand, greeting our guests. The final count of visitors that day was 167 attendees, artists and collectors alike. Our esteemed judge, Narissa Steel talked shop with attending artists, and told me that miniature artists all started out as big painters. She is the lovely lady in the wine colored jacket. It was such a pleasure to have Nar judge our show and then to talk art with us at the reception. Fellow artist Geneva Welch told me that it was such a delight to meet all the other artists and talk shop for the afternoon, something we artists need more of since we have such solitary professions.
And to make the day extra special, our very knowledgeable wine enthusiast friends Jeanne and Mitch Mitchell were pouring for our generous sponsor, Barrel Oak Winery. Barrel Oak is located off Rt. 66 between Delaplane and Marshall in Fauquier County.