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Happy New Year!

Harmonica Mark Finalist in 2015 Richeson Portrait/Figure show

Harmonica Mark
Finalist in 2015 Richeson Portrait/Figure show   –  Carolinas Got Art Show at the Elder Gallery

Happy New Year!! I have so many mixed feelings this time of year.  Holidays are fun, but so distracting that I feel I have to completely regroup to get back to some sense of normalcy.  So I’m slowly getting back on track.

I had an amazing 2015.  It was the first year that I really tried to enter some shows and  had great results.  All of this happened in 2015!!!

  •  Finalist in the American Woman Artists National Juried 2015 Show at Bonner David Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona.
  • Selected as one of 30 artists to participate in the 2015 Piedmont Paint Out in High Point, NC.  Received “Artists’ Choice Award”
  • Finalist in the Richeson75 Figure and Portrait Show 2015
  • 2 Honorable Mentions in the Guild of Charlotte Artists, 2015
  •  Honorable Mention, “Colton’s Choice” award and “People’s Choice” award in the Matthews Art Guild, 2015 – Matthews Alive Festival
  • Finalist and Award of Merit in the 2015 Spring Online Show for the American Women Artists
  • Selected for the Carolina’s Got Art Show at the Elder Gallery, June 2015
Kalvin, Portrait of a Young Man AWA National Juried Show, Award of Merit

Kalvin, Portrait of a Young Man
AWA National Juried Show, Award of Merit

I love painting people, but up until now I’ve pretty much stuck to portraits.  To make a living at that though I need to really market myself as a portrait painter.  So that is part of my next step I believe.  Also I’d like to take that passion for painting people into some figurative paintings that aren’t so “face specific”.  I’m hoping to do that some with my musician paintings.  So far I’ve pretty much focused on their faces, except for “Harmonica Mark”.  I’m doing studies that are recognizable, but thinking in the bigger paintings that I’ll try to take them to a more abstracted direction.  All musings at this point until I make it happen.

Artists' Choice Award, Piedmont Paint Out

Artists’ Choice Award, Piedmont Paint Out

Also love the balance of my plein air paintings.  So that will be another part of the puzzle. Hoping to do some larger paintings to appeal to some galleries.  It seems most are not as interested in the small 8×10 or 11×14’s that we typically do as plein air painters.

The other big nemesis for me is the marketing part.  If I had my druthers, I’d just paint.  But it’s crucial to get your name out there to reach potential clients and galleries.  So that’s probably the biggest piece of the puzzle for me this year.  Putting together a plan that helps me accomplish that.

oil portrait young black woman

“Lucci” People’s Choice Award at the Matthews Alive Festival

Any ideas, suggestions welcomed!!!  Once again Happy New Year to you all!  I hope that 2016 is a wonderful one for you and yours!!

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Palette Knife Portrait

Harmonica Mark

Harmonica Mark

Finally posting this palette knife painting that I did of a dear friend, Mark.  It’s been at the Elder Gallery waiting for their June Salon Show of Carolina’s Got Art.  I am so pleased that it was accepted!  I’ve missed having it around.  Despite the fact that it was a labor of love, it was quite a challenge.  After incorporating palette knife into some of my plein air paintings, I decided to attempt one of a portrait.  First I did one of my daughter, from a photo.  I was excited about the possibilities.  I’m always trying to strike some balance between realism and pushing the edges to create a loose excitement in my paintings.

Along the way I decided to start a series of portraits of local Charlotte musicians.  My husband plays music with some folks and quite often they jam at our house.  I love the music and the musicians, so it was a compelling concept.  Mark was the first of that group.  And silly me, I decided to give the palette knife a try.  I blocked it in with a brush, but committed to the knife for the rest of the painting.  I found out along the way that it’s best to complete an area before moving on.  Once an area that has been knifed is dry, it’s very difficult to go back in.  As a result, I sanded out Mark’s face many times until I was satisfied.

I was surprised at how well the knife worked for Mark’s hands.  Hands are such a challenge for me, but they seemed easier with the knife.  I can’t get too anal with the knife, which is why I like and hate it.  I haven’t decided whether I’ll keep the knife for the whole series of paintings.  I think I’ll let the subject and the painting determine that.

I’m hoping to incorporate some audio in the final show.  If anyone knows where I can get a relatively inexpensive way to have a small audio player with each painting, I would so appreciate the information.  I’d love to have a snippet with each painting.  The gentleman in this painting has done some amazing spontaneous poetry in the middle of a blues jam!  Would love to share that with his painting!

Wish me luck with my palette knife portrait pursuit!  I’ll need it!  Hope to see you at the Elder Gallery on June 5th for the opening of Carolina’s Got Art Salon Show!  And hopefully at the show of my Charlotte Musicians!  All the best!!!!

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