New Miniature

Well, I've finally finished something and it's scanned! This is the same landscape that I started in silverpoint awhile back and wasn't happy with, (only due to the ground color). In this one, I've changed the composition and added some fantasy interest. It's done in graphite on dura-lar matte film with some colored pencil added on the back. I would still like to do the first image over in silverpoint, on a different toned ground of course.

The Sentinel, Graphite and Colored Pencil on Acid-free Film, 3 5/8" x 2 5/8"

New Show Submissions

I've just submitted several of my miniatures for consideration for a show in Houston. It's at the Elder Street Gallery. This is their first miniature show, It's a Small World. Today is the deadline.... nothing like waiting till the last minute! However, I've been so tied up with local shows and trying to finish up a piece I wanted to enter.... then I had an allergy attack and was down for a day!

This show is handling things a bit differently as they are accepting submissions only by email or CD. The prospectus is a bit confusing as to the size of the files so my husband was patiently resizing my images and getting them ready for a zip file. All miniature shows I've ever entered are by actual work only. If your work is not accepted, it is held until the end of the show when all the unsold work is shipped back to you. In this show, there are no fees until the gallery decides which 3 out of the 5 they want in their show, then you send in the minis and the fees and paperwork. There is no mention of awards or juror. I am under the impression that the owners are choosing what they want in their show. I will know what, if any they want of my work by the middle of July. The show is Sept. 19th thorough Oct. 4th. Contact, if you are interested in submitting in case they are extending the deadline is elderstreetgallery@gmail.com.

Three Awards for LiveARTS Bothell! Oh My!

Well, I've had an exciting day! I got a call from Lynn Asmann at Kaewyn Gallery who is the contact person for the Live ARTS Bothell Juried Show. She called to tell me I won several awards!!! Seen Better Days was awarded 3rd Place in Drawing, The Dwelling Place was awarded an Honorable Mention in Drawing and Mr. Bigshot was awarded 3rd Place in Miniature!














My husband and I will be at the Live Arts Bothell Preview Party tonight to celebrate!

Next Exhibit - Live ARTS Bothell - This Weekend!

This weekend at Live ARTS Bothell at the beautiful Park at Bothell Landing, I'll have on exhibit in the Juried Art Show my four miniatures, Around the Bend, Jack, Mr. Bigshot and A Little Piece of Tuscany. Two of my larger works, The Dwelling Place and Seen Better Days will also be in this exhibit. The Juried Art Show is held in the Lytle House, one of several historical buildings in the park. There will be a preview Party on Friday, June 26th, 6 to 8pm. The Festival runs from Saturday and Sunday, June 27 & 28th, 10am to 6pm. For more information, see my earlier post, Saturday, May 23, 2009.

All of my work in this exhibit is available for purchase.

A Little Piece of Tuscany, Acrylic on Board,
13/16" x 1 11/16" Penny is for scale.

"Nap Buddies" SOLD at Edmonds!

Colored Pencil on Acid-free Film, 1 3/4" x 2 1/2" 3rd Place Miniatures

My miniature Nap Buddies has sold! That's great news as today is the first day of the Edmonds Art Festival. As to the miniatures on their awards page on their website, I was told that the photos have been done and should be on the site soon.

Awards for Edmonds Arts Festival Online

The award winning works are up on the Edmonds Arts Festival's website. As of this posting, the miniatures are not showing up, they have in the past years, so please keep checking. The patron preview is this Thursday and the festival opens to the public this weekend. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some sales!

3rd Place in Miniatures Award at Edmonds Arts Festival Juried Art Show!

My artist friend Janie Olsen went to the reception yesterday at the Edmonds Juried Art Show . I received an email from her that evening telling me I received 3rd Place on my miniature work, Nap Buddies! That is such great news, thanks for letting me know Janie! I would have loved to have been at the reception, but because I did not RSVP on time, I was told it was full and I could be placed on a wait list. That was so disappointing. I would have loved to have been there to accept my award. This has always been a good show for me. I hope sales are good this year, too. The festival takes place this weekend, kicking off with a patron preview party on Thursday, June 18th. I will be going on Sunday to see the exhibit. Be sure to bring Dad and enjoy the show!

Siverpoint WIP

I've finished, or so I think, my miniature silverpoint piece. It's approximately 2 1/2" x 3 1/2". Here are some of the things I'm concerned about. The paper is toned blue which ended up being a darker blue than I intended. Should I add some color or rather change the color in the sky area by using some grayed white watercolor? I also had a problem area where I attempted to erase and rework. That spot turned cloudy and didn't match the other darks around it. (So much to learn.) I cropped that with the mat and I think the composition works. The island on the right is straight in the actual work. The patina is already starting and I can see where I had worked on it several weeks ago and then stopped. You can see it when you click on it to enlarge on the left rocks and top of the trees. It's turning a warm sepia color and I know it's still changing. That's the beauty of silverpoint!



Here is the uncropped image. Notice the darker blue of the surface. This is why I'm wondering if I should do some grayed white for the sky only. Notice the glare on the left. It's really hard to photo silverpoint. On the bottom right of the work is where I overworked the dark. I used some china white watercolor on the bottom of the work to see what it would do. I'm still not sure I trust messing with it anymore. I'm not going to do anymore drawing on it. Any suggestions would be most welcome at this point. Should I leave the sky alone? I think it would be so risky right about now, but if it doesn't work as it is, then it does need to be changed.


Here it is temporarily popped in a mat and frame to show the difference in color. Does this distract from the work? Is it a problem?

More Parklane News

I went to pick up my work yesterday at the Parklane Gallery and what a surprise. Another of my miniature works sold! Seems a collector phoned in to purchase it. I think that putting the miniature art show online was a very good idea, not only for the gallery, but for the collectors and the miniature artists. I have been mulling over the question of what do collectors want and this doesn't help at all! I sold one work in acrylic, one in colored pencil and one in graphite. One was a landscape, one of animals and one of my fantasy trees. I guess I'll just keep doing what inspires me! This was a good show for me. I was told that sales were slightly less than last year, but for me it was better! I hope this continues!

Parklane Gallery Checks

Well, I've had a pleasant surprise today. I just received my check from the Parklane Gallery for my sale from the Miniature Art Show and it was bigger than expected. Turns out I sold another one! Their website of the show doesn't reflect all the sales. So if you had work in the show, you too should be receiving your check soon. I'll be picking up my unsold work on Friday. It was a great show!

First Silverpoint and a WIP (Work in Progress)

This is my first attempt at silverpoint. I really like the richness and finesse of the line. However with this one, I don't think I used the silver marks to their best advantage. I used it like grahpite. I also didn't like the surface that I chose. It's Multi-Media Art board, (4"x4"), and I'm not sure why I don't like it.... it feels brittle, almost a plastic feel. I didn't like the texture of it and I should have toned the ground because I also didn't like the color of the white either.

Now, that said, I still think this is a good beginning and I now know what I DON'T like and none of it is the silverpoint. I am going to do this one as a larger work. I've got my surface (Strathmore 500 paper) already prepared with a toned ground (Golden Silverpoint Ground) ready to go after I get through doing a few more new miniatures.

Here is another one that I've started. It's on the Strathmore 500 paper, (4"x5") with a toned ground. I like the feel of this surface much better. I'm trying to use the silverpoint where the marks are done with more mindfulness. Sorry this is a rather dark and small image, and silverpoint is difficult to photograph and impossible to scan due to the marks being so reflective. I may continue to see if this one works.

Shows Ended, Shows Starting

I can't believe a week has gone by since my last post! Sunday I took down my work from the Arts of Snohomish Gallery. I'll be picking up my work from the Parklane Gallery on Friday and will be looking out for my returns from the Seaside Art Gallery in North Carolina. However, I have the two shows/art festivals (see previous posts) coming up this month with my work in it. I'm looking forward to these two great summer festivals.