Update - Forest with Dragonfly Graphite on Dura-lar Matte WIP

Above is the progress I've made in the "forest with dragonfly", graphite work. As you can see it doesn't look like I've made MUCH progress. I'm actually getting frustrated since I should have been finished with this by now! However, I am happy with the way it is turning out. The dark area at the bottom is difficult to keep smooth when I rush though it so I'm having to slow down and be mindful of the strokes and not get too dark too soon. I certainly don't want to create problems at this stage of the work!! After I finish the dark shadow under the trees, I need to add more old leaves, stones and twigs and also complete the log on the right. Then I still need to clean up spots and smooth out areas, before moving on to the final fun part, adding some color! Almost there! In the meantime...

It's been quite a busy two weekends, with the Edmonds Arts Festival and LiveARTS Bothell, dropping off work, picking up work and then going to the receptions and meeting up with artist friends! Yesterday I dropped off another piece for the upcoming show, Art of the Garden, happening at the Arts Council of Snohomish County due to open July 8th. I'll have more information on that later. As I've stated before, I'm still working on my graphite on film work, "forest with dragonfly". It's difficult sometimes getting the flow going when you have so many interruptions, even the good kind! I have several deadlines fast approaching and little time to create the new work I'll need to send out to the two big miniature shows, MPSGS in DC and MASF in Fl. Also, I'll be at Studio 206 in the Mukilteo Art Building for Waterfront Wednesdays again this Wednesday where I am showing a selection of my works on canvas from the Italian Landscape Series. I think that the show will be changing to new artists for the month of July. If you are interested in seeing this work, stop by tomorrow, I'd love to see you! Thanks again for taking the time to read about my work.

1st Place Miniatures! LiveARTS Bothell!

Over and Beyond © Barbara A. Freeman
Acrylic on Claybord, 3 5/8" x 3 5/8"
Fine Art Miniature, from the Italian Landscape Series

Great news for me, I just got a phone call from LiveARTS Bothell and I got First Place in Miniature, for my work, Over and Beyond, the acrylic painting from my miniature Italian Landscape Series. Wow, it sure has been a great week! Tomorrow evening is the Patrons Preview Party and I'll be attending along with my husband Wayne. The festival is at a new venue this year and the the sun will be shining! You can click here, LiveARTS Bothell to see my earlier blog post with links to the location and times and the other works I'll have in the juried art show. Remember, the festival is free and has free parking, with juried art inside the new Mobius Hall Gallery, outdoor artisan booths, music, food and fun activities for the whole family all weekend! I hope to see you there!

Continued Dura-lar Matte WIP - Forest with Dragonfly

This is the continuation of my work in progress, (WIP) of the forest and dragonfly. I should have been a lot further along by now, but with shows, framing, delivering and picking up work, I'm a bit behind my deadline.

If it would make it easier to see all the pieces together without the other posts in between, go to the "labels for this post" section at the bottom of the post and click on the phrase, "forest with dragonfly wip,". That should bring all the posts of this work together. In case you weren't aware, you can do that with any key word. I'm trying to be consistent in my labels to make that possible.

From the last post of this work, I've done the front tree, center tree and the stump. Adding textures and forms.

In the above, I've done a lot of the forest in the background across the top of the image. Also, I started doing a bit more of the main tree on the right front bringing it down.

This is the same as the previous photo but showing the reference photo and the miniature drawing in graphite with an enlarged section for a guide. This one will be different from my miniature, A Flash of Blue, but using a similar light source and tree shapes.

Here I have brought the pathway down on the left and done further work on the tree on the right. You can see where I've darkened the center tree to make it contrast with the one on the left. You can see it better in the photo below.

This one is current from work I did just last night. I darkened the path on the right foreground where the trees would be creating a shadow. I also darkened the left tree to help define the stump. I still have a long way to go. Once I finish laying down all the graphite bits, I'll be darkening areas to create a good range of values, softening some areas to create mystery and sharpening some to make shapes stand out, to lead the eye and create rhythm. Then comes the fun part of adding touches of color. That will be in the final stages. As for now, it's time to get back to work.

Later today, I'll be heading over to Bothell to deliver my two work works for the Live ARTS Bothell Festival this weekend. Then tomorrow over to Studio 206 in the Mukilteo Art Building for Waterfront Wednesdays. I hope to see you at both these events! Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Art Beat Includes Mention of Work, "The Key"

I've just received my unsold work back today from Seaside Art Gallery's 19th International Miniature Art Show, in Nags Head, North Carolina. They always include the art review, "Art Beat" by Mary Ellen Riddle from their local paper, The Virginian-Pilot, inside the box. I was delighted to read that my work, The Key, was mentioned in this review. Here is what Ms Riddle said about that work:

"Of note is the magical graphite and mixed media work by Barbara A. Freeman. Her image, "The Key", features a raven in the woodland standing in a ring of golden toadstools. In its beak, the raven grasps a red ribbon upon which is tied a key. Behind the clearing where the raven takes center stage stands a regal tree with intricate patterns. The majority of the work is black and white with only minute bits of metallic color adding contrast to the monochromatic palette. These gem-like dots work well with the pearly sheen of the film on which the work is drawn. But don't overlook the faint purple shadow under the raven - subtle but powerful."

Wow, that really made me happy that she got that! I'm also happy to report that that particular work has sold.

Fine Art Miniature, The Key, © Barbara A. Freeman
Graphite and Acrylic on Film, 2 3/8" x 3"

As for now, I'm, back to working on the graphite on film of the forest and dragonfly, not a miniature, but a small work. I'll be sharing my progress on that work tomorrow. I also have some framing to complete for the festival this weekend at Live ARTS Bothell. As you can tell, it's been a very busy month! As always, thank you for taking the time to read this.

More on the Edmonds Arts Festival

Well, I sure started my day off right! Just after a breakfast of oatmeal, blueberry pancakes, I got a phone call from the Edmonds Arts Festival that my drawing, Finding Time has sold!!! I'm really doing the happy dance now!! I still have three miniatures left in the show as far as I know. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Hay Bales will sell. It's a favorite of mine in the miniature Italian Landscape Series and has gotten an Honorable Mention at the Miniature Painters Sculptors and Gravers Society of Washington, D.C. (MPSGS), and a Judges mention at the Seaside Art Gallery in Nags Head, N.C. The festival is still going on through the rest of the day. We'll be going over there later this afternoon to see more of the show.

Here are a few more photos of the awards being given at the opening of the Edmonds Arts Festival on Friday. I almost missed being given the award as we were inside looking at the show! That day the gallery was getting crowded and sales were taking place while we were there. The miniature art was given a lot of attention which was nice to see. However, this particular festival does not adhere to the same standards as the Association of Miniature Artists do, so some of the work was much larger and/or loosely painted, which was very different than what I am used to seeing in a miniature art show. My friend, Janie Olsen has some very nice work in this show too. The one I really love is her miniature, Gelert, Before the Tragedy. She has so much detail in such a small space and the dog's eyes and face say so much! Great piece Janie! Hope all of you get to attend this fun show and festival! Remember the Juried Art Show is inside the Frances Anderson Center. Support Your Local Artists!

I'm second from the right. As you can see, the sun was shinning!

They didn't have the checks cut yet, so we were given an empty envelope and he was telling us where to go to get it filled.

Yours truly with my work, Finding Time.

Second Place in Drawing - Edmonds Arts Festival!!

Woo Hoo! Just got a phone call from the Edmonds Arts Festival that my work, Finding Time, took 2nd Place in Drawing! I am so happy, doing the happy dance for sure! The Awards will be presented to Artists tomorrow, Friday, June 18th at 11:00 am on the Edmonds Arts Festival Main Stage. I plan on being there! The Juried Art Show will be inside the Frances Anderson Center, 700 Main Street, Edmonds,WA. In addition to the indoor juried show, there is also the outdoor Arts Festival with food, music and artists' booths on the lawn. This fun festival takes place on Fathers' Day weekend, June 19 through the 20th.

Finding Time © Barbara A. Freeman
Graphite on Acid-free Film, 8 1/4" x 10 1/2"
Second Place Drawing, Edmonds Arts Festival

Work Juried In - Live ARTS Bothell - June 26th and 27th

The Live ARTS Bothell Juried Art Exhibit is coming up the end of this month and I'm happy to announce that I have four miniatures and two larger works accepted in this show. This year's venue has changed due to renovations being done to Bothell Landing where the show usually takes place. Instead it will be held at the new Mobius Hall Gallery on the campus of Cascadia Community College and U.W. Bothell. This wonderful art fair takes place June 26 and 27th, 10am to 6pm. There will be a Patron Preview Party on Friday June 25th, from 6:00pm to 8:30pm. Please call for reservations at 425-488-2787 by June 11th. The college is located one mile east of downtown Bothell (directions and map here). The Live ARTS Bothell Art Fair is always great fun, with musical entertainment, great food and ART! There is free garage parking and the festival event will be in the inner courtyard of the wooded campus overlooking its 58-acre North Creek wetland.

Of my four in the Miniature Art Category, two are new acrylic paintings, Always Illuminated, and from my Italian Landscape Series, Over and Beyond. The other miniatures, The Silent Ones, a silverpoint, and In Fair Condition, colored pencil, are two favorites. My two larger works in the Drawing Category, one in graphite, It's Not All Black and White, and the other a work in metalpoint, Sculpted by Time are also both new works that have not been exhibited before! This is a great community event and always lots of fun. I hope you can make it. Be sure to look for my work in the new Mobius Hall Gallery. The sun is going to shine that weekend!

It's Not All Black and White, ©Barbara A. Freeman
Graphite and Mixed Media on Acid-free Film, 7" x 7"

Sculpted by Time ©Barbara A. Freeman
Metalpoint on Prepared Paper 8 1/2 " x 8 "

More on Dura-lar Matte WIP at STUDIO 206, Waterfront Wednesdays, Mukilteo

We all had a lot of fun last week, at Waterfront Wednesdays in Oldtown Mukilteo. Thanks to all of you who stopped in to say hello to us at Studio 206 in the Mukilteo Art Building. It was great meeting and talking with everyone. I especially enjoyed showing the children who were interested, how I worked.



Roxanne Jaross, owner of Studio 206, artist Janie Olsen, and I will once again be in Studio 206 this Wednesday in the Mukilteo Art Building, showing a selection of our work. My work seen above is from the Italian Hills Series. Janie has a selection of her beautiful and mysterious dog paintings, they always make me smile, Janie! Roxanne has her delicious chocolate paintings as well as her cat and crow work. Click on the artists' name for a link to their websites.


I'll once again be set up with a demo of my work in progress, done in graphite on Dura-lar Matte film. Unfortunately, the one I had been working on met with a bit of an accident this past weekend! I've had to start over, but I'm making a lot of progress. Above is what I have done so far and I hope to be even further along by Wednesday evening. I hope we have more folks this Wednesday as word gets out and the weather improves. I think there are glass blowing demos downstairs at 5, so come on upstairs afterwards and see our work. We'll all three be there, rain or shine so hope you can make it! Click on Waterfront Wednesdays for the link on times and events.

Dura-lar Matte WIP at STUDIO 206, Waterfront Wednesdays, Mukilteo

Today is Waterfront Wednesday in Oldtown Mukilteo! I'll be at Studio 206 in the Mukilteo Art Building working on a new, just started, graphite drawing on Dura-lar Matte film. If you've ever wondered about using Dura-lar for a surface or wanted to see what it was like, now's your chance! I hope to be there from 4 - 8pm tonight. Stop in and say hi!

Roxanne Jaross, the owner of Studio 206 is sharing the gallery space next to her studio with Janie Olsen and I. I have three landscapes on exhibit from my Italian Hills Series and Janie has a selection of her beautiful and mysterious dog paintings. In addition to the Art Building tour and glass blowing demo, there's also the Farmers' Market, Open Mic Night at the Red Cup Cafe, and a lot of other great happenings. Click on Waterfront Wednesdays for the link on times, events list, and directions. Don't miss out on the fun and don't let a little rain stop you, it's supposed to clear up just for us!!