Happy Holidays To All My Blogging Friends and Good News from Kaewyn Gallery!

I received a happy email from Lynn at Kaewyn Gallery in Bothell saying I sold two of my miniature art works!! Yay! I went over yesterday and picked up my check and saw the show. Lynn's year end, Miniature Masterpieces and More - Holiday Exhibit is by invitation only, so I'm always happy to be included. The show is hung very professionally, a great well lighted space, with many different styles from local northwest artists. This year I was able to send some new pieces, and the one I blogged about here as a work in progress (WIP), Time is a Patient Sculptor, is gone already! That was a fun one to do and turned out so well! I am pleased that someone else thought so, enough to want to add it to their collection! The other one that sold was, All Washed Up. That was also a fun one to do, another northwest scene that I hope will be a happy addition to someone's collection!

I still have four works remaining in the show which will continue through January 9th. There are three miniatures, "Rhodie" With Bee, Innocence, The Sentinel, (see above photo) as well as the small work, A Meditation on the Pacific Northwest. That small painting is up near the front of the gallery by the window. If you go, don't miss it as it is difficult to see all the fine detail and shimmering iridescent colors here on screen. Seeing it in person is much better!

A Meditation on the Pacific Northwest, can be used as an altar piece and does well leaning back on a shelf leaving room for candles or an offering. It would also work well hung in a meditation or yoga space. It would make a great gift ... even to yourself! Namaste.

Miniature Masterpices and More Exhibit at Kaewyn Gallery, located at 10101 Main Street in downtown Bothell, WA. The Exhibit runs from December 4th through January 9th, 2010. Original art is a lasting treasure and makes the perfect gift! Support your local artist!

Completed! Work In Progress, Another Silverpoint/Metalpoint!

Cropped image above is the final metalpoint work, untitled for now.

Finished metalpoint work above before cropping. Notice the wonkey horizon line! (I don't know why I didn't notice this earlier!)

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted! I was determined to finish this and am finally calling it done! YAY!! I am so glad, I'm ready to move on! Thank you, to all you who have followed this work in progress and for your support. Thanks to you too, Karen Hull, for linking to this post! I'm happy I've gotten some of you interested in trying out this incredible medium! I'm looking forward to hearing what you think, Karen and seeing your lovely style of working done in metalpoint!

There are some things I would do differently in the next metalpoint, (I will do more!). First, until I am more familiar with using the different metals, I am only going to use one at a time. It will be interesting to see how the two metals I used in this one, (silver and copper) age in the image. I have seen where other artists have used both successfully together, but I'm not sure what I think about it in my own work. Next, even though I was able to use an eraser to lift off some of the metal to change the image, I will wait and see how or if the erasing will change the surface, to see if it leaves any residue. Remember to keep a clean cloth or sheet of paper under your hand to prevent oil from you skin getting on your surface. Also, I would be sure to have my composition worked out completely. It's difficult to correct or change things. Another thing I would try to be more aware of is not to get dark too soon. I found that the darks have a different appearance when they are built up lightly rather than using pressure like you would graphite. It's similar to when you build up layers in colored pencil, except it's using the same pen. It's also difficult to photograph the beauty of the look of the metalpoint. It has a glowing appearance to it that doesn't come through on the screen.

I did like using the Golden Silverpoint Ground. The liquid brushes on evenly and yet the texture comes through. I think this is probably why I find metalpoint so great for doing things like rocks and trees.

Now, as to why I felt the need after all that work to crop the image... I used several photographs to extend the landscape to include the water and island on the left. Unfortunately, after it was completed and I downloaded it to screen, the area on the left side didn't look right to me, the horizon line didn't make sense. In using the photos, I should have made the line of the beach area on the right, higher to match and continue the horizon line across. My husband pointed it out to me after I told him I thought something was wrong! It's always good to step back from your work to look at it from time to time. If I had been working with graphite, it may have been possible to lift up some of the graphite and correct the problem areas. Not so in silverpoint! I think my only solution to make this work stronger is to crop the image as I have done above. I think I will darken the small area of the rocks on the far left side at the bottom, just to separate them from the larger rocks. Doing this makes the metalpoint drawing look like my painting, Time is a Patient Sculptor, that I did of it in miniature. Oh, well, it must be that this is the best composition anyway. At last, I am ready for a new project!

Silverpoint.com is the best website on silverpoint with a lot of useful information, history and links on this fine medium.

Kaewyn Gallery's Miniature Masterpiece and More! Holiday Exhibit

Time is a Patient Sculptor, Acrylic on Gessobord, 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"

I've delivered my work to Kaewyn Gallery for their annual Holiday Show, Miniature Masterpieces and More! I have five miniatures and one small work in the show this year. The miniatures works are, All Washed Up, Innocence, "Rhodie" With Bee, The Sentinel, and the new miniature acrylic painting that I showed here as a (WIP), work in progress, Time is a Patient Sculptor.

In the small works category, I have submitted the Buddha painting, A Meditation on the Pacific Northwest. This year the show opening is also the day of the Vintage Bothell Wine Walk and Kaewyn Gallery will be hosting Red Sky Winery. Now there are TWO reasons to go, great affordable art and a wine tasting! The opening reception is on Friday, December 4th from 5 to 8PM. Kaewyn gallery is located at 10101 Main Street in downtown Bothell, WA. The Exhibit runs from December 4th through January 9th, 2010. Visit Kaewyn Gallery's new updated website for more information on the wine walk and their gallery. Hope you get a chance to see this show. Say hello to Lynn and remember, original art is a lasting treasure and makes the perfect gift! Support your local artist!