Custom Portraits

"Theadora"

8".10"

"Theadora Reference"

"Jacob"

8".10"

"Elliot"

8".10"

"Miss Louise"

8".10"

I have not been promoting them as of late, but I also do Custom Portraits, here are some 5".7" oil portraits I did in 2007. These paintings were all done on an 8".10" wood panel. As you can see from the reference picture my portraits are somewhat Disney-ized versions of the subject for a enchanting final product. I am happy to do your portrait in any theme that speaks to you, this customer wanted a Victorian theme to all of the portraits so I used an Oval Victorian pattern to encapsulate each portrait and used rich coppery tones to give the pieces a antiquated feel. If you notice both the men appear to be wearing "eyeliner" that is because they where, I love the juxtaposition between rock and Victorian. If you are interested in commissioning a custom portrait please contact me for rates or visit my shop: www.michelli.etsy.com

New Sites!

I am very excited to be a new member of both EBSQ and Deviant art!

My user name is Laura Michelle Muraco on both sites. I was timid at first about joining art sites and showing my art, but it has been such a great experience getting feedback and sharing with fellow artist and art lovers! If you have any questions about either of the sites contact me and I would be more than happy to help in anyway I can.

Can you see the differences?

This is definitely the largest piece I have done to date! "Eve" is 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide. I just wanted to post my progress with it, this is a few hours of work since my last posting of "Eve" can you see the differences?

First step of "Blackbird Cry"

This is the first step of yet another painting. This little piece measures 5".7" I wanted to also include a few of my reference pics to show a bit of my process:

1. So first I have the model come in, in this case my lovely friend Jessica ( http://onesugarhillblog.blogspot.com/ ) and if time allows I draw them from life.

2. I spray the piece with Workable Fixative so that my drawing will not smudge and smear when I apply paint

3. I take a few reference shots to refer to while I am painting, I rarely work without reference whether it be live or from a photograph. The only time I work with out reference is if I want a more dream like feel or if it is something I have drawn or painted 100s of times like the rabbits in "Eve" posted above.

4. I apply a thin layer of water-based oil paint to sketch in the dark areas of painting

5. Allow to dry completely and continue to build up the piece layer by layer, starting first with darkest shades and slowly working up to finishing highlights.

This is just a basic run through of how I essentially work :) I will continue to post as I go along to show the stages of this painting

First Step of my next Painting

This is my next large painting I am working on. I just got it laid out on the canvas...

Etsy Updates!

Now almost all the work you see here is available in my shop. In print form or originals.

www.michelli.etsy.com

On the Easel

"eve"

48". 24"

eve detail

"Eve" is not finished yet but I wanted to share what I have been working on.

I have been focusing a lot lately on the balance between realism and gesture. One one hand I seek a polished quality in my work, allowing the image to speak clearly. Yet on the other, I believe sincerity is sacrificed in the refining process. I feel it is difference between listening to a prepared academic dissertation and a brokenhearted bar stool conversation. I would like to find a place for both grit and grace to live in harmony in my work.

Trance.Form

"Trance.Form"

22" . 22"

This is a graphite drawing of my friend Tania. I let this drawing stay very dream like and fluid, I usually work in more bold pallets and mediums but I enjoy the femininity and emotional quality I have found in using watercolor.

love letters

"love letters"

5". 7"

"Ooey Gooey" now showing at Tamboril

"Ooey Gooey"

45" . 30"

Ooey Gooey was inspired by the Ooey Gooey lure of temptation. I intentionally loaded this painting with gobs and drips to express the fluidity of emotions and desires. I find it interesting that "Miss Ooey Gooey" looks like she has been caught doing something she shouldn't, but she isn't as concerned about shame as she is about extinguishing her yearning

"Ooey Gooey" is currently showing at

Tamboril 527 Myrtle Ave Brooklyn, NY

http://tamborilnyc.com/

A.G.A.S.T.

October 17th and 18th is the annual gowanus artists studio tour: http://www.agastbrooklyn.com/

I have been having a lot of fun creating new works for it. I looked on the website, it looks like there will be a lot of really great art there!

Here is a convenient map of the building I am located in complements of Karl Metz :
www.karlmetz.com

The building is 112 2nd ave at the corner of 10th street. I am studio 5b on the 2nd floor, I will have maps in my studio of the rest of the tour. Hope to see you there!

little baby kitty

"here kitty, kitty, kitty"

4". 5"

This is a tiny little drawing that had a mate I really liked, It is was a graphite drawing of a girl titled "Livinia", I seemed to have misplace her for the moment :( Very strange, I have never lost a piece of art in my life.

This is a photograph of it awhile before I lost it.

"Shipwrecked"

5" . 3"

Painting to be

Sketchbook drawing I did for the Heart Chakara while doing my Yoga Teacher Training. I am very excited to make this into a paining.

...

Ink Drawing

playing with a different medium, I like how bold this piece turned out, very comic book like.

My New Studio!

There are two paintings I am working on in this photo, they are titled "eve 1" and "eve"
"eve 1" is on the far left of the photo. I stared this piece about a year ago and never finished it for some reason, but I really like it so I am going to finish it. I just had the lovely Jes Liberty (http://onesugarhillblog.blogspot.com/) pose for me with a blond wig on for reference so I can finish it.

this piece has been really fun so far it is based on the graphite drawing of "eve" I posted earlier. I intend to keep a bit more texture in this piece than I have been working with, i think art is really interesting when you can see the artist hands at work vs. very refined. It's always a balancing act.

My old Building mate and friend Sonja is the model for "eve"

Sketches

train sketches

cain, able

cain

5.5" . 4"

able

5.5" . 4"

Eve

eve

6". 7"

Potential

potential

24". 24"


This piece is very dear to me as it is a self-portrait I did in a very transitional time in my life. There is a lot of symbolism in this painting that can be interpreted in innumerable ways depending on which cultures lens you are looking through. When I painted this piece the snake represented worldly attachments, but later it has also appeared to mean emerging power of the third chakra. The third Chakra is the golden yellow center of fire and power and is located at the base of the sternum. The egg adorning her hair is a Dove’s egg and it represents the egg or the seed of her highest self. The play between the vulnerable egg and the hungry snake is very interesting to me because it is unclear if the egg is even threatened at all.