New Tote!

I love my little tote bags I must say, I have a collection of every one I have ever made that I wear all the time!! They are super soft and durable and hold a lot! Very eco chic ;)

You can have one of your very own by visiting one of my shops on the side bar!

Process

1. drawing, make sure to set your drawing with workable fixative so it does not smear and muddy your paint

2. under painting of darks, wait for paint to dry fully.

3. continue to build layers adding color gradually, working up from darkest to lightest. Be sure to let layers dry fully before applying paint on top of a preexisting layer.

4. Blend a layer of primary flesh tone (in this case it is white) soft handedly blending with a Sable brush.

I have been using water-based oils and truthfully they have been giving me some problems. Because they are water soluble, even after a layer fully dries, application of a new wet coat of paint picks up the under lying layer -- Ahhh! This has been causing a lot of extra work as you can imagine because I have to waste a lot of time doing patch-ups. I am torn though because water-based oil paints are so much better for the environment, and don't require all the stinky (and toxic) solvents. Another dilemma I have encountered is the water based paints just do not have to same glassy, rich finish of oils. I have found however adding a coat of varnish when the painting is finished solves this.

5. TO BE CONTINUED..... I will keep you posted as the painting comes along

Like Rabbits

*please click for a larger view

"Like Rabbits"

48".24"

hand detail

hair detail

Finally! I am at a place where I can say DONE (at least for now) I have learned a lot from working on this piece, one being: the Internet is cruel to tall and narrow pieces especially if they are of a light color pallet! If you are making work in part to show case on the Internet please keep this in mind!!!

The idea behind this piece is inspired by all the children born into broken families, myself included. This is a theme I have explored a lot through the use of rabbits ( here used a symbol of fertility) and broken hearts.

It's All Right In Front of You

"It's All Right In Front of You"

5".7"

face detail

This little piece is very dear to me. I was looking at an old doll my Grandmother made in the 50's that I always loved as a young girl and the face in this painting and that on the doll have almost identical characteristics. I wonder if it seeped in from my subconscious?

But that is not the main reason I love this painting so. Truthfully, I am not quite sure what is it exactly. I believe it's all the dualities going on, she is simultaneously affectionate and not, cute and a little erie and on and on...

When I first finished this piece she reminded me of the beloved Alice from Alice in Wonderland. I decided to really enforce this by giving her the iconic black bow, and I gave her baby the head of the white rabbit. I titled the piece "It's All Right In Front of You" because to me Alice really depicts the wanderer in all of us, with her head in the clouds dreaming, looking for something undefined. "It's all right in front of you" is an impossible statement because while it could be argued as true, particularly by quantum physicists ;) it seems inconceivable, and the harder Alice searches the "curiouser and curiouser" things become.

Speaking more specifically about the content of the piece, it all just really unfolded without a lot of intellectualizing. I think there can be many interpretations of it and that is what I love about art, the most important thing is each individual viewers experience and understanding.

EBSQ Patron's Choice Award!

"She Always Does This"

I have finished this little piece and I re-titled it: "She Always Does This". I decided to really push the concept to the edge, before I felt that it was a bit safe and not fully explored, I really wanted to portray the figure as so completely enraptured by her object of desire that she has taken on a level soul surrender. I entered this piece in www.ebsqart.com 's "Sinner's show" and it won the Patron's Choice Award!! I am so excited! Thank You!!!