Feeling crabby

This is one of my shadowbox paintings, hence the shadow thrown across the top of the crab! I can also see that my skills as a photo editor are lacking. (there is a slight bit of background showing) The shadowboxes started as a happenstance a couple of years ago. A large art supply company, (okay Michael's had them), but I could not bring myself to purchase them as they were rather expensive. I had longingly looked at them all summer long, but trying to be a good steward of my money, could not justify the purchase. 

Fast forward to fall.

I participated in the National shrimp festival put on by the Alabama Coastal Chamber.

I had a really good show.

I went to Michael's to buy 4 inch canvases because they were on sale.

The shadowboxes were on clearance!

Three sizes 24x24 , 16x16, and 12x24's

3 carts and 22 canvases later, I had my purchase firmly in tow to my car.

I painted them over the course of the next 3 weeks.

I took them to Peter Anderson, in Ocean Springs MS.

I sold half of them that weekend .

Husband asks "Can you get any more of these?" "No" was my reply.

I think I can build them...............

We have been building them ever since. I thank God every day for the man that he has put into my life. I also thank God for the woodworking skills he has gifted him with! It has allowed me to tell a collector, sure we can custom build that size for you as well. 

The shadowboxes are still popular in their third year and have been at several shows with great results. (And sometimes, rather funny "fights" over who's going to get a particular one!) I am glad I was patient about buying them. Michael's had brought them back for a short time, but have since pulled them again. I also purchased angled canvases, but that's another post!

Oh well, on to paint! This crab from a photograph that a friend sent to me. She was teaching at the Dauphin Island Sea lab and during some of their field trips, she took lots of pictures! Thankfully, she is allowing me to use them as references for paintings. I love this pose especially on this canvas because the claws look like they are coming to get you!

"Feeling Crabby" , 12 x 24, Acrylic on shadowbox canvas

Day 3 of the 100 days~100 paintings for 2017

Scrambled Shrimp

     Living in Fairhope really has it's small town advantages. Take for example the market held next to the library for several weeks on Thursdays. These markets occur before the heat of summer takes your breath away when you walk out the door. They push the limits of the heat and humidity with flowers, fresh vegetables, honey, plants, breads, home made items and of course, Shrimp! These gentleman had large ziplock bags on ice of these beautiful bounties from the sea. I simply could not resist bringing them home and making them dinner! (Of course, I photographed them first!)

      I would love to be a part of a shrimping expedition, just to see the bounty of harvest spill forth onto the decks. After watching Big Shrimping, my husband and I realized we had an extended coversation with the gentleman that owns these beautiful boats. It was right after the BP Oil Spill and he was visiting with family on Dauphin Island at the campground. During the course of a lazy evening, he voiced his concern about the oil reaching the upper parts of the Gulf. Little did we know that first weekend in May 2010 that his fears would be realized later that summer. Not only were his fears realized, but we had tangible proof of the scope of the disaster when leaving the island that Sunday. There were several boats, trailers, and various pieces of equipment for the use of clean up. The booms had not arrived yet, as they were in short supply at that time. The sight of this equipment reduced me to tears but I had show to go and conduct on the Island. The show went well enough, of course all the talk was of the spill and the environmental impact it would have on the Island and our coastline. During the show I also had a woman tearfully purchase one of my prints of Horn Island after she told me they found about 2 dozen turtles washed up on shore. It was a hard show to get through because my work encompasses everything about the sea. Two years down the road, we still don't know the complete impact of the oil and the dispersants. Time will only tell.........................

Scrambled Shrimp 20 x 20 Acrylic on canvas