Seahorse duo II

I painted these guys as the Big Fish Trading company wants another 

for a pair of seahorses for sale. I took 11 new pieces to them on Wednesday of this week. 

It is always a great trip when we go. 

Amy and Jason approached me at the Shrimp Festival in 2016, telling me that my art would go great with their furniture. I didn't really blow them off, but it did take 7 months to get artworks to them! The moment I walked into their store, I was blown away by the beauty of their furniture. 

It is all hand built, with a beautiful coastal flair to their finishes.

They have sold several of my pieces and are always eager to have more!

They have actually sold one of Christopher's bowls as well.

This is a short snouted seahorse. 

They are typically found on rocks in water up to 250 ft deep!

They have a restricted range because of limited daily movement.

Most movement occurs when they attach themselves to debris during a storm.

Their habitat is from Scotland to the Netherlands and south to Senegal and the Mediterranean sea. They are also found near the coasts of the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands.

Typically measuring about 6 inches, the male are the ones that birth the babies. The babies are born after 21 days and can range in number from 50 to 100 depending on the age of the male.

They are very faithful to their mates as well.

The greeting ritual takes place daily and can last up to 8 minutes. 

Makes me want to spend more time with Chris!

Seahorse Duo II, Acrylic on shadowbox canvas

Day 33 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2018

Pelican in flight

The brown pelican has made a huge comeback since being driven to 

endangered status in the 1960's and 70's.

The pelican has a peculiar habit  when incubating it's eggs.

It uses the warmth of it's feet to keep the eggs warm and in the 60's and 70's pesticides were a big problem to these magnificent birds. The eggs were too fragile to hold the weight of the parent and so in trying to incubate them, they crushed them.

Since the regulation of pesticides, specifically DDT has become better, the birds have made a nice comeback. Our Galliard island in the Mobile Bay is the perfect rookery, and in the spring, it is covered with the birds nesting. 

I found out recently that they don't dive to catch fish, they dive to stun them. They can dive from as high as 65 feet. They have air sacs they inflate to protect their internal organs. When they spot a potential prey they hover then dive turning to the left as they do so. This protects their airway and esophagus. The birds can also hold 3 gallons of water in their pouch under their beak, but their stomach can only hold about one gallon. They frequently have the stunned fish stolen from them as they are draining the water from their pouch by seagulls.

They also weigh about 7.5 pounds. 

Their wingspan can be up to 5 feet.

The oldest known Brown pelican was 43 years.

An impressive bird to say the least!

Pelican in flight, Acrylic on 24 x 24 shadowbox canvas

Day 32 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2018

Somewhat crabby III

Another edited version of my favorite seafood to eat! 

Somewhat crabby III is another sepia gone to color.

I am always happy to add color to a sepia if a client wishes. 

When I first started doing outdoor shows, I had very strong color. After several shows with people saying "I just LOVE your work, but I don't know if that color would go on my wall."

As an artist, we offer to change the color.

 I have had some take my offer and I have a happy collector as a result. 

I get it, some people are scared of strong color, some love it!

News flash!

The art does not have to match the couch, the cushions, or the wall!

But, I say this tongue in cheek, I am also flexible to a customers requests.

Enter the sepias.

The afternoon the 10th person said they just didn't know if that color would go on their wall, 

I lost it in the back of my booth!

I literally was beating my head against the poles, exclaiming I don't know what I need to do!

"God you gotta talk to me!"

A small quiet voice said, go neutral. "Neutral, I don't do neutral!"

"I mean how am I going to do that!"

Go neutral again entered my head, go quiet with color.

Keep in mind, this was BEFORE all the home improvement shows, 

as well as before Chip and Joanna Gaines entered our self decorating lives.

Go neutral,

That was almost a decade ago, I have in the past few years started 

doing the colored creatures on white backgrounds. (after another quiet prompt)

It has been an amazing journey so far, this listening to God speaking over my life.

It has prompted me to empty my wallet to a missionary. Give money to another missionary going that afternoon on a trip to Africa. Most recently to offer a ride to a friend that desperately needed one, 

but did not want to ask.

Have you listened today?

God is speaking all the time!

We just don't hear it over the noise of our daily lives.

Somewhat Crabby III, 12 x 12, Acrylic on canvas

Day 31 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2018

Somewhat crabby II

I visited another sepia today in an effort to clean the homeless paintings out of the studio.

We tell folks it is easy enough to add color to a sepia, but they don't always believe me. 

This one was another one that I am surprised did not sell 

The trio, (yes there is one more in the works) will be at the gallery this Friday night in downtown Fairhope. Our artwalk is wonderfully attended and always a lot of fun! Our gallery at 18 S Section street is usually packed with people. We have lots of nibbles to offer, made by our talented artists for your enjoyment. Oh and then there's the art! 

I changed out my space today with a lot of the new works from the 100 days series 2018.

Every painting is new, with the exception of one of a pair of turtles.

My husband has also added to the space his wood turning. 

We are both enjoying being artists with the gallery.

We truly believe it is the best of the best in Fairhope!

Somewhat Crabby II, 12 x 12 , Acrylic on canvas

Day 30 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2018

An addendum to today's post!

Here is the before and after photos of the dolphins mentioned in the previous post.

Somewhat crabby

Somewhat Crabby.

Not me that is.

On certain days when I am cleaning my studio in preparation for the bigger mess, 

I run across old pieces of art that are looking tired.

I have found the solution for tired, older pieces however.

This guy was a sepia painting that just baffled me as to why it did not sell. This particular series of sepias was a couple of years ago and was more brown than they are currently.

  

The advantage is, they can be painted in color! We tell anyone that comes to a show that any sepia can be painted in color if they wish. I have had a couple of folks take me up on this, with great results! Last summer comes to mind when I had a series of three dolphins. The wife loved them, but the husband wanted color added. He was very specific, he wanted the dolphins in and out of the water, and pale color in the water. Done I said! I'll see you in a week. 

The dolphins turned out beautifully and I have a pair of happy collectors.

The plus side,  they have purchased more since then.

They are delightful to be around and are proud of their other pieces from 

several artists in their lovely home. 

Art does just that, it makes you happy and pleased to surround yourself with lovely memories.

The memory of talking with the artist, the country you were visiting, 

the special day you want to remember. 

I am always honored when people want to let go of their 

hard earned money to buy some of my work.

I hope I continue to be honored by my collectors, Old and New!

Because I love what I do every day!

Somewhat Crabby, 12 x 12 Acrylic on canvas

Day 29 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2018

Mahi Mahi or Dolphin?

Today's post is a Mahi Mahi.

When I came home to Alabama, I found a restaurant the served Dolphin.

I was shocked to say the least! Never mind I was sixteen, I was already very aware of the environment and the problems people were beginning to cause. 

I became sick to my stomach and did not want to eat there because they served Flipper on the menu!

Fortunately, my mother was bolder than I was, and asked what is dolphin? 

Oh that's Mahi Mahi the server replied.

WHY not call it that instead of dolphin? I did find out that Mahi Mahi was delicious that day!

This particular painting is a very small part of a project I have been involved with for two years now. It is actually a test painting I did for the project, but I did not like the color. So, I decided to paint it in color instead. I still cannot announce the project or do a press release until it is finally completed. Their website is now saying not until February of next year. 

Oh well, patience, patience......

Mahi Mahi or Dolphin? Acrylic on canvas 10 x 20

Day 28 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2018