My days are going very well, with lots getting done
for both my studio work and the pieces for our church.
I have always loved painting Octopus.
Creative Cephalopod was a challenge.
The cutting of the legs and subsequent sanding pushed the limits of this delicate creature.
Every leg is shown, but there is one leg leaving the frame.
I may add the end of the leg into the background as it seems jarring to me without it being completed.
Making my senses sharpen, by challenging my artform.
Indeed, again I am growing as an artist.
This growth comes as a result of an answer to prayer.
Each new series I do since the sepias started has been a result of prayer, listening, then acting.
Some of the challenges are looming, but I am able to create because of my creator.
As Artists, "We were created to create!"
The sepias began over 11 years ago, as an answer to "God what am I doing wrong?"
I distinctly heard in my spirit, "not wrong, just go neutral."
The sepias began as 12 x 12 canvases in hand painted shadowbox frames.
The frames were hard to get, and a pain to paint twice.
Don't even get me started on trying to find a canvas to fit the frame.
Once the frames became difficult to find and were no longer cost effective, I had to pivot.
I started doing white backgrounds with the sepia and deep edge canvas.
This effectively got rid of all frames in my studio.
I then discovered shadowboxes at Michaels.
They were very expensive, ($70) so I hesitated to purchase them.
This was when I was first getting a good reputation and reasonably priced.
I had a really good Shrimp festival in Gulf Shores and went to go buy 4-inch canvases.
When I arrived, every shadowbox canvas was on clearance.
$10, $11, and $12 each.
There were 22 of them and I bought them all.
I painted them over the course of three weeks.
I took them to Peter Anderson in Ocean Springs.
We sold half of them that weekend.
A few months later, the shadowboxes were selling, and we were down to the last few.
My husband came to me and said, "I think I can build them."
I said "Good, I figured out how to stretch them."
The design has changed slightly over the years, with additional shapes and offset shadowboxes.
They are almost a decade old now.
My wonderful husband and life partner Chris has built about 500 of them so far.
I then had people asking, "Why can't you paint bigger?"
Bigger involves 5 canvases with a common painting.
When I started the multi canvas pieces, with the first two selling at the first show they debuted in.
They are also several years old now and still going strong, with an even larger canvas for bigger homes.
I then started adding color to the shadowboxes and they have been well received.
Which brings us to the rounds, which started about four years ago.
They have been a popular series for collectors, but Hobby Lobby is no longer carrying them.
Time for another pivot!
Still staying true to the sepias, this new series is a bit more work.
Probably about the same as building the shadowboxes, but very different.
I am getting used to them and a new fine-tooth scroll saw blade works wonders!
Less sanding for sure.
I took only two of the dimensional series to Spring shows.
Selling one and asking opinions about the other one.
Overwhelmingly, people loved the uniqueness, the work, and the detail.
I am seeing in my mind's eye an entire wall of nothing but the rounds done this way.
It's going to be a wonderful summer!
Buckle up, it's going to be a wild ride!
Creative Cephalopod, Acrylic on wood, 19 inches
Day 12 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025
