Playtime!

We took an amazing dolphin cruise a few years back down at Orange Beach. It was a delightful time for all on board, as the dolphins were particularly happy that day. They put on quite the ballet show, leaping and jumping in the wake of the boat. How do I know they were happy? They had this beautiful pink glow on their bellies! Such a pretty pink! I got an incredible amount of beautiful photographs, perfect for references and lots of paintings. I work from photographs a lot, it's hard to get any sea creature to sit still for a portrait! 

This shadowbox is one of 2 12 x 36 that I purchased and I wish I had gotten my hands on more! It's such a lovely size and the opening works well with the outside edge. I've painted this as a reference and mock up for a much larger piece in the works. 

That painting will be on three canvases measuring an incredible 9 1/2 feet total. I am actually looking forward to the challenge of painting such a large piece in a smallish studio. (My main studio is 12 x 16 ft of pure heaven!) I am creating it as a possible piece for a collector with a very large space above her double doorways going into her incredible screened porch. 

The total space is 3 ft by 15 ft. 

I only hope the  painting will be big enough! It is on 3 canvases, 2 at 24 x 36 , and one at 30 x 40

A caveat though, I could add 2 more 18 x 24's canvas and fill the space more!

We'll see what this new adventure brings!

Tonight is artwalk in Fairhope as well from 6 until 8pm. Weather permitting, I'll be outside painting at the gallery. 18 South Section Street. Hopefully I'll see some of my readers there tonight!

"Playtime!" 12 x 36 Shadowbox canvas, Acrylic , 

Day 5 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2017

Don't be fooled by my toothy smile!

Yet another shadowbox canvas leaves the easel today. I am delighted to be able to paint another alligator. The last one I painted on a shadowbox sold before I could even photograph it! While not a common species in the sea, I have seen them swim in the brackish waters of our Mobile Bay as well as the Mississippi sound off the coast of Horn Island. For that reason I include them in my marine life  this year. I once tried to get my husband to Kayak over to about a 4 ft juvenile near 5 rivers so I could photograph him. 

He wanted nothing to do with that adventure!

(Same scenario with a caribbean grey reef shark in the Florida Keys. He never lets me have any fun, but he keeps me out of trouble......) Love ya honey!

I also ordered a dozen 24 x 24 canvases today. They are on a deep sale, and we cannot build them that inexpensively! A dozen more! It's a good thing I love painting them!

Don't be fooled by my toothy smile! , 24 x 24 inch canvas with a 12 x 12 opening, 

Acrylic , Day 4 of the 100 Days~100 Paintings

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

Octopus my octopus

Octopus my octopus is the latest of these beautiful creatures leaving my easel and studio. Measuring a rather large 2ft x 4ft, it was a challenge to finish in one day, so I took two! I started it on one day and finished it today. This octopus as a whole really fascinates me and I am always enthusiastic to start painting one. The added bonus is that they sell too!

Each summer, I mix up a large batch of Sepia paint to use for that year. The sepia color leans more towards the blue side this year as people seem to be happier with that range rather than the warmer brown.

Octopus my Octopus , 2 feet x 4 feet. Acrylic on canvas. 

Day 2 of the 100 days~100 paintings 

Middle Bay and Old Glory

"Middle Bay and Old Glory"

It's hard to imagine that it is already another year gone by and time to start the 100 Days~100 Paintings. I started this series in gulp.....2009. This year will find me blogging and painting my 900th piece of art! (Actually more, but there may be a post about that later.) I never imagined it would still be something I look forward to creating and writing about. This day begins the 2017 series. 

This year the dynamic is still changing daily. My hard work as a professional artist is paying off with my pieces starting to be in demand. This spring was very successful and it found me doing more commissions than ever. "The Artists gallery" on South Section Street, Fairhope Alabama, now carries my works in a double sized space. Big Fish Trading Company on 98 is also carrying my pieces to go with their fabulous furniture. People are also visiting the studio to pick out their works. 

I also began a new series of paintings on multiple canvases. 

Fall shows applications are in and acceptances are being sent. 

The biggest change of all is my husband retired from his 40 year job at the paper mill. I am really enjoying having the love of my life at home, but we are still getting used to doing things apart. Most exciting is our new "tiny house" we use to travel and carry our dachshunds along for the journey! I cannot wait to take it to shows for us to have a place to stay. 

Now as to the surprise mentioned on Facebook, I am giving away a shadowbox painting of your choice in the 16 x 16 size. This size painting sells at shows for $155. I am looking forward to seeing how many collectors, new and old sign up to be a part of this exciting giveaway!

Feel free to share, share, share, the link please.

This painting started as a class piece for one of my advanced watercolor students. She added her husband's  sailboat to her painting for an anniversary present. 

This one is a watercolor mounted to canvas and put into a barnwood frame.

"Middle Bay and Old Glory" Watercolor mounted on canvas 14 x 18

$175.00

WHOA!

"Silence"

WHOA!

Whoa is right, Too many days to post here! I have been painting daily, with no end to the creativity in sight! I have been steadily working on a 9 ft x 52 ft mural. Mural completed, just needs varnish! 

WHEW!

 Teaching classes with multiple paintings produced in watercolor. (All three classes are in watercolor) I am at the point of trying to mount them on canvas to be able to sell them at shows.

WOW!

To be sure, there are many days with no complete paintings to show, but large canvases called walls are not easy to complete in a day! I am now holed up in the studio with my beloved shadowbox canvases being completed. It took me two days to stretch, paint white, and start sketching these beauties to bring to the National Shrimp Festival next week. (NEXT WEEK!!!!!!! October 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th!) I have no less than 20 of these canvases that are custom made by my beloved husband of almost 38 years. I stretch them myself here at the Raccoon Retreat Studio, then start the process of painting them. As much as I love them, and with their success at Peter Anderson last year, I hope they do well at Shrimp Festival. I am also bringing turtle and hopefully shrimp ornaments for sale at the shows.

"Beauties"

"Lionfish I"

"Lionfish II"

"Kraken, no Octopus!"

Kraken, Silence, Beauties, are all three 24 x 24 shadowbox canvases with a 12x12 opening. 

Lionfish I & II are 16 x 16 Shadowbox canvases with a 6x6 opening.

All are deep edge and custom made here in Fairhope, Alabama!

24x24 are $295, 16x16 are $155 each

Way too many days!

"Just Beachy"

Way too many days to post individually. Things have been hopping around here with paintings, commissions, and turtle hatchlings. (more on the turtles later!)

Just beachy is an oil painting made from leftover paint for a client. I don't paint in oil often, because I find I get nasal issues afterward. I love the feel of oils though, may be I'll paint them outside!

"Can we talk?"

Our crabs here on the gulf coast are beautiful and tasty! I am sure they would love to discuss themselves becoming dinner, but I'm too hungry!

 This piece is a four piece painting taking 4 days to paint of course!

It is on 4~12 x 12 canvases.

"Wagon"

While not a painting, this design is for our new Gypsy wagon camper we are building for an extended road trip next year after Chris retires. We have long discussed building another camper and this one will be a beauty when finished. This is the color scheme Chris wants, although I think I would rather have all white trim rather than the wood. The bottom is corrugated metal, with plywood sides and battens added for interest. My hope is the front door will have dachshund cutouts. Our windows will be hand built, with plexiglass instead of glass. I have worked hard on the inside design as well, but it is still a work in progress. The designs took several days to create with several revisions. We have already purchased our tub for the shower, and I found a beautiful copper bowl for our sink in the bath! More on the camper later.

The Commissions cannot be shown because they are another artists work. They were in a state of disrepair and the owners called the original artist to work on them. The artist declined, telling them they don't do that anymore. I got the works and spent several days to scrape off the faltering paint and finish. Then began careful wire brushing and enamel paint finish. The owners were very happy with their finished pieces and now proudly hung them back in their boat house. 

All told, several days of work, with very little to sell at shows! Kinda Scary considering it is less than 50 days until the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

One of my collectors has now called as well. He wants another Buddha painted in a couple of weeks so he can donate it to a temple in Mobile.

On top of it all, I received a call from a mural design I did a month ago. We are a go on the mural now, starting either today or Tuesday next week! The moral of this story is, be careful what you pray for, you may be given a lot! Not complaining though, this is just what I wanted, a happy art filled life here at the Raccoon Retreat Studio in beautiful Fairhope, Alabama!  

EEEEEEEK! 

"Just beachy" 12 x 24, Oil on canvas

"Can we talk?" 24 x 24, Acrylic on 4 canvases

"Wagon" Colored pencil on Cardstock design for camper