"Departing," 18.5 x 25" various lightfast colored pencils mixed with solvents on 4 ply mat board. The reference is from a series of photos I took as my 25 year old daughter prepared to board her plane to California. The painting is about leave taking and letting go. I may have gone a little crazy with all the details, right down to the turtle charm bracelet, which she has had since she was small enough to collect everything turtle, the safari bag she found in my closet, her high school back pack and the thrift store suitcase. I include these things because they are necessary to create an accurate portrayal of this cunning, free-spirited artistic person, whom I love beyond measure, in her moment.
Birds Bees and Everything In-Between Exhibit Opens
Ears
Read MoreArtists are poor for a reason!
If you have ever wondered why the real life artists aren't as happy-go-lucky as they are reputed to be, consider the expenses incurred in self promotion. For instance, did you know that an artist pays a submission fee of $30.00 to $50.00 for every image submitted to a juried show? Did you know that if the piece or pieces are accepted, the artist pays for presentation requirements, shipping and insurance,
to and from said exhibition? For example, some shows require plexiglass, which is nearly twice as expensive as conservation glass. (Don't even ask about UV blocking Plexi.) I recently sent two pieces to California. My shipping plus return shipping total was nearly $400.00. Expenses like these are a calculated risk against a possible sale or the possible lead. How many small businesses take that kind of risk? As I've said numerous times, being an artist is not for the faint of heart.
Colored pencil commission takes a surprising tack.
This is a first! While working out the composition for a full colored pencil commission , I sent a picture of the pencil sketch to my client. She immediately shot an email back asking me to "STOP!" She liked the pencil sketch so much, she wished to buy it as is. Of course I'll "clean" it up a bit before I let it go. Here's the most recent photo. I will continue to darken a little here and there and brighten a highlight or two. The piece started out as a horizontal, but the client wanted me to show pool water, so now it is square. Interesting development, wouldn't you agree?
Lucy finished
I used mostly Prismas and Luminance cp's with mineral spirits on 100% rag mat board. I'm almost sad I darkened the foreground. It's hard to know what to do once you have taken the plunge. Even if you photo shop values into the comp during the designing stages, there's the perspective and "reality"aspect. Would I leave a detailed background and a blank foreground? Wouldn't that be odd? My thought was that subtle roughed in details and shadowy earth tones would support the portrait without busying it up too much. What do you think?
Doberman Pincher WIP
Lucy is coming along. Her coat colors are a gigantic challenge. I have hundreds of colored pencils rolling around on the drafting table! The use of mineral spirits was crucial. Tweaking will come later. I am going to set this aside for a little while to work on something else. Plenty left to do, but I'm "Artist blind."
Portrait commission WIP of Lucy the Doberman Pincher
I'm having a little trouble with my rag mat board surface holding up to all the color pencil layers. One thing I've found: odorless mineral spirits when allowed to over saturate breaks down my surface. I've since switched back to good old regular mineral spirits, but the damage was already done. -Came close to starting all over, but was able to dip and dab color where needed. The detailing is just about impossible. Working fixative allows a little repair. Otherwise, the piece is coming along. I will never return to odorless mineral spirits. Thank goodness for windows and fans!
Graphite portraits, powerful and beautiful.
This triptych study of my daughter's cat Linus has had more Facebook shares and likes and pins than I ever imagined. I did several cp paintings from the series of reference photos taken of Linus two from the graphite study. The graphite triptych sold to an extreme cat lover who set aside money from her limited retirement income for five months. She was delighted to finally unwrap the framed piece after months of waiting. As luck would have it, I was at the gallery to witness the reveal. It was a great moment for both of us. Just a simple pencil drawing, but well loved. These moments are what keep me on track. No matter the medium, if a portrait reaches into someone's heart, it is a success.
Accepted into the 22nd Annual CPSA International Exhibition in Daytona Beach Florida
This is "Waiting" 30x16", Prismacolor, Bruynzeel and Luminance pencils on rag mat board. I'm excited about this folks! This means I become a CPSA Signature member! Rags, Ginger and Stewie are excited as well: my three beloved rescues who've managed to make it BIG.
Baby Brother
This portrait commission was completed this week. Baby Brother, 16x14" colored pencils on rag mat board, client reference. Someday I'll 
go into the process of creating newborn coloring. It was painfully difficult. All the blending and shadow! The little fingers make this piece come alive, don't you think?