The Girls

The Girls
encaustic on birch 18 x 24

These girls went to the art show last week.  I decided last minute to enter a second show that was the same weekend.  It was pretty fun for me to go and see my paintings hanging in the exhibit.   I met my goal I had set for June.  I wanted to get my stuff out of the house and into the world if only for a weekend. 

It helps to set intentions.  It helps me anyway to have something to shoot for.   I aim high, always.  Why not?  See what happens.  Sometimes we hit the target dead on and its an amzing thing to realize that you hit it!  Yet, I can't tell you the number of times I've aimed a little too high and things fall to my feet like the leaves in the autumn.  I can't say I've ever hurt myself by setting high intentions.  I've been disappointed yes, but that's part of the process.  It's the stepping stone and its OK to fall.  Even when things fall flat or short or the aim is too high, it seems like there is something that is invaluable about the experience.  There is a lesson, or a small golden nugget laying within the downfall.  That nugget is what keeps us going for the next try.  Do I sometimes overlook the nugget, the good thing that comes from the mess?  Yes, its easy to do.  But, even through disappointment we need to sift and find the one good thing that's there.  There is always a good thing - always.

The show experience for me was a target hit - dead on.  Met my goal to get the paintings out there.  Got accepted into the shows.  Even sold one!  Two more hits - bam, bam.   The disapointment - the Girls didn't make the cut and never left the back room of the show.  Mrs. Finch and Mint also didn't make the cut.  My golden nugget?  Whisper (my header painting) got seven votes for people's choice award.  That meant a lot to me.

Thank you to all of you who helped me select the paintings to go to the shows last week by giving feedback on the choices in my post last Friday.  I SO appreciate all of you and your kind words.  Happy Paint Party Friday everyone!  Can't wait to blog hop and see what all you are creating!

Portland, Baseball Nut and Hip Hop

Hip Hop
encaustic on birch 8x8

I've been in Vancouver, WA for a couple of days which is just across the Columbia River from Portland, OR.  Its fun to get out of town and make a road trip.  Just 3 hours away and an easy drive.    Hip Hop made the journey with me.  She now lives happily with a very good friend of mine.  She's also my ice cream inspiration this week with her black raspberry and vanilla colors. 
I have to say that I really did love Portland.  Its quirky and fun.  Have you ever watched Portlandia? - well... its kinda true in a good fun way.  

 

Its Baseball Nut flavor over at Summer of Color2 this week.  Vanilla and black raspberry swirl with cashews.  Sounds pretty yummy don't you think?  Its also Paint Party Friday!  Can't wait to make the Hip Hop and see what everyone is up to. 

M is for....

M

Its the midway point at FILM26.  That means that I'm half way to my goal of shooting film for a year.  I'm halfway to my goal of making and collecting the 24 letter tiles that appear in the film photos.  I'm also kinda biased to the letter M, since it is my initial.  I decided for the M letter photo that I would have it be me... jeans and chucks. 

 M also is for magenta, which is one of my favorite colors.

 M is also for Mexican Food, which I love.

I'm celebrating M and all its marvelousness.  Happy Solstice.  Happy midway.  We're half way there.

Mint

Mint
Encaustic on Birch 10x10

Sometimes we have to experiment.  Try something new.  Take a leap and hope we sprout wings before we hit the ground.  I've decided to do just that.
I set a personal goal that June was my official unofficial deadline to do something with the art I am creating.  I'm going to enter my first juried art show since I was a kid.  I drop of my paintings tomorrow - fingers crossed.  It'll be the first time my encaustic paintings have left my home.  The first time for people to see them in person.  And, oh my gosh... they are for sale too.

My Dad was an artist and he entered lots of shows.   The Ocean Shores Art Show was the local event and being that we lived in the community, he would enter.  So, I entered too.   I remember going to the show for the opening event.  There it was, my painting.  It was a lovely brown horse with a saddle, blue sky and green grass.  And hanging next to my painting was a big blue ribbon!  wow.  I was 7.  I entered every year with my Dad until I was about 14 and I felt I had better things to do.

This is Mint.  Over at  Summer of Color 2, we have moved on to our next ice cream inspiration::
Chocolate Chip Mint.  One of my personal favorites!!  Of course B and J's Cherry Garcia and Salted Caramel from Molly Moon in Seattle are my all time favs.  However,  Chocolate Chip Mint is a close runner up in my mind.  In keeping with trying something new, I decided to try a tonal portrait and just focus on the shapes and values that make up the face.  Also, wanted to keep with our inspiration colors.   I kept the palette simple with black, white, raw umber and raw sienna and alizarin crimson for her lips.  This experiment was SO helpful for me who gets a bit tied up in the color.  So, I think I'll try another, a little bigger and easier for detail work. 

I'm asking all my friends to send happy vibes to the judges of the show so they will pick my paintings to hang on the walls of Bastyr University for the Kenmore Art Show, June 21-24. 
Also, I would love your help to decide what paintings I should take.  I can take 3 paintings.  I have grouped them in potential sets of three - four choices.  What do you think?  Option 1,2,3 or 4?

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

Thank you to all of my Paint Party Friday friends and my new friends at Summer of Color 2.  I so appreciate the inspiration you provide to me with your beautiful artworks and kind words.