shared visions art

I received some art supplies for Christmas. It’s often hard for non-artists to buy for an artist. Lucky for my friends and family I am a mixed media artist as well as a watercolor St. That means anything goes! Even dead lizards (as my oldest grandson learned quickly). I tried out the Tombow markers I got, last Friday. I’ve known for a while that I need to improve my drawing skills and using these brought it home. The first piece is totally out of my head so it’s primitive. I’ll not be doing solo pieces with theses, but I will love to use them in my mixed medium pieces. 

The other items I received are some watercolor brush markers. If I tried to use these to do anything over 9×7, I would have quite a learning curve. They don’t behave like watercolor pigment with brushes, but they are beautiful. I can definitely see me using these for studies for large pieces and for small Plein air pieces. It seems to take them a while to “recharge”. I can also definitely see myself using these for detailed work in my regular watercolors. As I was experimenting I used some new watercolor brushes I received to blend the markers and it was helpful. For those out there who might be embarking on experimentation with these, I highly recommend a wet surface. This began our of my head, but I referenced a photo from the Carribean as well.

Just gotta say the whole banana duct taped to the wall, selling for a $120,000 really pisses me off. It’s the kinda of thing that not only gives us all a bad name, but confounds the public and demeans art WAY more than my low prices (which many of my local art friends complain about).

What a week for me and my art! I won First Place in the Art Guild of Orange Park’s  show “Creative Spark”. I have to admit this is one of my latest “favorite babies”. (There was actually one more piece added and few touches after this image was taken.) I’m very gratified by my past two prizes because it means I’m making progress in being consistent with my mixed media pieces. I’m also way excited given the fabulous work that my fellow artists entered.

Funny thing…the show chair had called people to tell them they won a prize but didn’t say which. When they got to announcing Third Place, I thought “Oh dear, they must have phoned me in error”. I prepared myself for disappointed. And was blown away when they announced my win. 

I’m proud to have won Third Place in the latest SoMMA exhibition “Tiny Treasures” at Reddi Arts in Jacksonville. As the name implies the entries were all small pieces under 16×20. It was kind of ironic that they decided to do a small works show. A couple of months ago I decided I wasn’t going to do much small work anymore. That decision was brought about, because I had too much of it on my walls and most of the art groups I belong to require work to be at least 11×14. At least some of the small pieces finally go off the wall and out into public view! And this one: “Don’t Be So Negative” got the award. The reason for the title? I was purposely work with the negative space in the piece and making sure that one was the focal point.

Great venues often bring sales, but that is not always the ONLY reason they are great. I love showing at the Jewish Community Alliance here in Jacksonville because so many people come through to SEE the art. My business name “Shared Visions Art” is not just a name but a vision in itself. My goal is to SHARE. Don’t get me wrong, I love selling my art, but the key is to have it viewed, to inspire people, and conversations. I am thrilled when someone likes/loves a piece enough to bring it home with them. So I was very pleased to learn at the end of the FCPAP show at JCA, that I had sold my “I’ve Got the Junk Yard Blues”. I found out from some fellow artists that the gentleman who purchased it had recently had a stroke and was, I guess feeling a bit “junky”. He said he planned to encased it in glass an have it resting on his casket with the new title of “Last Ride”. Good for you, I say! Leave them laughing.

Two Plein air that need just a touch to finish.

A virus, a fever, a fervor. That thing when you can’t sleep because creative ideas keep popping into your head. That thing when you can’t sleep because you HAVE to go to the Studio and paint, or paste, or carve, or whatever it is the fever calls you to do. Last night, I was in the Studio until 3:30 working on 4 different pieces. A watercolor, and 3 mixed media pieces.

I love nocturnes. I purchase them as well as paint them. I have one by Randy Pitts, Debbie Cusick, Cynthia Csalovszki (actually maybe two), Hall Groat II, and several of my own. Our FCPAP (First Coast Plein Air Painters) scheduled a paint out for last night. It was so much fun. The weather was beautiful, the location (San Marco, in Jacksonville Fl) had tons of paintings waiting to be plucked from it and the energy of the area was fabulous. I didn’t finish my piece but will go back to do so next week some time. It is always great to paint with this varied group. There were 5 of us there. I was the only one doing watercolor last night. Admittedly, I had little faith in myself, but was determined to enjoy myself regardless of a success or failure at the end. I think this freed me and helped me relax into the task.