Painting Big - Robert Genn

A friend shared this. Well worth a read! I've been gradually painting larger (less of a shock than all at once!) and there is some really good practical advise here. Art is sort of a difficult topic to give practical advice on - it's so subjective - but this is really advice I could start using right now - today!
Painting Big by Robert Genn.

also. P.S. there will be a giveaway on my blog tomorrow! I'm going to try to do one a month though we will see...

Red Autumn

red autumn, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Well today sure felt like autumn. I was glad to be able to wear hand knits - a shawl and wrist warmers, but i sort of wish i'd worn even more - my knitted jacket or a more voluminous shawl. Seattle can get a bit nippy with the wind off the water. I got a lot of little errands done today and feel I have earned an evening with a book and a cup of tea. My last errand was cat-sitting and those cats looked like I feel - SPRAWL. life must be great for a cat, other than the bathing issues.

One thing I did today was to stop by Mosaic Coffeehouse in Wallingford. Here is the little review I posted on their Facebook page:

"I had my 1st Mosaic experience today- what a beautiful space, the photos do not do it justice. It is as comfy as your living room but much more spacious. I doubt any other coffee venue in Seattle can boast both a piano AND an organ! It seems like it would be a great place to go w/ a group of friends - plenty of room - OR with just one special friend. The coffee was good and STRONG - what else would you want from a coffee house in Seattle? I will go back. I don't have kids of my own but enjoy having coffee with my kid-friends and Mosaic has a whole kid-room!"

In addition I will mention they have free concerts (donations accepted) and game nights. They have 35 different board games (although if you have Scrabble, which they do, I am not sure what else you would need.) I think I counted 4 couches and at least as many overstuffed chairs in addition to plenty of tables, including big tables if you have a group. Also it is as nonprofit to benefit the community. It is volunteer run and customers are asked to donate whatever amount seems right for them. I normally would not spent $5 + $2 on a mocha but for a good cause it was worth every penny. I will be having some of my art there soon and will provide more details when I get them sorted out.

This painting is :
Red Autumn
5 x 7 inches
watercolor and ink on paper
available on Etsy.

Changing Seasons Freeform Shawl

Changing Seasons Freeform Shawl, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I finished the shawl I've been working on. I did not use a pattern, just made it up as I went and changing yarns whenever I felt like it. There is a variety in there... some merino, some mohair, some ribbon yarn. It is so much more relaxing when there is no pattern to follow. I have not blocked it - I have not decided if I will. I guess I ought to though it looks pretty good now! Knitting freeform feels like painting with yarn.

Red Tree

Red Tree, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Well I just took down my show that was at Fresh Flour. It was great showing there. I sold 8 paintings either directly or indirectly, met some nice folks, and enjoyed the whole process. I've put some of the paintings that did not sell back in my Etsy shop. If there is anything you are interested in, you might not want to wait too long because I am doing another coffee shop show soon and a trunk show.

My art seems to really enjoy getting out and about! And I really appreciate my friend Janusz helping me cart around art today!

Moose!

P1010006, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I finally remembered to upload my photos from NW Trek. I miss my old camera - but some of these came out ok! I seem to have taken a number of photos just of the scenery. It is gorgeous out there. I feel a bit more relaxed just looking at the pictures. i want to go back now!

here we have a moose.

Temple of Tea

Temple of Tea, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

this is my latest painting.
Temple of Tea
5 x 7 inches
watercolor and ink on paper
available on Etsy.

I am going to Fresh Flour in Ballard to take down the art there. But not to worry, I will have art up in Everett in a couple weeks. In November I am doing a trunk show and will have art in a coffee shop in Wallingford (Seattle, Washington). More details to come on that.

I might have a temp job starting next week for about 2 months. If that comes about I will not be posting art as often but there will still be art! And keeping tuning in because I will be doing a giveaway October 1st.

Autumn in the NW

113photo1, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I took this photo a few years ago but this pretty much captures autumn in Seattle. It poured and poured yesterday, and I was glad I did not have anyplace I absolutely had to go. Today looks a bit better but since I am still getting over a cold I probably will not be going out to jump in any leaves.

I am actually working a bit on 2 new watercolors that I am quite happy with but I am not going to show you until they are done, and I may not work on them today because I feel like I really need to take it easy. I have a hard time doing nothing. have a hard time even doing 1 thing at a time. I feel like I always need to be productive and that's not always a good thing! I overdo it a lot

Tea Steam

Tea Steam, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I enjoyed painting this. I think I will do more. I'd like to do a series and show them at Tea Houses. Also it is just possibly that all the tea lovers on my list this year will get a tea painting w/ a box of special tea for the holidays.

i am still fighting a cold. i think we've moved into some new round involving aches and fatigue. it's only 10:30 and i am ready for bed. i think i will go buy some groceries while i am young and fresh and then collapse! i painted this before i got sick. oh, i see i did a poor job cropping here but i am too tired to fix it!

i hope you all have a beautiful sunday. Sorry I am grumpy!

Tea Steam
5 x 7 inches
watercolor and ink on paper
available on Etsy.

changing seasons shawl

changing seasons shawl, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Welcome to autumn! This is usually my favorite time of year - at least early autumn. i love the colors, flavors, and scents of autumn. Though once it gets to be late autumn and the sun hides away for most of the following 6 months or more, I get a bit blue then. There are many good things about living in the Northwest but frequent sunshine in any season but summer is NOT one of them.

This shawl i am working on seems appropriate, though, blending in some autumn golds and russets with the greens of summer. I'm making it up as i go, changing patterns and stitch when i feel like it. That is my favorite sort of knitting.

I've had a cold the last few days so have done little but sleep and read. I did finish a new watercolor before I got sick and I will scan it soon!

Happy Autumn! Unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere, in which case happy Spring!

Also! reminder. This is your last few days to see my work at Fresh Flours, in Ballard (Seattle). I am taking it down on Thursday. See sidebar for more information.

Dear October & information about commissions

Dear October, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

This is another little pair of critters I painted recently. You'd be surprised what you would find if you turn over a hollow log or visit the forest at dawn.

With halloween coming, Christmas, Hanukkah, the Solstice, and Kwanzaa can't be far behind! Paintings make one of a kind gifts. Also I am taking commissions.

How it works: You let me know what you are interested in. Some commissions I have done in the past: favorite animals, totem animals, pet portraits, nursery art, knitted shawls for weddings and other special events, illustrated favorite quotes, etc.

Then I will quote you a price. Pricing is generally based on size and complexity and pricing will be similar to what you see in my Etsy shop.

Once we agree on a price I may ask for a percentage down. I don't always do this, it depends on if I need to purchase materials. I will also give you a timeline on when to expect to see the art.

Once the art is created I will send you a photo and if you like it then you will pay and I will ship the art!

I take commissions for paintings, knitted shawls, and beadwork.

Desert Minarets

Desert Minaret, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I had a busy day yesterday. A friend and I went to help another friend unload their pod. They recently moved 3000 miles but their stuff came a couple weeks after they did. How nice it will be for them to sleep in their own beds tonight, and to get up and have a full set of dishes and everything they need to stop camping!

I actually did more child wrangling than unpacking. It just amazes me how creative and imaginative young children are. Wouldn't the world be an amazing place if ALL of them could keep a fraction of that imagination? It seems like the world leaches it out of them, bit by bit. i wonder if there is a way to reverse that process! i think it would help if more people could distinguish between childish and child-like!

at least when i am painting i probably tap into that creativity! I was so happy with how this painting came out. It evokes exotic temples and palaces for me, and a fertile place carved out of a shifting landscape of sand.

Desert Minarets
5 x 7 inches
watercolor and ink on paper
available on Etsy.

Strata Paintings

acrylic on canvas, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

It is hard to take good photos of acrylic paintings! Though I am going to have to do better than this so I can order postcards for my next show. It's going to be at Stuff What I Like in Everett WA - see the sidebar for more information.

This is another in my Strata series - inspired by my love of geology and earth sciences. Each of these are 4 x 12" and they can be hung together or separately.

No painting today! I am off to Redmond to help friends unpack from a move! I will have a new watercolor to show you tomorrow, though. And I will be doing a give-away in a week or so, so stay tuned!

Stuff What I Like

There is a new restaurant that just opened in Everett WA called Stuff What I Like. The chef calls it "A micronesian grill with exotic game meat" I have not visited yet but I did get a sneak preview of the cooking a few weeks ago and it was about the best burger I ever had (and that was just the beef! you can get a yak burger too!) Anyway, the grand opening was this past weekend.


The featured artist of the month is Adrien Meredith Hefta. She's an awesome photographer -- after seeing her work you'll never look at your iphone the same again.



You can get more infomation about the restaurant and Adrien by visiting the SWIL link above.

I am going to be the featured artist next month, but more on that later!

Temple of the Birds

Temple of the Birds, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I was really happy with how this painting came out. It was nice to return to the Minaret Series, which I was working on around December / January. It's 8 x 10 inches, which seemed huge to me a few years ago - I've been working on painting bigger and so far my biggest watercolors have been 16 x 20".

It was a quiet weekend. I did not feel very well but I worked on my art and read and watched some dvds. Yesterday I ventured out to restock at the library and get groceries. The library was packed and that always makes me happy. I am glad to live amongst such devoted readers, listeners, and surfers.

Temple of the Birds
8 x 10 inches
watercolor on paper
available on Etsy.

Hibiscus Dreams

Hibiscus Dreams, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

This is a watercolor I finished a couple days ago. I was quite pleased how it came out. Though it seems the paintings just do what they want to do. When I started this painting I really thought it was going to be cool colors, blues and greens, but it immediately started to go a different way. Sometimes I am just along for the ride!

Hibiscus Dreams
8 x 10"
watercolor and ink on paper
available on Etsy.

Ghost Tree with Birds

Ghost Tree with Birds, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

I finished a new Ghost Tree painting. It does not show up in the scan but some of the colors in this painting faintly shimmer. I do love paintings birds, though my imagination always runs rampant when it comes to them. Well, maybe when it comes to anything.

I have not been feeling great the last few days so I've been holed up with dvd and my watercolors. I finished watching the 3rd season of Fringe and now I wish I'd stretched it out longer. I think I may just watch it again. That sounds odd I suppose, but when you paint while watching TV you actually don't SEE much of it. Which is why I prefer audio books but I just finished a couple series of audio books and have not found anything else to suit me yet.

This painting:
Ghost Tree with Birds
8 x10 inches
watercolor, acrylic, and ink on paper
available on Etsy.

In progress

In progress, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

art has been going well. and i've had some sales, which is quite welcome since i don't have a "real" job again (yet). the work that has been selling are my watercolors. i am still painting watercolor, but i am also getting ready to show my acrylics, and i've not done that in years. and the work is rather different, so i will be interested to how people react when they see it in person. i really can't do it justice in photos. (though i will need to try to do it justice so i have a photo to use for the postcards to announce the show.)

the theme is strata, and many of the works are either abstract landscapes, semi-abstract landscapes, or stratascapes with fossils or prehistoric creatures.

these paintings here are still in progress. and they do look better in person. i'll just keep working with these ideas and see where they go. i want to continue to build on my success and if possible find more places to show my work, but towards the holidays and in 2012.

Current:
Fresh Flours, Ballard Location
(Seattle, WA)
5313 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
206-706-3338
open daily 7am - 5pm

upcoming:
Acrylic paintings at Stuff What I Like (Micronesian food w/ exotic game burgers.)
2915 Colby Ave, Everett, WA
Oct 15th to Nov 1st.
Mon - Sat:
11:00 am--8:00 pm

and

Fall Trunk Show.
November 8th, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
“Shop Till You Drop,: a benefit for Magnolia Moms. This annual event is organized by Magnolia Moms who raise funds to purchase warm winter coats for Seattle-area children in need.
Guests attending will be asked to bring a new or gently used children’s coat or a suggested donation of $15.00.
location:
Our Lady of Fatima (Parish Center)
3218 West Barrett Street
Seattle, WA 98199

Two Ghosts

Two Ghosts, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

These 2 little ghosts are not really scary. I think they are something like the little Kodama forest spirits in Miyazaki's animated film, Princess Mononoke. Those little critters lived in trees, something like the Dryads from Greek mythology.

Two Ghosts
5 x 5 inches
watercolor, acrylic, and ink on paper
available on Etsy.

Wee Mouse

Wee Mouse, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Tonight is the night
When leaves make a sound
Like a gnome in his home
Under the ground,
When spooks and trolls
Creep out of holes
Mossy and green.

(Harry Behn)

I feel most lazy but I really have not been. I did chores yesterday and painting and read. I need to go through my NW Trek photos! We'll see what I get done today.

Wee Mouse
5 x 5 inches
watercolor and ink on paper
available on Etsy.

Little Witch

Little Witch, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

"Tonight is the night
When dead leaves fly
Like witches on switches
Across the sky,
When elf and sprite
Flit through the night
On a moony sheen."

- from HALLOWEEN, by Harry Behn

This painting is:
Little Witch
5 x 5 inches
watercolor and ink on paper
available on Etsy.

Ghost Tree 2

Ghost Tree 2, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

Yesterday I went to Northwest Trek which was a lot of fun. I had never been there before. They have a lot of animals native to the North America and you can see a lot of them on a tram tour, then there are others in exhibits more like a "regular" zoo. My mother can't walk very well so she really enjoyed the tram ride. The animals are used to the trams and came close. We saw bison, elks, bighorn sheep, otters, beavers, a skunk, a fox, wolves, etc. It's also a beautiful and peaceful place, I love the woods.

Of course the woods in the Northwest are not quite like the one in this painting - we are much more brown and green. There are some deciduous trees but at least half are evergreen and so it's pretty green all year around. the underbrush also tends to be pretty thick, unlike in some forests i've seen on the east coast. There are ferns, salal, stinging nettles, blackberries, and other plants. Hopefully going to NW Trek will inspire some paintings but I am already working on the Ghost series and some more acrylics in the Strata series so it might have to wait a bit. I'd love to paint more bison.

This painting is:
Ghost Tree 2
6 x 14 inches
watercolor, acrylic, and ink on paper
available on Etsy.

Ghost Tree 1

Ghost Tree 1, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

This is my latest painting. It's 6 x 14 inches. The tree is acrylic paint and the background is watercolor. There are a few ink touches too. The paper is Strathmore coldpress 140lbs. Most of it was painted while listening to the audio book of Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping. I usually paint while listening to music or audio books. It's funny that I feel like the words or notes somehow get caught up in the painting, though not in any linear or logical way. I can usually remember what I was listening to just by looking at a painting.

It was a pretty good week. The high point was taking the ferry out to Bainbridge Island with my friends Janusz and Alex. We wandered about, had lunch at Blackbird Bakery (which has lots of gluten free offerings!), went to Churchmouse Yarns and Teas, Eagle Harbor Books, and finished up at Mora Icecreamy - and they have gluten free icecream cones, even better!

This painting is available on Etsy.

Art at Fresh Flours

Art at Fresh Flours, a photo by megan_n_smith_99 on Flickr.

16 of my paintings are up at Fresh Flours in Ballard (Seattle, WA) for the next month. If you are in Seattle and want to visit:

5313 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
Sun-Thu 7am-5pm
Fri-Sat 7am-6pm

Tell your friends! It's been years since I showed my paintings anywhere and it's good to start it back up. It inspires me to paint more! A couple of these paintings were done a few years back but most are from the past year.