John's Creek Artist Center "Renaissance of Pastels"

I had two paintings accepted into the "Renaissance of Pastels Show" at John's Creek Artist Center with the Southeastern Pastel Society.

"Waiting" Pastel, 12"X12"

"Watering"  Pastel, 20" X16"

Accepted into the Randy Higbee 6X6 Show

I am thrilled that my encaustic painting "High View" was accepted into the Randy Higbee 6X6 Square Show in Costa Mesa, California.  It was the only encaustic in the show!  Acceptance of the encaustic into a show of traditional pastels and oils made me so proud.  This painting was from a trip we made along the coastal Highway 1.  We would stop at the pull offs and the views would be incredible.  Loved seeing all of the wildflowers everywhere.

"High View"

I Won! Southeastern Pastel Society Online Show

The Southeastern Pastel Society had their first Online Show in September and I decided to enter.  I haven't entered any shows in along time because of traveling and not knowing if I could deliver my paintings or pick them up if I got in.  So the Online Show was the answer for me!  I entered and to my surprise, Elsie Dresch,  the juror chose my painting.  "Beauty in the Okefenokee" won First Place and $150!  Hooray!!!  I'm honored and thrilled because there were so many beautiful paintings.

"Beauty in the Okefenokee"

The Outdoor Painters

I am honored to be part of the plein air artist group, The Outdoor Painters.  You can go to the link in the top right under the home page link, to look and see what is going on with this group.

Painting plein air is so inspiring and can be overwhelming when you are starting.  Looking out at the landscape and trying to remember that you don't have to paint everything is hard.  I have to keep telling myself "simplify"!  I usually start out by taking some photographs and trying different angles and views which helps me to focus down to a smaller view instead of the whole landscape.  In doing this something usually attracts me to it and I find the place I want to paint.  Most of my plein air work is done while we are traveling in our little motorhome.  I always take my pastels and supplies with me so I can paint along the way.

I love it when I get to paint with other artists.  I have painted with The Outdoor Painters group and look forward to more plein air events with this group.  You can look below and see some pictures of the group when we painted at Anderson Creek Retreat, a fabulous venue in the Ellijay area.

Art on the Wall at City Hall, Artist Reception February 28, 2013 4:30 - 7 p.m.

My artwork is featured February and March for the "Art on the Wall at City Hall" in Snellville, GA.  I am so proud to have my encaustics and pastels on exhibit.  There will be an artist reception February 28th from 4:30 - 7 p.m. and everyone is invited.  Hope to see my local friends at this event.

Art at City Hall in Snellville

Melisa, my daughter-in-law, called me this afternoon and asked me if I wanted to go to an artist reception at City Hall. Of course, it is long overdue. The relatively new Snellville City Hall building is beautiful and always seemed lacking the warmth, life and community that art always creates. Tonight John Duke's work was beautiful and his watercolors vibrant hanging on the walls! A very nice reception where we could gather and admire his paintings and talk about how wonderful it was to have art hanging in City Hall. Congratulations to all who made it possible including the Mayor and Cobble Creek Studio! A great start and more art to celebrate in future shows to come. Stop by City Hall during their regular hours and enjoy the gallery of work, I believe it will change monthly. Be sure and let them know how much you enjoy it too.

Mini Encaustics

These are my artist trading card encaustics, they are 2 1/2" X 3 1/2" and done with beeswax, damar resin and artist grade pigments.  It is really hard to photograph these to get all of the depth that the wax creates in the layers.  I have been playing with how to sign my encaustics and I used metal letters heated and pressed into the wax for my initials.  I got a block of Sculpey Clay that I was going to try to carve into the "chop" that I envision, still have it and someday I'll get to it, maybe the metal letters will work for now.  On these little mini paintings they do take up alot of room; but afterall it's my artist card.

Field of Flowers in Oranges, Encaustic 2 1/2" X 3 1/2"

Sunflowers, Encaustic, 2 1/2" X 3 1/2"

Asters in the Fall, Encaustic, 2 1/2" X 3 1/2"

 Cindy Rose is a gardener and ATC enthusiast (sort of like I am about encaustics).  She talked to me about her blog and interest in the artist trading cards.  She has a KIDS ATC's site for her daughter.  Cindy's blog is www.cindyrosesgarden.blogspot.com she has alot of good things on it, you might even want to join in.

Anderson Creek Retreat Event and Paint-out

The Georgia Outdoor Painters at Anderson Creek Retreat.

The Homestead

A wonderful day of outdoor painting at the beautiful Anderson Creek Retreat property.  There was alot of different activities featuring "us" with a silent auction of the paintings done onsite that day, Oyster Fly Rod demo, Blue Ridge Band, plus great food and wine, and not to be out done... the fabulous fall colors of the land.  Everyone had a great time and there is already talk of us having another event next Spring sometime.  We all were able to have other paintings for sale.  I  sold one of my larger encaustics of Sunflowers. 



Eating some local food and wine.



Front Yard Food



Musicians





Beautiful Anderson Creek



The View Out Southern Road

Encaustic with Dry Pigments
12" X 12"

This encaustic is of a view we see on Old Southern Road, not far from our home in Ellijay. I'm afraid that progress is headed that way. There use to always be cattle in this pasture and the numbers are dwindling. The property across the road has been timbered and I hope that they won't do anything drastic to it. There are for sale signs up and I want it to stay beautiful and country.

Plein Aire in Shenandoah

The first morning in Shenandoah National Park, I went out early to find a place to paint.  After debating over a few different spots, I found these milkweed pods right behind our campsight.  The painting is  7" X 5", pastel and on a terracotta sanded surface. I really loved working on this terracotta surface it just wanted to jump off of that color.

In the afternoon I found another spot with Witch Hazel trees that I thought were interesting with the last of their yellow leaves hanging on.  Last of Fall is a 9" X 12" pastel on Board.  The Witch Hazel bright yellow leaves were blowing away as I painted.  The wind was really cool and the longer I painted the colder I got.



"Blue Sky and Trees"

Encaustic

10" x 10"

"Secure"

Encaustic

5" X 7"

"Gourd Rattle"

Encaustic

pigmented waxes on natural gourd

Service

Service
Oil, 12 X 16
Sold

This is a painting that has been juried into the FUMC Festival of Arts in Cumming, GA.

Kodiak Success

Pastel, 20" x 24"

This painting was done from photographs made on a trip to Muncey's Bear Camp on Kodiak Island, Alaska. We were sitting along a river bank and the bears would work their way down the river fishing. This bear caught his salmon right in front of us.

Kodiak Fishing

Pastel, 20" X 24"
The bear paintings are a series of three to date.
My husband and I love to go to see bears all over but the Kodiak bear is probably the most interesting. We've been able to watch them for hours with cubs playing and others fishing. They are beautiful animals and I'm glad they are so intent on their fishing.

Waterlilies Cycles End

Pastel, 9" x 12"

One morning I had walked out to the pond after it had started getting cold and the lilies had all turned brown. The sun had the lily pads glowing an antique gold and they were just beautiful even though they were in the very last stage before going away. I used some irridescent metallic pastel in the painting. The painting has a subtle glow.