First Date

18"x 18"
Oil on Canvas
$300

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

I found the photo that I based this painting on on Square America while looking for images of vintage cars. I don't know who these people are, or what they were doing, but the image makes me think about a first date (I mean, look at how far apart they are sitting!). I can just imagine him coming to pick her up in his parent's car, wearing his best sweater and button-down, and that she spent all day getting her hair into that perfect wave. Yes, this is the kind of thing I think about while I am painting.

I am doing a giveaway! You have the chance to win a 9"x12" painting from the photo of your choice. Just click over to my Facebook fan page and leave a comment. That's it! You have until midnight this Friday, February 12 to enter. The winner will be chosen randomly.

Days Like This

I like days like today that are a little different from the norm, but where I am still able to get a lot of work done. I started the morning off bright and early hanging a few paintings at Adam's Bistro, located on Pelham Rd. here in Greenville. If you have never been to Adam's Bistro, you need to go because not only do they hang work by local artists, they have some of the best food and friendliest service in this city. Several pieces from my Oil and Rouge series and my Modern Conveniences series will be on display through May, so be sure to stop by.

I have spent the rest of the afternoon emailing, researching, and doing all the business stuff that often gets put on the back burner, but is so important to being a successful artist. So, I thought today I would post another older piece in the spirit of Valentine's Day.


"Multi-Tasking"
24"x 24"
Oil on Canvas
$500

This painting, currently one of the ones on display at Adam's Bistro, probably gets more comments than all of my other paintings. People want to know why she has been painted in, while he remains a mere outline in the background. I have had people ask if it is a feminist statement, if he is a figment of her imagination, or if he is the spirit of her departed husband. Do you have an interpretation? Want to know what I think? You'll just have to come by the studio and ask me...

It's Friday night. Do you know where your art is?

Every year in Greenville, hundreds of innocent paintings are without a good home. These paintings, through no fault of their own, are left without the simple comforts of good lighting, a wall to hang on, and people to admire them. Don't let this tragedy go on any longer. There is something you can do. Visit an artist's studio today, and for the cost of a new appliance, you can sponsor one of these paintings in your home. Not only will you feel the joy of providing comfort and display space to a beautiful painting, you will inspire your friends and neighbors to help out as well. Together we can stop the overcrowding of artists' studios in our area and make a difference. So don't wait. Visit an artist's studio today or go to www.EmilyClarkeStudio.com to find out how you can help.

This public service announcement brought to you by Emily Clarke Studio, Greenville, SC.

People and their cars

A lot of my time this week has been spent on this commission. This was another one that I was excited to work on from the beginning, and it just seemed to come together with no major problems. Unexpectedly, my favorite thing to paint in this piece was the car. I think people never get tired of taking pictures of themselves with their cars. I used to have a picture of my old car up on the bulletin board above my desk. And, people back in the 40's and 50's used to do it too. I have been coming across a lot of photos recently of vintage folks and their cars. Expect to see more of these showing up in my work soon! Have a photo you want to share? Email it to me.

I'm Back and Feelin' the love!

"Being Charming"
12"x 12"
Oil on Masonite
$220
Available in my Etsy shop.

In case you were wondering, I spent the majority of last week huddled under a blanket, fighting a terrible cold, and watching entire seasons of Lost in one sitting. Many thanks to those of you who sent me well wishes and offered help. I have been blessed with a wonderful mother who, despite living in another state, manages to still take care of me when I am sick. I have spent much of this week catching up on commissions that were neglected last week. In the spirit of the quickly approaching Valentines Day, I thought I would post this piece from my Oil and Rouge series. This piece, and many other small pieces and prints, is available in my Etsy shop, as well as in the studio. Maybe it would make a good gift for your Valentine.

Branching Out

I am not a watercolor painter. I never have been. Watercolor always seems so backwards to how I usually paint. Plus, I need to know that any mark I lay down, I can paint over if it doesn't work. But, for my vintage movie poster project, I need to do some studies of the final pieces, and watercolor makes the most sense as the medium of choice. So, attempting to lay aside my prejudices, last night I did this piece. Not too bad for being the first watercolor painting I have done since I was a little kid. And, a big thanks to my friend Rebbecca for the fake title of this film.

Looking Back

Exactly 3 years ago today, I sat down in my sun room to do my first daily painting. I had been stuck and unable to paint for a while prior to that day, so it was a momentous event. The past three years have seen so much change, both personally and professionally, and it is fun to take a look back and take stock of those changes.

In three years, I have gone from painting in the corner of my apartment,


To my beautiful studio space in Falls Park in downtown Greenville.



And, I have gone from painting little still lifes,



To specializing in old family photographs and 1940's and 50's images.



Things have been both good and bad, scary and exciting, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else. And, I have been able to go from just sharing my pieces with my close friends and family, to sharing them with people all over the US (and a few other countries) who I have never met. Thank you to all my new fans and those who have been with me from the beginning. Here's to many more years!

Giving Thanks in Times of Plenty

11"x 14"
Oil on Masonite
$200

I know many of you have seen the first version I did of this picture. It is from a photo of my dad's side of the family sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner. (Dad is the little boy in the striped shirt on the left side.) I needed a new painting for The Little Art Gallery in Raleigh, so I decided to revisit this image. It is always interesting repainting an image after a few years. Things that I barely noticed the first time around become important elements, and what seemed so vital to the piece previously gets left out.

Greenville Seen opens this Friday

I posted this piece a while back just before I submitted it for the juried show, Greenville Seen. I was thrilled to learn that my piece is one of only 18 that made it in to the show. The opening reception is this Friday from 6-9pm at the Metropolitan Arts Council gallery at 16 Augusta St. Greenville Seen is an exhibit of works by 18 artists depicting the Greenville area. The show runs January 15 through February 26. Also, the Greenville Museum of art will be picking at least one piece to be included in it's yearlong show, A Portrait of Greenville. You don't want to miss it!

Congratulations Andrew and Rebecca!

My friends Andrew and Rebecca got married just after New Years, but I didn't quite have this piece finished for them yet. Congrats guys, and I hope you had a great time in the Keys!

A Family Affair

Before Christmas, I had a woman come in to the studio to commission the first of these two paintings. It was one of my favorite commissions, partly because of the beautiful photograph, but mostly because she told me that this was her Christmas present to herself! She told her husband that she would set everything up, and he only had to pick it up and not show it to her until Christmas morning. (Take notes, ladies! That's the way to get what you want ;)

Just after Christmas, she came in to commission the second piece for her husband's birthday. While they are very different pieces, I think they work really well together. The photos were both probably early 40's, and have an air of everyday life about them. I think they make a lovely set!

Enjoying the View

Some of my work is currently carried by a gallery in Raleigh, The Little Art Gallery. Every so often I get a call from them about doing a commission. I was thrilled when the photo for this piece showed up at the studio! It's not often that I get to paint such a great view!

Just a Peek

One of my favorite things is a huge stretch of wall that can be covered in a long row of paintings. I was very fortunate to get this one at Coffee and Crema! Some of these pieces are older, but knowing that I had so much wall to cover, I added several new pieces to the set. Want to see them in person? Come out to the opening reception this Friday night from 6-9pm. Coffee and Crema is located on Atrium Blvd, between Laurens Rd. and Pleasantburg Dr.

I am especially excited about this show because my friend Stephanie Fagan Bobal is coming to play. Stephanie is an amazingly talented musician, plus she recently got married! Check out her music at http://www.myspace.com/stephaniefagansings

Just a Little Something

My newest group of vintage ladies (plus a few old favorites) are up at Coffee and Crema here in Greenville! Come check out these new paintings, enjoy a great cup of coffee, and listen to music by the lovely and talented Stephanie Fagan! Could you ask for a better evening than that?

Friday, January 8, 6-9pm opening reception
The paintings will be on display through the month of January

Coffee and Crema is located in the Fresh Market shopping center on Atrium Rd., just off of Pleasantburg Dr. and Laurens Rd. in Greenville, SC. Visit http://Coffeeandcrema.com for more information.

A Cup of Something

Hello friends! I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas holiday! I had a few days to relax, but now it is back to a lot of work. The first thing is my show opening next Friday night at Coffee and Crema here in Greenville. Come by to check out some older pieces, some new pieces, listen to some great music, and have a delicious cup of coffee! When I was working on this piece, I was going to make this woman's outfit all black, because I feel like she has some sort of mysterious job, like a spy. With her overcoat and popped collar, and hat at a jaunty angle over one eye, she just stepped out of a film noir movie. Although, if you really are a spy, I guess your clothes shouldn't testify to the fact. I am happy that I decided to let the background color show through. Now she, literally, blends in with her surroundings!

Joy for Christmas

This is another commission I can finally share without ruining the suprise. Tracy commissioned this piece for her mother, who is the little blond girl on the right. I was so happy to do this piece because it is such a beautiful picture. Tracy, I hope your mom loved it! I hope you all have a wonderful and joyful Christmas!

Just a Touch More

Another peek at one of the pieces for my January show at Coffee and Crema! Now I'm back to finishing my Christmas presents!

A Cup of Joe

I keep mentioning the show I have coming up in January, but I haven't given many details about it. I will be exhibiting at Coffee and Crema off of Laurens Rd. here in Greenville. If you haven't been to Coffee and Crema, go check it out right now! It has a great atmosphere, not to mention really great coffee and tea. Plus, they have a huge wall for me to display on! For this show, I have decided to combine pieces from my Modern Conveniences series, with a bunch of new pieces based on coffee and beauty shop ads from the 40's and 50's. I spent most of today completing this piece. I love how skin tones look on red canvas. I layered thin coats of paint and let some of the red show through to give her a rosy complexion. I also love her slightly smirking expression.

Saluting an Era

I feel like I am always saying this, but despite my lack of posting, I have been working very hard! I have a few commissions to finish before Christmas, a bunch of paintings to finish for a show in January, and a few other side projects, like the one above. A friend and I are working on advertising for a big USO style event being held next year. (click over to my vintage blog for a little more information about the project!) We are going for a vintage pin-up look, and I just love how this piece has turned out! Expect me to do quite a few more of these!

Greenville Business Magazine

I am in the December issue of Greenville Business Magazine! I love how this artical turned out! And the picture is great with all my art in the background. Many thanks to my friend Nichole Livengood and Nill Silver Photography! If you want to read the full text, click on this link and go to page 62.

More Commissions

I am really happy with how this piece turned out, and am so glad I can finally share it with you. I did this commission from an old family photo, and then had reproductions on canvas made for other members of the client's family. I hope they were as happy with it as I am!

Winter Art Market this weekend!

The artists of Art Crossing invite you to join us for Winter Art Market,

at our studios downtown Greenville on the Reedy River,

featuring the art and artists of Art Crossing and invited guest artists.

Friday December 4th from 6 pm until 9 pm

Saturday December 5th from 10 am until 5 pm

Our studios & sidewalks will be filled with art from over 40 talented local artists!

Painting, Jewelry, Drawing,

Photography, Pottery, Weaving,

Sculpture, Mosaics, and more!

Enjoy unique handmade artwork and meet the artists during this art sale and celebration.

For more information please visit the WAM

blog: http://ArtCrossingWAM.blogspot.com
or email: ArtCrossingStudios@gmail.com
or call: 864.918.2619

Baby Sam

I have been working on several commissions over the past few months that I haven't been able to share for fear of ruining the surprise. But, a few of them have now been shared with loved ones, so I can now share them with you. I did this piece of baby Sam for some friends of my sister. I like painting babies, but I usually find them a bit harder than painting grown ups, because babies don't have quite as many distinguishing features to their faces. It is amazing how much easier a little bit of age makes capturing a likeness! Happily, though, this painting of baby Sam was quite easy and a lot of fun!

Cake Anyone?

"On a Platter"
24x 24in.
Oil on Canvas
$500

Yes, I love birthdays, and today is my 30th so I couldn't help posting a painting of cake! This and many other pieces from my Modern Conveniences series are currently available at my studio. And, in honor of my 30th, all original oil paintings are 30% off during this weekend's Winter Art Market!

A Blessed Thanksgiving

"As We All Clasp Hands"
36x36 in.
Oil on Canvas
$550

I hope all of you enjoyed your Thanksgiving as much as I did. I have always loved Thanksgiving, because it is all about family (and eating). Not to mention that we always celebrate my birthday afterwords! In honor of the holiday, I have decided to re-post one of my favorite paintings from my "Where I Came From" series. The little boy on the left side of the painting is my dad. This and many other paintings are on display and for sale in the studio. And, in honor of my 30th birthday, all original oil paintings are 30% off during this weekend's Winter Art Market at Art Crossing. Visit the WAM blog for more details!

Riverplace Fountains at Night

Hello friends! Sorry for my sudden absence all last week. It was a week where inspiration and motivation were in short supply. I did manage to get this piece finished, however. Some of you may remember a while back I did a commission of these steps and fountains. Well, I decided to revisit the subject for an upcoming show called Greenville Scene, being put on by MAC and the Greenville Museum of Art. I under painted the whole piece in blue, which I think made the lights and water of the fountains really pop out.

Vintage Squared

All the 12"x 12" pieces from Oil and Rouge are now posted on my website. But here is a look at all of them in one place! Happy Friday everyone!

In Celebration

If you have been in the studio at all the last few months, you have seen this piece in progress. I waited to post it now so that I wouldn't ruin the surprise. The husband commissioned this piece for his wife for their one year anniversary. It pictures places they have been and things that are important to them. If you would like to commission a painting for your loved ones, just email me the photo(s) you are considering and we will discuss size and pricing options.

Progress Made

If you came in to Open Studios this weekend (many thanks to you), you saw the bit of progress I made on my green piece. Here is another glimpse of the progress I have made so far. I love that through the additional layers of color you can still see hints of the green underneath. Still a bit of work to do, but I like the way it is headed!

The Same, but Different

11"x 14"
Oil on Masonite
$245

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

Some of you may recognize the subject matter of this piece. I used the same photo of my grandmother and her sister for a painting a little over a year ago. That piece is currently at The Little Art Gallery in Raleigh, NC. I came across the photo again yesterday and wanted to revisit it. In many ways, I like this version better than the original. I also just love the subject matter. I want to know where they were going in their beautiful contrasting coats, and my grandmother in her quirky, fabulous hat. The photo looks like a beautiful, sunny day up in the mountains, and I imagine it is a little cold. My grandmother looks like she was saying something as the shutter was clicked, and I love the way my great aunt has her head tilted towards her sister as she squints in the bright sunlight. I have to say this is one of my favorite photos, as well as one of my favorite paintings!

Starting with green

This piece is very much in progress, but I thought I would post the first step so that you can see how much it changes. I have mentioned over on my vintage blog that for some reason, I love laundromats. So, for some of my newest paintings, I am combining some of my vintage ladies with laundromat scenes. This piece is not going to stay all green like this. I typically paint a solid layer of color on the canvas before I start so that I do not have to deal with a totally white canvas. This time, though, I decided to under paint the entire scene in various shades of green. Some of the green will remain, but in most areas it will just peek through, creating (I hope) a very cool layered feel. Want to see it in person and to check out the progress I have made? Stop by Open Studios this weekend and I will have it on the easel!

A Day Out

16"x 16"
Oil and Paper on Canvas
$250

To purchase, email me with the title in the subject line.

I've been busy getting ready for Open Studios, but still finding time to paint. This piece is from a photo of my Grandmother, my dad, and my aunt. My favorite part is that he was flapping his arms in the picture, so his right hand is just a blur. I tried to capture that in this piece!

Open Studios 2009 at Emily Clarke Studio!

For more information about Open Studios, and to see a list of other participating artists and their locations, please visit http://www.greenvillearts.com.

A free, family fun alternative to Halloween

Starry Night on the Reedy

Music from Paris
Food from Giverny
Children’s Attractions
and
Art from Vincent and
the artists of Art Crossing

Saturday - 10/31/09 - 7 to 10 pm
RiverPlace in The West End
Greenville, SC
864.650.6041

Re-arrange

Hello friends! If you haven't been over to my vintage blog to see photos from Oil and Rouge, click over there now to see all the amazing fun we had!

So, after a brief rest over the weekend, it was back to work this week. I spent much of Monday and Tuesday rearranging the studio, making room for some of the Oil and Rouge pieces on the big wall of art. Plus, I am in the process of redoing my website. Be on the lookout for the launch of the new EmilyClarkeStudio.com in the coming week!

Plus, this Saturday the artists of Art Crossing are hosing Starry Night, a family friendly alternative to Halloween, featuring art, music, food and drinks. Check out our Facebook page for more details. And, to top it all off, next weekend is the anual Open Studios!

But, I have managed to get a little painting in among all this work. This piece is from a great photograph of my grandparents and my mom standing by their front porch. I hope to do many more of these little paintings, all framed in various old frames, to create a huge wall of old family photos.

8"x 10"
Oil on Matboard

Oil and Rouge: A Vintage Affair Tonight!

Emily Clarke Studio and Shantel Lowe the Make Up Artist invite you to a night of vintage fun! Don your zoot suit and wiggle skirts, break out your wingtip shoes and red lipstick and join us cats for a fun filled evening from days gone by!

Original oil paintings by Emily Clarke
Hair and Make up by Shantel Lowe
Photography by Keith J. Carson
Clothes by Threads in Time Vintage Clothing
Jewelry by Blue Moss
Music by Upstate Swing Dance
Food by Brick Street Cafe
Raffles for great prizes and more!

Oil and Rouge: A Vintage Affair
Friday, October 23, 2009
6-9pm
Art & Light Gallery
1211 Pendleton St.
Greenville, SC 29611

Want more information or need some vintage inspiration, check out the Oil and Rouge blog, http://oilandrouge.wordpress.com, or become our fan on Facebook.

Want a sneak peek?

Want a sneak peek of tomorrow's vintage affair? Click over to my vintage blog, oilandrouge.wordpress.com, and check out the photos!

Classical

I haven't painted a nude in a number of years, but a patron recently requested one, so I returned to the subject. I have been experimenting with underpainting, and I love the way the orange of the background plays off of the skin tones, and peeks through the areas of white. Overall, I think it is a very successful painting!

Wispering Love

12"x 12"
Oil on Canvas
SOLD

I know it looks like it, but this is not a piece for Friday's Oil and Rouge show. Instead, it is for the Open Studios show at the Metropolitan Arts Council. All the artists involved in Open Studios on November 7 & 8 contribute a 12"x 12" piece to be displayed at MAC. It is a great way to check out all 124 Open Studios artists in one location.

Apologies!

Hello friends! Sorry about the complete lack of posts recently! I spent the past week in Texas visiting my baby sister, and all the rest of my time has been split between commissions and preparations for next week's Oil and Rouge show. But, I have lots of exciting things in the works that I can't wait to share. Thanks for sticking around!

Trillium Fair

Thanks to everyone who came out this weekend! Plus, it didn't rain!

Malie and Macie

This is a commission I did recently for a friend of my sister. It is of her two daughters, and I heard that she really loved it. I think it turned out so cute!

Vintage complete

I posted a photo of these pieces in progress a couple of weeks ago. Here is the set completed. I love the pieces individually, but as a collection I love them even more! To see these pieces in person (and buy one for yourself!) don't miss my vintage show on October 23.

To the Art Cave

Hello friends! As promised, here are a couple of picks from this past weekend's West Greenville Arts Festival. The first one is my tent setup, which by the end of the weekend became known as the Art Cave. This was also the only brief period of time when you could see blue sky and it wasn't raining.



Sadly, most of the weekend looked more like this:


For those of you who wimped out and didn't brave the storms, no worries! I will be participating in the Trillium Arts Fair in Travelers Rest on October 3, plus a bunch of other events between now and Christmas that I will tell you about later. Stay tuned!

Lady in Red

Hello friends! Thanks to all who braved the rain to come out to the West Greenville Arts Festival this weekend. I will post a few photos of the fun, but rain soaked affair as soon as I find where I stashed my camera. In the meantime, here are a couple more pieces for the upcoming Oil and Rouge Show. I am almost done with the art, and I have almost exactly a month until showtime! Plus, a couple of other events happening before that show. It's going to be a busy holiday season!

I'm to tired to think up a title or anything to say, but I love this one...

Multitude of Mugs!

I did quite a lot of painting today, but the thing I was most excited about was the arrival of my mugs from my CafePress shop! I ordered them to display at the West Greenville Art Festival this coming weekend, and I just love them! If you want to own one of these mugs with images from my Modern Conveniences series, just visit my CafePress shop, or stop by my tent this weekend.


And, here they are on the beautiful mug tree my dad made for me!

West Greenville Arts Festival this weekend!

I hope you will come out this weekend to the first ever West Greenville Arts Festival, hosted by Upstate Visual Arts in partnership with the Pendleton Street Arts District. I will be among the over 75 artists working in a variety of two- and three-dimensional media.

The event, devoted to the visual arts, will be the first of its kind in the historic, newly renovated Pendleton Street Arts District. The street festival will not only feature booth artists, food vendors, live music, and children’s activities, but will also encourage interaction with the existing galleries and businesses located in West Greenville through a walking tour of the area.

The event runs Saturday, September 19th from 10am until 7pm, and Sunday, September 20th from 11am until 5pm. Come check it out!

Noises Off! at Greenville Little Theater

Hey friends! Opening tonight at the Greenville Little Theater is Noises Off, hailed as one of the funniest plays ever written! And while you are there, check out my Modern Conveniences series of paintings on display in the lobby. The play runs through September 27, so be sure to check it out!

Sweet Nothings

12"x 12"
Oil on masonite