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!