Redeemed

Much of the past few days has been spent getting ready for Artisphere, happening this coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in downtown Greenville. While we are not officially a part of Artisphere, all the artists of Art Crossing will be open all weekend, doing demonstrations and selling artwork. So, once you've browsed all the artists' tents up on Main St., come down the stairs and see us.

I did manage to squeeze in this little piece over the weekend. She makes me think of the old movie leading ladies, who, while beautiful and charming, have some dark and mysterious past that they are trying to escape.

This and my other painting-minis will be available for sale this weekend. 4"x 4" painting-minis are only $40, and 6"x 6" painting-minis, like this one, are only $55. All these pieces are painted on wood panel, and the sides are 1" thick and painted a complementary color. Come check them out, plus all the other great pieces I have in the studio.

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Calling this one finished

A Day At the Beach
22"x 28"
Oil on Canvas
$525

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

Obviously, I decided to leave in a lot of the red background color. I like the contrast of the red against the black and white, plus I wanted to maintain the sketchy quality of my original drawing. I focused mainly on the details in the clothing, umbrellas and faces. I really love this one, though I don't think the photo does it justice. If you get a chance, swing by the studio and let me know what you think. Thanks friends!

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...

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!

"Multi-Tasking"

24"x 24"
Oil on Canvas
$500

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

Another piece from my new set, Modern Conveniences. I do these pieces in layers. I start with the colored background, which I lay on very thin and texturize it with a rag or even my hand. Once that layer dries, I sketch the entire painting out in one color- in this case, brown. Once I am happy with the layout, I let that layer dry and then add a layer of color and detail. In some pieces, the original drawing is almost totally covered. In others, like this one, much of the original sketch remains. Someday soon if I remember, I will photograph the various layers as they are completed.

"Holding His Hat"

20" x 20"
Oil and Newsprint on Canvas
$400

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

This painting took me a few days, as it had several steps, but I am so happy with the results. I wanted to combine the collage element I used several months ago with the painting technique I have used recently. I collaged several pieces of newsprint on to the canvas, allowing it to wrinkle and rip to give the whole piece an aged feel. I also taped off the edges so that I would have the border you often see on old photographs. I applied dark brown and white paint very loosely, wiping off large areas of it as I worked. The areas of white don't show up well in this photograph, but painting on the newsprint allowed the white areas to stand out against the neutral background.

"She Understood Her Best"

11 1/2"x 14 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$150

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

This piece came out of the way I typically start a painting. When I first start a piece, I use a very thin wash to lay in the entire painting. I rub out areas and make adjustments until I am happy with the layout. This process usually gives me a lot of "shadow" in the background which I then cover over with thicker layers of paint. In this piece, though, I really liked the shadows, so I left the background as a thin wash, and just added in thicker detail in the figures. I like the resulting juxtaposition of the figures against the almost dreamlike background.

If you missed the show this past weekend, those pieces have now been posted to my website gallery.

"Keeping a Step Behind"

12"x 14"
Oil on Mat board
SOLD

I was happy with this painting when I finished it last night, but I think I like it even more now. I was most worried about painting the striped blankets around the women's shoulders, but they turned out to be one of the easiest elements to paint. I also love the texture of the braids on the woman on the left.