Planning a Getaway

I love vintage posters. I am sure I have mentioned it before, but there is something about them that really fascinates me. I have played around a bit in the past with making up my own vintage advertising. Recently I was wishing I could take a trip somewhere exciting. That's not a possibility right now, so I decided the next best thing was to create a few vintage travel posters of places I would like to go. For this piece, I combined a photo of my grandmother with a photo of an Eastern Airlines plane which my grandfather took. I intend for the piece to be very bright and colorful.


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Under the Arbor

6"x 6"
Oil on wood panel
$55

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

The renovations are finished and the grand re-opening was a success. (A huge thanks to all of you who came out!) I gave myself several weeks to just focus on the changes to the studio and getting everything set up, but I am breathing a huge sigh of relief to have it all done and to get back to painting. It feels like pushing a huge reset button on my whole business. Four weeks ago it all looked one way, but now everything is totally different, including my outlook. That is both really exciting, and a bit overwhelming as I forge ahead in new directions, heading into unmarked territory. I have several exciting new projects in the works, and a few changes coming up, so I hope you will stick with me in this exciting new chapter.

This piece is from a photo of my grandfather, but I have no idea who the woman is. But the reason I like this image is because something about it makes me think of Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. I love how she is demurely looking down while he confronts us with his stare, standing under that arbor of flowers.

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A Peek Inside

Several years ago, I remember walking down Main St. and wondering what it would be like to have one of these studios along the Reedy River. I have been so fortunate over the past few years in my career, and I feel so blessed to have this wonderful space where I can create my art and where I can share it with others.

I would love for you all to join me tomorrow night for my Grand Re-Opening. There will be ice cream, and there will be friends and fun. Plus, most of the original paintings in the studio will be Name-Your-Own-Price for this one night only. Nothing would make me happier than to see many of these paintings go to new homes. Hope to see you tomorrow night from 6-9pm!


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A Fresh Coat

The wall is up and the repainting is finished. All that is left is to get the art rehung and to get everything cleaned up. I have such a wonderful family who helped me do all this work. The studio looks beautiful, and huge! Want to see the changes? Come to the studio this Friday night, from 6-9pm for my Ice Cream Social, Name-Your-Own-Price Sale and Grand Re-opening!


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To build a wall

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Let the Renovations Begin!

Although I am hoping to get some painting done, the main focus of this week and next will be renovating the now larger studio. My studio partner of the past year, pencil-portrait artist Ashley Brickner, moved her stuff out this past weekend, and I am taking over the entire space. The first step is going to be building a wall to cover up the sink area and to create some additional storage space in the back. Luckily I have a father who is quite handy at building things, and will be here tomorrow to help me start with the build.


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Ice Cream Social, Name-Your-Own-Price Sale, and Grand Re-opening!

Emily Clarke Studio is expanding!

Join me for an ice cream social, Name-Your-Own-Price sale, and Grand Re-Opening         Event!
When: Friday, August 6, from 6-9pm
Where: Emily Clarke Studio: in the same place, only bigger! Located along the Reedy River in         Downtown Greenville, below the Lazy Goat and High Cotton Resturants.
Why: Because the renovations will be finished, and there is so much art that needs a good         home. Oh, and there will be root beer floats.

You heard right. It is a Name-Your-Own-Price sale. For this one night only, all reasonable offers on most original oil paintings will be accepted, no matter what the price tag says. So, please come by to help me clear some room and celebrate the exciting changes to the studio. And root beer floats.

Disclaimer: I reserve the right to refuse any ridiculous offers, but come ready to negotiate for your favorite pieces. Painting-minis and giclee prints will not be included in the sale as they are already reasonably priced.

I hope to see you all on August 6!

Portrait of a Life

22"x 24"
Oil on Canvas

This is the full painting that you only saw a fragment of on Friday. It is of my great-grandparents, and my guess is that it is their wedding portrait. I love the details of his uniform and her dress. I think the background is a painted backdrop, which makes me think the photo was taken in a studio.

I have had in my head for a while to paint a very formal portrait, but to do it in an unusual color. My original idea was to paint it all in shades of red, but the only red I had was a fairly obnoxious fusha. But, by mixing it with a bit of black I got this beautiful shade of purple.


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Ready for my Close-Up

I intended to completely finish this piece today, but I ended up having to make a major change to one area. So, instead I am giving you a close up view of one of my favorite areas of the piece. I will tell you more about this pic once it is finished, but for now I will let you know that this is my great-grandmother in what I believe is her wedding portrait.


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A Facinating First Impression

4"x 4"
Oil on paper covered wood panel
The sides are 1" thick and painted light blue
$40

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

What is it about a mirror that is so fascinating to a baby? Or perhaps it is just us who are fascinated by the baby's reaction. We wonder what it is like to get that first glimpse of ourselves, trying to work out exactly what it is we are seeing.

I imagine that my Grandfather took this picture of my Grandmother giving my aunt a look at herself in the mirror. Covering the panel with paper allowed me to paint in both the light and the dark areas to capture the high contrast of the image.


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Consulting the Fashion Magazines

6"x 6"
Oil on wood panel
The sides are 1" thick and painted yellow
$55

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

I have been a bit MIA recently. With so much going on recently, I needed a bit of time to finish a few commissions, focus on my teaching schedule, and try to take it easy. Plus I have some fantastic news about the studio that I will be telling you about in a few days.

I love this image, but I have no idea where I got it. With the recent loss of most of the files on my computer, all I had was a print out of this girl among some of my other reference photos. I love her look- her cat-eyed glasses and sleek bob. I hope she is not searching through magazines for a new look or wishing she could be like someone else (actually, she was probably pretty stylish at this time.) But I like to think that she is a little outside the norm, looking for ways to stand out from the crowd. A little of my own story read into this image perhaps?


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