I am sorry for the unscheduled break in posting. For some reason I keep getting sick recently. I hope to be back in full force tomorrow. In the meantime, this is a drawing from one of my journals. It is not much more than a doodle in the margin, surrounded by my scrawly handwriting, but it goes to show that art is many things- whether it is a well polished and framed piece hung in a gallery, or something absentmindedly scribbled on a scrap piece of paper. Also, the artist may not just be the one who spends all day in the studio making great works, but all who create and use their gifts to say something to the world.

If you are in Greenville this weekend, be sure to check out the Greenville Chorale's production of Carmen at the Peace Center. Performances are Saturday at 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm. I will be one of the many faces in the chorus. During tomorrow night's dress rehearsal I hope to do a few sketches of Le Maestro! Until then...Au revoir.

"For the Love of Dancing"

6" x 6"
Oil on Board
$80

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

Typically on Tuesday nights, I go swing dancing at the Handlebar. However, there was no swing last night. So instead, here is a painting of one of my swing shoes. Swing dancing is one of the things that truly makes me happy, and allows me to escape, even if only for a little while.

Box of Paints- update

Here is an update of the larger painting I started a few weeks ago. I started picking out the areas of shadow, and began to define some of the individual tubes of paint. I think I am going to have to treat each tube like one of my daily paintings, and work each one to near completion before moving on to the next. Otherwise the whole thing seems a little overwhelming. More to come!

"Little Wonder"

5 1/2" x 7 1/2"

Oil on Mat board

$80

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

As promised, here is the completed painting that I started a few days ago. This is my older sister as a little girl, dressed as Wonder Woman, complete with utility belt. My family loves this picture, not only because she is wearing her leggings under her costume, but because there is a current picture of her son that is strangely similar. Instead of Wonder Woman, he is wearing striped pajamas and is looking down at his Elmo tool belt. I guess these things are genetic.

Hello friends! Finishing tonight's painting proved to be more than I could do. I will post it in the morning.

I got in pretty late last night, so all I had a chance to do was to create a preliminary sketch for tonight's painting. I won't say much about it now, except that it is from a picture of my older sister when she was younger. More on this tomorrow...

I decided to post one of my longer paintings from the beginning. All the single tubes of paint I did previously inspired me to do a whole group of them. This is a view from above of the whole box of paint. I will periodically post updates of this piece as it progresses.

"Grandmother"- Updated

8 1/2" x 11"
Pencil on Mat board
$90

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

I have wanted to do a background on this piece since I began it last week. I really loved how it looked sitting on my coffee table, so I decided to let the pattern of the wood grain be the background.

"One Woman's Treasure"

12" x 12"

Colored pencil on Mat board

$80

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

My mom found an old cardboard fan in my Great-grandmother's collection of patterns for the china she painted. This is a reproduction of the face on that fan. I can just imagine her sitting in church fanning herself, and admiring the image so much that she decided to keep it for later use. It is the same way I have ended up with piles of magazine ads, old cards, and other things that many people would consider junk.

"Hope in Bloom"

4 1/4" x 2 1/2"

Oil on Mat board

$45

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

As promised, here is last night's study in colors left on the palette. It is about half the size of the usual pieces, so it is about half the price as well!

Hello all. Of course the day I get back to painting after a bit of a break, I have problems with the scanner! Well, just to get you interested, tonight's painting was a study in whatever colors I have on the palette, and I think it turned out really well. Check back tomorrow! ~Emily

A Trio of Shells

"Stripes"

5 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Canvas
$80

"Earth Tones"

5 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Canvas
$80

"Open"

5 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Canvas
$80

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

These are some of the last of the shell paintings I did a couple of months ago. I hope you all like them as much as I do! I will be out of town for Easter, but will be back into the daily routine on Monday. Happy Easter everyone!

Just for fun...

Here is one from my sketchbook. This is a drawing I did of my friend Jordan playing at Coffee Underground last Friday.

Hello friends! I am still here. I'm sorry I haven't posted anything recently, but I have been sick the past couple of days. Be patient with me! I will start posting again in a day or two. ~Emily

"Grandmother"

8 1/2" x 11"
Pencil on Mat board

In searching around for things to paint, I find myself recently drawn to items that are old and have some kind of meaning, even if only for me. I guess that is the only way to make great art- to find the things you are passionate about and to create with them. This is a portrait of my Grandmother, my dad's mom. I don't do a lot of portraits because, as Sargent once said "A portrait is a likeness with something wrong about the mouth." However, drawing her helped me to connect with my past in a very unique way. I have similar pictures of my other grandparents, and may make them into a series. I am not sure this one is finished yet, as I would like to do something with the background.

"Painting History"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

I mentioned several days ago that my great-grandmother painted china. I now have her chest where she kept all her paints. It is a metal box with several plastic drawers in it. The drawers are meticulously organized with labels on the outside of each where she has noted what colors are in each drawer. They are powder pigments in little glass tubes, like the ones above. I know that this chest and its contents will be the subject of many paintings to come.

"An Excuse to Eat Chocolate 1 & 2"

#1

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board

#2

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board

These two pieces are not currently for sale, because they are going to be a part of the "Art in the Market" show at the Whole Foods Market on Woodruff Rd. here in Greenville, SC. The show is sponsored by Upstate Visual Arts, and features food themed art by artists all over the upstate. The first rotation is currently on display. Look for these two pieces in the next rotation beginning in May.

"Lilly"

5 1/2" x 8 1/2"
Pencil on Mat board
SOLD

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

This is the necklace that I wear most days. My aunt gave it to me when I graduated from high school. Both of my sisters have the same necklace. I love that something so small can connect me to so many of the people that are important to me.

"Diego

I will be out of town this weekend to celebrate my nephew's 2nd birthday. In honor of him, here is a portrait I did of him for my mom. Happy Birthday Diego!

"Teacup"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Oil on Mat board

$80

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

I made this teacup as part of a set several years ago. It usually just sits on a shelf in my living room, but last night I was drawn to the deep blue color, that is probably my favorite color. I don't usually paint things so round and symmetrical, but there was something soothing about the simplicity of this form.

"Nana"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

This is a painting within a painting. My great-grandmother used to paint china. She was a daily painter long before I was. Everyday she used to paint pieces, and now there are literally hundreds of pieces of china that she painted. This is a dish that I keep on my dresser, usually with my rings and my Bobbie pins and things like that on it. As I was painting this, I thought about what it was like for her to paint these same forms. It is interesting how a simple painting can connect lives so many years apart.

"Sisters"

6" x 8"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

This one is from a photograph of me and my two sisters. I think my little sister was holding the camera out at arms length and pointing it back at us. We were all squashed together on the couch, and laughing so hard we couldn't keep our eyes open. I love pictures like that.

"New Growth"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Oil on Mat board

$80

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

Last night's painting was another 30 minute painting, and also gives me a chance to introduce you to Frankie the plant. Frankie has been with me for several years, and I named him so that I wouldn't forget him when I went home for long holidays. It hasn't always worked, and Frankie has had a few near death experiences, but always seems to come back strong. I really love the color in this one- the lush green leaves and delicate blooms. It really makes me excited about the upcoming spring.

"Trio"

6 1/4" x 8"
Pencil on Mat board
$70

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

This has been sort of a tough week for painting, but I have been able to fit in some drawing time, as I can be away from the easel and still draw. I continue to love these paint tubes, and am planning to do a larger painting of the box of them. I will make sure to post updates as it develops.

"View From the Studio: 9 am"

15 1/2" x 13"
Oil on Mat board
Work-in-Progress

The beautiful weather yesterday inspired me to work on this larger piece that I started several weeks ago. It is still in progress, but I thought I would show you an example of one of my larger paintings. I will post more updates of this one as it progresses.

I received an email notification about an art show titled "The View from the Studio." That got me thinking about my own little studio and its view. The windows, on two walls, look out at other buildings in the complex, and overlook a grassy yard. But out those windows I see people living their lives-families walking dogs, the dad who plays with his kids dressed in costume. I hear laughter and the things people say to their pets late at night when they think no one is listening. The space itself is cozy, not the spacious studio I always imagined, but I love my little top floor corner of the world- my place to observe life, as well as to create it.

"Fortune Cookie on a Purple Cloth"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

Monday nights are typically pretty hectic, and I often don't start painting until 10pm. So, last night I had my first "30 minute Monday!" In an effort not to paint until 2am, I decided that on Mondays, I will complete a painting in 30 minutes. To make sure that I stick to the time limit, I set a kitchen timer to go off at the 30 minute mark. These will be a fun way to loosen up some of my paintings as well. The fortune from this cookie: "You will be unusually successful in an entertainment career."

"A Kiss for You"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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


In continuing with the food theme, here is a bit of chocolate. All these are making me hungry.

"Good Fortune"

#1

4" x 51/2"
Pencil on Paper
$50


#2

4 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Pencil on Paper
$50

My little sister is visiting this weekend, so I haven't had much time to paint. I did find time to draw these fortune cookies from our dinner last night. The fortune is "An unexpected visitor will bring you good blessings."

"Natural Blue"

6" x 6 1/4"
Oil on canvas
$80


"Hidden Beauty"

5 1/2" x 7"
Oil on canvas
$80

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

These are a couple more of my pile of shells. I love the variety of shapes and colors, and how every one is different. It is amazing to me that something so small, that spends much of its existence under the water or buried in the sand has such beauty. These are the things that make me appreciate the small things around us everyday.

"China Doll"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Oil on Mat board

$80

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

My little sister suggested that I paint something colorful for the day's painting. I figured this bright red dress would do it.

"Caps Off"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

I guess it is a natural progression to go from paint tubes to the caps from the paint tubes. The next step might be painting the blobs of paint themselves.

"Uncapped"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

I have gotten several comments from people about these paint tube paintings. I keep the box of them in front of my easel, so when I am looking for a subject for the day, they are all right there waiting for me. I like this one with the cap off because, really a tube of paint is not a useful thing until you open it up and let out what is inside- like most things, I guess. They may be ugly and beat up on the outside, but it is only when you open something up that its real worth becomes apparent.

"Scrabble, Anyone?"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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


I guess this one is pretty self explanatory. Except that these are not real Scrabble letters. They are little cardboard replicas of them that are used for scrap booking. I wasn't trying to spell anything with this one, at least not intentionally. Let me know if you see any hidden messages.

"Free Writing"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

I spent the day on a photo shoot for work, so I didn't do any painting. Instead, here is one from several weeks ago. These are some beads that are made to look like old typewriter letters. Just for fun, I made sure to include all the letters for "Emily."

"Spool"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

My mom has a great collection of old spools of thread. This is just one of them...probably with more to come!

"Broken Hearted"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

I spent New Year's at the Isle of Palms with several friends, and we took several walks on the beach and collected shells. While my friend Sara collected nicely formed shells to make jewelry, I picked up anything twisted and broken and strangely colored. This pile of odd forms has been a great source of inspiration for these daily paintings, as each one is completely new and different.

"Ribbons in Her Hair"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on mat board
$80

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

I was rummaging around in the basement and found this old plastic barrette, covered in dirt and dust and turned yellow with age. It got me thinking about when I used to wear these types of barrettes, and about the joy of dressing up and fixing your hair when you are a little girl. It's funny how a little piece of plastic can bring back so much.

"Family Photos on an Embroidered Table Cloth"

4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

I spent this last weekend at my parents' house. Part of the time I wandered around, collecting up items to paint and photographing scenes. This is a picture of the table where my mom keeps a number of family photos. The girl in the framed picture is my mother when she was a little girl.

For some reason, I can't bring myself to throw away these tubes of paint. I have squeezed every bit of life out of them, but in the back of my mind, I always think that I will be able to get just a little more. At any rate, they give me a whole box of possibilities for paintings. Thanks to everyone who checked in and gave me feedback today! I hope you will keep stopping by.

"Twisted- Green Paint"

5 1/2" x 4 1/4"

Oil on mat board

$80

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

Thanks for visiting my blog! For the past month, I have been doing a painting a day every weekday and most Saturdays. Subjects for these images are items around my house or that I pick up somewhere, and are frequently things that are broken, empty or discarded- things that we see, step over, or ignore everyday. In painting them, I hope to make them worthy of notice, and to see the beauty that is in them. Here are six of the paintings from the past month. From time to time I will post more of these first paintings.

To purchase one of these paintings, email me with the title in the subject line.

"Empty- Blue Paint"












5 1/2" x 4 1/4"
Oil on mat board
$80


"Options"




















6" x 8"
Oil on mat board
$80


"Flat- Black Paint"














5 1/2" x 4 1/4"
Oil on mat board
SOLD


"Towards the light"













6" x 8"
Oil on mat board
$80


"Broken"













6" x 8"
Oil on mat board
$80


"Ghost Shell"













4 3/4" x 7"
Oil on Canvas
$80