I'm moving!!

I found out last week that I was able to get a space in the Art Crossing area on the riverfront! So, this week I am packing up the studio and preparing to move down the street. Art Crossing is a collection of artist studios right along the Reedy River downtown. My new space, which I will be sharing with my friend Ashley, is the one furthest to the right in this picture.


And this is the view from my door!

Once I get moved in, feel free to drop by!

Painting in the Park

I don't typically paint en plein aire, or outside. I actually think the last time I painted a landscape outside was in college. But, this spring weather we have been having made me dread being cooped up in the studio all day, so on Tuesday, I packed up my paints, my desk easel, and a lunch, and ventured out to Falls Park to this spot:

And set to work. There are several sets of stone steps in this remote corner of the park that lead up to the Governor's school for the arts. I only discovered this spot recently, and have wanted to paint it ever since.


"Leading to Where"
16"x 20"
Oil on Canvas
$220

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

Painting outside is so totally different from painting in the studio. In the studio, I have pretty much total control over my environment, and can work relatively undisturbed. Outside is a different story. You have to deal with changes in weather and light, wind, picking leaves out of the paint, and bugs landing on the canvas, not to mention the people wandering by to see what you are doing. Throughout the day, I was beset by many questions and curious looks: the little boy who politely asked if he could "help" me, the group of high school students on their lunch break who suddenly surrounded me, the two older ladies who just sat down behind me and watched for a while, the little girl who, after asking her mom if I was a painter, stated that I "wasn't very good" (everyone is a critic). All in all, it was a fun experience which I will likely repeat again soon. If you are out and about on a nice day in Greenville, come look for me!

"Dashing Away"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

I did a larger version of this painting a while back, but the other pieces I have been doing lately made me want to revisit it on a smaller scale. This is one of my absolute favorite photographs, picturing my grandparents dashing out of the church on their wedding day.

"Smile for the Camera"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

Another "snapshot" piece from my family. My mom is the little girl on the left. I had fun playing around with color on this one, using the brown for the darks instead of all shades of blue.

"Family Resemblance"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

I'm back! I now have my camera back, and am able to post all the fun new pieces I have been working on. I really like painting these old "snapshot" looking photos. Something about making them look recognizable, and yet still a little ambiguous intrigues me. Several more of these pieces are to come, plus I intend to get outside to paint in this beautiful spring weather this week.

Sadly, I am without my camera for a few days. But, fear not friends! I am working very hard in the studio at the moment, and will have many new pieces to share as soon as I get my camera back! Thanks for staying with me!

"There If You Look For It"

5 1/4"x 8 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

This piece is another product of my recent photo shoot around Greenville. This old sign is a bit hidden, and trying to shoot it and not get hit by a car was a challenge. I think my favorite part is the bottom edge of the stoplight in the top left corner.

"Mere Shadows"

5 1/2"x 8 1/2"
Oil on Paper
$80

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

I went to hear a friend of mine play at O-Cha tea bar last week, and while I was listening to her, of course started sketching. This vase of flowers was sitting on the table next to me. The flowers were pretty, but what really drew my attention was the shadow created by the bright light directly overhead. In this piece, I wanted to give you just a glimpse of the actual object, but then force you to figure out what the rest of the object looks like just through its shadow.

I was also able to film this piece as I worked on it, so if I can edit it a bit, I hope to post it in a few days.

"A Little Sweeter"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

For several days, I have wanted to paint something with reflections, and this morning, my sugar dispenser made for the perfect subject. Not only did I get to paint the changing morning light on the silver top, I also had the challenge of painting the glass, and making it look like there is sugar inside. I also experimented with filming a piece in progress. I didn't get a whole video of this one, but I was able to work out a few kinks in the process, so I hope to have a few videos to post soon.

In the Park

With the weather being such a contrast to what it was on Monday (snow), I couldn't help but walk down to the park with my Moleskine to draw for a while. I keep these notebooks in my pocket or purse all the time, and they are perfect for moments like these!

In Progress

This is only step one of a new piece, but I like the drawing so much that I wanted to go ahead and share it. I drew the scene on a sheet of brown paper, which I have now mounted on a canvas and sealed. (That being the reason for the wrinkles and the slight sheen.) Next I am going to add layers of paint to the figures, leaving some areas of the paper and the graphite as is.

"At the Counter"

8 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Paper
$95

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

I intended to post this piece yesterday, but somehow had the camera but not the computer cord. So here it is, a day late. While researching images for another project, I came across a few photos that were described as Furman students in the 50's relaxing at "The Canteen". While I am not familiar with The Canteen, being a former Furman student myself, I couldn't resist them. Not to mention the iconic image of young people hanging out at the soda fountain.

I've been working on a couple of commissions this week, so I thought I would share one that I finished recently. This is my best friend from elementary school's two kids. This, as well as many other commissioned pieces can be seen in my website's commission gallery.

"Around the Corner"

8"x 12"
Oil on Mat board
$110

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

My phone rang very early this morning (wrong number), and I wasn't able to go back to sleep. So, after a couple hours of reading and a leisurely breakfast, I bundled up in my warmest clothes and ventured into downtown Greenville to find a few new subjects to paint. Greenville is a very beautiful city, and has quite a few scenic and familiar landmarks. But I was not in search of the familiar sites. I was looking for the faded, broken, and well used, but still beautiful spots. I found quite a few of these faded signs painted on the sides of brick buildings, some I knew were there and some that I just discovered this morning. I am extremely grateful to that wrong number for giving me a great start to my day and allowing me to discover new things about my city.

30 1/2"x 17 1/2"
Oil on Canvas

This is a new commission piece I finished recently. I love the depth I was able to achieve in this one, as well as the little details like the cans of coke on the table, the old TV, and the vase of flowers on top.

Anniversary Show Opens Tomorrow

The paintings are all hung, the gallery is ready, now I just need you to be there!

Two: Another Year of Painting
Friday, February 20, 2009, 6-9pm
Art & Light gallery
1211 Pendleton St., West Greenville

Dessert reception
Music provided by the very talented Stephanie Fagan
Reproductions starting at $5
Sales on paintings of all sizes
PLUS, the chance to win one of my original paintings.

Hope to see you there!

Congratulations Mel and Brannon!

I know they haven't seen this yet, but Mel and Brannon, I hope you had a wonderful wedding. Congrats!

Plus, my anniversary show, Two:Another Year of Painting, opens this Friday, February 20, from 6-9pm at the Art & Light Gallery in West Greenville. The show is going to be a lot of fun, with music provided by singer/songwriter Stephanie Fagan, a dessert reception, plus lots of great deals on art. And, if that's not enough I will be raffling off an original piece at the end of the night, and giving you a sneak peek at my newest series of paintings. Just email me for more details. Hope to see you there!

"Shadows Cast"

6"x6"
Oil on Mat board
$80

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

All the sunshine and great weather we have been having inspired this piece. I like shadows because they make me wonder what the people that cast them looked like.

Congratulations Rusty and Charlotte!

I spent part of this weekend celebrating these friends' wedding. This was such a fun portrait to do. Congratulations guys, and I hope you are having a great time in California!

"To Be Like Her"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

I did this piece a few days ago from one of my favorite pictures of my mother.

"Keepsake"

4 1/4"x 5"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

I have used this photograph in a painting before, and mentioned previously that it is my favorite photo ever! It is an old Polaroid of me and my sister on Christmas in 1981. This time, I wanted to capture not only the image, but the look of the Polaroid as well.

"Cutting Through"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

This is a pair of sewing scissors from my grandmother's sewing basket. They are a bit of an unusual shape, and I loved painting the light playing off of the different surfaces.

"A Random Cluster"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

A cold kept me home much of last week, but I was able to get in a bit of painting time. I have loved revisiting these shells again.

"At the End"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

"In a Pile"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

I did this piece very quickly, and didn't really like it at the time, but there is something about the color combination and the hasty application of the paint that is growing on me.

"Blue on Red"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

I decided to revisit this shell from a different angle. I really love how the red shadow pushes the blue of the shell forward.

"Back to the Beginning"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

Exactly two years ago today, I created my first daily painting of this same shell, which I happened to pull out of a shoe box a few days ago. Since that first painting, I have created some 380 paintings, had close to 20 shows, moved my studio out of my home and into my downtown space, launched my website, and quit my full time job to focus all my time on painting. I have to say it has been a heck of a couple of years!

Be sure to mark your calenders for my anniversary show, Two:Another Year of Painting, on Feb. 20 at the Art & Light Gallery in West Greenville. Music will be provided by Travelers Rest resident, Stephanie Fagan, and you will have the chance to win your very own Emily Clarke original! It promises to be a great night.

Thanks again to everyone who has supported me over the past two years. And now, on to year three!

"Looking You in the Face"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

It is interesting how, from some angles these twisted paint tubes become almost abstract. Were it not for the cap on top, I don't think this item would be recognizable. It does make studying and painting them that much more interesting and challenging.

"A Different View"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

"Totally Spent"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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

Apple, In Progress

I was eating an apple during lunch today, and every so often, I would pause in my eating to sketch out what the apple looked like. I so loved the page in my sketchbook, that I had to post it.



Also, my first painting from this page of sketches. Expect to see several more of these.
"Just Beginning"

4 1/4"x 5 1/2"
Oil on Mat board
$65

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