Lynden St Victor

I love the allegorical work of Lynden St Victor.  Not only is he an outstanding painter (self taught), but also has very interesting thoughts on religion, life, art.  He and his wife are also involved heavily in dog rescue, apparently- animal rescue is an issue that is close to my heart. 

new painting

I've been working on quite a few paintings over the past few months.  Because I work in oils with slow-drying mediums, it takes me a while!  I think I'm going to alter this process a bit- but for now, that is how it is.  I work in layers- slowly building one upon another- atop a base drawing/painting. Working this way allows me to make major changes to the work, if needed.  This painting started out as a basic American folk art inspiration- taken over by dreams of the earth, of death and rebirth.  Entitled: (in secret) between the shadow and the soul- I do love Pablo Neruda...

 

Swan Bones Theater

One of my very favorite artists- Kelly Louise Judd created illustrations for a children's book about faeries: 13 Treasures, by Michelle Harrison, that was just released.  If you have never looked at Kelly's beautiful paintings and illustrations- you are really missing out!  She is an amazing artist who seems to pull from fairy tale, myth and dreams to create the most lovely paintings.  She is truly an inspiration!  

And.. who can resist a faerie book?!  The book sounds wonderful: "No one else can see the evil fairies that rouse Tanya from her sleep, torturing her at the slightest mention of their existence, but they are as real to the 13-year-old as anything she's ever known. She cannot rid herself of them, nor can she ignore them. But it is her insistence on responding to them that has her banished to her grandmother's secluded countryside manor.

There is much to explore and even more to fear in the woods surrounding the estate. But, the forest isn't the only source of dark secrets, and Tanya soon finds herself entangled in a mystery that could trap her in the fairy realm forever."

I can't wait to buy a copy of this!

Sergy Tyukanov

I found this Russian artist- Sergy Tyukanov- through Bibliodyssey (beautiful blog - best images on the web, I think) a while back.

I love Sergy Tyukanov's work- such delicate line and wonderful detail. I want to live in those fantastical worlds!

Travel, Painting, Life

February was such a busy month- I've hardly had time to sit and think- much less blog... but it has been a good-busy period.


M and I took a wonderful trip to San Francisco. It has been probably 15 years since I have been there- and I do love the city so much! I had a fantastic time perusing the art museums, shops, parks- not to mention enjoying great food-! We filled up on clam chowder, Indian delicacies, Thai deliciousness, fish and chips, French cuisine- makes my mouth water to remember it all.

After SF, I travelled to Albuquerque to see friends and family. It was a shorter visit- but a good one- and again, I got my fill of delicious food- specifically green chili luciousness.

So, 10 lbs later-!

Before I journeyed off- I sold this piece to a private collector:

The Gift

It is an oil on (textured) board (8"x10")- entitled "The Gift". It took around 4 months to complete- and was created in the traditional styles of painting- starting with a drawing, then an underpainting, then layering of glazes. I also do a bit of wet on wet mixing in some of the layers - so in the end, it is a combination of styles. This type of painting takes months to dry. I did not use quick drying medium, but mixed my own mediums- with slower drying times. This type of painting can be a hindrance in today's quick market art world- but it's worth it, to me. I think that the glazing technique gives the painting a luminous look- and creates an added dimension. However, because of the slow drying time, I had to varnish with a retouch varnish before selling it to my collector. In a year, I will need to go back and varnish the painting with a proper varnish.
All in all, I was happy with the results and very pleased that it will be enjoyed for many years to come.

a Little Byrd with beautiful taste

My friend, Rebekah has such a lovely vintage shop on Etsy I just wanted to share it: http://www.etsy.com/shop/littlebyrdvintage

She has the most beautiful taste - I love the way she looks at things- I guess with a folk-Victorian sensiblity- lots of lovely faded prints, old lace, animal trinkits, antique childrens' books...AND she is a talented seamstress who creates her own lovely accessories, house decor, and clothing. I especially love her super cute elfish hats (of which I now own 2!) and her fingerless cozy mittons. (shown)= Adorable!!

Lots of painting going on

I've been painting like mad lately- oils mostly. Because my primary paintings take 3-4 months to complete (I work in the "old master" style of layering or glazing over an underpainting- though I also employ some wet-on-wet techniques to parts of the painting.) I am just now able to show completed paintings that I started during the summer! The one above- "She Who Watches" is oil on board- measuring 6" x 6".
I'm thinking of having prints made for the shop or maybe producing note cards of this image.