My plein air group PAPO (Plein Air Painters of the Ozarks) was invited to the garden party that Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. They wanted it to be an educational experience for visitors so can learn how artists take in the outdoors. They even provided the guests watercolor supplies! CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE BIGGER VERSION
My thumbnail sketches
Something I am training myself to do more often is to draw thumbnail sketches of my composition. I don't know if I actually enjoy doing it but I seem to sell most pieces that I take time to do it for lol
drawing
Then while keeping an eye on both the subject and my chosen thumbnail composition, I draw. I have double vision problem so when I feel intimidated by all the details of a landscape, I use modified contour drawing method.
Painting begins
I build up the painting from light to dark which gives me option to change things as as I go and slowly enrich the colors. Note on the upper part of photo, a guest was painting along with me. She's a jeweler and we had a nice chat while painting :)
Finished in Bentonville!
On my way home I saw bicyclists posing in front of this wall for photo so I thought I'd get my shot too :D
We have been in the middle of converting our 2-car garage into my very first art studio which I blogged about in April 9 (Every Fiber of a Woman in Flight) The project had come to a full stop after the 4" concrete floor was poured late May because the floor was not even close to level and lumpy in several areas - not what you'd expect an interior concrete job should be! I knew this project was beyond my reach financially but my Mom and husband scraped together what little we had to come as close to a functional and inspiring space for me considering it has to accommodate my wheelchair so I can freely move around. But when I saw the floor, and after I had searched for why someone I was willing to pay would take my plight so negligently and without remorse expect me to accept it as good enough, I felt worse than this footage from the movie Inception. This was after all my ultimate dream;I felt shattered.
Get the idea? The surreal uncomfortable feeling and exploding floors etc? It's actually more about the eroding building scene but I couldn't find an isolated footage of it lol! But what is this nightmare??? What is this distorted world I'm in and why didn't I see all this coming?
Yet there apparently was a twinkling light in this mid-hell I was dropped in. Our new neighbor who I mainly knew as a talented architect and good family man who is always such an enthusiastic waver which always makes me smile a little bigger, Dave Burris had, from my first casual mention of this project, offered to make me drawings of the studio in trade for a big painting. He and his wife had recently viewed my art at a gallery and his reaction was "Your watercolors are phenomenal!" You know I meet a lot of "complimentary" people, and truly, in the back of my mind I'm always half thinking they're complimenting the damn wheelchair. Why? Because if compliments were sales, I'd be able to afford framing all the big art I'd really like to paint hahaha! Or if compliments were tickets to success this studio would have been done in a month.
Anyway, I gave Dave an update on the project and he basically responded with a plan that he's gonna make all the nonsense stop. Long story short, after much research on materials and corrective options, yesterday morning at 7-ish AM, July 26, he showed up with a new crew, prepped the bad floor and 2 hours later the concrete truck arrived and poured a more leveled top coat! My husband took pictures of the process because he was so impressed Dave was right in the concrete mud pushing the mix along with the 3 other men working!!!!
Hard to see the lumps in middle of original state but it was bad.
I wonder if he could see beyond my big smile; my self confidence was was also being restored. For months because of this situation and other art related "stories or drama" I've continuously lost faith in dreams and hopes and anything I might have thought were healthy goals and adult professional relationships, and any hope for new friendships. I've really felt that I was back in the pre-school of life surrounded by game playing children. I've looked for signs to confirm an inkling that maybe I needed to pay heed to THESE stop signs in my art path. But suddenly my works have been receiving real validations - a painting I did to escape my turmoil won the biggest award I've ever received and sold that same evening. Then another painting I just painted in watercolors to cheer myself up also got accepted in another major juried art show!
"Peonies in Watercolor" full sheet
Suddenly people I didn't know approach me in public as the artist who painted that winning piece! And then Dave did this extremely selfless,SELFLESS gesture. I asked him who was paying for this correction? I was shocked that a serious crew showed up and a concrete truck and he get got all messy himself! I wondered if his wife shrieked at his sight when he came home! Dave said, "It's all taken cared of, you have nothing to worry about!" With that, I issued a check to pay the balance of the original crew which I guess Dave had all sorted out as well.
When Dave returned at the end of the day (with his beautiful new baby girl on carrier he had on his back), to check on the floor, I asked him, "Why did you do this? Why did you take it all on to make it right and for nothing?" Without pausing to think, he responded, "Isn't this what people do for their neighbors? I just want to see you be able to move into your studio!"
Maybe I was that normal grateful person talking to him yesterday, but inside I was drenched in happy tears. I'm physically in tears typing this. Every time I allow myself a moment to think about this I feel I suddenly get weak soul deep and ready to collapse from sheer relief. I feel the sun on my face for the first time after sitting in the a dark cold place for months even though my husband and I have just stepped into another life challenge. But the foremost question I have is:
Is there ever a way to thank someone for something he thinks is just a normal kindness people do for others even though it happens to be the kindest thing ever done for me by a practical stranger?
My emotions still dizzy from this never-ending roller coaster ride called life. I decided to stare at my grandma's picture I took of her when she was alive a few years before we had to let her go at 97. She is my mentor for knowing joy no matter how bad things are. I was always able to make her bust up laughing and this was one of those specific times :) I drew the picture of her I took with the bird on her head as she tried to hold her laughter in hahaha! I have also been inspired by a quote:
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do that. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive." ~Walt Whitman
"Joy to Behold" charcoal on paper 9x12
In a way, I'm nervous. Maybe the big painting Dave has named as my end of the barter is really a giant mural. O-em-gee! God bless you and all your loved ones Dave Burris!
"Why is My Husband not looking at the Norman Rockwell exhibit?"
watercolor on paper
It's been very busy in my B'ville art life. I'll start with most recent and catch my blog up to my farthest memory...
We are honored to have 300 plus Norman Rockwell art works visit our local museum Crystal Bridges Museum American Art. I'm always eager to view original figurative art and that was pretty much the extent of my excitement. However, as images were being revealed in the museum's FB page, I noticed my interest growing. Sure enough at the members' preview, I was greeted by these gigantic original paintings! They were in oils, not some quick paintings that were slapped together to meet a magazine cover deadline. I know, if only I had read up. But it was nice to be humbled and surprised with an in your face kinda boldness :)
"Triple Self-Portrait" Cover illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, February 13, 1960. Oil
on canvas. 44 1/2 x 34 3/4 in. (113 x 88.3 cm). From the permanent
collection of the Norman Rockwell Museum
The painting above is one of the pieces visiting. As I study this, I realize Rockwell pretty much worked like I do. Like me, he surrounded himself with inspirations from other artists who have done something similar to his current project - photos, books, magazine, mirror, etc. Brushes on the floor and lots of crumpled papers that simply fell off the pile and I ran them over while concentrating. My brain is usually like a chipmunk getting more bloated as I acquire all it takes to attack the canvas and any kind of distraction like email, phone calls (and bills)are pushed off the peripheral.
Anyway, I owe Mr Rockwell my heartfelt apology. I didn't mean to disrespect my fellow artist. I was especially saddened when I read that he always felt like many fine artists didn't see him as their equal. The only reason why he's not my equal is because he will always be above me. Wow what a fine fine artist he was!
I haven't posted in a while because of so many ups and downs in my life. I get very affected by stress. When I have less than all of me to devote because other things needed my attention, it's very hard to go about the routine I like to keep. I'll always choose family first over my art. But the clouds somewhat let up and first thing I had to do was get busy producing close to 20 new pieces for a new gallery that started carrying my work back in October. That's the Norberta Philbrook Gallery. I produced 17 smallish -6x6, 8x8, 6x12 13 oils and 4 watercolors because I am artist of the month. The reception was well attended and I have sold pieces. But I feel most victorious that I didn't succumb to the bad flu going around until after I delivered the paitings!!!! I had every intention to paint MORE but my body had other plans. After all, my husband has been sick up and down from the bug since October and I was able to avoid it and meet my obligations! As I type I'm coughing still so let me finish by sharing some photos from the reception. As always, clicking on each image will give you a bigger view. I tend to update my Artist page on Facebook so if you're really curious, you can always find me there :)click here ->https://www.facebook.com/ErikaNelsonArtist
"Pensive Vigil" 6x6 oil on canvas
"They're Home!" 6x6 oil on canvas
"Nude Study 1" 8x8 w/c Photo by Norberta Philbrook Gallery
This morning I received a call from a very excited lady who saw this painting hanging at one of the galleries currently exhibiting my work. She just had to have this for her office so she can look at it daily she said! She also wants to know what else I have. She promptly made arrangements to pick it up after our phone call :) Wow what wonderful way for an artist to start her day! For me it's better than Christmas since Christmas is not about me anyway ;)
I've been busy cooking up big plans in the background. Getting ready for September when I am one of two artists featured at Poor Richard's Art's for the month! :)
Since I all my plans didn't quite work today, I was determined to at least get some painting done finally. So I braved the 98°. This challenge put forth by James Coulter on Daily Paintworks, instructed outdoor painting for an hour only. It was almost 10AM when I finally stepped out the door to paint my blackeyed Susans which were planted by my neighbor Shirley for me by the gazebo. They looked tired so I watered around first to give them a chance to perk up a little bit. After I carried everything I needed outside I realized I was using a different tripod/easel which was not compatible with my artbox. So I ended up just holding my artbox on my lap and proceeded to paint after I set my mobile phone timer to 60 minutes.
"Blackeyed Susan in 98° Heat" 12x9 oil on canvas
This next photo was the beginning and after that, 30 minutes later I had what I thought was gonna be the finished painting within an hour. But I actually feel pretty good about the painting after 50 minutes of working in the heat and the ants that made their way to under my sundress. I now realize one doesn't wear sundress plein air painting. But I enjoyed being outside, hearing soft movements among trees and ground from birds and other moving things. Butterflies visited the flowers but I didn't bother to paint them in. Of course I actually could have painted them since they were so wiped out by heat and were very thirsty. But my brushes wouldn't have done them justice. I still have 10 minutes I didn't use, I wonder if I should tweak a bit more? I finally got in the house after hauling everything back in at 1PM. Suffering for the love of painting outdoors is fun as long as I have air-conditioned house to come home to ;)
^^First stage of the painting^^
"Cherries and Cream Reflections" 2.5"x3.5" watercolor on paper
I am brave enough to report that I've failed my 30-day painting challenge. I had to forfeit because my dear artist neighbor Shirley sold their house and were moving to another state. I helped her for two weekends at her garage sale. She had given me artist furniture and other supplies and I had to make room for them in my art room. And since my art room was already busting at the seams, I had to move most things out so I could rearrange and sort through things. When I decide to organize, I try very hard not to just pile everything back in. I really sort.
Above is the new development. I moved my desk at the corner where I am now surrounded by windows on two sides. These pics are actually from last week.
This the artist furniture Shirley gave me. I had been DREAMING of having something like this! What a wonderful gift! :)
One view of the old pile. It doesn't look half this bad anymore. But my rotator cuff problem has flared up again. As I was painting today it reminded me of watching Serena Williams play tennis with a lot of grunting. But all I was trying to do was raise my hand up to my eye level. Hey, the painting looks pretty good though :)
I do love sleeping paintings! Somehow they make me feel like I too have caught up on my rest! This painting will be delivered today to Poor Richard's Art in Rogers, Arkansas along with some prints. Recently they have sold a giclee on watercolor of my "Dreaming Sweet Dreams" and my original ACEO below.
"After Rembrandt Self Portrait 1659" 3.5"x2.5" watercolor on paper
This favorite ACEO I've painted was sold by Poor Richard's Art for $350.00! It's quite exciting for me because it breaks my old ACEO record of $250.00 for this small format art! Giddy and so grateful!!!
Here I wanted to show my "Bed Hair" ACEO along with my latest obsession the wasabi peas!!! I've been crunching and doing my 30 days of painting this summer. Hope you're all staying cool and doing outdoor fun stuff!
I am challenging myself to just paint daily for 30 days. I won't be painting a finished piece but I will paint something everyday which I don't do. Well some days I take pictures all day or read an art book or peruse art websites but those too get in the way of creating. So I painted this at 11:50PM last night lol But it was done at 12:30 - I love that panic button!!! This is a monthly challenged in Wetcanvas miniature group. I had never participated in any of that before, usually I just go to the image library.
This video prompted me to do the 30-day deal from email my brother and sister sent me. By the way this painting is day #3
"Tired Peony and its Vegetable Friends" 10x6 watercolors
This week's Daily Paintworks challenge is to paint vegetables from life. I wasn't sure how I'd like the challenge, especially using watercolors. I tend to think in oils when I consider painting still life. But I think the rich color transitions made this project fun.
Lately I've been feeling like my stamina is being rationed. I'd basically think about setting up a still life for painting and before I know it, I'm exhausted just running around gathering objects! Sometimes I get tired just thinking about what objects I want to use! Maybe it's because it's spring time. I always suffer stimulation overload in the spring because of all the flowers I want to paint and the pressure of them fading soon if I don't save a block of time to paint them! Then torment myself with the feeling I don't know how to paint flowers. It's a laughable situation but a real torture sometimes! So there you go, a tired peony and its vegetable friends! I was tempted to paint a person for the peony's friend but I didn't. So I hope I get humanitarian points for that ;)
A couple hours ago I celebrated the anniversary of my 29th birthday :) The week has been busy with my appointments and with storms and tornado warnings so there was no point in making definite plans to go out. My husband had an bit of emergency work to do for the morning but he hurried home to cook us a nice brunch which allowed me to keep on painting for a change! It's been a busy week with not enough time for focused painting so I was pleased to stay home :)
"Thanksgiving Orchid"
ACEO 2.5"x3.5" watercolor on paper
This piece was also some sort of a celebration - a new bloom from my orchid Scott bought me last Thanksgiving! I was both cheering the new bloom and the fact I've kept the plant alive this long! I was painting from life,so with the orchid sitting under a light it had completely opened up by the time I finished the painting!
I received tons of birthday greetings on Facebook so I was very flattered and happy that over 120 people took the time to greet me especially with the holidays and families getting together this week!
Happy Passover and Happy Easter to my friends and readers!
This week's Daily Paintwork's challenge was brought to us by Carol Marine. The challenge was simply to paint the photo of the chicken she provided or use our own reference. I chose her photo because I felt like dealing with the challenge of painting something white.
These next ones are ACEO
"Simply Iris" 2.5x3.5 inches watercolor on paper
Usually after I paint my small format art like the ACEO, I like to press the painting between two pieces of wood overnight. I painted the sunflowers the other night... just to seize the day and before the flowers was about to be offered to the birds. As I was supposed about to press it, I was surprised by the iris painting I had in between the woods. I think it's been at least 2 years...probably more.
"Sunflowers" 2.5x3.5 inches watercolor on paper
I think I enjoyed painting this looser piece. Painting tight was probably what made me stop painting them before!
I have been redesigning my blog. I hope to get done with it soon because it sure eats up my art time!
I have been busy HAPPILY rediscovering my old watercolors from last year's art challenges! I feel as if I am watching a plot come to fruition and a confirmation things don't happen by accident! I had been painting on my oddly sized watercolor sketch pad without any plans to deal with them professionally aka selling them. But after I painted my "Dreaming Sweet Dreams" which I enjoyed painting so much, I thought I'd check out my smaller paintings done last year. I really liked them! So I took it further and dug up some old standard sized mat boards but none fit. However I went to the garage and found some FREE mat boards I received a couple years ago and VOILA! "For some reason" they were perfect! Hmmm somehow I think the oddly sized watercolors and oddly cut mat boards were meant for each other! Wow I really got a kick out of that :D
So I thought I'd go ahead and paint more on the sketch pad because I only have 3 more pages to go. Of course I had to paint some hyacinths harvested from my garden. Hmm yes, I'm intoxicated by these lovely scents! The deffodils are from my neighbor's garden :)
And look! As of today, I have 11 bids on my cat for Daily Paintworks's Help Japan Challenge! YAY and 4 days 2 hours to go on my auction!!! Together we've raised $15,500!!!! WOOHOO!!! Please click on the image to be redirected to the auction pieces! Let's get together and help those in need of whatever we can give :)
"Dreaming Sweet Dreams" 9x12 inches plus white borders watercolor on paper
This is my painting specifically inspired by the Daily Paintworks's "Help Japan Challenge" Keiko Tanabe's challenge was paint the first thought that comes to you with the theme "home".
I live in Arkansas, but home to me is California. My generic reaction to the word "home" is that it's a place where I can be comfortable to do as I please. Home is sanctuary which is something taken away from thousands of people when the earthquakes and tsunamis hit Japan. When I saw those videos, I wondered how those poor people could convince themselves the world was not ending before their eyes. To most of them, it still must feel as if their world has ended. But they are alive and have to continue to survive and hopefully they will see life blossom again soon despite their loss. This is such a small effort on my part to help them out. But together we can make a difference to one or more people. I have chosen to send all proceeds to American Red Cross. Please click HERE to see my art and other artwork that you might find special enough to bid on and hopefully add to your collection. Thanks so much - Erika
This was my attempt at an older challenge project for Daily Paintworks. This one was a challenge offered by Carole Marine. Here is the One Color Per Stroke Challenge I REALLY enjoyed this challenge as I think it has breathed new life into my painting sessions! I bet I'd still revert somehow to a tighter style but hopefully when I do, I'd still retain what I learned here. I love that it's fresh and sparkly!
I absolutely cannot believe how much I look forward to my art time! It has been THREE years since I last enjoyed being among my art supplies! I cannot tell you what broke me from it and I cannot tell you why it clicked again! All I know is that I feel like I took a happy art pill somehow HAHAHA I really wish I could bottle it up and save some for 'just in case".
I call myself a traveling artist. I chase the right lighting around the house. There is nothing like natural light and being comfortable indoors during the cold and hot seasons. I am still painting from the bouquet of daffodils my neighbors brought me! Here's today when I chased the light in the laundry room. Work in progress painting there.
This is the study watercolor piece I did which I painted in the kitchen HAHAHA That's the glass top. And did I tell you my house throws up on my painting days? You can imagine it I'm sure :) I'm just lucky my husband loves and supports me!!!
I took advantage of the opportunity to enter Randy Higbee Gallery's 6-Squared show that was announced on FaceBook And to my delight both my entries were accepted! Here they are, masterfully framed by Randy Higbee! The show will run until December 23rd at 102 Kalmus Drive, Costa Mesa, CA Phone# (800) 506-7624 As always, click on each image to see them in larger view. Hope your holiday season is going smoothly and happily! :)
"Autumn Harvest 2" 6x6 (art) watercolor on paper framed in white matt board and black rustic $175.00
"Charles" 6x6 (art) watercolor on paper framed in white matt board and black rustic $175.00
The official invitation
A small grouping on the exhibit wall with my paintings.
Back when I was a prolific "Ebay artist" I painted mostly ACEO (Art Cards Editions and Originals). They are baseball card size which is 2.5x3.5 inches. I painted them mostly in watercolors or occasionally used acrylics or oils. Those were the days before Ebay simply took the joy of creating and selling without worrying too much about making a good living out of painting. Here are three of my favorite Father's Day themed ACEO.
"Baby's First Man!" 2.5x3.5 inches watercolor on paper
"Summer Fishing for the Boys" 2.5x3.5 inches watercolor on paper
This last one is close to my heart as it is Lori Andrew's men. I fell in love with their matching chins! Thanks Lori!!!
"Chin Club/ Belong" 2.5x3.5 inches watercolor on paper
Fathers are very special especially for little girls! I hope nobody forgets to tell their dad they love them. I wish I could call my dad but he passed away in the mid-80's . However, I'm pretty sure he knew he was loved :)
I am currently in a group show that opened June 9th and will end July 3rd at the Art Center of the Ozarks. Now I'm just busy doing commission pieces until my next group show around the end of summer. I hope to jump back in DSDF again more regularly, but we'll see ;)
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the good men who go out of their way to bring up wholesome children by giving them all their loving support! It's not an easy job but it makes a big positive difference in the long run!
"Orchid"6x6 watercolor I am currently visiting in Southern California partly business but mostly pleasure - the pleasure of being warm, surrounded by food I enjoy and of course friends and family.
I had the opportunity to paint a quick commission for a business which I was pleased to do the day before a sudden eye procedure I underwent during the first week of my vacation. A casual visit with my Mom's ophthalmologist brought to our attention a rip in my retina which was a result of a detached vitreous from 2 years ago. I thought just in case worse case scenario takes place, I'd like to know I painted something successfully. Anyway, the procedure was 2 days ago and I'm feeling as if nothing happened already; I am glad I was in capable hands.
Here is the painting framed and ready for delivery! I think it will be a nice addition to their intimate lobby. It's a business by two sisters. One makes silk orchid arrangements and the other has an orchid nursery.
Happy Easter to all my readers! Please excuse my absence, tax time is busy because I am not the most organized person with paperwork so an elaborate scavenger hunt ensues LOL We are also (hopefully) going to be busy with remodeling of our computer area which will eventually become ... basically a "work playroom" for computers, painting and music making. Wish us luck!
It was hard for me to take this challenge too seriously for some reason lol But I love the word "sistahs" so I decided to use Fiestaware to rhyme the word with hahaha! Actually my original concept was a full sheet watercolor on Yupo but I just couldn't get my supplies together on time and the 8x10 study I did for it fizzled within 15 minutes (too small).
So here is my contribution to DSDF week 23-24 challenge with Karin Jurick! One can only imagine what these sistahs from different muthas were are ranting about. Maybe it's the last season of The Bachelor and how Jason proved to be just another shortsighted man who was absent when they were distributing class! Bleeghhh I'm glad I didn't see the whole season and decided to just peak into the last show ;)
