More Mixed Media and Giveaway news!

Here's another mixed media painting that I finished recently. "Urban Trees" 12x12. This one was really fun to work on. I textured the surface with acrylic molding paste first and then added a small square of Japanese paper that has leaves embedded in it. I painted, and stamped and glazed and painted some more. When I work on my mixed media pieces, the studio becomes a great big mess. I work on many pieces at a time so there are papers and scraps all over. I find it really enjoyable especially when the finished paintings start appearing out of the chaos. I'm not sure where this piece will end up yet. Perhaps in my online shop.

It's almost that time!!! What a great way to end a wonderful summer. I'm having a giveaway!! Back in my blogpost titiled "A Little R&R" I mentioned that you can have a chance to win one of 3 original paintings. The first giveaway will be in the first week of September. I'll post a photo of my painting and just by leaving me a comment, You'll have a chance to win it. So stay tuned!!!

One Painting-Start to Finish

I've been asked so many times "how do you paint" or "how long does it take you to do a painting". I thought I'd share with you the different stages I go through in creating a painting. Please keep in mind that all artists work differently and that it really is such a personal thing. This is how I work. It all starts with inspiration. When I'm starting a new painting or series of paintings, everything and anything can inspire me. Cloud formations, sunsets, leaves hanging from branches, almost anything in nature. Also magazines, window shopping, sitting in Starbucks and watching the world go by and gallery hopping. I'm a highly visual person and I take a lot of photographs as I never know what will create that spark of inspiration.

Once I've decided on subject matter I make sketches and decisions about what colors I'll use. Ive recently started to use a bit of photoshop and will probably incorporate this more in the beginning stages as it's a big time saver. I then start with a white stretched canvas and add texture with molding paste. Acrylics can be quite thin so I like to add texture to give the painting more interest. I find this also helps me when I'm blending and getting that "soft focus" that I create.

I let the canvas/molding paste dry overnight and then paint the canvas with gesso, and when that has dried, a light layer of red oxide. This gives a wonderful under glow to the painting. I even let this red come through in places. This dries in a couple of hours and then I begin to paint and sketch in the dark areas of the painting. Following the sketches I've made previously, I can adjust placement of objects or perspective if needed. I then begin to paint large areas and work in layers upon layers to create depth and dimension. In the above painting I would paint over the sky 5 0r 6 times, blending and softening edges. This painting is now in the half-done stage. I'll add details and highlights to finish it up. Stay tuned for the finished painting.

Before the Rain

It's a long weekend here and it's going to be cool and rainy. I think it will be a great weekend to get caught up on the things I've been putting off like cleaning and organizing my studio. I was inspired to do this painting "Before the Rain" from photographs I took on a long weekend a couple of years ago. It was a beautiful summers day. A little muggy, you could tell that the rain was coming. I'm always drawn to sheep grazing. There's something so peaceful about them. This painting is acrylic on canvas and is available at Art Interiors.

Small Urban Skies

Here are two more small acrylic paintings in my Urban Sky series. These are also 6"x6" on stretched canvas, that I've applied texture to. The whole series will be available in the Etsy shop tomorrow.

Urban Sky Series

Here is a painting form the urban sky series I've been working on. It is acrylic on canvas, 6"x6".

Etsy Shop Now Open!!

"I've got my Head in the Clouds" Acrylic on canvas, 6"x6" $50.00


Have you heard about Etsy? It's a shopping site where everything is hand made. It's like going to the worlds largest craft show without ever having to leave your seat. I've spent many hours I'm sure, searching through all the different shops and have found some wonderful gifts and items for myself too!

RedBanana is my Etsy shop. It's where I'll sell my smaller works. Paintings in acrylic, mixed media and collage, studio sketches, ACEO's and maybe even hand painted scrapbooking papers and collage sheets. I might even sell prints of larger paintings in the future, but for now everything in my etsy shop will be hand painted and original. I'm happy to have found Etsy as I was looking for a way to sell my smaller works that don't go through a gallery. I used to sell quite a bit at outdoor art shows but the weather was always such an issue, I prefer the internet these days.

I'll be posting the paintings for sale on my blog and they will be available at RedBanana's Etsy shop. Paintings on my website are also available for sale-just email me for purchasing info.

Cloud Portraits

I've been working on smaller paintings these days. They are a nice break from the larger canvases. Here are some cloud portraits. They are each 6"x6" acrylic on canvas mounted on board.