Luminous Berries and Art Life Updates

Luminous Berry

5 x 5 watercolor on paper

click here to purchase

For the last several months painting has constantly been on my mind. I dream up ideas for future paintings, my hands itch to hold a brush, and I try to figure out how to get 26 hours out of each day, or require less than 5 hours of sleep at night, so I can get more painting time.

Since the new year came and the holidays are gone for another year (YASSS) I made a promise to myself that I would paint every day. If only for 15 minutes. Well. . . . I haven't kept that promise. Some days I just can't make it to paint. Which IS frustrating. BUT on the positive side I have painted more this month than I did the last six months combined. So I think I'm onto something here.

This painting is the first watercolor daily painting (never mind that it took me about 6 days to finish instead of 1) I've finished in. . . 3 years I think. And I have found a lot of satisfaction in that.

I'm excited to keep on painting, I have SO many ideas sketched out! We'll see how well I do at keeping this blog updated too.

Thanks for following along with my artwork!

Hugs,

Crystal

I is for. . . Iron Man SOLD

'Iron Man' 

4 x 4 inches 

watercolor on paper SOLD

Back to work with my alphabet series. 'I' is for, you guessed it, Iron Man - Lego style. In our house, superheroes and Legos are king. 

I got my kids involved with this painting, because I could NOT find Iron Man's tiny Lego mask. And well, without his mask he's just Tony Stark, which while Tony Stark is awesome, he is not quite as awesome as Iron Man. ;) Also Tony starts with a T. ;)

So, we took a bunch of photos of all different kinds of Lego guys, Batman and Catwoman, Storm Troopers and Jedis, and the riders of Rohan and the Uruk Hai army. Not sure that I'll get to painting all of them, but it was a lot of fun. And I organized all the Legos while we were at it for about the hundredth time. Let's hope they stay that way for more than a month.  

We've got a bunch of home improvement projects going on right now, and I am loaded with commissions (a good thing :) so I may need to take a break from this series for a little while, but I'll be back to it for sure. Hopefully soon because it is a lot of fun. 

Huzzah to you my friends! May your week be filled with cupcakes and acts of superheroism! 

Listening to: "The Ballad of John Henry" by Joe Bonamassa

Reading: The Unwanteds

Watching: Supernatural reruns

Snacking on: half baked, fresh out of the oven chocolate chip cookies

Drinking: diet Coke with lime 

Juicies SOLD

 'Juicies'  SOLD

4 x 6 inches 

watercolor on paper

So. I've decided that this painting needs a home to love him. This was one of my favorite still life's that I've painted. I just LOVE the color of the oranges and the shadows. And the light. Of course. It's always about the light. 

I think I need to paint some more backlit fruit since it's nearly summer and all. :)

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!

Bird's Eye Bottles

'Bird's Eye Bottles' 

6 x 9 inches, watercolor and gouache on paper

$100 plus $7 US shipping, or $15 International

This is another painting that I started last spring then abandoned later on. I started painting this as a demo at an 'artist's night' at our local high school. I brought a bunch of my paintings and several of my sketchbooks and there were a lot of kids that just loved art that stopped by to talk to me.

My sketchbooks seemed to be a big hit with them, I think they really liked seeing the less than perfect scribbles and drawings. I don't even show you guys those. ;) But I felt like it was important for young artists to see that not every painting or drawing will be as good as you want or try for it to be, and that's okay. 

That's how this job works, we are always striving to be better than we are today so naturally some of what we do will fall short. Especially in sketchbooks, which by their nature are meant to be quick studies, and charmingly imperfect. At least that's what I tell myself. ;)

These are some of those bottles that I showed you a photo of that are sitting in my living room on a shelf. I saw these two at a book store that also sold some small home decor items. They are made by hand, so the glass is thicker, and their shape isn't machine perfect. Which is what makes me love them so much. I think I'll be painting them more. I definitely want to try them in colored pencil next. 

I thought it would be kind of fun to show these very translucent glass bottles against an opaque gouache background. I like the contrast between those two, I think it really makes the transparent watercolors glow.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a happy St. Patty's day! I'm planning a fun green dinner for my kids that night as we speak. :)

Let It Snow - SOLD

'Let It Snow' SOLD

6" x 6" watercolor on paper

$65 plus $7 US shipping or $15 International

Last winter my youngest son was playing with some of his toys and books (suspiciously very quietly) when he suddenly came to get me to see what he had built. On the floor was a long line of books placed end to end, covering the entire room. And on each book was a little toy.

He was SO proud of what he had done. I took a bunch of photos of him and his book 'train' and then I saw this little pig with wheels sitting on top of one of his favorite Toot and Puddle books. The light was so pretty, and I thought it was an awfully cute coincidence that the two illustrated pigs just so happened to be looking up at the little toy.

It needed to be painted. So I owe the composition here to littlest Cook. :)  

Juicies

'Juicies'

4" x 6" watercolor on paper

$50 plus $7 US shipping or $15 Int.

 

Sometimes I just feel like painting a still life. Not very often, but sometimes. :)

 

My sons love these little Clementines that come into the stores around Christmas time. I think it's partly because they are yummy but also because they are little and cute. My now four year old boy insists on eating them because he can peel them himself. :)

 

And I just want to say thank you, so much, for all of you who visit this blog, whether you comment or not (but if you do take the time to comment here's an extra *hug* for you). Your support and kindness means so much to me. More than I can say. I try to reply to comments or questions but it may take me a while if I get behind (which, if I'm being honest, is pretty much all the time).

 

Just want you all to know how much I appreciate you. Every single one of you. :) Have a great day everyone!

Aqueous SOLD

'Aqueous' SOLD

6" x 6" watercolor on watercolor board

A painting of what I paint with. Except my water container is never that clear, and it's not a pretty glass mug either, but you get the idea. :) I thought it would be fun to do a painting of my watercolor set up.

I can't help but think, when I see that plain old mug of water, that watercolor really is magical. I know I've said it before, but come on people! What other medium gets the same results of brilliant colors and life with the most humble of supplies?

Probably the most magical of any art medium, at least in my opinion (no offense oil, acrylic, pastel painters! I love your work too!). Brush, water, paper, and color. Those four simple things make some pretty amazing magic in an artist's hand.

This was a fun painting to do and I really, really like how it turned out. But holy rusted metal Batman those tiny details in the glass were beginning to make my eyes cross! I think I'll stick to a face for my next painting. :)

Huzzah!

Love Letters For Mom

Love Letters For Mom

6" x 6" watercolor

click here to bid

This month's Cook-Waller Challenge theme was 'Love Letters', as picked by Carrie.

Some of the best love letters I've ever received have been given to me by my children. I keep every single one of them, some are stuck in the pages of scrapbooks, others are tucked away in boxes, and some of them I keep out where I can see them at all times. So that I can read them any time I need to remember that for all that I may do wrong as a mother the one thing I do right is love my children with all my heart, and they know that.

And here's Carrie's painting:

Love Letters by Carrie Waller

12" x 12" watercolor

visit her blog here

Carrie paints still life's like nobody's business, and I really love the story that is told here. These are love letters that her husband (who is stationed in Afghanistan right now) has written to their two small sons. A truly meaningful and beautiful painting. :)

See you later friends. :)

Beneath the Surface SOLD

'Beneath the Surface'

6" x 6" watercolor

SOLD

Something that always appeals to me (as far as what I want to paint next) is light. But, I think this is kind of a given for most artists. For me, specifically, the appeal is sunlight. And when I saw the sunlight shining through that top row of pomegranate seeds I thought. . . Huzzah!!! Must. Paint. Now.

My son loves fruit. He has since he was a tiny baby and I fed him mashed up bananas and squishy peaches. One night, when out looking for snacks with my husband, he decided he wanted a pomegranate. Thaaaat's right. My kid. Me. The son of the Queen of sugar and chocolate consumption chose a fruit as his snack.

Now it must be said that I do promote healthy eating and being active around here just so you know (I go to the gym every morning, see what a good example I am? And we do Tae Kwon Do as a family. And I'm constantly looking for healthy meal recipes. . . so I can indulge in chocolate of course. . . and because it's good for you), no need to be concerned for the welfare of my child.

When my son brought this treat home I was so excited, because of course, A) he was making good snack choices, and B) it sparked the fire in my artist's brain that's always on the look out for what I should paint next.

And it also forced me to google 'how to open a pomegranate' because apparently one does not just hack into one of these babies with a knife willy nilly.

Yep. I learned that the hard way. They're much, much prettier if you open them the correct way.

Until Thursday friends!

Huzzah!

A new year, a look back, and a blogoversary giveaway!

Two years ago this month I started this blog. And I had no idea it would be such a hugely positive way for me to connect with others about my all consuming passion for art. You guys have been a huge support for me, encouraging me when I doubt myself, praising me when I don't deserve it, and just being downright awesome in every way. This artist's life can be very lonely, but you guys make it less so. Much less so. :)

So there will be a giveaway, as my way of saying thank you. :) But first, a look back at last year.

I set a goal for 2011 to grow more with my painting skills and when I look back at the work I've done over the last year I think that I really have grown. I've tried new mediums, new subjects, new points of view. I've let go of (at least some of) my fear of failure when it's time to sit down and paint. I've painted from my heart, subjects and compositions that matter to me, things that I wanted to paint. I've been true to myself.

And I think that is the greatest thing an artist can do.

So, with that in mind, I've compiled a list of paintings that I feel were milestones, paintings that really helped me stretch, or see things in a new way. And there's even a painting here that I've never posted before.

Here we go!

Sparkle

7" x 9" watercolor

Obviously this painting is a portrait of my son, so there's nothing new there :) but the thing about this painting that helped me grow was making those lost and found edges in his clothes, and maintaining his sweet face and eyes as the focus point. It's easy for me to paint everything I see in focus and be very literal about sharp edges since I love detail so much, but I think not having everything sharp makes a stronger impact, at least with this piece it did.

Next!

Still Life Interruptus 2

10" x 14" watercolor

With this painting I really pushed color and light, much more than what was seen in my reference photo, and much more than I usually do. Let me just tell you, it took guts for me to splash so much cadmium red all over his skin tones. I was a nervous wreck every time I sat there and watched the wet paint drying, asking myself "what have you done!" But in the end it was worth it. I really like the glow. 

Next! No soup for you! (sorry but it had to be said)



Solemn

7" x 9" watercolor

This painting helped me see what a big difference having a well thought out color scheme can make in your finished work. I like the color harmony here. I think that I only used about five tube colors to create this painting. Wierd since I'm a color junkie and usually use everything on my palette! And I really like the variety of edges here too.  

Next!

Beauty Inside

6" x 6" watercolor

This was the first still life I ever painted. And painting this proved to me that you don't always need a face or figure to tell a story or have some drama. Go figure! ;)

And really I could talk about what I learned from every single painting I did last year, but that would be boring so here's one more. . .

Sleepy Baby

8" x 10" acrylic on masonite

This is the one I never posted, but painted back in June of last year. Working with acrylics is an interesting experience for me. I feel like I'm completely out of my comfort zone and I'm always interested to see that how I paint with acrylics is entirely different from how I paint with watercolors, or even colored pencils. It's like I have a different personality that only shows up when I paint with acrylics. I think I'll call her Genevive. (that's for you Brodie ;)

But I digress, the growth that comes from painting with acrylics shows up in my watercolors too I think. I feel more daring, more brave, less afraid to fail when I approach my next watercolor. It's very. . . liberating I guess you could say.

Now onto the giveaway. :)

As my way of saying thank you for being the rock stars that you are all you need to do is leave a comment on this post (or on the corresponding link to this blog post on my facebook page). In your comment you don't need to tell me how awesome you think I am (although that would be cool. Kidding. . . kinda :), you can tell me something awesome about you, like what your favorite cupcake flavor is, or your future plans for world domination (Mwa ha ha!!!).

I'm not requiring you guys to do anything extra for this giveaway, just comment and you're entered. But. . . if you want to share it with others through facebook, or your own blog, or some other way, then  that would just be awesome and I would be your best friend forever (I'm sorry I just can NOT bring myself to write BFF), but you don't have to. :)

Then next Monday night I will randomly choose one person who will win a 5" x 7" print of my painting Timeless Remedy:

and on Tuesday I will post who that winner is. :)

Thanks everybody. It's been an amazing two years. Here's to a great new year! Huzzah for 2012!!!

Jingle Jingle Jingle SOLD

'Sleigh Bells Ring' SOLD

5" x 7" watercolor

click here to bid

I remember sitting in the elementary school's library, when I was about seven years old, in this little circular seating area, and listening to the librarian read 'The Polar Express' by Chris Van Allsburg for the first time. I was captivated. I don't think I moved during that entire story time.

I LOVED that book. I loved the whole idea of being taken to the North Pole on Christmas Eve on the Polar Express, listening to the wolves howl outside the train, tasting the rich, hot chocolate on the ride up there, and of course the chance of being chosen by Santa to receive the first gift of Christmas. 

And the thing I think I wanted for Christmas the most that year was one sleigh bell. A real one from Santa's sleigh, preferrably from Dasher's own harness (who was my favorite reindeer). 

On Christmas morning I was thrilled to see that one small present under the tree that I knew had to be a jingle bell from Santa's sleigh. When I opened it and saw the small silver bell inside, and held it to my ear to hear it's soft jingle, I knew that Santa had come through for me. Christmas was magic.

And now that I'm grown up and I get to see Christmas through my boys' eyes it still is. More so now than it ever was. :)

P.S. I think I am developing alarming magpie-like tendencies as I hunt down every shiny and reflective object I can find just so I can paint them. I feel like that dog from 'Up' who kept shouting 'Squirrel!' only instead of squirrel it's 'Shiny!'  :)

See you later friends. Huzzah!!

Tricks and Treats - SOLD

Tricks And Treats

7" x 9" watercolor

SOLD

Lately I have had a big fascination with shiny or reflective objects when it comes to painting. It all started with that dang glass of apple cider I did. I had SO much fun painting all the different colors and details. There's something kind of magical about really seeing what happens to shiny stuff (for lack of a better word) in the light.

I wanted to paint something Halloweenish (have I mentioned that Halloween is my favorite?) so I spent some time in the candy aisle looking at all the fun treats. And, lo and behold! I found these pretty little foil-covered chocolate bars. Which I then stacked up next to good old Jack here to find some kind of composition that caught my eye.

When I saw those little spots of reflected color on that silly looking pumpkin I almost did a villainous laugh. Seriously. I was pretty happy. The only problem with this painting? Painting the candy before the four menfolk (and one womanfolk, who has a serious sugar weakness) in the house ate up all my props/treats!

Now,  onto some random Halloween fun. :)

Favorite Halloween movie: "It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown", or "Igor" (which technically is not a Halloween movie, but, it has Igor's in it for goodness sake! 'Igor!!! Pull the switch!!!' :)

Favorite Halloween book: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh (Edgar Allen Poe spookiness abounds!) or The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancy (very, very creepy, in a good way)

Favorite Halloween treat: My mom's popcorn balls. She makes these to-die-for super soft and gooey, buttery caramel popcorn balls that are totally worth all the stickiness you WILL get on your face after you eat one.

Favorite Halloween song: Thriller by Michael Jackson of course. :)

Favorite Halloween costume I've worn: For the last two years I have been a pirate because at least one of my boys has been too and it was fun to be pirates together. Also, because then I can channel Captain Jack Sparrow who is the best. pirate. ever. Savvy love?

Feel free to share your favorite's with me in the comments or in your own blog post and I'll come check it out!

Have a great day everyone. :)

Daily Escape SOLD

'Daily Escape' SOLD

6" x 6" watercolor

click here to bid

Almost two years ago I read a book that changed the way I thought about a lot of things. It was "Shiver" by Maggie Stiefvater (the book in my painting above). I fell in love with the story of Sam and Grace and couldn't stop thinking about it.

A few days later I was looking Maggie up online. I love to read about the lives of authors I admire, how they started writing, their inspiration and influences, their path towards publication, and it was then that I found out that Maggie and I are the same age.

This kind of stunned me for a couple of reasons: 1. Her writing was so beautiful and poetic it amazed me that someone so young (ahem, that's right, I said young, 28 is young right?) had written something so powerful. And 2.  She had written a book that I LOVED and was published at MY age! If she could do it, maybe I could too.

After a little more online stalkage research I found out that Maggie also was a mother to two young children, and an amazing colored pencil artist to boot! This seemed strangely coincidental to me.

Now I'm not one who believes in 'signs' but I do believe that things happen for a reason, and that at certain times in our life God puts people or ideas there that we need at that exact time. 

I started taking my writing more seriously after that, giving myself permission to believe that I could be a writer.

I've since written two novels and am now working on my third. I'm not published yet, but I believe that if I work hard enough one day I will be.

This painting was inspired by one Maggie had done (click here to see it). That's one of my own wolf sketches that I painted to look like a sketch, and that's apple cider in my mug instead of tea because I love cinnamon, apples, and sugar. :) Lots and lots of sugar.

Until next week my friends! Huzzah!

Dragon vs. Heffalump SOLD

Dragon vs. Heffalump

6" x 6" watercolor

SOLD

I had to paint the Heffalump again*. He's starting to act a little diva-ish, demanding that I paint him. Even when I told him I was going to put him in a face off with this fierce dragon, he still wanted to pose.

I don't think he realized what he was in for. I mean look at that face! So clueless, so trusting. Poor little guy.

But I must admit that I underestimated this little Heffalump. In a classic case of the victorious underdog, he defeated the dragon. Killed him with kindness I guess you could say. Well not really killed since the dragon did live to see another day, but a defeat just the same!

They seemed to reach an agreement without having to exchange blows (phew! I did not want to explain to my son why his Heffalump was suddenly sporting a black eye. . . or worse). Heffalump said he would not give Dragon that cute look anymore as long as Dragon promised to end his evil-attempted-maiden-eating days and use his mighty powers for good instead.

 Dragon agreed. . . somewhat reluctantly. :)

* A few side notes about this painting:

1. I am a sucker for dragons (expect to see a little more of this guy).

2. I am also a sucker for a good vs. evil story. Especially when the evil one decides to fight his dragonish (vampir-ish, Severus Snape-ish, zombie-ish, etc.) ways and chooses to be good.

3. I've been struggling with feelings of inadequacy with my paintings lately. It seems like everything I touch just doesn't measure up! *Sigh* Frustrating and demoralizing is what it is. I thought a fun little painting might help with that. :) I know this will pass, it always does. Nevah give up! Huzzah!  

Have a great loooong weekend everyone. :D 

Beauty Inside SOLD

Beauty Inside SOLD

6" x 6" watercolor

click here to bid

Kiwi's are ugly little beasts aren't they? Well, at least on the outside. I wonder what in the world possessed the first person to slice that hairy brown *thing* up and take a peek?

 Hunger induced madness? Pending zombie apocalypse? Or just plain old curiosity?

I don't know, but I would have loved to have seen the look on their face when they saw the beauty trapped inside. Because they are beautiful once you slice them open.

Jewel bright and shining with all those lovely unorganized, yet sort of organized black seeds. And that gorgeous semi-transparency that lets sunlight flood in and just sparkle and glow.

*sigh*

Yessss, precioussss. The inside of a kiwi is very pretty indeed.

This is technically my first official still life*. And I rather like it. It was a lot of fun to do and I can see the value in painting subjects that I don't paint very often. It forced me to do some experimenting with color mixing and value.

And probably most important, it gave me a chance to really push myself and see how much drama and interest I could come up with when painting something other than a human face.

So, keep an eye out for future still lifes from me. I'm already thinking of what I should paint next. Ideas anyone? ;)

* I credit two artists for inspiring me with a desire to paint a still life. The first, Kim Rempel, for her lovely brushwork, exciting color combinations, simple-yet-striking composition, and her ability to turn something very ordinary into a thing of beauty. And the second, Carol Marine, for much of the same things that I admire about Kim's work. This painting was created in Carol's honor for her birthday at the Daily Paintworks Challenge.