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Artist Self Portrait – 2017.0726

"Artist Self Portrait"
Pastel on Board
12" x 18"
July 26, 2017
NFS

A Long Time Coming

I've been meaning to do this portrait for a while now. This is the back story...

I completed a portrait of Russ Davis (my now husband) back when we were first dating back in 2012. He was very patient and sat for a total of 3 hours in the same pose, leaning up against the bed frame. You might be surprised that I was hesitant to even do his portrait because as luck would have it, whenever I completed a portrait of someone I was dating, inevitably I would break-up with them. Well, we didn't and here I am, not even one month into marriage and ready to work up a match to his stoic glance. 

The Look

I attempted to first capture myself with a mona lisa smile, if that's even possible with a camera phone.

Below is the Mona Lisa next to my own photo:

 

You can be the judge of how well I captured myself as well as getting that subtle smile. I also made it a point not to wear any makeup or to do my hair (other than down) in order to capture a timeless feel. I've done a few self portraits over the years but never captured anything this close. Practice makes perfect!

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Tulip Study – 2017.0215

"Tulip Study"
Watercolor on Paper
8" x 10"
Feb. 15, 2017
$148.71

Watercolor is hard 🙁

Prepping for an art show takes some work! I was grabbing every available surface and testing out my watercolors left and right. It only seemed right that I work some magic on a tulip study in anticipation for my very own tulips getting ready to bloom out in my front garden. Spring can't come too soon!

 

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Life’s Perils: Death – 2011.0826

"Life's Perils: Death"
Pastel on Paper
16" x 21"
Aug. 26, 2011
NFS

Cute, but ... NOT

I took my three favorite animals and instead of going with a cutesie little animal portrait, I turned it into a tragedy. The owl and the crow (both predators) are nudging and examining the remains of a dead wren. I didn't want the dead wren to be immediately apparent. So I put a dramatic red burst above the owls head to draw the eye immediately there and then the viewer works their way down the page, guided by the head of the crow and the wing of the owl.

Why so Morbid?

I have my morbid moments and this was one of them. It usually comes on when I'm feeling sorry for myself. What better way to make use of that feeling than to put it into my art!

Accepted to Show

Excitingly enough, the Ft. Worth Community Arts Center accepted this into the show. I did a demo on the portrait of Mandy & Andy Meadows during the opening.

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Hunger Strike – 2010.0900b

"Hunger Strike"
Pastels and Charcoal on Paper
5" x 7"
Sept 2010
NFS

Zombie Garden Fairy Part 2

Well, Phantom Caste (the music band of my then boyfriend) was needing cover art for their CD release so I've had zombie apparitions in my head lately. I thought it best to get some of that out on paper. The results were a little zombie meets my lovely backyard garden produce...definitely off my normal path.

So, Mom's anatomy lessons came in handy

I used much of my understanding of anatomy and pulled from memory the pages of my mother's anatomy text book I loved to flip through as a child. Instead of the nice smooth lines of youth, I chose to instead focus on the crippling deformities of age. It also helps that my mother would point out every bone in my body and tell me how it connected and why.

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Take Out – 2010.0900a

"Take Out" Pastels and Charcoal on Paper 5" x 7" Sept 2010 NFS

Zombie Garden Fairy Part 1

Well, Phantom Caste (the music band of my then boyfriend) was needing cover art for their CD release so I've had zombie apparitions in my head lately. I thought it best to get some of that out on paper. The results were a little zombie meets my lovely Orchid...definitely off my normal path.

So, Mom's anatomy lessons came in handy

I used much of my understanding of anatomy and pulled from memory the pages of my mother's anatomy text book I loved to flip through as a child. Instead of the nice smooth lines of youth, I chose to instead focus on the crippling deformities of age. It also helps that my mother would point out every bone in my body and tell me how it connected and why.