Creative Hyper-drive

My Journal Page

So I have a confession to make this morning....I'm in love the idea of artistic journaling for sometime.  That is where you keep a diary or journal but instead of just writing on the pages you use your creative or artistic skills to fill the pages with drawings, sketches and fancy fonts.  I belong to a Facebook group dedicated exclusively to this form of journaling and some of the posts are simply amazing.  The closed group is very large with over 20,000 members and many are so positive and encouraging that I love to share my sketching with them.  The conflict comes in because my sketching efforts are more to work out renderings for paintings or to come up with designs that I can use to matte and create a greeting card portfolio.  These sketches also don't necessarily meet the groups guidelines for posting because they are no longer inside a sketchpad.  Also, my own dear journal that I started almost 2 years ago sits on my drawing table untouched and not finished.

So yesterday the idea just hit me! I came up with the perfect solution to my conflict and I'm really excited about it.  I'm not sure why I didn't think of it sooner.  As I complete a sketch or painting, I am going to print out the artwork on a 4 x 6 card and attach it to a journal page.  Then I can add my thoughts about the piece, the date that it was completed and in this way I will fill my journal with pages that are especially interesting to me and create a fun portfolio of my work at the same time.  It's a win win in my book (Journal)!

So last night was my first entry using this format and low and behold I got so creative that I actually started writing a poem to go along with my "Resting Hummingbird" sketch.  This whole process got me so excited that I was formulating more poems for a couple of other sketches I have recently completed.  I was scribbling down a flood of ideas on a piece of scrap paper between brushing my teeth and and taking my vitamins.  If I hadn't been just drop down unconsciously tired, I might have filled several pages with madly scribbled pose.  Blow out the cobwebs!  My mind was in creative hyper-drive.

So don't you dare laugh at me but I decided I would share with you not only my journal page entry but my rough draft of the poem I wrote call "The Hummingbird Song".

            The Hummingbird Song
 The song you sing is hardly a song at all
I may not see you in the branches but I can hear your call
While the other birds fill the air with a melody so sweet
Your song is more like a sour off tune tweet
Or maybe it’s more like a chit, chee-dit or a chirp
To me it sounds more like the scolding I get when I loudly burp
 Not at all a pleasant sound to my ear
Rather it is more like I’m being scoffed and chided I fear
Makes me wonder how could one so cute, tiny and small
Have a disposition and attitude that's bigger than all?

Be sure and check out all my work on my website-Julie Townsend Studio

The First of a Flurry of Fluffy Feathers

Image as seen on my "Country Store and Cowbell" tab on my website

It always amazes me that I can spend an hour drawing a little sketch design and then spend two hours on the marketing of that sketch.   By the time you write 3 or 4 paragraphs about the piece, scan it, upload and edit the image and then upload the image to all the applicable websites, you have invested several hours of time. Not to mention the time spent writing this blog each week.

I've just recently expanded my marketing efforts by opening an Etsy store under Julie Townsend Studio.  Now that I have some smaller inventory such as art magnets and art greeting cards that feature my work to offer, I felt that an Etsy store might be a good idea.  I am also checking into putting my images on Zazzle, Cafe Press and Redbubble but haven't quite figured out how those all work.  Then of course I have been uploading my images for a number of years to Fine Art America.  I guess I should get and "A for effort" and hopefully someday all this work will begin to pay off as I brand my self and grow a group of collectors.  Well at least that is my plan and I've always heard that you make a plan and that you work the plan and marketing artwork is WORK!

Now that I have finished my 2nd Down Country Roads art card collection I'm ready to focus on a new theme or collection. Collection 1 is of my farm animal pen and ink sketches and the 2nd collection is of my five Down Country Roads paintings.  Here is the link to my Country Store.

 I was pretty excited this week to get my first order of each image in collection II in art magnet format.  The collector shared with me that the images make her remember her childhood on her grandparents Iowa farm and they make her smile.  What a touching thing for her to say.  That very much blesses my heart as an artist to know that my work has touched an emotion and in some way has lifted a spirit and made someone smile.

5 x 7 pen and ink sketch with colored pencil

So last night I got busy and pulled out my sketch pad and colored pencils.  This is what I came up with and I think this will prove to me an excellent start on a collection that features my favorite birds. Topping that list is no doubt in my mind, the feisty hummingbird.  Nothing makes me smile faster, except for maybe my grandchildren, then this tiny little winged aggressor that darts around my yard.

You had better be quick if you want to snap their picture because they only rest a few seconds before flying off in a flurry of fluffed feathers.

Original sketch is available along with prints, cards and magnets of this image at my website gallery.  Feel free to check it out along with all my other works.

Finished sketch before adding colored background

New Custom Cowbell Design

I just wanted to show off several new hand-painted cowbells that I have completed in the past few weeks.  I'm rather excited about these new feathered friends and how they have turned out.  I've actually painting my 3rd eagle cowbell in the studio right now.  It is turning out to be one of my more popular designs and who can resist a spunky little hummingbird?  

The Nativity scene and the Cardinals are a bit more challenging but they are SO perfect for the Christmas Holiday.  

You can see some other Cowbell examples on my website gallery on the tab  Cowbells & Country Store.  The pricing and ordering information is listed there too.

2015 Cowbell Marathon is Going Down Now

I have boldly announced this week over several social media venues that I am committing to painting at least one cowbell a day from my Las Vegas studio for the next two weeks. That's everyday until Thanksgiving.   I'm calling this self imposed proclamation my COWBELL MARATHON!  These are my most recent contributions to this effort and I think they turned out nicely.  

Actually, the only bell showing in this line up here that isn't already sold is that of the hummingbird that I just finished a few hours ago.  So much for building up my Cowbell Inventory.  I guess this is a good problem for me to have. 

I plan to blog here about this endeavor often and keep my Facebook Art Page updated as to my progress.  So check back often and if you see something special you like or have an idea for a custom bell that you want me to paint than just drop me an email or a Facebook Message.  I would love to hear from you.

CLICK THE LINK HERE TO:

Visit my Website     OR      Like my Facebook ART Page   

Commissioned pieces here are the Eagle and Giraffes.  The Nativity scene was just me getting ready for Christmas

I added a snowy cardinal and a little hummingbird to my cowbell flock of feathered friends line-up

Cowbells Ring...Are you Listening?

So today I counted up all the cowbells I have sold in 2015 and I was blown away when I realized it equals 38 and I have a commission for 2 more that I'm working on currently.  That is amazing to me.  Who would have every thought!  That is a total of 40 cowbells not counting the couple I gave away as gifts. 

Brad got busy this week and prepared 6 more cowbells for me and so I'm putting away the canvases temporarily and am ready to paint some Christmas, Nativity and snow scene designs on them for the Holiday Seasons.  I can almost hear the faint sound of "Cowbells ring, are you listening?  In the Lane, Snow is glistening..."

You can check out some of my cowbell designs on my website JulieTownsendStudio.com or on my Cowbell Facebook page at Hand Painted Cowbells.  

I still believe that this hummingbird cowbell is my favorite

Shall we Take a Turn in the Garden

I have always wanted to have a cutting garden of my own.  One that I could go to early morning "While the Dew is Still on the Roses"; basket in one arm and floppy sun hat, tied firmly to my chin. I could cut baskets of beautiful flowers whenever I wanted.   A vase of fresh flowers always placed perfectly on my table and little bouquets piled up to give as gifts of appreciation for all my friends and neighbors.  I know what you're thinking, "This girl has watched too many Jane Austin movies."  You might be right with that assumption.  If I could quote Lady Catherine, "Miss Bennett, there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a turn in it, if you will favour me with your company.''

Reality is that all my adult life I have lived in a hot and VERY DRY desert.  I always plant flowers like geraniums, salvia, lavender and mum along with a variety of herbs each spring in pots around my front door but as soon as that summer sun hits the record temperatures in July and August I wimp out and nary a toe or the tip of my nose stays outside any longer that it take me to walk from my front door to the passenger side of my trusty Honda.

I guess I will have to settle for painting cutting gardens instead.  Recently, I have been fascinated with zinnias, lavender and black-eyed susans.  They have been a focus of both my canvases and cowbells and I'm in love with their bold colors and graceful lines.  I decided to combine two of them along with a feisty hummer in this composition that I am calling "Hummer in the Cutting Garden".  I hope you like it.

The original is painted on an 11 x 14 inch gallery wrapped canvas in acrylic and will be shortly available on my website at JulieTownsendStudio.com

"Hummer in the Cutting Garden"

I Create My Own World Full of Hummingbirds and Flowers- I'm An Artist!

Hummingbird on a Zinnia- 6x6

I love the boldness and sharp lines that are created here when I use a black sharpie marker in combination with acrylic paint to emphasize and outline the focal of each piece.  These are a few examples of my work that I have finished in the past few months using this technique and I just wanted to share them again.  I haven't really seen this style represented among other local artists and so I think it offers a unique illustrated look.  They are also very fun to create and I love painting on smaller 6" x 6"x 2" square canvases but it looks great on a larger canvas too.  Small, colorful, attention grabbing and very reasonably priced I think these would add some color to small spaces or in a grouping.
Some critics may say that outlining the art gives it a cheaper appearance but I love the combination of detail fine art and the illustrated comic look together.  When these pieces are all laying around in my studio it feels like spring is in the air and they almost always make me smile when I look at them.  I say FORGET THE CRITICS!  In my happy little world, I am the creator and I create what I like!

All these pieces are available for purchase on my website at Julie Townsend Studio or you can email me at Julie@JulieTownsendStudio.com if you would like a special commission piece created just for you.  

Fallen Leaves- 12x16 

Fallen Acorn- 6x6

Bachelor Buttons- 6x6

Giant Sunflower 11x14

 

FLOCKS OF FEATHERED FRIENDS

The old saying is true, "Birds of a Feather, Flock Together" but in this case my flock is one of great diversity.  I was sitting here this morning, drinking my McDonalds coffee, considering doing some blog entries that features my artwork in a collection format.  I didn't realize how many times BIRDS are the focus of my painting efforts but I see that I actually have quite a few pieces that feature my feathered friends.  All of these original pieces are available for purchase (except number 4 "On the Hunt" that has found a new home in the Netherlands) on my website at JulieTownsendStudio.com. I hope you enjoy this BIRD VIEWING AREA

Blessings Often Come in Tiny Packages

This week I was inspired to create this little 8 x 10 acrylic painting of a nesting hummingbird based on a photo taken by my Las Vegas/Tecopa artist friend, Nancy Good.  She had a great deal of drama this past year at her home when a neighboring property owner decided to do her a favor and cut down all their mature trees on one side of the property while they were out of town. What a great and thoughtful neighbor she has.  Between the loss of property and all the legal wrangling of a criminal and civil case that followed could really drag her spirits down if she would let it.  The fact that she found a nesting hummingbird on one of her remaining trees gave her great encouragement and that blessed me.  I was so moved by the story and since I adore these tiny little creatures I just had try to paint her photo.

I learned that the hummingbird nest is usually built in the forked branches of trees but this particular little bird decided this pine cone was a suitable building site.  The tiny cup shaped nest, no more than 2 inches in diameter, is made of many of the normal building materials that you would think of when it comes to bird nests, twigs, leaves, moss and hair were all on the list.  I was surprised to find that spiderwebs seem to be a key ingredient in the construction of this hummingbird nursery. Built entirely by the mother hummer,  the spiderwebs provide the glue to hold it all together and the elasticity to allow the nest to expand as the chicks hatch and grow.   Seems that the entire responsibility of "Nursery Duty" also fall her small little wings.

To purchase the original painting or order prints of "Nursery Duty" you can go to my website at JulieTownsendStudio.com.

"Nursery Duty"- 8x10 Original Acrylic 

Sketching Hummingbirds

Keeping with my 2013 commitment to stay busy sketching if I'm not painting, I started a little hummingbird sketch tonight....
 

Pen & Marker Sketch in progress

 

 

 

 

 

Hummingbirds are the most amazing little creatures and photography is the only real way that you're going to get one to sit still long enough to sketch him.  So I'm using a photo taken by a photographer friend of mine, Doug Beck.  You can see some of his amazing photos at http://desertbighorn.smugmug.com/. 

In the Las Vegas area we are blessed to enjoy 4 species of hummingbirds, and come the cold weather don't think you should take in your hummingbird feeder because 2 of the species stay here year round. Yes, we have backyard entertainment year round here in the Mojave Desert!  Remember one of the best things you can do to paint with skill is to pick up a pencil and practice drawing with skill.  So along with all those other resolutions to loose weight, read your Bible and show kindness- make sure you include a sketchbook in there somewhere.  You will be blessed if you do!