Yeah for those RED DOTS!

You just have to love when a piece sells...I mean there is a mixed emotion because when you have created something there is an attachment you feel so when a piece is sold there is a moment of hating to see it go but then you imediately come to your senses and jump up and down and do the "HAPPY DANCE".  

This is how I have felt this past week because not only did a sell a little sketch I did as soon as I had posted it on my facebook wall but I got a phone call yesterday informing me that my oil painting "On the Hunt" sold at the Boulder City Art Gallery just two days after it was hung. 

And to add to that exciting news, the couple that purchased the piece were here visiting from the Netherlands!  I think that might make me an INTERNATIONALLY collected artist!  YAHOO!

On the Hunt- 11x14 Original Oil Painting-Sold to a couple from the Netherlands

"Cowgirl Up"- 5x7 pencil sketch- sold to a friend in Texas

From Whiskers to Hair Bows

Don't ask me why in the past few weeks I've decided that my painting was to take such opposites but I have been focused on two portraits that couldn't be further apart.  I usually paint landscapes and have little experience with portrait painting.  Actually, truth be told this pretty much sums up my portrait experience so you can imagine the struggles I have faced with these. 

I wanted the toothless old prospector to be holding his gold bag tightly in his hand.  A twinkle in his eye and a smile across his lips showing his excitement for his good fortune.  As I researched old photos for inspiration, I noticed a number of prospectors actually had a dog as a companion and that is when I decided that this composition needed a furry friend to make it complete.  For the past week I thought I was going to call this piece "The Big Payout" but today I changed my mind and decided this one was going to be called "The Big Reward".  Not only was this old guy one of the lucky ones to actually succeed in making a fortune but he also has the rewards of sharing his excitement with his faithful companion.  You can just see the excitement on this dogs face as he showers this his master with wet kisses.  

"Big Rewards"- 12x16 Original Oil Painting

I started this piece about 2 weeks ago and have been working on it of and on.  My inspiration is my beautiful granddaughter Katherine.  She now has enough light blonde hair that you can pretend to put it in piggy tails and huge hazel eyes but at this age you couldn't tell for sure what color her eyes were going to be and her hair was really more about the lack of.  Her mother compensated by always having her wear giant hair bows. This composition grabbed me because of her little hand outstretched and so large in proportion to her face.  This piece had special challenges because trying to reach that smoothness and brightness of skin tone that infants have was a real stretch for my skill level. 

"Katherine all in Pink"- 11x14 Original Oil Painting

Both of these pieces will be available soon on my website and will be hanging at City of the World Gallery at 1229 S. Casino Center Blvd, Las Vegas, NV  89104 for the month of December.  I hope you enjoyed them and will check back as I've already started my next painting adventure.

I'M STRESSING!

THE CRUNCH IS ON!  This is my final week to get ready for my show called "Showing Their True Colors".  My artist friend Jan Aduini and I are having a joint show starting on October 3rd for Preview Thursday and October 4th is the really big event that is called "First Friday".  The little gallery that I belong to can have maybe as many as 1000 people walking through and this will be my chance to shine.  I've got some new pieces to show and I even painted a piece just specific for this show.

Every artist I talk to tells me that you don't want to show images of your work before a show because people will not come out to see it.  I guess there is logic to that statement, but boy is it hard.  I really like sharing my newest pieces on the social media hub.  Like a proud grandma showing photos of the new grand baby, I love talking about what I am working on.  Well, I have tried to practice restraint this past month and all I am going to say is there will be value in seeing all my works in person.

I did paint a piece just special for the show that I call "Showing Your True Colors" and I have used the image so far for any promotions I have done.  So I will include this piece in my blog today.

24 x 36 Oil "Show Your True Colors"

                                                           
I know that I'm going to learn a lot in the next week but this is all part of my journey to become an artist. Next hurdle- The lament of most artists that I know-"Sell"

The Progression of a Painting

1st lesson-Acrylic layout of the composition

2nd lesson - Covering the canvas with the first layer of oils

3rd Lesson- Adding in the first layer of details to the background and placing the shadows in both the water and the snow

Lesson 4- Glazing the sun rays and adding depth to the background by including touches of lighter colors

Lesson 5- working on details of the branches and water reflections

Lesson 6- More glazing on the sun rays and working on the snow

Final Piece- "Fire and Ice" on 16 x 16 gallery wrapped canvas-

If you are interested in purchasing any giclee prints of this particular piece visit my Fine Art America site at:
 Julie Townsend-Fire and Ice

What Moves You?

I would love to hear about an experience that you had when a piece of art "MOVED" you and stirred an emotion within your soul.  Where were you and do you remember the details of the piece or the artist's information?

I was reading through my Facebook updates this morning and had to read an entry by fellow artist (I love saying that) Elizabeth Robbins.  She stated, "This is why I paint. My soul touches another through my paintings."  She went on to share a letter that she had received from a collector that had just purchased one of her paintings and had relayed the emotional response that the collector's husband had when he saw the painting for the first time.  

Moving the viewer is what art is all about.  My goal with each piece should be to transfer the emotion that I felt when I was taking that hike, viewing the sunrise or witnessing the color splash of a blooming cactus against a rugged landscape to the viewer.  Now not everyone is going to be impacted the same by my art.  Often there will be a memory stirred of a place visited or a special childhood remembrance brought to mind and we don't all share the same memories or emotions.    A piece of art isn't just a wall decoration that is purchased because of the current color of your sofa.  Real art should be something that makes a connection to the viewer.  You want that person to love looking at your piece everyday and never grow tired.  I of course am not implying that my work has reached that level yet but as a landscape artist that is a level I'm trying to attain.  My work may never hang in a famous gallery or be invited to show internationally like some artists enjoy, but someday I too hope to have collectors of my art and people bringing me photos of some favorite vacation memory to commission a piece for them to cherish and pass on to their children.  

As my mission statement declares, "I want to leave little pieces of my heart framed and hanging on a wall for everyone see it, appreciate it and remember me by."  If your interested in seeing my work, be sure and check out my website and gallery at julietownsendstudio.com.

Here is the latest piece I have completed during my lessons with landscape artist, Lily Adamczyk.  This piece MOVES me and I hope that it has that same impact on you.   My goal with taking lessons is that I will be able to paint with such proficiency and color accuracy on my own without Lily looking over my shoulder.  I just want to be a sponge and  soak up the 40 years of her experience in each two hour session, but that takes time and LOTS of practice. Oh and LOTS of LESSONS!

Back to the basics-WAY BACK!

This blog is somewhat of an embarrassing blog to write because it requires that I make a very personal confession, "I have dirty brushes."  Okay, there I have said it for the world to read and so now I can move forward towards my recovery.

You would think that somehow along this journey to becoming an artist, I would have learned how to properly maintain my brushes, but I guess not. I only remember in high school art class washing my brushes in the sink under running water and doing that only until the water ran clear.  I thought that was all there was when it came to brush care....(I will continue this blog as soon as you have stopped laughing.)

I became suspiciously aware of the fact that there just be a bit more to paint brush care when I started taking formal painting lessons.  Each week, I would arrive to Lily's house to have sitting before me my unfinished painting, a clean palette with little colorful blobs of oil paint and 5 or 6 paint brushes that all had bristles that were well rounded, a sharp point or had a nice sharp edges.   The bristles were stiff and a frankly a joy to paint with. I know that a number of my brushes are very old but I have found that when I buy brand new brushes, that before you know it, the edges of the bristles are spread apart and I no longer am able to paint a nice straight detailed line.  Even after trying to shape the edges, while the bristles were wet and allowing them to dry on a flat surface I would still have brushes that were far from what Lily had.  So a couple of weeks ago I decided to swallow my pride and ask Lily for help.
 
The paint brush exorcism took place yesterday at the end of my painting lesson when I painfully submitted my brushes to Lily's scrutiny.  During my 2 hour lesson, my brushes soaked in cleaning solution suspended by a wire hanger.  Just before I was to leave, Lily and I went to her kitchen sink where she pulled out a tub of brush cleaning soap and began to squeezing the bristles and rubbing the brushes vigorously in the palm of her hand.

To my horror, old paint that had worked its way into the ferrule of my brush began to turn the white soap lather into a nasty green-gray color.  I think I heard Lily mutter something under her breath about never having seen such dirty brushes. 

Yes...that is suppose to be a 3/8 Angle Shader on the right that I apparently have ruined in comparison to a #6 angle brush that with my new gained knowledge won't ruin.

So here is what I learned about brush care:
     1.  If the brushes are really dirty you will need to soak them in a brush cleaner solution perhaps as long as overnight.  I definitely think that describes my current situation.  You want to us a brush washer that allows you to suspend your brushes in the solution without covering the ferrule of your brush.

2.  Use a brush soap and get the bristles well lathered.  Rub the bristles vigorously in the palm of your hand then squeeze the bristles between your finger and thumb nail to work the old paint out from deep within the base of the bristles and the ferrule.  Repeat until your soap lather is white.  Leave some lather on your bristles to work as a sizing to allow you to form the desired shape with your fingers.

3.  Lay the brush flat on a paper towel to allow to dry.  Don't stand them up on the end of the handles as the water will stay in the ferrule and will eventually cause damage to your paint brush handle.

 Now is when the fun really begins.  I am off to the store to purchase the necessary items and then I will begin the long process of trying to save my brushes by soaking and soaping them back to life.  As you can see, I have my work cut out for me.

Week 3-Be Patient and Paint the Plan

My oil painting is progressing along nicely and I'm pleased at the progress.  I knew that I would learn a lot by taking one on one lessons but I find myself struggling at my home easel now.  I'm trying to incorporate the things I have leaned these past 3 lessons into my own works at home and I feel a bit lost.  I think this is normal and I just have to keep working at it until I break free of old habits and take my time staying with the plan.  Painting TOP to BOTTOM, BACK to FRONT.  No cheating even if I can't wait to see how that bright yellow foliage of the Aspen trees are going to pop against those dark green pines.

For the past two years that I have returned to my childhood passion,  I have been committed to practicing and have painted nearly 100 pieces.  Some of course better than others.  I have sold about 8 pieces in that time but have many stacked around the house.  I believe I have shown my dedication and have reached that point of taking my art to the next level.  Private lessons are what I feel is needed for me to advance to the next level. 

I think there are plenty of other new, struggling artists that must feel the same way that I do.  At 51 years old, do I have enough time to progress my talent to where I want it to be?  Only God knows that answer,but in the mean time I want to either be painting, teaching or sharing what I am learning with others by blogging about my experiences.

Original Photo that I chose to use as the inspiration for my first oil painting

WK 1- Laying out the composition by sketching the main details using a neutral colored paint

WK 1- blocking in the main base colors that will eventually be the mountains, sky and foreground

WK 1- Stopping the first lessons with my canvas covered in a layer of acrylic paints.

WK 2- Here I am painting my canvas top to bottom and back to front.  Most of this background area will be covered up with my foreground details but you have to give the viewer that distance to create interest

WK 3-  Here I have changed the mountain color from purple to more blue.  Blue gives a better feeling of distance because of the haze created in the atmosphere that gives a blue tint to objects in the distance.  I have focused on my areas of light and shadow and developed the path way.  The view's eye is drawn to both areas in the distance that reflect the sunlight.  It makes you feel that the path continue down over the hill and there must be something interesting there.