My Artistic Sabbatical Just Got A Bit Nutty

Today's sketching efforts turned out to be a little bit nutty.  Or should I say that my focus subject today was a couple of nut loving rodents.  As I mentioned in my previous blog post,  we have spent the past week camping high on a mountain in the Humboldt National Forest camping just about 5 miles outside of Ely, Nevada to escape the hecticness of Las Vegas and more importantly the extreme heat.  While it was warm, 90+ for a few hours in the afternoon each day it is nothing compared to the 115 degrees that is often the norm back home.  It is hard to be stay inspired when you're sweating buckets of bullets.  

It has been a glorious week of peace and solitude.  I'm calling it my artistic sabbatical.  My list of creative goals is pretty hefty, and even if I don't get them all accomplished, I feel that this time is going to be well spent.  

Practicing Feathers

Today I decided to practice drawing fur.  I have for my inspiration a very cute book I purchased a year or so ago by Jane Seabrook called "Furry Logic".  It's the cutest little book and her illustrations are amazing.  I love her treatment of fur and feathers.  So I'm trying to improve my own drawing techniques while looking at her lovely pictures.  I worked on feathers the other day so today it was fur.

I especially wanted to draw a grey squirrel because I was treated to a visit yesterday by a particularly large guy that decided to run through our camp.  One thing missing from this past week has been wildlife.  Oh there have been plenty of bugs in the week.  I have had my fill of that type of wildlife.  There was one little hummingbird that would whiz by occasionally but not much else.  I had really hoped to see an elk or at least a deer but that wasn't to be.  Yesterday morning, while drinking my coffee I was treated to a sighting of a grey squirrel.  I was thrilled because it has been actually several years since I have seen a squirrel. 

So here are my two sketches. I'm pretty happy at how they turned out.  I of course need a lot more practice before I'm in the league with Ms. Seabrook.   One sketch done in honor of our camp visitor is treated in a realistic style and the other is closer to the style in the "Furry Logic" and is more animated and fun.  Both started out to be just little studies but I feel that when I get home they may wind up being matted and make an appearance on my Etsy store. Of course I will use my scanner and not these blurry cell phone photos.

You can checkout more of my work on my Website or my Etsy Store.

A Chip off the Old Block

Titling this post a CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK is probably not as accurate as referring to it as a SLICE OFF THE OLD LOG but I thought it made a catchier title for today's blog post.  I actually picked up this slice of wood at a local art and craft supply store a number of months ago and it has been lying around my studio ever since.  My initial thought was to try my hand at some wood burning or what they call pyrography but hadn't yet taken the time to seriously get that project started.  I opened it up several days ago and have had this blank raw slice of wood sitting on my easel just crying for me to do something with it.  

Monday of this week turned out to be a perfect day to spend some extended time in the studio.  My initial intention was to paint several cowbells but as I walked in I had the strong urge to paint something on that slice of wood.  I selected a reference photo for inspiration and about an hour later this is the results.

I did find it a bit of a challenge to blend the acrylic paints on a surface that is soaking up the moisture so quickly but after several coats I was able to get the blended effect that I was looking for and am happy with the ending result. This was my first attempt at painting a landscape on a piece of wood but I don't think it will be my last. It was a easy composition and yet I feel it turned out rather striking.  I am especially pleased with how the light draws you into the center of composition, while in such a small area I am able to still able to maintain the feel of a dark shadowed forest along the sides. 

This photo was taken from my cell phone before a coat of varnish was applied.  We finished the piece off by installing a hanging wire and have already hung it on my gallery wall at City of the World all in the same day.  Not too shabby.  

This piece is available for purchase along with many of my other paintings that I have done.   I also do commission work and paint a lot of custom cowbells.  You can contact me if you are interested in this piece specifically or check out my website to see my other work at Julie Townsend Studio . Emailing me works good to at julie@julietownsendstudio.com.

Snowy Winter Scene painted with acrylic on a slice of wood

Just One More Pan

I just finished another in my series "Seeking Color" and I'm excited how it turned out.  When I started my initial plans for the painting I envisioned an white haired prospector that even though his gold bag is full is stopping one more time along the mountain stream to try to find "Just One More Pan".  His bedroll, supplies and all important gold pouch are stacked near a fallen tree.  Next to him he has his rifle ready to grab if necessary.  He is intently working his pan and is excited to see a couple of gleaming specks have already washed up onto the pan.

This series is inspired by my love for the state of Nevada-One of the largest gold producing areas in the world.  Nevada mines 79% of all gold found in the United States and this rich history spans over 150 years.  The Nevada miner is a sturdy and adventurous lot. To the likely protest of his family in the east, he traded in his plow for a pic, shovel and a couple of gold pans to seek a dream only the streams of the Sierra Nevada's or the dry dust that covers the desert floor could satisfy.  Few actually saw that dream come to fruition, many died in pursuit of the dream and Nevada is one of handful of states that owe them much.

If you are interested in this painting or seeing others in this series, you can check out my gallery page or contact me at Julie@JulieTownsendStudio.com.  

"Just One More Pan"- 16 x 20 Original Oil Painting

Who Knew Talking About Landscapes Could Be So DEEP

When I took my first painting lesson back in July 2012 with instructor and friend, Lily Adamczyk the concept of creating depth in your landscape was stressed from day one.  Prior to taking lessons, I would work on my backgrounds by adding almost as much details as I did with the foreground. 



This earlier piece I called "Nevada Dreams" lacks that distance and transition from foreground to background that I am now learning is so important.  I still like elements in this piece, but now I'm learning there are several things that I should have done to make this composition better.  I now know that I should split my canvas in 1/3's rather than making this 1/2 sky and 1/2 landscape.  I also believe I could have better accomplished the impression of distance if I had made the mountains end  at either 1/3 or 2/3's of the canvas and give the impression of a distant range far in the horizon.  After all, Nevada has more mountain ranges than any other state so there are always mountains in the distance no matter where you look.  I will one day revisit this shack located east of Tonopah and give it another go around.

Nevada Dreams- 24 x 36 acrylic painting

This next painting that I call "Fallen" was completed as I took my first lessons with my accomplished instructor.  It clearly gives the impression that the forest path continues.  Your eye is drawn there because you can see the impression of trees and sunlight in the distance.  You know that your hike isn't finished but rather this is only a stopping point as you ponder this giant of the forest that fallen.  Good landscapes must engage the viewer, causing them to stop and consider the whole canvas.  A simple glance would never do.   So I have tried to remember that lesson with each of my painting since then.

Fallen- 16 x 20 Oil painting- See how the forest trail continues on further giving this painting depth

Newest acrylic called "Galena Creek Birches"-  again I have continued the trail on into the forest drawing your eyes up the hill.  For a better picture you should check out my website at JulieTownsendStudio.com

Inspiration All Around You

It was back in October that my husband and I had the joy of taking a small (not necessarily small for Brad and I) hike with our son, daughter-in-law and brand new baby granddaughter at Mt. Rose in the Reno area.  The trail is actually called Galena Creek Trail and it was an amazing mile or so up and back.  I understand the trail will actually take you all the way to Lake Tahoe but I didn't need to walk that far to be inspired.

This one little event has so far resulted in a number of paintings that have all be inspired by the photos we took of that area.  I found myself just snapping pictures of everything.  The fall colors were brilliant against the clear sky.  The sounds of wildlife and rushing water made the experience not only a visual masterpiece but also a treat to compare to any concert man could produce.  One thing I know is that there are more paintings coming in the future that can be traced back to that two hours one crisp October morning.  So take a little time this week and find something inspiring and don't forget your camera!