Getting ready for a show....

Show at Water Street Studio, 915A Sophia Street, Fredericksburg, VA - November 2014

(Bistro and La Pettit on William Street)

 

I am having a show at Water Street Studio thanks to Lynette, Elizabeth and Susie. Having a show has motivated me even more to have a group of work ready that has some kind of theme.  It is the best motivator around for painting and painting.  My theme is Fredericksburg with 9 paintings from Fredericksburg. There will be 15 - 20 paintings. 

(Caroline County, not too far from Fredericksburg).



Checklist for getting ready for a show

1.   


Order frames ahead of time and allow time for framing. (My husband does all the framing.  I am so lucky.  He is a perfectionist and does a beautiful job.)

Franken Frames and King of Frames have been my resources for ordering frames.  You can get custom sizes from both.  I am very happy with the quality of the frames, the attentive service, delivery and packing.  I recommend both.

Here are links to their websites:

http://www.frankenframes.com/frames_ccs.php?Item_Current_Specials=1

and

http://www.kingofframe.com/

If you have any questions about which frames I order just email me:  cbjmail@cox.net

My planning wasn't that great because I had to make three different orders. 

2. 

Order cards:

I used Moo.com  and ordered square business cards that allow a photo on front and back of card plus room for contact info and websites.  I've ordered from them before and really like them. 

http://us.moo.com/products/business-cards.html?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_campaign=BS_US_Brand_Core_E_MOO.com&utm_term=moo.com



3.
  Do some publicity:

A newsletter and facebook are good way to advertise the where and when of a show.  I'll send out a newsletter at the beginning of November. 


4.
Write Artist Statement/Biography and Inventory

This is always hard to do, but I managed to write one.  I listed  my inventory for the show using excel spreadsheet. Most galleries require both of these things. 
 
I think I am ready now. 

Geraniums

Window Box

For some reason I like painting window boxes.  My neighbor always has the most beautiful window boxes with great colors and she arranges them so nicely.  Every year they are a surprise because she changes the color schemes. 

Here is the photo and the painting.  My emphasis was on keeping the brushwork loose and using warm and cool colors in the flowers and leaves.  I used a pink underpainting to help keep the flower colors bright.  Then blocked in the big shapes before putting on the last layer of brushwork. 

Study the work of other artists

Artist to Admire



Carol Carmichael  is another artist to admire.  Check out her work at her blog and at Daily Paintworks.  She has over 700 paintings listed with lovely brushwork.    She very generously shared what she learned about an artist she admires named Nancy Franke, someone  I would like to take a workshop from, too.  Click on her name here which will take you to her blog. 

Keep painting.  Mine from yesterday shown here.  (very loose brushwork)

Updates and a few changes

October 11, 2014

The main purpose of my blog is to include lessons that could help someone learn from my mistakes, especially those things that have taken me long to learn.  There are also summarized notes from the workshops that I have taken.   I was looking over the lessons that I put on pinterest and noticed that some didn't link to the right page on my blog.  I think that is fixed now.

I also put the search button at the top of the right column.  The tab is still at the top of the blog page that includes the same lessons that are on pinterest.  I thought pinterest would be a good way to organize lessons in one place.  That button has been moved to the top of the right column, too. 

Here is a link to pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/josefiak/painting-lessons/

Hannah's Shoes

Another Pumpkin Painting

October  --- Fall colors and Pumpkins


My husband and I discovered Braehead Farm in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  Their Fall Festival is going on right now and the pumpkin patches are perfect for picking. .  It is a great place for children and adults.  Their homemade pies are so good that we ate the one (strawberry and rhubarb) we bought before I could even do a painting of it.  I did do a painting of the pumpkin patch closest to the entrance. 

 

 

10 x 10 - Pumpkin Patch at Braehead Farm

Best in Show Award

Uniquely Stafford

It was a big honor that my painting of "Melcher's  Neighbor" was chosen for this award.  In the photo you can see how happy I look.  I've never received a "Best in Show" award.  My heart started racing when I heard my name.  It was very exciting. 

The house is located near the entrance to Belmont.  I painted it several times before because it just grabbed me.  Getting ready for the show it was the first place we went to take photos.  I have some attachment to the house.  It was build in 1881 even before Gari Melchers lived there.  Belmont is one of my favorite places, too. 

Photos as a reference

Use of Photos to Design Your Painting

Thinking back to my workshop with Nancy Tankersley who emphasized the use photos to design the painting rather than making the painting look like the photo,  I made a lot of changes to this photo for the painting.  The two main ways it has been changed is moving the pumpkins around and changing the light.  I don't like to have the shadows in front with backlighting. 

So here is the photo and the final painting...  (a lot of cropping going on - thank goodness for the zoom feature on my ipad)

 

 

I might do a bigger painting of this because I like the way the purple and orange look together.