This is my favorite painting from 2013. It is acrylic and pastel on canvas that I mounted on wood. I’m so happy to finally be sharing it. (I am really behind on posts!)
This painting is a conversation between two artists. They are speaking in Russian. It says: жизнь – это искусство, life – this is art. I see it as a circular conversation, saying that life is art, and art is life. They are one in the same.
In high school and college I studied Russian, and lived in Russia as an exchange student multiple times. Those experiences have stayed with me and influenced me in many ways. I even sign my paintings with my name in Russian: XE3EP, pronounced “heh – zher” as there is no “th” sound in Russian. I love communist propaganda posters. After I finished this pencil sketch, I attempted to color it using my rudimentary digital art skills…. I’m pretty happy with the results. Instead of “Workers of the World, Unite!” it’s “Artists of the World, Unite” which we all should, I think! 🙂
From my sketchbook. Drew this last night.
Have a great weekend everyone! If you are in Seattle, please stop by the Wedgwood Ale House and check out my show!
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It will totally make my day. (＾▽＾)
2.5′ square, acrylic, paint pens, gold leaf
Finally got my work photographed from november/december. More to come…
The words are in Russian, and from the top say:
nyet (no), ni-znai-yoo (I don’t know), da (yes)
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Thanks for stopping by! If you like my work, please consider subscribing to my blog (top right, on my home page)
or… Like my page on facebook!
It will totally make my day. (＾▽＾)
This is a piece of a new painting that I am finishing up. I’ll let you see the whole thing after I make a few more decisions…. and remember what I was going to call it, dang it! That’s gold leaf around the face. The writing is in Russian… Hope you like it! 🙂
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Thanks for stopping by! If you like my work, please consider subscribing to my blog (top right, on my home page)
or… Like my page on facebook!
It will totally make my day. (＾▽＾)
Ergh! It’s time to get my kids from school already? I’ve been moving so slowly this month, or rather, running in circles and getting no where. Hope to have some new paintings to share soon…. I have a show coming up in October!
Tried to give this one the look of a wall using Snapseed filters. The text says, “Don’t Mess With This” in Russian. (At least I think so, my Russian is a little rusty!)
I just created a Facebook page, it would make my day if you liked it! I’ll be posting more work in progress shots there, than I do here. Hope to see you there!
I finished this painting Monday, just in time to deliver it to the Shoreline City Hall Gallery (along with 9 other paintings) for a 4-person group show called Creatures and Places that starts today! This painting, Better Watch Out, is 16″ x 20″ on wood. It says “watch out” in Russian on the arm. I really can’t believe where it ended considering its earlier stages, which I’m not sure I want to share… it started out as a goofy looking lion-like creature. I liked parts of it, but… I felt like the images weren’t interacting quite right, the colors weren’t working for me, and frankly, despite the menacing figure in the background, it was just too happy! It got worse when I consulted my daughter, and she encouraged me to add the baby lion in the foreground – which, admittedly, works compositionally.
I love painting with my Open Studio Group, but I only have this opportunity once a week. I find it very helpful being surrounded by the energy of a room full of people creating, even if we are all quietly doing our own thing. Creating in a vacuum is hard, especially when that vacuum includes two children who are constantly up to something, a house that desperately needs tending to, and a husband who is afraid to have an objective opinion regarding anything art related. This is where bravery and going with your gut will get you to finish line. I just started re-drawing, covering up and pulling things forward and pushing them back until I finally felt… not just content, but really pleased with my piece.
The underpainting for this piece was done at Artfest in Jesse Reno’s class, but this is as far as I got before the class was over. I did finish another painting in his class, which you can see here.
I hope you enjoyed seeing the process photos. I wish I’d taken more, but I was too busy attacking my canvas.
There will be a reception at the Shoreline City Hall Gallery (on the 3rd floor) from 5 – 6:30 p.m. If you are in the neighborhood, please stop in and say Hello. The show will be up until July 27th. This show features ten of my darker, macabre and emotional pieces. Unfortunately, due to this being a public space, I was not allowed to include Flightless in the show. Need to find a private gallery for that one…
My other show that is taking place now at Oasis Art Gallery in Wallingford, Seattle is the polar opposite of the one in Shoreline. The Oasis Gallery Show is up until July 7th, and features many bright, playful paintings. Unfortunately, they are closing their doors after our show, so come in while you can!
I’ll leave you with a few photos that my husband, Randy Stewart, took of my work at the Oasis Gallery.
HeatherUnderground 