Lion Fish wip 6

Lion Fish Wip 4

Lion Fish

The Lion Fish

I have a commission to finish up, but have been captivated by these guys at the Aquarium. 12 x12 board.

The Aquarium

I also managed to get a summer job (on top of everything else...when you're starving, ya know) at the Oregon Coast Aquarium Gift Shop. I spend every spare minute taking photos. Right now, the main exhibit is Oddwater. This is an exhibit of all the strange underwater animals you can find in the ocean. I'm taking loads of pictures.

Karen

Cash

Starting an Aussie picture. I was not happy with the initial start on this one. It's hard to explain but it was not exciting me, and when a piece does not get me excited, it can take a long time. So I had some free time last night to really sit and analyze what was not reaching me. I may finish it at some time as an exercise to stretch my imagination, but not right now. I started a new picture of Cash, one that focuses on his face and especially his eyes. Eyes are extremely important to me. So here is the first work in progress and I can't wait to work on him tonight.

Karen

Lion and a Dime

Here's another ATC I just finished. I have prints of this one and the original is available.

Pattie Playpal

I drew a good name for my ATC exchange. I know Jen's likes and dislikes and I know she has co-authored a book on this doll. I googled until I found a picture I could work with. This ATC is 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches.

Dean Johnson Gallery

It's finally happening. "Scratching the Surface" is opening March 6 at the Dean Johnson Gallery. I really appreciate the group on Wet Canvas for all their efforts to make this happen. I really hope all three of my pieces are hung and sell. I could really use the money. I will be working larger for the next show, though.
Karen

"The Sign"

I hope this works. This is the sign for the International show in Chicago. I'm the Nautilus. I'm so excited to be included in a show with this quality.

Karen

The Blankie

This one is for Charles and Kara in Oregon. They won the donation I gave to Pug Rescue. They're actually going to end up with two pieces instead of one with both of their dogs on it. This one came out beautifully. Not my usual style and I really agonized over the image to start with. Now, I'm very thrilled with it and will be making cards and prints out of it, please contact me for prices and sizes.

Karen

English Robin, Revisited, I think

I tweaked the color a bit and here (s)he is again.

Karen

Pug Picture

Here's a Pug picture I've been working on. Different composition than what I'm used to, but I'm liking it a lot. 5x7, #11 exacto knife, although tonight, I'm getting out the scoop for the design of the spread around the muzzle.

Karen

Baby and Parents

Not the best photo, not completely done, but will be done by Tuesday.

Karen

English Robin

I'm getting stuff ready for a show in Chicago. It really shows how disorganized I am, I have information I need to send off and cannot find it, so have to re-do it again. I also need to get my artist statement and biography written, and find myself procrastinating. Well, I actually put laundry away, so that's a step in the right direction. I'll also get on this blog more. This is important to me.

Here's a little one that just begged to be done so rather than work on something more tedious I worked on this the other evening. It probably took me about two hours to do. It's an English Robin. The photo was taken by the spectacular pencil/graphite artist Nigel Fuller, from England. It's always wonderful to get a photo from an artist, they know what you're looking for when you start to draw something, no black blob areas or indistinct little fuzzies.

Thanks for looking, he is available for $100 to the first bidder. This includes shipping.

Karen

The Nautilus

A new piece that is on it's way to Ohio for inclusion in a show in Chicago.

New Day, New Year

At last, 2008 is over. I'm so glad. I will not dwell on what has past, but what is going to happen in the future. I've got lots of things planned, all of them concerning art or scratchboard. I need to create, create, and create and celebrate Red and Parker and the job they bring into my life. There's a wonderful winter storm outside, gale force winds and buckets of rain, but it's warmer than it has been and the waves are so beautiful....difficult to photo, but beautiful. I and friends went to the Adobe for lunch, my neighbor has trouble doing dinner meals (it's past her bedtime) but this worked out perfectly. I was given a huge steel table which has occupied my whole afternoon. I'm throwing stuff out and rearranging what I do have for ease of use and practicality.
Until tomorrow,
Karen

A Dog for Christmas

Sissie is almost done. I think she's perfect for a Christmas Present and the best way to get a dog under the tree. She's 20x16, and done with irridescent watercolors. I can see I need to tweak the nose some more and then I'll be framing her on Friday (I hope...depends on if I have the frame). I'm so thrilled with this one, I hate to say it, but I think it's my best yet.

Karen

Facets of the Artist Statement

As I promised, even though it was suppose to be on the store blog, today's post.

In the store, I do framing. I do not have much space and so do not keep a lot of supplies around. It takes me longer to frame something, but my goal is to work with the local artists and we're a pretty laid back bunch.

So, just recently, a lady that I'd met at a show, (she was volunteering for the Humane Society), brought me a piece to mat. it was already framed, but had a white mat. She liked the white, but thought it washed out a lot of the color on this very pastel-ish print. I had a light brown, textured mat I put on it that made the sand dunes pop. When she brought it in, I'm afraid I had not paid attention to the artist, just to what would make this piece look better. As I was matting it, I realized that not only did I know the name, but have spent quite a bit of spare time in this artist's presence. She's a friend and I actually have other pieces of her work hanging in the store for sale! When the person came to pick up the piece, I told her I knew the artist and shared some of the small vignettes about what a neat "person" she was, how loving and how giving, and such a good friend. She left clutching a treasure, not a painting because she now knew that this artist was a living, breathing person that she might have talked to or passed on the street. I'm going to be talking to that artist today and requesting an artist statement of some sort that I can pass on, along with the paintings of hers that are for sale here. I might be preaching to the choir, but, and don't get me wrong, I don't have one yet, either, I think an artist's statement might be a very necessary facet of living the artist's life and selling your artwork.
Karen

Learning Curve

I went to an internet class tonight, taught by two of the top webmasters in Lincoln County. There was also a plug for SHOP LOCAL. I did get the t-shirt. Anyway, one thing I learned was that if you have a blog, you have to keep it updated. So, here's my promise to try and update this everyday.
We have a new table in the shop. It's a delightful dark, yet rich wood, with a New Home Treadle base. We'll also be setting up the Beta Max in the morning, right after I get back from picking up framing supplies in the morning. The story with the table and Beta is my neighbor, George, may he rest in peace. George died several weeks ago, now. He was only 62. A small guy, but very private. My neighbor, Bill, is slowly going through his stuff and Shorebirds will be the receipient of some of it. I talked to Bill, tonight. George never threw anything away. He has stuff in his apartment (which they're keeping rented through December so they don't have to rush) from 1970. He had no family, and very few close friends. I'm glad Shorebirds will be getting some of the stuff he treasured, we'll treat it with respect and try to find homes where it will become a treasure again.
The moral of my story here, is, why store all the stuff that someone will throw out when you're gone...save the best and get the rest to a new home. Perhaps, coming into Shorebirds, where we'll treat your stuff as the treasure it is, and find it a new home to both our benefit.
Happy de-stuffing.
Karen