Showing posts with label price $1875. Show all posts
Showing posts with label price $1875. Show all posts

Monday, April 18, 2016

Azure Fields - Show Tip #26

Azure Fields, 24 x 36, oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2016
SOLD

 This spring has been gorgeous in central Texas. The bluebonnets have been especially prolific and colorful. Our beautiful Hill Country specializes in comforting scenes like this one, and they never get old. Each time I see that sea of blue, my breath catches!

 Show Tip #26 - Deliver Safely (and On-Time)
Today was Delivery Day and it felt great! The organizing and planning of the last few months completely paid off, and I was not scrambling in the least. As for packing and loading it all up, I admit that I am a bit anal about that. After all that work, I don't want any last minute damage to a painting or frame. I have approached this in many ways, but this time I wrapped each painting with Stretch Wrap (available at shipping stores like FedEx and moving stores like Uhaul). It worked GREAT! The wrap allowed me to stack the paintings in my car without the frames rubbing or scratching, and it kept them from sliding around. Upon arrival, my gallery owner asked me to leave the wrap on... it will help him keep the paintings safe during the installation process. Win-Win!
Picture corners inside the wrap give added protection.

The wrap caused the paintings to kind of stick together and prevented sliding.

Here are links to other Show Tips:
Tip #1 - Stock up on Supplies
Tip #2 - Set up Deadlines
Tip #3 - Determine Subject Matter
Tip #4 - Work in Series
Tip #5 - Establish a Schedule
Tip #6 - Be Kind to YOU
Tip #8 - Stay Flexible
Tip #11 - Take Notes
Tip #12 - Know when to Quit
Tip #13 - Stay Updated
Tip #15 - Assign Tasks
Tip #16 - Step Back 
Tip #17 - Sign As You Go
Tip #19 - Celebrate Growth
Tip #20 - Varnishing Day(s)
Tip #23 - Get the Word Out
Tip #24 - Stay The Course
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Monday, March 28, 2016

Creek Crossing - Show Tip #20

Creek Crossing, 24 x 36, oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2016
Sold in Solo Show, "Chasing Color, Finding Light", Davis Gallery

I love how creeks crisscross through coastal marshes. They ebb and flow with the tide, always changing their "look" so to speak. When clouds hover overhead, it's just about as perfect as it gets. This little creek crossing is a special place for our family... my husband learned to fish off this little bridge, just like his father before him and our children after him. Now we look forward to teaching our grandchildren at this very same spot! 

Show Tip #20 - Varnishing Day(s)
I highly recommend setting aside several days for varnishing dry paintings in small batches. Saving them all till the end is a recipe for last minute problems and stress. But why bother at all? Besides providing a protective seal, varnish evens out the surface tone on an oil painting (pigments tend to "sink" or dull out as they dry). I usually use an oiling out process for this purpose, but this time around I decided to varnish everything. It is way more efficient with large canvases. I am using Gamvar by Gamblin, and am very pleased with the result. Click HERE for an excellent demo on the Gamblin website showing how to apply varnish correctly. 

Historical footnote: Back in the 1800's, the Royal Academy in London would offer a "Varnishing Day" to artists prior to the opening of their Summer Exhibition. In addition to varnishing finished pieces on location, artists would make last minute adjustments (and some cases, finish incomplete work). It was chaotic, but exhilarating I'm sure. Click HERE for a funny depiction of the craziness of the day, illustrated by George DuMaurier. 

Here are links to other Show Tips:
Tip #1 - Stock up on Supplies
Tip #2 - Set up Deadlines
Tip #3 - Determine Subject Matter
Tip #4 - Work in Series
Tip #5 - Establish a Schedule
Tip #6 - Be Kind to YOU
Tip #8 - Stay Flexible
Tip #11 - Take Notes
Tip #12 - Know when to Quit
Tip #13 - Stay Updated
Tip #15 - Assign Tasks
Tip #16 - Step Back
Tip #17 - Sign As You Go
Tip #19 - Celebrate Growth

Painters - join me at this Plein Air Workshop:
April 28-30, Anderson Fine Art Gallery, St. Simons Island, GA
Contact Info: Mary Anderson, 912-634-8414
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Thursday, March 3, 2016

A Moment's Peace - Show Tip #14

A Moment's Peace, 24 x 36, oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2016
Sold in Solo Show, "Chasing Color, Finding Light", Davis Gallery

If you have been following my blog for awhile, you know I love the beach. We spend a lot of time on St. Simons Island, where daily walks at the seaside are just part of the plan. It's peaceful and the best way to start any morning. 

Show Tip #14 - Balance Effort and Ease
"Be in a position of energetic rest", said my pilates instructor one morning. "Energetic Rest," I repeated, "isn't that a bit of an oxymoron?" She went on to explain that for this exercise (and actually for all exercises), I needed to balance effort and ease; to be engaged but not straining. Now isn't that a great image for painting, and for just about everything we do? Too much effort (straining) has obvious harmful outcomes like tightness, fear, and overall negative energy. Too much ease (not being engaged) results in poor discipline, low yield, and lack of passion. It's up to each of us to find that balance in our own daily routines, and probably a lifelong task.

Here are links to other Show Tips:
Tip #1 - Stock up on Supplies
Tip #2 - Set up Deadlines
Tip #3 - Determine Subject Matter
Tip #4 - Work in Series
Tip #5 - Establish a Schedule
Tip #6 - Be Kind to YOU
Tip #8 - Stay Flexible
Tip #11 - Take Notes
Tip #12 - Know when to Quit
Tip #13 - Stay Updated

Painters - join me at this Plein Air Workshop:
April 28-30, Anderson Fine Art Gallery, St. Simons Island, GA
Contact Info: Mary Anderson, 912-634-8414
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Monday, February 22, 2016

River Wanderings - Show Tip #10

River Wanderings, 24 x 36, oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2016
Sold in Solo Show, "Chasing Color, Finding Light", Davis Gallery

Finding remote places to paint is one of my favorite things to do. This painting is a larger version of a plein air piece I did last summer on the Georgia coast. This time I included more of the scene and sky, and I loved revisiting that special place! :)

Show Tip #10 - Fight through Fears
Today I stepped up to the easel to start a new painting and was struck with fear. This happens to most of us every now and then, because the blank canvas (or getting started on any new project) can be daunting. But what to do? Here are a few tricks I use for fighting through that fear: pull out a sketchbook and start with a drawing, tone the canvas and get rid of the white-ness, use a big brush and focus on big shapes, review my process and simply take one step at a time, OR a combination of the above. Today, my answer was to tone the canvas... and dirtying up the canvas made all the difference! 

Here are links to other Show Tips:
Tip #1 - Stock up on Supplies
Tip #2 - Set up Deadlines
Tip #3 - Determine Subject Matter
Tip #4 - Work in Series
Tip #5 - Establish a Schedule
Tip #6 - Be Kind to YOU
Tip #8 - Stay Flexible

Painters - join me at this Plein Air Workshop:
April 28-30, Anderson Fine Art Gallery, St. Simons Island, GA
Contact Info: Mary Anderson, 912-634-8414

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Sunday, February 14, 2016

Majestic - Show Tip #8

Majestic, 36 x 24, oil on canvas, L. Daniel © 2016
Sold in Solo Show, "Chasing Color, Finding Light", Davis Gallery

When clouds and atmosphere collide with warming sun rays, it can make for a majestic sky morning. I am always happy to witness the drama and find the imagery very inspiring. 

When I first started this painting, I blocked it in as a horizontal. I loved the farm buildings but realized that I really needed more room to develop the amazing sky. Darn it. 

It was hard to wipe down after I had carefully sketched in all the forms, but once I turned the canvas and began again, I was glad I did. 

The new start... with room for the sky... ahhh!

Show Tip #8 - Stay Flexible
It doesn't take very long to become "married" to an idea, but sometimes a great plan needs to be slightly adjusted (or completely revamped). It's especially hard for me to let go once I have invested time and care into a good start. However, I learned a long time ago that getting attached too soon (and ignoring a problem area) can ruin not only the final piece, but also my enjoyment of the whole process. It's so important to stay objective. In the case above, I argued with myself about whether or not I had time to start over. Ultimately, I didn't have time NOT to start over!

Here are links to other Show Tips:
Tip #1 - Stock up on Supplies
Tip #2 - Set up Deadlines
Tip #3 - Determine Subject Matter
Tip #4 - Work in Series
Tip #5 - Establish a Schedule
Tip #6 - Be Kind to YOU

Painters - join me at this Plein Air Workshop:
April 28-30, Anderson Fine Art Gallery, St. Simons Island, GA
Contact Info: Mary Anderson, 912-634-8414

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