Art Goals for 2013!

2012 is coming to a close and I'm thinking of 2013 coming around the corner! Thanks to many people support my art career by buying original and commissioned paintings (and cards!) I will be able to fulfill some artistic dreams!

First … some images of the art that I sold since I graduated from OCAC with a BFA in May …

Second … my Art Goals for 2013 …

1.) Have limited edition, hand numbered, high quality prints made from select paintings.

2.) Create and stock an online shop with smaller originals, limited edition prints, and cards.

3.) Continue with accepting commissions.

4.) Participate in a couple of art shows (I already have 1 booked for February!)

5.) Attend more cowboy-themed events with my art in a booth.

6.) Double the "likes" on my Facebook Artist Page which is currently at 106.

7.) Do something artistic everyday (painting, sketching, networking, designing, etc.).

8.) Enter art competitions and join art associations.

9.) Make some new at friends.

10.) Join and attend meetings of the Portland Fine Art Guild (if I like it - first meeting in Jan).

And I'm sure there will be more to add to that list!!!

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! This was our (me and my hubby) first Christmas as husband and wife and it was great (and it's not even over yet)!

We went out and got our first Christmas tree …

Christmas Day we spent over 6 hours with my husband's family and I'm glad that I get along great with all of them … :-D My cousin even found something awesome at her favorite store (Goodwill) and gave it to me as a present … it's a collapsable tabletop easel! I've never had one before, so now it will be much easier to paint "on-site" with that instead of balancing everything on my lap! hahaha …

And these past couple weeks I've put painting on hold to wrap presents and tidy up our little apartment since my side of the family is coming over on Saturday for a Christmas gathering. This will be the first time most of them (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins ….) have ever been to our place! It's going to be exciting!

I hope everyone has a great rest of the year and an even better 2013!

"Leaves of Gold"

I've been working on this paintings for a long time. If you're interested in photos of it in progress, check out my Facebook Page.

"Leaves of Gold"

2012, watercolor

11" x 14"

These are the photos I worked from. The first one was taken in Colorado by one of my Horse Trek friends who now lives there and works with her family as cattle drivers. 

And the second one is taken in Oregon, along the trail of Horse Trek by one of my cowboy friends at Butte Creek. I thought that the golden trees would look awesome and the sliver of one of my cowboy friends would make it interesting with that composition.

What do you think?

Commission - "Pards"

I finished another commission this week. Here is a Butte Creek cowboy mounted on his favorite steed, Rosie, and Duke, the Border Collie, (as a puppy) is listening to his master while sitting in a field of daisies. I loved painting this one … the white little daisies with the abstracted green foliage in the background that makes a wonderful contrast with the crisp and definite details of the main subjects.

If you're interested in viewing the in progress images, then jump over to my Facebook page.

"Pards"

Watercolor, 2012 (11" x 14")

"Scrooge Lives" Holiday Craft Festival

My art will be available for purchase at "Scrooge Lives" Holiday Craft Sale!

My latest works in progress

Some of the paintings I've been working on this week. Do you have a favorite one?

2012 Holiday Sales

You can hear Christmas music on the radio soon and the Christmas decorations are in stores. Why not buy gifts from local artisans? My art (original paintings, hand-pulled prints, and greeting cards) will be available at two different holiday sales and they are on opposite sides of Portland, so it's more accessible for everyone in the Portland area to enjoy shopping for beautiful art.

The first sale is at Oregon College of Art and Craft in Portland near Saint Vincent Hospital. It is in the Jean Vollum Photography, Painting, and Drawing Building. I'm now an Alumni of OCAC and so I'm participating with Students and other Alumni in their annual Holiday Sale. The sale is only this weekend and the hours are as follows:
Friday, November 23
Pre Event complete with raffle prizes, live music, and hors d'oeuvres with a $10 suggested donation from 5 - 6pm
Doors open 6 - 8pm
Saturday, November 24
10am - 3pm
Sunday, November 25
10am - 3pm

The second sale is at Mount Hood Community College in Gresham and they call it "Scrooge Lives Holiday Sale." It will be held in the Student Union/College Center (parking Lot A is the closest). I submitted an application along with images of my art for a juried selection. I've also been busy (with the help of my husband) building wooden folding art displays for this sale and for future events that will require my own displays (they will be sooooo much better than just using tables!). The hours and days are as follows:
Tuesday, December 4
9am - 6pm
Wednesday, December 5
9am - 6pm

I won't be the only artisan at these sales, and if you can't make it to these two opportunities, then think about supporting your local artists!

"Deacon" aka Mr. D

This week I completed a little watercolor painting of Deacon, the mule, but sometimes his owner calls him Mr. D and threatens to send him back to Colorado (where he came from) if he doesn't behave. They are quite the pair!

If you hop over to my Facebook page, you can see some pictures of it in progress.

"Deacon"

Watercolor 2012

8" x 10"

Christmas Cards & 2013 Calendar!

Christmas Bazaars and Holiday Sales are right around the corner and right behind them will be 2013!

I'm ready … are you?

This year I designed some Christmas cards that you can preorder by November 23 and they are $55 for a pack of 25 plus shipping and handling. You can contact me to purchase them (see image below). I am also selling them individually: one for $2.75 or two for $5.00 (plus shipping and handling).

Plus, I designed a calendar for 2013. This calendar features all western art watercolor paintings that I've created this year from May to November. This calendar is available on Lulu for $19.99. There you can preview the entire calendar to see all of the paintings! It would be a great gift for that special horse/art lover you know ….

Wordless Wednesday - Portrait

Photo by my friend - check out her website www.ChristianeButler.com

"Morning Stretch" - SOLD

I've been busy working on a larger painting for entering some internet art contests and this is what I've done! If you hop over to my Facebook page, you can see in progress photos. If you're interested in keeping up with my art, even with all the in progress photos, and you're on Facebook, make sure you "like" my artist page!

"Morning Stretch"

SOLD

Watercolor

16" x 20"

And to get the great quality of the painting (digitally), I scanned in 9 different chunks and then stitched them together in Photoshop.

The Beauty of Oregon in Watercolors - Art Show

"The Beauty of Oregon in Watercolors" show is up at Fox Farm Vineyards Tasting Room in Newberg, OR. It will be up until Monday, October 29 and the venue is open 7 days a week from noon to 8 pm. So, if you can't make it, here are some photos of the opening reception!