Pedestal Bowl

I finished another project today.  This is a nice pedestal bowl that I found at a yard sale.  I decided on a desert scene because I always sell all that I paint whether on canvas or a functional item.  I just put in an online order today for 8X10 and 11X14 canvas.  While I am waiting for it to arrive I will continue to paint functional items.  I will then work on the smaller canvas paintings which I like to take to art fairs.  They seem to sell better than the larger ones in that kind of venue.  I save the larger paintings for exhibitions.  Speaking of which, I am scheduled to show at the Oro Valley Library in September.  This has been a busy year for me with many exhibitions, the gallery and the up coming fall art fair. 

Rose Dish and Sunflower Box

Here are a couple of smaller functional wooden items I just completed.  The rose dish is about 9 inches across and the sunflower box is about 6X9.  I will probably put them in the SAAG Gallery.  I will do a pedestal bowl next and a chili pepper cutting board.  I have them prepped and ready to go.  I have a nice selection of bowls, trays and boxes to work on.  I just have to decide on subject matter and color.  Any suggestions?

My display at the SAAG gallery

Hey, two posts in one day.  I set up my display at the SAAG Gallery in Casas Adobe Plaza today.  The gallery has been open for two months now.  I decided it was time for me to show my work there.  If you want more information on the gallery click on this link  http://southernazartsguild.org/art-gallery.htm  Below are photos of my cubical and the art I am showing.  If you live in the area I reccomend a trip to the Casas Adobe Plaza to see the gallery and all the other shops and of course stop at Frosts for a gelato.

More Zentangle Designs

 

 

I did these three designs on our non traveling days in San Antonio.  Since I was working at a table and not a moving car it was much easier to get the detail I wanted.
These were done on 12X9 watercolor paper.  If you click on them to enlarge the image you can see the texture of the paper.  I am not sure I like that.  I think the smooth paper is better.  I'm not sure what I will do with these images except to make greeting cards.  I had fun doing them but am now ready to get back to canvas and color.  I think I will also start working on some functional items.  I have quite a few boxes, trays, plates and bowls that a collected since the first of the year so I need to get busy on them.

 

 

 

Zentangle

What is Zentangle?  I didn't know until last Saturday, May 18th.  I was working an art fund raiser at Sound Point Audiology.  I had five paintings in the show.  A couple started a conversation about my art and the woman asked if it was a form of Zentangle.  I said I had never heard of it.  She explained it was designs doodles.  She told me to Google it which I did when I got home.  I found that I have been doing my own take on Zentangle in many of my paintings for years. This revelation came at a perfect time.  We were leaving for a road trip to San Antonio in the morning so I threw a small sketch book and a Sharpie in a bag and took them with me.  For the rest of the time when we were on the road I let my imagination go wild with doodles.  If I wasn't driving I was drawing for the 900 miles both going and coming home.   I did a total of 15 drawings.  I scanned them into the computer and will post images below.  I will take my favorites and make a set of greeting cards.  My first attempts were a little sloppy but I think I got better with more practice. Keep in mind I was doing this in a moving car.  Here are the images:

This is the first one that I did.  It is free form and a little busy but fun.

I toned it down with my second design and kept it less busy.

I love painting flowers so had to try one featuring them.

I have been painting saguaros like this for years so had to do one as a black and white sketch.

I was getting tired and running out of ideas when I did this.  I used the word zentangle over and over in the design.  We were 600 miles down the road and stopped for the night.

I did this on day two.  I have been doing designs like this for over 25 years. 

I had some colored gel pens so decided to try a little color.  I don't like this one.

By the time I finished this we arrived at our destination.  I did a few while there which I will post at another time.  The ones below were done on the trip home.

Another free form. I think it has an oriental look.

The last one had a design that looked like a leaf which I liked so I did this consisting of all leaves.

Leaves made me think of flowers so I did this sunflower design.

When I ran out of ideas it was back to my old stand-by saguaro.  This was the end of our first day on the way back to Tucson.

I was back to free form again the next morning and looking forward to getting home.

I started the trip with a busy one so why not end the trip with another busy one?  I have to say I enjoyed the traveling time keeping busy doing these zentangles.  I don't know how much of this sketching black and white work I will do in the future but I know I will now keep a small sketch book and Sharpie in my purse and doodle when every I have time to kill while traveling or in a waiting room!  If you have any comments I would love to hear them.  A special thank-you to Susan who turned me on to this.  I hope I can track you down to thank you in person.

Another "Quail in the Garden Tray"

Here is another tray with the subject "Quail in the Garden" based on Amete bark painting.  The first tray I did like this is posted back in September 2012.  I have also have done a number of paintings in different sizes and colors using variations of the pattern.  I like the folk artsy look and that I can use a lot of vibrant color in the painting.  I will be showing this tray along with the bowls that are pictured a few posts back at the new SAAG gallery.

Ornamental Cross

This painting was commissioned by some friends.  It is quite large...22X28.  I haven't done a painting this big since I was working on exhibition paintings last year.  I have been concentrating on doing smaller works for the new SAAG gallery and also for the Sun City Oro Valley art festival which is in November.  I have a number of functions on the calendar for this summer and early fall which I will tell about in future posts.