Deirdre’s Sloppy Studio

I finally framed the painting I did at Marilyn Sholin’s class in Niagara Falls this summer.  I just used a simple black frame - the “matting” is actually part of the canvas.

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Last week I set up an Etsy shop to sell my paintings and artwork - did you notice the paintings over there on the right side of my blog?

So far,  I have only added a few items, but wanted to let everyone know - the shop is open! I’m hoping to add more items on a weekly basis!  Prices are very inexpensive right now and shipping is minimal.  And ART makes a great gift!

Remember you can shop in your Jammies!  If you have any questions, please let me know.

Remember that cute little dog Tom got a few months ago? Well he has grown up a bit and recently he has decided that he is a lapdog.  Here are a few photos of Tom with Gunner.

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This is my page for Red Dog Scott’s True Colors RR.  Her theme is silvers, blues.  I decided to use a canvas misprint of a photo I took at NY’s Stone Bridge.  I also used a photo of a mermaid I took at the Met a few years ago.  I wonder if this statue is the Siren used for Starbucks?  It certainly looks like the same one, at least from this story.

In addition to printing, this page was painted with acrylics and embellished with gel medium and medium with glass beads.

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On Saturday, I officiated at a wedding, the weather was incredible.  The ceremony was held at Gallagher’s Mansion in Norwalk’s Cranbury Park.  I only found a few images online
.  Everything was really lovely.

On Sunday I painted for a good part of the day, so here are some new paintings.  I’m not sure these are finished yet.

The first one is called Ice Crystal, its 16×20

This next one needs a new name, I called it Economy, its 9×12

The yellow one is called Sunshine Shadows II, it’s also 9×12

This last one might be Storm at Sea, unless I keep painting it, in which case it may change quite a bit.  The size is 16×20

These aren’t matted, I’ve added the black edge on them.  All images are clickable to see detail.

I also finished 2 small mixed media pieces and a round robin.  More photos tomorrow.

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The Watchers at the Trinity Building.  I’d love to have them watching my doorway.

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Day 2

Here is a drawing that Morgan made in school.  She loves using shading.

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I can’t believe its the first day of October!  Laume is starting a Post Spooky challenge - you can click the button to find out more about it.

Here is my Post Spooky image from Trinity Church Graveyard.  These people died as young adults.

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I’m running late for work, but wanted to post photos of my creative weekend.

Eight Paintings
Three 9″x12″ and Five 4″x4″ (all WIPs*)

 Two small quilts also WIPs

*WIPs - Works In Progress

I also went grocery shopping, vacuumed, dusted and straightened.  I also helped a friend downgrade Vista to XP.  I didn’t finish the laundry.  Maybe tonight.

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In my attempt to learn what makes a good abstract painting, I have spent quite a bit of time wandering around the web.  One of the first stops I make on my daily blog review is Martha Marshall’s ‘An Artist’s Journal’.  Besides loving her paintings - I love her open discussion of how she creates her artwork.  She often has great commentary on her local art-scene as well as other interesting items.  Yesterday for example she posted a youtube video she found and  it you should check it out.  I can’t imagine the time that went into producing it!

I’ve also been visiting our local Library - and have a table filled with books on art techniques and lots of eye candy.  One book I picked up was Abstract Painting - Concepts and Techniques by Vicky Perry.  It was very informative and one of the featured artists was Francine Tint.  I fell in love with her painting, Pompeii -here is a page from the book (because I couldn’t find the painting online).  Isn’t it wonderful?

This is a medium sized painting, and it seems that most of Francine’s work is LARGE  - I LOVE LARGE and she will be on my list of art to see.  I’m lucky because this seems to be the area where her work is shown, I’ll just have to remember to visit her site to check out upcoming dates.  You can see more of her work at www.francinetint.com

I would also like to express my sorrow in hearing of Paul Newman’s death.  I live in Westport and have many fond memories of him.  He was a frequent visitor to Ships (a restaurant owned by my ex) where I was a bartender.  He would come in many afternoons and order a beer and a plate of clams.  I hated opening clams at the bar, but it was hard to say no!  One time there was a fire in the alley behind the restaurant - this was in the early 80’s, the olden days of The Ships when it was a long narrow restaurant, before it took over the block and eventually transformed into the new Tiffany Store.  It was also a very old woodframe building and IMHO could go up like a light.  Paul had just ordered a plate of clams on the half-shell.  Almost everyone was out of the restaurant, and the firemen were in full attire, dragging the firehose through the building.  I suggested that maybe we should leave - Paul thought it was a good time to order another plate of clams.

Westport will miss the man who gave so much to our town.  Farewell, and Thank You.

Here isn a link to a local story

http://www.westportnow.com/index.php?/v2/comments/paul_newman_dead_at_83/#more

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