New Project - Journaling

Experimenting with Art Journaling - Here is the cover of my repurposed old book.  How challenging it was to come up with something to pertain to a new year and whatever is going to be in the journal.  I may make another in a binder to try a different idea, but here is what I came up with.

Fine Art America

A new website now has some paintings on Fine Art America, a  professional network for visual artists, photographers, art collectors, and gallery owners.  So far, there is a profile page featuring a short biography, contact information, and artwork.   Fine Art America fulfills each order on behalf of the artists - taking care of the printing, framing, matting, packaging, shipping, collecting payments from the buyers, and sending profits to the artists.   Each print is manufactured at Fine Art America's production facility and delivered "ready-to-hang" with a 30-day money-back guarantee.  As I explore the possibilities, I will do more with it.  It takes a little time, but I think it will be worth it.  

Here is the link -http://harriett-masterson.artistwebsites.com/

BIRTHDAY FLAMINGO

"Hot Pink" 15x 30 Oil

My granddaughter loves flamingos, so I painted this one for her birthday.

She has a nice little apartment that needed some art and now it is hanging in a place of honor.  I wanted it to be beautiful, but a little funky, which fits her.

Here is a photo when it was presented to her:

CHRISTMAS COMMISSION

Having been commissioned to paint a memorable experience of our neighbors when they toured Venice, Italy, I used a personal photo and some research to give the wife a nice surprise.  This painting was a challenge, but I so enjoyed doing it.  Knowing my neighbor's love of color, I was free in using the brilliant colors of the old buildings and the nostalgic look of the canals.  She was very surprised and absolutely loved the painting.  Here's to doing more off this type commission.

Pam and Harold in Venice

Inside Plein Aire?

Artwalk Shop - 11x14 Pastel

Painting demos are common for artists when we set up on our Annual Artists Showcase.  This year, instead of painting from a photo or a work started in my studio at home, I decided to paint something there in the shops, an "inside plein air" if you please. 

Right across from my two panels was the colorful shop, Louis Permiglia, all decked out in string lighting, balloons and some lovely clothing and other items out in front.  Just the thing!  So, I painted it in pastels, finishing the final touches afterwards in my studio. 

A few weeks later, I hung it on a panel in the same Plaza Shops for a second-Friday Artwalk.  One of the first persons to come in and look bought the painting for its happy colors.  A local entrepreneur, she hung it in her office where she spends most of her time.  My painting joined a number of very colorful works by local artists.  What satisfaction that my work is there, making her smile.

Caroline in Wedding Attire

Caroline in Wedding Attire

9x12 Pastel on Paper

Portraits of my grandchildren pose quite a problem since I don't live close to many of them.  When we do get together, there is not time to paint them live. 

This one was from a group photo in which she had her head a little cocked and was quite small.  The photo had to be scanned, cropped and enlarged as a reference.

I chose this one, since she is entering her teens and this is more or less a glamour shot.  Because of the braces, the teeth are not detailed.  She had such a beautiful smile on her face, that I wanted to capture that.

She just received it in the mail and is very happy with it. She can hang it in her room. 

FERNAN WATERLILY

In an earlier post, our plein air visit to Fernan Lake was shared by video.  Just now got around to photographing the pastel painting I completed.  

Always, when first surveying an area for a painting, it's a little overwhelming how many colors are actually there.  Then comes, the decisions how to portray what one sees.  This is what I came up with.  


The photo does not show the brightness of the actual painting.

Campsite Sketching

Camping out doesn't necessarily preclude art.  A sketchbook and a case of pastel pencils accompanied me to Big Hank Campground beside the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River in North Idaho.  Such  a beautiful place inspires a painter's heart.  As I got comfortable in my sleeping bag the second night, I stared through the top of the tent (intentionally left off the rain cover) and enjoyed the stars.  Noticing the tent poles and pattern of the tent makings, I noticed a great example of the golden mean.  So, I memorized the scene to sketch the next day.

As I awoke the next morning, the same scene lit up be morning light presented itself.  So, after the morning coffee and breakfast, set up the sketchbook at the picnic table and sketched both of the scenes.  When I would raise my head to think about what I was doing, I would stare at the trees ahead of me, next to the campsite.  When I finished the skies, it was only natural to capture what was in front of me.

Great practice, both memorizing a scene and, also, capturing what was before me.

Fernan Lake Plein Aire Painting

Today, our group was at Fernan Lake on the east side of Coeur d'Alene.  What a gorgeous summer day.  Look for yourself at the lovely setting Suzanne chose.  The little clip is better viewed small, rather than full page and the sound is low.  You might want to pause the normal nature sounds on the website as well. 

     Above, on the right, is my setup in the shade, doing pastels of the water lillies.  The camaraderie, summer atmosphere, and breeze from across the lake, made it a very pleasant experience.  Not to mention the practice we all got, picking out a view, trying to execute a scene, and go homes with a little painting.

Plein Air this week

  



NEXT MODEL?

MARY & BARBARA

                                                                         



Beautiful weather this week.  We had problems connecting with our group, so we proceeded on down to Corbin Park along the Spokane River.   So much to paint and I wound up scraping most of the paint off my canvas.  Was trying out some new colors and found a couple of them way to strong for what I was doing. Every outing is a learning experience for which I am thankful.  Loretta West, Mary Kopf, Barbara Irvine and I enjoyed the comparing notes and views.  A fishman chatted with us and we took his picture.  Might make a good painting later.  Oh well, there's next week.

Plein Air Painting in N. Idaho

Got a late start this year due to family visits and a chest cold.  So, last week, I joined my group and painted out at Rockford Bay in one our member's neighborhood. Suzanne, our planner, said it was the first day of icky weather since they started in May - yes, it was chilly, cloudy and windy. 

My friend, Mary, and I chose a spot down near the boat docks, but back away from the water and out of the wind.  Not too bad.  Mary had her watercolors and was fairly pleased with the outcome of hers.  My pastels stayed dry and I painted a little point just beyond the boat docks.  We painted out there last year and a goose decided we shouldn't be there and squawked, running back and forth.  He was especially upset with one of our members and forced her to move a couple of times.  But, our hero of the hour was a small dachshound, who came down the hill with two children, and chased the offending goose back into the water.  Woo-hoo!  We loved the little hero.  fortunately this year, the goose is gone.

One of the joys of painting outdoors is the friendly visitors that stop by and look at the work being done.  Most of the time, they look, chat a bit and move on.  This time, two children came down the hill and Susan and Abbi Gutting, a mother-daughter painting team, let the boy and girl paint and take their work home.  They both are used to teaching children and enjoyed the efforts.  The two painters battled the wind out on the docks - what troupers.  Abbi's palette had to be scooped out the the water once.

Afterwards we had a critique session up in Karen's Pfeiffer's home.  It was a bit chilly to do it on the deck.  Not only that, she and her husband, Earl, sent us home with plantings of mint and/or poppies.

This week, with summer finally showing its' face with sunshine, we painted out at the south end of Twin Lakes at the home of Paulette Minatre.  What a beautiful place it was, offering vistas across the lake, a grassy area down by the boat dock, lovely gardens, and a picturesque home.  Paulette is a gracious hostess, visiting the different artists as they set up and offering cold water and a place to have our lunch (we are brown-baggers.)  As usual, we critiqued our paintings, which is so helpful.  We ended up with five oils and a pastel.  I especially liked Suzanne's fun painting of Paulette's huge rooster sculpture which is parked out by the garden.

Idaho Scenes

Shoshone Falls - A commission

ARTISTS SHOWCASE 2011

If you are anywhere in the area, don't miss coming to this marvelous event!;

You can click on either of these areas above and see a larger version.

Plein Air Miniatures

THREE MINIS

5 X 5 Gallery Wrapped
Oils
All scenes from an apple orchard in Greenbluff, WA

The summer day was very pleasant and fun for our plein air group, producing quite a few nice paintings. We start up our plein air group in May.  Love being out in the beautiful otdoors in Idaho and Washington.

September - CDA Art Association as Featured Artist

The whole month of September, ANGEL Gallery in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, will feature the Coeur d'Alene Art Association as Featured Artist. A member-only juried contest was held in July, judged by artist Maxine Maxim. Best of Show, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place was chosen along with about 24 other paintings to be hung in the gallery. There will be a reception for the association on Friday, September 10th to coincide with the monthly CDA Artwalk.

Do come and visit the gallery during September and see the works of our artists.

I will have two paintings hanging, the Market Day (11x14 Pastel) and Hayden Shaded Path (8x10 Oil).

Mother's Day Cards

I don't spend a lot of time on making cards, but decided to do some Mother's Day Cards. Here are the five versions I made of one image.



Just like the collections cards below, just click on the image which will take you to the store to order.

Collection of Art Cards Featuring Paintings of the Inland Northwest

Just a reminder of  a special group of my blank note cards, Art Card Collections, printed in matte rather than a glossy card, frameable, featuring scenes of the Northwest that I have painted over the last few years. They are titled on the front for those of you that are interested in the locales they depict.

Available on Greeting Card Universe, just by clicking on the photo of the card. You may order them just as they are or if you want to send them to someone, put a verse inside, or whatever. Please enjoy.

Me Painting Jackie - Plein Air Experiences

Yes, we'll be out and about again.  My friend and fellow-artist, Jackie Jewett, is usually a part of our association plein air group. When we painted at Rose Lake, Idaho, I captured her painting a little abandoned cabin. She liked it so much, she bought it to put in her studio.

A beautiful location with lovely grasses, we thoroughly enjoyed that day. Paintings like this are a wonderful source of good memories.  I'll soon be putting this one on an art card available through GCU.

Market Scenes

It's been forever since I posted on the blog, due to various things. But, I have been busy painting. After doing the Market Day and posting it last year, I began to think about our own local Farmers Market in Kootenai County. So, during this past summer, I took many photos at different times to paint from. This one, "Best Bread at Market," was done first and, now I am in the middle of an oil painting of the Killarney farms stand. I may still change this one a little, but here it is for now.

ART ON THE GREEN, COEUR D'ALENE, IDAHO

The 41st Annual Art on the Green is the place to be July 31st, August 1st and 2nd! On the campus of North Idaho College, our Coeur d'Alene Art Association will have a booth there, located in the row just below the dike road. Look for us. Although I will have only a couple of paintings (or one large one) it will definitely be worth your time to visit and see the versatility of our artists.