Back to the Easel

It is the Monday after a jam-packed weekend and I am putting things back in order. We had 20 people show for the Studio Tour. A hearty, "THANK YOU!" to those 20. I got to spend some time with Anne Kenyon yesterday afternoon talking about working surfaces, organizing our studio spaces, different artists that inspire us and other art business talk. We traded art and I now possess one of her lovely winter scenes.

I am very excited about my studio for this winter as my husband and I finally selected a gas stove to heat the space! It will be installed before Thanksgiving and I am re-arranging things a tad down there. It will be nice not to have to bundle up or worry about space heaters going up in flames.

I realize I have not posted images of my last pastel or any of the current oil painting on the easel. The oil will hopefully be completed this week.

Ivy and Syrup, pastel, 12" x 18"

Work in progress:Memories of Maine, oil, 12" x 12"

Enjoy! - Laura

Fall Colors Studio Tour 2011

This coming weekend I am participating in the Fall Colors Studio Tour along with pastel artist, Anne Kenyon at her home and studio at 121 Green Acres Lane in State College, PA.

Here is the ad:

Anne is gracious in allowing me into her home for this event. It works for both of us as she has a prior engagement for part of Saturday and my being there will allow her to participate. I have never felt comfortable with strangers coming into my home, so this opportunity is ideal. It is at times like this when I wish my studio was not in my home. At any rate, for this weekend I will be setting up in Anne's dining room. I will have a few 3' x 6' panels on which I will display my wares. I hope I can make it look nice and not too crammed.

I designed and ordered new brochures to promote myself and let people know I have done and love commission work. I have been selecting paintings to take, making price tags and packing everything in transportable bins. This has been a daunting task since I decided to pull out some older and smaller work that might be more affordable for some people. There are many really nice tiny oil paintings, but this makes me worry about my display looking crammed or too cluttered. I will not allow that to happen!

I am also trying not to be overwhelmed with minutiae - something I'm not very good at. For example, it crossed my mind when I went to the office supply store for printer ink that I might need a sales receipt book. After 10 minutes deciding on which one would serve me best, I decided to look at binders to keep the receipt book and perhaps other notes and such in which took another 10- 15 minutes. See how I can make mountains out of molehills?

Well, I still have much to do in addition to trying to get back to the painting I had going. I sure hope that the weather cooperates for the weekend and that people will come out and say hello!

Fall Thoughts

I have been ill for two weeks. I'd thought I was over the worst of it and then a sore throat came along. My head and chest are packed and all energy sapped. My laptop also decided to stop running at about the same time, so it has been miserable to be sick with rainy weather and no computer to keep me entertained.  I did read a book, but sleep has been the priority.

Today the sun has finally made an appearance and I managed to get this teeny notebook up and running. Dog has been walked and meds taken for the sinus headache. I'm hoping to have enough energy left after posting this to piddle in the studio. I have another small oil going and am in the planning of a large pastel.

In just a few weeks the Art Alliance's Fall Studio Tour will take place.  I need to prepare!  My brochure design was lost with the laptop, so I'm hoping to come up with a replacement in time.  I picked up some of the small work I had framed and am quite pleased with how nicely they "cleaned up" by adding quality frames.  Thank you John and Jeffrey at the State College Framing Company & Gallery!

Here is one of the paintings without its frame...  Yes, a landscape.

Stoney Point Hill, pastel, 11.5" x 9"

I hope in another week (or sooner!) to be back to my old self and keeping you updated. Until then enjoy the sun
L