Chip...again

I think I am finished.  I've made some adjustments and added some "frosting on the cake" –– details like whiskers and highlights.  The photography is not accurate,  it looks so much better in real life!  I guess the camera has a hard time with the myriad of colors and the overhead lighting.

Works in progress: Summer and Beau

I've made some progress on Summer and Beau. Still.... way more to go!

Work in progress... Summer and Beau

This portrait of Summer is the 2nd one of three commissioned along with Chip (shown in the earlier post). I'm almost finished and will start on Beau, the third dog in this series. You can see here how I begin, starting on a red canvas, blocking in the background and applying a chalk grid to guide my drawing. I work from a photo reference in my computer.

Chip

I just finished teaching 7 weeks of art camps which has fully occupied my attention.
Here's the painting of Chip which is mostly done. Today, I'm reorganizing my studio and will block in the background for the third painting in this series of Chip's buddy Summer. I can then turn this painting of Chip over to the wonderful woman who commissioned it and had been patiently waiting for it!

Work in progress - Chip.....Chocolate Chip Angel

Here is a portrait of Chip I have been working on. He is one of 3 labs I've been commissioned to paint. He was 14 years old, a bit crickety but regal, with a gleaming, greying coat. You could tell he was well loved. I was trying to get this completed before he passed away since 14 is really old for a lab. Alas, he passed away a few days ago. I wish I could just whip these things out, but I just don't work that way.

I plan to lighten the background and keep building up layers on him. Comments? Suggestions?

Hanging the show

Tracy and Jim Potter hang Rabbit Hill by Helen Wilson, and detail

I am exhausted from a grueling day hanging the art show for my art group - 75 paintings, half of which had to be carried up a long flight of stairs. My helpers and I found it interesting how differently our tastes ran. This made it a bit difficult to agree on placement.

This show was first juried by digital submissions and then judged when the accepted works were brought into the gallery. The juror, Michael Steirnagle, noted how much different it was seeing the actual works. For instance, the painting above he initially considered rejecting during the jurying. When he saw the actual painting he was impressed and ended up giving it an award.

What I love about the Rabbit Hill (above) is the conversation it provokes. During the hanging, many people stopped to look at it (it's 12' wide - hard not to notice!) and seemed compelled to share with me their interpretation of it. What do you think? Leave your comments. Better yet, come see it and the rest during the artists' reception Sunday June 14 from 2-4 PM at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts at 15498 Espola Road in Poway, CA.

Best of Show: Never Promised You by Mollie Kellogg

Open Studios Tour - photos!

Here are a few photos from the Ramona Open Studios Tour last weekend. I was one of the featured artists. Most of these were taken by my niece Kristina shown in the last photograph.

Here some visitors and I are discussing rattlesnakes and my rattler photo:

People brought me the most incredible flowers! Here are some proteas from Laura D.:

Publish Post

Ramona Open Studios Tour

The Ramona Chamber of Commerce presents

the 6th Annual
Ramona Open Studios Tour
April 18 & 19, 2009
10am to 4pm
Tour the back country while supporting your local artists!

Tickets for the self-guided tour are $10 per person and include a full-color brochure with map.
Order by phone from the Ramona Chamber of Commerce at (760) 789-1311 or in person at 960 Main St. Tuesday through Saturday.
Tickets may also be purchased in Ramona at:

Daniel's Liquor and Deli (1350 Main St.),
Daniel's West (17718 Hwy. 67),
The Java Hut (23658 San Vicente Road in San Diego Country Estates),
and at the artists’ studios on the days of the event.
Look for the bright yellow "Open Studios" signs!

Contact: Judy Nachazel (760) 789-7131
Ramona Chamber (760) 789-1311
www.ramonaart.com
www.ramonachamber.com.

Artists Featured:
* Venus Andrecht - paintings
* Susan Bainbridge - paintings
* Yigal Ben-Aderet - sculpture
* Jim Berger - woodworking
* Kitty Cantrell - sculpture
* Antonia Cosentino - ceramics
* Donna Davis - ceramics
* Sue Dawe - fantasy art
* Lyn Feudner - fused glass jewelry
* Linda Kelly - paintings and gourd art
* Isabel McCauley - watercolor paintings
* Michele Morton - pine needle basketry and woodworking
* Judy Nachazel - pastel and acrylic paintings
* Carolyn Nespolo - photography
* Sally Quenette - wildlife watercolors
* Leslie Sousa - metalwork
* Joyce Stark - wildlife painting
* Jil Streed - jewelry

March Madness

Have so many things I'm working on right now, none of which are paintings.

The Ramona Open Studio Tour is coming up and I'm in charge of publicity which is keeping me really busy. On top of that, I also am trying to publicize the Spring Break Art Camp I'm teaching in Poway next month. And then there's the monthly newsletter I write for the Ramona Art Guild. Oh, yeah, I'm also writing a grant and have been brainstorming with the really supportive principal at a nearby school to create an arts program for her school.

Last weekend I was juried into Spanish Village in fabulous Balboa Park! Out of 50 applicants only 14 were chosen. What this means is that I can now show my work in any of the galleries there that want me. I can also set up a patio display in the Village whenever I like and show my work to the b-zillion of tourists who wander through. One of the gallery owners called me today. She LOVES my work and wants me to join her gallery!

New Year

No pressing commissions. Just been focused on organizing the Ramona Artists Open Studio Tour which will happen again in April.

I'm taking my friend Helen Wilson's mixed media class and exploring ideas in my artist's journal. I think of it as art play!