Friday, December 3, 2010

The Canvas Project 3, Part 4

Let's play "Hidden Pictures"!  I always enjoyed playing the game in "Highlights" magazine as a child.  Do you remember it?

Can you locate my three paintings in this photo?  Click here for a hint of what they look like.

Did you find them?  Post your answer (row and column) in the comments section at the end of this blog.

And as for the explanation of this photo:  It was taken by the Art House Coop for the opening of The Canvas Project 3 exhibition. The opening takes place today and tomorrow, December 3 and 4, 2010, from 12-8pm each day at the:

Art House Coop
103A North 3rd Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

I could not locate the closing date of the exhibition as of this writing.  I will post the info upon receiving it.

There were 417 artists participating in the exhibit.  Each received 3 canvases.  So if you're in NY this holiday season, stop in to enjoy the art.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Cat and Dog Art Prints--35% Off Holiday Sale

Seasons Greetings from our house to yours!

To honor the tradition of Cyber Monday, I have placed my cat and dog pet art prints on sale for the holidays.  The prints are regularly $40 each.  They are now on sale for $25 each.  Over a 35% savings!

The prints are hand titled, signed by yours truly and presented in a white mat.  They are standard 11x14" in size making it easier to locate frames.

Several of my customers purchase multiple prints to hang in groups on their walls.  Usually 2 or 3 are hung together in a collage. 

Roll Play

Shortstop

Gimme
above images: © Susan Calvert, all rights reserved

During this sale, you can purchase three prints ($75) for the price of two regularly priced prints ($80). Purchase prints for your pet loving friends and self.  Remember gifts for your pet sitter or veterinarian too.  Click here to see the selection.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

A Bittersweet Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.  We have much to be thankful for even though our year has not gone exactly as we thought it would.

Steve lost his job earlier in the year and since the company went bankrupt, COBRA health insurance benefits became null and void.  Locating a job in this economy has been quite difficult.  So Steve and I put our heads together and started a manufacturers rep business, Efficient Technologies Group.  We received our first order yesterday.  Yippee!

Though we are not as financially stable as we once were, we have our family and health to be thankful for.  Our holiday became bittersweet upon receiving a call that our good friend, Jonelle, passed away this morning.

We have such fond memories of Jonelle. She and her husband were the first couple we had dinner with during our relocation to Georgia.

Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q will not be the same without you, Jonelle.  We roared when we were together!  Our laughter was so loud, the men would tell us to "calm down".  We were embarrassing them.  Tee-hee!


We will miss you much, Jonelle. You had a long battle and fought a good fight. RIP, Sweetie, and our deepest sympathy to your husband, Rick, and families.  oxoxoxox

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Anatomy of a (Colored Pencil) Drawing--Learning Curves

The High Museum of Art Atlanta is exhibiting the art of Salvador Dali through January 9, 2011.  Of course, being a lover of modern art, this exhibit is a must-see for me.  Every Thursday from 4-8pm is half-price admission.

I was going through a portfolio and located elements of my surrealist colored pencil drawing entitled "Learning Curves".  There are several images here showing my decision-making process to complete the drawing.  I'm only sure of the first and last as far as order of completion goes and that I flipped the entire image for the final work of art because the smile was the most important feature.

Collage

Overview Sketch

Mouth

Color Selection

Background and Mouth Colors

More Background Ideas

Final Hair, Brow, Eye and Mouth Colors

Final Background Color Selection

Background Design Elements

Learning Curves, © Susan Calvert, all rights reserved
Learning Curves is a surrealist self-portrait composed of organic (curvilinear) and man-made (linear) shapes and patterns.  Both of these organic (emotional, metaphorical, poetic, abstract, imaginative) and man-made (intellectual, logical, rational, concrete, scientific) qualities have complimented one another throughout my life.  In addition, the apple and smile represent a personal "learning curve" peak--self-awareness and acceptance of my journey.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Updated Artist Statement

I updated my Artist Statement on my website the other day. It reads:

"I am all about color and design. Big, bold, beautiful color and stylized design!

In 4th grade, I won 1st place for the fire awareness poster coloring contest throughout the entire school district. I worked really hard on the piece. I colored it with crayons on the hot concrete stairs leading up to our front door. Then I rubbed it smooth to blend the colors. The crayon lumps were gone and it was glossy from the waxy crayons.

In addition, my friends outside of school and I made a deal. They would draw pictures. I would take their drawings and color them with crayons, colored pencils and paints. I was teased I did not stay in the lines and cried over it.  I laugh over it now and think of it as a life lesson that would aid me in my artistic career. I am true to myself today with bright, bold color and still love the glitz of high gloss."
Blonde Ambition, © Susan Calvert, all rights reserved
Earlier this week, I mentioned my artist statement to someone and elaborated about another childhood incident.  Four of us girls were creating art using paint-by-number sets.  (Do they still make those anymore?)  I was painting a horse.  From the knees down, the color was bright white.  Well, I painted it bright white all right, all outside the lines (again)!  The horse looked like it was wearing go-go boots.  We broke out in song singing:  "These Boots Are Made For Walking" by Nancy Sinatra.

Yesterday, I heard the wife of a man at my husband's former employer trashed yours truly at a sales meeting.  She told everyone I was nothing but a weirdo and my art showed it.  Upon hearing that, I busted out laughing.  You see, words like weird, different, interesting, unique, strange are compliments to me.  I strive to be "outside the lines and box".  What's funny is I've never even met the woman. I had heard she read my blog while my husband was employed there.  Although the woman tried insulting me, she really doesn't have a clue how this "weirdo's" art has changed the lives of people who have purchased it.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Anatomy of a Painting--Hang In There

Collage

Sketch

Hang In There, © Susan Calvert, all rights reserved
Painting

Off the Wall: 1-2-3 Art Show
Opening night, Thurs, Sept 9, 2010
Through Fri, Sept 17, 2010
10am-5pm daily
at:

The Defoor Center
1710 Defoor Avenue
Atlanta, GA
404-591-3900

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Off The Wall: 1-2-3 Art Show

The Off The Wall: 1-2-3 Art Show is tomorrow, Thursday, September 9, 2010. Local artists will feature their art at three price points; $100, $200 and $300. This annual one night only show is from 7-9:30pm at:

The Defoor Center
1710 Defoor Avenue
Atlanta, GA
404-591-3900

The following three pieces of my art will be available for purchase:

Weathering The Storm
Oil
36x24"
$100

The Deep
Mixed Water Media
$200

The Deep
15x17"
(close-up)

Hang In There
Oil
20x16"
$300
I look forward to seeing you!!!

PS:  The sizes of the paintings are approximate.  I misplaced my paperwork.  Ugh!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Pancakes & Booze Art Show, Part 3

The Pancakes & Booze Art Show last Friday sure was a good time.  There was a huge turn out.  They ran out of pancake mix around 11:30pm.  (The show lasted 'til 2am.)  The 'cakes were delicious, especially being topped with fresh raspberries and strawberries.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing old and meeting new friends.  A big THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by and spoke with me about my new painting series entitled "Tipsy".

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Anatomy of a Painting--Black Devil

Sketch
Under Painting
Base coating
Development of shapes
Glazing
Color development
Outlines
Additional elements
Glazing

"Black Devil"
Acrylic
20x16"

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Pancakes & Booze Art Show, Part 2

The Pancakes & Booze Art Show is THIS Friday, September 3, 2010. What a fun way to start the holiday weekend! Click on the poster below to enlarge for details.


I'm excited to be debuting my cocktail drink series entitled "Tipsy" for this show. Here is a preview:

Blue Monday

Please join me and pass this post along to your friends for a night of Pancakes & Booze in Midtown:

Friday, September 3, 2010
8pm - 2am
$5 cover

The Goat Farm
1200 Foster St
Atlanta, GA 30318
(map below)
Yellow Rattler
Click here to see additional paintings in this series.  Looking forward to seeing you!

Wordless Wednesday, 9/1/2010

Friday, August 27, 2010

The (Completed) Canvas Project 3, Part 3

I've been teasing you these past few months about my paintings for The Canvas Project 3 public art project.  They're finished and on their way to NY.  Yippee!

For this project, I received 3 canvases and 3 randomly selected words to interpret.  See if you can guess the word.  The words painted on the edges of the canvas in second and third pictures of each set are a hint.  The answers are at the bottom of this post.

Painting #1

The hint is "Once in a Blue Moon".  OMG!  After many years of searching, I am oh-so-lucky to have found the love of my life.  (still pinching myself too...)

Painting #2

© Susan Calvert


The hint is "I Think I Can".  I gave The Little Engine That Could eye lashes and tears.  The yellow dots on the orange background are brilliant sunshine and the bright green dots in the landscape are the stability of being grounded. The copyright symbol and signature are on the upside of this self portrait.
 
Painting #3



The hint is "Frost Yourself in Diamonds".  While base coating this all I could think of was cupcakes.  Doesn't the shape remind you of one?  It did for me so I slathered up the paint to "frost" the facets of this diamond.  After all, diamonds are a girl's best friend.  Yum!

Did you figure out the words?  Give up?  Okay, here are the answers:

Painting #1:  "Seldom" (Once in a Blue Moon)
Painting #2:  "Could" (I Think I Can)
Painting #3:  "Eloquence" (Frost Yourself in Diamonds)

Thank you for playing the game. The opening for the show is on Friday, December 3, 2010 at:

201 Richards St #16
Brooklyn, NY 11231

For more information about The Canvas Project 3, click here.  To view my 2009 entries for The Canvas Project 2, click here.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Cat T-Shirt Adoption

Great news! The kitty cat t-shirt shown below has been adopted and is being sent special delivery to NC. I'm going cat nip crazy with delight and hope my customer does too upon its arrival. Perhaps I'll even receive a photo of my customer wearing it to share with you here on my blog. I'd be bouncing off the walls then for sure!
To adopt your own hand made, one-of-a-kind, original wearable cat or dog t-shirt created by yours truly, click HERE.