I’m having a hard time keeping up with myself….in a good way!

Photographed in plein air, but it was raining so I painted this in my studio for the Tooele Arts festival plain air competition. I know…I’m a wimp!

So many events to announce…

Flowers for Everyone ~ Solo Exhibition

Holladay Library ~ Gallery Room

2150 Murray Holladay Road

Holladay, Utah 84117  801-0943-4636

Show hangs from March 2 through April 30, 2015

These lovely delicate perennial flowers seem to bloom every Sept 4th on Cami’s birthday. The bulbs were a gift from my sister on the day of Cami’s funeral. My grandson,
Hunter helped me plant them after the funeral services were over. This is the unfinished painting that I will finish today in honor of my sweet daughter.

1st Annual Illumination Art Show ~ IAA (Inspirational Artists Association)

Scera Center for the Arts – Gallery 101

745 South State

Orem, Utah  84058

801-225-2787

http://www.scera.org

Show hangs from March 3 through April 14, 2015

Artist Reception is Friday, March 20, 2015 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM

Angel Portals – Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Spring into Fantasy ~  ISA (Intermountain Society of Artists)

Utah Cultural Celebration Center Gallery

1355 West 3100 South

West Valley City, Utah 84119

801-965-5100

http://www.culturalcelebration.org/isa

Show hangs from March 9 ~ May 6, 2015

Artist Reception on Thursday, March 12, 2015 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM

Spring Fling ~  Stansbury Art and Literature Society

TATC – Tooele Applied Technology College

88 South Tooele Blvd

Tooele, Utah  84074

435-248-1800

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Artist Reception from 7:00 to 9:00 PM

One Evening Only

This little gem was once a watercolor on gessoed board, I finished with oil and love now!

2015 UWS Spring Open Exhibition ~ UWS (Utah Watercolor Society)

Pioneer Memorial Theater – Loge Gallery

300 South 1400 East

Salt Lake City, Utah  84112

801-581-6961

http://www.pioneertheater.org

Show hangs from May 1 ~ May 16, 2015

Artist Reception is Saturday, May 9, 2015 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM

I’ll do my best to be at every Artist Reception, and hope to meet friends, collectors, admirers, and new friends!  My heart is so full at this time…love being a full time artist!!!

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Tell me the stories of Jesus…The promise and the process part 1

People tell me “Wow, you are so talented.”  The other day my husband mentioned that other people are intimidated by me.  Hmmm.  I can’t see it. What I know is that I’ve worked really hard to learn how to be a viable artist, and I have a lot more to learn and a long way to go.   What others call talent is 97% practice, and 2% talent and 1% luck according to an accomplished artist, Annie Henrie.

I do feel that being an artist is something I covenanted with my Heavenly Father to learn how to do here during my mortal life, and xthat if I do not follow the path he has laid out for me I would be an unfaithful and not a wise steward.  I often feel intimated and frightened.

I looked up art, and talents in the Topical Guide section of my scriptures and the following scriptural references help me know that I need to keep doing what I am doing.  My natural tendency is to be shy and very quiet.

D&C 60:2,3

2 But with some I am not well pleased, for they will not  open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have   given unto them, because of the fear of man. Wo unto    such, for mine anger is kindled against them.

3 And it shall come to pass, if they are not more faithful    unto me, it shall be taken away, even that which they have.

I went to the Salt Lake City Utah Temple on Friday, and thought about how ornate and beautiful it is, and how the pioneers who built it were so poor and had to work so very hard just to have food and clothing, and yet they created one of the most beautiful buildings in the entire world.  I like the following scripture as I think about them.

Exodus 32:2,3

(intro) Artisans are inspired in building and furnishing the tabernacle…

2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: (insert your own name or the name of your favorite artist)

 3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

I’m preparing to enter the 10th International Art Competition hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, through the Church History Museum.  The theme is “Tell me the Stories of Jesus”.  Because this competition is only held every 3 years, and because I quit my steady income teaching job to embark on the adventure of being a professional artist, and because I’m choosing to paint religious subject matter this is a very important competition for me to enter.  And because it is so important to me I tremble… I find my lack of faith in my abilities looming it’s ugly head.  Therefore, I want to document every step, including the self-doubt every artist encounters.

I’ve brainstormed and ran several ideas past many of my artist friends.  Listening to my friend Lanise sharing her testimony in sacrament meeting one day,  I began to gather my courage.  Her family has a mantra “I can do hard things”.  I was thinking about an idea for this painting competition right when she said that, and the spirit whispered “That’s the attitude you need”.

The fear left and was replaced with faith, I sat up straighter, and my subject matter presented itself.

While visiting my daughter’s family for Thanksgiving, I asked her,  April Gailey, a professional photographer to do a photoshoot of me.

The centerpiece of the Brigham Young University Museum of Art’s Sacred Gift’s art exhibit, the very first painting, hung at eye level and perfectly lit, called ‘Agony in the Garden’ by Frans Schwartz,  sent chills up my spine, and brought tears to my eyes.  A great feeling of love for my savior, and his love for me penetrated my heart.  It was an a very personal, individual experience.  And as you view my rendition of my self portrait, hopefully capturing my emotional and spiritual response,  perhaps you will relive your own experience with this reminder of the ‘Agony in the Garden’, an incredible piece of artwork!

Reproductions, although lovely do not capture the intensity of the colors, the bloody tears he is crying, and the intensity of the emotion on both his and the angels face.  Even though LDS doctrine does not include angel wings, the paintings with the wings of the angel enveloping him in comfort, strength and love illustrates intense emotions, beyond human understanding.  The Garden of Gethsemane, and the event depicted is the most important event in human history.  And because of him, even I, “I can do hard things.”

Words are not powerful enough to convey the visual message depicted here

I will insert my copy of the master…our master Jesus Christ, and the master painting by Frans Schwartz.

Because I want to capture the emotion “The Agony in the Garden’ communicates, I will use this as my rough draft….my photo to guide me. Yes, I will add tears to my face.

Philipians 4:13  “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me…”

Saturday required a lot of self talk, the encouraging kind, as I tackled the project.  My painting surface is 22×30 and is a cradled panel watercolor board.  I taped up the sides.  It’s 2 inches deep, and the wood used to create the cradle is beautiful.  If I can keep it clean I won’t need to paint the edges.  Then I pondered and procrastinated painting the watercolor background while I drew out the design.  I used the brick lines from the above photo to create a perspective grid for my copy of the Master.  I used dental floss to identify my vanishing point.

This is the side view of my cradled panel, it’s all taped up to protect the edges from my sloppiness

This is how I extended the perspective lines to locate the vanishing point. Dental floss is taped to the drawing and extended to a vanishing point outside the picture plane.

Here I have drawn the basic outline of the painting I want to include using a perspective grid.  This shows the overlay of the tracing paper used to rough in the ‘copy of a master’ and identify placement. The camera makes it look like the print is already in perspective but it is not.

The watercolor background is very soft and neutral.  It could change, but for now I think it looks like it will work.

Could change…

Here I am transferring the drawing to the painted background.  Next I will add 3 layers of clear gesso.

Now that I’m this far into the painting I have no idea why I was hesitant to start…I’m having a riot!

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You don’t have to be perfect to be Wonderful!

Painted en plein air sitting on the balcony of uncle Bob’s cabin

 

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Happy New Year!!!  Reviewing my History as an Artist, and trying to connect with you, kindred spirit!

I love to learn…and I love to set goals.  Jason Horejs, (www.RedDotblog.com Marketing and Selling Your Art — Insightful tips from an art gallery owner) in his free online course that I am working through says that a profitable artist needs to paint 60-80 paintings a year.  The assignment was to count how many paintings you had completed in 2014.  I counted 27.  I’ve always loved the Painting a Day concept, but haven’t ever felt like I paint fast enough to do that. So, that’s exactly why I need to do it!

Self imposed rules:

1.  Limit to 1 hour

2. Paint small, 6×8

3. Add the routine to my morning..5:00 am exercise, then paint.

4.  Prepare ahead…I already ordered 36 cheap little 6×8 canvas panels, and will select 36 subjects ahead of time, so I’m all set for 9 glorious, challenging weeks and then maybe I’ll order 36 bigger better canvasses…

5.  Each day as paint I will have an alarm set.  At 1 hour I will quit and post on Facebook.

6.  If someone wants to purchase they will be dirt cheap, and will not be framed.  Maybe I’ll even give some away.

7.  I will post a daily observation along with the image

8.  I will commit to do one of these studies at least 4 days per week with Sundays off.

I’M SO EXCITED!!!!!

In my last post I went clear back to my Jr. high years to find out where and when I began my journey as an artist.  The path is strewn with a few regrets…I firmly regret that fact that I did not try out for Sterling Scholar Art my senior year.  I was, and still am a bit shy, and have a hard time thinking my work is as good as it needs to be to compete.

Frank Paur was the only contender.  (I just found him of FB!!!)  When he accepts my friend request I’ll share some of his work.  He’s fantastic!  He still would have won even if I had competed, but looking back, it would have been good for me.  Through my years as a high school art teacher I’ve coached and interviewed many students as they went out for the Art Sterling Scholar title.

Despite a few regrets, one huge leap of faith for me was when I entered college and declared my major as Art.  I certainly didn’t have the portfolio nor the skills to back up my decision.  I just knew I loved the process.  My most influential professor at Ricks College was Brother Parson, father of well know artist Del Parson.  Since then I have had many varied and wonderful teachers who’ve made a difference in my life as an artist.  If you’ve ever taught a class, you know who learns the most…the Teacher!  If I ever wanted to learn or strengthen my understanding of an art concept I develop d a lesson plan and taught it.  My most important mentor however, is prayer.  It’s prayer that opens my eyes to new ideas, abilities, and drives my passion.  More on that concept next time!

Broken peace is a still life of my daughter headstone. The figurine holds a broken peace in, symbolizing her death.

Painted from a live model whose real name was John Wayne something or other…

These lovely delicate perennial flowers seem to bloom every Sept 4th on Cami’s birthday. The bulbs were a gift from my sister on the day of Cami’s funeral. My grandson,
Hunter helped me plant them after the funeral services were over. This is the unfinished painting that I will finish today in honor of my sweet daughter.

Tiny SLC Temple I called Visions of Glory because the water is the only part of the landscape visible. the novel Visions of Glory describes a huge flood, which soaks the foundation of the temple and ruins the rest of the surrounding area…

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Painted in Plein air with Rolanda and Charlotte

Painting of my grandson Cole as a Christmas present 2014

Painting of Eric for Christmas 2014

Painting of Jenica for Christmas 2014

Plein Air painting done with my friend Rolanda as part of the ISA Pond challenge

Trial run, watercolor sky, oil temple. Fun and loved it!

Plein Air during the Local Colors Plein Air Challenge at the Park in Sugar House

Plein air event sponsored by Local Colors fine Art Gallery in sugar House. Painted with Charlotte and Rolanda. So much Fun!

My son Kiffy took the photo when he was 14. He’s 30 now and I finally got it painted for him as a Christmas present

An old photo, painting began long ago, and I finally got to finish it!

Plein Air experience at Art in the Utah Sun Conference. Snow Canyon in St. George area

My Dad used to indulge us all when we’d beg him to honk as we drove through these arches that are on the way to Escalante where we lived. He’d roll the window down a bit to get the full effect.

Plein air challenge for Tooele Arts Festival. Hollyhocks growing in my front courtyard.

Plein Air challenge for the Tooele Arts Festival. This is the beautiful chapel my family attends. We watched it being built.

Workshop exercise through Portrait Society of America

Workshop exercise through Portrait Society of America

St. George Temple I named “Sacred Steps”

This little gem was once a watercolor on gessoed board, I finished with oil and love now!

This is a painting commissioned by Lucky, a very young collector.

Lucky’s first commissioned painting, this is her lovely mother.

It’s about time I introduce myself…a turning point

How I Became a Writer…and an Artist

Creativity is a magic word to me.  Mom is a very achievement oriented individual.  She loves math, order and logic.  She never forgets a commitment, and isn’t afraid to make them.  I happen to be her eldest child…of 9 natural birthed kiddos, and one more acquisition, (a dear sister who isn’t really a sister at all, but a friend we unofficially adopted).  I am a duplicate of Mom, or so I thought, until the day she decided I was ready to learn math.

“Ok Jane, what’s 1×3?” My mind was entirely blank.  I knew 4 couldn’t be the answer because that had been my answer several times already, and I never did get it right.  Crying was always a way out, so that’s what I did.  I had always loved school.  Now I had something at school to hate.

Creativity was a skill Mom wouldn’t acknowledge (or couldn’t acknowledge) within herself, or those around her.  It was not encouraged or praised, or even noticed.  Mom is definitely a dominate personality in our family, and since I have a similar dominate personality, creativity lay dormant, or unnoticed for several years.

Parent teacher conferences in 7th grade, a unique night, Mom and Dad were both with me, and they seemed to have time.  Time not to rush.  Mesmerized, I was lost in halls of magic.  My parents let me lead them from painting to painting as I marveled at the incredible art work mere junior high age kids (my peers) had produced.

Mitch McAllister.  I still remember his name.  I knew him!  He wasn’t even very handsome or popular, and he had done the most awesome paintings, and a lot of them.  His use of color was delightful.  There were pinks and purples in the reflections he painted in water.  Old buildings became interesting.  Skies were alive with color.  Student art work covered every wall in every hall.  I had to see them all.

A touch on my shoulder.  “Miss, you and your parents will have to leave.  We need to lock up now.”  The janitor startled me and brought me out of my world.  Extremely disappointed that we had to leave, we rushed by the rest of the paintings and hurried home.

Dad was a music teacher.  I played the violin.. Our orchestra teacher had me playing first chair. I practiced and I was good.  But…so what.  My best friend cold draw!  And paint!  In eighth grade I quit orchestra.

“I need your signature so I can transfer out.”  I stood in his office.  It was just me and him.  He sat upright when I said that.  It was terrifying enough to just say that line.  I didn’t want any lecture.  I probably couldn’t have told him why I was quitting anyway.  It was one of those 13 year old decisions that doesn’t get well thought out.  It just happens one day.  He blamed it on peer pressure.  He said I must think popular kids didn’t play violin.  He almost cried.

My parents must not have reacted too violently.  At this point in my life I don’t even remember anything about their reaction, or their involvement.

As a Junior in High School I got brave enough to take my first art class.  My schedule finally had room for it.  What a scary class that was for me!  I also had an English teacher who approached English as a creative media.  My junior year was a year of discovering my creative nature.  I came alive.  I wrote poetry. I wrote stories.  I painted pictures.  I drew pictures.  I led the class in putting together our own illustrated class publication.  I did paintings for all my friends for Christmas presents.  I gave a very large painting to my uncle for Christmas.  He said he had it appraised, and that it was worth at least $500.00, (and that was in 1975).  I developed my own self-identity.  It was so exhilarating.  And even my mother noticed!

The rest is really happening now, goals to pursue, kinks to work out, art to do, poetry, prose, blogs, music, (yes I’m back to playing a string instrument, I settled on the viola) and novels to write.

This is the culprit…it is a result of this little drawing that I decided I wanted to be an artist, and an art teacher. My teacher, Max Durrant taught me how to use a grid to enlarge the drawing, and how to use color correctly. I found an ad in a magazine for a stereo system. I begged him to let me finish it with colored pencils instead of crayons as his assignment suggested. He reluctantly said OK. (The annoying highlight is because I am too lazy to take off the frame to get a decent photograph)

This is my very first oil painting. I carefully drew it using the grid method, and then painted it with oils. It was copied from the cover of an New Era church magazine. It still hangs in my parents home.

This is about the 2nd or third painting I did in my High School Oil Painting class. I was quite impressed with myself.

I will continue sharing the most significant of my life stories, including my love story, some family stories, and a lot about art.  I’ll call this series of blogs a Retrospective.

These three pieces of art are the only surviving paintings from my high school days.  Stay tuned!

I offered a free gift in a previous Blog…I now have greeting cards created, some containing original artwork, most have a framable picture of one of my paintings.

They look like this, the picture inside varies, and they are blank inside so you can use them any way you choose.

I will send you 3 cards completely free.  All you have to do is sign up for my newsletter…it will begin in January.

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Hope your Christmas and New Year Celebrations Rock!

“Tell a person they are brave, and you help them become so.” ~ Thomas Carlyle

Ok, so that little video interview says a lot about who I am.

Today I want to highlight some of my favorite artists.  Last Friday evening I met my artist friends at the Rio Cafe Mexican Grill  for extremely yummy cheesy enchiladas at 5:00 then we attended the SLC Gallery Stroll.  We began at the Rio Gallery where we spent the majority of our time.  Our favorite was by Kate Steinicke called “Utopian Weeds”.  Several yellow flowers hung upside down in a symmetrical pattern.  They were made from clay, wire, filament and acrylic.  I searched the web but cannot find an image or a website to share here.

We made it over to the Art Access gallery and the Utah Arts Festival Gallery where we fought crowds to see all the cool stuff there, and run into other artist friends, but the very very best part was the live music.  A Cellist was playing beautiful rich music.  I did not wish to leave…ever!  I should have asked her name…

The cello played well is perhaps the most romantic music ever! Soothing and exhilarating all at once.

But alas, we did leave and at the Phillips Gallery we saw the most beautiful painting of cardboard boxes by Brad Overton.  When an artist can take something so very ordinary and make it so incredibly beautiful, that’s astounding.  I couldn’t stop thinking about his work.  His colors are very muted and quiet.  His subject matter so ordinary.  But his use of color, reflections and light made the most mundane subject speak volumes. I will include his website here so you can see what I’m talking about, but after checking out his site, know that seeing the real painting is a thoroughly different experience.    http://bradfordoverton.com/gallery-box-series.html

We always enjoy the work at Utah Artist Hands http://www.utahands.com and spent a bit of time there.  At a previous Gallery Stroll we met an artist in the Michael Berry Gallery, adjacent to Utah Artist Hands, named Cjay Helt.  Her work is unforgettable.  Her work is filled with forests and fields of wildflowers, and garden settings that feel like the Garden of Eden.  http://www.cejaycarolehelt.com/index.html

I don’t know if any of these three artists are known nationally or internationally but they should be!  There are a ton of fabulous artists out there.  I’m crazy to think I can compete…but I must!  No-one will interpret visually the way I do. My message is unique.  And I have been assured that there are people out there who will connect with my work, I just have to get it in front of enough people!  I have a new website:  nilajaneautry.faso.com and as always you can buy prints of my work at jane-autry.artistwebsites.com

Oh, and BTW, I delivered the commissioned painting to Sara last week.  Here’s a photo of her with her new painting.

We met at the airport where she was picking up family who flew in for her wedding. The pictures that have been posted to Facebook of her reception are great! It was a beautiful wedding for sure.

Also, a blog was written about the painting for Sara, and my business that I will add a link to.  November 21, 2014 post  http://blog.thebrideandgroom.com

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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“Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” ~ Lewis Carroll

A free gift from me is coming…sign my contact form at the end of this post please!

For four years I showed my work at Local Colors Fine Art Gallery.  I loved almost everything about being a part of the co-op experience.  The artists I was privileged to work with and show my work with were all very professional, kind, ambitious and a lot like me.  I made some great friends, and learned a lot from the experience.  As part of the co-op, there was only one significant drawback we never solved when I was there.  When someone bought a painting we didn’t have a system of tracking the purchase with the intent of informing the artist who their new collector was.  Consequently I don’t know who bought any of my paintings, except one, and that is because I was there when she bought it.  It is the second piece she bought from me.  I guess that qualifies her as one of my collectors!

Having volunteered to take an extra shift, I was really too sick to be working, but the relaxed atmosphere at the gallery made me feel I would be alright to work anyway.  First thing in the morning a beautiful lady came in, browsed a moment, and then approached me.  “Do you know who the artist is that drew this?” she asked.

“Yes!  I did!”  I said with a little too much enthusiasm, (I didn’t feel sick anymore!).  As a result she commissioned me to do a pencil drawing of her home.

I had a lot of fun drawing this Gardner Village tool shed. My style and attention to detail is what caught Wendy’s eye. She commissioned a drawing of her home from me.

This is Wendy’s beautiful home. As a result of this commission I figured out how to spend a couple of hours in my art studio every night no matter what else was going on my my life. I also realized that I love working on commissions!

Then in August of 2013 she visited the Local Colors Art Gallery again.  I was the featured artist, and this was the central painting in my Sunrise-Sunset series.  She bought this painting from me.

‘Through the Veil’ is part of my sunrise-sunset series. Well it was, it belongs to Wendy now.

It’s been a year now, so I was able to contact her and make arrangements to apply a protective varnish to the surface.  In addition to being able to stay connected to her, I had the rare privilege of taking a tour of her unique and beautiful home.  Now I have a photo of the environment my drawing of her home lives in.

She has a very eclectic collection of art, from abstract, pop art, impressionism, realism, sculptures, drawing, all kinds of lovely works.  Her home is an art museum!

Just a glimpse of her home inside!

After I figure out how to make a living selling and commissioning art work I want to be a collector!  First I need to sell a lot of my work, I’d just love to replace the pictures hanging on the walls of my home with artwork by other artists!  I have collected a few lovely pieces….

You can buy prints of my finished work at jane-autry.artistwebsites.com  There you can have an image printed as a greeting card, on metal, canvas, framed or even buy a cell phone cover!

If you would like to commission some art work email me at nilajaneautry@gmail.com or visit my Facebook profile. Facebook.com/daisyjaneautry

However, if you’re a collector and want to buy original work:  sign my email contact list and follow me.

Order Original Paintings Online

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My Process ~ Dangerously Creative (part 1)

Finding a client, collector, or whatever you call someone who commissions an original oil painting is for a separate blog.  I found Sara and Francisco as a result of the Bridal Expo I was a participant in on July 19, 2014.

This is my simple set-up at the La Caille Bridal Expo on July 19, 2014

My process, how I do what I do, is a question I often get when people view my work.  I am a very patient person, and even though I’m dangerously creative, I am trying to develop a method or process that is consistent and duplicatable.

Your style, and my style is like our signature,  no matter what process we use, it remains unique.  Following a step by step action plan on each painting, consistently is a powerful tool.  You might compare it to memorizing the words and tune to a song.  During the memorization process, and especially after mastering the music you are then able to give your full attention to the emotional message of the arrangement and put your whole heart into the presentation.  Similarly, my creative spirit and my love of experimenting will not be stifled, surprisingly, by following a similar process on each painting. Instead the process opens up new avenues of creative expression.

I am posting photos and instructions illustrating my ‘Temple Project’.  My goal it to draw and paint every LDS Temple in the world.  I’m only 57.  At the rate I paint (very slowly),  I need to live another 40 productive years.  Even though I paint slowly, and often do some art for pure fun, and take a few ‘rabbit trails’ as my husband would call them, I pray it can be done… (you might refer to my post entitled “The Profitable Artist” Vision Statement http://wp.me/p4K6CV-9)

This is the St. George Utah Temple.  The drawing is finished, I corrected the skewed perspective,  and it is now ready to transfer to the canvas.

This is my choice of canvas, this is the purchased ‘cradled panel watercolor board’ I’m going to use.

You see an 11 x 14 aquabord sitting in my art studio sink. I’ve sprayed Cobalt blue liquid watercolor and am in the process for watching it dry, hoping that the dreaded blooms will appear in interesting places or not at all.

This is also a cradled panel, but it is a gessoes board ready to accept Oil Paint.  I’m really good at Bob Ross skies…so in case my client wants a more traditional sky I do 2, giving my client a chance to select the one they like.

This is the finished watercolor sky. It’s a little more artsy than the oil sky. I’m not sure I’m done. I added ultramarine blue over the cobalt. I like the blooming…this type of Watercolor board is very prone to blooms! I think it needs some pinks…

On Sept 11, 2014, I sent images of both skies to my client, Sara.  After conferring with her fiancé they selected the Oil Painted background. So here goes.

I changed my reference photo to black and white in photoshop, this is the underpainting.

The next step is another layer of paint on the entire temple, using the color photo as a reference.  The photos I’m using were some I took back in February when my family took a golfing trip to St. George.

Eventually the Bride and Groom will be in the foreground.

My follow-up blog will take you to the finished painting.  Watch for it…the painting is to be delivered on November 18.

Life Lessons from a Former Art Teacher

Yay!  The numbers show that I now have 25 followers!  That’s like a classroom of new students.  I taught Art in the public school system for 24 years.  Including my student teaching I’ve taught from 6th grade to college level art classes.  There’s no greater feeling than meeting a new classroom full of students for the first time.  So followers:  I will do my best to keep all of you engaged and learning from me…whether it be life lessons, art lessons, or just a bit of sunshine on a cloudy day.

Looking down the hall in my basement apartment while studying Art Education at BYU, I whipped out a little self-portrait in watercolor.

My style has changed over the years significantly.  Here we see a freshness and spontaneity that has been sacrificed for accuracy.

Many collectors and artists would choose freshness over accuracy.  What do you enjoy the most?

A Master Painter will have both spontaneity and accuracy in the same painting, at least it will appear that way.  This great goal will take me a lifetime to master!

My friend Fiona posed for the painting that is displayed behind her.

This is the painting.  It took at least 2 years to finish to my satisfaction.

Fiona allowed me to do an exhaustive photo shoot with her as my model, from there is created this painting, using several sources, including a pottery piece I made several years ago for the main sunflower image.

Short post, probably because I’m used to short attention spans in the classroom, so now it’s time to respond in the comments below, spontaneity or accuracy if you must choose?

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More great stuff for you next week!

Sun, Sunsets, Sunrises, Sunflowers and ‘The Son of God’…

Do you like to create in series?  I do!  It seems that is what the Art Gallery’s like, and it’s what I feel really helps an emerging artist make a clear and strong statement. I’d love to explore the theme of a ‘theme’ in your art more thoroughly.  Tell me, what theme’s have you painted, created, or collected? My daughter Rachel collects ladybug stuff and things.  It’s so easy to create and buy for her!  She loves gifts and I love to give them.  I’m always on a quest for ladybug cool stuff!  It makes her smile…me too!

Little Nola Jean Harris, born May 5, 2014 and wrapped in a LadyBug blanket…

I began a sunflower theme 20 years ago.  Acting as a Chaperone for a high school field trip filled with Granger High Schools best artists, (a very tame group) I sat alone.  School busses are noisy places and not conducive to chatting anyway, so I pulled out my ‘something to write with and something to write on’ that I had in my bag.  Out of the blue…came a good idea.  I had previously looked at sunflower designs at the store, and realized there was only one basic boring design available.  So, sunflowers became my first real series…I wondered how long it would last.  I have created sunflower art in many mediums.   I’ve done sunflowers in ceramics, stained glass, watercolor, oil, graphite, photography, and planted gobs and tons of sunflowers in my yard and garden.  Creating sunflowers is quite easy for me now, with lots of miles on my paint brush.  And I still love them!  I’m partial to Russian Giant Sunflowers now.  I grew them in rows this summer, along my courtyard.

They’re all gone now, but sunflowers like this one were all along my courtyard this summer. It was glorious to behold!

Other themes I have explored include sunsets and sunrises.  The sky is so inspiring!  I love crazy storms and driving into the sunset.  I live by the Great Salt Lake, and the sunrises and sunsets over it never cease to amaze me.  So, wa-la another theme I’ve painted and still am, behind my LDS temple paintings. As I’ve considered God’s most beautiful creations, human beings, I have taught myself to paint beautiful accurate portraits, first using my porcelain doll collection, then joining the Portrait Society of America and learning from true professionals.  I love love love to paint!  From life, from photos, from my lovely dolls, or from my imagination, I live to paint!!! Atheists and non believers mystify me.  Alma says it for me here: From the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Christ

• Alma 30:44 (this is the prophet Alma talking with Korihor, an anti-Christ)

  44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.

What can I start saying NO to?

Smart Goals reviewed and refined:

Ok, so I re-read my first try at a Smart goal, and the goal I thought I could finish in one day, Monday August 3, (I can get that all done tomorrow, maybe) still remains unfinished.

My current goal is to receive at least 2 commissioned Temple paintings from the 60+ new contacts I got at the La Caille Bridal Expo I spent $600.00 and several hours obtaining.

Potential obstacles or concerns:

1. Well, so far I have emailed all 60 brides, and looked for them on Facebook.  Not many responses at all.

2.  I have one client so far.  I will meet with Sara and Francisco on Aug 27 to do a photo shoot at the Mt. Timpanogus Temple.  They want an 8×10 for the sign-in table at their reception.

3.  Diversions have accumulated:  I did a Plein Air event Saturday the 16th, painting remains unfinished and it is so enticing…I really want to finish it.  Plein Air competition event scheduled on August 23rd.  I paid for 3 entries, which means I have three little landscapes to do next weekend.

4.  Funeral tomorrow, Stansbury Art and Lit Society meeting on Tuesday, Budgeting payday (this is really hard stuff for me and takes several hours) on Wednesday, Fiona’s birthday party Friday, Sat Sun and Monday to do three plain air paintings and then deliver paintings to Local Colors on Monday.

5. Viola Recital next month, need to practice a lot, Singing in the Choir for General Conference on October 4, and then the next week Messiah practice starts so Sunday nights will be busy from next week until Christmas.  Christmas gift paintings planned…hmmm.  Always too much to do.  What do I need to start saying NO to?

6. And I plan on substitute teaching?….go figure!  And there is the yard and housework, exercising and showering….

Business TO DO list:

1. Text all of the brides.  Many young people do not use email anymore, but texting is almost universal with that age group.

2.  Put all the brides in my contact list, (I’m on the M’s.) and then text them all with an invitation to receive a beautiful temple painting as a wedding decoration at their reception, that will increase in value, both monetarily and spiritually as it will also serve as a reminder that their eternal vows are beyond value.

3.  Order cards from fineartamerica.com, or got print.net (check prices) and one month before date of their wedding send them a lovely card to remind them of my services and congratulate them again on their wedding plans.

Painting TO DO list:  

(My process:  Find a photo of the temple I want to draw, hopefully one I took.  It can be someone else’s photo, as long as they give me permission to use it.  It has to be recognizable as a specific temple.  It does not have to be the whole temple.  It has to be a great composition.  I have to be able to put a couple in front, in the foreground after the entire temple is painted.  I will paint the temple as a finished painting, photograph it carefully, and then post it on my website.  Then I can sell prints of the temple without the personalization.  I will also keep the pattern that I draw so I can paint the same temple again if necessary.  (For a new commission of the same temple.))

Steps:

1.  Transfer only the best photos (particularly Temples) from my older external hard drives.

2.  Chose one…make a decision.  Then draw it carefully.  (as of today, August 17, I have 2 drawn, and one more on the drawing board)

     a. Oquirrh Mountain Temple is drawn, and ready to transfer to the 24 x 36 Fredrix cradled watercolor panal.  Background (3rd try, I scrubbed it off twice) is ready to gesso.  (I sprayed it with printer ink!!!) I’m so excited!

     b.  Snowflake AZ Temple is drawn and ready to transfer as soon as the sky is dry.  Stormy sky, With the temple glowing in  front of the storm is the concept.  Name:  Stand Ye in Holy Places  16×20

     c.  Snowflake AZ temple nearly finished on a 5×7 Fredrix panel.  Watercolor sky, clear gesso, and the temple in oil.

     d.  Drawing of St. George Temple is started. (it’s the one Sara and Francisco want)

3.  Apply clear gesso over the sky, seal the edges also, and than transfer the drawing.  Then I will seal the drawing with another coat of clear gesso.  Begin oil painting the Oquirrh Mountain temple regardless of obtaining a commission.

It’s such a fun challenge-being my own boss!