Kayo Show with Chelsea

The show at Kayo Gallery was great, thank you to everyone who was able to come by and be with me and Chelsea. And thank you to Shilo for inviting us to show our work.

 'Only if it Has Smocking'

18x24"
I went through a phase in which I would only wear dresses or shirts with smocking. My poor mother.

 'Handmade 1974'

20x20"
My mom knitted this when she had 3 little girls under 3. I was the third.

'Halloween 1978-1984'

16x20"
My alter ego for most of my childhood was an Indian princess. Every Halloween from preschool to 5th grade I wore the same costume. I loooooved it. I would also don this costume when doing yard work or bathing in the sun (we have pictures to prove it).

Upcoming Show!!!

I am doing an invitational show next month at Kayo Gallery in Salt Lake City, and I have just finished all the paintings, 10 in all. My sister, Chelsea James, and I are each doing 10 paintings inspired by 'Childhood Memories'. It has been delightful reminiscing about my childhood as I have conceptualized and painted this series. I have remembered new things that I haven't thought of in 30 years. I will post the rest after the show opens October 19th.

 'Foothill Boulevard'

12x16"
This was our old stomping ground.... Foothill Village.

 'Lulu's Disneyland'

12x16"
My great aunt was one of the first seamstresses at Disneyland. It was beyond cool. She was tight with Walt. We would stay at her house and she would take us to Disneyland. It is still so nostalgic to me, my kids are completely sick of hearing me talk about it.

'Pile in the White Wagon'

16x16"
Memories of our great white wagon.

 "Old Scissors"

24x24"
We loved this old horse. They just don't make toys like this anymore. Probably because it is about the most dangerous toy we had. If you have ever ridden on one, close your eyes and imagine the sound....Scissors?

"Stop and Go, 5 cents each"

18x24"
As kids, we would sleep over at my Grandma's house all the time. She loves soda pop, and would let us take her empty bottles to the 'Stop-n-go' to return for 5 cents and use the money to buy candy. Best Grandma ever!

More Landscapes

 This is the same process I was using with the landscapes a few posts ago. I should clarify a little because I got several questions about it. It is more a process for the painting than it is for the drawing. Yes, grids are an old and proven way to draw from a source, but I think it can make you lazy too. Don't freak out, it's just my opinion. I think if I didn't continue to hone my drawing skills without a grid, I just might lose my eye for really finding the angles and perspective, etc. You may not agree. However, the process of painting within a grid is so intriguing to me. It makes me simplify the image and keep it more abstract. I am loving it! I am working on 4 more right now. 2 landscapes, 2 still lives.

 These 3 paintings were sent to Wally Workman after they sold the other 2 within a week. So maybe they are going to go well and make me rich and famous (hubby wishes)....

300 Plates Show

 Art Access Gallery

Salt Lake City

May 17th, 6-9 pm

This is a GREAT fundraiser show. I am honored to be a part of it.

New Cityscapes

 I took a weekend workshop with a former professor a few months ago. It was so exciting for me because he introduced a process that he has been working with and we kind of played around with it a bit in class. The process is broken down into squares and as you go you just keep breaking down the squares until an image emerges. The cool thing about it for me is that it keeps my painting more loose than usual. I have the tendency to close the painting soon and with the squares it sort of forces me to keep it open and loose until the very end. It is the first time in several years that when I leave my studio, I can't wait until I can go down and paint again.

Oh and I did have my studio expanded to about 3 times the size...YAY! So I am sure that helps as well. I will definitely post the finished product (the studio) when I get it put back together.

These paintings are small, 8x10" and 12x12". It is fun and I have a few more in process now. I started by driving up on this old Texaco in Draper, Utah and I was so inspired by the shapes and the sign. It has spurred a series of 6 paintings of vintage signs so far. Let's just hope the galleries are willing to take them off my hands.

Role Apprehension

I just found out today that this painting (of shadow #1) was accepted into the Springville Salon 2012. I painted this last year for my show at Terzian Gallery in Park City. I have told my girls that I will do a painting of them at age 12. They seem less than excited to sit for me for hours on end. As I was conceptualizing this, I was thinking about when I was 12. I was becoming a young woman and starting to think about my future. In our family and culture, 12 is kind of a rite of passage. The beginning of a journey of becoming an accomplished and well-rounded young woman. As I got older I had a lot of thoughts about what I wanted to become. And quite a few apprehensions of the roles I would be considering. Hence the nest and the forward gaze to her future. Some may say I'm "projecting", but hopefully this painting could mean different things to different people.

Trade for a Friend

My friend Emily King did a beautiful paper cut for me of my family in return for this painting of a vintage dress. I am always so flattered when a friend wants a painting of mine. I hope she loves it forever.... And thanks for your beautiful piece, Emily!

Top Secret

Okay, this is top secret. This is a view of a day in the life of an artist/mother/wife I guess. So I had to get a few paintings framed to take to Park City to show for the Sundance Film Festival. But, I also had to make dinner. And for some insane reason I thought I could to both at the same time, and I just had to make chili because it was snowy and so cold outside. But the frames needed a few more coats of stain and polyeurathane. So, why not get the chili started while the frames dry. I am sure no drops of chili got on the paintings :)

I think I need a bigger house or maybe just a wood shop inside my kitchen. I wonder if I will ever be the kind of person to just do one project from start to finish....

Group Show

Wally Workman had a group show with the theme of 'After Dark'.

This is 12x24", titled 'Going Out'. I haven't painted shoes for a long time, but it was nice to revisit it.

Commissions, Commissions

I have a few good clients who have been waiting a year or two for their commissions to get finished, because I've had so many deadlines. So now, with no deadlines in the near future, I can get them all done. These are the first 2....

Wally Workman Show 2011

I am really proud of this show. You never really know how it is going to come off until you see it in person, hanging on the walls of the gallery. They did a beautiful job hanging all the paintings. Thank you Wally and Rachel for a really nice show! Oh, and we of course had a fantastic time in Austin. Lots of good food, good pool time and some shopping.

Handmade in the USA

30 x 40"

In My Own Skin

30 x 40"

Grandma's Chair

24 x 24"

Vintage Eames

30 x 40"

Fresh Start II

16 x 20"

Renaissance Form

18 x 24"

Mama Boots

15 x 30"

Checked Satin

18 x 24"

Eve's Coat

16 x 20"

Something Old, Something New

15 x 30"

Sammy

I did this painting a year or so ago, and it was from a drawing I did forever ago. And it ended up looking more like my sister-in-law, Sammy,than the actual model. So.....I gave it to her for Christmas. Seems presumptuous, I know, but I think she loved it and did not think I was being an egomaniac by giving her one of my paintings for Christmas. I told her it was a portrait I did of her from all the nights I spent spying on her and I took all those memories and worked really hard to create a custom portrait of her (nude) for Christmas. I hope she never finds out it was just an unfortunate mistake that turned into a creepy fluke.

Merry Christmas Sammy!

Show Paintings

'Fresh Start; Self Portrait'

16 x 20"

SOLD

'Flight Opposition'

30 x 30"

'Fears Realized'

24 x 24"

Show Paintings

'Family Portrait'

24 x 36"

'Contented'

30 x 48"

'Cowboy Boots'

11 x 14"

SOLD

'Different Time'

11 x 14"

'Pink Suede Flowers'

11 x 14"

Show Paintings

'Vintage Style'

24 x 36"

'Uniform'

12 x 12

'Dark Satin'

12 x 12"

'Watchful Eye'

12 x 12"

'Vintage Pink'

12 x 12"

SOLD

Show Paintings

'Many Hats; Mother'

SOLD

'Many Hats; Sister'

16 x 16"

'Many Hats; Daughter'

16 x 16"

'Many Hats; Wife'

16 x 16"

'A Place to Draw From'

30 x 30"