New Vintage Portraits

It’s 2012 and Josh and I are in a new place again! We couldn’t be happier to have found a little duplex in Crestwood. We have a yard and a basement that makes a perfect studio! I’m so thankful to have so much workspace now, ands since the new year I have been scheming about a creating series of large paintings.

Thanks to Netflix, I have been enjoying some inspiring cinema:  old classics, modern remakes, and a few historical documentaries. I’ve become fascinated with the Old Hollywood era, and when Joshua and I saw this year’s “The Artist”, I knew I had the inspiration for my first series of 2012.

I hope to produce a few more pieces in this series, but these 3 are the beginning.

Jackie

Ava

Marilyn

Storefront Windows Part 2

I have completed a few more window paintings since my last post and wanted to give you a peek into my sketchbook!

As I prepare to paint a window, I meet with the manager/ business owner to discuss and brainstorm a color scheme, design, and end goal (i.e. drawing traffic in from the street vs. announcing a fundraiser). These factors, in addition to a company’s overall persona and the atmosphere of their storefront, help me generate a few ideas. I then bring back 3-4 sketches, and 1 is declared a winner!

This week I designed a window for Second Elegance in Homewood. Stephanie Roulier owns this charming consignment boutique that is full of gorgeous wedding gowns that are practically new! (I’m planning on taking my dress in to consign ASAP!)

She had the brilliant idea of a creating a pumpkin carriage  right out of Cinderella to celebrate a fairytale fall season.  We decided to go ahead and explore a few other ideas for her storefront, so I sketched 3 more fall themed designs, but ultimately, the belle of the ball won out.

      

The Dreamcakes staff took several of my sketches from this month and hodge-podged them together to create the perfect spooky-chic Halloween storefront with a gleaming full moon in honor of owner Jan Moon and her daughter Katie Moon- the masterminds of cupcake genius. 

Storefront Windows

The crew at Dreamcakes has been kind enough to keep letting me in to snack even though I do not work there any longer!

I have recently agreed to paint a seasonal window series for them monthly highlighting their southern vintage-chic style while emphasizing how FUN cupcakes are to eat! Edgewood is such a bustling little community and I’ve found that it is such a charming place to paint all day. I love interacting with everyone strolling down the sidewalks, squinting and commenting on my work. It has been such a enjoyable project so far, that I’ve decided to try and get some other storefront projects. If you know of anyone with blank glass windows that would like some holiday walk-in traffic, let me know!

Dreamcakes Bakery- Halloween

All the World’s a Stage

Creating artwork is a way for me to express a bit of myself that I just cannot communicate in any other way. There is something about a paintbrush that allows me to form and evaluate new ideas. I was recently working on a painting therapeutically, and the visual of this self- expressive piece gave me a new perspective about myself and individualism as a whole. Underneath this painting is a complex composition of line, shape and color that could stand on its own accord. However, yellow overcomes the entire composition, allowing only bits and pieces to seep into foreground.

As I reflect on the person that I am and how others perceive me, I see a lot of truth coming out  through this painting. It was enlightening to voice my realizations onto a canvas, and I decided to make it a series: All the Worlds’s a Stage. I have been writing this entry for a while now, typing and deleting explanations of these paintings, but I lean on what I first expressed: I just cannot communicate it any other way:

Sunny

Peachy

Sophisticated

Collected

Unruffled

Love Story

I cannot believe Joshua and I have been married for 2 years.  It has truly been an adventure, as we have made 4 moves in that period and have predicted our  “5 year plan” so many times I cannot even remember how it started.  However, God, in His Sovereignty is working in our lives for our good and His glory and Joshua and I are even more in love than we were on May 30 2009. ( I hear my Dad saying “1..2..3..awwww!”)

That day was a such a flurry of excitement, and though I remember being delighted the entire time- the details are a little foggy. That is why  I am now so grateful that we had two professionals documenting (almost) every moment. Robby Followell is the genius behind our engagement and wedding photos. He is a true master of composition and is extremely creative. He also puts every couple he photographs at ease- which is hard to do for someone that is camera shy (me!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Along with wonderful photographs, we have a dvd as a keepsake from our wedding. Our friend Azod Abedikichi  was kind enough to film and edit a dvd of our engagement story and our wedding day. I am not even a little familiar with the process of filmmaking but I know that it takes a talented visionary and  we were blessed to have one. Azod is such a smart editor in the way he mixes and masters music and dialogue over picture. His films are artistic and relevant because he captures reality, but he captures it in a way that elicits emotion. I will always treasure the films that he made for us, not just because they are about my husband and I, but because they make our lives a real life love story!

This is a link to the engagement story. You cannot make fun of my southern drawl- it only comes out when there is a video camera around. Honest.

My Painting Lens

I recently left my job at the charming and scrumptious Dreamcakes Bakery to take some time to focus on my art. It has truly been a blessing to have the freedom to stay in my studio all day!! I am absolutely soaking in every moment of it, because I know I will be back in the real world of a regular job soon enough.

Over the past several weeks though  I have gotten to make some short road trips and see family, old friends, and make new friends- which has been so refreshing. Through introductions and catching up I feel like I have talked about my life as an artist, my style, and my art education nonstop! Everyone is gracious to be so intrigued by my painting obsession. 🙂

There is one question that has come up frequently that gave me a great idea for a blog. “Does it all come from your head?”

No- I am not that creative! However, thankfully God has placed so much splendor around me; I can’t seem to dream up anything better than what I my eyes  behold. So, though I always work from a photograph or occasionally  paint en plein air, it is my passion to let my soul be the lens through which I perceive my subjects. I strive to tell a story with my paintings that lies deeper than a just a resemblance, as van Gogh said,

 It isn’t an easy job to paint oneself – at any rate if it is to be different from a photograph. And you see – this, in my opinion, is the advantage that impressionism possesses over all the other things; it is not banal, and one seeks after a deeper resemblance than the photograph. 

And I want to let the viewer of my work use their imagination and creativity to interpret my art as it pertains to their own life, which is why I love Colley Whisson’s quote:

The job of the impressionist painter is to say just enough without forcing the story on the viewer… detail kills imagination.

So bear with me as I share with you my attempts at this. These are the paintings, photos, and magazine clippings that  I’ve worked from with the paintings they have inspired… a peek into my artistic process!

 

She was a Phantom of Delight

January

Gogh Green

Virginia’s Barn

Leeds

Hello.

Hello

Blackwater Creek Garden

Blackwater Creek Riverwalk

Thoughts

Providence

Ice and Thunder

Water’s Edge

Nature’s Vine

Chanel

Found in a Dream

Whoa: Amazing Coupon

I am an avid “Southern Saver”. Internet applause for Jenni, the creator of the Southern Savers website and my Publix mentor Traci Stahley!!

If you aren’t familiar with the site you’ve got to check it out… daunting initially, but I’ve saved hundreds at the grocery store since I started clipping coupons. Wait!  I know you are thinking of the TLC show with all the crazy people. However, I have a normal sized kitchen for my groceries… no secret garage filled with cases of ketchup bottles and toilet paper. I also only spend about 10-15 minutes a week organizing my list and clipping coupons. Seriously, it is super, and Jenni explains it all here. She also does the research on all of our favorite stores and products posting discounts as soon as they are posted on her website.

I have become such a fan of not paying retail for anything, I naturally am thrilled that Etsy has just made coupon codes available for sellers. So especially for all of my blog readers (if that is anyone besides you, Mom) I have created a coupon to purchase any of my paintings at a 50% discount!!

I have posted some new work at my Etsy shop, so visit me at www.SundayStudios.etsy.com. and enter the code JINGLEBELLS at checkout. It is valid until Thursday July 16th.

Happy Christmas in July everyone!

Julia Margaret Cameron

To capture the whole of a person in their portrait is a feat. It is such an effort to portray not only their physical appearance but their personality and attitude as well. As portraits are my favorite thing to paint, I make an effort to study the “greats”…. John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, Theodore Gericault, and Rembrandt. However, I am consistently drawn to the portraits of a 19th century British photographer from India.

Julia Margaret Cameron first received a camera as a gift from her daughter in 1863 at the age of 48. Though intended to be an antidote to empty-nest syndrome, Julia Margaret quickly became obsessed with her new hobby. She turned her home upside down as she transformed a storage shed into a dark room and her glass hen house into a portrait studio. Though she was criticized initially for not using proper technique, her blurry, faded photographs have such beautiful compositions and lighting, that people soon recognized her unique sense of expression.   She created captivating sets in her studio using her family, friends, and neighbors as models.

Julia Jackson

Whisper of a Muse

Angel of the Nativity

Ophelia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soon, her originality in the emerging world of photography in addition to her buoyant, enthusiastic personality led to a change of subject matter as she captured rare images of renowned intellectuals and leaders in England.

Alfred Tennyson

Charles Darwin

John Herschel

Thomas Carlyle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love her artistic mission: “My aspirations are to ennoble photography and to secure for it the character and uses of High Art by combining the real and Ideal and sacrificing nothing of the truth by all possible devotion to poetry and beauty.”

This is what I so desire to achieve in my paintings. The challenge of encompassing the truth while engaging in artistic expression is a balance that few boast of. Julia Margaret Cameron’s ability to have that balance and tell a story through one image is valiant.  I am blown away by the sturdy, brooding qualities of the men and the grace and tenacity that flows from the women in her portraits.
She has so many pieces that are subtly beautiful and that obviously hold the beat of her heart and soul.  Studying and reflecting on her work always makes me eager to attempt the art of portraiture in a new way. Off to the studio!

Georgia Summer

Ok so, I may be a tinsy bit impatient. My lovely friend and fellow artist at Dreamcakes, Stephanie, and I just might a little similar in this way.  Every morning, we would catch each other eyeing the clock before lunch (about every 4-5 minutes) and as we realized it was not time yet, we let out a big sigh (the sighs increased in dramaticness the closer it got to lunch).

This quality makes me a great multi-tasker and so thankful for my super fast I Phone 4. (Thanks Joshua!) .

However, as an artist it can be a challenge. I tend to want a finished product after just a few hours… ha. I usually start with plenty of inspiration and eagerness and when that runs out I want to be done. Otherwise my fresh perspective and raw colors will be ruined by my deteriorating patience and muddy colors.

So I am happy to say that  I figured out how to outsmart my restless behavior.. this time.  I started this painting with just a collage of torn paper  and tissue. A few weeks later, I decided that since I quote Georgia O’Keeffe so often I wanted to paint something inspired by her. So that’s how the flower-esque form came about. I wasn’t really pleased with the blue color I had used, so I left it sitting again. It was a few months this time before I took a brush to it. I applied thin layers of paint, trying to blend the paper in with the rest of the painting. Every few weeks I applied another layer, until today!

I usually look at a painting and can say how many weeks it took me to complete it. But this time it was months- yay! I hope that as God develops patience in me that I will become a better servant of others and a more dynamic artist for His glory.

June 15th… Finished part two today! I was going to finish the second one as a separate piece, but decided to stick with the Georgia O’Keeffe theme. I so admire her delicate yet powerful flowers.

Hello.

There’s a happy day in the life of a painter every now and then when a canvas just feels like a stone in front of Michelangelo, who claimed, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”  If only it were true that my paintbrush just  unveiled a gorgeous work of art from the surface effortlessly whenever I sat at the easel! My dumpster can tell you… it’s not always the case.

However on  a rainy weekend a few months ago, I had quite a Michelangelo-y afternoon. I drearily applied  drips and subtle brush strokes of neutral colors to two identical canvases. After I completed the background of the painting I scrounged (eager for inspiration) through my art box where I keep old sketchbooks, photos, magazine pages, and newspaper clippings. The eyes of a solemn girl caught my attention as I flipped through an old sketchbook of collages. I then tore  out an advertisement from a vintage magazine of another girl of the same age with a similar expression.

They seemed to already be a pair when I found them.  I imagined that their minds were wondering the same things. Concentrating on womanhood- the changes it brings. The responsibility and heartache of being in limbo  between child and adult.

Their silhouettes immediately emerged  when I began sketching on top of the already applied paint. And as I went from sketching to painting a story unfolded. Their sentiments seem similar though their contexts and cultures are vastly different. As they sit in the paintings with firm, solid focus, they are  being whisked away into their environment. The chaos that inevitably ensues life is swirling around them. Who will they become?

It’s as though they are gazing at each other thoughtfully and knowingly, sharing these questions. Their many differences apparent, they ignore environmental, cultural, and spiritual separations allowing a simple connection to occur.

hello. 

So I may have a little ways to go before my work is comparable to David (ha!) However, after I finally got a glimpse of what the genius meant as I found a work of art unfolding from beneath the canvas surface stroke by stroke. As I learn how to use my eyes, my heart, and my instinct together I hope to become a better artist.