The shop! The shop!

The shop is alive!

Ten original pieces have made their way onto Etsy.  I feel like I've done a technology workout this evening, but it was all worth it.  Here's a few pieces that you'll find there:

Ghost Cat, one of the most recent mini-cat watercolors (1.25 x 1.25 inches) is at the top of the list.  Now that I've blown the image size up here on the screen, I don't know if I can part with him!  Excuse me while I go jack up the price.  Just kidding.

Favorite Book Bug

Celtic Pup, loose in the book of Kells

My imaginatively-named "Bird Number Two" 

At Arkonbey's suggestion, I've set Mondays aside for business-related activities.  Tonight was one of the more rewarding Mondays, even though it overlapped into Tuesday.  Next week should see a few more pieces in the shop.  Till then, Goodnight!

A pair of birds

I'm waiting to hear if the recipient likes this design.  She'd missed her chance on obtaining an earlier piece of mine, so I'm revisiting the theme, but it's turned out quite different from the first.  

There's just something I love about the way a crow quill pen scratches across textured watercolor paper.  This may get a bit of color later on.  Remains to be seen.
While drawing this, I took advantage of my fancy-pants laptop's DVD-playing abilities, and went through three episodes of "All Creatures Great And Small" (Season One.)
Fantastic show, and I'm familiar enough with it that I just listened to it, audio book style.

Private lives of sophisticated cats

Private lives of sophisticated cats
Originally uploaded by Sweet Enemy Art

Here are two 6x6 pieces I started last week.

If you dropped by the studio on Sunday, I had just started the one on the right. On the left panel, I let a few folks try out my white acrylic ink and watercolor crayons. Most of that has now been covered up, though this absorbent ground has done its best to play tricks on me.
Sometimes "permanent" just isn't, at least on this stuff.

Paintings find new homes

This year's Open Studio weekend was a wonderful experience, as I've mentioned previously.  Here are a few of the pieces that have found new homes:
First, Lizard With Sandwich (24x18")

Young Rabbit (10.5"x5.5")

Two of the following pieces sold, and of the one in pink & blue, I just realized I might not have a better image! Nuts! Perhaps I'll discover otherwise if I do a little digging...  Anyways, pink & blue is "You Listen To My Stories" and the other that sold is "Nest Egg."  

The last one I have an image of is the Polar Bears, done on an interesting shaped piece of paper (it's scooped in the upper right corner.) They're just hanging out, listening to some stories. In their cozy little igloo, perhaps.

(size @ 2.5"x4.5")

Wrap it up and plant that garden!

Another Open Studio weekend has come and gone.  Before too long, I'll have some new progress shots of new work.  But first, it's time to say thank you.

Thank you one and all, those of you who came to find me specifically, and those of you who just followed signs and happened upon our house.

All in all, I believe we had almost sixty visitors.  Whew!

Special shouts out to:

Mister Brunelle (and many others of you) for describing my work as: 

"Illustrations for a story that doesn't yet exist"

Lorrie, for bringing freshly baked cookies (they were lovingly devoured)

Theresa, for loaning me her display panels, thus saving my walls.

The fearless ladies who conquered our rocky hill on their road bikes, you were awesome!

Marcia & Skip, who saved the eight-foot-tall monster dress drawing after it came loose from the side of the house...

Those of you who came from afar:  Richford, Plainfield & Newport, Vermont;  Connecticut, Massachusetts and Philadelphia, even an artist from New Zealand!

Rick, for helping me with all the last minute set-ups and keeping me sane.  

(And for letting people visit your studio space and see your work too!)

You all gave me great ideas to pursue, other artists to look up, and you all shared some wonderful stories.  THIS, not to mention your wonderful encouragement, is what makes these events worthwhile!

As Sunday drew to a close, we celebrated with home-made sangria, local pizza, and Big Trouble in Little China.  Bernie--our new cat--celebrated his release from the bedroom.  Next year, perhaps he'll be brave enough to greet the guests.