Brown your blues away

Is that a thing? I'm making it a thing. Gearing up to teach another class about one of my favorite art mediums: Walnut Drawing Ink. This morning class is happening on Thursday January 28th at Artists' Mediums in Williston, VT. Click here for details. Or call the shop at 800 255 1290

Here are a few images I painted just a few days ago, when the new year was all fresh.

Bellowing stag with some funky patterns on his coat. #sepia #deer #stag #fauna #paintingsinprogress #walnutdrawingink

A photo posted by Kristin Richland (@sweetenemyart) on Jan 3, 2016 at 2:46pm PST

#walnutink fauna today. #paintingsinprogress

A photo posted by Kristin Richland (@sweetenemyart) on Jan 3, 2016 at 2:04pm PST

I have since taken a break from painting to clear out a bunch of unnecessary clutter from the studio. Many bags of old supplies are headed to other studios and classrooms, and a mountain of cardboard went to be recycled today!
There's a pencil drawing that has been waiting to happen (we'll see if it translates from my head to the page) and then I'm also hoping to try some really BIG pieces using the Walnut Drawing Ink. Big being 18 x 24" rather than 5 x 5" of course. Let's hope this is a productive weekend. Happy New Year to you!

A Show of Hands! Fundraiser project

Here's a step-by-step of a project I recently completed for "A Show of Hands" fundraiser to help feed Vermont seniors. If the rabbits you see here look at all familiar, perhaps you saw them in this earlier post!

I've been using that same Acryla Gouache paint again recently for a small series on wood panels, so when this wooden hand project came up, it made sense to keep on going with the same medium.  My completed hand has been delivered to Penny Cluse Cafe in Burlington, VT where it will be on display through the month of March.  They're having a silent auction on Thursday April 2nd (2015) from 5:30 to 7:30.  The funds support their amazing program which helps feed Vermont seniors throughout the state. There are wonderful images from previous auctions on the website, I hope you get to attend and see this all in person!

Here is how my piece progressed:

It all started with these faces...

Testing a wash of blue on the surface.  Didn't raise the woodgrain, so I can proceed.

Roughing in the background.

Trying not to lose sight of my lines!

Rabbits taking form.

I like how the warm color of the wood comes through here.

Getting the details figured out.

Maybe it's a little too blue...needs some warmth. 

Just about there...tweaking colors

There is an actual rabbit constellation! I was happy to find that out.

I like making sure each part is looking good.

A few light layers of Golden's Satin MSA varnish later and its done!

Well, I hope everyone reading this considers checking out the auction and making a bid.  The starting bid on mine is $50.  Contact info for the organizers can be found on their site:  http://handsvt.org/a-show-of-hands

Thanks for looking!

Art Hop 2014!

Moon Trail, acrylic on canvas, 28"x22" ©Kristin Richland
(title-in-progress for the latest Ghost Bunnies series, seen here during a 4AM painting session)

It starts today!

Art Hop begins officially at 5 p.m. today.  All the hours upon hours of prepping and crazy sleep-deprived nights culminate in three days of AWESOME fun with art packed into every square inch of Burlington's South End Arts District.  

Find me and Polanshek of the Hills in our spot at The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery, 266 Pine Street, suite 105 (look for the big orange exterior wall with a Spaceman mural, we'll be just inside the yellow doors.)

This is my third year in this spot, and every time it looks better and better.  Hope you can come and see it!

Our hours:
Today (Friday Sept 5th) 5 PM - 11 PM
Saturday 10 AM - 10 PM
Sunday 11 AM - 4 PM

Our art is available for purchase throughout the month, please let me know if you'd like to make an appointment!

drop me a line at sweet_enemy AT obscurius DOT org or comment below. 

Happy Hopping!

Bears!

Here are a few bears I painted recently, you'll notice they're inspired by the banners I made a few months back.   They'll be going up on Etsy soon, but you can message me in the comments if you're interested in them.  Speaking of Etsy, make sure you read all the way through this post.

By the way:  in honor of today's British royal birth, I made a terrible joke on the last photo.  Sorry in advance.  

Bear and Honeybee  Acrylic on panel, 7"x5" $45

Bear with Honey Jar, Acrylic on canvas, 4" x 6" $40

Bear and Berries,  Acrylic on panel, 7"x5" $45

Bear has a Snack, Acrylic on panel, 7"x5" $45

Bear Apparent (get it?  Heir apparent!)  Yeah.
Acrylic on 4"x4" x 3/4" panel, $40

  Watermarks seen in photos are not on the actual work.   

Now then:  Do you follow me on Facebook?  Like my page and you'll see a way to browse my Etsy shop that is most rewarding (click the "My Etsy shop" icon once you're there.)  

I'm currently offering 10% off items already in the shop.

Why?  

Because my checkbook needs a stimulus so I can make more art!  

So follow this link and treat yourself!

https://www.facebook.com/SweetEnemyArt/app_259525164100619

Happy Birthday, little town 'o mine

Barred Owl Banner
©Sweet Enemy Art 2013 

Our little town celebrated it's 250th Birthday last Saturday!  Here are some of the banners I helped create as decoration up and down three of the main roads.  Over 80 banners were completed overall, with work contributed by several local artists and other volunteers.  All of it was spearheaded by artist Mary Hill, who provided guidance, materials and the use of her wonderful studio space.  I actually worked on at least 5 other banners (or 5 sides, anyways) but don't have photos of those yet.

These are all 24"x36", and it was a good exercise to work this fast (deadline!!!!) and loose.  Thank goodness we worked this big, because once they're up twelve feet off the ground they don't look so big...

I also really enjoyed working on the black canvas (it looks blue in some of these because it was evening when I snapped the pics.)  

Not sure yet if there are plans to auction these off afterwards, or to display them elsewhere.  Still, the whole thing was a fun diversion, and I may have to make some for our house.

Fox Banner ©Sweet Enemy Art 2013

Fox Banner detail ©Sweet Enemy Art 2013

Hi There Banner ©Sweet Enemy Art 2013

Bear and Honey Banner ©Sweet Enemy Art 2013

Hiker Banner ©Sweet Enemy Art 2013

Wood Thrush Banner ©Sweet Enemy Art 2013

Headed to the Party

Phoenix Books in Essex is hosting their annual Newt Night this month, and this year they're hosting a "Peepers and Creepers" exhibit as well. 

My friends there have fond memories of my Frog in the Forest piece, so I thought I'd revisit a little piece I made around the same time.  

This idea started as a tiny little colored pencil piece on 4x6" watercolor paper.  This time around it's acrylic on a 16x20" canvas panel.  I rushed a bit at the beginning, but I'm giving myself a little more time to fine-tune it before bringing it to the shop.  Feel like I'm setting new records for myself in terms of finishing pieces!

Stage 1 painted while Monty Python's Holy Grail (and ALL the extra features) played in the background.

Stage 1, thought I was finished but my in-house critic said..."hmmm."  Back to the easel!

Stage 2 painted while Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amelie played.  At this point, I decided it's not a good idea to try and have a subtitled movie playing while trying to paint.  Too distracting.

Stage 2:  Brightening things up a little bit.  Brought some blue-tones into his belly, not sure if that's working yet.
VERY happy with the umbrella.  Trying to get that same feeling elsewhere in the painting.

A better mushroom.  Stalk still needs work though.

Stage 3 begins this morning (though we're fast approaching noon.)  After being heavily fueled with a pile of doughnuts from our local baker ladies, a giant omlet and a big mug of Earl Grey tea, I'd better have enough energy to see this thing through.  Would like to deliver it tomorrow!

By the way:  here's the original little sketch.  I ran out of paper so his boots are cut off.  Little did I know the legs would be one of the hardest parts in re-creating him!  Trying to be at peace with the fact that the new version is exactly like the original in other ways.

Art Hop Preview: Tea and Butterflies

Tea and Butterflies

Acrylic on mat board

©Sweet Enemy Art 2012

Almost have a series going on here!  One aspect of the painting that I wasn't able to capture here is the iridescent gold background.  It's slightly matte overall, and the white spots on the lizard actually appear to float a bit above that.  

Art Hop Preview: Telling secrets to a Butterfly

Telling Secrets to a Butterfly*

Pencil & Acrylic on paper

©Sweet Enemy Art 2012

*my titles are always malleable, often the people who buy the painting come up with a far better one!

Art Hop Preview: Classic Dog

A fanciful compilation of some dogs I've met.  Acrylic on paper, lots of fun layers on this one!

©Sweet Enemy Art 2012

Art Hop Preview: Sunset Dog

Trying out some new canvases we just got @Artists' Mediums.  Sweet little 6x8 gallery wraps!

Here's a little white fox dog at sunset 

He'll be at Art Hop!

©Sweet Enemy Art 2012

©Sweet Enemy Art 2012

Revisiting the Ghosts

Here's a piece I've been plucking away at these last few months.  It's a new take on a piece I did back in '98/99 while still at school.  The original is much bigger and resides in my friend's old room at his parent's house.

The video is just a quick peek, and you can barely see what I'm doing as it's dark-on-dark. Still, having fun finally figuring out these fancy dancy laptop features. That's CocoRosie playing in the background.

Paint anything, on EVERYTHING... Oil Paintstiks workshop is coming up!

Hello Art Friends & Fiends! 


I'm teaching a one-day workshop which will introduce you to a very versatile painting medium:  Shiva Artists' Oil Paintstiks.

These look like giant crayons, but are actually fine oil paint in stick form.  Paintstiks are safe to use on fabric (soft, wearable & washable); paper (thin, thick, textured, smooth); and much more. They do not require solvents, but are completely compatible with all oil painting mediums if you so choose. 
As usual, it's another mixed-media friendly product that I get rather excited about!


All materials are provided for participants.  We're going to cover the basics of how to use them, primarily on fabric and paper, but I'll have samples on hand of how Painstiks work on other surfaces as well.  


 (One thing I'm working on with these is painting an old metal filing cabinet.  Not sure if I'll manage to haul it to the store for the event, but I'll try!)

Class is from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (with a break for lunch) on Saturday Sept. 17th at Artists' Mediums. There is only room for eight students, and it's coming up quick!  You can follow the link above for more information.  If you're interested in attending, contact the store directly at:  (802) 879-1236 to sign up.  

Hope to see you there. If you aren't able to make it, please help me spread the word!

Cheers,
Kristin

The shop is reloaded!

I had one of those AAAGH! moments this afternoon when I realized that my lovely Etsy shop, the one I had just directed over 90 people on my mailing list to, had gone empty.
(gasp, ack, ack, wheeze.)

Well, it's looking much better now, and in fact I'm quite pleased with the selections.  Here are a few samplings:







 Arkonbey hadn't even seen "Cat helps with the Harvest" yet.  There are always so many little pieces of art around here, it's no wonder I'm slow to inventory everything!  Etsy is actually helping me bring everything into line.  Thank goodness, that means more art for you guys.


Cheers!

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")

The paints are out!

It's been months since my acrylics have gotten their time in the sun.  Well, I'm fully fueled with caffeine and am poking through the corners of the studio, finding random surfaces to prepare.

Because I'm doing a demonstration of "Acrylic Underpainting Techniques" February 27th at Artists' Mediums.  So I'd better get cracking, eh?

In other news, just picked up my work from the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery (looking forward to their Valentine-themed show this Friday) and we came home with prints by two other artists as well.  Images of those later, once we get them situated.  

some stuff from the desktop, part one

Since I haven't left myself much time for painting lately, I prepped a bunch of mini watercolor canvas and have been messing about with gouache. Also you might see some pen & ink in the background there.

The watercolor paintings are about 3"x3" at their biggest. A bit jumbly right now, but I think they'll clean up nice once I get them in mats.

well, a few more...

Shhh...
Rick's still working in the "dark room" with the lightbox, so here's a few more pieces. These are from the "Mode de Monstre" series, mostly. I'm framing them up tomorrow, to bring down to Bennington (Sunday, hopefully. I guess I should call the organzier...)

City Wear
Walnut ink, watercolor, colored pencil
4"x 6"Gothic Reader
Walnut ink, watercolor, colored pencil
4" x 6"
Amsterdam Flyer
Walnut ink, watercolor, colored pencil
4"x 6"
Okay, it's really time to go back to realspace now.
Ciao!

Paintings in progress

Here's a few pieces that have been in progress for awhile:
The Kitchen Table:
Colored pencil & acrylic on watercolor canvas; 11"x 11"
Frog in the Forest:
Acrylic on canvas; 16"x 24" (if I remember right)
A quick study of a different frog face for Frog in the Forest. I missed using pen & ink, though perhaps cold press w/c paper wasn't the best choice for my poor pen nib.
Walnut ink, colored pencil, india ink; 4"x 6"

I'm also itching to get some more underwater pieces started. The squid & submarine hasn't moved past the sketchbook, much to Rick's exasperation. Our trip to the Boston aquarium next month should get me moving on that one.
I also have to work on our anniversary cards. Continuing our 'poster' idea, this one will take off from a pulp science fiction magazine from the 40's. That'll be a new style altogether for me, and a tight deadline to boot.
Time to give Rick back his computer & get back into the studio.