Young Bulls

This is the painting that I started working on the first weekend of Hidden in the Hills. The expectation is that artists are working even if they are not in their own studios during the open studio tour. I sold this painting (half finished) to a gentleman that came through that weekend. After all the hubbub of the second weekend of Hidden in the Hills, hosting the holiday get together of the Arizona Pastel Artists Association in my home, and getting ready for a holiday vacation in Hawaii I finally finished the piece. I was very pleased with the results! Aren't they a curious bunch?

Hidden in the Hills - Year One is in the Books

Hidden in the Hills is over! My first experience with this open studio tour and art sale was very positive although it ended with a bang! Sunday was the last day with 5:00 being the close of the tour. Around 4:15 the sky began to darken.....by 4:30 it was black! We got hit by a storm with wind and rain that had us scuttling to protect the goods. Needless to say we broke down early. It was interesting loading my paintings into the cars without them getting wet......but we managed! My husband was a real trooper....even though he was freezing as he rushed over to help me while still in shorts. The temperature dropped dramatically and with the wind...it was certainly chilly!

Everyone who has participated in HITH has expressed that their first year is the slowest. With that in mind along with our current economic condition I was looking for exposure and to sell some of my note cards I had created showcasing my art. Well....I exceeded my expectations. I did sell a lot of cards. Some people even bought them planning to make a collage or series of small framed pieces as they could not afford the paintings themselves. But......I also sold a painting! It was actually a painting that I was working on during the tour as a "working artist" of a group of young bulls looking curiously at the photographer. The gentleman who bought the painting (brave man as it was only about a third done!) is a jeweler who designs jewelry. He ended up calling me after the first weekend and asking if I wanted to display some of my work in his jewelry store. Needless to say I was tickled pink! I was also approached by a woman interested in having me do painting of her horses.....a possible commission! This last weekend I was approached by a woman representing the Thunderbird Artist Expo. This is a ten week long event held annually in a large tent with over 150 artists working and displaying their art. I was encouraged to consider participating in this juried event.

So.....HITH was a definite success for me....both financially and moving me forward in getting my art exposed! Can't wait for next year!

Hidden in the Hills Open Studio Tour and Art Sale

Well....my first weekend of the Hidden in the Hills Open Studio Tour and Art Sale is under my belt! Whew! The weeks of preparation are done.....painting, framing, making note cards, ordering postcards and business cards, buying a banner, buying propanels and hanging hardware...............and so on! And it all came together beautifully! Mother Nature even helped out with beautiful weather....even for the Valley of the Sun which is famous for beautiful weather! Since this is my first venture of this sort (along with the state of the economy) I was hoping to sell a few cards and get exposure as an emerging artist in an area crawling with professional artists. If I sold a painting it would be frosting on the cake. Well....I got the frosting! Over this first weekend of the two weekend event I sold many note cards, met many people interested in my art and how I do it, sold a painting, and got a commission! I am thrilled! All the effort and hard work was worth it. I can't wait till next weekend!

Here is a link to a video of my booth setup. I got many compliments on my setup which was very gratifying. I was set up on the back patio of the host studio of Lori Greenberg. The entrance to her studio where she makes glass beads is off this back patio. Next to me on the patio is a fine art photographer, Sal La Rocca who does beautiful work and is great fun to talk with whenever we had a lull. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBLCFNsz6H8

Fall Colors

After spending the weekend framing or reframing pieces in preparation for Hidden in the Hills which is just around the corner, I was able to get back to painting. Yesterday I completed a small 5" x 7" inch piece that I have redone twice titled "Fall Grapes". I like it OK now...but it still does not make my heart sing. It has a signature....but may find itself back on my easel before getting framed.

Today I finished a piece that I started during the Clark Mitchell workshop in Sedona a couple of weeks ago. This was painted along Oak Creek at the Crescent Moon Park. The location I painted is a few hundred yards down from Red Rock Crossing which provides the classic view of Cathedral Rock seen on all the postcards of Sedona. I loved the changing colors of the trees along with the small rapids in the creek as it flows around and over the rocks in the creek. It was a beautiful sunny day and I can still hear the creek and feel the sun as I look at the painting. I titled it "Oak Creek at Red Rock Crossing". It is signed and ready to be framed for Hidden in the Hills.

Jerome Hood Ornament

One of the paintings I am working to finish from my recent weeklong workshop in Sedona with Clark Mitchell is a piece from Jerome, AZ. Jerome is an old mining town on the side of a mountain that has been experiencing a rebirth as an art destination. The buildings are very historic.....it is like stepping back in time and the people who live there work to keep it that way. I was taken by a car parked on the street that just seemed to exemplify Jerome. It was an old white car covered with a blue tarp held on by big clamps. But of most interest to me was the huge horned cattle skull wired to the hood. Although the full painting which includes some of the buildings the car is parked near is as yet unfinished, I cropped just the hood of the car to create a 5" x 7" painting to enter into the Sonoran Arts League's Small Works Show. I named it "Jerome Hood Ornament". It even made me smile as I painted it.....so very typical of what you see in Jerome!!

"Sunflowers" wins Honorable Mention!

Last night was the Arizona Pastel Artists Association reception for the Fall Juried Art Show held at the Sundust Gallery in Mesa, Arizona. I was very pleased to discover as I read and presented the award winners that my piece, "Sunflowers" won an Honorable Mention". Our group has many very talented artists, both professional artists and part time pastel enthusiasts......so to win recognition among such a group is truly an honor!

Artist of the Month!

Each month at the Arizona Pastel Artist Association meetings we have a competition for Artist of the Month. Members are invited to bring in pieces fully framed and show ready. The pieces are numbered and the members vote for the painting they feel is the best of the group. The votes are counted and a first and second place are awarded. The monthly winners bring their paintings back in June and the vote selects the Artist of the Year. Today I won first place for the month!!! I was tickled pink to say the least! The piece was "Greens and Purples" above.