The Big Draw - May 10th 2014
I was recently commissioned to paint a piano (paint ON a piano, as opposed to paint a picture OF a piano) for The Big Draw event to be held in downtown Pleasanton on May 10th, 9am-4pm.
The piano arrived at my studio a few months ago looking like this:
...a little worn out (notice the wonky keys), but a lot of fun details to work with. All it needed was a little love, understanding, and PAINT.
I will now take you through a step by step process of the transformation.
Step #1: Create the underlying value pattern. This helped to determine the overall composition of the piece (dark vs. light).
Step #2: Lay in the under painting for each section.
Step #3: Go crazy! Well...start to incorporate the 1st layer of brushstrokes and drawn lines in order to create an element of energetic fun.
Step #4: I needed to push some of those brushstrokes into the background and bring in a calm layer to help unify the whole. I decided to add a layer of white, which would allow another layer of gold to glow on top.
Step #5: And here is that layer of gold I was talking about...
Step #6: Bring it all together by adding some unifying lines and brushstrokes to help draw the eye around the piano and let the playful energy do it's thing.
Step #7: The final touches. Add some color to those wonky keys, and give precise instructions to the viewer, "play me play me play me please play me play me play me play me please play me."
And there you have it! This piano will be on display outside of Studio Seven Arts from May 3rd - May 18th. The public (that's YOU) is asked to participate in this interactive art piece, so please come by and tickle the ivories (and the red, gold and purple keys too).
Live Demo April 26th
I will be demonstrating my abstract painting techniques at Studio Seven Arts, Saturday April 26th from 10am-2pm. There will be new affordable panels for sale...as well as a few large scale works for you to check out! Come in and see what I've been working on these past few months. :)
Raraskadoot (detail), 30x42, acrylic on canvas
Academy of Art Alumni Auction 2013
I have placed 4 paintings in this year's Academy of Art Faculty and Alumni Fine Art Auction. This is always a popular event and a way to get your hands on some original fine art for a good price! 50% of the proceeds go towards the Student Scholarship Fund. My 4 paintings have starting bid prices ranging from $100 - $175.
PREVIEW
November 7 – 8, 2013
10:00AM – 6:00PM
RECEPTION & LIVE AUCTION
Saturday, November 9, 2013
2:00PM : Reception begins
3:00PM : Live auction begins
SILENT AUCTION
Ends approximately 30 minutes after close of live auction
WHERE
AAU Gallery at The Cannery
2801 Leavenworth Street
San Francisco, CA 94109 (map)
Here is a link to the online auction catalog. There is also an absentee bid form at the top of this page, if you are unable to attend the auction in person.
Live Demo October 26th
I will be painting live at Studio Seven in downtown Pleasanton during the Annual Halloween Brew Crawl between 5pm-9pm on Saturday, October 26th. Get your costumes ready...
"Mark your calendar and reserve the babysitter now!! This is the Beer event of the year! The Halloween Brew Crawl on October 26th, 2013 is a Pleasanton tradition and always hugely popular.
Pre-sale tickets are $30 for Downtown Pleasanton's Halloween Brew Crawl. Tickets will be raised to $35 a week before the event. You'll receive a commemorative beer glass, an event map to help you navigate to the more than 20 different tasting stations where you'll sip fantastic beers and eat tasty bites! If you wait until the last minute to buy tickets, you'll pay $35 per ticket!
You couldn't ask for a better way to spend a pre-Halloween evening. Costumes are encouraged! Beer, friends, downtown Pleasanton, and don't forget all the fantastic stores and restaurants you'll be visiting for tastings.
This awesome event is sponsored by Visit Tri-Valley and thePleasanton Weekly.
The fun begins at 5 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m., but feel free to keep riding the fun train the rest of the night in downtown Pleasanton."
Live Demo August 17th
I will be painting in action at Studio Seven Arts, Saturday August 17th from 11am-1pm. I will also have a bundle of brand spanking new panels for sale...on the smaller and affordable size. Come in and say "Hi!" :)
Swigglooska, 30x30, acrylic on canvas
AVRAN Art + Design
I'm so pleased to announce that my abstact works will be displayed at AVRAN Art + Design in beautiful Laguna Beach, California this summer! "A bold and coveted addition to the Laguna Beach arts culture, AVRAN now makes its fresh and imaginative fine art accessible to established and emerging collectors alike."
1st Wednesday ArtBlock
This upcoming Wednesday, May 1st, from 6:00pm-8:30pm is Downtown Pleasanton's First Wednesday Street Party. I will be the featured artist from Studio 7 for ArtBlock (at the corner of Main St. and Angela St). It should be beautiful weather...so come on down and say "hi" and peruse (...or buy...ahem) some local art. :)
Recent Awards
My husband is so sweet to watch our little boy (already a year old next week!) for a few hours every weekday morning so that I can work in the studio and continue with my art career. Um...also...it helps me keep my sanity. And ONE of those days a week I dedicate to searching for galleries, submitting to shows, and basically keeping up with the business side of things. Not my favorite thing to do, but a necessity as an independent artist who wants to get paid occasionally. The nice thing about submitting to shows is winning awards! Here are some recent ones:
Honorable Mention - Pleasanton Art League Show
Maylapsy, 12x24, acrylic on panel
1st Place, Acrylic - Livermore Art Association Spring Show
Bappledips, 36x36, acrylic on panel
Now, those were local shows...and though it's nice to be recognized locally, but the next award really made my week. I happened to win 2nd place out of 970 entries from around the world. NINE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY. Sweet! And they even have their own YouTube Channel...
2nd Place, Overall Winning Artist - Light Space and Time Gallery
Tixobleeps, 16x16, acrylic on panel
Live Demo March 23rd
For those of you who want to see painting in ACTION, I will be at Studio Seven Arts this Saturday, March 23rd from 10am-2pm. The Pleasanton Farmer's Market will be going on as well, so buy some nuts and berries and then stop by the gallery and see me! :)
Bapazoops, 12x12, acrylic on panel