I have painted some canvas!

This one still seems a bit pale but not as foggy as intended.

In progress on the easel.

The Great Vermont Plein Air Paint out 2013

I enjoyed the day in Waitsfield.
Here is what I painted:

For more photos of the event go to:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200701279164340&set=p.10200701279164340&type=1&theater

Chelsea's Artwork on Display at Artists' Mediums Inc

 I have over 20 pieces of art on display at Artists Mediums in Williston Vermont.

 You will find the prices to be ridiculously low, because I am trying to sell several pieces to help fund my trip to Denver to visit my family.

 Oils as well as a couple of acrylics.

 On display until the end of April.

The End of the world is Nigh. Not again!

 The world has threatened its own ending several times already in my life.

 

I was born somewhere near the Cuban Missile crisis, I remember gradeschool movies about what to do when they drop the bomb, which always seemed so abolutely futile in the face of global nuclear destruction.  I even remember being warned about scary killer bees, coming to get us, from a rather early age.

So perhaps you’ll forgive me if I am a bit skeptical of this latest doom and gloom attitude that seems so prevalent of late.

 

A second ice age, volcanoes. global warming, or continental drift,

 that’s even when you don’t count the really crazy stuff like

 Alien invasions and the Zombie apocalypse.

…nor the more likely options like car accidents, illness,

and the great equalizer: time.

Whatever our untimely, or timely end, I want to breathe deep of what is here and now.

I want to give thanks and express my gratitude for those people that I love, and who have shown me love, or kindness, or even how to be human.

So, with the end of the world coming and all, I thought I would send out my Christmas messages early, because I would hate to have it all end, without having told my friends and family how much I truly love them.

 

I decided I want to write a seperate note for each person I know.

This way I can tailor my notes to say in what way I have been inspired by them.

I want to tell each person what is unique and special about them.

All those things for which they don't get nearly enough appreciation.

 

So I start listing everyone: Mom, Dad, siblings, friends, coworkers.

I jot down feable notes as I go down the list, typing out a sentance or two to describe my kin, the ones I have known all my life.

 

This is harder than it sounds, once you sit down to write it.

 

I go back up to the top to start writing Dad's note,

" To me you have always been a bit of a hero. Not just because you're my Dad, but also because I respect you. You are honest and highly intelligent, and have a great sense of humor." Just as I am pondering how inadequately this describes him, a really great customer's name pops into my head and I have to go back down to the bottom of the list to add another name, and another.

Soon I have been writing for over an hour.

 

I notice some patterns emerging.
"Thank you ..."appears alot.  So do variations upon "Your faith has inspired me,"

as well as "impressed by your strength and intelligence." and "sweet and kind and gentle,". 

How lucky I am to know such fine people!

I found I wanted to say to anyone younger (and that populaton keeps growing!) something like: "I still look forward to seeing what you make of your portion of this amazing thing called life."

 Of course there are some people who just stump me. I can't express how much I appreciate, love - there are no words. Or they seem sappy. My heart is bigger than my keyboard.

Then I lean back a bit and review it all again.  It's mostly just a list.

 

I start laughing.

 I have barely written anything at all.

But it was worth the time; thinking of all these amazing people...loving them for who and what they are. My mentors, my family, my best friends in life, thinking of the way they talk or listen, or smile, and feeling how it swells my heart  and enlarges my life simply to think of them!

 

Thank you ALL once again for reminding me to be grateful for my good fortune. You give me hope.

 

Whatever holiday you do (or do not) celebrate during this time of year:

 Happy (it).

Or better yet: Grateful it.

 

From my heart (and not intended to be offensive)

I wish you a very Grateful Christmas.

Chelsea Lindner
manager Artists' Mediums Inc.

A plea for the real world (duplicated from my work blog.)

In this day of digital everything, I'd like to make a plea for a little bit of the real world.

I've had several conversations lately with many customers about some interesting technological developments.

I've been told that in an effort to reduce the use of paper, many school systems will soon have children using a tablet for every bit of school work from an early age through high school. From now on kids will e-mail homework, and have the ability to access a huge variety of technology. In essence, I am not against this. I just wish there were a bit more balance.

Another complaint I have heard several times this summer, is that many of the upcoming generations can no longer read hand written cursive, or calligraphy. I know that some of it never was legible. Still it seems a shame. Some of you may be glad, if so I'd love to hear why.

There is this wonderful new world of digital art, which puts so many applications at your fingertips that you can paint, draw, airbrush, and animate images without even knowing how to hold a paint brush. You don't even need to know how any of it happens, and you can change colors without having to squeeze out another tube of paint.

Why would you ever want to buy all those art supplies, if one tablet can do it all? Why would you ever want to do more than just push buttons? Why would you want to have to put down a drop cloth, or make a mess?

Besides, digital art can be and often is - quite beautiful.

I just worry that something indescribable is lost here.

Do you remember the silky softness of finger paints squishing between your fingers.

Art can have a physical visceral edge to it, and that can be part of the process.
The sound of scissors munching through a creamy cotton paper, the soft deckled edge of watercolor paper, or the press of your hand into soft clay.
There is a magic to it.

Old masters mixed paint from the elements and were almost considered alchemists.
Like the block print with it's subtle variations for each pull of the print. The happy accident of a double print that gives new movement, magic, and life to an image.
Art has the vitality of life.

The element of surprise when the translucent watercolor flows into an unexpected and wonderful shape.

The more cynical folks (assuming anyone is even still reading at this point,) will say “Of course! She's just trying to make money selling her art supplies – she has a motive here!”

You're right. I do scratch out my living from a local art store. Art inspires me and keeps me sane. Also, I am honored to employ a few wonderful, kind and knowledgeable local artists. We try to encourage emerging artists and sell their work through the store. (The local Artists get 70% Artists' Mediums Inc. gets a 30% commission.)

Yes, I will encourage you to buy art, framing, or even art supplies. But the truth is, art supplies don't have to be expensive. You don't have to spend a lot of money to find your creativity.
Start simple.
First there is the pencil: It costs less than a cup of coffee, will write on most porous surfaces, it is easy to transport, and operates beautifully even in zero gravity. It will draw anywhere in the world, even when the power goes out, and if your pencil breaks, you still have the art!
Just sketch!

-Chelsea Lindner

manager

Artists' Mediums Inc.

Vermont

www.artistsmediums.com

Portrait Complete

Portrait Complete, frame chosen, framing assembeled and off to my customer/friend.
I painted it very thin, over many weeks, so I can put it in the frame with no damage to the paint.
But since it is an oil painting, I have an arrangement to allow it to be enjoyed for about 5-6 months, but then I will have to bring it back to the studio to varnish it.
 The frame shown on the left is the one that was chosen. I am pleased with this Portrait.

You know, Portriats of any kind are very difficult.
It may sound like a joke, but when I think of human subjects for portraits...I think there are too many variables for me.
  Am I supposed to paint this person they way they see themselves? ...as they would view themselves in a mirror? Then there is the problem of what I see, (in whatever photos I assume* are provided?) versus what I am capable of painting. Countless experience has shown me that I never do quite paint what I imagine I see. -chels
(*People, in my experience don't have time to sit, nor do I really, and of course photos often don't perfect either.)

Watercolors starting over

Everytime I switch from Oils back to Watercolors, I have some trouble.
Evidence  shows that I tend to cover all the paper with paint at first, as if painting with oils, then later I figure it out. Finally, I start to remember to leave some of the white of the paper.

I am going to post several watercolors that I have completed lately, and I will post chronologically, so you can see how I attempt to progress out of my over-use of paint.

These are the first:

Art. I have done some,

 I keep forgetting to post the art I have been doing.

I did a whole series of Watercolors in preparation for the Watercolor class that I taught here at the store.

Here's a tiny sketch I did as a sample for the pen testing project we have going on at the store.

I wanted to recycle some old flash cards, and customers love to try out the wonderful writing impliments we carry, what a perfect match.

I hadn't done pen and ink for a while...then again this was really just a doodle.

I will try to post the watercolors soon, so you won't think I am just sitting around not doing art!!

Another collage

This is one that I made about 3 years ago, it's called "Eat your greens, and then we'll roast marshmallows!"

This is a close up, in person - you can see that the marshmallow is 3-D.

There's the photo of the other garden collage!

Finally found it..still haven't named it yet...

Gotta get back to art! ...aRRRt I mean...

 I must admit to having a lot of great and exciting plans for the store this year... so my time will be divided...but I haven't forgotten to do art.

The first thing coming to the store is the RE cycle show. Art with 3 R's. Artists Mediums REDUCE, RE-USE, RECYCLE  Exhibit.
There is  still a CALL for ARRRT! Go to the store's website at http://www.artistsmediums.com/ or the Artists' Mediums blog. (ALL artists are invited! ...nudge...nudge...)

 These shows have always been a lot of fun!
 You have to see it to believe what people can make out of garbage.
  I HAD two pieces that would fit the theme,but over the past few days, I have finished two more collages.
So I will have a total of four pieces in the show: 3 collage and one 3-D.
The collages are made from seed and bulb catalogs:

so fresh off the presses, I haven't even named them yet.

I seemed to have lost track of the phot of the other one...will post again soon.

-c

Featured Artist Shows in the future?



Winter Sunset Watercolor

  We are making space at the store, where - in the future - we would like to feature artists in a smaller show within our show.


Wintertree in snow Oil

Cold Morning in the sunroom in Rutland

 Right now we need to show art in these new places in the store, so you can see what it might look like.




 

These are some of the artworks (of mine) that are on display at the store. (http://www.artistsmediums.com/)

(too much?) painting...

I think I finished this one,

although I wanted it to be soft,

like the original photo

...not sure what happened.

Funny thing is,

I found this photo that I took of this painting before I put the leaves in and I like it MUCH better!!!

I used all the Small canvases...

So I am painting a winter farm landscape - on a 36" Square canvas.

(I don't know what else I could have been saving it for..)

I sure like having so much paint

When I have so many colors at my disposal, I can paint multiple pieces...
Here is one that I suppose has a bit of a cliche in it, but I like it anyway.

I called it the heart of the forest

I am scraping down  to find wet paint, but I am still painting with the same pallete that I mixed during the Fall Foliage Open Studio.

Starting another Oil Painting

Painting a sky first.

I really wish I had taken a photo of this when it was just sky.

I always seem to like the skies best for some strange reason.

I actually left it as sky only- on the canvas - for several days...I didn't want to mess up the sky.

Finally I got up my courage and have been adding muddy 'ol earth ever since...
It's ok.
Maybe I should paint a whole series of just skies?
Look at all the scrumptious PAINT!!!
:)

Here is another painting,

although it was not begun recently, it has been completed recently...

Some yellow paint addes to spark the light in the foreground...It's called "Lakeside".

I was not quite satisfied with it, which is why it was not shown during my last open studio.
It's better now!
Maybe it will be shown in the next show.

A record of the paintings...

Autumn in my Backyard

Morning Sky

I figured I would post photos of the other major pieces of art that I sold during the Open Studio Tour, and maybe this time I can get the photos to come out alright!?
:)
I think it's a bonus when the art that sells is the art you really like.

In a way it is sad, because I can't keep them anymore, but like a child who is grown and flown: that was the idea to begin with, you can't regret it...

A painting is finished

This painting:

called "A break in the storm"
was completed right ater the Open Studio Tour!
Visitors to my studio saw it nearly done, but I darkened the shadows and lightened the highlights- a Lot!

I mixed a huge batch of Oil paint, so lets see how many paintings I can get done while the paint is still wet enough to use!

Aftermath

Well, the Open Studio Tour is over.
The weather was discouraging at best.
It was of course fine for me, since I got to sit by the woodstove all day, and the house was quite cozy...
But not the best day for a drive in the mountains.
THANK YOU to all the wonderful people who took the long haul all the way out to my isolated environs, to see my work! I am so grateful...this kept me sane, during two fairly long days of waiting.

 And A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Folks who supported my creative endeavors by purchasing paintings, prints, and cards....without you, I would have probably decided art is just not my gig anymore...it was one of those weekends.

These two photos are pictures of twop of the painting that sold during the weekend:

(though for the life of me, I cannot get them to load vertically!!! So turn your head to the right>>>  ;)



after-MATH:
This year, despite the economy, and the poor weather, I still did manage to do a bit better than break even!


Still sort of recovering from all that sick I had going on...
this seems to be taking longer than usual... but I am definately making real progress!

Now I am ready to paint, since I did mix a huge batch of oil paints this past weekend...I also finally finished the painting that was on the easxle during the Open Studio Tour... and I have just started a new Canvas...


I also have plans to make some holiday ornaments for he store's Gift Show!