Little Snoopy

 

"Little Snoopy"

8" x 8" x 1.5" acrylic on deep gallery-wrapped canvas

It was a cold rainy day here today and I felt like painting something in my lap instead of at the easel... cozier.  One of the grandchildren had left Little Snoopy out of the toy box, so he became my target.  This little guy is OLD!  All of my children played with him and now he's making my seven grandchildren happy with his wagging tail and whacky wheels that make him wobble.  He has been pulled miles and miles and terrorized generations of cats.  He'll probably still be here for the next generation... our great grandchildren.

$125 USD plus $6.00 shipping

Misty Morning Ruins - finished

"Misty Morning Ruins"

27" x 31" oil on gessoed masonite

23rd Annual Coastal National Juried Exhibition
St. Simons Island, Georgia
April 1 - May 1, 2010

After sleeping on it, I strengthened a few darks in the palm fronds, added some more greens in the shadowed foliage (which you can't see in the photograph because of the extremes in contrasts), then took it outside to get a better photo in daylight.  I contemplated putting an egret flying through the sunlit area, but decided against it.  It is so peaceful like it is, that I didn't want to disturb it.

Misty Morning Ruins - WIP#2

I might be through with this one... it's been a real puzzle to me.  I'll have to sleep on it.  It doesn't look like it has changed that much from WIP#1, but I promise you... I have been over every square inch of it several times!  Too much detail... not enough detail...back and forth.  Too much color... not enough color.. push and pull.  There's actually a good bit more color in the darks than show up in the photograph and there's not a drop of black anywhere... Prussian Blue and veridian. 27"x31" oil

"Ready to Ride" - WIP#1

Another work in progress.... this could become addictive, as I'm really good at starting paintings... finishing them requires a bit more discipline!  This is a very simple pencil sketch on a gessoed 12"x26" panel of birch veneer.  It's an odd size but the birch was given to me to try by an artist friend of mine and it fit the subject so well.  I don't do detailed sketches because covering them with paint is painful for me.  When I do a detailed drawing, which I do to familiarize myself with a subject, I'd just as soon keep the drawing as a separate piece of artwork.  For painting, I figure that the fewer lines I can use to get the perspective right, the better.  Just dive right into the paint! Here I have blocked in with Matisse colored gesso and already put a layer of oil paint on the sky and trees.  I'm glad I didn't do that on "Soysauce", as I don't like the way the Matisse 'grabs' the oil paint and absorbs it.  I'll finish this one in oil... it's small and I can build up enough layers to get the luminosity back... but I will be saving the colored gesso for acrylic paintings from now on.

Nothing ventured...nothing gained.  Always a student.

Soysauce - WIP3

WIP#3 - some corrections on perspectives on the barrels and another layer of paint 

Velvet & Stockings

"Velvet & Stockings"

8" x 10" acrylic on gessoed masonite

Knowing two of these three little girls made this most enjoyable to paint.  I could read their personalities in their choice of shoes and their stance.  The  three-year-old to the far left I do not know well, but she had the cutest smile and her dark eyes just sparkled.  The one in the middle is my granddaughter, Karleen, at eight... she's my budding horse woman and a true outdoor gal.  To the far right is my granddaughter, Evelyn, at age five... a true little princess, complete with tiara even if she is wearing cowgirl boots!

Good news for "Sand Angel"

Just received this in my email yesterday and wanted to share the good news.

Dear Pat,

Congratulations! Your painting, "Sand Angel", was selected as part of the FAV15% (jury's favorite 15% of the entries) in the December 2009 FineArtViews Painting competition.

You may view the FAV15% paintings, including yours:
http://contest.fineartstudioonline.com/fav15/17


I've attached a picture of "Sand Angel" so that you'll recognize it amongst the others.  I think it would have been hard for any judge to resist such a captivating little boy.

WIP- "Soy Sauce"

Here's the one I started today... 24"x30" oil.  Toned the canvas and sketched it this morning.  This afternoon I just established some values and smeared some paint around... all the while getting more familiar with my subject and how I want to handle it.  By 3:00 I needed to get away from it until tomorrow as it's getting sticky.  You'll have to wait for the story behind the title!

WIP- "Misty Morning Ruins"

This started out as morning light coming through pine trees and has evolved into palms trees with old tabby ruins.  Maybe it's because of my recent daytrip to St. Simons Island where I put some work in the show "New Horizons" at the Glynn Art Gallery near the pier. I pulled out some old reference material from vacations there and nearby Jekyll Island.  As I wait for this layer to dry (it's a 27"x31" oil), I've started a 24"x30" oil that I've been itching to get going.  I may post them back & forth as WIP until completions.  That would be interesting... you get to see all my boo-boo's as they happen and take bets on whether or not I fix them!

Fresh Off the Turnip Truck

"Fresh Off the Turnip Truck"

8" x 8" x 1.5" oil on gallery wrapped canvas
Macon Arts Gallery

Sometimes that's how I feel in this computer fast world...fresh off the turnip truck!  But it has so many advantages, like being able to see an amazing array of artwork with the click of a mouse.  I'm able to keep up with artists that I admire, see videos that I use for instruction and inspiration, and take part in forums and discussions on issues with artists from all over.  It's totally fantastic in this regard.  The world is my market... but it's everybody else's market, too.  This pushes me to learn, to push my own envelope, to expand. I may feel like a turnip sometimes, but at least I will never become a stale one!

Beginning of a Love Affair

"Beginning of a Love Affair"

8" x 8" x 1.5" oil on gallery-wrap canvas
Macon Arts Gallery

Are little girls simply born with a love for horses?  This is my granddaughter, Karleen, at age two, totally enamored with her first 'real' horse... one that wasn't softly stuffed.  I've been hooked on horses as long as I can remember and so have my twin daughters.  My son didn't get the horsey gene... he trusted a dirt bike more than a large four-legged animal with a mind of its' own!

Koi Trio

"Koi Trio"
8" x 24" oil on gallery-wrap canvas
Macon Arts Gallery

Several years ago I gave my sister some colorful koi to put in their pond. Her husband had just had it drained and rebuilt. We put the koi in before he stocked it with bass, bream and catfish. The koi had a chance to get large enough that the game fish couldn't eat them but would later eat the koi's offspring to keep the pond in balance. Boy, have they grown into huge torpedos! It is so much fun to throw out the the fish food and see their beautiful bodies rise to the surface.

One Down, Two to Go

"One Down, Two to Go"
16" x 20" oil on gallery-wrap canvas

I can just see this young man saying "Whew!" as he finishes up preparing his lamb for the local 4-H show. The 4-year-old daughter of a friend actually took the reference photo that I used. I would never have dreamed of cropping the boy's head, but Willow did it and it intrigued me. It's only human nature to immediately look into the eyes, so without them the viewer can focus on the activity instead, which is the subject of the painting. It bends the rules. Thanks, Willow!

A busy week

It has been unseasonably COLD here in Georgia over this past week. The grandchildren were out of school Mon-Weds but my daughter had to work, so that's where the first three days went. I did manage to get some computer work done, but pulling out the paints with 3 pairs of little hands around did not seem like a good idea. Too cold to play outside, they turned the entire den into a fort... complete with overturned sofas, chairs and TV trays creating tunnels draped with every bedspread and comforter in the house! Yesterday I did some serious catch-up painting and hope to post a new 16x20 tonight or tomorrow.
I did let the children have a paint session at the kitchen table. The two youngest completed the following pictures. The oldest, Brooke(11), chose to play on my computer while I was off.
Joseph (9) chose to paint a truck which he creatively added the camo pattern to. I was glad that it did not disturb him that the scale ran it off the page.
Matthew (6) chose to paint himself. What was most interesting was that he painted his naked body first and then added the clothes. It's amazing what we can learn from children!

Expand Your Horizons

"EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS"
Enjoy artwork produced by current members of Glynn Art.
Opening Reception
Thursday, January 7
5-7PM
319 Mallery Street
Glynn Art Center Gallery
St. Simons Island, Georgia
Exhibit will continue through January 30.
Glynn Art is this area's center for visual arts!

This article about the show came out in the Brunswick News on New Year's Day... what a great way to start the year! Yes, I should contact the paper and see if I could get a copy of the digital, but ...
If you happen to be on the Georgia coast, stick your toes in the ocean and come by the gallery!
This is a lively group of artists with quite a diverse offering of artwork for you to enjoy. The gallery is on the street leading to the pier. Try out the fantastic fried shrimp next door at 'Iguanas'... YUM!

Grainery Daybreak

"Grainery Daybreak"
11" x 14" acrylic on gallery wrap 3/4" deep canvas
Macon Arts Gallery

There is a HUGE grain mill in my little town that takes railroad cars full of corn and other grains and processes them into chicken feed. There's usually flocks of birds eating the spillage along the railroad tracks and greenery sprouts up through the ties. It was still a little early for them on this morning! The pale gray concrete and metal structure reflects the vivid colors of the sunrise and the tracks are polished from use to a mirror sheen. I DO love color!

'Informed Collector' Spotlight

As a result of the award the "Stepping Up" received (previous post), Informed Collector has done a spotlight on me today. What a wonderful way to begin 2010! Many thanks to Clint Watson for featuring it on his blog.

Pink Perch

"Pink Perch"
8" x 10" acrylic on gessoed masonite

Can you tell that I'm wishing for warmer weather? This lovely pink stucco overlooks the beach on St. Simons Island, Georgia. My sister and I had the pleasure of spending four days just down the street and I enjoyed the morning walks past this home. Apparently one of the resident magpies or grackles thought this was a nice perch to enjoy the views, too.

EBSQ Art of the Day

Monday January 4, 2010

This week's Theme: WORK

This week's selections by Melissa Morton-Woodall

"TETHERED"
by Pat DeVane Burns

This was a nice surprise to wake up to today... thanks, Melissa at EBSQ!

Looking forward into 2010

ART ON THE AVENUE Fine art Gallery and Studio
2368 Ingleside Avenue
Macon, Georgia 31204
478-743-3720
artontheavenue05@yahoo.com

Looking Forward

With a fresh palette and hues of optimism, hope and faith, Art on the Avenue sets its' hat for a robust 2010. We're looking forward to our first show of the year in April featuring Pat Burns, a prolific, award-winning artist who continues to be collectible and is now branching out to the Southwest USA. Stay tuned for further details.

We wish all of you a prosperous, healthy and happy New Year and look forward to seeing you soon!

Ginger Concepcion