Well Here are Some Great Reviews for Ten for Me too!

 I am so over the moon! Both my books are receiving incredibly wonderful reviews!

Thank you Sylvan Dell for giving the opportunity of a Life Time!

Kirkus Review!

Feathered Quill Book Reviews

Reading to Know Reviews

A Wonderful Review for Hey Diddle Diddle!!!

Here are some wonderful reviews for a book that I recently illustrated for Sylvan Dell Publishing! Wahoo!!! What a great start! What an honor to have been selected to illustrate such a fun book!

http://www.featheredquill.com/reviews/childrens/kapchinske.shtml

http://www.heckofabunch6.com/2011/08/hey-diddle-diddle-childrens-book-review.html 

http://www.readingtoknow.com/2011/08/sylvan-dell-new-releases-and-one-to.html

Pretty Cool! Just had to share!

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A Van Gogh Movie I could have watch Twice!!

Last night I watched Van Gogh: A Brush with Genius.  Loved it absolutely love it.

Very few people could actually pull off what he did in his work. Simply marvelous. That is why he is a master I would think. One of reason I really love this film.They showed close-ups of his work and held it there so you could study it. He was so tortured and spent some time in a mental institution per his own doing. He did invite Gaugin to come paint with him for a while, but even Gaugin couldn't handle the high strung Van Gogh. By the end of the movie I loved Van Gogh as a person. . .not only an artist. It is really quit worth watching and I want to watch it again just to capture more of his world. It was done by two people who truly love his work.

I have a new love!!!

I have a new love! Crackle Paste. . .just love the stuff. Hope to show some new paintings with a base of crackle soon. Have two in the beginning phase. One small 8 x 10 and one large 16 x 20! Loving traditional medium. . .I am also very excited to say that I am working on the last double spread of Penguin Lady! Love that book!

 

New Book is Coming!!!

Ordered a new book to read! Should be here Friday!!!

I love old England and can't pass up a good mystery or a romance! Nothing to explicit in the romance area. . .I have never read a book by Georgette Heyer, but hope she is a keeper as she has written so many books.  Her books got great reviews. . .hoping. . .hoping hoping. . .

Traditional Painting. . .Baby Steps

Here is my first painting done in acrylics on hardboard.  I may go back and work on it a bit more, but at this point I am ready to move on in my adventure So I have started a second painting below.  I am attracted to home furnishing that are rustic or primitive in nature. Here is a link to one of my favorite styles. . .

This painting is called Bird Snack

http://www.allysonsplace.com/ 

As I said here is the start of my second painting, which is acrylic on stretched canvas.  I think they are both good paintings, but don't think this is where I am going with my art.  Well you can't judge the second one yet. . .right.  But it's a good start. 

As you can tell there is a certain color palette. . .I like the palette, although it doesn't go with a thing in my home.  I feel like if I am painting it should go with what I have in my home.  That way you can display it until it sells. . .

Next question. . .where am I going with my art? Not sure.  I think I want to go more mixed media.  I love the idea of painting and adding stuff to it.  Even things like tacks. . .Using crackle medium excites me as does getting a little lost in the composition and making it a non traditional composition.  I have already started another painting despite the fact that Coffee Break, painting above isn't even finished. 

It's actually fun. . .but scary to be exploring the new me

What Has Happened to Me?

What have I been working on?

Traditional art for a start.  I have been trying to sketch on a daily basis and find it so rewarding.  I think my understanding of traditional art has helped me with my digital art. I have also begun painting with acrylics again after over 10-15 years of being away from them.  I have also found that a strange balance of reward and pain. . .very painful at times.  But the pain is worth the reward. 

I have been reading about traditional painting and have also made friends with some traditional artists which have been very kind and helpful.  I started out with the standard still life's, but know that is not where my art will lead me.  I can't even say where I will go, but I am feeling a very strong pull and hope to show some of my new art here very soon.

I have also been working on my latest kids book.  A hugely fun book titled The Penguin Lady. I have been working on the color sketches.

A while back I started doing my sketches in color for the educational publishers I work with.  The last two traditionally published books I did color sketches for also. This really has cut down on the revisions and such.  I can see quickly what the composition looks like and it makes the final painting so much easier.  It also helps the publisher see more clearly where I am going.

I love what I do. . .but in the end it is a business and well per hour wages is what it comes down too.

I know that I have promised many times to start posting on a regular basis.  This time I hope to do better. . .