Patterns

Patterns
16" x 20" 06'

Plein air landscape painting.

Sometimes you have to go forward in order to return to where you are suppose to be. Maybe you're not actually leaving, but growing new shoots off the tree of your life, new branches of yourself.

I am on an exciting journey, with every painting I make I am refreshed and invigorated to paint more.

Special Offer & News

I have been very busy redesigning my store Plein air cafe, and finally have high quality framed prints available in two sizes, as well as the ceramic tiles, mousepads, apparel and more.

Now through March 28th using this special coupon code DULLSLEGEND, you can save 5$ on any purchase over $20.00.

Click here to browse and purchase from a beautiful arrangement of high quality items created from my original plein air landscape paintings, all attractively priced.

Give Art to Your Life, & Make it Beautiful!

I have been stoking a super fun idea, that won't be finished until well into spring or summer, and I'll leave you with a hint ~Plein air puzzle.

It's going to be a unique interactive sort of piece.

I've also been doing a lot of reading. I am part reader, and just a touch of a writer after all. Books are like gems to me, I truly treasure them. Sometimes I go long stretches without having a book that captures me.

Now I have one brand new one thanks to Hillstead publishing Living the Artists Life, by Paul Dorrell, free to art bloggers, another is an unexpected ebook, gifted from a very kind soul and person ~Thank you JW, and two more that I read sometime ago and sold, but decided it was time to buy them again. There is also one more that I have an uncontrollable itch to get again. it's is by Thoreau, and for the life of me I can't remember the title, I remember the cover, but after searching online, the newest editions have different covers...anyway I'll come across it. For so many times I would carry this book out in to the woods and read in my secret spot and also along the high cliffs and shores of the lake.
His words were pivotal to me then and definitely one I need to revisit again at this time in my life.

Cheers,

Rebecca

Excited to be a Member

of the Ohio Plein Air Society.

I received my welcome packet the other day, and I am so thrilled to be apart of this group.

There are paintouts scheduled throughout Ohio over the next few months and a competition in the fall. I won't be able to attend all of them, but do look forward to meeting and painting with the other members.

It's a kinship of sorts, it takes a certain kind of painter to travel outside, painting on site the breathtaking majesty of nature.

Rejected...

It's cool,
Sometimes you eat the bar, sometimes the bar eats you.

That's the life of art and judges, every person has an opinion and taste of what they like and don't like.

I would have really liked a healthy critique though, but it was a messenger that made the phone call and not the judges. Hence no comment. Critiques are necessary to an artists growth.
and I am always open to what people like and don't like about my work, but more importantly,
Why they feel the way they do.

I know my plein air work is unusual, but I love it and am so very passionate about creating it.

When I am painting, it is the only time everything, and I mean everything that troubles me melts away.

I know this what I am suppose to be doing and that thought in itself is enough.

Fresh Art' 2nd Annual Juried Show

Fresh Art March 17 - May 6, 2006

2nd Annual Summit Artspace Juried Show
Fresh ideas from emerging and established artists, all media.
Work produced in 2005/2006 and not previously exhibited.
$1,750 in prizes sponsored by Malone Advertising.

Guest Judges: Don Harvey and Dan Tranberg

I submitted my piece Shadows of Winter on Saturday, Phone calls will be made either Thursday or Friday of this week, notifying me and the other entrants of acceptance or rejection. I wish my caller id worked LOL, needless to say I won't be online very much over the next two days. I do find it unusual, most times an artist will only receive a letter. This is more personal.

The work I saw there was of quite a variety. Artists from the surrounding 3 counties were eligible to enter, being that the work was created in 05' or 06', other than that there were no strict requirements. The judges are familiar with Northeast Ohio and it is going to be interesting to see which pieces they choose to accept and display.

The pieces I saw submitted included all levels of skill and talent. Of all the pieces I saw, there were a handful that stand out in my memory. One was a near life size ceramic sculpture of a women dressed in a bunny suit holding a box that had seasonal allergy pills for sale in it, there was a unique floor display of vase like structures with carefully posed tulips. I remember a huge painting of a portrait perhaps, just head and shoulders with carefully rendered features in black and white. There was also an installation piece you couldn't help but remember, there had too be over a thousand, white, origami boxes surrounding a cast forearm and fist reaching up from within them. There was a touch of everything submitted.

So stay tuned and wish me luck, I'll be sure to post the outcome and how the show goes regardless.

All the Best!

Art & Technology

via text of fingers from a fellow artist, Manuela Valenti , through our Art & Marketing Group.

I created an account for and have uploaded some of my paintings too
PocketPcThemes,
* the link will take you too my author page.
Users can download the themes to their pocket pc's free,
currently I have 9 themes approved and have four more waiting that will be available in a few days.
This is a good article, The Pocket PC Basics for Business Users and Road Warriors by Don McDougall that explains the ease and use of pocket pc's .

I believe artists today need to embrace some portions of technology. Although we may be in our studio's creating art or as I do 'out of doors', I go out to go in. We need to be savvy and have a little moxie.

I would love to hear fromyou.
If you are an artist, what ways do you combine your art & technology?
If you are a reader, what ways do like or what would you like to see artists do to combine art & technology?

Heavy Sigh''''

It is an odd thing when memories pushed away are stirred into flame.

I grew up on the shores of Lake Ontario. Everyday of my life I was surrounded by, abandoned, and immersed myself into the natural beauty around me. I would wake with the summer sunrise on my dock and say good night to the sun off the pier of Sodus Point. I have memories burned into my mind of how crystal clear the night skies were, watching the meteor showers laying on my back in the dew damped summer grass with more stars than could be counted amidst the velvety dark sky. I remember walking the shores endlessly, thinking and breathing in the peaceful rhythm of the water. Gathering small treasures of Lake smoothed sand glass, many green, brown and opaque but every so often I would find the coveted antique blue glass shard that had been tumbled endlessly to a smoothened gem that came to rest on the shore.

When I moved to Ohio I never dreamed it would be where I would find the love of my life, have children with and make a home. and be away from the water. I have only been back to my roots a few times in ten years or so. Things change, since then my parents recently sold the home I grew up in on the shores of Sodus Bay to move more inland. I have promised myself that regardless of what happens to that A-frame home, the view will still be there. I will go back... someday I'm sure. I'll return full swing with more canvasses than I count and more paint than can be painted with.

I have been forced to find the beauty around my home now so many miles from Great Lake Water. Even Lake Erie is out of reach and not the same anyway. The depth of Lake Ontario is stunning, along with the Beautiful Chimney Bluffs , But Now I am amongst the trees, which I love, but do wonder if that water were my backyard again what would my work be like?. What would I be like. Water is an important part of my soul, my fish tank testifies to my needs, the very well being of me use to rest on my countless backpack lone ventures into the woods and along the shores with my journal, sketchbook, pastels and hairspray to fix the drawings at a young naive age. It took sometime for me to be able to adapt truly like a fish out of water in the city of Columbus, Oh which was tolerable until I finished my degree , thinking I was returning. God certainly had other plans for me.

so what stirred these memories that I intentionally push aside?
many thanks to Tim Kline's Gorgeous artwork and blog, his piece featured here brought it all back with a flood.

Ahh cest la vie, a plein air artist has to make do but only for now!