First Week of School

My first week of school went smoothly and was lots of fun, except for the 104 degree day we had last Thursday. Ugh! Walking across campus felt like taking a trip across the Sahara Desert.

I am taking an American Literature class and an oil painting class. Oil painting is really not a media I prefer to work in, but that is what is required for this class. I had oil painting lessons a long time ago when I was a teenager. I liked it, but found it very messy.

Our first project in oil painting class will be a black & white still life. I don't have the advantage of taking my painting home and working on it because we have to paint from a still life that is set up in class by the teacher.

The coolest thing happened in my literature class. I have the same teacher I had last semester. Anyway, she told me she saw my artwork at a local chiropractic office and asked me to do a portrait of her two grandchildren! A new portrait commission always makes me happy!!!

The Wallabee & Me

I went to the Idaho State fair again this Saturday. I stopped by an Australian Animal Exhibit that the fair had this year and decided to get my photo taken with a baby Wallabee. Wallabee's are just like Kangaroos only smaller. This little guy's name was Boxer and he had very soft fur. He kind of reminded me of my cats. My love for animals would not let me pass up this opportunity!

Bluebird Collage

"Bluebird Collage"

This weekend I finished a colored pencil & Turpenoid collage that I call "Bluebird Collage." The photo I posted above shows most of it, but I couldn't get all of it in It has that flower pedal border on the left side too. And you can't see the very top and the bottom, which also has a little bit of a border. But after I matt and frame it, it will look fantastic.

The poem on the left side says, "Over our head will float the bluebird, singing of beautiful & impossible things--of things that are lovely and that never happen; of things that are not but that should be." This was a poem from an episode of Beauty & The Beast. I loved the way the poem represents the bluebird as a magical creature who sings about beautiful things. It is kind of a symbol of our hopes and dreams. Even if they don't all come true, it is still fun to dream!

The bluebird was created with colored pencil & Turpenoid. And except for the poem, the rest of it was special hand-made paper that was treated with a decopauge craft glue called Mod Podge.

A Day at the Fair

Today I went to the Idaho State Fair with my husband. Since we are not actually going on a vacation this year, this day at the fair was our vacation! So we splurged a bit and ate some wonderful, delicious & fattening 'Fair' food. And since my birthday is next month, I even bought myself a special birthday present from one of the Fair vendors--a beautiful blouse.

I did not win anything in the juried art show, but I was not expecting to, so I really wasn't disappointed. I entered my Beauty & The Beast portrait, "Sweetest Song" and my portrait of the mother elephant with her newborn, "Elephant Walk." I knew that I wouldn't get anything for the Beauty & The Beast portrait because the judges were both men and men hate Beauty and the Beast. B&TB is a woman's story that most men don't relate to it. I have no explanation for why I didn't win anything for the Elephants. One reason I think I didn't win anything is that the art judges the fair picks usually hate anything that is "cute" or sentimental, no matter how good it might be executed. And both of my pieces were just that--cute and/or sentimental. They usually want something different, something wierd or abstract. Of course this is not always the case, but after seeing what pieces of art won and did not win, I could see a bit of this pattern. But you know what? I entered those pieces because they meant something special to me and because I really liked them and not so much because I wanted to win something.

The highlight of my little mini vacation at the fair was that I got to pet a baby wallabee. That was cool! Didn't know they had such soft fur.

Thy Sweet Love Remember'd

"Thy Sweet Love Remember'd"

I'm glad that school starts next week because I am getting bored and I don't want to do any more home improvement projects. There are still plenty more of these annoying types of projects to do, I'm just not real motivated to do them!

I have posted my latest in the series of Beauty & The Beast illustrations that I am doing. These projects combine my colored pencil & Turpenoid portrait art with collage and poetry.

The piece you see above is based on my favorite Shakespeare sonnet which is also featured on the television series, Beauty & The Beast. The last two lines of this sonnet are on the art itself, inside the heart. This sonnet is especially timely right now because of the economic struggles most everyone is going through, myself included. It goes like this:

When in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state,

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,

And look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,

Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising.

Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate:

For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

My Fine Arts Studio Art Show at Syringa Winery

I did an art show this Saturday at the Syringa Winery. Only three artists, including me, were exhibiting. I posted (above) the postcard advertisement about the show. The turnout was low, but I had fun and sold a few pieces of art. I really had fun getting to know my fellow artists. This show was sponsored by My Fine Art Studios. They are representing me now and are helping to promote my art with their website and local art shows. In September, I will be able to sell my art online through Paypal. Can't wait to see how that works out! I stopped selling my art on E-bay because I just wasn't selling and E-bay just keeps taking money out of my account, so I was actually losing money, not making it. Had lots of people say they were interested in buying, but couldn't because they were broke! Such is the economy right now, I guess. At least I know it is the economy and not my artwork!

My Fine Arts Studio will be setting up some shows for me in October & November too. It is nice to have someone do some of the marketing for me. I really don't enjoy that part!

What I like about My Fine Arts Studio is that they are truly interested in helping the artist and are not just in it for the money. They represent integrity and that goes along way with me. They have some great ideas for marketing and promoting too.

You can visit my new website at My Fine Arts Studio at www.myfineartstudio.com/bevchick. I highly recommend this company for artists who want help promoting their art. The company is owned and managed by Casey McMullen of Wiregroove Technology. You can reach him at (208) 466-3123 (Office) or (208) 850-2624 (Mobile Phone).