JENNIFER PHILLIPS

My Stolen Jewelry FOUND today in Seattle!

2011-08-23T01:12:00.000-07:00

Click HERE to view the original Stolen Jewlery Interview

Today was an incredible day...

But rewind for a minute... If you hadn't heard by now, a week ago, my car was broken into after making a delivery to the Columbia City Gallery. So of course, my little Jeep was full of my hand-painted teeny tiny Scrabble Tile jewelry... and of course, I had "Baby Brain" (yes. I am pregnant.), as I ran my next errand at Good Will and promptly left my jewelry and other personal items out in plain view for someone to steal from me... so, of course, as I didn't expect, and didn't deserve, someone DID.

Valued at over $11,000, my art and personal items were gone in a flash. All of my best jewelry pieces (2 months of hard work) were to be shown at Art in the Pearl in Oregon next weekend... and they were, welp, I had no idea where they were... and feared the worst. I panicked for a short lived moment, while quickly trying to cancel my cell phone service to my, now stolen, iPhone... and then snapped out of it (sort of). I wasn't going to go without a fight!!!

PROACTIVE became my middle name. I contacted police immediately and when I got home, Facebooked and Tweeted until my fingers were blue! I had help from local online papers like the Renton Patch, Queen Anne News, and Edmonds News, writing about my ordeal... and finally my fantastic brother got the idea to get local TV news involved, so we frantically started hitting the phones... my goal? To reach out to the community for help - I was praying that someone, somewhere, would eventually see something.

So Komo 4 News and Q13 Fox News both came out to interview me. I was so grateful they were interested in my story. It was a surreal experience being on tv... and after that my life was impacted in such amazing ways. I began to received emails and comments from friends, family, and people I had never even met... all supporting me and sending so many good wishes! It was such an amazing feeling. All week, the love just kept pouring in! And as the days went by, I was able to let go of my loss, of all the hours that I had poured into my work, and was really feeling the calming effects of seeing this experience as "it is what it is".

So today, for the first time since my ordeal, I was packing up my things to go to the studio and get back to work, when I discovered I had missed a message on my phone at home. Komo 4 News had received a tip that my jewelry box had been FOUND! The poor little baby in my tummy was involuntarily doing summersaults as I jumped around my room yelling, clicking my heals with excitement!!! I was floored! It couldn't beeeeeee! But yes, it was true!

I was promptly put in touch with a wonderful talented girl, Geneiva Arunga, who I was so fortunate to have met today. She and several other artist's had come across my missing box of jewelry at a bus stop right out in front of their studio at M.I.H Records... just a couple miles away from where it was taken! Komo 4 News covered our story today as I was reunited with my little painted gems and as I got to thank several of the artists at M.I.H. Records for their good Samaritan deeds!

Needless to say, I am a strong believer in synchronicity and the law of attraction... there is a reason why all this happened to me. There is a reason why these wonderful people where drawn into my life. I am excited to spend some time thinking of creative ways to "pay it forward"... to give back to those that have really enhanced my life so graciously.

Thank you everyone for your support in my artistic adventures... You really are the reason why I do what I do.

Please help me share the love...

* Check out the work of hip hop artist Big-Dubb, that I met today... holy talented!!!

* And don't forget to go "Like" M.I.H. Records fan page on Facebook

* AND listen to the spoken words of Geneiva Arunga, a fabulous poet, who's passion for art and caring heart have truly touched me today...

Please follow me on Facebook or Twitter for the latest "Jen Things"... I am getting lazy with my blogging these days.

Getting Lots of Press

2011-03-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

Recently published in American Art Collector Magazine! (April 2011 issue)

I want to thank everyone that came out to my show at the Cole Gallery! You all made it really fun! Since I typically fail at taking pictures during ANY of my events, I thought I would post a copy of what the Cole Gallery wrote about on their Facebook page.

Also, for whatever reason, this past month I have attracted tons of press!!! Ok, tons, is an exaggeration. But it feels like tons, because prior to last month, I had never gotten press before in my whole life! Two online articles, one ad in Seattle Magazine, and a two page spread in American Art Collector Mag! What. The. Heck! Awesome! (someone high five me)

I though I would share the links so you could read all about me. Cuz I know you have nothing better to do right?

"One Tweet Creates a Domino Effect of Creative Connections for Two Artists"

"Two Artist's Sharing a Passion and a Studio in Downtown Renton"

Don't forget to sneak a peek at this April issue of American Art Collector Magazine... page 108 & 109. It shows some of the new paintings now available for purchase through the Cole Gallery! It's not available online unless you have a subscription, so you will have to pick it up in a store new you.

Lastly, just a quick announcement for April 2nd... I have another opening at the Lucia Douglas Gallery in Bellingham, WA! Help me spread the word! Seven new large works will be on display! Between these past two shows, I have painted more this year than allllllll of last year combined! I'm lovin' life! Now, I just gotta sell something.

To visit the online version of the article below that was written by Shannon Black at the Cole Gallery, please click here. Why would you want to? Because you can leave comments there and see what others had to say... just sayin'.

Our St. Patrick’s Day Art Walk was a blast! Feature artists Jennifer Phillips and Lisa Lamoreaux brought an enchanting show full of wonder and whimsy.

Every piece of art seemed to sing along with the roving pipe band that walked the downtown streets of Edmonds. A sense of merriment enraptured all of us as we toasted the night away with a glass of champagne and good friends by our side decked out in green.

If you haven’t seen Jennifer and Lisa’s show yet, come on down to the gallery! These pieces will sweep you away to a lovely place.

We can’t wait to see you at our next big party on Saturday, April 9th from 6-9pm as we unveil Patty Forte Linna’s show “Passion,” a look into the life and passions of couture fashion designer Luly Yang.

(Contributed by Shannon Black, Gallerina)

Art Opening, Got Published, and NEW paintings!

2011-03-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

If you already haven't received my emails, event postings on Facebook, Tweets, and heard me screaming from the top of a mountain about my upcoming show... then here is my final attempt to put my work in front of your nose! SO many new paintings to be had, I just can't wait for the opening!

Especially because this time, I am showing with a very good friend of mine, Lisa Lamoreaux! Did you know we met on TWITTER? She tweeted, I responded, and we have been friends ever since! And to think, that if we didn't have Social Networking??? We would have never crossed paths! Whew, glad we did. Check out her work. Matter of fact, just check out our show online or in person at the Cole Gallery!

Champagne Reception

Thursday, March 17th

5pm-8pm

Cole Gallery

Edmonds, WA

Click here to see my show online (or at least most of it)

"Release Me" - diptych, by Jennifer Phillips

36x72, Oil on Wood Panels

Available for purchase through Cole Gallery

"All Things are Beautiful", by Lisa Lamoreaux

Oil with Mixed Media, 36x24

Available for purchase through Cole Gallery

See her available work online here.

LOOK FOR ME! I will be featured in the April issue of American Art Collector Magazine! Coming soooooooon to a mag stand near you!!!

For more info about upcoming shows in my near future, please visit my website here.

Waiting for My Creative Muse...

2011-01-27T23:15:00.000-08:00

So. This is what I have to do sometimes... just lay and wait for something to happen. It is often I show up to the "easel" and... begin to panic... over-think... worry... over-plan... try to control EVERYTHING about my painting or a show I am painting for. Well today I learned (from my fantastic friend and painter Lisa Lamoreaux) that you can't micromanage your creative muse. If you do, she doesn't show. You can't control her. And I have no business even trying. My job is to paint. That's it! Just show up, it's that easy.

So today, after spending a great deal of time worrying about what colors to use, what if I forgot how to paint, is this piece too big for the show, what will I paint next, blah blah blah... After spending as much time as I could in swimming in self sabotage, I finally shut down my over active inner critic and... guess what? - my muse showed up!

The following resulted after spending 5 hours of time NOT thinking at all:

Under-painting

Untitled Diptych

Oil on two wood panels

36x72"

The start to my new year has been wonderful! (except for the part where I got Pneumonia) I have moved into a new studio in Renton, WA with a wonderful friend and inspiring artist, Lisa Lamoreaux. This new space has a lot more walls that will allow for me paint bigger and work on several things at once. Additionally, my new studio mate and I are business buddies and accountability partners! It has been so amazing spending time with Lisa on a regular basis to share ideas, plan our year, and simply check in with each other on our goals etc... I think after spending the last three years painting at home really makes me realize now how important it is to be surrounded by other artists. It is super motivating. Especially because we share a lot of the same drive and passion for what we do... I look forward to new adventures this year indeed!

I have a full schedule again this year with 2 shows coming up this March and April at the Cole Gallery and Lucia Douglas Gallery. AND I am happy to announce that I will be featured in American Art Collector Magazine this coming April!!! Lots of new things on the horizon I will be sharing more later!

Please join Jennifer Phillips Art on FACEBOOK for more up to date daily posts and in progress work photos!

It's Time to Reflect

2010-12-08T19:43:00.001-08:00

Reflections

Oil on Panel

24x48

SOLD through the Cole Gallery

GasP! It's a miracle! She types again! Yes, I have abandoned my blog tremendously over the past few months... It's all due to that darn "list of things I wanna accomplish" post that I made at the beginning of the year. (to see the post "Dear Finger Pointer", that I am referring to click here)

But that is all ok. I new, with such steep goals, I would get derailed from the regular things in life, from the routine that I so enjoyed controlling... I had hoped I wouldn't, but I tend to fool myself sometimes.

So needless to say, I have been getting emails and inquiries from some of you asking, " So? What happened Jen? HelloooOOOO? What were the results? What did you accomplish? Did you like doing all those art fairs? Any advice?"... and my response? Well, I'm still thinking about all that.

It has been a few weeks since my last show of the year, and I have yet to make the time to sit down with myself and analyze everything. But I will. And I need to. Because if I, Jen Phillips business owner painter person, want to continue to be successful, I need to put a new plan o' tack in place for next year based off of my successes AND failures from THIS year... NOW!

So over the next couple weeks, while I am trying to paint 3 new paintings for a show at the Cole Gallery in January, plan an additional 15 or so for an other two shows at galleries in March and April, and finish all the custom orders I owe some collectors, (and breathe), I will be using my nights to self analyze and plan. And then I will post again, for you to see, how crazy I actually am...

In the mean time, while you are waiting for me to get my bloggie act together, stop by the Cole Gallery in Edmonds to check out my newest paintings on display!

Best of the Northwest, My Last Show of the Year!

2010-11-07T00:56:00.000-07:00

Click here for more information

Well it is bitter sweet... my last major show of 2010. If you live here in Seattle, please don't miss this one. It's huge! I have a small handful of FREE tickets. If you are definitely wanting to attend this weekend, please let me know and I can send one to you. Just say so in the comments section below. Hurry, cuz I only have a few!

I look forward to getting back to the studio to focus on a new body of work for several show line ups in early 2011. Time to turn on the heater and rev up my creative brain for a few months of painting big! Can't wait!

Local 14 Show in Portland this weekend!

2010-10-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

Hope to see you there! Help me spread the word.... it's a FOUR day event! I will have my jewelry and paintings both on display as guest artist! Check it out by clicking here: LOCAL 14

Also, as I always say... find me on Facebook these days... with my crazy schedule I am posting more fun things there all the time... I share soooo many links to sooooo many opportunities there! Click here to visit my "fan" page.

My show season is coming to a close. Only one more show in November and then I will be back to doing a little bit more blogging. I will see you soon!

Oooh oooh! I almost forgot! I have also stocked both of my stores with new jewelry items for the holidays! Check them out on the sidebar to the left -------->

ARTIST'S ALERT! Don't fall for this SCAM!

2010-09-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

Received a blog post today that gave me chills. If you are an artist you need to read this so you can know what to look for... I ALMOST feel for a scam like this a year ago. Until the inquirer started mumbling something about paying for shipping and writing a money order for more than the price of the art. As soon as I insisted to use Paypal as a means of payment, they never contacted me again.

All I lost out of the deal was my time. Time I had prepared taking pictures of how the art looked on my walls (per the inquirer's request). But I cringe thinking about how many people may fall for this scam through out the year... it's awful that there are such cruel people in the world. Read about this artist's experience and the warning signs you need to look for, by clicking HERE.

On another note, I am home now from my 2 week adventure in Oregon at Art in the High Desert and Art in the Pearl. Now I am looking forward to my next show in Kansas City, MO at the Plaza Art Fair this Sept 24th-26th. I will be showing my jewelry line only at this one... It will be my first time flying to a show and renting my equipment. I love a challenge! So the next 12 days are go time for production. I will post more soon!

Fwd: Art in the Pearl was a BLAST!

2010-09-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

Well I am excited to say that I have jumped on the smart phone bandwagon... Yes folks, I have got an iPhone! So you know what I'm doing right now? Sitting in McDonalds typing my blog entry on my phone. Yeah. Weird.

So to be brief, or rather to save me the pain of trying to type my recent Portland art fair adventure on this here teeny tiny keypad with my big wo-man thumbs, I will be short... Here goes:

So, I've been on the road for a couple weeks now (which I will elaborate on later) and just finished up a show at Art in the Pearl. Two words... Portland Rocks! Thanks you to all that visited me and sorry to those I may have missed because I failed to notify you sooner! :0) Here's a picture from the show on Saturday. I'm getting a thumb cramp so I'll type more when I get to a real computer! Take care!

My 1st Gallery Opening TONIGHT at Cole Gallery

2010-08-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

"Surrounded"

Oil on 2 Panels

36x24 diptych

Contact Cole Gallery for purchase information

Welp! I am back from my Utah road trip and everything was FAN-tastic! Though sales at the Kimball Arts Festival were a little under my expectation, I DID land a new gallery opportunity that will bring me back to Park City this winter! So I look forward to delivering new work along with my self and my snowboard, all ready to hit the mountains! Yayer!

This Utah trip was extra special because my parents flew all the way from Chicago to see me! The first time they had been able to witness me and my artwork at an actual show! So cool! I felt so speshall. Really made the trip extra fun having them there with me along the way. Even though I did throw a couple "F-bombs" during a frustrating break down of my gear the last day... sorry parentals. I really am an angel, I promise.

In local news... I AM IN A GALLERY! Yep! It's true!

Join me this evening at the Cole Gallery in Edmonds, WA for my very first official gallery opening! I am so excited to announce that one of my paintings has sold after only hanging for 1 day! High five me! (I'm so professional.)

Opening reception 8/14 from 6-8:30pm

Cole Gallery

107 5th Ave S

Edmonds, WA 98020

425 697 2787

For something that is actually VERY professional, please click here to read the press release that Shannon Black wrote about my work. I couldn't have said it better myself! She makes me feel like a REAL artist now!

On the Road Again... Utah here I Come!

2010-08-03T23:52:00.001-07:00

On the road to my next show in Park City Utah this weekend. I'm pooped so I won't be writing too much right now, so here's the cliff notes:

I'm honored to be showing at the Kimball Arts Festival in Utah August 6th - 8th. Booth 31 - come bring me a Redbull.

Next week I will be August's First Glance Artist at the Cole Gallery in Edmonds, Wa. Reception is August 14th from 6-8:30pm. The gallery wrote a fantastic press release about me and you can read it HERE. You can also view the show online HERE. (note that "Refresh" has SOLD yay!).

Wish I could tell you more about my adventures so far this summer, but I am finding that I need more sleep lately. Big driving day ahead tomorrow so I am opting for some shut eye!

Take care everyone I will check in later!

Three Weekends in a Row!

2010-07-08T23:10:00.000-07:00

"Gathering"

24x24

Oil on Canvas Mounted to Panel

Please contact Cole Gallery for purchase information

July marks the beginning of ... whelp... my head spinning... with three art shows in a row starting this weekend, I am sure to be busy busy busy! And I LOVE it! So I have to say that there may be a little delay in my blog posts for the rest of the month. I highly recommend you follow me on Facebook in the meantime - just click the "like" button when you get there and you'll see what I am up to, shorthand style!

I will be in the following places (what feels like all at once) this Month:

July 10th & 11th

Choochokam Arts Festival, Langley, WA Booth #A22

*SALE on remaining inventory of PRINTED tree charms - $10 bucks off!

July 16th - 18th

Salem Art Fair, Salem, OR Booth #129

July 23rd - 25th

Bellevue Festival of the Arts, Bellevue, WA Booth #51

Please visit my website here for more detailed show information for July and the rest of the year, or/and click on the links above. Will I be in a city near you???

Join Me at the Edmonds Arts Festival THIS weekend!

2010-06-17T21:25:00.000-07:00

On the Green

30x30

Oil on Panel

$2,500

Please contact the Cole Gallery for purchase information as of 8/14/10

My newest addition now on display through this weekend at the Edmonds Arts Festival...

Join me this weekend for a wonderful event in Edmonds, WA. My first time participating in the Edmonds Arts Festival is sure to be a fantastic experience! Show hours are as follows:

Friday 11am - 9pm

Saturday 10 am - 8pm

Sunday 10 am - 6 pm

For a MAP of the event click here.

Also sneak by the Cole Gallery in Edmonds this Saturday for your chance to see some fantastic artist's on display (including myself) as well as enter to win 1 of 2 FREE $200 gift certificates! They will also be giving away one of my little Tree Charm Necklaces for during the artist reception that evening!

And... thank you thank you thank you... to everyone who contacted me or left me wonderful comments on my blog and Facebook - you all gave me wonderful ideas and suggestions on how to handle my lighting question in the previous post. I decided to wing it and just see how it goes with out any "juice" this weekend and learn from the experience... it was just too late to come up with a solution so last minute.

Interested in seeing how the event unfolds this weekend? Pop over to my Fan page on Facebook, click the "like" button and check out the pics from the show while I am there during the day!

Hope to see some of you in Edmonds! (and thanks for your support! You guys rock! "whoop whoop!")

No Electricity in Your Art Booth?

2010-06-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

I need your advice...

I just found out that the Edmonds Art Festival this weekend doesn't supply electricity to our booths. So I will have no lights. And the weather may not be cooperating, with a bit of rain and overcast skies on the way.

I really feel that my sales may suffer if my paintings aren't properly illuminated. But maybe lack of experience is causing me to over think it... ?

Is there a technique to getting lighting in your booth with out electricity being provided? Some sort of set up that you have seen or used that works?

OR is this just a grin an bare it type situation where I have to roll with the punches so to speak?

I was thinking of purchasing a few of these battery operated picture lights at Bed Bath and Beyond for $30 bucks each and did a little reading online about a couple other ways to use solar power to fuel your lighting (for the link click here).... but I am just so darn indecisive about the whole thing!

Any input you guys have would help me tremendously! Thanks!

*** Visit my Fan Page on Facebook to see all the fantastic ideas everyone has been sharing there too on this topic!

My Spokane Artfest 2010 Adventure

2010-06-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

I kicked off my artfair season with a bang this year and am happy to report that Spokane Artfest was a total success! I had a lot of "firsts" last weekend that created a whirlwind of emotions for me through out the whole event: 1st time and an OUTDOOR show, 1st time showing in the rain, 1st time winning an award, and since there is a 1st time for everything it was also the 1st time I met someone who speaks to trees... out loud. Interesting. Seriously.

To say the least, the whole weekend was absolutely fantastic right down to the moment I had the honor of delivering my big red tree painting to a couple who live in a beautiful home on South Hill, Spokane. Truly rewarding all the way around.

For those of you who would like to peer into my little world of what it takes to do a show like this, by yourself, please read on. Here is my "cliff note" version of some just some of the details of the weekend:

Thursday:

Rent truck/Pack truck - 2 hours

Drive to Spokane - 4.5 hours

Unload upon arrival - 20+ trips back and forth from the truck to my booth space

Booth set up - 5 hours!

Friday:

Morning; last minute details/hanging artwork - 4 hours!

Rain (brace for predicted wind storm that never showed up thank god!)

Won an award! Addision & Myers Visual Arts Award! High five!!!

12 hour work day

Saturday:

Sunny all day! But forgot sunscreen... 11 hour work day.

Sunday:

Arrived early to see other artist's and their booths. Got to finally meet some of the artist's I have been following online...Sheila Evans, Diane Colhane, Jill Mayberg.

Break down tent set up and repack the truck - 5 hours... last one there, by myself, in the dark. Not good.

Monday:

Woke up refreshed and got to deliver "Turning Red 2" to new collectors in Spokane!

Went to visit the Kress Gallery where Sheila Evans' work was hanging, and promptly realized that I had no change for the meters nor could my truck fit in any parking garages... so I drove home - 4.5 hours.

Was it all totally hard? YES. Did I shed an tear of frustration while I was breaking down my tent? YES. Did the good outweigh the bad? YES. Would I do it all again? YES. And I will, this weekend at the Edmonds Art Fair! This time I will have a little set up help from a fantastic friend.. (wiping my brow in relief). More show information to follow.

Reflections

2010-05-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

"Reflections"

48 x 24

Oil on Panel

If you have been following my work on Facebook for the past week or so, you have had the pleasure of witnessing my process of pulling a couple all nighters to get this painting completed. Lately I had found my use of daylight very unproductive. Life has been throwing me gigantic challenges, of which I am not ready to share about just yet. But through it all, I had to push myself to accomplish this painting. It took me to a place that I have never been before. It was very therapeutic. I worked for hours. And a few of those days were huge blocks of time all at once. Yesterday was a 12 hour painting day for me... I finished it at 5:30 in the morning.

This painting will always be very special to me; as I spent several days reflecting upon wonderful memories as I painted it.

Bird Poop and Paintings Don't Mix

2010-05-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

Water's Edge 2 (large version)

72" x 36"

Oil on Two Panels

SOLD

Ok. So this is not a case of narcissism here... I finished this piece and wanted to take a picture of myself in order to show scale... NOT to show how stunningly beautiful I am in my painting clothes, with no shower, and a hole in my shoe. (gag)

You can view this painting at my first show June 4th in Spokane, WA at Artfest all weekend... and if it doesn't find a home there, it will come on the road this summer with me until it does! Check out my line up to see if I will be showing at a neighborhood near you! Click here.

This will be my first outdoor fair ever and I couldn't be more nervous. New tent, dealing with possible weather, new jewelry display, wildlife... Yeah. I said WILDLIFE people. This just in: my artist friend Sheila Evans reported yesterday from her first show this year in Illinois, that she showed up to her booth in the a.m. to find that two morning doves had be fluttering about in her tent all night! Two words : POOP EVERYWHERE. Luckily her pastels were all framed under glass - what a clean up job! She retained her sense of humor about the whole thing and posted a picture to her facebook fan page showing bird poop running down one of her pieces that was ironically titled "Robin's Nest 2". Her poopy photo was lovingly captioned, "Everyone's a Critic". - hilarious!

For more fun Jen stuff follow me on Facebook please... no strings attached. Just giggles. Those don't have strings. That would be weird.

Water's Edge... a wee bit larger.

2010-05-13T23:34:00.000-07:00

"Water's Edge II"

36x72

Oil on (2) panels

finished piece coming soon!

To be brief, I have been painting. My summer shows begin in 3 weeks and I have a zillion things to accomplish before then. So as much as I would like to keep posting, I have to put my blog on the back burner for a little while and maximize my time as much as possible in order to play some catch up. Please find me on Facebook to see my quick random thoughts and photos as my deadlines approach... paintings in progress, random thoughts throughout the day in the studio, and probably some pictures of me loosing my mind as I plow through the next few weeks!

I will be taking my "show on the road" for the first time this year, for an artfair called "Artfest" in Spokane, WA, starting June 4th-6th.

I'm on Display!

2010-05-07T23:01:00.001-07:00

When? TONIGHT... Saturday, May 8th from 6-9 pm

Where? The VENUE. In Ballard, Washington. (click it for directions)

Why?

1. MY NEW PAINTINGS and I will be on display!

a.) I spent a million weeks painting a zillion new Tree Charms just for you to see. And I have a little magnifying glass for you to gaze upon their cuteness up close and personal.

2. It's the day before Mother's Day and you need to buy her a gift!

3. My fantastic friend Lauren will serve you up a glass of red or white and tell you about her new bath soaps that she creates!

4. There will be a selection of comfort foods... like mom used to make!

5. The mobile Parfait Organic Ice Cream truck will be parked outside!

6. It's Ballard Artwalk and you need something fun to do!

7. Uhm... you miss me, and you want to give me a hug?

Hope to see you there!

Answering your questions about painting with Oil Pastel

2010-04-29T00:24:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from my painting to answer some really great questions I received from a fellow artist about oil pastel. If you are a subscriber, you may already be familiar with these two slideshows... but since there is no audio, it may be hard to tell what products I use and why. So thank you Diane Fairfield for your great questions! I post my answers for all to see!

Oil Pastel Painting Demo

For Slideshow Click Here.

What is the support you use? My first choice is Ampersand Hardboard, or equivalent. It is smooth and archival and makes it "EASY" to frame. Wood doesn't buckle :). My second choice is bristol board 3ply or thicker. Easier to custom make your own size, but harder to wrestle with the framing process.
What is the large can of some kind of reddish paint you use as a ground? Daniel Smith Acrylic Gesso Venetian Red. And to answer your next question, I mix the pumice powder into the gesso to create a tooth for the pastel to grab. It's fantastic! The surface is like fine grit sand paper. You have to play with the mixture, I am not very precise with measuring it out or anything.
What do you do with the pumice powder? See above.
I like the impasto texture you create. What do you do about getting it to dry? You are right. Oil pastels never dry. I use Sennelier brand oil pastels. Rich and buttery. They are wax based and very very heavily pigmented. With all that said, pastels DO dry to a certain extent. After about 2-3 days Sennelier's become more rigid on the surface... they kind of "set" so to speak. All that wet buttery feel becomes a bit less and the surface turns into more of a beeswax consistency.
It is my understanding that oil pastels never do really dry and therefore need to be framed under glass. Is that your experience? Yes. It is imperative that oil pastels remain protected. Some artists like to spray varnish their finished pieces. Sennelier makes an aerosol spray that is pretty good. BUT I just don't like the results myself. So I frame under glass. Has a contemporary feel for my work anyway... I have a couple really great solutions for framing and matting oil pastels. Because I favor a wood substrate, I made a slideshow about that process too. It shows how you can "nestle" your finished piece in a hole you cut out of foam core, then mat the whole thing and viola! You can watch it by clicking the link below this next picture...

How to Frame an Oil Pastel Painting

Click Here for Slideshow.

Follow me on Facebook to witness more of Jen Phillips goin' improve with her one liners.

One checked off the list!

2010-04-15T16:01:00.000-07:00

Under-painting

Half way through...

The final

"Exploring the Water's Edge"

16x32

Oil on Panel

SOLD

Finished this one yesterday... it is actually done on two 16x16 panels to form one piece. Wishing I could share a better photo of the final with you, but there is soooo much glare from the fantastic sun that I can only take a picture of it from the side. The colors are way more vibrant than shown here, so poo poo on my camera not being able to read my mind and capture it.

It will be on display starting May 8th at my opening at Venue in Ballard, Washington. More information on my upcoming show can be found HERE.

My Profile Picture has SOLD!

2010-04-11T22:09:00.000-07:00

"Through the Trees"

16x21

Oil on Canvas mounted to panel

SOLD

My reception at Vino Verite in Seattle, WA was incredible! Thank you to all my friends, collectors, and everyone that came out to support me that evening! And the wine tasting was fantastic! Wine and art go so well together! The show is up until the end of the month and don't forget that there are a lot of pieces that are 30% off!

I am also excited to announce that this may be one of my last shows at a venue such as this... come August I will have official representation by the Cole Gallery in Edmonds, WA. I will be one of their featured artists that month! If it's a good fit, they will keep me on! I am very excited! They currently are carrying my hand painted Tree Charms at the gallery too, so don't hesitate to contact them for a selection there! Mother's Day is coming up and they make really special gifties! Read the article, "Art in the Palm of Your Hand", that was written about me on their blog... click here.

April Show Announcements and a lil' May News Flash!

2010-04-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

Picture above is from a current display of my jewelry and small works at the Venue in Ballard, WA

April shows starting THIS WEEK!

Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, and Ballard ~ Seattle, WA

Macrina Bakery

Now Showing through April 30th

Queen Anne location, Mcgraw Street, Seattle, WA

www.macrinabakery.com

On display: Oil pastels, framed mini oil paintings, and a large Giclee reproduction

Studio SALE: 30% off select art works!

Vino Verite

Now Showing through April 30th

Capital Hill location, Seattle, WA

Artwalk/artist's reception this Thursday, April 8th from 5pm - 8pm * FREE WINE TASTING! at 6pm

Artwalk map and venue list click here.

www.vinoverite.com

On display: Large and midsize oil paintings, a large Giclee reproduction, (and many necklaces at Thursday Artwalk only)

Sneak peak for next month...

Venue

Ongoing representation AND featured show May 8th

Ballard, Seattle, WA

Artwalk/Artist's reception Saturday, May 8th from 6pm - 9pm (or later)

Artwalk map and venue list click here.

www.venueballard.com

This just in! ~Newsflash~ I will not be showing at this Greenwood Phinney Artwalk this year!

"WHA!?" - That's right folks, I didn't not get juried in! But it's okay! I have a NEW gig!

If you follow my fan page on Facebook, you already know that I now have ongoing representation at a wonderful boutique/artist work space called the Venue in Ballard. Well this coming May, I will be their featured artist for Ballard Artwalk! AND it is on Mother's Day weekend!

Please come down to Ballard for a wonderful night of art, snacks, and fun! Many many wonderful gift ideas and other artist's work to see! I will have a bazillion Tree Charms for Mom's Day gifts!!!

Hope to see you there!

Simply, So Simple

2010-04-05T20:58:00.000-07:00

"Simplified"

5x5

Oil on Panel

I am really enjoying my exploration of this subject matter. The more of them I do, the more I let go and let experimentation come into play. While I let umber dominate the undertone, it is the subtle hints of cool blue in the trees that I love.

These forest images are purely from my imagination and inspired from memories of a place I spent a lot of time when I was a child... I let the paint blend together with glazing medium watching the colors often mix themselves right there on the wood's surface. While painting these little memories, it sort of reminds me of the way I mingled through the trees often getting lost in my imagination until dinner time...

BUNNY Time!

2010-04-03T23:15:00.001-07:00

Ok. So it's not a painting. But it IS really cute. In a creepy sorta way... Happy Easter every BUNNY! Now... go to church! (as my mom would say)

"A Shady Day"

2010-04-02T00:15:00.000-07:00

"A Shady Day"

5x5

Oil on Wood Panel

I don't know what it is, but I just can't seem to do enough of these little forest images. I love to carve out the negative spaces between the branches... and like icing on a cake, adding the final wisps of delicate branch at the tippy tops of each naked tree. Almost reaching for something like open arms...

Inspired by Tree Charm... Wah?

2010-03-29T20:06:00.000-07:00

"Muse"

5x5

Oil on Panel

Been sick... for 5 days or so, bed ridden. NO FUN. As soon as I woke up today feeling like I could walk around again I made a mad dash for my studio...

27 Tree Charms and one "Muse" later and here I am... all painted out for the evening~ Interestingly enough, this little image on the charm I painted today inspired the little 5x5 behind it!

Ok. That's all the words I'm typin'. I promised more paintings and less talk... so I'm zippin' it!

More Paintings Less Talk

2010-03-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

"Eighty percent of success is just showing up." - Woody Allen

"Forest Series" Study

6x6 Dyptich

Thanks to my bloggie friend Dawn at Queen B Studio, after "poking" me politely asking... "Uh, Jen where are you? What's going on with your goals n stuff?"... I realized I had been gone longer from my blog than I wanted to.

What have I been up to? WelllllP. Not painting anything monumental that's for sure. You see, this year I kind of have been working in reverse... not sure that it actually is a good thing though, so kids don't try this at home! But it seems to be getting me to a good place as I will explain in a moment.

So if you have followed my last couple posts, you know I wrote out this lofty list of things that I wanted to accomplish this year. Well I have been "workin" that list to death for the past 2 months or so and PERSISTENCE is paying off.

Number 14 on my list: Enter 25 juried art fairs/shows this year... check! Done and done.

I've also crossed off a few other things too, like becoming a member of the Northwest Art Alliance, Exploring gallery representation, rewriting my bio, and I am now booked for 4 out of five that art fairs I have heard back from the juries on, so that is really exciting! That's a whole 4 more than I did last year so that's great! The more opportunity I have to be in front of the public eye, the more chance I will have to get my work in their hands! Which is the most rewarding part for me.

Being proactive, assertive, and persistent has really opened a lot of doors for me in a short time. It is quite the opposite of my old "self"... afraid, not confident, in the back ground. So I am kinda proud of myself.

All this emphasis on selling myself recently came into focus for me, after reading an article in Art Calendar Magazine (April issue)... Go out an get it just for this article. It's interesting. Page 8, "The Gift of Persistence" by Matthew Daub. GO! Get it! READ IT for crying out loud!

Before I explain the article, let me explain an interaction I had with an artist friend of mine the other day... we'll call him... BOB. (get ready for a rant in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...)

Yeah, so Bob is a fantastic artist. He has a full time job. He has an apartment full of fresh paintings. Just. Sitting. There. Waiting to be discovered. He wants to show his work, he would love to do art full time someday, and he has a bit of the "wohs me" complex.

One day I gave him a lead for a small gallery/boutique looking for submissions. Long story short, I caught up with him one day and asked if anything became of it and here was his response, "Yeah, thanks for the lead, I emailed her and yeah, guess what? (smirk with an I told you so face) She never responded!"

My jaw dropped to the floor. THAT's IT! That's all you got? You send one email and don't get a response so, THAT's, IT...? What if she never got it? What if she was too busy? What if she liked your work, but wasn't ready to discuss opportunity?! You will never know if you are not persistent! And even if you never get through, you go knock on another door instead! And then another!

Which brings me to my point. I am a firm believer that successful artists have unstoppable drive. How badly to you want this? Really! HOW bad do you want to be successful at what you do? You shouldn't just sit idly by with a house full of wonderful art and wait for someone to discover you... go out and get 'em!

And on the other hand, he has something wonderful working for him... he persistently paints. "He shows up." So one day it WILL all pay off. It just works that way. It just may be later than sooner... and ultimately, I just wish to share my perspective with you all, so that you don't let opportunity go by. Don't wait for things to be perfect. Sometimes you have to just jump in.

To quote the article, "This sort of persistence is the artist's best friend. In the long run, it will never fail. Something good always comes of it. In the art world, where the prize often goes to the last person standing, persistence trumps talent every time."

If you have a moment, jump over to Deborah T. Colter's blog. After I read her recent post called, "Let go and Trust", I was inspired... and I realized that I really need to paint. BAD. So I am vowing that my next few blog posts will mostly be PAINTINGS, and less talk.

Rant is over. Hope you don't hate me.

Side note: The little painting above is the prelim to a gigantic 6 foot diptych I will be tackling for my next piece. Nubmer 8 on the list: Explore a series with "twigs and branches" imagery.

Please follow me on Facebook - just become a FAN already will yah?

Ok, So I'm Only Human Right?

2010-02-15T22:20:00.000-08:00

This is me.

If the photo could talk it would be saying something to the effect of... " Oh high-eeeee! I toe-tally suck!" Or, "Ha Ha Heeeee, yeah I reeeeeally screwed up... he he heee..." OR ..., "Someone please remind me of why I became an artist in the first place??? please???"

Sigh. Pouty lip. Sulk.

Ok. That's enough of that (tear, blink, blink). Moving onward...

So YEAH, today I had a hiccup in my lil' plan of success I so graciously ranted about the other day. I strayed from my list of things to do today (damn Facebook/Twitteritis!); SO far from it that it caused me (or, rather, I caused myself<>) to forget to enter one of the shows on my list of deadlines! Or more specifically, I ASSUMED that this particular show was a show I could enter online digitally... WELP. It wasn't. The deadline for snail mail was today - which I realized 2 hours ago, when I finally decided to plant it in front of the computer to start the application process. Grrrrrrrrr...

So it is a bad thing, but as a result, a learning experience was born! Now, after I write about my problems in this here blog post (thanks for listening btw... it a good for my healing process)... I will open my excel program and map out all the shows I want to enter in a spreadsheet with all the dates, the type of entry process, fees, etc etc... So it is all in one spot for me to see and keep me more organized! I thought just writing down the deadlines would be good enough, but my procrastinator brain takes over now and then and VIOLA~ a mishap occurs!

So that's my slap on my wrist tonight... I punish thee with spreadsheets! Yuck~

And what's the moral to the story kids?... I'm only human... and I make mistakes... that I learn from... and only allow 2 minutes of self pity before I turn that frown up-side-down!

"Tiny Forest"

3/4" x 11/16"

(YES folks this painting is smaller than an INCH!)

Oil Painting on Scrabble Tile Framed

4"x4" Framed

$100

Email me for purchase info

FREE Shipping to all that reside in the U.S. of A.!

Wanted to share this last thought tonight... I had a successful show at the beginning of February and one of the many compliments I was given was on the presentation of my work (thank you). I invented a new way of displaying my prices at this show, completely eliminating the need for typing all my labels out on the computer (which I HATE).

I bought jewelry tags, wrote the info on them and stuck them to the wall with a decorative BUTTON! Yup! CUTE as a button! It worked out great, and now you can steal my idea. There. A gift from me to you... don't say I never gave you anything.

(gosh I hope you all know I am kidding... and sarcastic... and a total insensitive jerk...<>)

Dear, "Finger Pointer"...

2010-02-13T10:55:00.000-08:00

So I did it. I made a list. A fantastic list of goals to hit for 2010.

I dreamt it. I wanted it. So... I committed to it... right here. On paper.

I was driven to write my list by a burning desire. A desire to NOT have to get a day job next year... with costs going up, things are getting bit tougher around the studio. So I made a commitment to myself to work my ass off... even more than ever.

I will increase my sales by 150% this year. I need to... and therefore I WILL.

There is no, "woes me" this, "the economy" that... I just don't buy in. All through the past two years that I have been on my own as a full time artist, I have maintained a POSITIVE attitude towards creating and selling my work. I have diversified what I sell, to whom I sell, and where I sell. Another words I make it a priority to have a PLAN. And for those couple years I have maintained a positive cash flow. It IS possible. People ARE buying art! You just have to be proactive and go out and find them.

So. Why am I sharing all this? I WANT TO INSPIRE YOU - Are you the finger pointer? The victim? The, "I can't"? The, "It's not possible"? The pessimist? The self doubter?... QUIT. IT.

So too often I come into contact with other artist's (professional & emerging) that could use a little kick in the pants! Kind of like I did when I was whining about not painting and didn't have time... blah blah blah... or that have bought into the fact that it is just the economy that is the reason why they aren't selling anything. Step out of the victim role and be willing to reinvent yourself in order to do what you love! Just a suggestion. Sometimes total bliss comes from a little bit of compromise.

I know we all don't think the same way as Jen. And that Jen is not the all knower, all seer. AND I realize that we all have different ways of doing things and processing things in our lives... thank god for all that. I just know that what I have done for myself has been successful for ME and if writing this helped one person out there to step forward in their own career, then my life has all that much more purpose on this earth.

So while there is no guarantee that I will hit ALL my goals this year, there is one guarantee... that I WILL be working harder than ever to make it happen! And I am a believer that with strong willed drive, optimism, and assertiveness, the world is at your fingertips! Grab the bull by the horns people and you will be in for a great ride!

Now. Sit down. Grab a pen and make a list. It doesn't hurt a bit. Have some wine and it will be a breeze! (I am not condoning the consumption of multiple alcoholic beverages as a means for stimulating the mind... NEVER. Just ONE glass people. One glass.)

So, if my "slap in the face" style of inspiring you isn't your cup of tea... and you are looking for a softer inspirational approach, check out this blog entry to get you started on mapping out your own success. Read these Artbiz Blog posts here:

"Decide What Your Year Will Look Like"

"Blast Off in the New Year"

OR see what the possibilities are... I posted my accomplishments... here.

If you are not already, become a FAN on Facebook of Jennifer Phillips Art. I share inspirations, artist links, my work, and a bit of my goofy side - you'll like it. I promise. Go ahead. Click on it. I dare you... you just might get inspired (grin).

Tell me! What are your lofty goals are this year? Your turn to share.

An Ambitious Year Ahead

2010-01-30T20:47:00.000-08:00

The winning photo you helped me choose!

So first of all, thanks for taking the time to vote on my jewelry close up photo (now posted above)... After all the great input I received I ended up re-shooting a clearer version of the winning image. Ultimately this image will end up on display next to my jewelry, to show the public that they REALLY are hand-painted teenie weeny oil paintings. So thanks for helping me. Because I am a really indecisive artist to say the least!

(close up of the arteest in action - thank god she had no ear goobers.)

Which brings me to my next exciting piece of news! In about a week I will be delivering my first batch of newly redesigned necklaces to a great local boutique/gallery in Ballard, WA! It's called the VENUE. Yes folks, I now have a permanent place for you to shop locally for these cute gift ideas! AND VALENTINE'S DAY IS COMING! Theaaaay make theeeee purrrrfect giftieeees~ let me make a custom one for you!

So as you may have guessed. I've been busy. Painting trees the size of the nail on my little pinkie finger. Yup. I'm covered in 'em. Not nails, TREE CHARMS! Aaaand lovin' it!

Unfortunately though, it's time to raise my prices too... SIGNIFICANTLY. It's a good thing! Especially for those that own the original, because that means for you... your little oil painting has gone up in value! Now - I don't want to see you on the street trying to sell it to the next highest bidder... you better not!

I encourage anyone that has been interested in picking on of these up for yourself, to get one now before my prices officially go up on February 5th. There are a few left online at my Etsy store for only $30! IF YOU TELL ME YOU SAW THIS BLOG POST I WON'T CHARGE SHIPPING!*** IMPORTANT! Contact me FIRST BEFORE you hit the "purchase" button or Paypal will charge you shipping. Thanks!

IF YOU ARE LOCAL? The rest of my $30 stock will be on display at my first show this year on Thursday, ONE NIGHT ONLY! I will be at the 619 Western Building for 1st Thursday in the Pioneer Square area, on Feb. 4th from 6-9. For more info read on...

So, enough with the selfish plugs huh? Ok, you win.

I really intended to begin tonight's blog entry with a little inspiration about greasin' the 'ol creative wheel for 2010. I had read a great post on the Artbizblog a few days ago, causing a reaction so strong that I couldn't hit the "leave a comment" button fast enough! If you are a procrastinator, or a stuck artist, or just need a means of seeing how other people overcome their obstacles with their art... please visit this link. http://www.artbizblog.com/2010/01/15minutes.html

Rather than explain in my own words, I would rather just encourage you to click on this link to read it for yourself... and don't forget to scroll down to read MY comment. I left my example of how IT (go find out what IT is!) worked for me. And I actually sound a little bit intelligent. Just a little.

While you are at it... clickin' around the web-n-stuff... check out all the shows I am entering this year! Just posted them to my website. Will I be in your neck of the woods in 2010??? Visit MY AMBITIOUS SHOW SCHEDULE here.

The Burrrrrr is Back in My Studio...

2010-01-26T09:06:00.000-08:00

Sooo, yeeeaahhh. Ummm, I've been gone for a while, from my blog world... AGAIN. Sorry 'bout dat. It has already been a very busy year for me, but not because I am selling, or painting, or even showing my work just yet. I have been sitting in front of my computer, doing taxes, researching show opportunities, and just plain BUSY - PLANNING and summing up 2009!

I avoided my studio like the plague at the end of last year. For one, I was distracted by all the sparkly holiday lights... and two, MY STUDIO WAS FREEZING. Literally.

Check out my "sink snowman"... This video above says it all. I have been meaning to post it since December. But I am a lazy bum. So, for those of you who live here in Seattle, we both know that it is no longer freezing and for some reason we are sorta feeling like spring now around here (blame it on Mr. or Mrs. Nino)! And my blooming ornamental cherry tree is going to be sorely disappointed once it finds out that it is still winter...

So you know what THAT means!? I'm out of excuses and back in the studio... this time, to paint. I have sooooo many opportunities to show my work coming up (starting next week)! So NOT painting is NOT an option!

I will keep you posted on when/where to see me and my artiness soon... OR/AND if you aren't already a fan of Jennifer Phillips Art on Facebook DO IT! Don't be shy. I seem to post there more now a days anyway... and I am funny (or so they tell me), so don't miss out on my one liners. I do actually post useful information for artists too. Things that I come across while researching show opportunities for myself. I am a good sharer (or so my mom told me... when I was five). Click HERE to visit me on Facebook. Become a FAN!

If you are reading this post in your email inbox, please click to actually visit my blog to cast your vote! I need your one second opinion for an idea I have! Thanks!

My Blogging Hiatus

2009-12-04T23:29:00.000-08:00

Welp... I finally fell off the blogging wagon. I'm taking a time out. Please excuse my brief 2 month intermission, just a moment while I put you on hold, pardon my bloggy interlude...

I will be back soon. I promise. I have missed you. And missed listening to myself blog. Life kind of took over for a little while, and while I have been busy, I haven't had much to contribute lately. So I hung up my keyboard for a little break.

Being that I have returned this evening to explain my absence a bit, I have a feeling that I will be back on track with regular posts very soon. I have just completed a commission for a friend and I am excited to share photos soon...So hang in there and please throw me some comments... It nice to know you are out there.

I'm Branching Out!

2009-10-04T23:13:00.001-07:00

Okay, Okay, it is true... I am obsessed! Lately I have been exploring my inner desire to create wearable art and I must say that I am loving it! It all started when I began painting my little tiny oil paintings on Scrabble tile game pieces... I would go to the local market on Sunday rummaging through bins to find the one letter I was missing. THEN I saw other bins, full of antique trinkets and more... letter press keys, watch faces, dominos, typewriter keys, doll parts, more more more!

Now I have my own bins. Bins of old vintage goodies just waiting to become something new! Reused, upcycled, and reborn! So I created my own line of jewelry and called it "reJENeration design"! Get it? Re - JEN - eration? That's me. I'm Jen. Yup. And very excited to announce that several of my new jewelries are now posted on my NEW store online! So please take a look when you get the chance... so many things that make unique gifts and keep-sakes you will love!

So just that you aren't confused I now have two stores. One for my art/paintings and little trees: www.jenniferphillipsart.com

And one for my jewelry too: www.reJENerationdesigns.com

I realize you may have signed up for this blog anticipating everything related to my painting, so I probably won't post very much about my jewelry here (or I will try not to)... so when I post something new to my jewelry line it will show up in the widget I created to the right instead!

So in celebration of the "selfish plug" I now give you a few morsels of new paintings and jewelry pieces freshly posted to my stores... Thanks for looking!

"Branching Out"

Original Oil on Canvas 18x24 Available - email for pricing

Prints Available Starting at $20 - Click here

"Restless Again"

Original Oil Miniature 2"x4" with Easel

$57

Click Here for Purchase Information

Creepy Doll Face Print on Vintage Scrabble Tile

$12

Click Here for Purchase Information

Tiny Beetle Bug Print with Shimmery Wings on Vintage Scrabble Tile

$15 - FREE Shipping!

Click Here for purchase information

The American Cancer Society local event! Clockin' in to fight for a good cause!

2009-09-27T03:06:00.000-07:00

Event: "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer", American Cancer Society
Date/Time: Sunday, Sept. 27th from 8 am - 12 pm
Location: Everett Legion Memorial Park, 145 Alverson Blvd, Everett WA 98201

TODAY ONLY! I will be selling art, prints, and A TON of Scrabble Tile Pendants at the event and donating a portion of the proceeds to the cause! Come down and see the debut of my new jewelry line ReJENeration Designs! (Doll-faces, butterflies, beetles, awareness ribbons and more more more! All collaged onto little vintage Scrabble Tiles!) More on that later... Wish me luck!

I WON! (in many ways...)

2009-09-21T21:14:00.000-07:00

Welp, I have been away for a little while from this blogging world, to Vegas and back, to build fences, and catch up on life's adventures... and a few things have happened that I peg as pretty eventful in my life... so here I share...

Viewer's Choice Award for Infinity Gallery Online Competition

Refresh

32"x24" Oil on Panel (Diptych)

Original Available $2,070

Giclee Limited Edition Prints Available in several sizes: click here!

Thank you thank you thank you!... to everyone who voted! I am excited to finally announce that I won viewer's choice award, with 104 total votes! You guys are awesome~ What does that mean for me? For one, I get even more exposure online as I will get my painting posted on the page with all the winners for the next few months... the more exposure the better as you never know who you are going to meet and where! And for two, I get to feel this awesome feeling of "Wow, they like me! They really really like me!" and use that energy as inspiration for upcoming new oil paintings that are brewing in my little artsy head of mine! Thanks so much everybody for your support!

Another way I have won this past month is that I have been given the opportunity to give back! And I am a total giver, so it works out as a win win for everyone~ this weekend I will be participating in Strides Against Breast Cancer as a fund raising event in the Everett area. I will be selling my tree charms there that day and donating a portion of the proceeds to this charity!

I will be bringing a whole new line of Scrabble Tile Charms to the event that you may be interested in: some with creepy doll faces and beetles and stuff! Pretty cool! Here is my team website page if you want to get involved OR just show up to look at some awesome stuff!

Discovering Myself Along the Way

60"x48"

SOLD

Lastly, but not leastly, MY GIGANTISAURUS PAINTING HAS SOLD! This has been added to my list of one of the most gratifying experiences I have had to date as an artist! Not only did I enjoy the process of painting this bugger, but the feeling I got once I delivered to the new owners was priceless! It was theeeee most perfect fit in their beautiful home~ so perfect, it was as if I had painted it just for this space! It now resides in a room that is freshly renovated with wonderful warm tone wood floors and gorgeous stone countertops and fireplace! The painting sits front and center no fresh white walls, with lighting that just makes it glow! It's amazing. I can't wait to do another big one for sure! It was also fun to explore the limits of my Jeep Wrangler and how big of a painting it can actually haul!

So over the next couple days I will be finishing up over 100 Scrabble Charms to bring to the show this weekend, while I get over a nasty cold sinus boogery thing I got in Vegas last weekend... Nice. Talk to you all soon!

A Fantastic Day at "Art in the Alley"

2009-09-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

Artist's in the Alley... literally.

Balloons Make Me Happy! I think this may be my next profile picture... hmmmm...

My studio exterior shot. We set up my artfair booth on the driveway and featured the artwork of Ethan Jack Harrington and Nick Orban on it. You could then walk through the booth into my studio space to view my paintings. I didn't manage to capture a picture of my work that day... as usual, I was chatty and buzzin' around quite a bit, so I forgot to take photos again. Luckily some of the other artists did, so here are a couple more...

This grouping of artworks are by Susan Melrath. She was featured in the courtyard at Jean's studio - a great little spot!

Another shot of the garden where Jean Bradbury featured her own work.

All in all the day of our first open studio event was a total success! Heck! We even got written up on the Queen Anne View Blog! (see article here) It was sooo exciting to be able to meet all the artist's and our Queen Anne neighbors! The day was full of sun, beautiful artwork (art sales too), great conversations, wine, and lots and lots of laughter! I can't wait to do it again next year! Thanks to all the artist's who participated and for everyone who came out to support our local artists... and I can't forget, thanks Jean for organizing such a fantastic day!

Artist's Open Studio Event

2009-08-22T17:53:00.001-07:00

Artist's Open Studio Event

"Art in the Alley"

Click here for more information

For those subscribed to my blog you are the first to hear! I am opening my doors to the public this Saturday! Please mark your calendars and don't miss it! Hosted by Jean Bradbury and myself, ELEVEN artist's will all come together (between two studios) to show off their fantastic artwork, prints, jewelry, and more! If you come early, you will reap the rewards of a wonderful spread of snacks, wine, and other digestibles!

It is a rare chance to be able to check out where I work, paint, sweat, cry, throw temper-tantrums, and drool over my fantastic view of Puget Sound! Attempt the wiggley ladder climb to the roof top deck for a jaw dropping view of the mountains and water... not for those that are afraid of heights or who have had more than one glass of wine (I will be giving breathalyzers). There will be plenty to view at ground level, don't you worry!

Location:

In the alley on the West side of Queen Anne Hill

1610 & 1618 10th Ave West, Seattle, Wa 98119

Date/Time:

August 29th, Saturday ONLY from 2pm - 6pm

Artist's in Attendance:

Jean Bradbury

Jennifer Phillips

Ethan Jack Harrington

Asha Hossain

Meridith Lee

Please click here for more information on my website!

Please click here to view our FACEBOOK page.

Also... if you haven't had a chance to vote for my painting for viewer's choice award, PLEASE click here and cast your vote for "Refresh" (orange trees)! I need to stay in the lead until August 31st! Thanks to everyone who voted, so far I am in the lead!

Vote for ME!

2009-08-03T17:06:00.000-07:00

Double Tree

Hand-painted miniature on vintage Scrabble Tile!

$30

Click here for purchase information

I have been busy hunting and gathering letters for my new custom Tree Charm orders I took at the Bellevue Artfair last week... now that I have the letters I need, it is time to get busy! This one above, is a new one freshly posted today!

Click HERE to visit Infinity Art Gallery and cast your vote!

I am also excited to share that I made it as a finalist in the 2D category for the Infinity Art Gallery online competition! Being that there were over 200 entries internationally, I am honored!

Now, I have the chance to win the Viewer's Choice award and be featured with the winners online... BUT in order to win, I NEED YOUR HELP! Please visit the gallery and vote for my painting (above) titled "Refresh", by clicking on the checkbox next to the name of the painting. If I win, it could give me a whole lot of extra exposure! It would be fantastic! It takes seconds and there is no obligation to give any personal information...

I will find out at the end of the month and let you know the results! Thanks for your support!

Lastly, I have to share a disturbing article I came across today. "Mom Finds Her Baby for Sale on Craigslist!" Read the short article (or watch video), then think twice about how you post your personal photos online...

I'm in a Commercial!

2009-07-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

Click here for a link to Creative Media Alliance Blog to read about this photo

Sorry for the double post today, but I almost forgot to share something really exciting! My good friend Jai Suh, of Creative Media Alliance, just finished up working on the commercial my friends (Danyelle and Mark) and I were cast in for the Taphouse Grill here in Seattle, WA... It was soooo much fun to do! Jai is also an amazing web designer - so if you are looking for one, check out his portfolio by clicking his company link above.

Watch the full video here : http://creativemediaalliance.com/video_pages/taphouse.html

NOTE: The video below got cropped when pasting into this post so I of course got cropped as well... please click above for the full version.

Bellevue Artfair Adventure

2009-07-30T11:23:00.000-07:00

"Discovering Myself Along the Way"

60"x48" Oil on Canvas

SOLD

I promised, so here it is for all you internet fans that couldn't get down to see the piece in person! The final picture is now posted of my largest work yet... it made it back down the stairs of my studio safely with out scraping any paint off - guess it pays to have someone help you, no touch ups were necessary! (see previous post on "How to Fit a Big Object into a Small Hole").

I rented a cargo van to get my work to and from the show, so this painting was loaded last, and nestled neatly on top of the rest of my work. It made it to the show with out a hitch... ok, maybe one hitch. Yeah, kinda an important hitch... I forgot to put wire on the back of it! DUH. Didn't realize this until I got to the fair of course, so I had to scramble to put it together before the crowds came early that morning! Made me sweat a little... literally.

Oh and another funny thing... (speaking of sweat)... the second day, I realized that I had run out of sales slips just before the show started! So, in a massive rush, I ran to Bartell's across the street to get some more.

And boy, did I run! It was already in the 80's. So running and panicking, was not a good combo for maintaining my sweet girlish aroma for the rest of the day.

And on top of that, god forbid, I JAYWALKED... or rather, JAYRAN! And a lovely police officer was layin' on his whistle at me screaming, "Lady! Lady!".... I just kept runnin', didn't look back even once! Ran into Bartell and ducked behind some display full of pork-n-beans, pretending I was reeeealy interested in them. I felt like such a rebel, considering that I never get in trouble with the law EVER!

After making my purchase, I then had to find a sneaky route back to the fair in order to avoid crossing the street anywhere near the whistle blowing police officer for fear of a ticket, or embarrassment of any sort. So, I continued jogging back to my booth the long way around the back entrance of the fair. Needless to say, I was a ball of sweat that couldn't catch her breath once I got back! Then came the realization that I forgot to put on deodorant that morning... peeeerfect.

Luckily my ever supportive brother delivered it to me later that day and I was saved!

Overall, the three day event at the Bellevue Art Museum Artsfair, was a total success! I met soooo many wonderful people! So many that my face hurt after each day ended because I was smiling so much! I sold many many paintings and made enough contacts to draw the conclusion that there will be a few new commissions in my future! AND on top of that I got to meet some of the artists at the show that stopped by my booth... Marla & Mike Baggetta, Taman Vanscoy, William Vanscoy, Lisa Lamoreaux, Rick Abrams, Erik Hall, and many more! I can't wait to do it again next year!

Just a Taste

2009-07-21T23:49:00.001-07:00

I am excited to announce that I have officially finished my gigantasourus painting! Yahoo!!! Am I gonna show you it? Nooo way! Or not yet at least. Above is just a taste of the finished piece. And my favorite friend Dozer decided to plant it in front of my easel before snapping the shot!

For those that are local here in Seattle, I would love for you to swing by my show this weekend for the big reveal of my large oil painting and several other new goodies I will have on display! Oh! I also have fantastic LARGER prints this year all duded up in fancy 8 ply mat board for a sleek modern look! And don't forget those little Tree Charms! They are going to go fast!

Come on down to the Bellevue Art Museum Artsfair! It's three whole days of fantastic art, artists, food, and people watching! Here's the info:

Bellevue Art Museum Artsfair

July 24th -26th

Friday/Saturday from 9:30 am - 9:30 pm

Sunday from 9:30 am - 6 pm

My booth number is N-8 (not the same as last year!)

Don't worry if you can't make it, I will post images of the final piece above after the show and more pictures OF the show next week! Wish me luck!

Oooh, if you are not following me on Twitter, you are missing out! I met Lisa Lamoreaux there and I encourage you to check out her work too! She also will be at the show in booth I-16.

Workin' Big, Makin' Progress...

2009-07-11T22:22:00.000-07:00

"Discovering Myself Along the Way"

4' x 5'

Well, it's my largest canvas yet... I am further along than what is represented in this photo right now, I'd say it's about 3/4's full of paint at the moment. One thing is for sure, it is no where near the vision I had in my head of what I originally wanted to paint! BUT, that is ok. Because I really committed to not worrying about the final product and just allow myself to "play". I wanted to see what would happen if I didn't plan it all out.

I am pretty pleased with it so far. The color is all crazy right now, but as soon as I can get the rest of it mapped in, I will tweak that anyway.

Right now I am just having fun...

Fun obsessing over all the negative/positive shapes getting sculpted with every brush stroke.

Fun trying to keep my right arm from falling asleep.

Fun using my new tube of Manganese Blue...

Fun discovering how much I enjoy taking the worrying out of painting!

Shut Up and Paint!

2009-07-06T15:28:00.000-07:00

Click on this image to read todays blog post. (Please note that my Moleskin sketchbook doesn't come with spell check.)

Oh! I also discovered Magnesium Blue Hue (by Daniel Smith) today... Fell in love. Mixed with lemon yellow and alizarin crimson make for a million shades of juicy grays and punchy darks! This fantastic palette will be in my next painting...

Instructional: How to fit a BIG object into a small hole.

2009-06-29T15:48:00.001-07:00

Step 1:

Force it.

Step 2:

Wiggle it a bit, yank it, and then maybe give it a big heave hoe! (just a note that my foot is not broken in this photo)

Step 3:

Throughout your painting process, be sure to save enough oil paint for touch ups... because Step 4 is shoving it back down the stairs into the truck and off to your next show!

I've been thinking. Thinking about going big this time. But what I neglected to think about is wether or not my canvas would actually fit up the stairs to my studio! Luckily, it did, barely.

I keep gravitating to painting the very tip top of some trees I love at Golden Gardens here in Seattle. All those delicate limbs reaching way up to the sky... and all those yummy shapes of light that form between the branches. When I am done it will be 4 feet by 5 feet of fantastic goodness!

So I will be working on this one for a little while I presume. Until then I will post smaller works on occasion as I prepare for my next show at the Bellevue Art Museum Artsfair in July. I have been working on a few new Tree Charms like the one below too - I recently discovered working with resin and it goes wonderfully with the charms, making them look almost like glass! You can check more of them out at my store at www.jenniferphillipsart.etsy.com~

Do What Comes Natural

2009-05-27T20:02:00.001-07:00

Was at the beach today... Alki Beach in Seattle, WA to be exact. It was sunny and gorgeous. Sitting there on my towel eating lunch and daydreaming of new artistic adventures with my husband.

Then I got some sort of strange "itch" to go searching for the perfect pebble in the sand.

I don't know why. I didn't bother to question it either... I just went with it.

As I dug in the sand, I found perfect pebble after perfect pebble and I just couldn't stop! Soon enough I had a small handful of fabulous things all in wonderful shades of colors I absolutely adore...

As I returned to my blanket, I started to arrange my treasures into an organized pile of... something? I'm not sure what. But I was thoroughly enjoying myself and that was all that mattered.

As we started to pack up our things, I made sure to stuff all my new little colorful friends into my back pack... now I wait. Patiently. As only the future can tell what will become of these treasures I found and how I will incorporate this experience into my creative adventures...

Recommended blog post to read cuz it is softly inspiring: "Just Like Breathing"

I Made it Through

2009-05-15T21:37:00.000-07:00

Well, last I posted, I was reeling from a sleepless all nighter and praying that I would be awake for my own opening at the Greenwood Artwalk last weekend - welp! I am happy to say that I made it through! And I wasn't even tired, I was just the opposite!

People came down for the show in droves! It was packed opening night! It was fantastic! Even though as usual I didn't take pictures during the jam packed moments cuz I was too busy yappin' it up!

Thank you to everyone who came - it really made the night just perfect! I even sold my big red tree ("Turning Red") AND the charcoal study I blogged about earlier! Thanks to all my collectors- new and returning! You guys are awesome!

So through out this process, I learned not to procrastinate, so I just started planning for my next show all the way in July! I also learned through some of my painting adventures not to give up. After cruzin' the internet yesterday I found this related blog post that inspired me. I couldn't find any other way to communicate what it was saying so I inserted it as a quote here on my blog so that everyone could read it AND so I could always go back and refer to it when things get tough... enjoy.

An Upstream Journey... by Keith Bond

"When I was about 14 years old, our Boy Scout Troop spent a week camping on the shores of the Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone National Park. To get to the camp site, we canoed across Lewis Lake, then up a river to Shoshone Lake. During that upstream journey, we had to constantly row or our canoes would be carried away downstream. There were many obstacles in the shallow river (it would be considered a creek in many areas of the country). Rocks and sand bars were a challenge. The final leg of the journey, we had to portage our canoes.

Then, crossing the Shoshone Lake was a new challenge. We were canoeing contrary to the wind. This required constant work and our progress was slow. The wind caused the waters to be choppy, and if we weren't vigilant, our canoes could easily capsize.

Likewise, a career in art is a similar journey. You are charting an upstream course with many obstacles in our way. Sometimes you may need to portage. And if you ever feel that you have made it, remember, the waves are contrary and you must continue to be diligent in your efforts. If you fail to constantly push forward, the current or wind will sweep you back. If you quit creating art for a period of time, or if you quit marketing your art, you will be swept back downstream or even capsized. Once you resume your efforts you cannot start where you left off. You will need to re-enter the waters downstream. It will require tremendous work to regain what was lost.

In this time of uncertainty, there are many challenging obstacles. What you do during this time is critical. Even if you must slow your pace, you must never take your oars out of the water. You must keep creating; you must continue marketing. It is imperative that collectors continue to see your work. If they don't see you, they will see those artists who are continuing to toil upstream. Don't let the current sweep you back. Do what you must to carry on; even if the progress is slow. There is no resting on the sidelines. Either you move forward or you move backward.

You may not be able to spend the time creating as much art as in the past. But create something and let your collectors see it. Make it a priority. And keep your oars wet."

Best of luck,

Keith Bond

Pullin' an All-Nighter!

2009-05-08T00:05:00.000-07:00

Photo Title: "Zzzzzzzzz"

Mark my words... I WILL NEVER PROCRASTINATE AGAIN.

It is 12:30 AM, and I am still awake thanks to Mountain Dew and a need to finish what I started! Been cutting a BAZILLION mats for all my new prints that I will have at the show tomorrow and I still have labels to make and a bunch of final details to attend to.

All said, I am very excited for tomorrow! Should be a fantastic show... I have some great new larger pieces accumulated and many many NEW BABY TREE pendants for my new jewelry line - just in time for Mother's Day this weekend!

Here is another sneak peek at a new painting that I have still to name tonight!

Hope to see some of you locals at the show tomorrow (Get the Greenwood Artwalk Info HERE)~ You'll especially want to come to see if I am actually awake at my own opening!

I'll keep everyone posted as to how it goes... wish me luck!

Title: hummm? (could call it "Mountain Dewy Morning"? Or "Procrastinator's Favorite Painting Spot"? Or "Oh My God I am So Tired")

Size: I think it is 34"x24", I am too tired to measure.

Medium: Now, this one I know... OIL on Panel

Price: Find out tomorrow at the show cuz I can't do the math at this hour.

Can I Get a Drum Roll Please?

2009-04-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

Began with a light sketch and "fixed" into place with Matte Varnish.

Used my infamous "Saparindian" color to tint the surface and begin wiping out highlights.

Adding the darks to establish more value shift.

Began "sculpting" the edges of the trees... one of my favorite parts.

Used a mixture of Alizarin, French Ultra Blue, and Cad Red to create the rich dark undertones of the red tree.

Once I get into laying the rest of the color I am in a trance... almost like the character on Heros where his eyes glaze over and magically a painting appears from his subconscious. I hear nothing and see nothing for hours until I get to a comfortable stopping point.

Therefore, I didn't take anymore in-progress shots till the end. Still need to get it professionally photographed, but you'll get the idea here.

For every artist there is an area of their painting of which shows a spot where they have fallen in love... for me it is the flickering light that falls on the tips of the trees and the juicy glow of red on the main subject. Makes me all warm and fuzzy...

"Turning Red"

30"x30"

Oil on Panel

SOLD

On display at the Greenwood-Phinney Artwalk May 8th & 9th

Rescue the Snakes!

2009-04-29T23:50:00.000-07:00

"Rescue the Snakes" - to do something you've been putting off. To do something you don't want to do.

Reference: from the movie "Pee Wee's Big Adventure." The scene wherein Pee Wee Herman is rescuing animals from the burning pet shop. He does not like snakes, and rescues them last after every animal is safe, with a grimace on his face while screaming.

- by Rick Anders, March 19th, 2008 from the Urban Dictionary.

I never thought there was a term for it. All week I have been describing to people about my painting process... " You know that Pee Wee movie? That part where he keeps running past the snakes? Yeah? Well, those snakes... are my painting!!!"

For me sometimes there is a lot of feelings I like to avoid feeling during the preliminary stages of a painting... so much that I fight with it until the very end. Well, I stuck with it. So proud, so proud.

Tonight I finished my painting.

I rescued the snakes.

Finally.

Whew.

It turned out fantastic! I will take pictures and upload them tomorrow... The act of actually painting it was almost comparable to an exorcism, or giving birth, or an even better analogy is through this Pee Wee Herman clip.

If you haven't seen the pet shop segment you have to watch it. The scene is way at the end of the clip around the 7:28 mark... but watch the whole thing, it is well worth it. (Especially if you have a painting your avoiding)

Lost Again... Found Again

2009-04-23T22:00:00.000-07:00

"Lost Again"

Oil on Panel

10" x 20"

$820

Available for purchase at the Greenwood Artwalk starting May 8th

This last week has brought many the challenge to my little artistic self. I opt not to drag you with me through the details of memory lane, but to share with you something that I discovered about myself along the way...

"I'm not perfect."

"WHAT????!"

I put myself through many inner struggles this week - enough to really derail me... I hate to say it. But I had to put down the brush. Yes. Thee brush! The absolutely worst thing I could do! My inner critic! He took over and busted creative bubble. I really don't know what happened. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I found myself anxious, not sleeping well, and just plain troubled as to why I could not move forward with the painting I was working on.

Now to jump right to the "learning about myself part"... and I must quote from a book I am reading... Walking in This World, by Julia Cameron.

"Many of us falter, thinking that in order to begin a creative work we must know precisely how to finish it and, beyond that, to insure its reception in the world. We are, in effect, asking for a guarantee of our success before we have taken the single most important step necessary to insure it. That step is commitment..."

THEN! I read THIS! Which hit it right on the head for me...

"When we are worrying about creating instead of actually creating, we are wasting our creative energy."

And then THIS one hit me again!...

"Thinking is not the enemy, but overthinking is."

It was like someone kept hitting me over my soar little swollen worried artist head, with the very book I was reading! Saying, "Get up woman! Are you denying yourself the process of making art because you are so focused on the final product? Let it go! Pick up that brush and let it flow!"

So I did. It took awhile. I paced a bit. Ate a lot. But I finally did it. I worked out my artistic kink.

So for a while this week I was Lost... and then I was found.

Tomorrow I WILL be returning to the easel to paint "Turning Red". No drama. Just me, the brush and my "dial" turned to the creative channel!

A couple great inspirational artist's blog posts I read this past week:

Deborah T Colter - Making Optimism a Way of Life

Clint Watson - Finding Your True Modivation

One down, one to go...

2009-04-18T22:01:00.000-07:00

"Turning Red" Study

Vine Charcoal on Paper

18 1/2" x 19 1/2"

SOLD

All done! I love it. I love charcoal. It is such a romantic medium. I get to use my fingers to shmear and shmooth and push the particles around... and then erase and carve out those highlights I love so much! Just as if I was holding a brush. Charcoal really allows for such a soft feel, yet with the added benefit of just a hint of texture in the strokes.

I can't help but to include this one in my next upcoming show in May. In fact, this was so fun that I will most likely do a charcoal for the next 3 pieces too and hang them with the final paintings that are in color - kind of a before and after with two totally different feels.

So time for a selfish plug.. my next show:

The Greenwood-Phinney Art Walk

Seattle, WA

Friday night -May 8th from 6 pm- 9:30 pm

Saturday night - May 9th from noon - 5 pm

My show location is designated the same as last year at"

Equinox Healing Arts Massage Studio (click for directions)

Now onward to step two. The painting. The part that always scares me to death. STARTING. I must have stared at my blank white gessobord today for like 2 hours, then looked back at my empty palette, and then back at my drawing, back and forth back and forth. I sort of do this every time I start a big project. I tend to paint in my head first. As if I am an actor reciting my lines before a performance. Kind of a ritual for me, mixed with anxiety and excitement. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

What is your pre-painting ritual?

Turning Red - A Preliminary Drawing...

2009-04-16T23:03:00.000-07:00

You can call it what you want... A preliminary drawing, a warm up exercise, value study, my brain on paper, compositional conditioning, a get over your fear session, or even a get to know your subject - date on paper... For me, it is all of those.

I am starting a new painting. It is larger this time. 30" x 30" and in color. A gorgeous tree that I snapped a shot of at Discovery park last Autumn in the most amazing shade of red I have ever seen - I realized that I am a bit intimidated by it. So this time, I decided to take a "baby steps" approach to it.

Today I began a study of this tree, in charcoal. Made it all the way to the "almost finish" and my paper decided to poop out on me. All the little texture bumps filled up with charcoal and the only way to keep layering more on top is to use workable fixative. I, Jennifer Phillips, the hoarder of everything art supply, IS OUT OF FIXATIVE!

Nothing is more frustrating than getting close to the end of a piece and running out of materials. So I will be off to Daniel Smith tomorrow to buy more. In the mean time I have posted some of the stages of my drawing from today. I will post the final work tomorrow after it puts an end to my last piece of vine charcoal!

First stage blocking in loose line drawing with a soft charcoal pencil.

... Breaking the foliage down into shapes...

Using soft vine charcoal to begin adding my darks...

...Shmearing to create mid-tones...

Creating a the range of lights and darks is a constant adjusting process - additive and subtractive methods are used here.

This stage I begin to bring out more definition in the foliage while still maintaining a loose feel in the strokes of the charcoal. Always thinking about edges, contrast between soft and hard.

I use a Magic Rub eraser to lift out the highlights.

Working left to right I work pull out the edges of the trees where they meet the sky.

Detail of the right side. My favorite part is lifting out (subtractive method) - I love depicting the light that flickers through the leaves...

This was a great exercise to help me see the lights and darks that I need to include in my final color painting. I hope that I get it right!

Happy Easter Every Bunny!

2009-04-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

Arms Up!

2009-04-11T13:13:00.001-07:00

"Arms Up"

2"x4" Oil on Canvas

You likie? I shippy.

SOLD

Guess what!? I'VE BEEN TAGGED! How exciting is THAT!? My first tag... makes me so happy... sniff sniff - I am so honored to have received "A Passion for Painting" award AND even more honored that it was given to me by such a remarkable artist, Steven Walker! I am blushing. Thank you soooo much!

According to the rules of being tagged, I am supposed to link to the artist that tagged me, list seven things that I love, choose seven other artist's to pass the award to, and then notify them of the award... so, here 'goes...

7 Things I Love (besides the obvious husband, family, etc.)

1. All things food.

2. All things sweet (IE. candy, chocolate - make good gifts... hint hint.)

3. All things itty bitty. (IE. teeny tiny, miniature - like "Oh my goooosh, that's so tiny I have to buy it!")

4. The smell of oil paint in my studio. (Except when I've forgotten to ventilate and pass out from toxic fumes.)

5. Early Ford Broncos and many other classic cars. (Especially my STOLEN Bronco... Jerks.)

6. Snakes, Chameleons, and Lizards. (At one point I owned 2 large boa constrictors, a Jackson's Chameleon, 2 Bearded Dragons, and worked in a pet store cuz I couldn't get enough.)

7. Answering technical questions about art materials, helping people, and making people smile. (Used to work 10 years for an art supply company where I did this all the time in a retail environment... now I try to find ways to do it in my every day life.)

7 Fantastic Artist's (including Steven Walker) to drool over

1. Ambera Wellmann

2. Leslie Sealy

3. Maria Coryell Martin

4. Andrea Joseph

5. Taman Vanscoy

6. David Malan

7. Michael Naples

Back from Thailand... back in the game!

2009-04-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

17 days in Phuket, Thailand... WOW! What an experience. I won't bore you with braggy details of my fantastic vacation in 90 degree weather, scuba diving, sampling the most amazing foods, and sipping beers on almost every beach Thailand had to offer... But what I will share is this one photo - cuz if any of you have seen the movie "The Man with the Golden Gun", a James Bond flick, THIS photo should feel a little familiar. The rock behind me is featured as the headquarters in the movie. Thai's call this place James Bond Island. It was breathtaking!

One thing is for sure, every trip I go on I do the same thing... I pack all my supplies to draw or paint with watercolors and then NEVER DO IT! Well I shouldn't say never, because I have in the past, but I certainly did not on this vacation. I must have really needed a vacation, that is my excuse. Actually I have one more... it was so fricken hot!!! It was hard to do anything in the day other than absorb rays and swim in the largest bathtub of an ocean until Mr. Sun went away. So now that I have returned and semi gotten back into the flow of my little artistic life, I am ready to dive in and get back in the game!

Tuesday I took my studio outside. It was the third day of sun and warmth in Seattle, and I just couldn't stand for being all cooped up in my studio to paint that day. It was fantastic! The sun, the cool breeze, the view... it was perfect! I met several new people who had come down to Kerry Park for the fabulous view AND met up with several others that had learned of my outing that day from my Twitter post before I left for the park. I ended up staying for 4 hours. The only reason why I left is because I had to pee. (Sorry- Probably too much information) But two bottles of water will do that to a person!

I used most of the day to begin painting a new series of REALLY tiny paintings... in fact they are THEE tiniest paintings I have ever done! And I am in love with them, cuz I am obsessed with all things little and precious.

These little trees are painted on vintage Scrabble tiles and made to hang as a pendant on any necklace or chain. I will talk more about them in my next post because I am making them available for purchase online as we speak... Mother's Day IS coming up you know! (wink)

Anyway, I am so glad to be back and with two new shows coming up, I have a lot on my creative plate! I am so rejuvenated I can't wait to see what comes off my brush next... because I am going back to painting large for awhile! Whoo hoo!

The Lucia Douglas Gallery Opening

2009-03-09T23:20:00.001-07:00

Pocket Landscape Cluster

all sold individually

$50 each

SOLD

Daylight at Marymoor

10x10

Oil on Panel

In the Moment

10x10

Oil on Panel

Wonderment

10x10

Oil on Panel

Shine II

10x10

Oil on Panel

Whisper

10x10

Oil on Panel

The above paintings are all currently on display at the Lucia Douglas Gallery in Bellingham, WA. (please contact them directly for pricing and purchase information). The show is called "10x10 Square" and I am so honored to be a part of it... Saturday's opening night was amazing as I met so many wonderful people and fellow artists alike!

These are the last paintings I finished before I head out of the country tomorrow. Going on a new adventure to Thailand for 17 days. I don't believe that I will be able to post much from so far away. I look forward to new painting ideas and inspirations, sketches, and many tales to tell upon my return! Take care everyone! I will blog with you soon!

A Different Way to Think About YOUR Creative Genius

2009-03-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

"Make visible what, without you, might never have been seen"... a quote from the book titled, The Artist's Way.

I love this quote above. And tonight I was introduced to a short lecture on TED.com that completely reinforced it. This very moving video clip by Elizabeth Gilbert titled: A Different Way to Think About Creative Genius. Watch it above. It will get you thinking a little differently about the sometimes maddening creative process we go through as artists.

I keep finding really neat links that other artist's are sharing on Twitter.com lately. If you aren't signed up for Twitter I really recommend it. It has proven a wonderful and QUICK way to share information!

What is Art For?

2009-02-24T18:29:00.000-08:00

SOLD

The quote below I read in an article today. It struck me.

Got me to think a little bit more about why it is I do what I do in my creative world sometimes.

The quote is from Ellen Dissanayake who wrote the books

Art and Intimacy and What is Art For?... see what you think.

"Art, is biological. It is an evolutionary adaptation that helped us become human. Art is not, she argues, a set of objects or compositions or paintings. Art, rather, is the behavior that leads to those things. Neither is art handed down only to a select few sensitive souls. Art, she says, is 'making special,' an act that gives us belonging and meaning. It is passed from mother to child. Its origins lie deep in the human past. It makes us human."

- excerpt from an article by Tim Steury in this month's Washington State Magazine.

For a transcript of an interview with Ellen Dissanayake click here.

For Ellen Dissanayake's website click here.

The above image is something new I have been cooking up. Was excited to share because I finished my first prototype the other day... I won't be able to elaborate until I have a clearer understanding as to what I will be doing with these magical little miniatures, but for the time being I have accepted the fact that I absolutely LOVE to paint them! They are only 3/4" big! More info coming soon!

SLURP your BLOG to BLURB...What the?

2009-02-23T11:22:00.000-08:00

"On Top"

4"x4"

Oil on Panel

SOLD

This morning I went to my studio to paint. Only to find myself plopped in my chair in front of my computer again! I begun clicking around on links from a follower of mine on Twitter and found myself finding all sorts of new helpful information. I visited Clint Watson's "Fine Art Views" blog (check it out) - He has great tools for creating a very professional looking website and more (see also FineArtStudioOnline).

Then it all spiraled pleasantly out of control from there... I've been on the computer for 2 hours already! Whew! Some other great blogs I came across today that are very notable are:

The Crafted Webmaster: Internet Marketing for Artists - Many great artist resources and links available here.

And once again I have to share my excitement about Blurb.com - I already love this site. I have talked about it before. They make beautiful books from your uploaded images. But today I found that you can make YOUR blog into a book! Take any entries you select and have them printed in book format! Blurb calls this process of uploading photos "slurping". I love the lingo! So fantastic! The possibilities are endless! I could even do a book about BERT! (my brush, for those that are new to my blog.) For more information about this click here. Watch the video demo (slurping in action)!

One final note. There's a new blogger in town that I thought I would share with you. Her watercolors are gorgeous and her new blog is one to watch! So far great tips and techniques and words of inspiration... Connie Williams Watercolor Meanders. Enjoy!

Twitter Me

2009-02-22T23:41:00.001-08:00

"Inclined"

3 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Oil on Panel

Please visit my Etsy Store for purchase information

I have been pretty busy painting several new works for a show this upcoming March. Stay tuned for a slew of 10x10's that I will be posting soon to my website for a preview before the show opens in Bellingham, WA, March 7th at the Lucia Douglas Gallery.

Additionally, today, I took some time for marketing brain to research a bit more about a new(er) online social networking site called Twitter. You may have heard about it, or already subscribe to it by now. I am a late bloomer. Was intimidated by it actually. Why do I need ANOTHER means for spending even more time on the internet? Well, it's simple actually. Network Network Network!

To get me started I read a post in Alyson Stanfield's Artbiz blog about expanding your online marketing that touched on Twitter, so I thought I would share with you, check it out here.

Also a good friend of mine sent me a link to a blog post about 50 Ways on Using Twitter for Businessses. It gives you insight as to how you can take advantage of these new online tools for networking all over the globe. It's actually kind of exciting! Another great mention in this blog post is how to shrink your URL address links when posting on blogs or twitter entries. It is really helpful!

Twitter is a great way for artist's to share a different side of themselves. You post little "one liners" about your interests, what you are doing in that moment, or what has your attention right now... giving your followers a peak at what you are like as a regular human being... which can be good or bad - you decide... visit me on Twitter, better yet, I need followers! Follow me on Twitter and explore how this new tool can work for you too!

New Paintings at the University House

2009-02-18T01:10:00.001-08:00

"Between"

5x5"

Oil on Panel

This painting is FREE!

But you must attend the show this Thursday, to enter to win this

Door Prize at the Opening Night Gala Event!

February 19th from 5:30 - 7:30 pm

University House

4400 Stone Way N

Seattle, WA 98103

206 545 8400

"Far from Reality"

2x4"

Oil on Canvas with Twigg Easel

SOLD

New paintings available this Thursday at the University House in Wallingford (Seattle). AND I am very excited to announce the introduction of my new handmade Twigg Easels! The really fit the theme and are a fun addition to the Landscape in Your Pocket Series... More will be posted this week to my Etsy store so check back soon!

Shows in February!

2009-02-13T19:59:00.000-08:00

"Come to Light"

Oil on Panel, 24x24

SOLD

Two exciting shows to announce (since I have done a poor job updating my actual website)...

If you're in California, drive over to Grass Valley and visit The Red Crow Anthologies for a wonderful romantic Valentine's Day event of indulgence on February 14th! A feast for the eyes and the taste buds! I have some new paintings now in stock and a NEW edition to my pocket series paintings... check out the easels made out of real branches! So cool... they'll be available in my Etsy store real soon!

Also for all those who are local here in Seattle, please join me February 19th from 5:30-7:30 at the University House, in Wallingford for a huge group show called "Illuminated at Night, Dusk, and Dawn". There will be tons of art (including mine), wine, hors d'oeuvres and contemporary live jazz! The location is at 4400 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103. Happy to announce that one of the pieces I was entering in the show has sold! Very exciting! Hope to see you there!

Love is in the Air

2009-02-05T22:54:00.000-08:00

"A Meeting Place" (Series of three)

5x5"s

Oil on Panel

$129 each (#3 is SOLD)

Last night I began a new series of paintings that I have wanted to get out of my artistic "system" for a long time now. What a better place to explore my love for the inquisitive life of little bitty birdies! A new show held at The Red Crow Anthologies in California will be held on Valentine's Day entitled, "LOVE is in the Air"... it was an opportunity to paint this little ensemble of birds gathering at their regular meeting place. It is special to me as it is representative of the birds that congregate outside my window on the telephone lines. Who knows what they are doing... hanging out, plotting their next move, meeting other birds, talking about the weather, forming relationships, and pooping on my car parked innocently below.

As a side note I thought I would introduce you to a project that has been a long time in the making. It has been over a year that my husband and I have been renovating our home in the Seattle area (mostly on our own), and now it is finally complete! OUR HOUSE IS FOR SALE!

So if any of you are planning a move to the Seattle, Washington area, consider our home as a potential nesting area! Please visit my slideshow of the before and after pictures and our house listing at your convenience. Tell all your friends and help me get the word out! Thanks!

Tah dah! It's finished!

2009-01-30T07:15:00.000-08:00

"The Road to Lilliano" Commission

36"x48"

Oil on Canvas

SOLD

As promised, here is the final piece and a step by step slideshow to follow. Thank you to everyone who left me feedback on JenTV... corrections have been made and the slide shows are more comfortable to watch! Yes folks, I have slowed them down quite a bit so you can actually see what is going on! Whew! I told you I need an assistant. (grin)

I can't wait to deliver the piece to my clients house! It is so fun to see what it looks like in it's new home. What an honor it was to do such a large piece. Now I have definitely have to visit Italy and the road to Lilliano!

Published in the Daniel Smith Artist Materials Catalog!

2009-01-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

Last year I was contacted by Ampersand Art Supply to write an article about working in oil on Gessobord. (They are a wonderful company that makes some of the best archival wood surfaces I have ever used!) I was honored to say the least, and began a new painting documenting every step of the way... I am excited to announce that this article has now been published in the recent copy of Daniel Smith Artist Materials Spring Catalog! The article is titled, "How to get More Out of Your Painting Surface, Working with Oils on Gessobord". View the article by clicking HERE.

Detail from "Starting Point"

The painting titled, "Starting Point", that I did for the article has recently sold, but all the photos I took of the painting in progress have been organized into a slideshow now showing on JenTV! I have now added the JenTV feature to my website! So now you can explore all my slideshows and movies about technique in one spot! To view this slideshow visit JenTV now! -click HERE.

Reflecting On Andrew Wyeth

2009-01-17T17:44:00.001-08:00

It was a sad moment to hear of Andrew Wyeth's passing yesterday. At 91 I am sure he had a very full life... I have many memories of sitting on the floor of my dad's studio with several of his books in hand, just taking in all the visual eye candy each page had to offer.

Tonight I finished my "Road to Lilliano" commission. (note to self: will post the rest of the stages this week) As I washed my last brush, I turned to see the wonderful sky that was glowing on the horizon. What a treat to be able to celebrate with such a gorgeous end to a productive day... I climbed my studio ladder to the roof top and smiled as I watched the sun disappear behind the mountains.

I bet Andrew Wyeth has the best seat in the house...

My Palette of Fancy Colors

2009-01-06T21:42:00.000-08:00

I truly believe that palettes are works of art in themselves... hours and hours of mindless play go into them, all that time spent creating endless arrangements of color, little formulas that are literally the building blocks of a painting.

I say "mindless" lightly though, as I realize that much thought goes into working out color... but I find myself getting lost in these moments at times, smooshing color around with my palette knife. I think that is why I started having to write some of my color recipes down next to each swatch... I day dream so much that I forget how I got there!

New Year, New Goals, New Trees, and a Quest to Find Bert!

2009-01-03T23:11:00.001-08:00

I couldn't help but post two entries tonight. I am discovering that my blog is getting wordier by the day... I hope I'm not put everyone to sleep with my stories and lengthiness!

2009 is here and I have discovered that I have so many new and exciting adventures to plan for the new year! December was creatively slow for me and over the past few days I have broken free of my slump by doing a lot of reflecting on the my accomplishments for the new year. At the advice of Alyson B Stanfield and her blog "ArtBiz", I chose to take a pen to paper and do a bit of writing to cleanse my artist brain before taking 2009 by the horns.

I recommend reading the following blog posts by Alyson. They are great ideas on how to get your year started in the right direction. She is a great motivator and inspires me in many ways.

"Blast off in the New Year", helps with fresh brainstorming ideas on marketing and goal setting for artists.

"Your 2008 Accomplishments", is an excellent post about reflecting and celebrating your successes wether big or small.

I took an moment before bed a couple nights ago to write down my 2008 accomplishments. I am sharing them with you here, not to brag, or show off in any manner. I share this personal list with you, my fellow artist's friends, because I think some may benefit by seeing what can be accomplished in a year if you are in similar shoes... Before I ventured out on my own a year ago, I had a friend that shared his accomplishments with me and it helpful to see what someone else could do... it set the bar high and contributed to my success this past year.

What I got done this past year... in no particular order

Started my business, Jennifer Phillips Art, as a full time artist!

Had over 12 shows at different venues in Seattle, WA.

Exceeded my sales goal I set for myself by 300%!

Painted over 259 paintings!

Sold over 111 paintings!

Sold over 25 prints!

Approached by 4 galleries in Washington state.

Approached by over 4 print companies locally and internationally.

Signed with Genisis Giclee & Gallery, a national printing company, in Woodenville, WA.

Started a blog in July, Daily Encounters with my Paintbrush.

Started an online store at Etsy.com. Sold 6 paintings/prints since September.

Applied and accepted to sell my work at Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA. (picked out of 200 applicants, only 13 accepted)

Painted over 5 commission pieces.

Gained confidence in showing, talking about, and presenting myself as an artist. "I am an artist, it's is my profession."

Inspired other artist's/friends through my blog, website, print material, work, and drive.

Invited to participate in a show at the Howard/Mandville Gallery in Kirkland, WA.

Participated in a solo show for 1st Thursday in Pioneer Square Seattle, WA.

Obtained my own studio space that I call my own.

Accepted (1st try) to the Bellevue Arts Fair in Bellevue, WA.

Published/featured in an article for Ampersand Art about my technique. (coming out in Feb.)

Published in and developed a set of oil paints for Daniel Smith Artist Materials.

I invested in myself and my business in these ways...

Attended several "Artist Tool-Kit" lectures at GAGE Academy in Seattle, WA.

Attended free demonstrations on technique at Daniel Smith Artist Materials.

Read several books:

Art Marketing 101

Internet 101

Licensing Art 101

Art Office

Smart Couples Finish Rich

The Artist's Way

The Success Principles, Jack Canfield

Subscribed to art magazines:

American Art Collector

Art Calander

Subscribed to Artbiz blog

Assigned myself studio hours/days.

Used Mondays as my "marketing" days for planning.

Made time to social network online.

Set up a budget on my computer and a book-keeping system to manage my business and see my growth in numbers.

Visited Seattle Art Museum and several local galleries on a regular basis.

What I realize from this list...

I need to make more time for painting large work. I strayed from my studio hours towards the end of the year and spent a lot of time marketing. This year I would like to take a couple road trips to paint in the field and come back with some new material. I would also like to enter competitions, and do more art fairs this year. I also would like to meet and maintain more artist relationships...network, network, network!

And last but not least, I will find my long lost brush Bert. As we all know he has been missing since the move and I have neglected to do anything about it... no search parties, no release of the hound dogs, and no I haven't even lifted a finger to rummage through my many unpacked boxes in my studio to find him! It will be done!

Happy New Year Everyone!

The Road to Lilliano Day 3

2009-01-03T22:29:00.001-08:00

Day three of "The Road to Lilliano" was an adventure in mixing color. These were the first initial stages of developing the rich greens of the foliage that line the road. I spent a good deal of time before I painted, mixing my own greens out of French Ultramarine, Hansa Yellow, and Yellow Ochre... but the best greens became of adding a touch of Organic Vermillion (red) and smidgens of Viridian Green to the mix.

I often find it helpful to write on my paper palette the names of some of the colors that went into a particular mixture so I don't forget. Paper palettes allow me to keep a record of what I used on each painting that I do. Before I moved, my closet was full of palette pages hanging on the wall, each with a title, scribbling of notes, and slathered with dry swatches of paint used to create each individual painting I did last year. It helped me tremendously, especially if I had a client that liked a particular combination of colors they requested for a commission piece. The best visual journal ever!!!

Under-painting Cont'd...

2008-12-27T17:17:00.001-08:00

Well, folks, I'm back. I have had several technical difficulties over the past few weeks that have kept me from posting my photos to my blog... sorry for the delay, but I am VERY happy to be back!

These photos posted today show a continuation on my initial stages on the under-painting for "The Road to Lilliano", a commission piece I am working on. I've been blocking in the darker shapes of the bushes that line the road, with my special Sap-ar-indian mixture and a bit of Viridian, all while pulling out some highlights with my rag.

I am just dying to get to the trees and their branches that are so beautifully reaching out in all directions! It will truly be my most favorite part... or maybe painting the breaks of light that are sprinkled all over the road... must have patience, first things first!

This Just In... VENTILATE YOUR STUDIO!

2008-12-08T21:53:00.000-08:00

My newest commission!

"The Road to Lilliano"

Oil and noxious fumes on canvas.

36x48

Ventilate: (verb) to cause air to enter and circulate freely.

I have been working on a new project for a wonderful couple I met at one of my shows back in May. It is my first extra large painting that I have done in my new studio. Lucky me! I have found out that my studio lacks a certain necessity for an oil painter. AIR. The kind that flows in and on it's way out, takes with it all the harmful fumes that accumulate when painting like I do. Instead, they linger. So I turn a little green and pass out for a couple of minutes, and then I am good to go. Just kidding, it's not that bad, but unfortunately it does cause my painting sessions to be a bit short.

This piece is wonderfully inspiring. It is farther along than this picture reveals at this point, and I am waiting for paint to dry to the touch before I can continue so I thought I would post some pictures of my process in the mean time. So I will begin feeding my blog updates daily... so stay tuned and you will see, just what a cool painting this will be! If you have time to come and play, you will find out how it changes every day! In the end it will become, something that doesn't look so dumb... Ok, kidding again. It's not dumb, I was just trying to rhyme. It's just that as we all know, the beginning steps of a painting look a bit rough around the edges so to speak. So close your eyes and come back tomorrow!

Firehouse Coffee Shop in Ballard... visit my show!

2008-12-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

This week I set up my show at the Firehouse Coffee shop in Ballard (Seattle, WA). My work will be up through January 31st and will be rotating - as they sell, I will replace with new work to keep it fresh since it is there for two months. I have a little selection at the Firehouse Coffee Shop, of my pocket sized landscapes all framed up and ready for the giving this holiday season! They should fit in any standard size Christmas stocking too... Please come down and take a look at my work on display!

"Stand Up to You"

2x4" (approx. 9x11 with frame)

Oil on Canvas, Pocket Landscape embellished with cracked surface

BUY IT NOW at Etsy.com

Whimsical in form, yet making a statement. This piece was inspired by a trip I took over and through the cascades to Eastern Washington. Trees often take on human qualities, or I should say I have a tendency to bring the inanimate to life... they stand there, often in ways that remind me of myself.

In this case, there was a section of the mountains that had been sadly cleared of trees. Only stumps and debris remained. This tree stood on the edge over looking this vast area of destruction and seemed as if it wasn't phased by it. It stood there with a posture that said, " HA! Your not gonna bring me down!" as if it were standing up to the force that knocked down all his tree friends... it wasn't a scaredy tree anyway...

"Pretending"

6x12" Oil on Panel unframed

SOLD

When I was little, my friend and I would tromp through the neighborhood forest preserve... we had very active imaginations. Often we would pretend that we were lost in the woods and no one would ever find us. We were only 8, but we would use our special "Macgyver" skills to make forts out of twigs and wood and survive on eating the local neighborhood black berries until dark, only to run home to mom's home cooked meals! ... ahh memories.

The Red Crow Anthologies

2008-11-24T23:01:00.000-08:00

"Blanket"

2x4

Oil on Mini Canvas Framed

$125

My "Landscape in your Pocket Series" is graduating! Yes they still can come with those teeny tiny easels, but NOW they also can be ordered FRAMED! They look so handsome all nestled and tucked into their new little frame homes.

This piece is my personal "rain dance" in hopes of a fluffy white holiday season. I can't wait to dust off my snowboard and hit the mountains!

I am now selling my miniatures at a great new venue in California called the Red Crow Anthologies. Their opening day is this Friday the 28th of November (this week Turkey lovers!).

If you live in Seattle, I will be showing a slew of new miniatures at the Firehouse Coffee shop in Ballard for the month of December! Get all your friends a miniature for the holidays!

Invitational Small Works Show at the Howard/Mandville Gallery

2008-11-23T22:17:00.000-08:00

"Passing Through" Triptych

8x18

Oil on Panel

SOLD

This piece is a favorite of mine. Driving alone on the road through the open fields of Western Washington and finding solace while gazing at my surroundings through the driver's seat window. Many of my trips were a little stressful... I drove an old 76 Ford Bronco that guzzled gas and many times I came close to running out of it in the middle of nowhere. The warm inviting landscape of the Palouse gave me a lot to day dream about, often distracting me from worrying about breaking down on my trips.

Last night was the reception for the Howard/Mandville Gallery's Invitaional Small Works Show. I am honored to have a few pieces on display, including the one pictured above. It was an amazing evening getting to talk to many well known and established artist's of which inspire me tremendously. It is such an honor to be showing in the same venue as them... Craig Kosak, Jim Lamb, Tanaya Sims, Joseph Alleman, Karin Jurick, Rich Bowman, Joseph Larusso, and many more...

How to Hang Your Artwork (Unconventionally)

2008-11-13T22:27:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Phillips opening night at Dry Soda, Seattle, WA

This month has been a whirl wind art showing extravaganza! Three or more shows in one month is an awesome feat - and I have learned a few new things that I wanted to share...

With every new place I show my work brings on a new set of challenges. Each venue is so different that I have now learned a couple key things to remember when I venture out to hang in local cafes, businesses, and retail establishments.

For example, know what the venue prefers in terms of how you physically hang your art. Prepare AHEAD of time and talk with someone in charge to find out more information like: Is is actually OK to hammer into their wall? Is there a hanging system already there for you to use? If so, what other materials will you need to successfully hang your work? Is there a ladder and am I comfortable climbing it?

Dry Soda Co. was a great learning experience for me. They have an amazing space that really shows off the artwork great. Some of their main walls are made out of nicely finished birch wood. So naturally, they did not want to have a bunch of nail holes all over them. Being that they left the hanging up to the artist's, I had to get creative.

I had one advantage. The walls didn't go all the way up to the ceiling, so I had an edge to work with... After climbing a very tall ladder and checking out the top of the wall, I decided I needed to make a trip to Home Depot for some help. While I should have prepared for this in advance, I was lucky because HD was just down the street. So one hour and $100 later, I had a solution (see below).

Bathroom door towel hooks. Yes folks, towel hooks. They were nice and wide to hang over the wall edge, a nice silver finish to match the decor, and very strong and sturdy to hold my heavier oil pastels that were framed under glass.

I also bought "swivel eye snap hooks" (pictured above) that clipped over the hook and attached picture wire through the loop end and then to my picture. I have found these very useful for a couple of shows I have done this year. So I keep them on hand.

The other thing I have learned from doing these venues, is to always always always bring my artist tool box and everything in it. My artist tool box consists of things like: tape, hammer, nails, glue, black touch up marker, compressed air, glass cleaner, picture wire, wire cutters, scissors, screw driver, drill, anything picture hanging related, anything touch up related, and picture hanging hardware. It is always those times when walking out the door saying "ooooh I won't need that this time", and then I do, and I am cursing myself.

My husband and brother came to support me on my opening night. But the weather was sooo awful, that most others stayed away... sniff sniff, oh well.

And then there was hope! A few people came in to taste some soda and take in the art, so I captured the moment...

My spread of impulse buys, matted prints, mini paintings and lil stuff! The show is up until the end of the month, if you are local, please pay a visit and taste their soda! It's really good!

A New Adventure in Marketing Myself

2008-11-05T00:23:00.001-08:00

I am excited to share that another "door" in life has opened for me! I often spend time (too much time) finding new ways to market my work - One day, I decided it would be fun to work the holiday season in one of the busiest places in Seattle. So applied to get a permit to sell my small works at Seattle's Pike Place Market. If you are an out of towner, it is a main attraction for tourism in Seattle. A farmers and craft market of which you can buy anything from flowers to fun crafts made locally - just watch out for flying fish!...

Even though their website stated that they were no longer accepting new vendors, and even though my inner critic said,"NO way! You can't do that!", I decided to send in an application anyway. So stifling your inner critic IS a really good thing to do (highly recommended), because I now have an interview tomorrow!

Thank you to all for baring with me as I sporadically maintain my "daily" blog! And to those of you whom are awaiting the arrival of my Halloween Bert pictures, I am sorry to say, that it is not gonna happen. Bert is officially missing since my move and I am miserable with out him. My paintings are suffering. And while all his brush friends have been rallying to paint in his place, it just isn't the same.

There is hope. As I have mentioned before, I often hear his faint cries for help from one of the moving boxes I still have to unpack... geesh, I am an awful brush mommy.

Another First

2008-10-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

Slow Dance

11x14 Oil on Panel

Howard/Manville Gallery

Show coming this November 13th

First painting accomplished in my new studio space... ✓ (check!)... Expect to see more of this subject matter from me. I am now officially obsessed. Painting negative and positive space is almost entrancing. The branches are so fragile looking and entangled - they make really wonderful patterns.

... wow, my studio looks so cluttered already... sure doesn't feel that way when I'm in it! Today I escaped up the ladder to the roof top to gaze at the sun as I contemplated how I was going to start my piece. A great way to clear my head, especially cuz it wasn't raining!

The Grim Reaper Bought My Painting...

2008-10-17T23:28:00.000-07:00

Shine

4"x4" Oil on Panel

SOLD

Yes. It is true. The Reaper is an art lover.

This is the Grim Reaper of Greenwood. Tonight, I paid HIM a visit. Not to take his soul, but to deliver a miniature painting! Okay Okay, I can't fool you... I did deliver a painting tonight, but it was to the creative soul who built this incredible gigantic, frightening, mind boggling kick ass huge Grim Reaper, right in his front yard!

Totally amazing. If you would like to see it and a step by step "how to", visit his blog here. You too can build one of these lovely two story figurines in the privacy of your own home... and be the coolest kid on the block!

Another posting worth mentioning that really resonates with me today is found on another blog I like to read, "Art Biz Blog"... there is a mention there of a wonderful movie just beginning to premier in New York called, "Who Does She Think She Is?". It is a film apparently about the struggles that women face in an artist's world. And there is even a part in the trailer that shows that when asked, the public can't even name one historic woman artist! Please take a look at the trailer here, I am intrigued and I think you will be too.

Queen Anne Artwalk

2008-10-16T22:55:00.000-07:00

I'm back! Sheesh, finally! The following post is sorta out of order... sorry, I had a hard time loading pictures in the order I wanted. That is what happens when one such artist gets a little rusty on her blogging skills! So I will catch you up... this is my show at Peet's Coffee in Seattle.

I used all the space I could at Peet's. Yes, folks. Don't be shy. Even hang your work by the bathroom. There IS a lot of foot traffic that direction you know... don't leave out the tinklers!

Mini's Mini's and more Mini's! I am happy to announce that I was approached by a new venue in California who wants to carry my small work in their gallery! So exciting as I have been on the search for someone to stock these little guys for the holidays! They make such great gifties! I have more to explore with this one, I will keep you posted.

Front entryway had great lighting, so I hung some of the pieces I had used in my email blast there. Very identifiable from the street...

I used one of their tables to display my prints, business cards, bio, and guestbook... oh and don't forget the candy bowl, so you can stuff your face while talking art.

Hung one of my more "durable" surfaced paintings by the condiment counter... just in case there were little splashies.

Note: When doing a show at places where people sit around your artwork, be sure to hang your items high enough so they won't get bumped if someone stretches, or swings a backpack, or has a grabbie child with sticky fingers! One of my last shows I found some sort of splashed goo across 2 paintings! What the?! One of the many risks you take at venues where there are consumables.

Well, I am still working outta boxes from the move, but managed to also put together my October show at Peet's coffee & Tea in Seattle. Tonight was Queen Anne neighborhood's Art Walk so I hung out for a few hours to mingle with the public.

It is always so rewarding to talk to people about your art. I really realize that this is the part of the "job" that I thoroughly enjoy. Seeing how people respond to my work is so rewarding! Each person has their own individual experience... as I have always said, "My most favorite moment is when I put the brush down and show someone a painting. It is no longer my experience, but theirs."

Today I made a point of inviting my neighbors, new and old, by walking door to door and hand delivering invites, spent time sending email blasts, and shopping for Halloween candy to have at my display table tonight. (that of which, I ate half of. Sheesh.)

I just really enjoy getting out and talking to people. It is so inspiring and adds fuel to my creative fire! So as you can probably tell already, I was very socially fulfilled tonight!

The pictures I managed to shoot are, as usual, after the show was ending. I just get to wrapped up to remember to shoot live in the moment. I need an assistant!

Four events/shows coming up in November that I must paint a few more for... So excited to be a part of the Howard/Mandville small works show and the well known 1st Thursday Pioneer Square Art Walk this time around! I should have more in progress photos soon! Stay tuned!

The Final Commission Piece

2008-10-05T15:35:00.000-07:00

Adding in more background color...

Working on minor details... little branches and twig shapes...

The final...

Lost

14x30 oil on panel

SOLD

Private Collection

Finished my commission piece. I really love the effect I got on this one, nice and moody. Now I will meet with the client and see if it works for her interior design concept. It's a nail biter not knowing if it is going to be the right fit!

Today I move my art studio. So I will be packing up my computer and easel and all my paints and heading over to the new place. Lots of organizing to do! And have to rescue Bert from what ever box he ended up in! Hang in there folks, until I get internet hooked up, it may be a few days... thanks everyone!