The Harbor

New painting! In fact it is still quite damp... This is from an image I saw several weeks ago. In real life the bay was not nearly as interesting, it was a flat grey day with this random ray of light. The light is what I was after.

The bay is different each and every time I see it. Within an hour the light, the waves, the tide, everything changes. I could spend the rest of my life just watching the light change out there.

With this piece I was trying to capture a sense of longing and isolation I felt when I saw these boats looking towards the far horizon.

"The Harbor" is 24x36, oil on canvas, and is for sale for $795.

Horizons Art Show

Here are a few pictures from the art show at The Art Mine. It's a nice, big space and a little hard to convey just how it feels. I have 27 images up to give you an idea of the scale.

The art opening went really well; there was a good turnout and I met a lot of people. It was a great introduction of the range of my of art to this community.

As far as I know the art show in Colorado was also well attended; my art friends back there tell me it was a great opening.

Back to the studio; I am working on a 24x36 landscape this week. It should be ready for viewing by the end of the weekend. Yay!
Dawn

February is a crazy art month for me! I have two shows opening some 1500 miles apart from one another.

The show in Washington is at The Art Mine in Port Hadlock. The show will be open for viewing from Feb 2nd through March 20th; the opening reception is Sat Feb 6th, beginning at 5pm. It is an eclectic show featuring many new pieces including some of those I have previously blogged about.

The show in Colorado will be at The Art Center of Western Colorado in Grand Junction. The dates for this show are Feb 5th through March 15th, opening reception Friday Feb 5th from 7pm to 9pm. Alas I will not be able to attend this show opening as I have not figured out how to be two places at once... The work for this show features my black and white pastel series, including several large pastel diptychs on wooden panels. Here is a link to their website: I am showing with an amazing glass artist, Andy Martin, who ironically lives in Seattle now!

http://www.gjartcenter.org/exhibits_upcoming_2.html


And other than that I start grad school at the end of the month as I start to chase down the elusive MFA. Art art and then more art--life is good!

Let me know if you make it to one of the shows; I would love to hear feedback. Thanks! Dawn

New Series: Washington Miniatures

I am enjoying working on some smaller panels at the moment; these are 9x12 oil paintings. The subject is direct from my birdfeeder; these are two of the feathered beasties who are currently eating me out of house and home. The first is an Oregon Junco, the second is a Black-Capped Chickadee.

This is a fun format; the small scale works with the images. I am planning on working on more 9x12 landscapes as well (see "Crescent Lake" in a previous post,) and hanging them together as a mini-installation, alternating landscapes and birds.

It is almost like a sketchbook in oils; these are images I want to capture quickly as I explore and navigate my new home.

Any of these are available for $200. Happy painting, hiking, and birding!
Dawn

Murder Complete

The murder is complete! This is the piece I started 3 weeks ago; I had to tone down the value shifts a bit to pull it off but, in the end, it has the subtle shimmering light of the Sound I was after.

Please note: the first image here is my underpainting which, as we remember, looked like a poorly formed pterodactyl. The final image here shows you the birds in detail with a little more finesse.

The title is "Murder in Progress." It is an oil on canvas, 30x40", selling unframed for $995.

If you look close you will notice that the birds are not reflected in the water; this is because the birds are spiritual entities. Ravens are very powerful symbols. In this case, to me, they represent ethereal transition.

Dawn

I was travelling this past week so do not have a studio image to share; that being said here are some sketchbook pics for you from my travels. Here's the problem with hanging out with graphic designers: you begin to think that the way you lay out a sketchbook page makes a difference. Here's the really annoying thing: they are right. I am liking the text as an element on these pages. The most challenging pages were the 'cloud studies' page, which I drew from a plane window at 36,000'. You have to work fast on those suckers. The other challenging page is the 'red-breasted nuthatch' page as it has a lot of design elements. I actually hand-painted each letter on the title.

I have missed my studio this week so should have some paintings to share soon. So now go draw something, then obsess over the text layout. Or just go draw something like a normal person...

Check out this little bastard! It was one of those paintings that painted itself. Some paintings seem to just flow like magic while others fight for it. My friend Ginny came over to paint with me yesterday and the painting just emerged. It is a 9x12 on a panel, the name is "Crescent Lake," the unframed price is $175. The subject is a beautiful glacial lake in Olympic National Park, captured one evening in October as the sun was setting. My friend Melissa and I were returning from the coast and I almost wrecked the minivan in the process of pulling over when I saw the light on the lake.

Among my other works in progress now I am hoping to work on a small series of miniatures about this size. I'm thinking birds and landscapes alternating for a small installation.

The murder continues--it is on the verge of being genius or being overworked, once again it is hard to tell. ("Murder in Progress," my previous post involving a painting of crows.) I will show and tell when it is finally done.

Happy Holidays!
Dawn