Print in the works....

I have been commissioned by a friend to do a lino-cut for their newly remodeled house. This is a portrait of their family. They have 3 gorgeous girls represented by the 3 flowers in the center. My friend is represented by the taller flower on the right side, her husband is the sun. The image is framed by bamboo. They are Chinese so I wanted the imagery to reflect that. I am planning on hand-painting it. Gouache or watercolor???

I have been working on a print for our Kiwi friend, Kate and have nearly finished, but I think I may send her this instead.

William Wegman Exhibit

I've been making an effort lately to go to museums and keep up with current exhibits. I always feel inspired afterwards to be a better artist, but without making an effort it seems I only go to museums once a year or less. I find I need a lot of inspiration when I am drowning in wedding photography.

Last week I went with a friend to see a William Wegman exhibit at the Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.

It was a fantastic exhibit and we were very impressed with the beautiful museum. I found out later that some of the Notable Alumni of the Phillips Academy include Walker Evans, Oliver Wendell Holmes, George Bush, George W. Bush, Humphrey Bogart, Jack Lemmon, and John F. Kennedy Jr!

Lizard and Sweetpea, we'll have to go there next time y'all are in town. It's really beautiful.

© William Wegman
Connector, 1994
Polaroid
24 x 20 in.
Private collection

Progress on my panels

So, I have not yet finished my fairy. I continue to have trouble seeing what I want in my mind's eye. So, I decided to take a break from it and to work on my butterfly and my dragonfly. I have drawn the dragonfly but have not painted it yet, so I don't have pics of that. However, here's the pics of the butterfly and the fairy. The colors did NOT translate when I took pictures, so they look a little bit weird here.

Anyways, I love my butterfly, but it is much more color-blocky than my fairy and so now they do not go together...I am not sure which way I want to go at this point, but I think that the color-blocky idea may win out as it is more readily pleasing to the eye and because it will be easier for Honor to see and enjoy. Eventually, I will have three square panels that I will mount in a horizontal row with an inch or two between them on the wall (which is a deep red wine color).

I have not painted anything in the fairy's wings yet, although I have outlined them in a pale yellow.

Also, I really had wanted to incorporate orange, but the couple of times that I have tried to include it, it just looks all wrong. Bummer.

Any thoughts?