Holy crap it's been too long

Not sure why it's taken me almost a year *gulp* to write another blog post. I suppose life has gotten in the way and I really haven't been too serious about art lately. I work full time and go to school part time, so my free time is spent sleeping and trying not to lose my mind. I really love painting and drawing, but I've felt so uninspired lately. I was also trying to create a website, but that sort of fell through and I haven't had time to work on that. Hopefully in the coming months I will be able to buckle down and create SOMETHING to house all my artwork. I'm such a slacker. In any case, it's starting to look like this blog will have to turn into more than just artwork. I'll do a doodle a day or something to post. Might be better than nothing...we shall see!

Chalk Drawing

This was done for the annual Street Painting Competition in Troy, NY on the weekend of June 18th. It was done only with sidewalk chalk (like what kids draw with) and hunks of charcoal. I think it turned out pretty well. I paid homage to one of my favorite artists, Brandon Boyd of Incubus.

Upcoming Arts Events in the Capital Region

I will be participating in two upcoming events in NY's Capital Region: The 8th Annual River Street Festival in Troy, NY on June 18th, and the 2011 FENCE Show at the Arts Center June 24th. Two years ago, I did the Streetpainting competition during the River Street Festival and had a ball doing a scene from "Up", the Disney-Pixar hit movie. Not sure what I'll be doing this year, but it'll be a lot of fun I'm sure. For the FENCE Show, I'm nearly finished with the larger of the two pieces I am entering, it's a juried show and the opening reception is 5-9pm on June 24th. Hope to see you all there! I'll be putting up pictures of my newest piece once it's done and titled.

Working on a new one!

So I haven't posted in a long time because life has been insanely hectic. Moved to another state, got a new job (twice!) and the painting I'm working on is HUGE, one of the biggest I've ever done. It's got elephants in it, and the colors are my favorite part of it. I'm estimating that it'll take another 2 weeks to finish, but I've been taking a couple pictures of it in progress so I can show you that when it's all finished. There are a lot of small details that have slowed the progress down, but I have taken the longest time with this and I think it'll be worth it.

I'll try to be better about posting updates! :-)

man or fish?

Here's my first finished summer painting, titled "man.or.fish"
Dimensions: 2 feet by 4 feet
acrylic and broken mirror on canvas

Fence 2010 Artist Salon

Hi All, just a quick update on what I'm up to. I'm taking part in the Fence 2010 Artist Salon, held by the Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy, NY. It runs through July 19, and I have 2 paintings in the show. They are "Generations" and "Like Eating Glass." Stop on over and check them out if you have time! The Arts Center website is www.artscenteronline.org if you want to check their hours or any other information.
Hope you all can stop by and see it :-)

Artist Trading Card

Here's a look at my first-ever ATC, or Artist Trading Card. It was created on a piece of canvas paper the size of a baseball card. :-)

Are you Man....or Fish?

Well it's taken me about 5 months, but I've finally finished another piece, entitled "man.or.fish" -- it's acrylic/shattered mirror on canvas. The size is 24" x 48" (2 ft x 4 ft), and is my largest one to date. I'm thinking it probably would have taken me less time if I had made myself work on it more often, but I'm satisfied with it and happy that it's done. These last few weeks I have really pushed myself to finish it, and I'm glad I did. The inspiration for the piece came from a doodle I did while hanging with the bf and the words "Are you man or fish?" just sort of came to me. I guess it's like "are you man or mouse?" ...except, of course, with fish. I think fish are lovely and I've never done them in a painting before. These ones are loosely based on koi fish, and if I was to do another painting with fish, I think I'd shoot for something shaped more like a rainbow trout (those are gorgeous, as far as fish go).

Below is a view of the entire painting, and then some detail shots. I also set up the "photo shoot" according to research I've done about shooting your own work if you're too poor to hire a professional photographer, so I hope these are acceptable for now, because I'm broke.

This Studio Ain't Big Enough...

I'm working on finishing up my most recent piece (it's a big one), and every time I work on it, I am reminded of how small my bedroom studio at home is! I'm also broke as hell, so I can't afford to rent a nice studio in the nearest city or anything, but I'm making do with what I have for now. Sometimes I feel like it's so hard to get into the zone and just do my thing without worrying over a bunch of things, like spilling paint/paint-y water on the carpet, marking up the walls, and running out of storage space. I also wish I had a way of hanging up my paints on some sort of rack so that I could grab them and organize them a lot more easily. In my dream studio, I will have that and a ginormous table for painting on and I won't ever worry about spilling paint because it won't be a huge deal.

The easel I have is a little unsteady at times, but it does the trick, and I'm so glad I have it. Years ago, when I had only been working on smaller canvases, I wouldn't dream of using an easel because it seemed like holding my wrist at a weird angle to paint wasn't very useful...but I feel like getting used to an easel takes a little work, and it's a very helpful instrument, especially for larger canvases.

I also just realized that I'm blathering on about things that might not be that interesting, but I want you all to know that even when I haven't posted something new in a while, art is on my mind and in my room and always in progress here in LaurenLiz's world. :-)

A Handpainted Switchplate

Here's another tidbit I did for Sassy J's Indian-inspired room. This switchplate is on a wall that she painted a brilliant red. Her love of elephants and my love of sunsets behind elephants was the inspiration. I sprayed the plastic plate with Fixatif, then painted it with acrylics, then sprayed it again with the Fixatif so it hopefully won't chip off. I like how it came out.

Fun With Markers in Sassy J's Room

A couple weeks ago, my friend Sassy J told me that she was painting her room in a brilliant red and bright orange because she wanted an Indian-inspired motif. And since I can't keep my nose out of artsy things (and because she let me), I used gold paint markers to do Indian/henna-type designs on her bookshelf and nightstand drawer face. She also loves elephants, so I did some elephant silhouettes in gold on her door. I'm hoping she lets me go all-out again, because it was 3 hours of fun for me, and I still have loads of ideas for her room, some of which include fake gems that you can get at a craft store. I'm pretty sure that gems are a brilliant idea --though Sassy J didn't seem so keen on it, so we'll see. Maybe I'll do a border of elephant silhouettes around her room if I have the time and she lets me. Here are some photos of what I did.

Happy, Happy Spring!

Hey y'all!

I haven't finished my painting yet (nor have I worked on it as much as I would've liked this past week), but I've been busy working odd jobs and waitressing trying to make money. In my free time, I have embarked on a quick creative endeavor with a friend. My friend Sassy J and I have begun our very first duct tape dress, after much deliberation and talking about how awesome it would be, and designing on paper with sharpies like there's no tomorrow.
We weren't sure how to start, but looked up online how-to's and found some helpful things. So we spent about 4 hours working on it the other day, and it's decent for our first attempt. Hopefully, we'll have it finished by next week, and I can post some pictures of the process and the final result.

Until then, enjoy the lovely weather everyone, and I wish you sunshine and blue skies! <3

Working on a New Painting

Currently, I am working on a piece that is titled "Man or Fish" and is another one of the bigger canvases I've ever done. It's definitely a challenge for me to do bigger pieces, if only because I find myself getting way too detailed with the images. Like with this one, I started with a whole conglomeration of stuff and have been trying to whittle it down so that it's not so overwhelming. I like to create pieces that are a little complex so that the viewer sees something new every time he or she looks at it, but sometimes I get carried away. So with this painting, my main focus is to make sure everything ties together in a coherent way, so that it doesn't look like I just threw a bunch of stuff together.

When I post the finished piece, I will give more info about the dimensions, how long it took to finish, and anything else you might want to know. Until then, I hope you are all well, and that snow doesn't fall on New England until at least November or December (but who knows, we might get a blizzard in June, the weather here is crazy!).

Edited Painting

I've gone back to a piece that I did 2 years ago, the biggest canvas I had ever done at that point, and fixed a couple problems that I had been eyeing for about a year now. It didn't feel finished to me, but it is as of today! :-) It's called "Like Eating Glass," which I named after my favorite Bloc Party song. Hope you like it!

(There's a full picture and a couple detail pictures.)

Volunteer Work

It's been a while since I posted, and that's because a lot has been going on in my personal life that's kept my mind on other things (ie a death in the family, job changes, etc) but I vow to myself --and you!-- that I'll be updating regularly from here on out. Even if I don't have a new picture to show you, I will definitely be writing about my artwork and other appealing things. :-)

Now, on to other things...

During the last two weeks of March of this year, I found an ad on craigslist (sometimes that site is awesome, sometimes it's sketchy as hell) that was looking for volunteer artists, so of course, I sent in a submission for acceptance. It's for the "BoardedUP!" series in Albany, NY for the Grand Street Community Arts program. (Their website is www.grandarts.org/ if you want more information, it's a great bunch of people coming together to make their community more exciting and artsy!) I ran over to the church at the corner of Grand and Madison to pick up a piece of 1/4"-thick plywood and was told I can paint anything on it that was family-friendly. So I decided to do something colorful and abstract, which is my true passion, at least at this point in my life. The board is roughly 2-1/2 feet by 5 feet.
Here's a few pictures of my piece, and the one against the gray stone background is the picture I took of it installed.

New Artwork for 2010!

Here's a look at what I did this past December:

a charcoal rendition of my bro's resurrected 1970s Yamaha

an acrylic and mirrors piece on 9" x 12" canvas

I'm also currently working on my largest piece to date, an acrylic/mixed media on canvas. I can't wait to show it to you all! And coming sometime in the next few months... a brand-new website!!! More details in the next couple weeks. :-)

You've Got Only Four More Weeks...

...to see some great art in person! My show, "A Young Artist on the Rise" by Lauren of LaurenLiz Designs, is scheduled to run through the end of November. It's my first ever solo show, and I am proud of the collection of work on display. It's a variety of pieces that I've done; the earliest is from 2002, before I graduated from high school. There are recent pieces, including (my own personal favorite) "Blue Giraffe." I chose the pieces on display because I believe they are a good representation of the various styles I succeed at, as well as an example of how my style has evolved over the years.

I welcome any comments or questions about my work. If there's an interest in buying a piece, but the price is 'a little too steep' for your budget, let me know and we can work something out. I could even do a commissioned piece for you; the holidays are coming up, and nothing says "You rock, [gift recipient]!" like a one-of-a-kind painting! :-) Shoot me an email at laurenewetherell@gmail.com or check me out on Facebook on the LaurenLiz Designs page.

Have a great November everybody, and look out for new work coming soon. :-)

what i've been tooling around with recently

Since I've started two new part-time jobs in the past couple weeks and had oodles of other stuff to do, I haven't had time to start on one of the two big canvases hiding behind the door in my room. Hopefully, though, I'll be able to start on one this weekend. I haven't got a clue what I want to do with it, but that's ok...I rarely know what I want to do with a blank canvas until I pop in some music and lose my mind.

Anyway, I've been doing a couple side projects that I'm thinking may end up for sale on Etsy. They're home decor-type creations, which I've made with slate from an old abandoned roof.

Pictures from Ambition Cafe

This past weekend, I stopped by Ambition Cafe on Jay Street in Schenectady, NY and took some photos of my art on the cafe's walls. The pieces on display (with prices) are:

• Water Under the Bridge - $250
• Generations - $450
• Like Eating Glass - $500
• Blue Giraffe - $350
• African Love - $350
• Sorry, We're All Out - $200

All pieces are on sale; contact me via email or phone if you are interested in purchasing any artwork.

Thanks!

Today's Feature...

Finished a painting today, after working on it (off and on) for about three weeks. If I ever just sat down and painted for hours on end, I'd be way more productive, but I get antsy if I sit still for more than an hour. Anyhoo, I'm including 2 different views of the piece, so you can see the work around the edges. I used a 'gallery'-style canvas, and wanted to work with the thick edges in a way I haven't before. This painting is called "Universal" and is priced at $250. It's acrylic with broken mirror and clothing studs.

Displaying in Schenectady

Yesterday, I headed over to Ambition Cafe on Jay St. in Schenectady, NY to hang up six pieces of my artwork on the main wall. It took about twenty minutes, since I had to take down the last artist's work (which was seven beautiful watercolors, I forgot her name). Thankfully, I had my wonderful boyfriend Paul to help me out; otherwise, I might have gotten all clumsy and fallen off a table or something. It's really exciting for me to have my work on display...this is the first time since high school that I've had a public exhibition of my paintings. (When I was in high school, I was part of a county-wide high school art show at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA.) All of the paintings I have on display at Ambition are for sale, with prices ranging from $250 to $500, and it would be incredible to sell one! :-D Hopefully, at the least, people will enjoy them while they're sipping the delicious coffee or eating a tasty sandwich at the cafe.

Today, I am working on a logo for LaurenLiz Designs. I've got a couple ideas, but am not sure which one to stick with. I'm so indecisive!

Happy Autumn everyone!

Generations

Finished another painting tonight; it's called "Generations" and is acrylic/mixed media on canvas. My apologies for the poor picture quality, all I have is a digital camera and am far too broke to pay for professional photography. Hope you enjoy it though. The price is $500.

Work in Progress...

I've been working like crazy on my newest painting, and it's nearly finished. Which is good, because my exhibit at Ambition Cafe in Schenectady, NY is less than a month away! It usually takes me about a month or so to finish a painting (depending on the size). The one I'm working on is a mixed media piece of mirror and acrylics on canvas. I'll be posting the new piece as soon as it's finished. :-)

da vinci had mona lisa, and i have british lisa. here is the portrait i just finished of her, in charcoal and white chalk on paper. size is 18" x 24"...hope she likes it :-)

Blueberry Festival Fail

This morning around 7am I got up and prepared for the craft sale at the FCC of Dalton, and brought all my stuff with me. Well...not all my stuff, since I forgot two of the paintings I was going to bring--I forgot to take them off the walls in my house. Anyhoo, I set up at the table and immediately thereafter made a list of things I should have brought. I learned some really valuable setup and selling tips from observing my fellow crafters. I was supposed to stay from 8am until 2pm, but the event wasn't really advertised, so about 15 people checked out the crafts in the span of three and a half hours, so I left early--with a whole lot of useful info though.

Hopefully I will be posting new pieces tomorrow if I remember to. :-)

I'm Getting There...

Yesterday, I drove over to Jay Street in Schenectady, NY and stopped in at a lovely place called Ambition Cafe. It's one of the cafes that I frequented with my friends during college. It's got great style, with crazy awesome decorations everywhere-- like album covers from the 80s, bottle caps, and artwork.
Anyhoo, Marc and Jeremy at Ambition really liked my stuff, so they asked me to display six or seven pieces on the wall there from Columbus Day until the end of November or so. That means I'll be able to (hopefully!) sell some pieces and people from all over can check it out in person...which is uber cool to me.
You can visit the website for Ambition at http://www.ambitioncafe.com/.

As for the Blueberry Festival tomorrow, the weather will determine if I am outside or inside, so hopefully it won't rain cats and dogs tomorrow. If it does, I'm bringing a raft... the weather this summer has been ridiculous. But I will definitely be there, rain or shine!

Blueberry Festival, This Saturday

On Saturday, August 22nd, the First Congregational Church of Dalton (MA) will be hosting a Blueberry Festival, beginning at 8am and ending around 2pm. I will have a table there with my original artwork for sale, and have reduced most of the prices for my works, though they are still all negotiable.

Some of the pieces I am including in the sale are:
Blue Giraffe
Together
Sorry, We're All Out
Lone Wolf
Water Under the Bridge
African Love
Like Eating Glass
and a couple new ones I will have photographed and put up on the website soon!

The church is located at 514 Main St. in Dalton, and can be reached at (413)684-1715 if you want more information about the Blueberry Festival itself. I hope to see a lot of people there!

Giraffe-arific!

This is my new painting, entitled "Blue Giraffe." It's a 16" x 20" acrylic on canvas. Inspirations for this piece were National Geographic magazine, my mother's love for giraffes, and trying out new color schemes. It would look bangin' in a kid's room or a Rainforest Cafe-type restaurant, I think. Don't you?

price: $525

Abstract with Mirrors: New Painting

This is the painting I forgot to post when I finished it about a month ago. It's entitled "Beneath the City," and is valued at $400. It's a 16"x 20" acrylic/mixed media on canvas. The silver parts are shattered mirrors, which I have been experimenting with for a little while.

It took a couple months to finish, and is inspired by the works of Brandon Boyd (of the band INCUBUS) and Morris Bennett, a local artist. You can see some of his works at http://www.morrisbennett.com .


EDIT 7.29.2009: This painting has been sold and is no longer available.

Dabbling in Interior Decorating

In an effort to help my parents out while I'm living at home and looking for a real job, I've started working on updating certain rooms in the house. We live in a two-story country home, and my mother is into the burnt siena/gold/sage green color scheme. The room that I've spent the most time on thus far is the dining room, which was done in two shades of a golden yellow, separated by a chair rail. Here is a shot of the overall effect:


My father and I worked on the painting of this room together. Beneath the chair rail, we did a solid gold (shoutout to that old show, lol), and then above it, we painted a lighter gold, then let it dry. After that, we grabbed old rags, squished them around in the gold paint bucket, and pressed them onto the wall over and over to create a beautiful rustic, antique look.

Afterwards, I was given the task of finding some frames for reproductions that we had done of old photographs given to us by my grandmother. They are of our relatives on my father's side, and they are all black and white. I went to Michael's (http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home) and found some beautiful, vintage-looking frames, spent around $90 on frames and matting, and put them up on the wall. This really added to the rustic, familiar appearance of the room.

The final touch was inspired by a great bowl my mother had found at a local housewares store. I created a bouquet of faux flowers by using styrofoam blocks as an anchor in the bowl and Spanish moss to hide the foam from sight. I carefully picked out all the flowers to stick with the basic color scheme...and as a result, spent wayyyy too much time in the store (as usual). It's the first bouquet I've ever made.
I have to tell you, though, it would look a lot better if my cat didn't continually chew up the plastic grass. I've already replaced it three times, and have pretty much given up on trying to keep him away from it.