. . . Art by Jamie Lutz . . .

Never Believed In Angels Anyway

2011-10-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

"Never Believed In Angels Anyway"

Acrylic on canvas

24"x36"

This was painted entirely with my hands/fingers (no brushes!) in a middle-of-the-night burst of inspiration. Over the past few months several people close to me have lost people close to them and I'd been thinking a lot about the relationship between legacy, mortality, and metamorphosis. There are actual, literal tears mixed with the paint in this piece.

Original fine art by Vancouver, Washington based artist Jamie Lutz Carroll. Buy acrylic paintings, ink and gouache illustrations, limited edition archival prints, and custom and commissioned artwork.

She Just Went For A Walk

2011-10-18T20:41:00.000-07:00

"She Just Went For A Walk"

Acrylic on canvas

36"x24"

Original fine art by Vancouver, Washington based artist Jamie Lutz Carroll. Buy acrylic paintings, ink and gouache illustrations, limited edition archival prints, and custom and commissioned artwork.

All Stitched Up With Nowhere To Go

2011-10-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

"All Stitched Up With Nowhere To Go"

Acrylic on canvas

20"x16"

Expressionism Experiment

2011-09-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

I've been working through a self-guided course in Expressive Drawing. This is basically glorified scribbling which, easy as it sounds, can be rather difficult. Especially for a control freak like me. But that's exactly why I've been doing it: to shed a bit of my control-freakishness and grow as a person and artist. As soon as I started doing the drawings, I knew I wanted to do some expressive painting.

I got together with a friend who mixes dubstep in his garage (huge shop, really) to do this experiment because it had the right kind of atmosphere for me to get in the expressive zone: dark, loud music, lots of space, able to get messy... All the things my regular painting space isn't. Here's what came out of that night:

"Sanctuary"

Acrylic on canvas, 48"x36"

"Shadows And Light"

Acrylic on fabric, 30"x30" (appx)

I always listen to music when I paint, but it was so different being there. There was no detachment; the music was as much a part of what I was doing as the paint, or the oxygen I was breathing for that matter. I swear I could have filled eight canvases with the creative energy I was feeling in that environment. Which just means I'll have to do it again sometime - and bring more canvases!

Original fine art by Vancouver, Washington based artist Jamie Lutz Carroll. Buy acrylic paintings, ink and gouache illustrations, limited edition archival prints, and custom and commissioned artwork.

Andromeda

2011-09-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

"Andromeda"

Acrylic on canvas, 16"x20"

One To Remember

2011-09-07T16:16:00.000-07:00

"One To Remember"

Acrylic on canvas, 20"x16"

Okay, But Just My Stockings

2011-09-06T16:10:00.000-07:00

"Okay, But Just My Stockings"

Acrylic on canvas, 16"x20"

Saddles

2011-08-31T16:31:00.000-07:00

"Saddles"

Acrylic on canvas, 12"x12"

I found a box in my mom's basement that had a bunch of my grandma's things, among them were her high school yearbooks dating back to the late 40s. I spent a good chunk of my evening looking through those books and wishing I had a time machine so I could do some clothes shopping. ;-) I figured the next best thing was to paint one of my favorite styles from that era: saddle shoes!

Blossoming

2011-08-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

"Blossoming"

Acrylic on canvas, 16"x20"

That Summer Night That Wasn't

2011-08-31T16:21:00.000-07:00

"That Summer Night That Wasn't"

Acrylic on canvas, 20"x16"

Faces 1 - 2 - 3

2011-08-24T16:40:00.000-07:00

"Faces 1 - 2 - 3"

India ink on cold press paper

4"x4" each

Time For Takeoff

2011-08-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

"Time For Takeoff"

Acrylic on stretched canvas, 12"x12"

Inspired by a photo of my sister on her wedding day.

Abstract Self Portrait #1

2011-08-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

Abstract Self Portrait #1

8x10, acrylic on canvas board

I spent last week teaching an "Art Exploration" summer camp to a group of ten kids aged 8-16. I had planned to do a still life for our painting segment but, being a hater of still lifes, I decided at the last minute to do abstract self portraits instead. So much more fun! I had never actually done one, however, so my teaching demo was also my learning project. I ended up with this which I actually kind of like! And it was FUN! Thinking I might do a little series of abstract portraits now and see what comes out of it...

Original fine art by Vancouver, Washington based artist Jamie Lutz Carroll. Buy acrylic paintings, ink and gouache illustrations, limited edition archival prints, and custom and commissioned artwork.

Art in the Heart

2011-08-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

Everyone in the arts community in Vancouver, WA has been busy, busy, busy preparing for this annual event - including me! About 8 blocks through downtown will be closed to traffic and filled with artist booths, art demonstrations, live music, poetry & spoken word, a "wearable art" fashion show, and a 1967 Chrysler Imperial Crown entirely covered in yarn. I'll be in and around Gallery 360 for most of the night where my paintings Alone Again, Girl With Yellow Flowers, and Blossoming are on display. And last but not least... giant props to Bryan Helfrich of Open Theory for the fantastic poster design!

Sometimes a Subject

2011-07-31T17:32:00.000-07:00

The vast majority of my paintings come from photographs. Some old, some new, some recognizably copied, some just the spark of an idea. None from photographs I've taken because if there's one thing I'm not, it's a photographer. I do however have a friend who is a photographer and we just collaborated on our second shoot! And by "collaborated" I mean I pretend to be a model and try not to laugh and feel self-conscious while he points lights and cameras at me. ;-)

Here's a glimpse of what we did last week. (See more on Daniel Wickwire's website here. Don't forget to look at his other albums while you're there!)

This one is my favorite of the bunch! It was unintentionally blurry, but we both loved the effect made by being out of focus. The haziness of the figure makes it seem like she's maybe not really there or a captured memory somehow caught on film. I'm using some of the shots as fodder for paintings and there's a good chance you'll see this one on canvas soon.

I put these images together because I thought it was interesting how a miniscule difference in angle made such a huge difference in the finished shot. I love the sort of angry/creepy vibe of the straight-on stare in the one on the left. And really, really love the sense of mystery from the shadowed eyes in the one on the right.

And here's what was going on in between shots... The road was surprisingly busy late at night and I kept having to run to the side to avoid becoming one with a moving vehicle, look nonchalant so no one would stop and try to "help" me, then run back to the middle and quickly get back into character until another car came. Dan was up on an overpass out of sight so to passers-by I just looked like a crazy woman out for a stroll in her nightgown with no shoes. It was actually pretty damn funny!

(Low resolution images used to protect copyright. All images copyright of Daniel Wickwire. Used with permission.)

Original fine art by Vancouver, Washington based artist Jamie Lutz Carroll. Buy acrylic paintings, ink and gouache illustrations, limited edition archival prints, and custom and commissioned artwork.

Spectator

2011-07-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

"Spectator"

Acrylic on wood panel, 10x12.5

As soon as cameras were invented people began using them to take pictures of nude women which were, of course, deemed pornographic and illegal. The way around that was to call them "tools" for artists so they could work without live models. Thankfully, many of these "tools" have survived the years and, thanks to the magic of the internet, are readily available. Lemme tell ya, those naughty Victorians can make a good girl blush! ;-)

Original fine art by Vancouver, Washington based artist Jamie Lutz Carroll. Buy acrylic paintings, ink and gouache illustrations, limited edition archival prints, and custom and commissioned artwork.

Sweet Spot

2011-07-14T16:42:00.000-07:00

"Sweet Spot"

Acrylic on canvas, 12x12

This is the portion of the human body that most distinctly differentiates women from their male counterparts, both on the outside and what goes on inside. It's also the part that women seem to be most insecure about. Too big, too small, too curvy, not curvy enough... Whatever! The sweet spot is so beautiful, so uniquely woman, that it should celebrated!

Original fine art by Vancouver, Washington based artist Jamie Lutz Carroll. Buy acrylic paintings, ink and gouache illustrations, limited edition archival prints, and custom and commissioned artwork.

Night Rider

2011-07-11T14:41:00.000-07:00

"Night Rider"

Acrylic on stretched canvas, 16x20

Several months ago I was invited to submit work to a bike themed show at a local gallery. Though I had never before painted anything involving a bicycle, I decided to challenge myself to do it. The resulting painting (see it here) is very much a portrait of the relationship between the rider and the bike. I had so much fun with the challenge, I decided to do a second one using the same composition but changing everything else. Where the first was subdued, almost like a memory from years gone by, this version is stark and active, as though the bike has gone from an object of leisure to one of safety and necessity. It's so interesting to see how a simple change of color and brushstroke can tell a completely different story!

The Passenger

2011-07-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

"The Passenger"

Acrylic on velveteen matte board, 12x9

I have always loved the style of pastel portraiture that had a relatively brief popularity in the middle of the 20th century. I found a few pieces of scrap matte board with a velvet-like finish and for some reason got the notion that painting on that might result in the sort of soft, slightly abstracted finish of pastels. I used colors popular in that era to add to the mid-century feel. Her expression and body positioning make me think of long travels by train; staring out the window at quickly-passing countryside, thoughts spinning nearly as fast as the train wheels. Another fun experiment that turned out well!

New Sketch... Can't Wait to Paint!

2011-06-22T22:13:00.000-07:00

We are moving so I've pretty much had to trade my painting time for packing time lately. It's driving me absolutely bonkers! I did this sketch last night and really like the direction it's going in so someday very soon (knock on wood!) it will be painted. I can't wait - I'm done with this moving nonsense!

Sneak Preview: This Is The Life

2011-06-07T22:51:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I got started on a painting entitled "This Is The Life". It's quite large - 36"x48" - and will take awhile to finish, especially since we're moving and I've had to trade painting time for packing time. Ugh. So I thought I'd share a little sneak preview. Don't adjust your screen, that is indeed a baby making a rare appearance. I am sooooo looking forward to having some painting time again!

Original fine art by Vancouver, Washington based artist Jamie Lutz Carroll. Buy acrylic paintings, ink and gouache illustrations, limited edition archival prints, and custom and commissioned artwork.

A Girl And Her Bike

2011-05-19T23:49:00.000-07:00

"A Girl And Her Bike"

16x20, Acrylic on canvas

The sun has been shining intermittently lately, and some days could actually be described as warm.
Huzzah for SPRING! I've even ridden my bike a few times. And you know what they say... Art imitates life. Except my bike is red. And I ride with sneakers. But you get the idea...

Bittersweet Departure

2011-05-18T00:25:00.000-07:00

"Bittersweet Departure"

24.5"x24.5", acrylic on hand-stretched linen

Girl With Yellow Flowers

2011-05-10T21:33:00.000-07:00

"Girl With Yellow Flowers"

12x12, acrylic on wood panel

Most Comfortable

2011-05-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

"Most Comfortable"

16x20, acrylic on canvas