Sugarbaker - Art Journeys by Amelia Island Artist

Shifting gears

2011-07-04T16:55:00.000-04:00

What a difference a few months can make! In the classes and workshops I've attended over the past four years, I always learned something new, but often left feeling that I was missing something. Teachers prescribe color palettes, mediums, painting supports and brushes but few tell you "why." I learned at an early age that I am a kinesthetic learner - meaning I need a multi-modality approach and

The Meaning of the Giving Season

2010-12-02T01:05:00.000-05:00

I put out an announcement a couple of weeks ago that I was booked fully for christmas dog portrait commissions and since then, have been getting inquires from people who are desperate to get a dog or cat who has recently passed away painted. Given that I have about 8 working days left to work on any new commissions, I am clearing the decks for these people. You know, the pain of grief for a pet

Overcoming the Fear of Mud

2010-11-10T23:30:00.000-05:00

Today I was talking with a mentor/coach friend of mine about my fear of mud. For those not in the art world, mud is what happens when paint commingles unintentionally when I forget to clean my brush in between color use or forgo prescribed palette hygiene and actually take the time to clean it more often than I should. The resulting color seems to end up in my painting, creating a growing duller

You Can Do "The Secret Squint" in Photoshop

2010-10-21T17:07:00.000-04:00

Richard Schmid professes that there is a "secret squint" - something you can do when you are looking at a subject to paint that will help you see the light and shadows in your composition. I've practiced this technique, and while it does seem to work, at my age, all I'm doing is getting wrinkles! While juggling oil painting with digital dog commissions this week, it dawned on me that Photoshop

Everything I Know About Painting

2010-10-13T11:38:00.001-04:00

I am reading a great book right now called "Alla Prima - Everything I Know About Painting" by Richard Schmid. I heard about it from my art teacher Ann, from Lavender Hill Studios in London who I had the opportunity to study with two days while floating down the Thames River this past August. I like to ask art teachers about their number one recommendation for me based on our time together and

Back to Painting Again

2010-09-17T22:59:00.001-04:00

After a very busy summer, I am finally back to painting. I started a new painting today. It is my sister Allison's dog Elke, a Norweigan Elk Hound who was shot between the eyes and is now blind....but she still appreciates her brother kitty, Dante. I only blocked in an underpainting...Now I am ready to roll on the actual fun painting part. I am excited about this one. I am almost

So What is Art

2010-07-09T12:46:00.000-04:00

Part of my journey as an artist is discovering the meaning of art - what it is and what it means. One of my favorite sayings is "perception is reality" so when I saw this video about "What is Art" it hit home that there are really as many views as there are people. I particularly like the part about one person's view that a monkey throwing poo is art. I guess that includes chimpanzees....(see

Eddie has new home in LA

2010-06-30T20:30:00.003-04:00

Eddie, one of my favorite dog paintings, sold today in my studio to a couple visiting from LA. Of all the dogs I've done, Eddie was a favorite. Being 38" x 38" it really stood out on my doggie wall and people often said "He reminds me of our dog." Which reminds me, people here on vacation often wonder how they can take one back home, especially one so large. I do all my oil paintings on

Survived my First Art Exhibit

2010-06-20T15:33:00.000-04:00

I've been painting for three years now and since having leased a studio in the Blue Door Artists I have begged off being one of the featured monthly artists each of my first two years. I was actually ill one year -- a convenient excuse I might add, but not one I'd like to relive. For those who don't know me well, I hate deadlines. It destroys the creative process. So this year, after having an

Painting Dogs

2010-02-05T01:18:00.001-05:00

I've been painting dogs for the past year. I took a dog and people painting class and haven't looked back. I am really excited about my new series and in fact, will have an opening soon with another artist, Georganna Mullis in our studio in May. It will be called "Mad Dogs and Alley Cats." I am painting around 25 dogs and so is she and we're about half way there. I am going to share with you the

My Nephew Kyle - A Soul Emerging

2009-11-06T03:24:00.004-05:00

I found out that my nephew Kyle Nugent was learning to paint earlier this year. I've always known Kyle to be a fantastic writer and poet, something he inherited from my mom. They shared the talent of prose and it was a joy to read their work. But now, I have delightfully discovered his talents in Art. He is currently preparing for an Art Show for the Voodoo Festival in New Orleans and has been

Stretching

2009-09-21T00:05:00.001-04:00

I was admiring my dog, Seamus tonight. He was so relaxed, and kicked his heels out - stretching as far as his limbs would take him to a final point of total ecstasy....scratching his claws on the carpet as if to say, this is mine forever more. I love that animals remind us of the simpler life...the one we might lead as if we were them. I would in fact, stretch out every morning and lick my

Back on Painting Time

2009-09-07T01:28:00.000-04:00

The past few months have been slow going in the painting part of my life - seems it has taken a back seat to my regular (bread on the table) work., I finished a couple of paintings this summer but they seemed to take painstakingly long - Between a trip to Australia, then friends visiting for 2 weeks at our house, then emerging from each with much to do to reorganize from them, it takes a lot to

I want to know

2009-08-09T00:25:00.002-04:00

I put a message to facebook the other day to call all angels. I am now putting it out on my blog. It is true. I am dealing with some upcoming negotiations in my life that are interesting to say the least, but they are really weird.I have never liked negotiations; it always seems like someone is out to screw the other one at any cost...well, except me... I don't do that.I am going to trust in my

2009-07-04T00:02:00.002-04:00

I got a call and a letter recently from a wonderful woman who bought a painting of mine. She seemed rather distressed that I hadn't included enough information on the back of my painting in terms of who I was and where I was from. She was, after all going to give it to her husband and it reminded him of his children on the beach when they were growing up.What a lovely request I thought. I am

Rules: Don't let the canvas show ?#$%@*

2009-07-02T20:51:00.002-04:00

So --- here I am getting my hair cut today by my dear friend sugarbaker Gina and she says that she got some input about my paintings from another friend (who I adore and love her work). The input was that some people don't realize that you shouldn't show any canvas behind your work. I struggled to find the open space on my canvas and was so hard pressed to see it - I had to put on my glasses.Okay

Loose: What is all the hurry about?

2009-06-23T18:42:00.005-04:00

I've subscribed to various art-related updates from vendors on the internet so I can keep current with their offers. One came in today that said "Stay loose - Clean up your edges." I find that statement a bit confining and ill-putting. I mean, who are they to decide what "loose" is? And why have many people associated being "loose" with finishing a painting AS FAST AS YOU CAN. Why does it bother

Magdalene's Gifts of Creation Kindness

2009-06-18T14:03:00.009-04:00

I have been awarded my first blog award! What a lovely surprise from my new friend Magdalene Rose Lima - Fuellos (gotta love that name!) who I met in my studio a few weeks ago. Thank you for choosing me.Please visit her blog and her Etsy shop . She does lovely work. My favorite of hers is her depiction of the beach after visiting Amelia Island which is this one. She has been following two blogs

2009-06-12T01:06:00.004-04:00

I want to talk about two things today. One is about my wanting to be Elizabeth Montgomery in Bewitched and the other is about the beauty of the moon.When I woke up this morning, I was really slow, which is not surprising to those who know me. I normally get my groove on about 10 or so after having 2 cups of coffee and entertaining my working partners in getting a few things done. Do you ever

Mercury in Retrograde

2009-06-04T23:09:00.003-04:00

I have a love hate relationship with mercury in retrograde. My cell or home phone, computer or automobile always goes awry. I lose my keys, forget passwords more than usual, and I seem to have funny communications with friends and business acquaintances. In some parts of Mercury in Retro, I actually benefit. Like this time. I have had a horrid week with communications; my laptop link went out for

2009-06-02T22:08:00.002-04:00

What a few days! I worked today, pretty stressed out with a lot work coming in (why is it that June 1st triggers something and people look for you...it must be new budgets or something?). Anyway, feeling good about the $$$ part of the new work came with the same feeling of dread. Do I want to do THAT. WHY not THIS (painting). I would much rather be painting! John even said, "honey -- turn DOWN

2009-06-01T18:10:00.000-04:00

I sold a painting - I think it was Friday or something. I wasn't at the studio so it was a nice surprise to find a little credit card slip tucked away. It was the one "In Sync" of two boys on the beach. This is it. It was a small one 8 x 10. It is fun to sell my work, but it is weird. There is almost a feeling of loss when I sell something. Why is that? You'd think I'd be just happy - and I am -

2009-05-31T21:33:00.001-04:00

I've had a great time the past few days. I've entered my first "Art Nouveaux" thingy at the artist co-op here and I've finished two other paintings and continued on another.The art nouveaux deal is a bi-monthly affair which I have been hesitant about - given my "virgin" status as an artist.Driven largely by my friends, I decided to enter this one, so very unsure about myself. Here I go again. I

2009-05-28T21:00:00.001-04:00

I am finishing up my artist website. I am very excited to FINALLY publish it, hopefully this evening. It will be at http://www.ameliaislandartist.com/Anyway, when I work, I take breaks and cruise the net. I came across this awesome poem that was posted in another art blog. I thought I would share it. I thought it was pretty awesome and worth a post!Vincent van Gogh PoemI don't know who wrote this

2009-05-24T12:29:00.000-04:00

Originally, when I thought of doing a blog, I thought I would just do one for the artist side of me. I thought the two could truly be separated (the other being my business). As I awoke today, it came to me that it's useless to try to separate them..or me. My goal is to make them co-exist. And I think one part of me can learn from the other. An example of this is when I started painting, it took