Art By Erika

Behind the revolving door

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:32:00 +0000

It has entered my self-analysis oftentimes that I am sitting behind a revolving door. I have glimpses of creative surges but as far as my art ... and I guess my stamina, I am not as consistent as some of my contemporary artists. I assure you that having a Catholic upbringing has made it impossible for me to escape the self-torment over this!

One of the mechanisms I've developed to alleviate this issues is to seize some future opportunities that will make me work toward something artistically productive. Not 100% full proof but I try to keep the wheels turning one way or another...

One of those was this the sketchbook project I spoke of in November. I signed up to get me going through winter and through this big move into a smaller house. Of course it started slow (as expected). I had sketched the clutter around me from the move. Then I sketched Alice Walton, as I watched her live during the grand opening of the Crystal Bridges American Art Museum in 11-11-11. Then I gave up because I was sure I missed the deadline. But my dear friend Mark alerted me on Facebook that we had until January 31. That's when I turned to just sketching something -ANYTHING! Since as my other sketchbook colleague Hillary told me that the whole purpose was for us to create and chances of people browsing through our books at the Brooklyn Museum was slim hahahaha OK good and useful point! So I then, unbeknownst to them, decided to sketch some Facebook friends who are kind enough to interact with me on a regular basis. And here are a few of them :)

Above is my dear friend James who I hadn't seen for at least 3 years!!! But just like any good friend, when he came by yesterday, we were able to pick up our friendship like it was yesterday! What a wonderful blessing good friends are! Oh he never knew where I lived but the reason why he came by was to pick up my first portrait of the year.


"Guapo" 10x10 acrylics on canvas

This is James birthday gift for Kent. This was a successful "oil on wheel" that I had to do. Despite not being able to locate my proper art supplies. I did find a canvas I had previously gesso'd and some student elementary grade brushes that shed all the time which I had bought to teach art to children also 3 years ago. And I used acrylics instead of oils because they were in a shopping basket accessible for me to use!

The rough beginning which succeeded and thus the ice has been broken!

The other great news is my work can be found at 3 local galleries click on the name to like their respective Facebook pages thanks!

MaJesty Republic

Poor Richards Art Gallery

Wishing Spring Gallery

I have sold some pieces this year already so now I must kick things in gear get more organized in my new area so I can be functional!

Happy New Year!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 22:59:00 +0000

Click on image to see greetings

Please click on image to see my greetings to you all! Hope you're all being safe until I see you next time! Wishing you all the best that 2012 can offer you may you be prosperous, have good health, be surrounded with love and have lots of laughter in your year to keep you smiling! xoxox Erika

Hope Springs!

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:46:00 +0000

Today I received my sketchbook from Art House Co-op's Sketchbook Project 2012. This will be my latest attempt at creating art. With our continued effort to move and sell our previous home, we've been too busy and a bit stressed about the whole "downsizing" effort. So far all my art supplies are filling up the 2-car garage yikes! Yet I don't think I have an art room to speak of in our new (older) home. It does cause me to question if I want to continue being a visual artist! It takes so much supplies and space to do this unless I want to limit myself to small format or nothing bigger than 8x10 - then fork out the money to have everything custom framed. I just can't express myself well in those tight dimensions.

In the meantime we can only focus on what's here. That there's too much and there's only the two of us who will mostly have to sort through it. For now, I'll throw out a question to the universe if I really should pursue this thing called Fine Art or go explore a different creative outlet. For now, I will participate in this Sketchbook Project just to have a small string tethered to the fine artist in me. My theme is "Hope" :)

http://www.arthousecoop.com/users/artbyerika/artwork

Somewhere here is projected to be a space for my art creation. It's windowless and dark. I know this whole plan is good. I will keep a look out for more direction :)

By the way I am uploading some images for merchandising in my Zazzle store. They have a special until Nov. 6 for 50% on cards code:4EVERYMOMENT http://www.zazzle.com/artbyerika <--my Zazzle store :)

Featured Artist for September and latest art

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 03:37:00 +0000

We are still in packing mode for our selling and buying home project. It seems I've been packing mainly my art supplies and paintings for a million hours now and I'm not sure I've hit halfway yet :( It makes me really really REALLY wonder if I really want to be an artist HAHAHA!

However, I am keeping up with my artistic obligations as well. Last night I had to paint my 2 5x5 canvases for Art Center of the Ozarks's annual 5x5 auction fundraiser. I had lost track of deadline so I naturally resorted to acrylics. I have packed most of my accessories for this medium because I don't usually work with it. But thankfully, I can enjoy a very limited palette so when I got hold of my red, yellow, blue and white tubes, I know I had no worries. Also helpful were my Beste Duo brushes which I really hadn't played with until last night! They were perfectly handy to have except I couldn't figure out what end to soak in water! My solution was to paint very fast :D Used one of our dinner plates for mixing...I usually use an enameled pan.

"Isolated Peace" and "Purple Clumps" 5x5" acrylics on canvas

Above are the two finished pieces. I'm so happy I managed to paint them after packing all day and definitely exhausted! But it felt so good to have painted and to meet an obligation! My friend Mary picked them up first thing the next day to deliver 3 towns away from me. Thanks Mary!

Hey, I am honored to be one of 2 featured artists at Poor Richard's Art this month YAY!!! The other artist is Damon Chatterton, a wonderful polymer clay sculptor! I plan to be be there for the Twilight Walk come see me!!!

"Kathy" 8x10 watercolor on paper

Another success story I have to share is the completion of this tribute portrait of my very missed niece Kathy. This is a gift of mine to my sister Anna for her birthday next week - Happy Birthday sis! Enjoy Hawaii! I love you!

Daily Paintworks Happy Birthday Carol!

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 07:36:00 +0000

"Texture Crow 1" 5x7 watercolor on yupo paper

This is my contribution to DPW's "Happy Birthday Carol!" challenge. Some people say crows bring them fortune. I just like the drama that I feel inside me sometimes because they're black and they remind me of Hitchcock's movie of course.

I just want to let you know I'm pretty busy these days. My husband and I downsizing and hoping to sell our house and move. So please think positive and happy thoughts and send them to Northwest Arkansas :) Hope you're having a nice summer! Thanks so much for visiting my blog :D

Ok I'll also post my other new painting of strawberries. I love painting on yupo! Sometimes my current life events keep me from painting full sheet ones though :P

"Fresh Strawberries" 5x7 watercolor on yupo paper

A Sterling day for Starlings!

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 01:11:00 +0000

"Sterling Starlings" 20x26 watercolor on Yupo

This morning I received a call from a very excited lady who saw this painting hanging at one of the galleries currently exhibiting my work. She just had to have this for her office so she can look at it daily she said! She also wants to know what else I have. She promptly made arrangements to pick it up after our phone call :) Wow what wonderful way for an artist to start her day! For me it's better than Christmas since Christmas is not about me anyway ;)

I've been busy cooking up big plans in the background. Getting ready for September when I am one of two artists featured at Poor Richard's Art's for the month! :)

DPW flower and reflection challenges

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:36:00 +0000

Since I all my plans didn't quite work today, I was determined to at least get some painting done finally. So I braved the 98°. This challenge put forth by James Coulter on Daily Paintworks, instructed outdoor painting for an hour only. It was almost 10AM when I finally stepped out the door to paint my blackeyed Susans which were planted by my neighbor Shirley for me by the gazebo. They looked tired so I watered around first to give them a chance to perk up a little bit. After I carried everything I needed outside I realized I was using a different tripod/easel which was not compatible with my artbox. So I ended up just holding my artbox on my lap and proceeded to paint after I set my mobile phone timer to 60 minutes.

"Blackeyed Susan in 98° Heat" 12x9 oil on canvas

This next photo was the beginning and after that, 30 minutes later I had what I thought was gonna be the finished painting within an hour. But I actually feel pretty good about the painting after 50 minutes of working in the heat and the ants that made their way to under my sundress. I now realize one doesn't wear sundress plein air painting. But I enjoyed being outside, hearing soft movements among trees and ground from birds and other moving things. Butterflies visited the flowers but I didn't bother to paint them in. Of course I actually could have painted them since they were so wiped out by heat and were very thirsty. But my brushes wouldn't have done them justice. I still have 10 minutes I didn't use, I wonder if I should tweak a bit more? I finally got in the house after hauling everything back in at 1PM. Suffering for the love of painting outdoors is fun as long as I have air-conditioned house to come home to ;)

^^First stage of the painting^^

"Cherries and Cream Reflections" 2.5"x3.5" watercolor on paper

I painted this last week for the DPW Reflections challenge.

I am brave enough to report that I've failed my 30-day painting challenge. I had to forfeit because my dear artist neighbor Shirley sold their house and were moving to another state. I helped her for two weekends at her garage sale. She had given me artist furniture and other supplies and I had to make room for them in my art room. And since my art room was already busting at the seams, I had to move most things out so I could rearrange and sort through things. When I decide to organize, I try very hard not to just pile everything back in. I really sort.

Above is the new development. I moved my desk at the corner where I am now surrounded by windows on two sides. These pics are actually from last week.

This the artist furniture Shirley gave me. I had been DREAMING of having something like this! What a wonderful gift! :)

One view of the old pile. It doesn't look half this bad anymore. But my rotator cuff problem has flared up again. As I was painting today it reminded me of watching Serena Williams play tennis with a lot of grunting. But all I was trying to do was raise my hand up to my eye level. Hey, the painting looks pretty good though :)

Cat Nap and Rembrandt ACEO watercolor art

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:23:00 +0000

"Cat Nap" 16"x12" watercolor on paper

I do love sleeping paintings! Somehow they make me feel like I too have caught up on my rest! This painting will be delivered today to Poor Richard's Art in Rogers, Arkansas along with some prints. Recently they have sold a giclee on watercolor of my "Dreaming Sweet Dreams" and my original ACEO below.

"After Rembrandt Self Portrait 1659" 3.5"x2.5" watercolor on paper

This favorite ACEO I've painted was sold by Poor Richard's Art for $350.00! It's quite exciting for me because it breaks my old ACEO record of $250.00 for this small format art! Giddy and so grateful!!!

Here I wanted to show my "Bed Hair" ACEO along with my latest obsession the wasabi peas!!! I've been crunching and doing my 30 days of painting this summer. Hope you're all staying cool and doing outdoor fun stuff!

30-day painting challenge day #3

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 22:41:00 +0000

"Poppy Landscape" ACEO/ 3.5x2.5" watercolor on paper

Here is a website explaining ACEO click --> HERE

I am challenging myself to just paint daily for 30 days. I won't be painting a finished piece but I will paint something everyday which I don't do. Well some days I take pictures all day or read an art book or peruse art websites but those too get in the way of creating. So I painted this at 11:50PM last night lol But it was done at 12:30 - I love that panic button!!! This is a monthly challenged in Wetcanvas miniature group. I had never participated in any of that before, usually I just go to the image library.

This video prompted me to do the 30-day deal from email my brother and sister sent me. By the way this painting is day #3

http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html

DPW Old Mill and Tools challenges, etc.

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 02:35:00 +0000

"Neglected, but not Forgotten" 3.5x2.5 watercolor on paper

I'm surprised this painting fell together in an hour. I had an hour to produce something before I had to fix dinner but I still went ahead and grabbed a blank ACEO watercolor paper (btw a gift from a dear friend Barbara Ann Spencer Jump). She was kind enough to gift me a variety of watercolor papers in 2.5x3.5 format! This is equivalent to winning the raffle ticket for me because I can only cut trapezoids for some reason! Check out the submissions "Paint What You Paint With Challenge"

I felt SOOOO challenged by the DPW Old Mill challenge! It's not so much that the reference photo was low resolution and dreary. But I admit, I'm not a landscape artist and I'm especially not used to painting with a with a make-believe prettier picture in my head HAHAHA So I submitted anyway, such as it was....

"Solo Mio" 7x5 watercolor on paper

Finally, I took a picture of myself....rather, I happen to like this one picture I took recently of myself so I thought I'd paint it for the DPW All About Me challenge. I started painting it before Romel Delatorre workshop, but I think was a mistake not to finish what I had started before the workshop because I was simply dying to paint when I got back! It would have behooved me more to paint something on a blank canvas. My saturated brain was not ready to go backwards. So I'm disappointed in this painting. I'd like to start painting with more subtlety. We'll chalk this one up to painting while I'm in transition but I am sharing it here as starting point (fingers crossed). We'll see where I go from here :)

"Departure" oil on linen 6x6 inches

Umm here is the reference photo don't laugh! I am the only one allowed to laugh! Oh of course you can laugh! :D

4 days with Romel Delatorre workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 06:06:00 +0000

I discovered Romel Delatorre's art on Facebook. Aside from obviously being an outstanding figurative artist what struck me was the warmth he gives the fleshtone, his sense of light and just an understated very strong skills in painting and drawing figures. I eventually found out he also studied with an artist I admire Richard Schmid. Romel is a faculty member of Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts,and a multi award recipient and signature member of Portrait Society of America.

Here are some photos I took at the 4-day workshop last week. I always sat on the side to learn from watching the artist paint and photography is just secondary so these are not the best photos but I will add some of my notes as I go along. Be aware you can always click on my images to see bigger version!

Coordinator Brenda Laney was simply awesome with the whole thing. Mornings were 3 hours live demo and afternoons were 3 hours students painting from live models. There were 15 students and 4 models. We also had the best snacks and coffee kept flowing.

First Painting First Day

First Romel toned his linen canvas. Brushed on faint colors with turp and smeared it around with paper towel. He proceeded to draw a simple face with a brush.

Model

Face emerges

From simple drawing, and painting in the light and dark shapes of the face. He advises to paint what you see and keep your colors simple. On the first demo he used Anders Zorn’s palette (Cadmium Red, Yellow Ochre, Black and White).

3 hour demo

My first painting

I don't know why I was so tired. I think from packing and anticipation of the class. As a matter of fact Romel came up to me to point out I was painting on the back of the canvas HAHAHAHA! Then I should have realized I was just sitting too far from the model. My double vision was not happy with me but I was just not being aware of many things that afternoon!

Mom getting sun

Mom, who lives in OC, was at the last end of her visit when I dragged her to the workshop with me. I was SO LUCKY I did! I never would have made it through 4 days alone! All the oil painting equipment was too much for me to deal with! And the hotel was not really equipped for handicap needs. We ended up using a regular room because the handicap room had Wi-Fi that only worked if I sat in the hallway plus A/C was broken and the room didn't feel like a happy place for $72.00/night.

Rooms had no windows so I really missed the sun; we had to step out of the building to see outdoors. So I made sure Mom and I got our outdoor time daily. I made her walk around the hotel walking up and down outdoor stairs and walking briskly around the emptyish parking lot. Thank God I'm so blessed with a wonderful strong Mom I had to make sure she was being healthy while in the cave!!!!

I also learned plastic plants zap my lust for life lol The hotel was full of them! I will note the staff was accommodating and they have good breakfast buffet and really good chopped sirloin steak dinner and great coffee! :D

Plastic plants galore

Back to art.... 2nd day

Wiping

Romel toned his canvas, did about 4 brush lines and proceeded wiping out the light side of the face.

Simple shapes

Face emerges again!

With model

Final Painting 16x20

Second demo was full color. That is: Yellow ochre, Cadmium Yellow Deep, Alizarin Crimson, Transparent Oxide Red, Terra Rosa, Cobalt Blue, Ivory Black and Titanium white.

My 2nd painting

I tend to see too many colors which is good for watercolors. I was really struggling with all the different lights I was seeing.

Third and fourth day were extended painting from same seating.

Toned, drew and wiped

Simple abstract shapes for guide

A beautiful face emerges and wonderful likeness

A few of us have painted from model Rachel at this point and we've all struggled with her light complexion and light hair. Of course Romel didn't. He reminded us to paint what we see, not what we think.

My 3rd painting

My painting started so slow...well it is 18x24. I decided to paint a couple more hours in the bedroom after the class session.

Last day was painting supporting parts of the face...

2nd day same set up

Paint a hand in or both before model goes on break because she will not capture the same hand positions again!


Beautiful!


Some palette knife details

The last pic I took

I didn't get a chance to photograph the final painting. It was lunch break and I wanted to get done eating so I could paint in the background on my piece. I didn't realize the painting was sold after the last demo and the student who bought it had to get started on the long drive home so the painting wasn't around for photography after lunch. Just take my word for it, it was gorgeous! I'm happy for my friend who owns it now :)

Shaping up nicely

Mom, painting and Joe Kelly

About an hour before class ended I decided to pack it up. It was Friday and Mom has a vertigo like condition that makes things very unpleasant for her in traffic. And I determined whatever I had to accomplish with my painting was going to take more than an hour.

I needed a whole month more with Romel watching him paint so my thinking, my eyes and reflexes can truly grasp as much as I wanted to. He was a wonderful teacher. I don't take much workshop because it's usually not in my budget and I feel guilty that I have a college degree so I should have enough art education for a lifetime! But I've heard a common complaint about workshop teachers not giving attention to individual students. Not in Romel's case. He took the time for us. He'd stand behind a student watch how the person works and Romel determines the best immediate advise to give at this point.

For instance he asked me to warm up the light side. He stood next to me as I mixed my batch and he watched me brush it on the canvas. He then instructed me to make my own orange instead of using the cad yellow deep. And again I mixed my batch and he'd wait for me to brush it on and he stood next to me until we reached a good solution. This made me very nervous HAHAHA but I appreciated that he wasn't just barking orders and walking away as if he just needed to throw me orders so he can leave and move on to another student. Yes, he did same when I was painting on the wrong side of the linen canvas. He stood next to me until he saw me painting on the primed side HAHAHA Oh my garsh was that embarrassing! I had worked with Claessens linen roll before and should have known better!!!

How much did I learn from Romel Delatorre? A whole lot more than I realize. And I know it will creep into my routine if I simply keep painting! YAY me for saving up for this workshop and taking Mom along! Brenda did such a cool workshop with daily giveaways I felt like I was in an Oprah show :D I got Claessens linen canvas samples, viewfinder, value scale, and a fresh tube of Cadmium red!

Morning demo set up

Some students setting up in their corner

Romel had some studies he brought to sell plus his demo pieces

Most of these sold. I REALLY wanted the #3 piece!

The happy students (most of us), Romel and models copyright photo by Romel Delatorre

Asleep by the window for DPW may 28 Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 18:41:00 +0000

"Afternoon Delight" 16x20 oil on canvas

When friends and relatives, especially my Mom, come to visit us, I somehow manage to involve them in my "projects". Currently, Mom is visiting us for a few weeks and I thought it was great opportunity to paint from a live model! Daily Paintworks has a current challenge for "outside your window". So I sort of incorporated the concept to a painting I've been wanting to do which is a room, a window, and sleeping person. I love paintings of sleeping people probably because I seem to eternally lack sleep or rest. Thanks Mom for being a good sport! We artists have to be super grateful to anybody who would subject themselves to keeping the same position for hours and days!

Drawing

blocking in colors

more coloring

By the way, the wall decorations came with the house lol My husband and I prefer plain actually.

Tea and Peonies plus DPW May 21 Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Wed, 25 May 2011 20:06:00 +0000

"Tea with Nancee's Peonies"

12x16 oil on canvas

I don't know either. I shake my head at myself often because of how I go about things! I painted a dark ground on a 12x16 canvas about 2 years ago (an insane value 6,I think). I prefer painting portraits emerging from a dark background and I seem to remember I meant to paint a self portrait on it...but things come up and that's when my art plans get set aside.

Anyway, I got tired of looking at it where it might get punctured at some point so I just grabbed it and decided to set up a still life with peony cuttings from my neighbor's rich garden. She was in China for two weeks and right before she left she told me I could have all the peonies I wanted! Believe me, I've been indeed enjoying them! They are a pleasure to look at, to touch and they have a light scent about them. Heaven would have peonies! I've also been trying to paint them but visually I get so challenged I think due to my double vision that I get overwhelmed so a freeze.

Side note...I recently saw a youtube video about an autistic young woman who learned to communicate by computer because communicating directly with people is very distracting to her. She says she gets overstimulated visually and audibly so it makes her nuts. This is how I feel about anyhing that seems too much. I do have double vision but I also seem to get overstimulated by things that it's like looking through shattered glass. This is why I have to be blasted with light to when I'm trying to see something. I don't deal with email and bills well either - but that's not unusual is it? But actually the shortcut to it all is taking Excedrin which seems to smooth my focus together. However I don't let myself get dependent; it's been 3 months since I took one. But when I desperately need to meet a deadline, I do give in. Ooookay!

Anyway, looks like I succeeded (to my satisfaction) and I've actually utilized the faithful canvas that stayed in shape for me waiting to be painted on for two years! I'm grateful :)

The scary Dark Ages, I had to paint with Cadmium red light to see my markings.

Beginning to take shape *whew*

Ahh yes, I was definitely beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel! You wonder how I see with that big floppy hat lol The light puts glare on my glasses and I get headache from baseball cap so I like to use something I hardly feel is on my head.

Self Portriat

6x6 oil on linen

This is the value challenge from DPW. Sometimes I do underpaint with umber, white and ivory black but the challenge only allowed for umber. It was VERY uncomfortable!! But I will forge forward and finish this portrait in color (because my Mom, who will be visiting starting Sunday, especially requested). And I will also make it look more like me promise!

DPW Week May 7 Vegetable Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Thu, 12 May 2011 01:14:00 +0000

"Tired Peony and its Vegetable Friends" 10x6 watercolors

This week's Daily Paintworks challenge is to paint vegetables from life. I wasn't sure how I'd like the challenge, especially using watercolors. I tend to think in oils when I consider painting still life. But I think the rich color transitions made this project fun.

Lately I've been feeling like my stamina is being rationed. I'd basically think about setting up a still life for painting and before I know it, I'm exhausted just running around gathering objects! Sometimes I get tired just thinking about what objects I want to use! Maybe it's because it's spring time. I always suffer stimulation overload in the spring because of all the flowers I want to paint and the pressure of them fading soon if I don't save a block of time to paint them! Then torment myself with the feeling I don't know how to paint flowers. It's a laughable situation but a real torture sometimes! So there you go, a tired peony and its vegetable friends! I was tempted to paint a person for the peony's friend but I didn't. So I hope I get humanitarian points for that ;)

Art Scholars and Scholarship Awardees

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Wed, 11 May 2011 06:02:00 +0000

Scholarship Award Ceremony Photo by Dustie Meads

Today I had the wonderful honor of awarding two very deserving senior high school students with hefty $6,000.00 each art scholarship to help them with in their 4-year art education in college. The scholarships are given annually by the local art club that I belong to which is the Village Art Club. This was my 2nd year as a part of this committee that interviewed the applicants and encouraged each to give some sort of a presentation. The committee, headed by Dustie Meads, was extremely pleased to meet such outstanding aspiring art students! They all averaged A's and B's and in the Honor Society.

For some reason the two recipients still managed to stand out even among a batch of outstanding students! How they won us over were the quality of art they showed, their skill level, their attitude and their grades showed a sense of consistency. We also casually asked for their sketch books. The ones that stand out (for some reason) have VERY IMPRESSIVE sketchbooks with endless pages full of their ideas etc. These two young people are off to a wonderful start; both have been accepted in their college choices! And in order for them to keep receiving a scholarship check from us (which eventually total 6k in 4 years), they have to maintain 2.6 GPA and have to make annual presentations at an art club meeting. I sure wish these bright-eyed very excited students the best that the industry can offer! I hope our screening method has given them a good introductory taste of what life will be like. I look forward to seeing them again and their progress :)

Meanwhile, Erika the former scholarship recipient and college grad painted by her sink HAHAHAHA Yes, I feel funny sending those kids to college and here I am painting a 4"x6" painting by the kitchen sink. But I wanted to seize the couple hours for painting time and still get some gratification.

Here is the dinky little finished product behind the model, and some medium and extra large other finished products hanging on the other wall. I really wish I didn't enjoy oils as much as watercolors. I end up not painting because I get so trapped and burn some brain wires due to all that conflict! I did do an oil self portrait for the DPW but I'll show it after I also do a watercolor.

Kokeshi Doll DPW 10-minute painting challenge!

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:20:00 +0000

"Kokeshi 10"

12"x9" oil on canvas sold

I couldn't help but admire the submissions to Carol Marine's DPW challenge to painting a small painting for 10 minutes and do it 8x. I haven't been to the store due to inclement weather we've been having in Northwest Arkansas, but I wanted to paint something red. So this is why I chose my nodding kokeshi (Japanese wooden doll) for my subject.

Above was the first half. I am left handed so I had to start at the bottom right. The 2 hours I allotted for the process didn't work out because I had phones calls which I ignored, and a neighbor dropped in on me which I didn't ignore. Then I had to run to an appointment! So I finished the rest when I got back. I found I was more effective when I wasn't so rushed and overwhelmed by time. So I took a short break after each rectangle to finish the rest of the painting and told myself I was approaching the canvas for the first time :) Cleaning the brush to dip into another color was the worst part of it because it took over a minute sometimes! I was happy that some of my watercoloring habits did help me paint it :)

Had a productive birthday! :)

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 08:02:00 +0000

"Friendly Play on a Sunny Day"

11x12 watercolor on paper

A couple hours ago I celebrated the anniversary of my 29th birthday :) The week has been busy with my appointments and with storms and tornado warnings so there was no point in making definite plans to go out. My husband had an bit of emergency work to do for the morning but he hurried home to cook us a nice brunch which allowed me to keep on painting for a change! It's been a busy week with not enough time for focused painting so I was pleased to stay home :)

"Thanksgiving Orchid"

ACEO 2.5"x3.5" watercolor on paper

This piece was also some sort of a celebration - a new bloom from my orchid Scott bought me last Thanksgiving! I was both cheering the new bloom and the fact I've kept the plant alive this long! I was painting from life,so with the orchid sitting under a light it had completely opened up by the time I finished the painting!

I received tons of birthday greetings on Facebook so I was very flattered and happy that over 120 people took the time to greet me especially with the holidays and families getting together this week!

Happy Passover and Happy Easter to my friends and readers!

Cloud lesson from Ann Templeton and Abstract art

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 23:20:00 +0000

"Multi-level Cloud" 12x16 oil on canvas

According to the weather forecast we're REALLY about to have some bad weather this evening! You'll know if I survived if/when I post again!

I'm enjoying once again putting into practice lessons from Ann Templeton on myarttutor.com. This is literally my first sky painting and I'm surprised that I like it! I painted this after one of my cloud photos, and if you're my Facebook friend, you know I'm an avid cloud photographer!

I can't forget one flight back from California. I was in a shuttle plane. We were entering a cloudy section and i was so in awe to be in the middle of a multi-level cloud formation! Gigantic clouds! If it were a skyscraper, I was on the third floor or some mid level because I could see levels of clouds beneath us and above us with sunlight filtering in and out hitting what seem to be solid walls of clouds. It's the closest I'll ever get to flying among them :)

"Wheels of Life" 4'x5' acrylics on canvas

I attended an art meeting yesterday and I was delighted to see my painting hung so proudly by the art director! This must be the only abstract art I have "in public view" HAHAHA I love the freedom, texture and dimension I can embrace with abstract art. I grew up admiring my dear brother in law, Raul G. Isidro's work. He is very successful in Asia, especially in the Philippines. I'm sure you'd easily see the influence! Now I'm sorry I played with dolls and toy guns as a kid instead of sitting in his studio watching him work! If I only knew what amazing resources I had within my reach I would have changed so much! But because of him I was painting at age 6 and drawing real life drawing models at 15 among college students because he was the dean of Fine Arts :)

Detail of "Wheels of Life" click on image

Go ahead! You know you want to ask if I ran over the canvas! :D

DPW Chicken and ACEO still life

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 04:10:00 +0000

"Puck Puck Puck" SOLD
9x12 watercolor on paper

This week's Daily Paintwork's challenge was brought to us by Carol Marine. The challenge was simply to paint the photo of the chicken she provided or use our own reference. I chose her photo because I felt like dealing with the challenge of painting something white.

These next ones are ACEO

"Simply Iris" 2.5x3.5 inches watercolor on paper

Usually after I paint my small format art like the ACEO, I like to press the painting between two pieces of wood overnight. I painted the sunflowers the other night... just to seize the day and before the flowers was about to be offered to the birds. As I was supposed about to press it, I was surprised by the iris painting I had in between the woods. I think it's been at least 2 years...probably more.

"Sunflowers" 2.5x3.5 inches watercolor on paper

I think I enjoyed painting this looser piece. Painting tight was probably what made me stop painting them before!

I have been redesigning my blog. I hope to get done with it soon because it sure eats up my art time!

Poor Richard's Art makes 2nd gallery for me!

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:13:00 +0000

For many years I've considered applying to be a member of Poor Richard's Art in Rogers, AR, because it seems like such a cool place with its eclectic selection of artists and fine arts and crafts. But something always delayed me. For instance, I missed a flight home from a Cancun vacation last year so I couldn't make the meeting with their Artist Selection Committee. But this year, I visited the shop again and I was particularly impressed and very eager in pursuing showing there. So I made another appointment and met with a the panel last Saturday of March. Thursday I received email from committee chairperson Erin Neal (innovative mosaic artist) that I was indeed accepted!!! YAY!

Do click the above image which will take you to a cool artist page fellow PRA (Poor Richard's Art) artist Dave Clark (very unique abstract artist) made for me on the PRA website.

I matted and framed my latest piece so it is one of the paintings I dropped off yesterday. A wonderful jewelry artist and my good friend Mary Stewart was kind enough to drive me. Then we stopped a few doors up to Iron Horse Coffee Co. for a little coffee clutching :)

Jan Ironside and Erika Nelson photo by Mary Stewart

Here you see a new colleague Jan Ironside, and wonderful impasto artist, helps me get started in the new gallery. There I am big, as life, in my bright orange cargo pants! HAHAHA I'm calling it artist license, that's my story and I'm sticking with it ;) But if one would pick a theme in this post, it would be orange lol Not intentional, but my random choices tend to follow a color theme OYE! May this new endeavor be a blessed one too!

MyArtTutor.com's Ann Templeton and DPW landscape!

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 23:53:00 +0000

"Green of Spring" 5"x7" oil on masonite

What an absolutely victorious painting session to be able to combine work and art play! I created this painting to fulfill an assignment in a landscape online workshop offered by the legend Ann Templeton through MyArtTutor.com. It also fulfills my challenge submission to this week's Daily Paintworks.

I am not a landscape artist, but Ann Templeton took the fear away and put fun and sense of victory in my painting session. Here is her website : ANNTEMPLETON.COM

For DPW, this is a challenge offered by Carol Marine who wanted us to see how we would paint from her photo taken in Germany. Thanks Carol that was fun! :)

I work for MyArtTutor.com as creative "film" editor so why not check out my latest creation which happens to be a trailer for Ann Templeton's class using the technology of VoiceThread.Com
Click here Ann Templeton "Aspens" :)

Kathy's Portrait WIP and Daffodils in oils

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:37:00 +0000

Detail of "Spring Daffodils"

Click on the image to see better. This is my favorite part of the painting. I ended up losing my muse below this. That's when you go, "I hate it when that happens!" The whole painting looks good hanging, very sweet and springy. It's off to Wishing Spring Gallery tomorrow!

"Spring Daffodils" 6x18 oil on stretched canvas

The painting is based on the first bouquet of daffodils I received this spring. My neighbor has an awesome garden and she supplies me with lovely bouquets! It thrills me when I hear the knock on the door and I notice it's either her granddaughter or her :)

"Kathy" 8x10-ish watercolor on paper

This is work in progress aka WIP. Today is my departed niece's birthday. We lost her last year. Gone too soon. But that's her, always smiling even through her cancer treatments. I can't wait to get this done. I don't know why I insist on putting flowers when I paint my relatives :D I am so not a flower painter!!! I guess I just enjoy seeing life.

When life unfolds a plot

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 23:29:00 +0000

I have been busy HAPPILY rediscovering my old watercolors from last year's art challenges! I feel as if I am watching a plot come to fruition and a confirmation things don't happen by accident! I had been painting on my oddly sized watercolor sketch pad without any plans to deal with them professionally aka selling them. But after I painted my "Dreaming Sweet Dreams" which I enjoyed painting so much, I thought I'd check out my smaller paintings done last year. I really liked them! So I took it further and dug up some old standard sized mat boards but none fit. However I went to the garage and found some FREE mat boards I received a couple years ago and VOILA! "For some reason" they were perfect! Hmmm somehow I think the oddly sized watercolors and oddly cut mat boards were meant for each other! Wow I really got a kick out of that :D

So I thought I'd go ahead and paint more on the sketch pad because I only have 3 more pages to go. Of course I had to paint some hyacinths harvested from my garden. Hmm yes, I'm intoxicated by these lovely scents! The deffodils are from my neighbor's garden :)

EBSQ FRIDAY FIVE my painting was picked up on EBSQ Friday Five Blog!

And look! As of today, I have 11 bids on my cat for Daily Paintworks's Help Japan Challenge! YAY and 4 days 2 hours to go on my auction!!! Together we've raised $15,500!!!! WOOHOO!!! Please click on the image to be redirected to the auction pieces! Let's get together and help those in need of whatever we can give :)

Sleeping Cat art for Help Japan Challenge DPW

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:56:00 +0000

"Dreaming Sweet Dreams" 9x12 inches plus white borders watercolor on paper

This is my painting specifically inspired by the Daily Paintworks's "Help Japan Challenge" Keiko Tanabe's challenge was paint the first thought that comes to you with the theme "home".

I live in Arkansas, but home to me is California. My generic reaction to the word "home" is that it's a place where I can be comfortable to do as I please. Home is sanctuary which is something taken away from thousands of people when the earthquakes and tsunamis hit Japan. When I saw those videos, I wondered how those poor people could convince themselves the world was not ending before their eyes. To most of them, it still must feel as if their world has ended. But they are alive and have to continue to survive and hopefully they will see life blossom again soon despite their loss. This is such a small effort on my part to help them out. But together we can make a difference to one or more people. I have chosen to send all proceeds to American Red Cross. Please click HERE to see my art and other artwork that you might find special enough to bid on and hopefully add to your collection. Thanks so much - Erika

Daily Paintworks Help Japan Challenge by Keiko Tanabe

noreply@blogger.com (Erika Nelson) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:50:00 +0000

Help Japan (Art) Challenge is this week's Daily Paintwork's challenge by Keiko Tanabe to any artist who would like to participate in a fundraiser to help the victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. I encourage all artists and art admirers to please CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE and read and consider participating as an artist, as a bidder or better yet, both! I will be participating :) The theme is HOME.

More About Help Japan Challenge
About Daily Paintworks Challenges

Auctioned pieces will be added daily, there are some existing now. Witness the power of goodwill, may it add cheer to your day each time you see the latest updates!!! :)