Mia's Blog

Art Fusion at Last Rites Gallery

2012-02-10T20:01:00.000-08:00

I've been working like a madwoman on my show (what's new?), and still going...but here's something I can share at the moment!

Tomorrow at Last Rites Gallery, a very interesting artist collaboration and live painting event will be taking place, and I am honored to be a part of it. The participating artists who are not on the east coast (I am one of those) were asked to make a 24"x30"ish sketch on a provided canvas, which will then be painted by the local artists who are attending the live-painting event tomorrow afternoon. The finished collaboration pieces will be auctioned off that evening to raise money for the International Child Art Foundation. Here is the press release if you'd like more info.

Follow this link to view all of the canvas sketches. Mine is below:

For those of you in New York, here is the info to attend, as well as the list of participating artists. Should be fun to watch the painters at work, so if you are able to make it and take photos, feel free to post a link in the comments :) Remember, the auction gala takes place on the same evening!

I have some very busy months ahead, but I will try to post more often! Hope you've all been well :)

P.S.: Thanks SO much to everyone who's been buying postcards and prints the past couple months- every little bit helps me to keep doing what I'm doing, and I'm extremely grateful! xxx

Postcard Set

2012-01-06T14:21:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a lovely end of the last year! I'm working like mad, but thought I'd take a breather to let you know that postcard sets are now available to order here at my online store. They are only $4 each + free shipping. Details below:

You will receive all of the above postcards.
One will be signed at random.

Two of the cards have images on both sides (above). The other two have text on the back.
Phone numbers and old email addresses on those are defunct, by the way ;)

Free shipping on all orders via USPS first class mail. (International buyers have the option of adding tracking for an additional cost). Here is the fancy blue envelope you will receive, snugly enclosing your order!

Sketchbook stuff (and maybe some sneak peeks and process stuff) soon...but now, the easel beckons!

Prints on Sale Now!

2011-12-15T12:01:00.001-08:00

See the previous post for details on the sketch-giveaway!

Print Release Details...and a Giveaway!

2011-12-13T14:39:00.000-08:00

Finally- print release details! "Sleeping Sickness" will be available in 2 editions on Thursday, December 15th at 1PM PST at my webshop: www.miafineart.bigcartel.com

Since this is the first time that I am releasing my own prints, I've decided to do two editions- a larger-sized, more 'collectible' piece with a small edition size...and a mini print with a larger edition size, for those of you who just want this image on your wall. Read on for pricing, exact sizes, etc:

Pretty sure most of you can imagine how big the large print will be, so this is the image size of the mini-print. It will have a wider border on each side though:

And here is the fan appreciation part! I've decided to give more people the opportunity to win a mini-original from me, and just as before, randomness shall be the judge.

Every 5 five orders, I will choose a number at random, and include a free mini-sketch with the winner's order. 1-5, 6-10, 11-15...all the way up to 75, a number will be selected within each batch. So there will be 15 chances to win on mini-print orders (75 divided by 5 is 15...), and 5 chances to win on large-print orders (25 divided by 5...well, you get it!). In total, 20 mini-sketches will be awarded.
I will leave it a surprise, so if you win, you will know when you open your package. Limit 2 orders per customer (in case you are getting a gift for a friend and one for yourself...but please stick to this guys, or I shall be cross).

Below are some of the mini-sketches that I will be giving away...they measure roughly 3 1/2" x 4 1/2", graphite and white pencil on toned paper:

Check back here on Thursday morning for a reminder, or follow me on facebook and twitter!

Coming soon!

2011-12-12T12:53:00.000-08:00

Proofing the upcoming print release...pricing and release date info soon! The lame phone pic will have to do for now ;) Busy, busy!

"Lush Life 3" Group Show

2011-12-07T22:41:00.001-08:00

"Requiem (For the Damaged)"
22" x 30"
Acrylic on wood.

Above is my new piece for Roq la Rue Gallery's 'Lush Life 3' group show, opening this Friday. Below are some detail shots:

There was a lot on my mind while I painted this, so if you're curious, read on:

This piece is dedicated to all people who create during times of social upheaval, war, natural disasters, or any other kind of turmoil. Even though I don’t live in a war-torn country or in the wilderness, fighting each day for survival, I ingest hundreds of stories and perspectives during the course of one painting, in the form of news commentary, political interviews, military documentaries, and podcasts on history, psychology, and anything pertaining to the human condition. It can often become harrowing to listen to all of this while trying to create something that has beauty, magic, and hope.

This is what I imagine it must be like for a creatrix like Demeter or any other embodiment of mother nature, who is destined to create for eternity, while the world responds with death, darkness, and destruction. I wanted to capture the melancholy of a goddess that has come to this realization and ponders her fate and that of the world, the ghosts and demons, the dying and the living. The red stream of fabric in her hands represents life blood- she holds it to her chest with her right hand, as it slips through the fingers of her left. There is a powerful paradox between life and death, between creation and destruction, and though she understands the importance of her role in the balance of the universe, there is a sobering acceptance of the grim reality in her gaze.

Death is everywhere, but so is rebirth and magic, which springs from the darkness of the unknown, from the heart of the cosmos, and makes life worth living, or at least a bit more bearable.

If you made it this far, you get a bit of news: I will be releasing prints of 'Sleeping Sickness' (below) sometime next week, with the option to purchase as a large-sized print or as a mini print. There will be free mini-sketches included with select orders. Check back here, follow me on facebook, or on twitter (@mllemiaaraujo) for updates on that score!

Spectrum 18

2011-12-03T12:45:00.001-08:00

My copy of the latest Spectrum annual came in the post this week, so here are some snaps of my entries- excuse the glares! It is a rather glossy book.

Fantastic cover art by the great Jean-Sebastien Rossbach!

"Snow In Summer," my first accepted entry in the 'Book' category!

"The Priestess" in the 'Unpublished' category.

"Two Spirits," in the final spread of the 'Unpublished' section!
And super-honored to be printed opposite Michael Whelan.

Also this week, I finished my painting for Roq la Rue Gallery's "Lush Life" group show, which opens next Friday in Seattle. It's a bit different from what I've done before, and a good 'preview' of what my solo show pieces will be like. I will share images sometime next week, so stay tuned...

Oil Studies

2011-11-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

I decided to dabble in oils for the first time this summer (I worked with water-soluble oils in my second year of art school, but never with the real thing!). If you follow me on facebook you may have seen my first attempt, a study from a fashion catalog:

Next, I tried a more simplistic approach with a random image:

Here is an oil study for one of my solo show pieces that I am currently working on in acrylic. It got a bit choppy and thick, but it was valuable practice. (The final piece will not have candles with dodgy halos in it, mind).

And here are a few 2 1/2 hour model paintings from Ignat Ignatov's class, which I took a few months ago. All are 12" x 16":

There's so much to improve on with these, but the important part is that I had a lot of fun with a foreign medium. I also think that my acrylic work is definitely benefiting from everything I learned here. If you ever get the chance, take Ignat's class- he is a terrific and encouraging instructor!

And just to keep them all together in the same post, I'll repost my last oil study (an attempt to go thicker with the paint on a smaller canvas), after Howard Chandler Christy:

Working on a piece for Roq la Rue's 'Lush Life' group show right now, which opens next month...stay tuned!

Spectrum, Sketches, & Studies

2011-10-25T22:26:00.000-07:00

Hello, new followers and old friends!
I've been crazy-busy with painting, but I have a few things to share with you. The good folks at Spectrum posted a video preview of the upcoming 18th annual! My three pieces can be seen during minutes 1:33, 6:02, and 6:54, respectively...so excited to see them in print!

It's an amazing-looking book, and apparently already available for pre-order on Amazon. Go get it!

Next up...some simple costume sketches that I've been doing from Downton Abbey, which I'm currently obsessed with. I'm not a tv person, but this show is right up my alley, particularly since I've adored the Edwardian period for more than a decade, and get sucked right into that world. Love it!

And here's the full image of the modified master copy in oils that I posted last time...just an exploration with paint strokes. (Pardon the wonky camera angle.)

Lastly, huge thanks to Ricardo Ferreira for spreading the love and showcasing my work on his blog! Very kind of you, sir.

More soon, I promise!
Until next time...

And the winner is....

2011-10-12T01:31:00.000-07:00

Jazzie Brindle! Congratulations!! Please be sure to reply to my email with your mailing address, and I will get the piece off to you this week :)

Thank you so very much to everyone who participated in my first giveaway- yes that's right, the implication that there will be more in the future is intentional ;)

I am still floored by how many of you entered- your kind and encouraging words were definitely taken to heart, and will help tremendously when I start running out of steam in the coming months ^___^ Really, I wish I had an original for each of you to walk away with, but at least know that there will be future opportunities.

I leave you with a detail of a quick oil study I did of a Howard Chandler Christy painting last week...still need to fix some bits, but 'twas fun!

Fan Appreciation Giveaway!

2011-10-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Comments are now closed, and the winner will be announced later on Wednesday...stay tuned!

I’ve decided to do something special this week in honor of everyone who has supported me, encouraged me, bought originals or prints, sent me emails, tattooed my work onto themselves, etc. etc! Being a self-employed artist is not easy, but every single one of you has made it possible for me. And for that I will be eternally grateful!

So! Here is your chance to win one of my painting studies (below). Even though it's unfinished, it's one of my favorites. As you can see, her desk-mates will be sad to see her go :)

'Gasp!' study
5" x 7"
Acrylic on clayboard
To Enter: Leave a comment on this post with your name and email address, so I can contact you if you win (I won’t send you spam, promise!). It's entirely optional to leave a personal message, but I would greatly appreciate it :)

The cut-off time for comments will be Tuesday, October 11th when the clock strikes midnight (PST). I will then select a winner at random, and congratulate him/her in a new post the following day.

May randomness favor you, and thank you all so very much!

Solo Show Sketchbook Studies

2011-08-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

As most of you know by now, I've been working on my first solo show (slated for May 2012 at Corey Helford Gallery) for nearly 2 months now. In addition to being halfway through a few paintings and sketching for a few more, I've been drawing madly in my sketchbook...here are 10 sample pages for you to see.

Busy, busy...

Tom Bagshaw @ Corey Helford Gallery

2011-08-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

I don't usually get a chance to get good photos of the shows that I see in person, but I recently went to see my friend Tom Bagshaw's first show at Corey Helford Gallery, alongside David Stoupakis.

Some may be turned off by the fact that he works digitally, but I am on the other side of the aisle- I have just as much respect for digital painters as I do for an oil, acrylic, gouache, or watercolor painter. Each of these mediums can be regarded as being 'easier' to work with, depending on the artist, but each requires just as much skill to handle successfully. In fact, I think digital painters have to work harder to achieve the warmth and life that Tom puts into his paintings..much like computer animators trying to capture the essence of hand-drawings.

To me, the imagery and the feeling I get from it, is what captivates me- regardless of the medium. I have been entranced by Tom's works for more than a year now, and he delivers every time! I was equally impressed by the presentation of his work- the framing and varnishing really pulls you into the piece. I took some detail shots to try to capture the effect, but see for yourself if you are in the area! The show closes this Saturday.

Tom is also starting up an exciting new project called 3Cs- in which he will paint 100 digital portrait studies in 100 hours, over 100 days. The first 100 people to show at the Fine Art Print Company in Bath, UK at noon on the 1st of September will have the honor of being painted by him over the next three and half months! Makes me wish I lived in the South West of England! For more info on how you can get involved, follow the link for the project blog here.

Book Signing this Weekend

2011-08-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I'm going to participate in a book signing panel for the first time this weekend at Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, CA and I hope you can make it out and say hi.

Sandow Birk, Bob Dob, Kris Lewis, Jason Maloney, Jeff McMillan, Nathan Ota, Nathan Spoor, Nicola Verlato, and I will be there to sign the Suggestivism book that I told you about in the last post! And we'll chat with you too ;)

We start at 7:30pm and will be going for a couple hours- details below:

Publications

2011-07-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a little photo-tour of a couple things I was featured in lately:

I'm part of the 'Rising Stars' encore feature in Issue 71 of Imagine FX.

the Rising Stars feature in which we all urge you to submit your work...if you're 25 and under that is.

My copy of the new Suggestivism book by Gingko Press arrived this week! There's a signing at Comic-Con next Saturday at the Hi-Fructose booth, and one at the Grand Central Art Center (I'll be there...) in August. Stay tuned for more on that!

This is how my 'Four Seasons' piece looks inside...

My interview pages and studio shot by Kevin Knight. 53 artists total, each being interviewed and providing a photographic glimpse into their studios!

There are also exhibition photos inside...nice.
Huge thanks to Nathan Spoor for curating and letting me be a part of Suggestivism, and to everyone who made the book possible from design to production. It's gorgeous!
That's all for now! I've been doing some oil painting studies for the first time and will share once I have a handful of them photographed :)

'Zero to Sixty' 5-Year Anniversary Opening Night

2011-07-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here are a few shots my sister took during the opening reception of Corey Helford's 5-Year Anniversary show! Had an incredible time and enjoyed meeting and speaking to everyone who stopped by that night. Am also honored that my piece was included in LA Weekly's list of '10 KickAss Paintings from the Show'. For more coverage and photos of the other works, please see the following links: LA Weekly's slideshow, Arrested Motion, and Daily duJour.

How my piece looked framed.

with my model Carrie, who brought me the most amazing macaroons!

with Lola.

with Mari Inukai.

Working on my solo show now! Slated for May 2012...and I have a few new and exciting things that I'm behind on sharing. Soon!!

This Friday!

2011-06-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

"Sleeping Sickness"
24" x 36"
Acrylic on wood

Here is what I've been tucked away working on for what seems like forever (although the painting process itself was completed in record time for me on a work this size!). This is the largest piece that I will be showing this year, and it's my contribution to the 5-Year Anniversary Gala Exhibition at Corey Helford Gallery this Friday.

I feel so honored to be in this show, and to be a part of the CHG family. Jan and Bruce are two of the biggest reasons that I am here today, and are some of the dearest people in my life. I wish them many more wonderful years like these 5 past!

Here's a bit about my piece:
Marie Antoinette x Rip van Winkle x Midsummer Night’s Dream

Sleep prevents the 18th century aristocracy from seeing what goes on about them, until the guillotine comes knocking. Hosts of aristocrats eat sleep-inducing cakes, drink from sinister bottles, and are lulled to sleep in poppy fields by faeries and spirits of the forest. Nightmarish but beautiful dreams of the French revolution and the guillotine play like melodious music to an eager audience.

Some highlights include:
-Bottom from Midsummer Night’s dream
-Marie and Antoine Lavoisier
-the Chevalier de Saint-George
-Mozart and the ghost of his father (from Amadeus)
Robespierre ensnared by a wolf
-faerie and demon onlookers
-two headless aristocrats making a pact on a cake-top summit
-a celestial Pan
-mushroom-skirted spirits blowing sleeping sand
-nymphs stealing macaroons
-aristocrats playing Blind Man’s Bluff, and a man catching his own head.

Huge thanks to my model, Carrie, for being so much fun to work with :)

"Enchanted Forest" @ Strychnin Gallery

2011-05-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

"Forest Healer"
8"x10" oval
Graphite, white & red pencil on toned paper.
Here is my contribution to Strychnin Gallery's "Enchanted Forest" group show, which opens next Friday, May 13th in Berlin. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the World Wildlife Fund, in honor of the United Nation's International Year of Forests. For sales/inquiries please contact: team.strychnin@googlemail.com
Here is a detail shot:

It will be framed up in the same black frame with convex glass as my 'White Blindness' piece, below:

Would love to hear your thoughts :) Hope you all have a great weekend!

Commission

2011-05-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

"The River Styx"
each panel is 8.5" x 13"
Graphite and white pencil on toned paper.
Here is a drawing commission triptych that I finished recently, where I was given complete freedom to make what I would of any of the 3 theme suggestions provided, one of which was the 'day of the dead'. So I combined that with the Pied Piper story, and the River Styx of Greek mythology to create this image of a female flautist who leads the souls of the dead into the underworld. A lot of fun to draw, and thrilled that I got to take my time with this one!

March - April sketchbook

2011-04-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

I just finished this sketchbook today. Here are a bunch of 'master copies', reference drawings, and gestures. I'm trying to get back into figure drawing for real, after years of feeble attempts. I'm sick of being insecure about my favorite thing in the world to draw! I also noticed that I mostly sketch with pencil - the one marker page on here is proof of how uncomfortable I am with other media. You can hold me accountable then, to my resolution to try different media in the next book. There, we'll see if I keep to it!

Interview + What I'm up to

2011-04-19T12:34:00.000-07:00

Here's an interview I did with Empty Kingdom a couple weeks ago...check it out!

Also, thought I'd fill you all in on what I've been up to lately...was working for the past month or so on a new painting for Roq la Rue's 'Lush Life' group show, which has recently been rescheduled to December...so now I have more time to work on it! I've since switched gears to begin a couple of new pieces:

-the first will be a drawing (similar in style and presentation to the 'Inle' show piece) for Strychnin Gallery's 'Enchanted Forest' group show, which will benefit the World Wildlife Foundation in honor of this being the International Year of the Forest.

-The second will be my largest piece of the year, a 24" x 36" painting for Corey Helford Gallery's 5-Year Anniversary Group Exhibition and celebration! Very excited for both of these pieces.

I'm also wrapping up a drawing commission-triptych, which turned out to be a lot more complex than I had first imagined. I'm really excited about how it's turning out, as I started over on it quite a few times. Hey, some pieces are trickier than others!

AND...I received a letter from Spectrum announcing that 3(!!) of my pieces were accepted into their 18th annual. These two will be in the 'unpublished' category:

"Two Spirits"

"The Priestess"
...and the third makes it my first time being in the published 'Book' category:

"Snow in Summer"
This painting is the cover image for Jane Yolen's upcoming young adult novel 'Snow in Summer', a 1930's Appalachian Snow White story coming out this fall. The publishing company was kind enough to let me exhibit it at Roq la Rue in February.
And now, back to my disappearing act!

An image-heavy post, I warn you.

2011-04-07T14:36:00.000-07:00

I may have missed the opening and the second reception, but I sure made it to the closing reception of 'Suggestivism' last weekend! Grand Central Art Center is a gorgeous space, and was packed all night! Here are some photos that my sister took :) I'm honored to be included amongst instructors, friends, and heroes in this incredible exhibition.

Reunited with 'The Four Seasons' after nearly 2 years.
Close but no cigar...the sign by my piece says that it's oil on board, but don't be fooled- 'tis acrylic on wood!

Alex Gross.

Bob Dob.

Greg Simkins.

Todd Schorr's stunner was difficult to shoot because of all the people crowded around it all night.

Nathan Ota.

Naoto Hattori.

Femke Hiemstra's gorgeous 'Funeral of a Ghost' was kinda hard to capture because of the glossy sheen. It's one of my favorites of hers ever.

Elizabeth McGrath.

Kris Kuksi.

The crowd here looks deceptively small compared to how it really was all night!
And last but not least, you can now cover your gadgets with artwork from the show, thanks to Gelaskins! Limited Editions, available for Ipod Touch, Iphone, and the Ipad, at the Grand Central Art Center store. Here are mine (for Ipad) and Femke Hiemstra's (for Ipod) along with a show card. The show closes on April 17th, 2011.

Costume sketches and...Spectrum!

2011-04-01T00:40:00.000-07:00

My sister and I caught the tail-end of LACMA's "Fashioning Fashion" costume exhibition last weekend - a spectacular collection of 18th century to early 20th century clothing. We were there for over 3 hours, and I sketched of course! Perfect way to spend a late Saturday afternoon.

Below are some reference sketches that I did of old Russia just for fun:

And, I ventured outside a couple weeks ago to sketch this view of my neighborhood:

If you made it this far, you get to know the bit of news that just made my week: I got accepted into Spectrum 18! You can find me in the 'A' part of the list :) As of a few months ago, I decided to go by 'Mia Araujo' (pronounced 'uh-raw-ho'). Always bugged me a bit that I had no last name to a name! Will share which image made it in...as soon as I find out for myself!
xxx

Suggestivism and JapanLA

2011-03-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

The closing reception for the "Suggestivism" Museum exhibition takes place this Saturday at Grand Central Art Center. Here is a sneak peek at the upcoming volume being published by Gingko Press. More info on book signings soon.

Riviera magazine recently featured some of our work from the exhibition. Exciting to be published alongside two of my painting instructors, Bob Dob and Nathan Ota :)

Also, last weekend JapanLA and Sweet Streets put on the charity exhibition "Pray for Japan"- all proceeds are going toward relief efforts in Japan. I am so thrilled to have been a part of it - my heart goes out to everyone who has suffered from this terrible disaster. I donated an Artist's Proof of my "Anatomy of a Somnabulist" print. The original edition sold out a couple years ago.

Here are some more photos from the opening night - sounds like most of the work sold on opening night!
That's all for now, but pssst...A new sketch post this way comes :)

Inle Group Show

2011-03-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

'White Blindness'
8" x 10" oval
Graphite, white & red pencil on toned paper

Super excited to be a part of Greg Simkins' curated show at Gallery 1988 next week! Over 100 artists are interpreting Richard Adams's phenomenal book, Watership Down. I'd actually never about heard it before, and read it a couple weeks ago to make this piece, and it's now one of my favorite books. My contribution (above) is based on the mythical confrontation between the Black Rabbit of Inle (the death rabbit) and El-Ahrairah (the trickster rabbit king) over the 'white blindness' disease that all rabbits fear (represented here by the giant head). For sales/inquiries please contact Jensen: gallery1988@aol.com or 323.937.7088

detail.
A peek at how it'll look framed.

Show info, venue, and the killer lineup!
Gotta run right now, but I hope to see some of you at the opening next week! :)