Pinks

I don't know if there will ever be enough time for me to paint as much as I'd like (because painting is, essentially, a black hole of time in that I plan to spend an hour or two doing it, then reemerge, paint-covered, five hours later wondering where all the time went), but I have been sneaking in a couple hours here and there to work on a few things.  It seems I'm drawn to pinks lately, and although I don't really plan it, that just seems to be the predominant color.  I'm okay with it.

'Over It' - Acrylic on Stretched Canvas

'21 and 22' - Acrylic Palette Knife Painting on Watercolor Paper

These prints will be listed in my art shop in the coming days, and in the meantime, I have another painting in the works, and several other ideas I hope to get down soon (before I lose them).

*Interior design images from Pinterest.

National Portrait Gallery

One of the perks of having friends in a large city is avoiding touristy places and being introduced to new and interesting things you may not discover on your own; still, every now and then it's fun to just be a tourist and visit the popular attractions!  On a recent trip to DC for our good friends' wedding, we all decided to visit the National Portrait Gallery to see the Mingering Mike exhibit (very amusing), and we ended up staying for several hours.  I took about a billion pictures, but it's impossible not to when you're surrounded by such beautiful art.

If you find yourself in Washington, D.C. with several hours to kill, I strongly recommend a visit!  DC is only about 3 hours from me, which is perfect for a weekend trip, but a little bit of a drive just to visit a gallery for an evening, so when I just now discovered that an Elaine de Kooning exhibit was opening this Friday, I just about cried thinking I would miss it.  Although, in my defense, the near-cry could just be a by-product of these pregnancy hormones.

See it in a room.

I can't remember if I posted about it on my blog or not, but (I have no doubt those who follow me on instagram or facebook got sick of hearing about it) I had an art opening/reception (whichever makes it sound most legit) at my friend's shop back in October; because my paintings would be hanging for the entire month, I had to get in serious painter mode and finish a few more so my wall didn't look so bare.  Here are a few of the newest paintings, in rooms...

All more-photo-worthy-than-my-rooms rooms via Pinterest.  Paintings from the top: Self Portrait // New York // Doris // Goodbye // Golden Years // Red Lion

See it in a room.

I always feel like I've been painting a ton of new things, but then when I sit down and look at what I've actually done, it's not quite so much!  I have so many ideas brewing for new paintings, and I know they'll be put on canvas in time.  Actually, they kind of need to be started soon because I'm going to be the featured artist at my friend Jeff's First Friday event (the first Friday of each month he has an art show at his shop), so if you're in the Lynchburg, VA area on October 4th, come visit me!  Until then, here are a few new paintings I've finished...

From the top: All the Cool Kids, Grandpa Cardigan, Das Ist Nicht OK, Unwanted original

Lately I've been feeling like I should probably sell of some originals, but it must be the hoarder in me that reminds myself of how sad I get when I do sell an original; it's kind of like packing your kid up and sending them to live with someone else, knowing you'll never see them again.  Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic, but it's totally like sending off your favorite pair of shoes that go with EVERYTHING, and knowing you'll ever own a pair like them again.  Anyway, I did list two originals in my shop.  There may be more, and there may not...

hello.

How have you been?  This summer has been busy and awesome, and it doesn't look like it's going to change anytime soon!  Sometimes though, when I have a slow day and I can stop to play with my camera (and still try to figure out how to use it with all those settings and switches and buttons), read, thumb through old magazines looking for painting inspiration, watch Buffy on Netflix, or just sit outside with Flojo and watch the birds, it's nice, and I try not to think of all the work that's waiting on me...

So how has your summer been?  What do you like to do when you get a quiet moment to yourself?

See it in a room.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I can get a much better idea of what art sold online looks like by either seeing it in a frame or seeing it in a room.  And again, I don't know about you, but I could look at interior design inspiration for days on end without ever realizing how much time has passed.  So why then wouldn't I combine art and inspiration?  I did some pinterest browsing and found some rooms that inspire me to show what some of my new paintings would look like...

Artwork can be found here (from the top): The Smallest Oceans print, Nature Lover print, I Picked You Something print, Donkey In A Blanket print.
Images of rooms found on pinterest: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4
And here is some exciting news:  I'M GOING TO BE SELLING POSTER SIZE PRINTS (like the donkey picture above)!  I don't have them listed yet, but if you want a certain print made into a poster, let me know!

And last but not least, I'm selling some originals.  Honestly, I don't want to have so much of my own art in my house because that would just be weird, and although you may not think so (I know I didn't), it takes up a lot of room.  So, I'm parting with a few (above) and will have a few more originals for sale in the coming weeks!

Oh wait, there is one more thing.  I'M GOING TO RENEGADE BROOKLYN IN JUNE!  I'm super excited.

Black and Roses

Lately I've been painting, and I've had a lot of ideas.  Well, I usually have a lot of ideas, but lately they've been a little more focused which is always nice, because sometimes I feel like they're so varied, it's what my marine dad would refer to as a cluster-eff-you-sea-kay.  I seem to have roses and flowers on the brain, and here's a little bit of what I've been working on...

They're all currently available as prints in my art shop, and I'm having a little sale as well because I've got way too many prints on my hands.  Just enter the code BLOGREADER20 during checkout for 20% off everything in my shop!

I haven't been working on mint, but don't you just love it?!  It's time to replant this mint that's been in my kitchen window, and unfortunately it's going to have to go in a pot that's to big to fit.  Aside from smelling it or adding it to tea, what do you use it in?  And can you juice mint?

what i've been working on...

the word of the day is: earrings.  i've been making earrings like nobody's business lately, and i love that the stud earrings i've been making for my shop allow me to use such a wide variety of stones.  the newest earrings include pyrite, black quartz, and chrysocolla.  and aside from that i've been working on watercolor portraits and a 2013 calendar for my art shop!

maybe the biggest and most exciting bit of news (for me at least) is that two of my prints were featured on design*sponge on monday!  AAAHHHHH!!!!!  so that's about it ;)  what have you been working on?  or do you have plans to start on a special project soon?  i always love to know what other people are working on or have made!

also, don't forget to enter the TUMBLEWEEDS SUNGLASSES GIVEAWAY because a winner will be chosen on monday!  and second, be sure to sign up for the SOUTHERN BLOGGER MIXER happening on october 20th in chattanooga, tn, because i'd love to meet you!

what i've been working on...

lately i've been up to my elbows, almost literally, in paint, paper, and eraser dust, and i love it!  i just don't know if i can put into words how honored and excited i am each time someone buys a little piece of my art, and even more so when someone wants a custom portrait!  that feeling never gets old.  so here's a peek at a few things i've been working on the last two weeks...

do you recognize the sunglasses in the last picture?  i'm constantly amazed and inspired by my friend beca from tumbleweeds, so if you didn't know, they're tumbleweeds sunnies, and they're being used on tumbleweeds product tags!  also, if you look in my sidebar you'll find a discount code to her shop.

i have a few other ideas for watercolor paintings and ink drawings that i'm trying really hard not to forget, so hopefully i'll be able to sneak in some time to work on those between a family picnic, helping my sister with her wedding preparations, and taking a quick beach trip later this month!

have you been working on anything new lately, artsy or otherwise?

stars, stripes, sales

i just wanted to do a quick post to let you know about two pretty exciting things.  the first - most exciting of all - is the fact that WE HAVE POWER!!!  chris and i had fun living in the camper and eating sandwiches and grapes (and we even talked about how we wish we could do that on a more long term basis and live like gypsies), but it's nice to have running water and air conditioning again.

second, i haven't given too much thought to what i'd blog about once the power was back on, but one thing i wanted to share was a little sale i'm having for the rest of the week in my art shop...

from now through sunday night (because let's face it, monday really begins a new week) get 10% off your order - whether it's one item or twenty - by using the coupon code STARSSTRIPESSALE in my art shop Girl + Parrot!  and yes, the discount even applies to the custom watercolor family portraits!

so happy independence day american friends, and happy hump day everyone else!

bookworm: an outfit post

our weather has been, uh, hot. not like march at all. monday evening was the book club meeting, and i knew that by the time i left the restaurant at 9 or later, it would be cool, so i needed long sleeves. unfortunately i had to leave home several hours before i needed to be at the restaurant because i had a few errands to run, and a;; i can say is, i hope i didn't get there smelling like an armpit because i was HOT!

sweater: (hot when it's 80 outside) vintage/thrifted, dress: tj maxx i think, necklace: dinosaur toes, boots: vintage/thrifted

i have to be honest with you, it's so much easier for me to act goofy, cross my eyes, or make weird faces than for me to make normal faces and take these pictures seriously. this was one of those days where i'd rather scrub a toilet than act appropriately, so just don't mind the faces, okay?

so, if you follow me on twitter you might remember that on tuesday night i tweeted about a big project that i'd just finished. it's big in size at 22" x 30", and i can't wait to get this family portrait in a frame and hang it in the dining room! i love painting with watercolors because colors can blend, lines don't have to be straight, and you can just have fun with it! now i want to paint someone else but i'm not sure who!

feathers

uhhhmmmm, i didn't really know what to blog about today. i always like to have a few days or even a week of posts planned out, but sometimes that just doesn't happen. so how about if i show you what i worked on this weekend?

since chris left at about 6am on saturday morning and wouldn't be back until shortly before i went to bed, i knew i had the house to myself and could really spread out (translation: make a huge mess of supplies) and listen to the grease soundtrack all day long! in addition to doing my usual boring cleaning, i knew i wanted to play around with watercolors. i kind of liked the way the one feather turned out, so i tried to make pretty much the same feather, but with different colors. i've never been very good with watercolors, but i still enjoy painting from time to time!

i've also been air plant farming. i have a little collection of several air plant species that i've been watering and sunning just waiting to get babies and blooms! this weekend i decided to use some of the plants and stones to make these babies. i guess plants are the big home thing right now because i've been seeing them used in the most creative ways, so i figured i'd have a little fun with them as well!

i guess that's all i've got for now. how has your week been so far? have you been working on any fun projects?