Dispatches from the studio

The past few months have been, for me, like "Blog? What blog?". I feel as if I have been remiss blogging,  kind of like handing in homework late. New and exciting things were happening and I am here to tell you all about them. So consider this my tardy note.

The snowball started with me deciding I a needed a new website logo for KerrySteele.com and that snowballed into creating something that I could use in Blogger, as a letterhead and a favicon. 

 Terrena at eLance.com was fabulous to work with. That brushstroke is actually mine and she worked with the precise colors I wanted. I always thought something like this would cost a boatload of money but it was surprisingly affordable.

Next on the list was my face. No, not plastic surgery, just a professional photo. My husband kept saying, "Let me take it."  Nope! I wasn't going for that. I know what his photography is like.

I researched a few photographers and hired Michael from LeftHandedPhotography.com.

He had been wanting to photograph an artist in studio and I wanted a professional photo that did not look like a realtor, so it was a lucky match. He arrived on a Friday afternoon and over the next three hours we moved furniture, staged shots and basically laid waste to the first floor of my house, which sounds like a bad thing but I felt like we were squeezing out every ounce of creativity.

These are a few of my favorites.

Michael was awesome to work with. I hate having my picture taken, but I can honestly say that this was really fun. If you are in the Richmond area I highly recommend him.

He even helped me find a new camera and lighting so I can get better images of my art.

This is the temporary setup just inside my front door.

I really love the Nikon I bought and the timing was pretty good too. Being able to get really good images of my work is ever more important.

"Come away with me" 40 x 30 oil on canvas by Kerry Steele available through Gregg Irby fine art

Finding and working with the right gallery is one of the most important things in an artist's career and I am proud to say that I am now being represented by the venerable Gregg Irby Fine Art in Atlanta. GIFA also happens to represent some of my favorite artists, so it is particularly special to be on their roster.

This painting is headed to Atlanta, along with others tomorrow.

 As if it couldn't get any better, somewhere in this whirlwind, the art collection manager of Serena and Lily contacted me about my work. I am thrilled to be included as one of their artists too.

"Cocktails at seven" oil on canvas by Kerry Steele available through Serena and Lily

All of these great things mean lots of time painting. Lucky for me painting is my favorite thing to do.

So, my tardiness in blog writing has come from the pleasure of realizing many of my goals...all at once.

I am ready to get back to talking about chairs and fabric in between all of the painting going on here.