Hot chicks

I was painting in my studio all day yesterday and managed to fill an Instagram request for abstract figure studies in a small size on paper.

This morning, I leisurely pulled out my photography supplies and took the shots I needed. I posted them on Etsy and then Instagram. Boom! They sold in minutes. I guess I will be painting more this weekend.

I also worked on several canvases with figures too. This chick is the only one I finished. I think I am holding her back for a show later this year.

Sacré bleu

My husband was reading the novel by Christopher Moore Sacre blue and either neglected to tell me or notice that a motif centering around blue, a particular blue used by artists for centuries might interest me...more than a little.

 "The translation of sacré bleu is sacred blue," says Moore., in an interview with NPR "In medieval times, the church said that if you are going to portray the Virgin Mary's cloak, it has to be in a certain shade of blue. And that blue must be ultramarine, because ultramarine blue is permanent. It doesn't go black or fade as organic colors do. And that is made essentially from crushed lapis lazuli, which is only available in Afghanistan. If you think about the 11th and 12th century, trying to get a stone from Afghanistan to Europe, for years and right up into the 19th century, was more valuable, weight for weight, than gold."

French blue or Ultramarine is a favorite of mine to use as it has a bit of red making it lean towards violet but more because it never dulls as some colors can when thinned or white is added. My friend, artist Christina Baker and I had a discussion about blue and it led to her suggestion to combine a few of my recent works containing this historically important and marvelous color.

I thought you might enjoy the first page of text from Christopher Moore's book Sacré bleu. After reading it I was stunned that my husband did not hand the book directly to me. Apparently he has underestimated my interest in color.

~~~~~
Prelude in Blue
This is a story about the color blue. It may dodge and weave, hide and deceive, take you down paths of love and history and inspiration, but its always about blue.
How do you know, when you think blue- when you say blue-that you are talking about the same blue as anyone else?
You cannot get a grip on blue.
Blue is the sky, the sea, a god's eye, a devil's tail, a birth , a strangulation, a virgin's cloak, a monkey's ass. It's a butterfly, a bird, a spicy joke, the saddest song, the brightest day.
Blue is sly, slick, it slides into the room sideways, a slippery trickster.
This is a story about the color blue, and like blue, there is nothing true about it. Blue is beauty, not truth. "True blue" is a ruse, a rhyme; it's there, then it's not. Blue is a deeply sneaky color.
Even deep blue is shallow.
Blue is glory and power, a wave, a particle, a vibration, a resonance, a spirit, a passion, a memory, a vanity, a metaphor a dream.
Blue is a simile.
Blue, she is like a woman.
~~~~

Are you a fan of any particular blue?

New work

I have been in a figure painting mood lately. This week's snowstorm had me wait an extra two days for some supplies I was anxious to have. The most important was a pad of unstretched, clear-primed linen. They are 11 x 14 and offer me a less expensive chance to paint figure studies and feel more comfortable with them.

"Figure 6" By Kerry Steele

 I was using large linen canvases like this one above for my figures for the most part.

A few weeks ago I was tidying my studio and found a half done abstract and plopped on the easel and proceeded to glaze over it, leaving much of it visible and then incorporated a figure.

"Figure 7" by Kerry Steele

I believe I have shown this here before but my point is that I have a few abstracts in different stages of completion and I am thinking about using their depth and layers as backdrops for figures.

I finished  a larger nude on linen but ran out of daylight to photograph it and there is no sun this morning. Speaking of sun, where the heck is Spring? My kids one day of school this week. Even my 4 year-old told me she is sick of snow. I digress.

I have a large abstract commission to tackle for a really exciting installation that I will share as soon as I can.

In the meantime I will be having fun with these small figure studies and watercolors for The Pink Pagoda.

New watercolors go up on Monday, March 10 and a few figure studies are available in my shop.

Watercolors

I hate to be all me, me,me, me this week but I honestly don't have the brain power for more. My four year-old has been holding her hand on her eye fussing and squealing since last night. The remainder of my day will be spent in various doctors' offices.

After everyone went to bed last night I had a little fun with watercolors.

I was originally intending to paint things for more fabric designs but I soon went off on another tangent.

Its a great way to unwind in the evening for me.

These are all on Etsy and I think I will do a few more this weekend.

What's your weekend looking like?

Scenes from my studio

Here is a quick round up of newly completed and in progress work in my studio.

This is a painting I am making for myself that is not yet complete but I am loving the direction it going.

"Sweet tea" oil on canvas by Kerry Steele

"Bar" oil on canvas by Kerry Steele

The two above are recently completed pieces that are popular on Pinterest and are in my Shop

Two canvases at different stages of completion.

A completed commission awaiting its partner painting to be complete.

"Frankly" oil and charcoal on linen by Kerry Steele

I got a box of 30 x 40 linen canvases last week and this is the first of those to be completed.

As you can see, I have been painting a lot.

Halfway there

This light was ordered

We mostly finished painting my youngest daughter's room on Tuesday. The contents of her room are making both the hallway and my bedroom a bit uncomfortable at the moment so the last bit of touch up is a priority.

As you can see, even the painter's tape is still in place. The color is a very pale pink, BM-885 Key pearl. I wrote about choosing the colors before and the wisdom in choosing a lighter color on a paint chip than you think is right. I also advised using sample pots of paint to choose the right shade.

I followed all of my own advice but in the early part of our painting, I had some serious doubts. It looked really pink. I like pink but a cliche little girl's room was not my goal.

I am thrilled to report that it is a very subtle and understated pink now that the entire room and ceiling are painted.

I have white linen curtains for the window and I am still looking for a shade.

The light fixture in the first photo was ordered from Home Depot and the budget friendly price was key. It uses three chandelier bulbs which used to freak my husband out but his training is coming along quite nicely.

Her dresser has been painted with AS chalk paint in graphite.

Now I need to choose one more piece...for the TV.

Before you shudder, let me explain.

I have a boat load of kid's VHS tapes from my first round of little ones and this little girl, being in a home of adults only, often loses out in the TV department. She likes to lie on her bed and watch movies, no cable. So I need to rework that set up. Here are the two options I like.

As much as I like this choice, I am not sure it is right as it won't hide cords and leaves me stacking tapes on top which was the set up and I hate how messy it looked.

I am leaning towards this one for several reasons. 1. Its gray, albeit lighter gray than the dresser. 2. It doesn't hide cords but the basket I store tapes in on the bottom shelf will. 3. Its got cute fretwork details.

Yes?

I'll have to show our future progress. We are still waiting on the light to arrive and until then we have this klassy number.

A left turn

"Still life with Shuāngxǐ "oil on canvas by Kerry Steele

I finished this painting this morning. I am not going to stop painting abstracts but needed to "cleanse my palette" pun intended.

I have two abstracts that I have started and put aside in frustration.Distractions, duties and sheer exhaustion don't lend themselves to creativity so I decided to paint something I could see...sort of.

 Part of the fun is not representing a subject but playing with color and line.

I got a little inspiration from my Meme (grandmother).

 

Painting in this simple, naive style was relaxing and quite satisfying. Now maybe I can get back to something more vague.

Thoughts?

Story of a commission

I recently completed a commission for a couple who liked a painting of mine that was not only sold but the wrong size and orientation.

"Being there" by Kerry Steele

"Being there" has proven quite popular and I have done two large commissions based on it. It is a departure from my usual style that just came out of "playing" on a canvas. The original is 36 x 48 and the most recent commission is 42 x 60.

I had to stretch a custom canvas for that which takes more time and I charge a small amount extra for it but otherwise I don't charge for commission work beyond my regular fees. Most artists do.

When someone contacts me about a commission they tell me what they like, often referencing an existing painting of mine. I ask lots of questions to get a clear understanding of what they want.

"Sing holly, go whistle and ivy" by Kerry Steele

It is funny because this is where the myth of the moody artist with an inflated ego scares them and they say, "I don't want to tell you what to paint. Just work your magic. I love it all."

I laugh and go away to paint something, knowing that they won't like my initial stab in the dark.

It happens every time and they so timidly apologize as if they might anger me. It cracks me up. 

I remind them that a commission, or any painting for that matter, will undergo revisions. I expect revisions and as long as the client is not nasty or rude, I am not insulted in the least.

untitled commission by Kerry Steele

 Lots of emails and pictures are exchanged and usually I have a pretty good idea when I have nailed it for the client.  As soon as I get a confirmation, I do the finish work of edges, wiring, and varnishing. 

This is the part that my husband has a love/hate relationship with. He builds the crates for shipping large paintings and is just starting to build custom frames too.

 

One thing I learned the hard way is that paintings must be wrapped in 4mil or thicker plastic sheeting for shipping. Heat can soften the paint and making it stick to the packaging materials.
Huge paintings must be shipped by freight which basically means double the shipping of package rates. This can be a deal breaker for some so I always estimate those costs up front.

The commission process is really fun and exciting to most clients. Seeing their painting being created and anxiously awaiting a crate with the real thing inside is a unique thrill.

I love painting and seeing the pieces in their new homes.

Win-win.

Cool art term Monday- sgraffito and a winner!

Today's term is sgraffito and I know, it sounds like I made it up but I promise it is real. It where a pointed object is used to scrape away some of the paint or clay is referring to the technique in pottery.

The term sgraffito comes from the Italian word sgraffire which means (literally) “to scratch”.

I have not used this technique in my artwork much but as a kid in pudding it was the way to go.

Actually, i think is is an interesting way add not just texture but the illusion of light.

I have seen sgraffito used to reveal and underpainting and used to brilliant effect in an oil on aluminum, where tiny glints of metal showed through.

Can you think of a way that this applies to interior design? Not necessarily scratching away but creating a design by removing material.

Did you work last week's term, chiaroscuro, into a conversation?

The winner of the painted mat from the paint a rug party is Jennifer of The Pink Pagoda!

Cool art term Monday

Sorry no alliteration today. I thought it might be fun to introduce everyone to an art term or concept that they may not be familiar with. Recently, I mentioned this little classical math and art tidbit to a friend and she was not familiar. I took it for granted that most people know that stuff.

Today I chose chiaroscuro as my term to show you.

Leonardo Da Vinci "Head of a girl' study

It is defined as a technique using the contrast between a painting's or drawing's  light and dark parts for dramatic effect. This contrast can create a powerful illusion of depth.

It may seem boring but it is really about contrast and ranging the spectrum of value.

Rembrandt  "Self portrait"

This self portrait is a wonderful example of exploring all of the lights and darks, creating high contrast.

I am partial to Da Vinci's drawings that exhibit this chiaroscuro.

This Zuber papered screen reminds me of those Da Vinci drawings. Chic, no?

I challenge you to bring the term chiaroscuro into a conversation this week. But please do not make the person with a quizzical look feel dumb, just tell them about contrast.

Its a painting kind of day

Today I have real chores and painting chores. Painting chores are the finish work like painting edges or framing and wiring. To make all of my tasks a bit more palatable I work a little on paintings for a bit and the do something else.

What kind of weekend fun are you mixing in?

Make this!

via Southern Living

I recently subscribed to Southern Living magazine and  well, yum. I had been meaning to make this Caramel Apple dip (above) and was procrastinating because I just didn't feel like it. I thought it would be effort. Let me tell you that it was so easy. Five minutes easy and the super rich, creme brulee-like result is decadent.

I don't often post about food but it was that good.

Find it HERE

There may be a bit of silence while I paint some furniture that I hope to be posting about soon.