Behind Bars SOLD

Behind Bars, 4 x 4", acrylic on canvas
SOLD

Finally finished this Fort Sewall painting.

Fort Sewall is an interesting fort built in Marblehead, Massachusetts in the 1600's. (see here for more details: http://www.essexheritage.org/sites/fort_sewall.shtml ) This painting is based on a view of one of the remaining bunkers that supposedly held prisoners during one period of history (and is, of course, rumored to be haunted). I am intrigued by the area - I hope to make more paintings inspired by the fort.

This painting will be available on Etsy.

Flowers from My Boys.....

My two youngest sons picked flowers for me today.

Sure they are only the little purple flowers that grown in the grass when it hasn't been mowed for a while, but it still touched my heart.

I couldn't resist painting them, especially when my five-year-old asked "Aren't you going to paint them, Momma?"

Lemony Day

I love the look, the feel, the smell of fresh lemons. I had one, so I had to paint it! It's another ACEO acrylic on watercolor paper.

Listing here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/45249854/aceo-original-painting-spring-06-still

Earth Day Challenge

As usual, I am way far behind everyone else - but there is only one day left to vote in the Indie Junction Earth Day Challenge. I didn't submit anything...found out about it a little too late and I've been a little too swamped...but there is some really lovely work in it. Check it out here:

http://indiejunction.wordpress.com/vote-for-your-favorite-earth-day-design-by-indie-junction-artisans/

More....

Sick kids = little painting time

As much as I am itching to get back to my Fort Sewall painting, life has intervened. So I painted two more ACEOs when I had a few minutes - at least it is something, right??

Listings here:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=44768361

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=44717523

Wow!

A few hours after listing the ACEO with the purple flower, it SOLD!! Yay! Strange to think of a little piece of my art on its way to the United Kingdom now....

I guess I will have to try to do a few more ACEOs this week. They sure are fun to do. I just need more hours in the day!

Here is a link to the remaining ACEOs in my shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShirleyArt?section_id=6938547

Two more....

Two more ACEOs!

Defintely a fun break....but now I'm ready to go back to my Fort Sewall painting.....

Who Knew?

Tulip - Spring 01 - ACEO
acrylic on 140 lb Canson Montval Watercolor Paper
SOLD 

I have just discovered what an ACEO is!

ACEO are Art Cards, Editions and Originals. They are little works of art, measuring 2.5" x 3.5" - the size of standard trading cards. I guess people collect them like crazy! I didn't even know that there was a whole ACEO-world out there.....artists, collectors, places to sell and trade them, supplies, etc.

Well, I was in need of a quick fix, a tiny project I could finish in one short session. So I decided to give it a try! Fun! I figure if I can do a couple of these, it would help put a few more items in my Etsy shop. It lets me take a short break from my painting in progress without getting tied up in another big project. Plus it give me a chance to work a little faster, a little looser, to try new things, and to experiment with new subjects or ideas or things that I might want to grow into a larger painting eventually. Or to visit old friends (like the tulip above).

ACEOs may have to be my project of choice for the summer when the kids are home and my already fractured painting time is reduced even further. A painting in one short sitting? I think I can live with that!

A Nice Surprise

Kind of a bummer of a week ... and did not get to paint nearly as much as I would have liked. However I was very happy to discover today that I had been included in two treasuries on Etsy!

I have also been accepted as a member of EtsyVAST (Visual Artists Street Team)! One perk is that I get to post on their gallery blog. It is a great blog and fun to check out everyone's work. Check it out here: http://vastgallery.blogspot.com/

This should be another crazy week. Being in need of a quick fix, I am considering doing a few ACEO's. Stay tuned......