The Death of Me

That's what I am calling this latest surreal piece! It was created with watercolor, gouache, and also irridescent medium. I'll spare ya the details on this one, but it's basically about how you can lose yourself in relationships, or potential relationships. As humans we sometimes get so wrapped up in others, and trying to please others, that we forget about our own needs, and part of us dies. Interesting how that happens...reproduction prints are available in my Etsy shop!

Another Page from The Sketchbook Project :)

OH man, I just realized I have to put this sketchbook in the mail in less than a month! Uh oh...I think I need to make less detailed sketches at this point so I can actually finish it on time. Wait, have I done one about procrastination yet?!?! I think I need to...

Anyway, back to the theme of the sketchbook: "things that change other things"...this sketch is about moving into my own apartment. I haven't really had my own place in 3.5 years, so getting a "room of my own" so to speak has definitely changed things....I wasn't sure how it would work out, what I would find-- hence the question mark, keys, clouds, etc....but my gut instinct told me it was the right thing to do :)

And sure enough it has changed other things-- doing more art, reading more, I started swimming again (I'm only 5 minutes from the YMCA)!, and generally focusing on what I need to do. I think moving out of the city has really helped with that. It is peaceful out here with lots of trees! It's interesting how a geographic switch can make all the difference.

The Latest in Surrealism...

I have not yet decided on a title for this one. I'm thinking either "The Talk" or "The Embrace." It's a little painting, around 5 by 8 inches, but will be put in a 9 by 12 inch frame. For this piece I used watercolor, gouache, and a fine point pen. I think I might do a larger version too...I'm considering doing more with the background-- more itty bitty details and such, 'cause I like to do that kinda thing! We will see :)

The Sketchbook Project!!!

Has anyone out there heard of this? This is WAY cool!!! (and I decided to participate :)

Anyway-- here's a brief synopsis:

It's like a concert tour but with sketchbooks.

Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the country. After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view. Anyone - from anywhere in the world - can be a part of the project. To participate and have us send you a sketchbook that will go on tour, pick a theme..

http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject

(ok, I totally copied and pasted most of that, but I am ocassionally lazy -sorry! :) ...No really, it's just that I have sketching to do!!! I think I will periodically post sketches I am doing for this project...the theme I chose is "things that changed other things"-- here's one I am working on now, I haven't decided weather or not it is done :)

Additional Additions to the Online Sale!

Yes, I did just say additional additions :) I've decided to expand my Christmas in July sale! Now I am also offering free shipping on ACEO's and my handmade recycled paper. In addition many prints in my various etsy shops are currently half off or at a reduced rates. Here are some pictures of an assortment of goodies included in the sale, which runs through Sunday, July 25th...

The surreal art and doggies can be found at snitterdog.etsy.com
My crazy little chickens live at mrchicken.etsy.com

Enjoy! :)

Back to Surrealism!

(And watercolors)...It's been a while since I've worked in watercolors, and as a result of the recent sales of two of my surrealistic watercolor pieces, I thought it would be a good choice to do something of the same genre....

I'm calling this piece Fragility-- and as usual, take from it what you will :)...Her skin is meant to look like broken glass, and she is holding an egg...This photo was taken about a week ago, so it already looks a little different, as I've introduced more browns in the piece...(I'm still not sure if that is the right call!) :O ...we'll see-- I have a feeling this piece will evolve over time.

Here it is!!!

The gigantic oil painting I worked on for about 5 months is now finished! Well, I actually finished it about a month ago, but I wasn't able to post it until now due to some camera issues...I had a basic vision of this one, but it definitely evolved over the months into a whole new creature...I've packed it with personal symbolism, but take from it what you will people! I love it when people find their own meaning in my whacky, crazy artwork...

Free Shipping Sale!!!

I don't know about you, but I love a good sale! (I'm guessing lots of us do-- yeah!!!) Anyway, I noticed there's some big world-wide free shipping sale going on this weekend on Etsy, so I thought I would participate. I've decided to offer free shipping on all my Surreal prints and hand-cut ACEO mats-- here are a few of them!

http://snitterdog.etsy.com

Almost Done...

Painting Update...

The Painting gets greener!...nice and creepy... :D

Thee Painting Evolves....

This is actually a recreation of the last watercolor painting I created in college. It was a response to a car accident I was in shortly before September 11, 2001. As a result I created this piece, called "Comfort." (When you're in freakish pain you need comfort, you know?)...Unfortunately the original watercolor painting was stolen off a gallery wall while I was in a group show in Madison WI, circa 2003...or was it 2004?.... As of that date, it was my most cherished piece, so I was very upset when it was suddenly gone. I had one crappy photo of it, and from this photo I began recreating it in oils this February, and with more color. It was originally monochromatic and in Payne's Gray.

It is evolving into something slightly different now. It is still about feeling pain--the emotion is similar, but the cause is different. It is not about physical pain now as much. The tear drops are new. They were not in the original. Not sure how this one will end up, it keeps changing...I'll have to keep posting new pics until it is complete.

So Long Decrepit Muse! :)

I recently sold this original painting out of my studio--yeah!!!! Just in time to fix my car too-- excellent timing :) I think I will miss this painting. I'm definitely glad I sold it though. It's funny how we can get attached to our creations. I suppose now I will have to create one I like even more.

Well That's Cool! :D

Life is funny. I think a lot of us artists have felt rather bummed out lately, with the economy affecting sales and all...but then when you least expect it-- something really cool happens! :)

So I checked my email this morning, mainly to see if my Dad was sending out one of his "Vero Beach Updates," (a humorous update on his adventures in Florida)...and I found something completely unexpected that made me feel a lot better about my artistic situation :)

I've been featured on the Art Channel of Talent Database! Yeah!!! :)

http://www.talentdatabase.com/channels/1-Art

It's not as if I have won the Pulitzer Prize or anything, but still, this really made my day! :) I guess this means that even if your art doesn't fit in at most artistic venues, it might be appreciated elsewhere :) This gives me hope. Here's to the freaky artists everywhere! :)

I'm a Horrible Procrastinator... :O ...

You know that sketch I blogged about a couple of posts back? Yeah, I haven't started that one yet... :) The main reason being is that I'm going to do it in oils, and I haven't worked in oils in years...I'm kind of a perfectionist, so I'm, uh...putting it off for a little while...(soon though, I swear)! :) ...

The painting shown here I am finally starting. I began this sketch a few years ago...(It's basically about losing your mind-- something many artists can relate to right?-- here's to you Van Gogh! :)...I think I'm going to call it "Pickle Head"... Get it? The head looks like a pickle, kinda...and also it's a refererence to your brain getting pickled :)...Yes, screwey but true :) It may look quite different by the time I finish it...I will most likely put a wallpaper background in it, like some of my other surreal paintings. I'm attempting to creat a "cohesive" body of work, or so they call it... :O (we'll see how it goes-- I have a bit of artistic ADD or something)...

In honor of my procrationation, and the many ideas I have in my head, I bring you this fun and quirky video by The Foo Fighters! :) I love this song/video. This song, called "Big Me," was big in my late teen years. I've decided to do a Mr. Chicken based on this video...Mr. Chicken Eat His Mentos (perhaps?)...I think Mr. Chicken might have to sport some Dave Grohl braids :)...(Remember those fun and dorky Mentos videos?) Of course though, since I procrastinate and am working on 10 differnt things at once, it may be a while :)
..sorry I had to post the link insted of the video-- I couldn't embed it for some reason! :O

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhfWzCPRPtg

The Latest Round of Wierdness...

So lets just say I've had a creative block since 2001...I kid you not, I'm dead serious...This was the last time I planned a major composition...

I think when I finished college, and went out into "the real world" I lost a bit of my creative edge. I was no longer doing art 5-7 days per week, nor working in my sketchbook. In fact, I did little to no art at all for 4 years....I refer to those years (late 2001-late 2005) as my "lost years"....I was busy just trying to make ends meet, and often working up to 3 jobs at one time...It didn't occur to me that I could try to earn a living as an artist. (I think this is what happens when you don't think outside of the box (which I often don't) and when you have main stream parents who work in education)...

Anyway, when I say "major composition" I am referring to the surreal images in my Snitterdog shop. I started them in college, and finished them in the last 2-3 years. (they just didn't look done, so I went back to mess with them :)...Anyway, this is the type of art I am most interested in creating. This is the type of art that is also the most difficult to create -- it is very time consuming and intricate. I have not started a "new one" until recently. This is the sketch I plan to turn into a painting. (Supposedly)....we'll see what happens...

I'm trying to tell myself that I'm not any less creative than I used to be...I was just preoccupied for a few years, and my brain got lazy...(by the way, I tend to do the leaves and flowers because it' "easier"...I hope that doesn't sound horrible)...My goal is to get back into the wierd stuff-- I hope I can still pull it off! :)