Just off the Easel: Down on the Farm

Here's one of two pieces that I entered in the VAE / Junior League of Raleigh show.  

The theme is "Southern Menagerie."

"Down on the Farm"
12" x 12" oil pastel on paper
reference image from here

If accepted, these works will be on exhibit and available for purchase November 3-6 during the Junior League of Raleigh's "A Shopping Spree".  During the annual event at the Raleigh Convention Center, they feature a  Carolina Color art gallery with original art by artists from around the country.

Stay tuned for updates!  Also,  if you are looking for something to do tonight, come to Downtown Apex for the opening of the Oxidation ->Rust show!  It's from 6-8 pm and I'll be there along with other artists exhibiting their work.  

Art Show Updates

Thank you to all that came out to the Art Affaire this past Saturday in Fuquay Varina!  The weather held off and it was a great afternoon of art in the gardens.  I met some lovely new friends and had a great time.  

Two of my works have been accepted into a juried art exhibition and sale, Oxidation -> Rust,  at the Halle Cultural Arts Center of Apex.  I will be at the opening reception is this Friday,  September 30 2011, 6-8 pm.   I hope to see some familiar faces at the reception! 


Oxidation -> Rust runs through October 28, 2011.

Apex Farmhouse
one of my works on display
now thru Oct. 28

If you are not familiar with the Halle Cultural Center, it is a beautiful facility in Historic Downtown Apex.  Built in 1912 as the Town Hall, the building was recently renovated into a modern facility for the town's Cultural Arts programs.  Learn more about the history of the building here at the town's website.


I'm busy preparing for a few more shows and painting some more farm scenes!  Stay tuned :)


Bethany

Just off the Easel: Three Blue Ridge Mountain Paintings

Here are three of the paintings from this week... Can you tell I am excited for FALL??

That Red Barn
6 x 6 acrylic on canvas
Available in my Shop

Autumn on the Farm
6 x 6 acrylic on canvas
Available in my Shop

Blue Ridge Parkway
6 x 6 acrylic on canvas
Available in my Shop

And here they are all together... I'm loving these smaller canvases!

Be sure to put my show at Defining Design/Adcock Nursery on your calendar for NEXT SATURDAY 9/24!  The event is from 1-5 pm, and there will be many artists showing their work outside on the nursery grounds.  There will be live music, food and refreshments (Vineyards at Southpoint will be there).  Adcock Nursery will also be having a plant sale... we drove by this morning and the nursery is HUGE!  Please come out,  support local artists, and hopefully enjoy some beautiful weather!   :)

Just off the Easel: Blue Ridge Parkway

Finished another little acrylic on canvas...

Blue Ridge Parkway
6" x 6" acrylic on canvas
Available in my Shop

Going to do several more small paintings, then preparing for the Southern Menagerie/JL Raleigh and Halle Cultural Art Center shows.


Happy Friday!

Just off the Easel: Blue Ridge View

Here's another acrylic on canvas that I painted of the Blue Ridge mountains:

Blue Ridge View
8" x 10" acrylic on canvas
Available in my Shop

I'm enjoying these paintings using my palette knives! Making me think that I need to invest in some more knives.  Currently I only have one small metal one and several larger plastic ones.  The metal ones are MUCH better, but of course they are more expensive.

I have a great brochure of the freestyle knives that I got at a Liquitex demo a few months ago.  They have a great line of knives that are stainless steel (won't corrode in water), resist wear, and have ergonomical handles. Add those to my Jerry's shopping wish list! 


Still much more to do before the show on 9/24... keep the coffee flowing!

Just off the Easel: Apex Farmhouse

I finished the piece I did a WIP (work-in-progress) post on yesterday (here).

As promised, I refrained from doing too much more, and only spent another 45 minutes on the painting.  I'm pretty happy with it!

Apex Farmhouse
16" x 20" Acrylic on canvas
Available in my Shop

I most loved working on the trees and sky in this painting.  It was a lot of fun to work on, especially since I hadn't done an acrylic painting like this in a while.  Lately I've been very into the oil pastels.  

Here's another picture I did a few months ago of the same farm in Apex (in oil pastels and larger)...

Just off 64 from Jordan
available in my Shop

And here's a painting I did a few years ago in the same style, using a palette knife and a loose, expressive style...

Maggie Valley
available in my Shop

Next, I need to get some smaller paintings done for the outdoor art festival that is LESS THAN TWO WEEKS away!  I hope you'll come out to the Defining Design Art Affaire on September 24th (my birthday!).  Here's the flyer...

Click here for the event page on Facebook

Stay tuned!  I'll be painting some more today :)

WIP: Apex Farmhouse

Here's a painting I've been working on for another show.  This is for the upcoming juried show at the Halle Cultural Arts Center of Apex.  View event information here.  

Apex Farmhouse
16" x 20"
acrylic on canvas

I started with a wash using water soluble pastels on canvas primed with Colourfix in terracotta... I was planning on a light layer of acrylic with some touches of oil pastel.

I liked the drips...maybe I'll do this again soon!

Next, I laid down the acrylic paint with a palette knife... this took about 2 hours.

I worked on it another 30-45 minutes last night and made myself stop here...

Not sure how much more I want to work on it.  I'm afraid it will get too blended or have too much detail, and it won't look as fresh and spontaneous.  What do you think?


I might just finish around the windows on the left side of the house, add some more Fall color to the tree on the left, and add a little more green in the shadow above the shed.  Oh, and I think I want more yellow in the meadow.  That's all ;)  


Maybe I'll limit myself to another 20 minutes!  


Stay tuned... for the latest details, you can see my images and what I'm working on by following me on Twitter : ArtbyBethany.  (See the Twitter feed on the right bar on this page!). ------->

Just Off the Easel: Jazz Kings

Another musical piece for the Cool Notes Show in Downtown Apex from September 10-19!

I took pictures through every step of the process to show my current method:

reference picture from here
Chris Parfitt

sketch in water soluble pastel
on 8 ply board primed
with pastel primer

color blocked in with Neopastel II  pastels

create a wash of the pastel w/water

detail of drawing after wash finished

added layer of Sennelier oil pastel

 After final tweaks/adjustments
I could fiddle forever,
but I had to make myself stop!

Sorry, most of the pictures were taken in my studio at night and are not very good lighting!  The final image shots (first and very last) were taken outside in natural light, so the color and light are truest and best represent the actual piece.  

I enjoyed working on these musical pieces and look forward to seeing the rest of the works in the show.  I hope you'll come down and check it out!  A link to the Facebook event page for the show is here. 

Next I'm thinking about some abstract pieces in oil pastel.  I feel a pull to just mess around with color and texture, so we'll see what happens!  Stay tuned... :)

Just off the Easel: Grazing Cow

Here's one I've been messing with for months.  I finally decided that it's done after a few finishing touches!  As an artist, it can be so hard to discern when to keep going and when to STOP!  

Grazing Cow
8" x 10" oil pastel on board
Available in my shop

I've been so sad about the flooding in Vermont from Hurricane Irene... finishing this brought back fond memories of our last trip up to Springfield to visit my husband's family.  Here are a few other paintings I've done of Vermont over the years:

For ways to help Vermont recover from Hurricane Irene, please see this Forbes article.  I recommend supporting Vermont Farms by donating to the VT Farm Disaster Relief Fund.

Just off the Easel: Night Music

Just finished another piece for the Cool Notes show (which I talked about here).

Night Music
8" x 10"
available in my shop

I'm really enjoying these musical pieces.  Instruments are a challenge, but they sort of remind me of rendering the human figure. It is really important to get the proportions correct, or the entire piece will be off.  


Today I'm hoping to start one more musical themed piece, in addition to getting pieces matted and framed for several upcoming shows.  I'm making my list for another run to Jerry's Artarama... pastels ($$), some fixative, clear plastic bags, and more I'm sure!


Stay tuned


:) Bethany

Just off the Easel: Street Jazz

I've been working on this piece for the Apex Arts Council's Cool Notes show.  It will be held in conjunction with the First Annual Apex Jazz Festival in a few weeks in Downtown Historic Apex.

Street Jazz
oil pastel on board
7" x 11" 

This is oil pastel on board primed with terracotta pastel primer.  I used Neocolor II pastels to lay in the first layer, then added water to make a watercolor wash, followed with Sennelier oil pastels.

Hopefully I'll be able to finish a few more musical themed pieces for the show by next Friday! Stay tuned!

And SAVE THE DATE for Defining Design's Art Affaire!  I have been accepted to a juried show sponsored by the Apex Arts Council and Defining Design on September 24th in Fuquay Varina, NC.  It will be an outdoor arts event featuring artists in a garden setting with music, wine and food.  We're hoping for some beautiful Fall weather and cooler temperatures!

My talented artist Mom, Karen Pearson, will also be there showing her work!  See her blog here. :)