Costa Rica Commission

"Costa Rica"

acrylic on canvas

14" x 18" 

commission

A recent commission I finished based on the client's image.  A gift for their friends who just returned from a Costa Rica honeymoon...a great wedding gift!

This painting is a prime example of how great photos make for great paintings.  Not all photos make for lovely paintings, and this is why I don't accept all commission requests.  I always want to be sure that I can create a successful painting.

Thank you for reading!
Bethany

Just off the Easel: Late Afternoon Ride

"Late Afternoon Ride"
24" x 30"
acrylic on canvas
commission

It's challenging to work from a black and white image, but a great practice and very freeing.  Definitely takes me longer to create, though!  Honored to be able to paint this boy and his Grandpa. Now the boy is grown and will have a reminder of time spent on his grandparents' farm.

reference photo

Thank you for reading!

Bethany

Commission progress and decisions

Quick post with an update on the commission study. Still deciding on colors for grasses!  This study doesn't have to be perfect, just a roadmap for the larger 24" x 30" painting. The study is 16" x 20" acrylic on canvas.

current snapshot
reworked grasses, background, upper right

8/7/2012

 Here are some of the stages of the painting so far:

8/6/2012

getting paint onto canvas
deciding on colors
8/4/2012

lay out image in vine charcoal
starting with red canvas
8/4/2012

WIP: Commission using black and white photo

This is a study for a 24" x 30" commission.  We only have a black and white photo as reference.  It is liberating to choose any colors, but at the same time challenging!

commission study
16" x 20"
acrylic on canvas

reference  photo

I have to resolve a few areas before we proceed with the larger painting.  I have to change some colors and define the upper right area above the fence.  I need to go back in all over and refine a little bit, add a little more detail to the faces, horse, and the fence.  

Stay tuned for more progress on this piece! Thanks for reading.

Bethany

Just off the Easel: Central Park Commission

This was a Valentine's Day gift ... the couple got engaged on this rock in Central Park, NYC.

She Said Yes
8" x 10" acrylic on canvas

What's your proposal story?  My husband and I got engaged Easter weekend 2000 at the NC Museum of Art's Rodin exhibit.  He proposed in front Cathedral, which is a sculpture of two hands.  We have a framed postcard of the sculpture to remember the big moment in our lives.

Do you have a special place that you'd like to have painted?  Please see the commissions section or my Etsy shop!

Just off the Easel: Chicago Sunset

Happy New Year! Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2012!


Here's another recent painting that I can share now...This was for my brother, Andrew, who just moved back after a year in Chicago.

Chicago Sunset
16" x 20"
acrylic on canvas

This year I'm hoping to make many more friends across the country and world through my art.  It's amazing to make connections with other artists and art (and pet!) lovers. 


Stay tuned for a few more recent commission and "Just off the Easel" painting posts! 

Just off the Easel: Christmas on Salem

Happy Holidays!  I hope you are enjoying all of the joy that the holiday season brings.  We have been so excited to introduce our daughter to Christmas traditions, and one of our favorite places to celebrate is Downtown Apex!


This past weekend was the annual Christmas Parade on Salem Street in Downtown Apex, NC.  This painting is based on a photograph I took just as the sun was setting and people were lined up along the street waiting for the parade to begin...

Christmas on Salem
12" x 16"acrylic on canvas
available in my shop

I love the Downtown Apex, NC area with all of its history and charm! I have worked in the downtown area of Apex for 7 years and consider it to be a local treasure.  They close off the streets on Friday night for the Christmas tree lighting and carriage rides, and again on Saturday for the Parade.

The view is looking South down Salem Street. You can see the street lights which are decorated with lights and trumpeting angels. Along the sides of the street there are people lined up ready for the parade. You can also see the buildings of a few of my favorite businesses, among them are The Rusty Bucket and Anna's Pizzeria. If you are ever in the Raleigh, NC area, Downtown Apex is not to be missed!


I hope that you enjoy creating special holiday memories with your friends and family.  Please remember especially those in need during the holidays and our men and women serving in the Armed Forces.  Sometimes the happiest times for most can be the hardest on those dealing with loss or missing loved ones.  


I am donating 25% of the sale of this painting to the Western Wake Crisis Ministry, an non-profit based in Downtown Apex serving the community through employment counseling, food pantry, and financial assistance.  Visit their website at www.wwcm.org for ways that you can volunteer or donate.


Merry Christmas!

Just off the Easel: Snowy Lane

I just finished this for the Apex Arts Council's Winter Holidays Art Show:

Snowy Lane
16" x 20" acrylic on canvas

I took photos along the way so you can see the progress of this painting from start to finish:

underpainting

lay down color & refine shapes

more detail and shadows

finished! added branches,
more highlights and adjusted colors

Snowy Lane will be on display and available for purchase via silent auction in the Salem Street Promenade/Common Grounds Coffeehouse Dec. 1-12.  Auction bid starts at $150.  I also have another piece in oil pastel, Blue Ridge Winter, in this show.  Come by and see some great local art in Downtown Apex!

Remember that I have four paintings on display at the Visual Art Exchange starting December 2 (see posts here).  The opening for these shows is during First Friday, tomorrow night, December 2nd from 6-9pm!  

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!). ------->

Father's Day & Just off the Easel: A Ride on the Beach

Happy Father's Day!

Today we celebrated my husband's second Father's Day.  We let him sleep in (only until 8:30 but it's better than 6:15!), had a nice brunch, and headed to the NC Museum of Art. 

We have been wanting to see the 30 Americans exhibit, so we activated the membership we bought on Groupon a few months ago.  The year membership got us free admission to the ticketed show, and it was well worth it!  We'll also be able to see the Rembrandt show coming later this year.  30 Americans was an incredible show... my favorite pieces were Mickalene Thomas' Baby I Am Ready Now and Kehinde Wiley's  Sleep.  If you are in the Raleigh area, don't miss this exhibit!  It is also heading to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. in October 2011.


For Father's Day, I just finished this commission of a daddy and son on the beach. 

A Ride on the Beach

acrylic on canvas

16" x 20"

I'm loving the summertime scenes right now, like the one I finished last week of Natalie on the beach.  I'm working on a smaller oil pastel of Nick and Natalie on the beach...look for a post on that coming in the next few days!


Last but certainly not least, thank you to all of the wonderful fathers ... most especially my own Dad, father-in-law, and my husband.  Natalie and I are lucky to have all of you in our lives! :)

WIP: A Ride on the Beach

Beginning a larger painting on canvas of this sweet Daddy and son on the beach.

The size is 16" x 20", medium is acrylic on canvas.  I primed the canvas a light salmon color rather than my typical red or terracotta since it is a light, beachy picture.


Here is what I did yesterday... sketching and underpainting. Pardon the terrible pictures... all I had was my Blackberry!  I'll get some better pictures tomorrow in the daylight with the real camera.  The colors are much brighter IRL and the Round 2 picture appears very different since it's nighttime and the lighting in the kitchen is poor.

And this is what I did tonight.  

I feel like I worked FOREVER on it and there isn't much difference.   I think I may break out the palate knife to work on the background, and maybe some gel medium to create some transparent layers. I noticed some proportions are off: the shirt and pants... he's looking a little wide! ;)  

I need to work on blending less! I think the palate knife will help in that aspect.  

Stay tuned for updates and better pictures!

Just off the Easel: Florida Palms

Tonight I broke out the acrylic paints for a change and finished a painting that I started two years ago!  I had only done the underpainting, so there was much to be laid down to get it completed.  


This is painted from a photo I took when visiting Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL with my brother and nephews.  I'm glad to have this one finished FINALLY!  I really liked this scene, and may paint a larger version  sometime down the road.  

Acrylic on Canvas, 9" x 12"