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Happy Easter! A special commission…

Happy Easter! A special commission...

I was very impatient to show you this painting that I have been working on for a few weeks… I delivered it last night so I can finally show it to you…!

It was commissioned as a birthday present for a gentleman’s 60th birthday… And it is packed with meaningful symbols relating to the man’s life… I love painting with a purpose..!

Having a chat with his wife and daughters, they wanted these particular “traits” to come through in the painting..:

– he loves music,
– he is a father of 4 and grandfather of 2,
– he collects coins,
– he loves poetry and classical music,
– he did the Camino de Santiago,
– he’s a supporter of the Kerry team,
– he likes gardening,
– he was quite touched by his visit to Newgrange,

Quite an assignment…! Well, I enjoyed every minute of working on this project, and here is the resulting painting…

The two trees on top represent the man in question and his wife,

The four trees underneath and the two little ones are the children and grandchildren,

The top left hill wears the “green & gold” of the Kerry team,

The path leads up to Santiago de Compostela cathedral, and a sign post indicates the way as well, (I have walked the Camino myself so it was lovely to include these details.) I painted stars on the hill of the cathedral because Compostela means “field of the stars”…

I decided to use the path as a base to the scores of a classical piece… Can you guess which..?

Instead of my usual bubble-like pattern, I scattered a few coins on the lower left hill…

So there! I was quite nervous delivering it yesterday but they were all very pleased and I was treated to a glass of bubbly and a piece of birthday cake…

Well, I’m still at my stall at the Arty Bits Craft Fair in Tralee, one more hour to go…

Happy Easter everyone…!

Amélie

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Ups and Downs..

Ups and Downs..
Dear fans..! It seems such a long time since I wrote something.. Please forgive me. I have been through one of these moments that we refer to when we say that life is like a roller coaster, with it’s ups and downs. I’m a little better now, and painting and creating has been helping, even if I didn’t do too much of that lately…!
But please bare with me, my head is already buzzing with plans and ideas… Painting inspirations, new jewellery… all coming very soon. And I think it’s also time for a competition, don’t you think…? Perhaps a free piece of jewellery this time..?
Many thanks for all the new fans coming aboard lately, and thanks for those who are still spreading the word…
Slán…!
Amélie

The small pleasures in an artist’s life…

The small pleasures in an artist's life...

Yesterday I treated myself to two new tubes of georgous colours: Permanent Alizarin Crimson and Green Gold, both by Winsor & Newton, from different “collections”. Some of my students have been using them and until now if I needed these colours I would mix them up myself, but these are a delightful shortcut and I’m glad I bought them..

The Alizarin is a fantastic deep, rich colour, very much like beetroot or a rich Bordeaux… And the Green Gold is a beautiful mustard like colour, almost olive looking. I love them..! You can see them in the middle of my palette.. (if you think it looks like the cover of a Chinese take-away dish, you’re spot on!)

I thought they looked great together so I made this little painting using only the two of them and a little Titanium White, which was great to give them a little more “coverage power” since I start with a black background, (which I do NOT advise if you are only starting to paint!) So here is, with a very unexpected title, “Landscape in Alizarin and Green Gold”. 4″x4″

 

Update on my Etsy shop..!

Update on my Etsy shop..!

Wow, I don’t think I had fully realised all the work involved in creating my online shop for the pendants and rings…!

For the past few weeks I’ve been researching and experimenting… Gift boxes, bubble wrap mailer, rigid cardboard mailer for the prints, a good archival paper for the prints, good supliers for the material needed to make the pendants, chokers, snake chains etc…

It’s about time I get moving on this, as opening an Etsy shop for my prints was on my list of goals for the last 3 years! In fact the shop was set up to my name in 2008!

Now that I have a few items that are ready to go, the last few days have been spent experimenting with the photography…

Although im interested in it, I’ve only got basic knowledge of photography.. I am able to photograph my own work and to tweak the image a little so it looks as MUCH as possible as the original. Photographing jewellery is a different thing! But I’m happy enough with the images I prepared for my listing… Here’s a quick peek..!

Right now I’m sipping a coffee in town waiting for a lovely breakfast sandwich in the Smokehouse… In fact I’m waiting for the post office to be open so I can go get some prices on registered local and international shipping… So I’m happy to say that I will start listing today and over the weekend…!

THIS IS THE YEAR!!!

I was recently inspired by my friend Kellie from New York, who started a great blog called “Off-Peak”, and I liked the energy behind one of her recent post… Instead of writing a regular goal list, Kellie has transformed the usual format into a powerful list of affirmations… So I tweaked some of my goals too…!

-THIS IS THE YEAR where I will find representation in 1 gallery in Montréal

-THIS IS THE YEAR where I will find representation in a gallery in mainland Europe

-THIS IS THE YEAR where I will find representation in 1 gallery in the US

-THIS IS THE YEAR where I will set up and run a successful Etsy shop to sell my art jewelry and prints,

-THIS IS THE YEAR where I will have at least 2 successful solo exhibitions,

-THIS IS THE YEAR I will participate in at least 2 craft fairs with the art jewelry,

-THIS IS THE YEAR I will participate at Art Fair 2011 in the RDS, Dublin,

-THIS IS THE YEAR I will prepare a portfolio for art licensing,

-THIS IS THE YEAR I will reach the 1000 fans on Facebook,

-THIS IS THE YEAR I will start offering one-day workshops on painting with acrylics,

-THIS IS THE YEAR I will create and use a more efficient database and inventory for my paintings,

-THIS IS THE YEAR where I will get more use out of Twitter and LinkedIn,

-THIS IS THE YEAR I will be more committed to my blog, and

-THIS IS THE YEAR I will stick to a better, more organised weekly schedule…

An Other New Painting…

An Other New Painting...

“Purple Gap”, 8″x8″ is one of my new paintings, based on the Gap of Dunloe in Killarney… And it was painted on a purpose!

When the Nationwide show contacted me a while ago to make a little piece on me (it should be aired in February or March..!) we made plans to go to the Gap of Dunloe to take some scenic footage of me walking around and sketching, so I wanted to have a painting from the area of course…! I had painted the Gap before but in a more realistic kind of way… I quite like my new version which clearly has my own stamp on it..!

My Goals for 2011…

I’m sure I could add on to the list forever, but here are the ones I am thinking of right now…:

My goals for 2011 are:

-to create around 100 paintings,
-to find representation in 1 gallery in Montréal
-to find representation in 1 Europeen gallery
-to find representation in 1 gallery in the US
-to set up and run a successful Etsy shop to sell my art jewelry and prints,
-to have at least 2 solo exhibitions,
-to participate in at least 2 craft fairs with the art jewelry,
-to participate at Art Fair 2011 in the RDS, Dublin,
-to prepare a portfolio for art licensing,
-to reach the 1000 fans on Facebook,
-to start offering one-day workshops on painting with acrylics,
-to create and use a more efficient database and inventory for my paintings,
-getting more use out of Twitter and LinkedIn,
-to be more committed to my blog, and
-to stick to a better, more organised weekly schedule…

Voilà…! I give you full permission to question me about them throughout the year and see if I’m sticking to them! Care to share YOUR goals…?

Accomplishments…

Accomplishments...

Every year, as reminded by Alyson B.Stanfield, I write a list of my art-related accomplishments… Because it is so easy to concentrate on the things that I have NOT done…! It’s important to recognise the things that WERE accomplished… So, here they are..!

In 2010 I…

-held 3 competitions on Facebook to gather more fans,
-got over 500 new fans,
-gave a talk about my art,
-gave myself the challenge of creating 100 paintings in 100 days,
-started to make jewelry featuring my art,
-made 2 art donations,
-participated in the Art Fair 2010 in the RDS, Dublin,
-visited the British Museum and the special exhibition of Da Vinci drawings,
-joined “Killarney Arts”, a sub group of the Killarney town council,
-got on stage for the first time with Dochàs Drama Group,
-became secretary of Dochàs Drama Group,
-had 2 (successful!) solo exhibitions,
-got in 3 new galleries,
-participated in a craft fair where I started to sell my art jewelry,
-wrote 109 blog posts, (well, outside of the 100 paintings there is only about 15…)
-created ~162 paintings, (including 100 mini ones..)
-sold ~68 paintings,
-got contacted by a TV program to do a piece on me, (more details to come about that one!)
-started mini-prints of my work,
-completed 3 commissions,
-got into 3 group exhibitions, including one in Paris,

Well, 2010 is nearly history…! Take a minute to think of the things you HAVE accomplished this year… No matter how small!

Enjoy the celebrations… See you next year!

Amélie

Number 100 – Christmas…Finally!, 3″x3″

Number 100 - Christmas...Finally!, 3"x3"

WOOOOHHHOOOOOO!!!!! 100 paintings done!! Wow, it was such a challenge, with ups and downs and little hickups along the way, done in a period where I was very busy with one of my best friend’s wedding, preparing for an Art fair in Dublin, an exhibition in Killarney, visitors from Canada, and the Christmas preparations!! But overall I am glad I did it, and thank you so much for your support and all the lovely comments you left over the 100 days…

I wish you all a beautiful, peaceful and colourful Christmas, un beau et Joyeux Noël à vous tous…!

So here is my 100th and final painting:
Christmas…Finally!

Number 99 – Candy Hills, 3″x3″

Number 99 - Candy Hills, 3"x3"
This is the 99th of my 100 x 100 x 100 collection…
Read about it here and see them all here!

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