Thursday, October 18, 2012

Overdue

Cypress Lagoon
30 x 40 acrylic
sold

Yet another long overdue post by moi.   Since my last post that I see I did after my July show at St. Simons, Georgia - I have been back to Georgia twice - in September to the Shrimp & Grits Festival on Jekyll Island and then back to St. Simons this past weekend.  I have been having a blast.  These island locations are just gorgeous and have been very good to me.  The above painting was one of the ones I sold at Jekyll Island.  I cannot imagine anything more encouraging and flattering to an artist, than to have a collector agonize over not whether or not to buy, but which one to buy!  (Not that I take any joy in seeing anyone agonize over anything!)  This painting was hot off the easel, and I was tickled to death that she  decided on this one.  My friend, the fabulous artist, Jane Slivka, first introduced me to painting cypresses and just lately I started in on them once again - but on much larger canvas.  Florida is full of cypress swamps, lagoons and cypress lined creeks and rivers, so there is no shortage of material in my own back yard. . . literally.

I have this coming weekend off, then I have five shows in a row.  If I survive, I'll try to let you know how they go!  And I would sure love it if you happened to make it to one or more of them.  The shows are listed on my facebook page (Lisa Whitener Art) and on my website at www.lisawhitenerart.com.   Thank you as always for your interest and support. 


Monday, August 13, 2012

WEB SITE


 Me - at the St. Simons Island, GA
 July 7-8, 2012

I have finally developed a web site.  I have to admit - it was not that hard.  The hardest part was getting organized enough to do it.  It is nowhere near finished, but is now available and I have vowed to update it regularly.  It is not sophisticated or complex. . . . kind of a projection of myself I suppose!  I think it serves the purpose, it's is easy to use, and hopefully, it is just the next step in my career.  As always, thank you for your interest.  I've said it before and I mean it.  This process is impossible without your interest and support.

http://www.lisawhitenerart.com/

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Do-over





So this past weekend I was in the studio quite a bit.  I'm working on some new canvases, but occasionally I take a break and look at some of the ones that have been lying around the studio for a while and decide I've had enough of one.  I can't remember when I painted these flowers on the Naples background, but I was never happy with them.  Just blah.   I'm exploring a new style which is much less rigid and uses a lot linear strokes -  you might just call it scratchy or sloppy.  I love painting this way.  It is very liberating to place strokes on the canvas without trying to be exact.  For those of you who know me - I do not like to waste a canvas - or paint for that matter.  Yes, I've been known to try to scoop it back into a tube.  I'll be taking the new version of these flowers, along with many other new creations to Jekyll Island in September.  I will be posting many new things between now and then, I'm sure.  As always, thanks for taking a moment to look and read, and I appreciate your interest and support.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

St. Simons Island

This large coneflower was another sale at St. Simons Island this past weekend.  A very sweet young couple vacationing from the Atlanta area purchased this and told me they planned to place it in their nursery.  What I assume to be their first baby is due in just a few weeks.  What a pleasure it is to meet and do business with such nice people.  I just love painting these flowers.  I find that people just can't look at them without smiling.  Instead of wildflowers maybe I should call them happy flowers.  It amazes me, but several people looked around my booth this past weekend, and they all said the same word after looking at my paintings.  Happy.  I can't think of a better compliment really.

Normie's New Home

I know I posted Normie after I completed him, but I'm posting him again because I'm just so tickled about his new home.  He will now be living at the Toccoa Veterinary Hospital in Toccoa, Georgia.  The veterinarian (a beautiful young woman) purchased him and said she will place him in one of her examining rooms along with a little information about him.  Well, those of you who have followed my blog since the first painting of him just after his passing, know he was a very special kitty, and that he had quite the personality.  I cannot begin to express how honored and happy I am to have Normie make his way to his new home in North Georgia.  I do have to admit that I made a blithering idiot of myself by boo-hooing a little on seeing him go.  I was just so touched that he will now have a place of honor as his permanent home, and can be seen and enjoyed by so many other animal lovers.  

Monday, May 7, 2012

Old Florida Celebration of the Arts
Cedar Key, Fl
April 28 - 29, 2012

Here is me at Cedar Key.  Thankfully the photographer for the art association came by before my skin had really started glistening.  It was a hot one for sure, but a great weekend.  Our hotel room was just a few steps from my booth, the weather was gorgeous, and the people were there to support the arts.  I met some awesome folks - both patrons and artists.  I was admiring another artist's beautiful watercolors, and he gave me a print.  When I got back to my day job the following week, I was admiring the water color I had purchased a number of years ago, which is hanging on the wall behind my desk, and lo and behold it was the same artist  - Gene Rizzo.  Check out his work - he is a fantastic watercolorist.  And I met another new friend - Mary May Witte - a fellow acrylic painter.  She won best in 2D at the show,  and she was gracious enough to exchange paintings with me.  She is an awesome lady and great artist, and I look forward to our new friendship.  I sold quite a few paintings to people who really loved them, and I acquired two new pieces of art.    It was a really good weekend.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Norm again, Norm again

 Norm 
24" x 24"
Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

The wait is over.  The next Norm painting that certainly all of you have been anxiously awaiting is here.  Some of you probably know that my Facebook profile picture is a small 10 x 10 sketch I did of Norm only about a week after he died last year - specifically April 11, 2011.  In celebration of the anniversary of his passing, I just finished a bigger, and I think better, version of the original sketch. 

It's hard to believe it has been a year.  We have yet to find a replacement for Norm - not that there is one.  I don't know if we will ever have another Norm; another kitty who keeps putting his paw on you - usually in the middle of the night - until you finally get up to see what he wants.  We would think he was in dire need to go out.  But what did he want?  Someone to watch him eat.  I don't know how many times I can remember saying "Oh.  O.K. Norm.  That's really interesting.  Thank you for getting me up so I can watch you eat."  This entertainment was not provided exclusively to me.  He let my husband watch him eat sometimes too.  Can you imagine the confidence it takes to make someone get up from a comfortable bed. . . in the middle of the night. . . . just to watch you eat? 

Eventually, maybe, we will find another Norm, but I doubt it.  Although the following picture is not the greatest, it is the one I worked from for this painting.  Thanks for celebrating Norm's life with me.


What?

Friday, April 13, 2012

SPRING EVENTS

 20" x 30"
Acrylic on stretched canvs

Just thought I would put a little Spring in your step this afternoon.  O.K. - that was pretty hokey, but I did want to share my upcoming events with you, and since it is spring, I thought nothing says spring better than these wildflowers. . . but come to think of it, I picked them last fall. . . . .. . . . oh well  -  they can really say anything you want them to.  I just hope you enjoy them.  Please check out my upcoming events.  I hope you can make it to one or ALL of the shows!

April 21-22   10:00 - 5:00 - Sawgrass Village Spring Art Festival - Ponte
Vedra Beach, FL - for more info  www.venuesplanning.com

April 28-29   10:00 - 5:00 - Old Florida Celebration of the Arts - Cedar
Key, FL - for more info       www.cedarkeyartsfestival.com

May 5-6 - Sat 9:00 - 6:00; Sun 10:00 - 5:00 - Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp
Festival - Fernandina Beach, FL - for more info    www.shrimpfestival.com

May 19th  10:00 - 4:00  One day event - Silver Toast to the Arts Art Fair
(Celebrating the Appleton Museum's 25th Anniversary) - on the grounds of
the Appleton Museum, 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, Florida

May 26 - 27 (Memorial Weekend) - 10:00 - 5:00 - 36th Annual Arts in the
Park Festival, Blue Ridge, Georgia (downtown city park) - for more info
http://blueridgearts.net/ArtsintheParkFestivals.aspx

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Edsel II

Wow - it has been over a month since I posted anything.  I actually do paint almost every day, but based on my blogging performance you may think it is only once a month. 

Last summer, my husband and I were riding around the tiny island of Cedar Key in a golf cart (it was too hot to walk),  he driving, me taking pictures.  I saw this beautiful old car and stopped to snap a few shots.   I have been told by the locals that this Edsel has been sitting in the same spot since 1999 when it's owner passed away and his family couldn't part with the car.  I'm sort of glad they didn't because I just love it.  This is the second painting I have done of the car and the original is sold, but I do have prints, and if anyone is interested please let me know.  My print shop is amazing and the colors are just as vivid as the original painting. 

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Judged Hen


Well here she is.  A judged hen.  Usually us girls do not like to be judged, but she sure didn't mind this past weekend at the 50th annual Art Fiesta in New Smyrna Beach.  I didn't win a prize, but have to say I was up against some pretty stiff competition. There were artists there with some amazing work.  I was surprised and honored to have one of the judges choose this hen for judging.  In all honesty, she was, I believe, the first chicken I ever painted, and this would not have been my choice if I had been given the choice to choose the judged painting myself.  However, it also made me wonder, if perhaps, the crassness of the painting was why it was chosen.  I really can't say.  I do think it has a folk-ish primitive feel to it. 
So, this judged hen will now be traveling to the Bloomin Art Festival in Bartow this coming weekend to see if she can get some more attention.  Maybe we will see you there.  The festivals are a lot of work, but the experience is so much fun, and the people I meet are worth every second.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Uptown


  
 Uptown Art Expo at Cranes Roost Park - Altamonte Springs, Fl
February 18-19, 2012

The top photo is my pretty display probably about 30 minutes before I gave into the elements.  The forecast had been for thunderstorms most of the day Sunday.   Luckily, we did not get rain at all.  What we did get was wind - a lot of wind.  The wind was steadily blowing, but then we had gusts anywhere between 45 - 50 mph (according to NOAA).  I'm saying it blew even harder than that at times!  A few artists began breaking down their displays around noon.  I held on with the hope that things would get better; instead they got worse.  Around 2:30 I had had enough.   Although weighted down, tied down, and clamped down, the tent and displays were sliding around and things were just becoming more and more unstable.  If you look closely in the top photo, you can see that the tent is actually even tied to the palm tree next to it, which helped a little until the wind changed directions.  

People didn't hesitate to help, even while their own booths were in jeopardy.  Brandy, Jeff and Kirt, and 2 other neighbors and I managed to get the panels dismantled and get the tent down without much damage and more importantly, without anyone getting hurt.  We had to work really quick to keep the tent from blowing away - thus the ginormous mess.  I could never have done it without their help.  

While Brandy was busy helping me, her tent slid around to the point she too decided to break it down.  Jeff was not as fortunate.  While he was still helping me, Kirt had gone back down to watch the booth.  To his horror, a gust of wind came in and picked up the tent threw it backward and twisted it, with all of Jeff's phenomenal original pencil drawings inside.  It was tragic and his tent will need repair, but luckily it appears most of his work is o.k. and no one was hurt.   In his 14 years on the circuit, nothing like this had ever happened.   I understand that many artists suffered damage and loss. 

As a newbie, I kept asking the veterans if this was typical or not - I was assured by them all that it was not!  Thank Goodness!!!!  

Was it a good sales weekend?  Not at all.  Did I make memories and spend time with great people?  I sure did!  These times show the true spirit of the artist:  tenacity and valiance.

Funny thing is - I'm going to do it all over again next weekend. . . and the next!  Wish me luck!