Whiteout (Deer) - SOLD

Whiteout (Deer)

8" x 8"

Acrylic on canvas

SOLD

Here's another of these smaller paintings that uses Golden's interference colors.  

Whiteout (Bison)

Whiteout (Bison)

8" x 8"

Acrylic on canvas

Available for purchase directly through the artist (contact)

The Seattle area experienced some record snowfall this season...we lost power for nearly a week, but that gave us an excuse to cozy up next to the fire, at least.  

I experimented with Golden's interference colors for several of these small paintings...these colors "flip between a bright opalescent color and its complement" depending upon the angle at which they're viewed.  That effect doesn't translate to a photograph, unfortunately - but I've really been loving it!

snow on the farm

Hunting by Starlight

Hunting by Starlight

12" x 12"
Acrylic on canvas

Available for purchase at Carnation Corners, Carnation, WA

We often hear the coyotes howling and yipping at night, and protecting our chickens from these intelligent hunters has been quite a process.

Trailing the last gleam after,

In the valleys emptied of light,

Ripples a whimsical laughter

Under the wings of the night.

-from "Coyote", Badger Clark

Patience - SOLD

Patience

24" x 12"

Acrylic on canvas

SOLD

The farm we're on has tons of beavers that are always busily building dams in the streams that run through the land.  When a flood comes, they take advantage of their good fortune and acquire lots of good, high-up branches that they usually don't have access to when the water's low.  We have a chewed-off branch sitting on our window sill - the bite marks from the beavers are so smooth and polished, and the branch is really quite beautiful.

When trials come, for come they will,

Be patient if you can

-from "Patience" by S. Moore

Steady On

Steady On

Acrylic on canvas

24" x 48"

Available for purchase at Carnation Corners, Carnation, WA

I'm finally catching up on photographing paintings that have been sitting in my studio for months and months.  I've been super busy (in a good way!) and am really excited about some new painting projects that I've been working on...in the meantime, I'll continue to post some older paintings on the blog to get caught up here.

Some of the fields on our farm tend to flood, bringing in huge flocks of geese (and even some truly stunning swans).  They've been great for references when I'm painting.

This painting is named after the Storyhill song (they make great music to paint to).

Unfettered

Unfettered
Acrylic on canvas
24" x 12"
Available for purchase at Freshwater Studio & Gallery, Dillon, MT


I've always loved bighorn sheep and used to be stationed by the bighorn exhibit back when I was a volunteer at ZooMontana.  They move with the same agility of a cat - it's truly impressive to watch them hop from boulder to boulder.






If but for the span of a moment I swam in the aura of flame;
I caught the rapt secret of being clothed by the Ineffable Name.
And chastened with wonder and strengthened to meet life's beleaguering ills
I went, like a bondman unfettered, adown from the heart of the hills.
-from "The Heart of the Hills", Clinton Scollard

Minnie - SOLD (commission)

Minnie

acrylic on canvas

11" x 14"

sold (commission)

A client in Montana commissioned this portrait of her daughter's dog, Minnie.  It was an interesting challenge, since it's a bit of a departure from my usual subject matter.  It's always such an honor to be asked to create a piece of artwork for someone's family.

Big Sky

click to enlarge!

Big Sky
acrylic on canvas

24" x 48" x 1.5"

Available for purchase directly through the artist (contact)

It's time to play catch-up with my blog...the past few months have been a whirlwind!  We've moved to a farm - I'm really excited to be in this beautiful rural setting.  It'll be very conducive to my painting routine. :)  I've also been working on several commissions (in addition to other paintings), one of which I finished up yesterday.  I've unfortunately been lagging behind on photographing everything.

"Big Sky" is a painting that was finished several months ago; I decided to make the sky the central focus and have the bison herd be secondary.  I toyed with the idea of continuing to tinker with it but finally decided to keep it simple.  This is always a struggle with me - i.e., knowing when to stop and just put the brush down.  

I'm now hanging some of my paintings at Carnation Corners Gifts & Fine Art in Carnation, WA!  It's a lovely space that is an extension of a real estate firm.

"Sure is big country.  The only thing bigger is the sky."

-A.B. Guthrie, The Big Sky

Buffalo Running I, II, & III - SOLD

Buffalo Running I, II, and III

acrylic on canvas

6" x 6" x 1.5"

SOLD

These three bison were inspired by Eadweard Muybridge's "buffalo cantering" series of photos from the late 19th century - he used a series of photos of a buffalo running to create an animated sequence.

They're intended to hang side-by-side horizontally, but I'm unfortunately not clever enough to make that happen on blogger. ;)

Also, I'm excited to now have some of my paintings hanging at Revolution Gallery in Issaquah, WA!

commissioned painting

closeup - click to enlarge

Commissioned painting

24" x 36" x 1.5"

acrylic on canvas

I unfortunately didn't get a very good photo of my recent commissioned painting before I dropped it off with my clients.  The light reflecting on the painting gives you a good sense of the texture, but it also washes out much of the color and form.  

The most fun part of the whole process was probably putting in the little figures (my client's daughter, son-in-law, and their dog).  My client provided me with fantastic reference photos of the beach, etc., and that made the whole process so much easier.  Iridescent gold paint is mixed in with the pigments used for the sandy beach to give it a bit of a sparkle.

Winter Chickadee II - SOLD

Winter Chickadee II

6" x 6" x 1.5"

acrylic on canvas

sold

There was also a Winter Chickadee I, but that one sold before I could get a photo of it. Proctor Art Gallery did a miniatures show in December - paintings around 35 square inches or under $100. I figured that chickadees would be a perfect subject for that time of year, and they were a lot of fun to paint. I also learned that there is apparently a great market for chickadee-related merchandise, so that's always good to know:) Iridescent pearl paint is mixed in with the white pigment to make the snow "sparkle" a bit.

Long time no see

We braved the 15 degree weather to visit ZooMontana while we were back in Billings in December.  It was gorgeous!

Hi friends!  Many apologies for disappearing for a couple of months...it's amazing how busy life can get around the holidays.  Proctor Art Gallery in Tacoma, WA had a lovely miniature show for the month of December, so that gave me a chance to try painting some smaller subjects:)  I finished up my first commission for some absolutely amazing clients, and that was both a challenging and incredibly rewarding experience.  I also dropped off some more paintings at Freshwater in Dillon, MT, and two of them found a home surprisingly quickly.

And, since 2010 was the inaugural year of my business license, I got to experience the added joy of learning how to do business taxes;)

I left the Proctor Art Gallery in January - my husband & I may be moving soon, so I unfortunately can't commit to a full year's work schedule at the gallery.  I was sad to bid PAG a fond farewell, since it's filled with such lovely people...but I'm really thankful for having had the opportunity to show my work there this past year.  Hanging my work at PAG was my first experience with showing at a gallery, and they've really opened up a lot of doors for me.

I'm a nostalgic person to my very core, so I feel like I ought to do a recap of 2010. :)  It brought wonderful things...I was represented by a gallery for the first time, and the group of artists at PAG gave me an incredible wealth of experience and knowledge to draw from.  Since PAG required that fresh paintings be brought in each month, I pushed myself harder and produced some paintings that I'm really proud of.  I was also asked to give a painting demonstration to an art club, and that gave me an opportunity to not only work on my fear of speaking in front of large groups, but also my fear of creating an entire painting in front of a crowd. :)

I also started to branch out with my art in 2010.  I stopped working exclusively with landscapes and started to paint animals.  I stepped away from realism a bit by exploring texture and color in different ways, and that new freedom felt like a breath of fresh air.  In August, Freshwater Studio & Gallery added me to their beautiful gallery, and that has been such an amazing experience.  The minute I first stepped into Freshwater, I felt like my paintings were at home.  They've really helped to encourage me to push my animal paintings forward.

As I mentioned above, I received my first commission in 2010.  My clients hired me to create a 24" x 36" painting as a surprise Christmas present for their daughter and son-in-law, who had previously bought one of my paintings at PAG.  The painting was of a sunset on the Oregon coast, and I painted my clients' kids and their dog into the scene.

All in all, it was a pretty amazing year!  I'm so thankful for all of you who have been continuing to read my blog and follow my journey. :)

I'm looking forward to 2011!

"Self-Reliance"







Left side

Right side





(click images to enlarge)

Self-Reliance
12" x 24" x 1.5"
acrylic on canvas
Available for purchase directly through the artist (contact Kristin)

I was inspired by Colorado artist Kate Dardine's recent quest to revive half-finished, forgotten paintings that have been sitting around the studio.  This buffalo painting was, for the most part, finished - but I wasn't happy with the final result, and it has since been collecting dust.  I decided to use some leftover paint from recent pieces and try to work as loosely as possible (I save all of my extra mixed paint in tupperware containers...once I spray them with some water and close the lid, they can last for weeks).

I've also been reading an anthology of literature by the American Transcendentalists.  It has a lot of classic pieces that I could re-read time and time again, as well as some really fascinating journal entries, etc. that I've never read before.  The Transcendentalists' writings have been a foundation in my life since I first delved into them...Ralph Waldo Emerson, in particular, really speaks to my soul. 

I decided to choose a quote by Emerson (his work is in the public domain) to write on the sides of the canvas...the image of the lone bison really seemed to call out for something from "Self-Reliance".  The left side of the canvas features the following text, handwritten in a Sharpie pen (which was surprisingly difficult):

"Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. He who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness. Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world." 

RALPH WALDO EMERSON: Self-Reliance

...and the right side features this text:



"Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind." - Self-Reliance

RALPH WALDO EMERSON


 When I feel like I need to loosen up between other paintings, I might continue this trend and try my hand at creating some similar Transcendentalist-themed paintings.

A Moment's Rest

A Moment's Rest
acrylic on canvas
24" x 36" x 1.5"
Available for purchase at Revolution Gallery, Issaquah, WA


I've been using a different method lately when I paint.  To build up the impasto layers, I would normally mix pigments into an acrylic matte gel.  I would then apply that wonderfully frosting-like paint to the canvas with palette knives, and, after letting the impasto layer of paint dry, I would add a bit of brushwork with thin glazes.  I've been using more and more brushwork on top of the impasto layers over the past several months, so I've been accordingly changing the process a bit.


For this painting, and for most of my other recent work, I've been starting off each piece by applying a thin layer of pigment to the canvas with a brush.  I then apply acrylic matte gel only (no pigment added); I move it around on the canvas with palette knives, and my intent in doing so has been to create more motion in the image.  Once the thick gel layer has dried, I apply thin washes of pigment.  These washes interact with the original background color, which has been softened and muted by the semi-transparent matte gel.  I don't go through pigment nearly as quickly as I used to, and playing with the matte gel in its non-colored state allows for a lot of creativity.


Joni Mitchell's "Night Ride Home" album has been my painting music of choice, lately.  I've been listening to it nonstop.


Nature, I would be thy child,
Sit and worship at thy feet;
Read the truth upon thy face,
Wait upon thine accent sweet:
I would put my hand in thine,
Bow my head upon thy knee,
Live upon thy love alone,
Fearless, trusting all to thee.
-Mary Morgan, "To Nature"

Seattle show

I'm excited to be starting my month-long show at the Burk Gallery in Seattle, WA.  We helped to hang the paintings last night, and the arrangement looks great.  It's a mix of older and newer work, and the pieces flow really well together. 

The official opening reception is on Thursday, November 11, and there will be an additional closing reception on Saturday, December 4.  If you're in the area, I hope you can stop in & say hello and enjoy some art and refreshments! 

Burk Gallery
340 15th Avenue East, Suite #350
Seattle, WA 98112
206.708.5880
[www]

Opening Reception:
Thursday, November 11, 5 - 8 PM
(part of Capitol Hill's Second Thursday Blitz Art Walk)

Closing Reception:
Saturday, December 4, noon - 6 PM
(Holiday Show)

_________________________________

In other news, I will hopefully be posting a photo later today of a new painting, so stay tuned.

My portfolio encountered an unfortunate loss recently: Crossing the Yellowstone is no more.  It was damaged by the shipping company while it was en route to Freshwater Studio & Gallery.  Apparently, the poor painting was impaled by something while in transit. :(



Rest In Peace, my dear buffalo!



Falling Snow

Falling Snow

acrylic on canvas

24" x 24" x 1.5"

Available for purchase from Freshwater Studio & Gallery, Dillon, MT

I've been in a wintry mood lately - that is to say, I've been aching for peaceful, snowy days that make the world a lot quieter and hot chocolate all the more delicious.

Since it's mostly just a rainy mess out here, I found a lot of my atmospheric inspiration from reading a poem by Joanna Klink called "Porch In Snow." It helped to put me in the right mindset for this painting. Originally featured in Klink's amazing book of poetry called Circadian, I first came upon "Porch In Snow" in an absolutely outstanding anthology called Montana Women Writers: A Geography of the Heart (seriously...this is an amazing book. I highly recommend it). Klink is a professor of graduate creative writing at the University of Montana-Missoula.

I just want to share a few lines here to give you an idea of how lovely it is...but you should read the full version via Google Books' preview of Montana Women Writers here. I hate to excerpt from poetry, since the poetry gets so mangled as a result...it's especially hard to share a brief excerpt of Klink's poetry, since every line is so darn good.

"There you are, snow filling the air,

in the midst of silence [...]

Winter, there is no prayer but this,

to hold fast in the time of few choices.

An animal moves through the backyards, its eyes

precise and lit, the premise of everything I believe"

-Joanna Klink, excerpted from "Porch In Snow", from Circadian (Penguin: 2007)

Isn't that just stunning? I hope you'll check out Klink's work and find as much inspiration in her poetry as I have.

Crossing the Yellowstone - RIP

Click to view larger image

Crossing the Yellowstone
acrylic on canvas
24" x 36" x 1.5"
RIP - This painting was destroyed by its shipping carrier, UPS, en route to a gallery.


I tried loosening up a bit more for this painting...I wanted to focus on the colors and give a more surreal impression to the landscape.

FYI, Proctor Art Gallery (Tacoma, WA) will be having a lot of events throughout the month of October...it's "Arts Crush" month in Tacoma.


Fair river! in thy bright, clear flow
Of crystal, wandering water,
Thou art an emblem of the glow
Of beauty—the unhidden heart—
The playful maziness of art
In old Alberto's daughter
-Edgar Allen Poe, from "To the River"

Morning Stroll - SOLD

Morning Stroll
acrylic on canvas
12" x 12" x 1.5"
sold

In preparation for an upcoming show at Jubilee Biodynamic Farm in Carnation, WA, I've been trying my hand at painting farm animals. I thought I'd start with this little family of chickens.

I have a soft spot in my heart for chickens. We keep 4 hens in our backyard, and besides the delicious fresh eggs they provide, they also make surprisingly great pets. We've handled them since they were chicks, so they're incredibly tame and like to follow us around the yard when we let them out of their enclosure. David & I have even recently started a blog about our chickens, since we've been getting a surprising number of emails with questions about raising an urban flock.

Anyway, more farm animals - as well as a lot of new bison paintings - will be up shortly.

Yellow-Headed Blackbird - SOLD

Yellow-Headed Blackbird
acrylic on canvas
12" x 6" x 1.5"
sold

I decided to try something different and paint a small bird rather than the usual four-legged creatures that I focus on.

The beautiful yellow-headed blackbird makes a surprisingly piercing squawk.

Silent Witness

Silent Witness
acrylic on canvas
24" x 12"
Available for purchase at Carnation Corners, Carnation, WA

I'm steadily catching up on my painting after a crazy couple of weeks. I'm working on a series of farm animals for an upcoming show at Jubilee Biodynamic Farm.

I'm still painting lots of wild fauna, of course. I just finished this particular painting, which was my first attempt at painting a cougar. It's amazing how much my own housecats resemble this impressive animal. Cougars are the largest cats that can purr (to the best of my knowledge...scientists are still debating, apparently).

He crouched low and long on the road,
Low and long and golden against
The leaves, watching pensively,
A damp sphinx of the woods.
-Keith Holyoak, from "The Cougar"