Just Finished a New Painting and I WON something....

Well I recently completed this painting of a gorgeous golden retriever, the request form the client being that her Gus, be pictured in her garden, among her favorite potted plants.  Thus, the painting with the heavy floral background.  I tried to capture the very sweet nature and expression this dog has, (probably all goldens really) and get his individual look as well.  The owners just had it framed.

Secondly, I have never won anything in a blog giveaway before, and I am so happy I DID!  From The Enchanted Home, which not only has a store with gorgeous house accessories, but always has huge eye candy and interesting articles.  HERE.  I won a creative accessory or ornament.  I won something from Anita Rivera's shop,  Castles, Crowns and Cottages.      A few of her things:

Happy Fall Day!  The weekend is starting out great! 

I have not posted in a while, distracted by a number of things, for one the start of school, (I am a part time teacher) and second, the failing health of my father.  I felt compelled to paint his portrait, so here is the work in progress.  I love trying to capture his jovial nature, in his prime.  Very proud of his Irish heritage, I chose to paint him in his favorite hat.  The wool herringbone texture is a little tough to paint to my liking, but still working on it.

On a happier note, I received this gorgeous dog from Tina of The Enchanted Home Blog and Shop, after I painted her beautiful retriever after a terrible accident.  No secret that I am a great dog lover, and I seem to need to have a certain level of dog home accessories around.  Many I own have come from Tina's shop at The Enchanted Home.  I am trying to figure out the best place for it, and although I know it would survive outside, and be a very pretty garden statue, I think for now I would like him inside, where I can see him more.  But just not sure where, tried these different locations.

                                                


This kind of works, but not sure.  I also like the next couple places I tired.

             

Gorgeous, with the slight moss and patina!





Getting checked out by my live girl!

Not the best photo, but the spot isn't bad..............

I think I like this sunny spot best!  Other great dog home accessories!





Handpainted toile trays of your own dog from TWO GIRLS ARTS, here.

All items from Enchanted home Shop, here.http://www.theenchantedhomeshop.com/

A personal favorite that I have are these great little pugs with crowns.

Now also being a lover of accessories for the home, I also love well designed objects for our beloved dogs too.  These are some beautiful and creative ideas.  I have always loved the idea of built in dog beds in cabinets.

I just love these beds!  For the truly pampered dogs, I mean REALLY pampered, these over the top dog houses are very fun!

One of my favorites from Design Sponge!  Love the idea of recycling, and such a cute bed.

This one is great not only as a recycled bed, but also donates 5% of every bed sold to animal shelters.  I know my dogs love to snuggle up in our clothes, so it makes such great sense, and very fun idea.  From Wooly Buddy Beds here.

And just a fun image to end on, I have a personal attachment to dachshunds, and love the bright colors of this photo.  Cute dog too!

Murals and More

So I have always wanted to paint either a mural, french scenic style, or wallpaper, chinoiserie!  I am motivated right now to try this so here I go.  I am leaning toward painting the wallpaper, rather than  mural right on the wall,  which would push me to work our the design on tracing paper first.  I would love to also paint onto tea paper, but that would require additional steps and research, and I am anxious to get painting!  So, to get inspired.....

I have always loved this trompe l'oel powder room, from the book "Villa Decor" Decidedly French and Italian Style, by Betty Lou Phillips.  It was painted by Gillian Bradshaw-Smith, an amazing artist who has worked for many interior designers.

I really thought about painting something like this, but a friend is lending me her powder room to paint,  I want to make sure it works for her.  It is an amazing powder room, the floor and ceiling all painted as well.

Then there is chinoisererie, so very much blogged about and written about lately, there is no shortage of inspiration to pull from. \ Michael Smith uses a lot of deGournay wallpaper, I love his use of color.

I also really love panoramic, the french scenic is always beautiful.

It might be a little easier to start with a couple of reproduction panels, rather than tackling an entire powder room.  I also definitely have a place for two panels to go in my house, flanking a mirror.  

Walls, by Florence De Dampierre

I also think grisaille is really nice, and might be a good option as the colors are more limited, so maybe a good way to start a large project.  

Walls, by Florence De Dampierre

The colors really are soft and perfect for the design.  However, there is just something about more color, or at least a color story.

I think something like this is what I really had in mind, with the colors and the design.

So I am ordering blank paper, supplies tommorow.  I will try to post work in progress if it looks good.  I am diving in.  Yikes.

I attended a print workshop this weekend, on Vashon Island, near Seattle Washington, by a creative and talented artist, Mary Margaret Briggs.  Not only was it a gorgeous weekend, perfect summer weather on the island, but a really fun/ productive/ learning weekend as well.

We started by choosing plants from the gorgeous garden, and then using the plants, created prints.  We used

only a few colors, red, brown, orange, green and blue, to keep the range harmonious.  We printed the whole first day, explored the different textures different  plants produced, and adding colors, etc.  Here are a few of my favorites.

                                     

These were peony leaves, which really printed well!

Some others were pretty also, with blues and greens.  The textures are very nice.




                  

A couple of my favorite are the oranges and browns in this plant,  Not sure what it is, but it's slightly velvety leaves are really pretty.

                               


The second day we spent selecting our favorite prints, and working with them to create a nice collage.  I am super happy with how it turned out.  It is @ 20" x 24", and 2 inches tall.  (Gallery wrap style.)

Now, where to hang it...................................hope you all have a great Tuesday!   More information on the weekend workshops, go HERE.  For a video and more of her art and process, go HERE.
                     

Selecting and Hanging artwork

In todays post I wanted to look at the different and beautiful ways that designers display art in the homes they decorate.  Not only what they put up, but also how.  There are not any hard fast rules today about how to hang or display art.  It seems that every discussion I have had with anyone regarding hanging or displaying art in  home, always starts with "well it depends".  On many things.  For one, how amazing is the art?  I love this dining by Carolyne Roehm, in her country home in Connecticut.  The large dog painting, and 18th century portrait of "Billy, Holt Castle's Faithful Watch",  should be the center of attention.  The style matches, and compliments the interiors.

Color is another important factor.  Depending on how important or prominent the work is, the interiors should match the art.  Here, in another gorgeous Carolyn Roehm house, (from her book "A Passion for Blue and White) the interior color and texture choices were made to compliment the Jean-Baptiste Pillement painting, which was the inspiration for the entire room.

One of my favorite designers, Charlotte Moss, often hangs "collections" of art, in this case illustrations of homes, with the same color frame.  I love the fact that the pillow pick up the colors from the pictures.


                                                 


But there can be a certain amount of seemingly "randomness" to displaying a collection, but I still think there needs to be some common elements, to make it work well.  In choosing the art, obviously it must be something loved, because we will typically look at it for a while.  Style of the home is not super important, if you love the art.

In fact I love the intentional juxtaposition of art work, that is very different than the style of the house, or the other art work.  Sometimes the reason it works is because it is so different.  In the case below, while the art home is very traditional, the art is very contemporary, yet the colors work together.  Beautifully.  (Photo from the the book "Decorating Master Class, the Cullman & Kravis way").

This room is largely oriental in design, yet the contemporary large ocean picture works so well.  The tan and blues in the room really set off the intense blues and greys of the painting.


                                          


                                                       

Love the two different styles of art, they work with the color and texture of the sofa and pillows.  One of my favorites.


                                                       



Another great antonym-type room with art, and I really like how this painting completely fills the space between the columns.


                                                      



                                                           

Of course, Chinoiserie needs no defining or justifying, it's just usually perfect.  The colors all work so beautifully, the soft blues greens and tans.

Next post I will explore the inexpensive ways to hang dramatic and fun artwork from unusual sources!