Summer Sunflowers

Spellbinding Sunflowers
5.5 x 7.5" - transparent watercolor on 140lb Arches paper, matted to 8 x 10"

Today's painting was done from an anniversary bouquet that I received last Thursday. Sunflowers don't ever seem to last very long for me, so this time I took some photos before they got too droopy. As you can see, artistic license was taken with the colors. Compensating for the wilt and just going with the flow, I strived to infuse them with a cheerful vitality.

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Question of the day:

Are you ready for Fall?

If not, get in the mood!

See this week's FREE  

Halloween Coloring Pages and a 

witchy watercolor on Sketching Everyday.

Supervisor #1

On the home front -

The kittens are growing up fast and getting very

 comfortable with their studio cat positions.

Supervisor #2

They are both such a big help with production and quality control.

I don't know what I ever did without them!

"Enjoy the little things,

for one day you may look back and realize

they were the big things." ~ Robert Brault

♥

 

The Yuletide Season Continues

In preparation for my Open Studio last weekend, my friend, Bobbie Zurbach came everyday and helped me. No, I should say, directed all the preparations and decorating. Living out in the middle of the pines, I normally don't get this involved with it.  I do have a lot of Christmas stuff though. Bobbie was full of great ideas of what we could do with this and that, so I listened, collaborated and mostly just let her do her thing.

The front porch, lights, tree, packages and garland was practically an all day project. It's funny how decorating always turns into a bigger job than you anticipated, especially when working with lights.

After some heavy rain last week, the temperatures have dropped and it's expected to stay colder now. I don't mind the chilly weather and know I should be careful what I wish for, but I'd still like to see a little snow for Christmas.

The back studio porch took almost as much time to decorate as the front one did. Thanks again to Bobbie for making the outside feel as welcoming, cheerful and festive as the inside. 

This natural balsam snowman wreath was given to us by my good friend and collector, Dorrie Heil last Saturday. The snowmen decorations by the studio are all from previous years' wreaths. 

This one hangs inside my back screened porch, our main doorway, off of my kitchen entrance.  It stays cool and protected there, so I can keep it up and enjoy the vibrant color and refreshing fragrance until spring! Thank you again, Dorrie, for such a beautiful and heartfelt gift.

I hope you are all making headway with your holiday preparations, taking some time for yourself and most of all, enjoying this Yuletide season!

Holiday Open Studio Tour

I love seeing other artist's studios, so I thought maybe you would like to take a holiday tour of mine.

With the help of hubby, Jerry and good friend Bobbie Zurbach, this year's Open Studio Holiday Party was a smashing success.Bobbie came everyday last week and offered her labor, feedback and ideas. She worked for me at Alpha 1 Studio for many years and we still have a great friendship and a perfect work place symbiosis.

This is the view of the show as you enter the studio, looking to the right.

There are no prints, only originals in this room. The show was mainly for my collectors and neighbors. Prices were lowered considerably and price tags were put on many paintings in my private collection as well.

Panning to the left, the first stop was the mini retrospective.

This was Bobbie's idea and it was a super addition to the show.  It starts at the top left with two drawings of a bunny and a turkey, done at age five. Then moving to the top right, is one of my first oils, and my hand drawing at age 12. In the middle is a high school sketch done from life of my sister, Denise. A few old photos accompany the early art. Then a figure drawing and a couple of watercolors done in college or shortly there after. My company brochure, Alpha 1 Studio, from the 80's and early 90's, showing a sampling of our sandblasted signs. Featured at the bottom right are some recent professional photographs and a CD cover with my artwork.

On the table, is a book I made in college, my Animal Spirits Book and a sketchbook from this year's Sketching Everyday Blog. 

Although it took considerable thought and effort, I would encourage other artists to consider doing this. The retrospective was really a big hit.

On the far left, you see a table of matted originals. They are 8 x10" watercolors

that are arranged in an attractive display by Bobbie.

Moving around the free standing panels, (in a positive clockwise direction),

you see the first panels with the second set behind.

Looking back towards the entrance, see the back of the first free standing set of panels.

Continuing  around the back panels, I hung many older paintings that some

of my collectors had never seen before.

A different arrangement with Chinese watercolors on the left

facing a triptych of lilacs and a soft abstract watercolor.

This is looking toward the North East with my work table and book shelves.

I left my table clear so I could mat and frame while people enjoyed the party.

Some of my favorite books were left out.

Raw original watercolors were left in stacks on this table for people to go through. It was fun watching guests discover their favorites that were hiding in the piles. I matted up several and framed a couple while the visitors merrily ate, drank and socialized with one another.

I had a drawing and gave away little matted original paintings. Door prizes for all included handmade watercolor bookmarks and holiday fridge magnets.

Although not as many people came as I would have liked, all in all, with more than a dozen sales, it was a very successful showing.

I have decided to keep this eclectic collection up all month.  In January, the paintings will be put away and the studio becomes a totally different work space. If you are local, see my work as you will never see it again. Please make an appointment to come by.

I'm really feeling the holiday spirit of love and generosity!

Call 609-268-9106 or email me at:

sandy@sandysandy.com

Thanks to my friends and family for all the great ideas they shared with me to make this a fun and unique event. A special thanks to everyone who attended and helped to make my load a little lighter and my holidays a lot brighter!

Shrunken Heads ~ Hours Of Fun

Me an' me maties be finishin' up ar shrivaled up shrunken heads last night.

Truth be told, me mutter, sis an' this scallywag wench be gittin' mighty silly w' it thar .

 We be makin' it dark except fer ar wee handy flashlanterns

Then we cleaver hags be makin' up dancin' routines an puttin' on shows with 'em

ta spooky Halloween tunes of course . . . 

And we be hysterical

All ye buccaneers be serious an' watching th' game

but broke free long enough to judge our heads fer us

Each chose different favrites 'n we was all winners.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was my parents last night with us, so it was nice to share

our last dinner together and so many laughs. 

They left  this morning.

I was hoping they'd stay through Halloween,

but with the cold snap and dusting of snow here, 

the warmer climate beckons them.

It was a wonderful three weeks.

I am very grateful for

them and their visit.

Love you Mom & Dad!

Time for me to stay busy and get some work done here.

Tomorrow I will hang 19 of my watercolor paintings

in a three month solo show at The Samaritan Hospice Gallery

at the Virtua Hospital in Mt. Holly, NJ..

I haven't been posting much since my folks were here. We were Busy Busy Busy!

I just want to thank everyone who came out to my Apple Festival and Cranberry Festival shows. They were both very successful and I was able to significantly lighten my load. This was due in large part to you friends and collectors who showed your support by continuing to believe in me and my work.

Thank you, thank you very much!!

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."  ~ G.K. Chesterton

Reorganization in the Studio

I spent the day reorganizing my studio, reference area and painting table today.

Jerry picked up a nice desk this week that worked out perfectly for me. Look how my file cabinet fits like a glove underneath the desk. I guess it was just meant to be!


This really helped make my studio space more functional and less cluttered. Reorganization can often be just what the doctor ordered. It's like a breath of fresh air!