Red Rocks, Joshua Tree Revisited - Part of a Joyful Project

Red Rocks, Joshua Tree

Oil on canvas, 40x60

Commission

At a show about a year back, I met a nice couple who loved my work. They were in the midst of renovating a house they'd just bought, and they thought they wanted one of my sunflower paintings in their kitchen. 

We made tentative plans for me to visit and see the kitchen, the house and the colors, but the wacky winter weather, and then my California trip, kept delaying our meeting. Eventually, I was in their area for a show, and I was able to visit, and we all agreed that one of my sunflower paintings would indeed look great in their kitchen. 

They came then to that show, and realized that they also liked the paintings from my California Calling Painting Extravaganza. The one they liked best was one of the ones from Joshua Tree, in California. 

So in the middle of the summer, I set about making paintings for their beautiful, friendly home. I delivered them on Saturday, and I must say, they look fabulous! 

A project like this is wonderful for me on so many levels. It's great to have the sales, for sure. But even more than that is the joy of having my paintings hang in the homes of people who love them enough to buy them, and let them into their daily lives. 

This happens with every sale, but most of the time, I don't get to see it. Most of the time, I only get half the experience. With commissions, I am more involved with the ongoing life of the painting, and with the very personal decisions of content, colors, sizes, even where and how high to hang the pieces. 

I was also honored that my paintings are the first pieces of art Pat and Bill have bought together, and the very first to be hung in their home. 

It's sort of a miracle life I'm living here, and an experience like this one crushes mountains of doubt. It reinforces my belief in the decisions Peter and I have made, and reassures me that I'm on the right path. 

Here's Pat in the living room with the Joshua Tree painting. 

Here's the sunflower painting in their kitchen. 

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EARLIER IN THE YEAR, I wrote about the 2014 Paws for Charity Project, an art book and related items that raise money for an animal shelter in Nova Scotia. The project, in which I've participated for a few years now, is run by Sara Harley, who also created the book of my California Calling Painting Extravaganza. 

Sara has now made some related items for the Paws for Charity Project. For sale on Blurb are coffee table books, e-books, notebooks and 2015 weekly planners. Profits from sales of these items also go to the shelter in Nova Scotia. 

The photographs and paintings of animals in the Paws for Charity Project are just great. I know you'll enjoy them, and I hope you check them out. The items would make great Christmas presents, and all for a good cause.  

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I THOUGHT THIS this was funny, a lawn on a truck. I know it happens everywhere, 

but it just seemed so compact, and so perfect, I had to take a photo. 

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Dog of the Day

I MET THIS GIRL at the show in Williamsburg. You can just see the edge of the pink bow she had in her hair. She was a sweetie. 

Want your pet to be the Dog of the Day? Send a jpg to me at carrieBjacobson@gmail.com! 

In the Barn - and Abby Fits In

In the Barn

Oil on canvas, 30x30

Available at Center Framing and Art, 

56 LaSalle Road, West Hartford Center, CT

To all of you who came to the Paradise City show this past weekend, and stopped by my booth to say hello, thank you! It was great to see you, and you added greatly to my enjoyment of the show. 

I had a couple nice sales, some to new buyers and others to people who've bought my paintings in the past. The lovely couple below, who now have four of my pieces, said the greatest thing to me. Not only do they love my art, they said, but they're buying more also because they want me to be able to keep painting. How great is that?  

Still, this fall's Paradise City was only a break-even show for me, and so I am considering skipping it next fall, seeing if I can find a more profitable - or closer - way to spend my weekend. 

It wasn't just me, of course. The weather was rainy and cold, the stock market took a big tumble, and while folks were buying, they generally weren't buying two-dimensional art. Jewelry and three-dimensional art were the big sellers of the show. 

***

I DID A GOOD but pretty frightening thing after the show at Paradise City. I left a big bulk of my supply of paintings at Center Framing and Art in West Hartford Center, CT. 

It was a good move, because Lori, who owns Center Framing and Art, sells lots of my paintings, and she loves them. But it was a frightening move because I have two shows in Texas coming up in early November, and I have to paint like a crazy woman to have enough art to fill my booth! 

But I'm excited about my new paintings, and I am eager to try new things with them - and so it's good, all good. And I do love a challenge. 

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SO, THOSE NEXT shows, in Texas. The first is the Houston Fine Arts Festival, Nov. 1-2, at 1500 McKinney St., downtown Houston. The second is the Winnsboro Fine Arts Market, Nov. 7-9, in Winnsboro, which is a couple hours from Dallas. 

I've never done a show in Texas, but I'd think that my big paintings, especially sunflowers and cowscapes, might do very well there. At the very least, it will be an experience! 

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Dog of the Day

The Dog of the Day is our new addition, Abby. She is getting along great with the other dogs, and injecting a nice dose of puppy high spirits into the lives of our aging pack. Woodreau, the not-so-white fluffy dog up on the back of the couch, would like to be mean to Abby, and boss her around - but she pretty much just refuses to take him seriously. He lunges and barks and she plays. Abby is proving to be a real gal pal for my dear JoJo, which makes me very happy. Below, Joey and Abbs take a break from a bout of very enthusiastic playing. 

Poppies No. 1 - and Cynthia's Great Jewelry

Poppies No. 1

Oil on canvas, 16x16

At Center Framing and Art, West Hartford Center, CT

In a little while, I will head north for the Paradise City Arts Festival, at the Three-County Fairgrounds in Northampton, MA. This is one of my favorite shows of the whole year, in large part because I am always so awed by the art and incredible craft there.

There will be amazing furniture, luscious handmade clothing, fabulous jewelry, brilliant glassware, great paintings - and always new items that surprise and lure me. The facilities are fun, and set-up is relatively easy. The patrons are smart and well-educated, and often are in buying moods. And as an extra added bonus, there's good music and yummy food. And the festival is three days - Saturday, Sunday and Monday. 

If you want a fun outing, please consider seeing the show. There is an admission fee, but you can get discount coupons at the Paradise City Arts website. I'm in Booth 909, in the arena building. I will have my new floral paintings, and some other new, exciting paintings, too! 

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ONE OF THE BEST parts of making and selling art is meeting other artists. At one terrible, terrible show, I met Cynthia Battista and her husband Kevin Ireton, and we have become fast friends. Cynthia is an amazing jeweler, whose work has a rough, organic edge that really appeals to me. 

Kevin was the top editor at Fine Woodworking for a long time before he left to be a carpenter. You've seen his talents in that field - he was the one who built the inside of my van. 

And George and Zack, their dogs, have been Dog of the Day many times. 

Here is some of Cynthia's amazing jewelry. To see more, or buy any of her pieces, click here to go to her website.

Aren't these beautiful? 

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I'M GEARING UP for my next plein-air painting trip, in winter/spring of the coming year. I'll post details here on the blog first - and I'd love any ideas or input you all might have, about where to go, what to paint, etc. 

Calendars will be on their way soon to everyone who sponsored my California Calling Painting Extravaganza. Meantime, the book showing paintings and writing from that trip is beautiful, and on sale on Blurb. Click here to get a preview, and to find out about different options... 

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Dog of the Day

Abby is making herself at home here, and the other dogs, by and large, are accepting her. Abby and Jojo have become the best of friends, spending large parts of their days racing around the yard, chasing each other and barking, then flopping down in the grass, side by side. It's the youngest I've seen Joey in years. 

Poppies! - and Some Cool Earrings

Poppies No. 2

Oil on canvas, 16x16

At Center Framing and Art, West Hartford Center, CT

Do any of you remember Peter Max? When I was a kid, I had a jigsaw puzzle of a Peter Max painting of flowers, and I just loved it. I don't remember exactly what it looked like, but I do remember that it made me happy, and it intrigued me. The vibrant colors, the free forms, the dark outlines, these all stuck with me over all these years.

I think that's part of what I am loving so very much about the new paintings I'm doing. The strong colors, the feeling of freedom that I am enjoying while I paint, and the intrigue of leaving those little black rivers of gaps between pieces of the paintings, these are conspiring to make it amazingly fun and exhilarating to make these paintings.

Now to see if other people like them!

***

I HAD A TERRIBLE show in Williamsburg! There were tons of people there, they seemed to like my paintings, had good things to say, came into the tent - just didn't buy. One painting, $75, was all that sold all weekend! Sheesh.

But I have another chance this coming weekend, at Paradise City, in Northampton, MA. I'll be bringing flowers and flowers and more flowers  - and a new cowscape, too! I'll be in the arena building, in Booth 909, on the side near the food. Please stop in if you're at the show - and consider going to the show if you're in the area! There are discount coupons for admission at the Paradise City website. 

***

ONE OF THE PAINTERS I met at the Piedmont Plein Air Paintout wore some really great earrings the entire time. I found out the name of the guy who made them - Mark Schieferstein, aka Skrapmonkey.  He lives and works in Asheville, NC, and his stuff is really fun and interesting. My earrings - the ones at the far right in the first photo - were $24. And they're as good in real life as in the photo! You can check out his site, or send him an email, and he'll help you get some great ear decorations.

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Dog of the Day

There were tons of great dogs at the show in Williamsburg, and this girl was one of them. 

She has a little dress on, and was clearly being spoiled rotten by her human. 

The woman looking on in the back clearly didn't approve! 

Along the Southern Wall - and Heather and Joe's Maine Art

Along the Southern Wall

oil on canvas, 18x36

sold

Williamsburg is a surprisingly hopping place! It is not all history and button shoes and old-fashioned dresses, which is the picture I'd more or less had in my mind. 

When I arrived Friday night, I found a huge party going on in Merchants Square, the site of An Occasion for the Arts, the festival I'm in over this weekend. It was the birthday party of the square, and restaurants and bars had set up outside. They were selling food and drink quite briskly. People were dining in the square, and at bistros surrounding it. There was a band playing, and people were dancing!

Saturday morning, a farmer's market was setting up while we were setting up. It was jammed, absolutely jammed. Our festival was jammed, too - and one patron told me that just last weekend, she and her husband had participated in a gallery crawl. Twenty-five bucks bought them a tasting-menu dinner from the area's restaurants, and a view of art in galleries, stores, banks and offices. Coming up are a pottery exhibit, a corn maze, lots of art events, a half-marathon, free cooking classes and more. Who knew? Certainly not me. 

It was amusing to see people dressed to work in Colonial Williamsburg come through the show. People who live in town told me they never quite get used to seeing those folks dressed up and shopping in WalMart. 

***

MY NEXT SHOW is Paradise City, on Columbus Day weekend, Oct. 11-13, at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton, MA. Click here for info, and to print tickets that will give you a discount on admission.  

Paradise City is a fun show, and I always enjoy being there. There will be lots of great art and crafts, tons of stuff to ooh and aah over... and good food, too! 

***

MY FRIENDS HEATHER Macleod and Joe Keller are selling their art in a flea market store in Bridgton, Maine. I think their stuff is fun and creative and inventive - and I just love the grisly Halloween items.  

Bacon and egg chair

Blender Lamp

Halloween treat

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Dog of the Day

These two poodles, Charlie and Max, are therapy dogs, visiting people in hospitals and nursing homes regularly. They were great dogs, on the alert the entire time they sat on the bench. 

Welcome Abby! And an Occasion for the Arts

Abby 

Oil on canvas, 12x12

Want a painting of your pet? Send an email to me at carrieBjacobson@gmail.com, 

and check out the pet page on Jacobson Arts! 

A couple months ago, after Sammy died, Peter started looking at dogs on the Internet. I was OK with his looking, and I knew I would be OK with it when he found a dog to adopt. And I knew he would. 

I wasn't looking for another dog. I was happy with the four we had, the pack as it stood. But we have time and space and energy for another dog, and as long as Peter was willing to be the one to train and take care of the new dog, it was fine. 

I have Jojo, dog of my heart. When I am home, she is my constant companion, at my side all the time, as happy to be with me as I am to be with her. She is the kind of dog you imagine having when you're a kid, the dog who is your friend and compadre. I am her human and she is my dog. 

Peter had that sort of relationship with Sam, and with Looie, both of whom died within the past year. He doesn't have that relationship with any of the others. Neither of us does. 

Woodreau, the bichon who was so abused, is no one's dog. He can be sweet, but he is so damaged that proximity is about the best he can do in terms of showing love. Smokey, the chow-sharpei, is his own dog. And little blind 15-year-old Zoe really doesn't want to snuggle, and can't do much running or hanging around. So I could really understand it, Peter's desire. 

When he found Abigail, I knew he'd lost his heart to her. And so, on Monday, he drove to near Asheville, NC, and got her. 

She is a Mountain Cur, a long-legged, sweet-tempered, great-looking dog, with soulful eyes.  There were a couple bumps the first hour or so, but within a day, Abby and Jojo were racing around the yard together, and they all were gathered at the fence, and at the window, to bark at everyone going by. Already, our old dogs (they range from 8 to 14) are acting younger. 

Here she is - isn't she beautiful? I have to admit, I have fallen a little in love with her myself. 

***

An Occasion for the Arts runs this weekend, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, in Merchant's Square, downtown Williamsburg. I will be in Booth A-8, on the Duke of Gloucester Street. I'm pretty excited, and hope to see you all there. 

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Dog of the Day

It's Jojo! Dog of my heart. 

Rouge Bouquet - and Patty's Fabulous Pet Portraits

Rouge Bouquet

Oil on canvas, 18x18

Available at Center Framing and Art, West Hartford Center, CT

I've always loved paintings that seem to outline their subjects in a dark color. Vincent Van Gogh did it sometimes. A whole group of contemporary artists take this approach, including Jessie Mackay, an artist I discovered during the Piedmont Plein Air Paintout.

It's not outlining, actually, but is the canvas showing through the gaps.  You get it either by buying black canvases, or by using black gesso on your canvases, or by toning your canvases with oil or acrylic paint.

Lots and lots of painters tone their canvases, and one of the reasons they do is to have a color show through the nearly inevitable gaps and skips in the paint. I used to tone my canvases, but have avoided tit for years, for lots of reasons.

For starters, it's more work, and it requires planning and waiting. That paint needs to be dry before you go painting on top of it. You can pick one color and tone all your canvases that color, but according to People Who Know, different colors work better under different paintings. So when I tried this the first time, I tried a variety of colors - and nearly inevitably, the canvas I wanted to use was toned in a color I didn't want to use.

Also, and most important, I believe that the bright white canvas makes the paint colors brighter. Whatever light gets through the paint bounces on white and illuminates the colors more clearly than it would, were the canvas toned.

But I decided to try it again, on black. I do like the black canvas for the depth it brings to shadows and to the dark places. And I have to admit, I really, really like the black outlines around these zinnias.

So I will try some toned canvases, and some more black ones - but my guess is that I will continue to prefer the plain, bright, white, untoned canvas. We shall see!

I'd love to hear any ideas or comments or experience from you! Painters, do you tone your canvases? If so, what color? Buyers and viewers, do you see any difference? Do the differences matter? Please let me know!

***

MY FRIEND PATTY KIERSTEN lives in Warwick, NY, and is a dear person and a fabulous painter. She and her husband, a photographer, opened their studio to the public last weekend, and Patty put many of her pet portraits on display. Aren't they wonderful? You might have to click on the photo to see them more closely. 

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DONT' FORGET about An Occasion for the Arts, this weekend in Williamsburg. I'm in Booth A8, on the Duke of Gloucester Street. Yes, I know, it is supposed to rain on Saturday morning, and be freeeezing on Sunday - but it will add to the fun and adventure! The show takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. See you there! 

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Day's End for Days Inn

I SAW THEM hauling the sign away a couple days ago. I haven't been back to see what hotel chain bought the hotel. When we arrived here, it was a Quality Inn. Then it was a Days Inn. Now?

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Dog of the Day

I saw this guy in High Point, NC, last weekend. His human said he was part chow, part German shepherd. We had a dog of the same mix, Kaja, and she looked a lot like this, except that she was red with black markings, like a shepherd. 

Want your pet to be Dog of the Day? Send a jpg to me at carrieBjacobson@gmail.com

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THANKS FOR READING! Your support, comments and friendship mean a great deal to me. I'd never be doing this if it weren't for YOU!