Marketing Link...

I'd like to direct your attention to a really interesting guy, Sean McCabe.  He was homeschooled and has always had his own businesses - before he even graduated high school.  He has a Lot of information on marketing and ideas surrounding the life of creatives and offers classes on making a living doing hand lettering.

He also has a wonderful "Community" chat room that he runs with his wife, brother and a handful of other top professionals.  I've been a member for a couple of months and have met some terrifically interesting and professional people from all over the world.

His website is here at Seanwes

He also hosts Seanwes Podcast and Seanwes TV - both through iTunes.

If you're interested in a Lot of marketing information and a fresh approach I encourage you to have a look.  One of his motto's is "Full price or free" - so he does sell classes in lettering and marketing, but he also has a Ton of very useful information for free as well.

Working out a new one - almost Pau (finished)

I've almost finished a new one.  Love the Reds!  Added a transparent oxide red to my limited palette - makes for much richer darks with the phthalo blue...

Try it - Permanent Red, Cad Yellow Light, Phthalo Blue, Transparent Oxide Red and a white of your choice.  It really helps to premix secondaries and the key colors of your subject.  I also mix a yellow ochre, cad yellow deep, browns and a "black" etc...

For this painting I did add a cadmium scarlet - when it's posted in a few days you'll see why -

Three Kula Pumpkins

This painting was started on location at the Kula Country Farms pumpkin patch and finished in studio.  I was competing for these pumpkins with several hundred elated elementary kids - eventually they won!  Fun!

Process and Work

Though I have been admittedly negligent in my blog postings I have been working really hard!  I've been painting and drawing and designing for some new projects that will be announced in the future.

One thing I have been doing is posting Process Pics regularly to Instagram.  I've included a few in this post, but I highly recommend checking it out.  My Instagram user name is "Elizapainter" - (my middle name being Elizabeth.)   This is not about finished paintings, but about tools and sketches and studies and ideas and  - well, chronicling process... On an almost daily basis.

I've also been working out how to post from my iPad - I'm not at my computer too often but need to stay connected - obviously. Think I got it - by George.   Well - will see...

Been writing a lot too and some of those rumination a will be showing up in the future.

Thank you for reading.

Upcountry Coffee Beans

Not only is coffee a wonderful substance, but the beans are beautiful!

Sugar Mill Nocturne

Painted this one night a couple of weeks ago.  My painting compadre, Linda, and I were amazed at what a busy place the mill is at night.

The more I paint the less interested I am in representation for it's own sake.  Using reality as a start point for explorations in design and color are becoming Much more interesting to me.

The painting Knife is also holding much more charm.  Odd as it sounds, brushes have become awkward to me in the last couple of weeks.  Paint in brushes feels like too much gum in my mouth, congestion and claustrophobia - weird eh?   Knives seem much simpler and more direct - a challenge to use in their own right, but feels much cleaner...

Please stay tuned for new works -

And as Always - thanks for taking the time to look at my work and read my blog!

Back to School... New Palette

Time has flown by this summer and I realize it's been some time since I posted last.  My pineapples and I have had some much needed and wonderful time swimming, hiking and exploring Maui.

School started this week and so I'm getting back to it with a wonderful new glass studio palette.  It's bigger than the old one and is made of non-glare glass which I'm Loving.  It also doesn't have that slightly greenish tint that I found quite annoying.

Even though my brushes haven't gotten as much exercise as we have this summer, I've been plotting and planning and prepping panels - so stay tuned...