Gold Award from the 44th Annual Mid-Southern Watercolorist Exhibition

Hi Everyone,

"Celebration" won the Gold Award from MSW's 44th Annual Exhibition

I'm honored to share with you that I received the Gold Award from the 44th Annual Mid-Southern Watercolorist Exhibition last Friday:) The amazing Chris Krupinski was the juror and I'm beyond thrilled that she would give me this top honor.

Receiving my award

Gold and Silver Award winners.  Richard Stephens does amazing work.

Selma Blackburn, Reita Miller and I at the reception

I will be doing a painting demo and presentation on Wednesday February 19th at the Arkansas and Art Center 7p.m. - 8 p.m.

Carrie

Rainbow Row

"Rainbow Row" 17" x 35" watercolor by Carrie Waller

I am happy to share with you my completed painting "Rainbow Row".  It's a big dude so it took some time but I'm thrilled with the outcome!  This is part of a series I'm working for gallery show.  

"Bottled at the Source" 15" x 27.5" watercolor by Carrie Waller

I'm also happy to share that I sold "Bottled at the Source" this week.  I'll be shipping this off to a collector in Alabama.

"Celebration" 18" x 24" watercolor by Carrie Waller

I also received word that my painting "Celebration" was accepted into the National Watercolor Society Member's show.  I have been trying to ship this painting off and haven't been able to get it out of Arkansas.  I started at UPS but they won't insure it unless it is packed by UPS standards which includes styrofoam peanuts, which is against NWS rules.  So off to the Post off I went, but they have no way to give you a return shipping label, also required by NWS.  Back to UPS I went, but without an exact return date they can't print the return shipping label.  So I created an UPS account and am hoping this will solve my problems.  Any advice from anyone that has done this???? Please????

Carrie

Best of Show

Hi Everyone,

"Celebration" original watercolor on paper 18" x 24" on 260lb Arches by Carrie Waller

I'm so proud and thrilled and ecstatic and grateful that my painting "Celebration" placed Best in Show in the Louisiana Watercolor Society's Winter Juried Member Show.  Just love my LWS family.

Carrie

A Huge Painting Revelation and work in progress pictures

Hi Everyone,

work in progress, original watercolor on 260lb arches by Carrie Waller 6" x 8"

work in progress, original watercolor on 260lb arches by Carrie Waller 6" x 8"

work in progress, original watercolor on 260lb arches by Carrie Waller 6" x 8"

work in progress, original watercolor on 260lb arches by Carrie Waller 6" x 8"

I'm back to my ball jars.  I like my comfort zone.  I'm having so much fun painting this one I was up until 4 a.m. last night.  A little break was all I needed and now I'm back in full painting force. 

Also this week while painting I had a huge REVELATION.  And I mean huge, as in will change my painting life forever.  You see every night I have a helper, or should I say more of a distraction.  Ella!

Ella in action

My favorite water bucket

Ella likes to supervise/sit on my paintings and loves to sneak paint water.  Which I am aware is super bad for her.  So because of Ella I bought this water bucket from Cheap Joe's.  I love, love, love this bucket it has 2 sides for water, a palette and a lid.  I recently ran out of room on my other palettes so I've been using the lid.  So as I was cleaning up I put the lid on my bucket.  The paint on that lid was dry as a bone and to my pleasant surprise today it was completely wet again, just like I had squeezed it from the tube.  The moisture from the water bucket reconstituted my paint overnight.  This is HUGE!!  I'm now going to attempt the same thing with my other palettes using wet paper towels and saran wrap, I'll tell you how it goes.  **I do know that some watercolor artists use fresh paint every time but the frugal side of me just can't do that. Plus some of my favorite color combos have come from my paint soup.

I want to give a big Thank You to Jack Richeson company.  I won a gift certificate from them as a prize from the LWS International Show.  I used the gift cert to get some extreme kolinsky brushes.  Not only were they super helpful, great on the customer service front, but they also covered the shipping costs.  Can't wait to use them:)

Great Balls of Fire

"Great Balls of Fire" or "Celebration" original watercolor on paper 6x6 SOLD

Hi Everyone,

I feel a huge weight has lifted:)  My workshop is over and it was fabulous!!!!  I had the best group of ladies to instruct.  It could not have gone better:)  And right after that Crystal Cook and I were featured guests on Artists Helping Artists blog radio show, we survived and didn't sound too crazy:)  I was so happy to be interviewed with my friend Crystal, I couldn't have asked for a better experience.  Leslie Saeta and Kelley MacDonald asked us fabulous questions and made us sound good!  If you missed it here is the link it's the broadcast on 4/26, click here.

My first 3 day workshop, fabulous group of ladies:))

And ta da I finally finished my ball jars!!!!  So my not so "pc" title is "Great Balls of Fire" my alternate more conservative title is "Celebration".  This painting was a lot of fun and I'm anxious to paint a larger version, but before I can do that I have several commissions to work my way through.  That is a great problem to have:)

And to top off an absolutely fabulous week I sold 4 paintings.  What a week--I'll take a few more like that!

"Tall Drink of Water" SOLD

"The Night Before Christmas" SOLD

"Can It Too" SOLD

Hope you had a fabulous weekend:)

Carrie