Hopper and Halloween

"Hopper 8x8" original watercolor by Carrie Waller SOLD

Hi Everyone,

I have finished my commission so I thought I would share it with you.  As soon as my first Hopper painting sold I had someone wanting to buy it, so I told them I would paint it slightly different and in a larger size and they agreed.  It's always an interesting journey painting the same image twice.  I think you always learn from it and it takes less time.  I tried to video my whole process and it was a bit of a fiasco.  I have some figuring out to do in the video department.  But I will try again, it sure would help if it didn't take me soooooooo many hours to paint my paintings.  I ran out of video space, Ha!!

I also wanted to share with you Steven's project this weekend.  He absolutely loves to get involved in the Holiday decor, so we made a spooktacular Halloween garland.

Also I have my Fall Specials going on right now for a limited time 50% off.

"October Bounty" original watercolor on arches paper 18 x24 BUY NOW

"Candy Apple Red" original watercolor on arches paper 6x6 BUY NOW

 Carrie

Emerson--The third in my Hopper Series

Hi Everyone,

"Emerson" original watercolor on 260lb Arches by Carrie Waller 6" x 6"

Hope you had a great weekend.  Our weekend started well and then everyone got sick:(((  In fact I've not had a voice for 2 days now.  Brian's (my hubby) theory is that we're given a life word allotment and when you've used to many up you have to make up for the overage.  As you can tell from that statement I'm the chatterbox of this relationship:)  Anyway I'm hoping we'll be on the mend soon and back to life as we know it.

I'm sharing my 3rd painting in my Hopper series.  Hopper read Ralph Waldo Emerson a lot and was influenced by his writing.  So for this painting I have some Emerson books, a poem by Emerson written in a journal and some wildflowers in a very simple jelly jar sitting on a Hopper painting that was influenced by Emerson.  I think the 3 paintings work well together.  I kept a similar color story running through the pieces. 

Thought I'd share all 3 paintings so you can see them together.

"Hemingway" original watercolor on 260lb Arches by Carrie Waller 6"x 6"

"Hopper" original watercolor on 260lb Arches by Carrie Waller 6"x 6"

"Emerson" original watercolor on 260lb Arches by Carrie Waller 6"x 6"

 See you Wednesday,

Carrie

Hemingway and Technical Difficulties

Hi Everyone,

"Hemingway" 6" x 6" watercolor on 260lb Arches by Carrie Waller

I hope all my US friends had a great holiday on Monday!  I debated posting on the Monday of a 3 day weekend, and was on the fence and then my computer did the deciding for me!!  Technical difficulties, the kind where you want to throw the computer out the window, go outside pick it up, bring it back in and throw it outside the window again!!  My handsome, hero of a husband fixed the computer tonight and managed to not throw it out the window.  So I'm back in the computing/posting business.  Oh and can I tell you he had to bring in another computer so he could research how to fix our desk top.  Enough to make you want to pull all your hair out, aghhhhh!

So without further ado I'm sharing the second in my Hopper series.  "Hemingway".  Edward Hopper's painting "Nighthwawks" was inspired by Hemingway's short story "The Killers", so I decided to pay tribute to Hemingway.  Ernest loved a cocktail, especially from a favorite drinking hole in Cube called El Floridita.  So I included a rum daiquiri or in the case of my still life prop a lime slushy from Sonic sitting on a coaster from El Floridita, several Hemingway books and just a hint of "Nighthawks" peeking at you in the bottom right hand corner.  I really like the feel of this piece.

 I really should take pictures of me setting up these still life scenarios.  I had my little table with my favorite white marble slab sitting in my driveway, because that's where the golden afternoon sun is.  I moved my little table several times to get the perfect light with the shadows in the right place, all the while feverishly placing the props and having to refill my daiquiri as it was melting in the 100 degree temperatures, it's really a funny little dance:)

If you would like to see work in progress pictures please visit my fb fan page and like me:) http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carrie-Waller-Fine-Art/162334380446754

See you on Friday!!  Boy this is a fast week:)

Carrie

Hemingway work in progress

Hi Everyone,

So I'm working on the second in my three part series based on Edward Hopper.  The accompanying pieces to "Hopper" are about people that inspired his art.  Ernest Hemingway's short story "The Killers" was the inspiration for "Nighthawks" so I decided to run with that.  These 6x6 compositions are interesting, I want to put enough info in them to have a link and story to each other but still keep them visually strong.  For this still life I checked out the only Hemingway books our little library in town had, researched Hemingway's favorite drink and drinking hole and placed them in the composition as well as a nod to Hopper with the painting "Nighthawks" peeking out in the bottom right side of the composition. 


I'm working away like a crazy lady and enjoying my 2 days a week that both boys are in school.  I got a lot done today.  My process takes a lot of time with a lot of glazes but I was really happy with my progression today.

And  if you missed my last post, here is "Hopper".  I was so happy it was chosen as a Daily Paintworks pick on Tuesday.

"Hopper" watercolor on 260lb Arches 6"x6" original by Carrie Waller

See you Friday for a new Friday Feature:)

Carrie

Hopper

Hi Everyone,

"Hopper" original watercolor on 260lb Arches 6" x 6" by Carrie Waller

So I interrupted my regularly scheduled painting to work on a series of paintings for a competition I read about on Karen Jurik's blog.  The Edward Hopper House is having has a call for entries due very soon and you have to submit at least 3, so I got off on a tangent and decided to paint for the challenge.  This is the first of my 3 paintings.  I have to say this is one of my favorite paintings I've done so far.  It incorporates Art History and painting.  Not only that but I love Edward Hopper.  I had a lot of fun doing research for the entire series.  You'll have to wait and see what paintings 2 and 3 are going to be about.

For the painting, "Hopper" I decided to feature a clear cup of coffee sitting on a post card of "Nighthawks" and the back of my book on Hopper featured his self portrait.  I really love the placement of the saucer.  It has the illusion of him looking through a window.  I thought it was very Hopper-like to have him looking at us through another plane.  I wanted to capture the solitude, the feelings in his paintings. The coffee cup is a play off of "Nighthawks".  A contemporary, diner prop.  I'm in love with the colors that Hopper used in his paintings, they made for a fabulous composition.  Can't wait to share the next 2 paintings with you:)

I invite you to like my facebook page where you can view the work in progress shots of this painting.

Carrie