Crawfish on Newsprint

watercolor and ink on paper 6x6 $195.00  BUY NOW

Hi Everyone,

I hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend.  We traveled to Louisiana last week to spend Easter with my husband's parents.  We had a lovely time.  We celebrated by having a crawfish and shrimp boil.  As soon as I heard that we were going to do this my mind went to where my mind always goes-- to art!   So while everyone one was drooling over dinner, they had to patiently wait while I photographed these beauties.  It wasn't until I got home that I realized they were sitting on a newspaper discussing the oil leak and the 1 yr anniversary of the BP oil spill.  So a painting was born.  I will probably revisit crawfish because they are really gorgeous in color and I got some great shots of them. 

I'm also happy to announce that my painting 'Nostalgia' the 6x6 version sold at the Randy Higbee Gallery.  The 6"squared show is in full swing and chalk full of gorgeous available art.  'Dinner at Eight' is still available as far as I know, so check out Randy's site and take in the fabulous art. 

'Nostalgia' SOLD                              'Dinner at Eight' Available

Steven got his crayons out and created a nice picture for you this week.  I'm glad we're back into using colors:)

Hope everyone has a fabulous week,

Carrie

Nostalgia (Large Version)

watercolor on paper 23.5 x 37.5

nos·tal·gia/näˈstaljə/Noun

1. A sentimental longing for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.  

This chair belongs to my Grandma.  I have seen this chair my whole life sitting on her back porch.  Many a green bean have been shucked sitting in this chair.  My Grandma's house has so much meaning for me.  It is my home base, the place I think of when I hear the word "home".  Growing up we moved a lot, but every Summer was spent at my Grandma's.  So when I heard that she is planning on selling her house it shook me to the core.  Logically I know that it's time, she's in her 80's and even thought she gets around phenomenally well, that won't last forever.  Logically I know that even if the house is not in her possession the memories will still be there.  But, I feel like I'm losing my "home".  I'm sure it is also making me aware that she will not always be there.  So with all of these feelings and thoughts racing through my head I remembered taking a picture of this chair.  This chair that has been there my whole life and by the looks of it several lives before mine.  The day I took the photo reference, my Grandma wasn't quite sure why I wanted to take a picture of that old chair.  And she wasn't sure why I needed to move it out in front of her hydrangea bush with all of it's blooms deteriorating, she told me she planned on refinishing that chair and I should wait until then to take it's picture.  But that old chair is the epitome of beauty to me.  It's been around and all of it's peeling layers of paint make it all that much more beautiful!!  So when the house is gone and my Grandma has passed I hope to own that old chair, to remind me of "home".

Steven posing with "Nostalgia" just to give some scale:)

Nostalgia Work in Progress and a little bit about the process

Nostalgia (in large format) work in progress 24 x 38

This week I'm tackling  full sheet painting.  I'm working on a large version of the 6x6 I have in the Randy Higbee exhibit.  I will admit I've been slightly intimidated with the size of it.  Even the preparation for working at this size was more complicated.  I stretch my paper, so the first step to this process was buying a half sheet of plywood.  Once I had that polyurethaned both sides I was able to stretch my paper.  I work out of my dining room and a half sheet of plywood is pretty much all encompassing.  I could cut down the plywood, but I may want to do some even larger paintings so at the moment I'm leaving it as it.  I am going to back up and tell you how I stretch my paper because I had a conversation with another watercolor artist last week and learned that we do things very differently.  I wet my paper completely both sides in the shower.  I just turn on the shower and hold it in the stream for a few minutes manipulating it to make sure the entire thing gets wet.  I then lay this flat on my board and staple around the entire paper about 1/2" from the edge and about every 2 inches or so.  After this dries, and it always looks scary during the drying process, full of waves, and every time I think that is not going to dry flat and it always does.  It takes about a day to dry. 

my stretched paper on my very large board

During this time I work out my drawing on another sheet of paper.  I do my drawing to scale and after my paper is completely dry I transfer it using graphite paper.  I make my own graphite paper.  I learned this from a fellow artist during a workshop.  Take a sheet of tracing paper, cover it entirely with graphite using a graphite stick (not a fun job) after it is completely covered wipe it down with a paper towel damp with  rubbing alcohol or lighter fluid.  I have used both and find rubbing alcohol to work better.  After you've wiped it down, take a cloth or paper towel and rub it down again to get the residual graphite off of the paper.  The paper becomes almost impregnated with the graphite.  It works very well.  I think it is worth making your own because any store bought paper I've used leaves a lot of heavy graphite on the watercolor paper while you're transferring the drawing.  I like a light pencil line.

my home-made graphite paper

 I also use a mechanical pencil to transfer my drawing, they are great, always sharp and very fine lines.  As soon as the drawing is transferred I'm off and running and ready to paint.  I paint section by section and mostly wet on dry.  I do use wet on wet techniques in controlled areas.  I like to complete one area at a time so I can see how it's going to turn out.  I don't leave that area until I'm satisfied and it is in the final stage, of course at the end I may go back and tweak here and there, but for the most part I want it completed before I move on to the next section.

My painting in stages.  The blue stuff is tape, I tape off the edges so that I'm left with nice crisp border when I'm done.

A look at my work area/dining room

I do want to give a shout out to the great and talented Julie Hill who gave me some pointers on painting large scale and has been terrific moral support.  Check out her work it's beautiful!  That is just one of many things I love about blogging, the support and friendship is invaluable:)

Steven did do a painting this week.  Should I be worried?  Maybe he's in a black period, but at 4 years old!

Have a great week everyone!!

Happy Creating,

Carrie

Parisian Produce

watercolor on paper 6x6 BUY NOW $195

Hi everyone,

Hope you had a fabulous weekend!  We had beautiful weather, aside from everyone having a cold at our house it was a lovely weekend.  Sam, my youngest son turned 2 on Thursday, so we had  celebratory time.  As if on cue Sam decided he was now old enough to not have to sleep in his crib.  We spent the weekend trying to corral him.  It was a struggle, he has tasted freedom and there is no turning back.  I guess the writing is on the wall and a big boy bed is in our future!

For this weeks painting I completed a 6x6 of a gorgeous still life that I stumbled upon on one of our trips to Paris.  I do love how the produce was arranged as if it was just waiting to be painted.  This one took me longer than I thought because of all of the texture.  Texture on a small scale can prove to be challenging.  I do love the variety of greens in this painting and the basket just makes it feel so homey.

Steven got back in the game this week.  He did a drawing.  he told me he doesn't want to paint right now, so I guess he'll be working on some drawings.  I am trying to talk him into painting some large canvases.  He was pretty excited about the prospect of that.

I also am about to embark on my first full sheet painting.  I got a half sheet of plywood and polyeurathaned it this weekend.  I've stretched my paper, now I just have to get my nerve up to start.  I would love to hear any advice on working in large scale.

Happy Creating!

Carrie

Spring Offering

watercolor on paper 6x6 "Spring Offering"

Hi Everyone,

Oh, what a week this has been.  So many exciting events have taken place.  It started off as a fabulous week last Sunday.  I won 1st place in the LWS (Louisiana Watercolor Society's ) Captial Waters Art at the Archives show.  My painting "Venetian Canal" was the winning entry.  I also recently found out that my painting "Urban Abstraction" was juried into the LWS' International Show.  I'm shocked and amazed that I got in first time, it's very competitive.

Venetian Canal

I also had several e-mails come rolling my way congratulating me on my article in the "Military Spouse" magazine.  A month or so ago I was interviewed by the magazine, I had put it in the back of my mind, but it's out for those who subscribe.  I'm still waiting to get my copy so I haven't seen the article yet, but I've heard its good.  It was fun getting e-mails from other military spouses that art artists.  Good to know I'm not the only one out there:)

Mid-week I got my acceptance e-mails from Randy Higbee.  I am absolutely thrilled that 2 of my paintings will be in the Higbee show in April.  Some stiff competition let me tell you!!  He received 1200 entries and only accepted 400.  Thank you again for all of you that helped me decide which paintings to enter.  "Dinner at Eight" and "Nostalgia" will be in the show:)

Montgomery Museum of Fine Art

Friday my wonderful and supportive in-laws drove in from Baton Rouge to spend the weekend and babysit the boys so that Brian and I could attend the opening reception for the Montgomery Art Guild's museum exhibit.  I was fortunate enough to have a painting juried into an exhibit at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art.  It is a spectacular museum, one of the top fine art museums in the US, and I have a painting hanging in that beautiful space.  I'll post some pics soon.  The exhibit is terrific.  Saturday the juror held an art talk.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to go, I wasn't sure I could handle super critical feedback.  I decided to go and I'm glad I did.  The talk was very beneficial and I learned that the judge isn't a fan of literal art.  I am flattered that she chose my painting to be part of the exhibit since it's really not her style. She predominately chose abstract pieces as the award winners.  I'm not going to change my style, because I like representational art but I did take from that, that I'm going to strive to have more of an emotional meaning to my work.  It was a bit nerve wracking to give a spontaneous presentation about my work, especially since I followed an abstract piece and the artist ended his presentation with the statement that "literal art annoys him" such a great intro for me:)  I restrained from beginning my talk with and now for some "annoying literal art"

 Sunday, Brian and I attended the reception for the Energen art competition in Birmingham, AL.  I have to say it was the swankiest reception I've been to so far, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art's is a close second.  Energen had live music, terrific food, beautiful decor and an open bar.  It was a very fun afternoon.

I hope everyone has a fabulous week!  I'm completely inspired after my super arty weekend!!  I'm off to paint:)

Happy Creating,

Carrie

Artists Helping Japan

'All My Eggs In One Basket'  6x6 watercolor on paper All proceeds going to the Japanese Red Cross BID HERE

Hi Everyone,

This week I'm participating in an on-line art auction where all proceeds will be donated to help the crisis in Japan.  My heart has been heavy hearing about such devastation, I can't imagine going through something so terrible.  When I heard about Daily Paintworks auction I jumped at the chance to donate a painting for the cause.  There are close to 200 paintings right now.  It is a win win for everyone, the buyer gets a piece of original art and the proceeds are donated to such an important cause.  So visit the site and bid on your favorite painting:)

I also want to give everyone a huge THANK YOU for helping me make my decision on which paintings to enter into Randy Higbee's 6x6 exhibit.  I was really surprised at the results and it actually swayed my decision from what I originally thought I would enter.  So wish me luck!  Oh, and I entered A, B, E and F. 

1st Place 'Venetian Canal'

Also this past Sunday my painting 'Venetian Canal' placed 1st in the Louisiana Watercolor Society's Capital Waters State Archives Exhibition.  I am humbled and so grateful.  Just when I'm having some doubts something like this happens and renews my motivation and determination.  Check out their site, my painting rests on the LWS home page until the next competition!

I also want to give a big Thank You to my in-laws Debbie and Steve Waller and Amy Palmer (aunt).  They schlep my art all over Louisiana to get my paintings into exhibitions and they attend receptions in my place. It's terrific to have such support:) 

Carrie

I Need Your Help--Vote for your Favorites

A

B

C

D

E

F

Hi Everyone,

I've just finished the last of my 6x6's for the Randy Higbee contest.  I'm titling this one 'Nostalgia'.  This chair is my Grandma's chair.  It has been sitting on her back porch for as long as I can remember.  The last time I visited, I decided to photograph this chair because I love all of the age and layers of paint.  My Grandma asked me why I wanted  to take a picture of that old chair, she said she's been meaning to refinish it.  I told her I thought it was beautiful and to please not refinish it, I'm hoping one day to own this chair.  I photographed it in front of her hydrangea bushes.  These also remind me so much of my Grandma's house.  I thought it was fitting that the blooms were at the end of their life, very fitting for the chair.

Now I need your help, I'm going to enter 4 out of the 6 and I really need your opinion.  I have each one labeled with a letter, please choose your top 4 and let me know.  You can leave a comment below, e-mail me at carriewallerart@gmail.com or leave me a message on facebook.  I value your opinion:)

Thanks everyone!  Hope you have a fabulous weekend.  Oh and the deadline is Monday, so please respond in a timely fashion,  I'm very grateful for your opinions and comments!  Please Vote:)

Carrie