Sunday, August 30, 2009

A few small works - and a critique...

For the past couple of months as I did my stints at the Heritage Center, I noted that almost all of what was selling was priced under $100. (with the exception of jewelry). I determined to paint some small pieces to sell as I cannot even justify the cost of the gasoline unless I'm selling something. I love painting chickens, and I can do them fairly quickly. I was commissioned to do a rooster for an artist friend - and here is the hen to match. It's a Black Croad Langshan - and yes, it has "feathered feet". It's painted on a wood panel, about 9 x 12 inches, ready to hang and for sale at $48.00
This one (and the one below) is painted on tin panel/s that I found at a yard sale. These are folksy tuxedo cats painted in acrylic and ready to hang. About 10x 10,$28.00 each.
Amongst my collections of parts and supplies I had a few chair back harps. These are shaped into a delicate curve and cut with slight variations in overall design. To me, the shapes suggest figures - so I channeled the Pre-Raphaelite painters of the turn of the century to come up with my "Blackbird Maiden."
She measures about 8 x 22 - and she sold for $45.00 twenty minutes after I hung her in the gallery! Yay! There's gas money! Now I need more chair harps!
Here's a detail of the blackbirds...
And finally, The Critic. The is my latest larger painting in progress. Elvis realized as soon as he saw it that help was needed - and he was blunt. He looked closely...
He checked each area...
He nosily pointed out how boring and flawed the coloration and composition...
And when he had exhausted himself with explanations, he determined to hide the offending painting completely. Right now I'm in agreement with him. The painting is accurate, well drawn, realistically colored - and boring, boring, boring!! Y'all might be seeing it after it undergoes a bigtime overhaul.

3 comments:

Crazy RAvens Studio said...

Oh, thank god I am not the only one who gets deep into a painting and thinks what the heck am I doing? I'm sure you'll figure it out Patrice. Aren't you lucky to have such a thorough critic.

Anonymous said...

Honey--I immediately feel a calm come over me when I see your work. BORING, that painting is not. You are a brilliant artist, and that's not just lip service!

T. said...

OMG cats. They are harsh critics. And we shouldn't necessarily listen to them!