Shanna Kunz Fine Art

Moran Junction

2012-01-26T17:47:00.002-07:00

Rain in Mackey

2012-01-21T19:35:00.001-07:00

Emergence

2012-01-20T14:12:00.001-07:00

The painting that just keeps changing with the light :)

A New Season

2012-01-08T12:46:00.001-07:00

A New Season for a New Year! Welcome to 2012!

Lovett's Gallery Interview

2011-12-27T19:26:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2011-12-20T08:37:00.002-07:00

I haven't blogged in awhile, in fact I haven't done much of anything in awhile! I have been enjoying this Christmas season, buying presents and (over)decorating my house - nesting! I haven't had a relaxing holiday season like this in more years than I can remember. Sure, I have shows coming up I should be painting for, but not the Celebration like the past three years, which happens only weeks after Christmas lending the holidays to much stress and way too much to do. I generally have a show between Christmas and New Years, but not this year. All four were between Sept. and the first of December so the timing for enjoying the holidays has been perfect!

Thank you to all the wonderful friends (clients and otherwise) and family that have supported me throughout the year! It has been a good year, tons of adventures and travels, and we're hanging in there. I am so very grateful for this wonderful job! I get to march down to my studio every morning and turn on my music, dance and paint, create beautiful places and then take them to beautiful places. Though it's not always a bed of roses and making a living at something so very personal often triggers a roller-coaster of emotions, it is the only thing I want to do! Even the days of not painting are filled with looking, looking at art, looking at light, looking at the beautiful mountain outside my window and wondering how I should paint it. Art is not a job, it is all consuming. It's a lifestyle, a way of living a life and seeing the beauty in everything and everyone. I'll take that any day!

Have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends - enjoy every minute of it! And have a wonderful 2012!

2011-12-13T18:01:00.001-07:00

Taking orders for 2012 Calendars!

2011-12-11T19:54:00.003-07:00

Calendars are available after December 18th, $27 for one or $22 for two or more! It's a great Christmas gift with excellent quality images.

December 2011 newsletter

2011-12-11T18:29:00.003-07:00

Putting it all together!

2011-11-29T10:46:00.003-07:00

The last day before the road trip! I'm framing and wiring all day today - putting my babies all around me so I can "feel" them before loading them into the truck! Such anticipation (and anxiety) - just about kills me. I do enjoy putting them all around and sitting in the middle of them. I get a good feel about where I'm at in this present moment. I can see where I have grown, which direction I feel is working and what maybe wasn't quite what I expected it to be. I look for consistency in mood, quality, framing.....does it all fit together as a body of work? Is there variety as well? I know I have done my best and given it everything I have! Once they are loaded and we are off, I will quit analyzing and just enjoy the ride :)

Last but not least! - I think

2011-11-28T12:25:00.003-07:00

Two days to go before we leave for Tulsa. Just finished up this little 16x20 called Crimson Chorus. I've been working in winter palette's for the last few paintings and it felt good to get the reds out!

Small Works for Tulsa

2011-11-27T11:18:00.002-07:00

Winter Meditation

2011-11-26T14:18:00.002-07:00

Another winter piece in the latest series! 24x48 oil on canvas

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!

2011-11-24T08:59:00.004-07:00

I'm wishing you all a beautiful day! I hope you all have great food, great family and great memories to share. I miss you Grandma!

The Definition of a Successful Art Career

2011-11-18T13:18:00.004-07:00

A familiar acquaintance spots you across the room at an event and three minutes into a conversation, has told you of every dollar, every contract, every achievement made since the last time you chatted? This person has been there, done that with a mention of another friend’s accomplishments. I am always very happy for this person’s success - I honestly am - but I always seem to walk away questioning my own success, comparing apples to apples and dollars to dollars and not quite measuring up. Another art friend approaches you at an event - an artist that is successful on every level. This artist has been invited to the finest galleries, the best shows, his work is impeccable and you would never hear about a single achievement unless he was prodded into telling. The first thing out of his mouth is “How are YOU doing?”. I realize that these are both extreme hypothetical examples of a successful artist and most of us fall into a middle ground somewhere - confident and enthusiastic about what we do, yet maybe looking for a bit of validation and/or approval to guide us on our path to a successful art career and making our mark!

How does one define a successful art career? Can we simply break it down to a few black and white areas - the quality of our work and respect of our peers, the financial success attained or lack of, and the quality of our whole life. The grey areas are much larger though, and a combination of all the above.

No doubt, everyone has heard the admonishment that an artist should NEVER paint for money, that financial gain corrupts the integrity of the art. While I have a personal list of things that I have vowed I won’t do with my art, I also have the harsh reality that if I want to keep doing what I love to do, I have to pay a few bills (a mortgage) along the way or get a job that takes me away from painting and I get less and less time to pursue my creative passion. How can I truly achieve my potential as an artist without devoting myself to painting? And if I’m making buckets of money (I remain optimistic ☺ LOL) selling my art, does that mean my work is “there” and the struggle goes away? Which brings me to the next grey area - how do I attain my potential and quality in art and what/who defines that quality?

I think we all have a distinguishable innate sense of quality and we have certainly all seen that great art does not always mean great money and vice-versa and all of the combinations. The art world is made of so many genres and it seems divisive at times - contemporary vs traditional, cerebral vs beautiful, self taught vs academically trained, etc. How do we define our personal vision of quality and who are our peers for that particular arena- who we listen to and accept critique from? Is it in awards, shows, articles, recognition from artists we admire? Then what happens when we don’t get in the shows, a critic disses our work, we don’t sell a painting? Does that mean our quality has diminished or suddenly isn’t there after it already was before? If we are staying in our artistic integrity, but the rewards aren’t coming - do we give it all up as a failure? Which again, brings me to the final grey area of living a whole life and finding perspective with our art and career.

How does our art career fit in perspective with our lives? Does it define us as a person? Is it what we do and how well we do it that defines us or is it our spirit, who we are, who we love, how we combine our passion with our relationships that truly make us successful? We are so fortunate to be doing what we love to do, but if the money isn’t flowing or the rewards aren’t coming as quickly as we want, how do we come to terms with these disappointments without allowing them to jeopardize our ‘whole’ life?

Our families, our friendships, our spirituality, our experiences all contribute to the breadth of our art. It is crucial that we balance all of these things in order to attain success. It is equally important that we have our own very individual barometer to gauge what that success is, not based on someone else’s idea. We have no idea of another’s needs, situations, difficulties, talents and strengths. Happiness is not over-rated, it is the goal! Living every day in the moment and being fully present with whatever we do! It is only our job to show up at that easel and do the best work we can do at the time that we do it. Embrace the rest of your life, your “whole” life and define success as all of it’s parts. Its a day to day thing, always learning, re-evaluating, and growing, and best of all - enjoying the journey along the way!

May we all have success in whatever that definition might be!

Winter's Silence

2011-11-16T20:55:00.003-07:00

Another piece for Tulsa! This one is 24x48. I simply LOVE winter scenes! I know they are just not for everyone, but I think anyone can pick up that I love snow - I LOVE SNOW! The insulation of the snow quiets everything around it. The contrast and subtle temperature changes in the snow, the contrast of the dark pines - everything about it I just love! I hope you enjoy as well :)

Tulsa Work in Progress!

2011-11-09T16:05:00.003-07:00

CLASSES STARTING IN JANUARY 2012

2011-11-07T10:46:00.003-07:00

Hello art friends!

I will be starting classes in January 4, 2012. I will be teaching beginning, intermediate and advanced watercolor and an intermediate and advanced oil painting class. The classes will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, morning 10-12 am and evening 7-9 pm. If you are interested, please call me for information and supply lists (801) 389-2369 or (801) 621-0114.

Class size will be held to eight students in each class and cost $60.00 per month. Students will work in class on watercolor painting, demo and lecture on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Due to ventilation and health issues of oil painting, the advanced classes on Thursday will be limited to demo, lecture, art history, critique, business issues and homework. You will have a great time creating beautiful art and pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone and on to the next level of progression!

For my full bio, resume and qualifications, please go to my website shannakunz.com or request via email. I can forward articles about my work from Southwest Art Magazine, American Artist, Western Art Collector and Fine Art Connoisseur as well as shows and awards. Referrals and recommendations upon request.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Shanna

shankunz@earthlink.net

Chasing Shadows

2011-11-01T23:49:00.002-06:00

This piece is a 36x24 vertical called "Chasing Shadows" - a piece in the same series as Sunlit Pines. It's all about exploring strong light and cast shadows on a steep hillside dotted with light dancing off the trunks of the pines creating rhythm and movement through strong contrast. This piece is much darker and more dramatic than it's counterpart and I think I still have a very delicate high-key piece in mind as a trio. If you have ever been to Flagstaff in the evening, you might recognize the feel of that unique light. The densely populated Ponderosa Pines just glow as the sun starts it descent into evening!

A Different Style!

2011-10-28T09:33:00.000-06:00

Homage to my Tonalist Roots

2011-10-25T20:40:00.006-06:00

I've been working on a painting today that I keep coming back to, each time I'm just sure that if I add this or change that, I can make it better. This piece is a tribute back to my more tonalist days of painting - my study of Inness, Tryon and Francis Murphy. It's a very low key, high contrast piece that the trees have changed shape more times than I change my socks in a week! Ok, I'm exaggerating - BUT, they have changed form a few times. It used to be in my painting world that I lived from deadline to deadline and had to have X number of paintings for each show and I just worked my fingers to the bone getting a nice show together. I'm really slowing down more and I want each and every baby that leaves my hands with me giving it everything I can possibly give to make it the best that I know how to do at the present time. Once in awhile, a painting comes back to me because it hasn't found a home yet and I can see that I have progressed enough to know what to do to make it my best NOW. I will rework a painting until I have learned everything I can or feel proud of it for what it is. And sometimes I also realize a piece has a spirit about it that even if it was done at a time not as evolved as the present, it needs to be left as is. The hard part is knowing the difference. When to leave it alone or when to keep working it. Hmmmm, maybe that is a great analogy to life!

Familiar Territory - Watercolor Sundays!

2011-10-23T16:04:00.005-06:00

I'm taking a page out of my past for my painting experience today! When my kids were small and it was virtually impossible to get in much alone time, every Sunday I would spread my watercolor palette and board, brushes, towels and water in a great spot on the floor in front of the television and watch NFL football. Noone in my family was much interested in watching with me, but the kids would bring their friends over, eat munchies and hangout playing games and watching me paint. There was always noise and commotion going on, but somehow I could tune it all out and keep painting, taking breaks long enough to let my glazes dry and catch up on the game. I knew where my kids were, who they were with and what they were doing - all while doing what I loved to do! Well, today has been another day like those with a few exceptions - I can't sit on the floor like I used to (I would never get up again)! The kids are gone, except for a short visit today from my grown up son and his dog. I'm no longer watching the games alone because my husband LOVES football. I still can tune out the noise and commotion and paint, I'm just a little a little slower than I used to be, not quite the multi-tasker I used to be. Here is today's work and hopefully there will be another by midnight!

Small Pieces Available!

2011-10-20T17:11:00.003-06:00

I'm down in the studio getting small paintings together for a couple of

holiday shows. Lots of work to do and keep me busy down in the studio!

Some large pieces are coming next.....stay tuned!

Work Delivered!

2011-10-07T13:35:00.006-06:00

I just left the Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale and am back on the road to Sedona to the Mountain Trails Gallery for my show tonight and tomorrow. I really feel good about the work I left behind - a lot of my heart and soul and hard work coming from the studio. I've left my "children" behind for them to find their way to their new home. I will come home to an empty studio and start the journey all over again. With each body of work completed, I analyze what elements worked for me, what little obsessions were revealed and where I can make changes to go off in a little different direction for the next body of work. We drove through Southern Utah and Northern Arizona through some unbelievable skyscapes, cloud formations and strong sunlit value patterns. The colors were actually quite subdued against a dramatic sky. I think I will start the next series of work with these images burned in my brain. They will be vistas, not as intimate as my normal work, but I think I can really enjoy the experience of simplification and subtlety. I'll leave you with a little visual imagery (photos) to enjoy!

Newsletters

2011-10-03T08:43:00.002-06:00

If you are interested in receiving my bi-monthly or so email newsletter, please go to my website shannakunz.com and complete the "email newsletter" section! Your email address will ALWAYS remain private and you won't be bombarded with newsletters as it takes so much work and computer knowledge for me to make them :) Every two to three months! Thanks for your support!

Shanna

October Newsletter

2011-10-02T23:55:00.002-06:00

New Work for the Sedona/Scottsdale trip!

2011-09-25T14:05:00.004-06:00

This is the newest completed painting off the easel. It's called "Snowmelt" and is 36x36, oil on canvas. I must be getting anxious for winter because I really enjoyed painting snow again. It's coming soon enough! Back to the Aspen painting waiting to be finished.....

Final Touches! My largest painting

2011-08-31T18:50:00.003-06:00

30x90! All but the final touches are done. Wow! This is the Chief Joseph River by Wisdom Montana. What do you think?

Progress!

2011-08-29T18:15:00.001-06:00

Coming along a little more slowly than I would like, but here's to progress!

Here goes!!!

2011-08-22T11:59:00.003-06:00

Well, my largest painting EVER! This piece is 30x90. I have had the canvas with a partial drawing on it for three years - intimidating me into submission. I've finally got the gumption to dive in. I have absolutely NO idea who will have the space for a painting of this size, but I've got a studio wall large enough so it will have a home one way or the other :) Please excuse the messy studio, but I have been working pretty much non-stop and lost my studio helper (Marco) to a job. Maybe by January I can do a little cleaning ! LOL

2011-08-21T20:20:00.004-06:00

Endurance, 36x48 oil on canvas

I've been working on this piece this last week. This is another previously thought finished piece, only to really dig in and push it a little further. The palette in this piece is so analogous, so subtle that it was lacking something that gave it "umph". I love the tension of the diagonal, the strong value key contrast between the foreground and the background. Something needed to tie the two together with a common thread. I cut back into the trees a bit more, gave them a little more definition to make the separation even more dramatic. Then I added a highlight of water coming down the diagonal to bring a little sky color into the green and break up the subtle values in the foreground. I also like the thin background layers against the thick foreground texture. I reworked a little brushwork in the distance to give the surface just a little more continuity, but I don't want too much. This painting really emphasizes a minimal composition and that is what gives it strength. It's always a challenge for me to paint this large and keep the quality as strong as I possibly can. It's getting me ready for my 30"x90" piece - WOW, scared to death to do something that big! Stay tuned.....

Sunlit Pines of Flagstaff

2011-08-15T19:40:00.004-06:00

New piece off the easel! This piece was inspired by my recent trip to Sun Valley for the Kneeland Plein Air Exhibition. I was painting up by Galena Lodge and the side of the mountain fascinated me with the abstract shapes, shadows and color. I did a small little 6x6 of it which sold at the show, but it haunted me to do a larger one a little less abstract. I think I will do a series of this, maybe a couple more. Square formats fascinate me as well. For my upcoming shows, I plan on using quite a few square compositions, maybe a few more odd sizes as well. I am not quite ready to put my signature on this piece above - not for a day or two so I can live with it, but I'm pretty happy with the feel of it!

2011-07-22T17:11:00.000-06:00

July Newsletter

2011-07-22T16:24:00.001-06:00

So sorry guys for sending out a duplicate newsletter. I have STILL yet to figure out the size requirements for my website company and the first one was too small for anyone to read. The second one is too big for anyone to see! I'll get there, I promise! I'm just a little computer illiterate!

2011-07-22T15:04:00.000-06:00

Eccentric?

2011-07-20T11:07:00.004-06:00

I was on the phone with a dear friend, Lori McNee, yesterday commiserating over our tight deadlines and procrastinations. I confessed that it has been a "few" days since I had showered because I just keep rolling out of bed and heading directly down to the studio and painting until it is WAY past time to cook dinner, spend an hour with my honey and get some sleep to do it all over again. This will only last until Saturday because at that time I have to drive the work 4 hours to its destination. I really don't think I've had this tight of a deadline in a very long time. With my confession, Lori said I might be getting a little eccentric! Anyway, I started thinking and analyzing the way I work with the procrastinations and all. I think I truly AM a bit eccentric! I function best when my studio is a mess. I work best in my overalls and a ponytail, which is fine in the studio but NOT in the grocery store - WHEN I get to the grocery store. I have become a bit reclusive over the years when I used to be so outgoing and social. I generally perform best when pushed to the last minute and have no other choices. Any other time, my garden calls me first, a great cookbook catches my attention before the canvas, the damn computer imprisons me (notice I'm blogging this morning when I should be painting) - my lack of focus frustrates me. But in the end, there hasn't been a deadline I haven't lived up to. The paintings always get done and get where they need to be. I am a "functioning" eccentric. Maybe I'm no different than most artists. My family and non-art friends don't believe it but they are tolerant. They love me for my eccentricities, not my discipline. Most understand that there are times (more than I want to admit) that I am a flake. My memory is challenged and blamed on paint fumes. Maybe you can relate to all of this. I know when I hear of similar stories, I am relieved to a degree that this might just be an artists' mind. I love this artist life! We see the beauty in all, the positive in life and what we can create with it. There is never a problem that can't be solved some way. Show me the good and I'll hide from the bad! Yep, that's how I roll - I'm eccentric and quite proud of it!

Well, ??? Another mountain to move....

2011-07-18T18:22:00.005-06:00

I have such a tough time being objective about a painting, especially when it is something out of the ordinary for me. I'm generally overly harsh or I get a crush and can't see it for what it really is. Here is the barn, all but finished. The hard lines of the mountains in Sun Valley area are a real challenge to make work in a composition. There is only one place around where mountains are angled so steeply. That's what makes it so beautiful! Still - tough to make work. What do you think?

Ok, it's the next morning and I've decided to take out the left mountain. Stay tuned....

Mountain considerably chopped down. Still having a tough time with this one...

Almost finished!

2011-07-17T16:48:00.004-06:00

Working on my very large vertical series, with this new one "Woodriver Storm Rising" It is a 48x30. The other two in the series are Majestic and Queens Court following.

status update :)

2011-07-16T18:13:00.002-06:00

Well, the admonishment to myself of FOCUS - didn't work. Went shopping instead. Sometimes burnout can kick your behind! Back at it tomorrow I guess. Will post the painting when it's done. I am so LAME!

Highly Unusual!

2011-07-16T14:11:00.005-06:00

Not being one to usually put manmade structures in my work often, this barn painting is quite unusual for me! It's an old family farm and barn outside of Hailey, ID. I have always loved how it sits among the poplars besides the steep hillside. It always tells me I'm close to Ketchum, one of my favorite places in the west. I'm working out a few drawing issues, some shape placement problems and then I will figure out how to make the building feel natural in the environment. I have, as usual, put my largest and most difficult paintings for my show at the Kneeland Gallery off until the last week - so what else is new? I seem to do this to myself almost every time. The show is happening August 3, 4, & 5th, with the reception being August 5 from 5-8. It is my favorite show of the year. The patrons are wonderful! They come back year after year to watch us paint, purchase new pieces for their collections and cheer us on. We have developed such a special friendship with all the artists that have participated through the years. Opening morning is filled with hugs & smiles and catching up. The gallery staff is exceptional and treat us like old friends - very spoiled old friends! And of course, who can beat this landscape? It just doesn't get much better than this. And now, on to finish this "structure"......Focus Shanna - FOCUS!

River Aspens

2011-07-15T12:51:00.002-06:00

Here is a small one, 12x9, oil on linen panel called River Aspens. It's headed for the Kneeland Gallery soon!

Violet Waters

2011-07-07T14:04:00.001-06:00

After.....

2011-07-02T17:26:00.002-06:00

Happy 4th of July weekend!

2011-07-02T10:18:00.005-06:00

Let the festivities begin - AFTER I finish this painting! I'm actually working on a winter painting today - as if we haven't had enough cold weather around here. I do love painting snow though! It's almost finished and I thought I would post a before and after tweaking post. I am finding my palette sensitivity to be much brighter, "happier", these days - I wonder why LOL! I've given the piece a day to look at and contemplate. As much as I like the color, I am thinking that I will probably push the back plane even further back just a little with a purple umber glaze - just enough to push the value down a notch and tone down the color. It hopefully will make the blues pop even more, bring the treeline out to the surface and make the sky color more exciting. A couple of evenings ago, I went out on my porch cloud watching, as I do so much. There were these beautiful little highlights at the tops of the clouds as the sun was setting. The clouds themselves were actually the same value, different temp as the sky, but these little highlights looked like streaks in the sky. It was so beautiful! I decided to play a little with my painting and incorporate those streaks. I used them as little arrows down into the trees, without adding too much noise to the shape. Hmmm....how to add excitement SUBTLY :) Here is the before and I will post the after later this afternoon. Wish me luck!

Summer Harvest

2011-06-24T07:36:00.002-06:00

Still working on those color notes and temperature changes!

Color Notes

2011-06-23T13:20:00.005-06:00

Really working on fine tuning color notes and temperature changes this week (or any week for that matter). For as much as I have been called a tonalist and a subtle painter, my work REALLY has alot of color and I'd like to push the envelope a little more towards greys. We, as artists, generally work in this little bubble of our studio, surrounded by our own work, comparing palettes and compositions to the work that is around us. It is only when we get out to a show, hang our work next to another artist, enter a competition - that we really start to get an objective view of where we are. I've got Monet and Tryon out today to learn some lessons from the real deal. The piece I am posting is a simple little square composition and it is ALL about temperature changes in the sunlight and in the shadows. Very close value ranges within each, very subtle color changes with each. Don't know if I am completely done yet, but here is my days work progress! What do you think - still ALOT of color?

Quiet Cloud Cover, 20x20 oil on canvas

Back outdoors!

2011-06-15T16:12:00.004-06:00

Have a little green anyone?

I got out painting with the gang again. We have had so much snow, and rain here in Utah that our rivers and reservoirs are gushing over onto the banks. This week will probably be the worst flooding as temps are going to stay high all week. I feel a little guilty embracing this wonderful and much anticipated warm weather, but it sure feels good for a change! And my garden is LOVING it! It's been so cold my cucumbers couldn't even grow and today I think they have grown two inches. Back on focus.....

We went to a favorite little place of mine called Jefferson Hunt in Ogden Valley. It's a place that my family used to go to annually on Memorial Day to camp. This year the entire campground is under water, but my little spot is still fine to paint. This big round billowy tree has been the subject of many paintings for me. But what about the greens? And what about the close values all over? How to strategically make this work? First I simplify as much information as possible and figure out what stays and what goes. Why am I drawn to this shape over and over and what emotional ties do I have to this composition? This analysis will help me with shape placement. Next comes a value pattern block in. Will this be high contrast or low contrast - will dominance of color or values be more effective? Will it be subtle color changes or more saturated and daring color? So many decisions to make in the beginning! After that, it's fly by the seat of my pants and jump right in. At least a half a dozen times in the process, I am sure that the piece will completely fail and I'll pack up and go home. Be damned, it won't get the best of me....! I finally settle in and quit thinking and start listening. This is my favorite part, when I can finally just be in the moment with my painting and let things start to happen. Later in the day, I will look at it with fresh eyes and critique it a little more constructively, but I try to remind myself of the emotional freshness of something painted on the spot. That is the spirit of plein air, the freshness of decisions, the impression of the moment and the landscape around me - reworking too much will take away from all of that. Maybe just a touch here and a touch there and let the piece speak for itself. Ahhh, all in a days work - what a great job I have!

Hello from California!

2011-06-10T09:39:00.008-06:00

Posting from not-so-sunny Southern California this morning! I'm here visiting my daughter for the first time since she moved here to become an actress. I'm very relieved to see she is living in a beautiful neighborhood and she is safe! She works in Beverly Hills and is checking in on auditions daily. She is going after her dream!

My first adventure here in LA was the Getty Museum. After a couple of interesting mishaps from the TOM-TOM (technology sometimes does not differentiate the back entrances from the front ones and hopefully there were no cameras recording my actions), I finally found the parking area for the tram and off I went, up the hill to the top of the world. The architecture of the building and the landscape and gardens were amazing. I dissected the map and immediately headed for the West Pavillion with the paintings from the 1800's on, the Impressionist paintings and anything modern from there. I am an instant gratification kind of girl and I am known to plunge into desert before dinner - you never know how much time it will take to see what I came here to see! It's been awhile since I've actually set my eyes on a Degas, Monet, Van Gogh - my memories had forgotten how truly transformational they are, how complex and yet simple, the paint quality and color subtleties - the vast division of the truly genius painters from everybody that wants to be. In person, one clearly knows on all levels why the masters are the masters!

And so the process begins - awe and inspiration lead to defeat and dejection (I swear I will sell my paints) which then lead to an atta-girl, you can give it your best shot, try harder and I'm ready to paint again. Spent the next few hours back at the apartment looking through images to start a new series. All in a day!

Newest Piece on the Easel

2011-06-03T17:11:00.003-06:00

This piece is called Yellowstone Mineral Pools. It is a 9x12k destined for the Jackson Wildlife Museum Western Visions show in August.

Hello Summer!!!

2011-06-01T18:06:00.003-06:00

It's been awhile since I spent any time blogging! A couple of announcements - My workshop in Creede, CO has been postponed until September due to "increment" - meaning HORRIBLE - weather. Snow, rain, winds - sound familiar? We here in Utah have had the same thing and now we are preparing ourselves for snow melt flooding, probably the worst in years. I heard that in the last 35 days, we had rain for 28 days. We've had moments of sunshine and I've taken advantage of those days! Second time out with the gang painting. We have an unbelievable group of painters from this area that get together once a week to paint, have lunch and talk art. Today was a beautiful day and we had the pleasure of entertaining a horse, a burro, two goats, three sheep and a black lab. Who can say that everyday? The landscape was a bit busy and we all had to do a little "embellishing"! Here is a little pic of our friends...

I am SERIOUSLY going to do more field study painting. The act of simplifying information and building compositions from life is invaluable to a studio painter. I think it is the element that I need most in my work. I feel like there are so many different styles of painting - plein air, tonal, traditional, stylistic, contemporary - and they are all beautiful. I would not necessarily call myself a plein air painter, I work from thumbnails, plein air studies, my own photography, and memory, but every time I get out, I learn something invaluable to carry over into my larger work. Color notes, values, relationships - you just can't get that from a photo. And being out in nature reminds me what it's all about! Back to the land, back to the trees, the water, the mountains, the changing skies. And I live in an amazing landscape - our valleys and meadows are the Best!

Another announcement - I will be doing a small works show at the Crowley Gallery and Cafe here in my hometown of Ogden, Ut. This week June 3rd, I will do a demo for the gallery's art stroll from 6-9 pm. I will work in oil for the demo. Then on June 18th, they will hold a private reception for my watercolors and oils, along with appetizers and wine. It should be a great time and I will post the invite when I have it! If you are anywhere near me for the demo, come on down and visit me.

I'm also gearing up for the PleinAir Show with the Kneeland Gallery in August, a new body of work for Mtn. Trails Gallery in Jackson, WY as well as the Western Visions Show at the Jackson Museum of Wildlife Art. Other shows are in the making and I will announce them as they come. I've kind of taken some time off from the traveling I did last year. Marco has a job that requires many hours and won't be able to travel with me as much - what a bummer :( Sure glad we took advantage of it last year. I think this is my year to really get out in the field and concentrate on quality over quantity more than ever. It's really scary to take away options from the sales arena, but I know I am making the right decision. I guess this is where a little faith goes a long way! And I always seem to make it...... so far. :)

Happy painting all - get out and paint! Play with some field studies and breathe a little mother nature!

Miniature Watercolor Show

2011-05-24T19:24:00.006-06:00

I've been working on these miniature watercolors the last few weeks! I will have an online purchasing opportunity before they go out to a show - a great bang for the buck! All original watercolor on Arches 140lb. paper, matted and framed and shipped for $200-$400 depending on size. Please contact me if you are interested and I will forward you all the information available!

My largest paintings to date!

2011-05-02T18:48:00.002-06:00

These are two vertical pieces just finished tonight - 60x30's, a challenge for me! They are based on my pine series from last year with a few twists and certainly a major size and proportion difference. That took every last drop of discipline I had to stick with them every day :) Frame tonight, on the road tomorrow and delivered on Thursday!

Legacy Gallery Representation

2011-05-02T13:44:00.002-06:00

I'm so pleased to announce my new representation with Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ!

For anyone that hasn't visited the gallery, it is on the corner of Scottsdale Rd. and Main Street and is a favorite of all the galleries in old town. The Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art was just held in the gallery - in fact, still hanging - amazing and inspiring artwork! There are two of my pieces in the gallery at the present moment, but more coming!

April Newsletter

2011-04-21T23:09:00.004-06:00

My April newsletter just went out tonight. I've attached it in case you aren't on my email list and would like to see it! It only takes me two days to create, figure out how to change file extensions and download :) I sure wish I was a bit more computer savvy! If you can't read it, go to this page

Watercolor Show

2011-04-19T18:48:00.002-06:00

I'll be having a Watercolors in Miniature show in June at Crowley Fine Art! Eight paintings to date with many more coming. They are a great value for a beginning collector, priced between $250 and $900, all original matted and framed. Please contact me if there are any you are interested in for pre-sale purchase - makes a great Mother's day present!

Shanna Kunz

shankunz@earthlink.net

801-389-2369

shannakunz.com

Wonderful Break with a tsp. of guilt!

2011-04-17T21:52:00.003-06:00

Rainy days and SUNDAYS, perfect day for hanging out with my sweetie! Still recuperating from my Scottsdale stint of every day, three months straight. I have been filling my days with bits of painting, but still not able to completely immerse myself back into it again. This is not like a 9-5 job, well - not for me. Feast or famine! I go down to the studio in the mornings to muster as much discipline as I can and it is still just not quite there. The computer calls to me, my sister calls for coffee, my much-missed friends call to meet for lunch. I feel guilt, such guilt for not jumping back into my obligations the way I should. Distractions.....make them constructive ones.....drive four hours to a gallery to pick up work and come back....make portfolio CD's to send out.......get that website updated......does any of this sound familiar to anyone??? Maybe this is what they mean that an artist must fill ALL of their life in order to paint. Cooking - what sounds interesting tonight, what kind of playlist will help me get my mojo back? Maybe it's a full life experience that we fill ourselves with that makes us want to create. Maybe I'm making excuses. No maybe's about it. Could be that I'm missing the interaction with people every day. Could be the fear of jumping into a painting larger than I've ever done. Could be I just need more discipline to juggle the right brain and left brain. There is this idea knocking around in the back of my head...ooohhh, I am thinking of a great painting.....the muse is knocking at my door....I'll start again tomorrow!

Introspective thoughts on Art

2011-04-11T20:06:00.002-06:00

I ran across some writings I did last summer, as I rode the wild ride of my art career through shows, good ones and bad ones, some unbelievable and much appreciated press coverage, some confidence hits and misses and a new life in the making. As I read the writings, they ring true to my heart today as much as ever. I will share, and please feel free to give feedback!!

Each voice is unique. It is only an artists' job to dig deeper, work harder, get more soulful. It is not your job to judge or compare - time and history will tell of excellence or mediocrity. It is just your job to show up and paint, give it ALL you have! Consider all the elements in that painting. Keep to your integrity in each piece, make it the best you can possibly do. The rest is not up to you - what will be will be.

Judging yourself and punishing yourself does not make you better. It serves no purpose. Let go - let God. Pay attention along the way to detours, to people you meet with kindred spirit, and stay with your priorities at all times. A stable, peaceful mind lends itself to better work, a more artistic life well rounded. The ego emits short puffs of elation and long bouts of pain and comparison. Try your hardest to see it for what it is and push on.

Maybe this resonates with you and maybe it doesn't. I know that as individual as we are, as diverse as we are, that every voice matters and that it is your opportunity to find yourself and your voice and THAT will make the difference in this world of ours. Be unique, be honest, and know that somewhere, somehow, you will make a difference!

Online Portfolio

2011-04-07T13:31:00.002-06:00

Here is my online portfolio through IWork. I have saved it as a PDF file too.

I can't seem to get a thumbnail for it though - looks a little primitive!

Art Contests

2011-04-06T21:18:00.005-06:00

A couple of months ago, I entered Raymar Art Contest and was selected as a finalist with my high key winter piece called Essence. I was honored to be chosen from among SO many fabulous paintings and painters!

Another competition that I regular enter is FASO Boldbrush Art Competition. No winning entry as yet, but.......diligence may pay off down the road. Here is my entry if you are interested in seeing it - and if you like it, please click on the link and hit "like".

These kinds of art competitions, including Randy Higbee Gallery 6x6 shows (should have entered, but missed the deadline) are great ways for an artist to get their work seen. They might be seen by primarily other artists, but the newsletters also go out to galleries and collectors and they are relatively inexpensive ways to advertise one's work! There is the advantage of feedback too - the jurists are always very well-known and well-respected national artists and an award is certainly a feather in one's cap. The Facebook community has proven to be very helpful and encouraging of artists entry and often offer positive critiques.

So set aside that painting that makes your heart pitter-patter and give one of these contests a shot! You never know and you have nothing but a few bucks to lose! Come on, what are you waiting for???

Home Sweet Home!

2011-04-03T20:16:00.003-06:00

The Celebration has been over for a week now - can't believe it! We tore down on Monday, packed up our personal belongings on Tuesday and headed out of town! First was a stop at the Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale to drop off the two pieces selected for the Salon. That show opens on April 22, 2011 and I am so excited to be juried into a show of such fine quality! Our next move was towards Sedona to drop off work to my NEW gallery Mtn. Trails Gallery in Sedona. If you've never been to Sedona before, it is such a beautiful place - situated in the red rock and cedar mountains! The gallery sits in Tlaquepaque, a village of shops, galleries and fine restaurants that is as quaint and inviting as they come. The gallery is up a flight of stairs and has a wonderful staff and beautiful space. I dropped off eleven pieces and we were back on the road. We stayed in Flagstaff for the night and headed out in the morning for home.
We made it all the way to Salt Lake when the transmission in the Tahoe died! My dad - Jack - to the rescue to come get us and bring our little trailer home. He arrived just as the tow truck arrived to bring our old girl back to Ogden. Poor Marco was heartbroken about the illness of our truck, but she will be back up and running in no time I'm sure.
Since arriving home, we have unpacked, cleaned, redecorated and continually reminded each other how good it feels to be home. Dorothy was right - there's no place like home. I've visited family, went to a birthday party from my girlfriends, puttered and cooked! I have for the most part boycotted makeup for at least another week, worn jammies and comfort clothes, slept in a few days and watched a movie or two! Tomorrow starts a new week and I will organize the studio and get busy on a few commissions and a slew of ideas for new paintings, but for tonight - a little more rest! It's SO good to be home!

Mountain Trails Gallery of Sedona

2011-04-03T19:58:00.003-06:00

I am so pleased to announce my new representation with Mtn. Trails Gallery in Sedona, AZ!

I have given them 11 pieces of new work and a little bird has told me they are hanging as I write. The gallery is so beautiful and the staff and owner, Vic Payne, are wonderful. I hope to get back down there soon and do a little plein air painting of the beautiful red rock and cedar. If you happen to be in the area, do stop in and check out the work!

Good Morning!

2011-03-13T09:20:00.002-06:00

Well, we are down to the last two weeks of the show! It really has gone by so fast and with a quick trip to Salt Lake for Art and Soup during the last week, I'll be home before I can blink. I'm still working on a few paintings down here and I'll be doing a little plein air Monday and Tuesday with friends. I sure thought I would do more of that while I was here, but seven days a week 8-10 hours a day is tough stuff!

I'm so excited to get my garden going at home! I'm going to bring a few indoor plants home with me too from here in Arizona - JASMINE! Does anyone know if it can be grown indoors? Utah is much too cold to grow it outside, but that smell just mesmerizes me. I have to have some. Can't wait for the Lilly's to come out and maybe a few daffodil bulbs survived the barbs of the tiller last year. I'm going to build a small flower garden for painting a few still life's this summer.

Focus - Shanna - focus! Quit daydreaming about a month from now and get back to the present! Up and at it and back to the tent to get things done. This is the first day of a two week show and it's time to make opportunity happen :) Have a nice day everyone!

Winter Whispers

2011-03-12T13:25:00.002-07:00

Winter Whispers

24x36 oil on canvas

Framing Conversations!

2011-03-09T11:20:00.007-07:00

I've had quite a few discussions lately with clients about frames. The final presentation is so important - you can say to the world that you are proud of your work, that it has value or you can throw on a cheap frame to get the painting out the door. When putting together a show of a dozen pieces, it's a tough pill to swallow to fork out a few grand for a nice frame. Haven't we all been through this pain before! Consider it an investment in your business, not unlike good tires on a vehicle. Yes, you can buy retread or used, but if you want the best investment with sustainability - get the best that you can reasonably afford! Look for a frame that does not compete with the painting, lines or pattern that bring out the subtleties in a piece. I use a handmade, hand leafed finished corner frame from Rocky Mountain Frames out of Kaysville UT.

We chose to float the piece to give it more weight and pull the painting away from the edge just a bit. It is a metal leaf, rubbed to look like Karat Gold. We also went with a thinner moulder with clean lines to make it a transitional frame - one that would work in a contemporary or traditional setting! I think Tony does a marvelous job and he will design any style to fit an artists look and needs. Check him out when you get a few extra minutes Rocky Mountain Frames.

Newly Revised Autumn Shore

2011-03-06T20:06:00.002-07:00

Sometimes, a painting that previously seemed finished, calls out for something more. Autumn Shore is just that piece! The more I lived with it, the more it called for more mood, more nuances. Here is the piece in it's final state. I am so happy with this version!

Workshop Paintings!

2011-03-03T08:17:00.002-07:00

Well, here they are! Cacti :) Inside joke around here about me painting Cactus - Marco's been trying to get me to do them forever and the only way I knew I would like it was if I was plein-air painting. So the workshop with Matt Smith was the best option and I had a ball! Especially with my newfound friend, sister from another mother Liz. I am going to get out and do a few more while I'm here, especially when things really start getting green. Until then.......

2011-02-25T22:15:00.003-07:00

Well, I'm back from Sun Valley, Utah and Tucson - a week away from the tent was good for my head! I loved painting in Tucson, even if it was cactus, lol. I have actually started to really appreciate the beauty of the desert, for a mountain girl that is. The skies here are tremendous, the sunsets trump anywhere else! I met some really great people, all working artists and substantial in their own right and I really found a kindred spirit in my new friendship with Liz Robbins. She is such an amazing artist and person and it was so nice to meet up with someone so in tune with life experience and how that influences artistic life.

Four weeks left at the Celebration show and probably the most intense. Four weeks to make the best art that I possibly can - nothing intimidating there! I've picked up a couple of galleries after the show and looking for one more. I need to get the portfolio ready again, the bio updated, contacts made and the website updated. All in a few days work!

2011-02-16T17:45:00.002-07:00

NEW WORK

I've been painting up a storm the last few weeks and all with a nice and warm palette reflecting the beautiful weather here in Scottsdale! Now off to Sun Valley tomorrow and snow and maybe there will be snow paintings to follow :) The reception for the Kneeland Gallery show is Friday night 5-8. Please stop by if you are in the area!

2011-02-09T16:35:00.002-07:00

Check out this link for my first online portfolio - please remember I'm a rookie!

Shanna Kunz Portfolio

Great News!

2011-02-09T10:07:00.004-07:00

I found out today that two of my paintings were accepted into the Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art hosted by the Legacy Gallery in April! Yes, doing cartwheels out in the parking lot of the celebration :) Here is the Link if you would like to see the list of amazing artists chosen along with their artwork : http://www.scottsdalesalonoffineart.com/category/artists-and-artwork. I'm very happy that some of my "coworkers" here at the celebration are included in that list : Richard Hall, Jennifer O'Cualain, Josh Claire - all AMAZING!

I'm staying home from the tent today to work on some watercolors, do some cooking, a few loads of laundry, and investigate a few future shows and galleries that I might apply for - in other words, be on the computer most of the day! So what else is new? I would really like to pick up a couple of galleries to my repertoire. There are a few irons in the fire and alot of new work! It is so hard on one's emotional head to sell your own work seven days a week for three months so this day off will truly help me do some AA - attitude adjustment! Now off to research recipes for creative cooking :) Have a great day!

2011-01-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

2011-01-26T13:04:00.001-07:00

"Pastures"

24x30 oil on canvas

available through the Kneeland Gallery

Celebration Work Time

2011-01-19T21:08:00.002-07:00

One of the many advantages of doing the Celebration of Fine Art is the focused quality and quantity of time available for working! I am surrounded by approximately 100 creative, hard working artists all hard-at-it painting, sculpting, creating in their medium of choice! Though the weather this last week has brought out an early "Spring Fever" for me, I have been working and have actually finished a painting, with a good start on another. Eight to ten pieces brought down here will be taken up to the Kneeland Gallery next week for my show reception on Feb. 18, 2011 and I will be left with a few empty spots to fill, and I am feeling the pressure to get some good work up there - and it has to be substantial work for me to feel good about the show! This year the Celebration is even better than ever, adding a few new artists working in the representational arena that are fabulous!

Marco and I have also decided that the small watercolor drawing was a great way to get our email newsletter up and going, so we will be choosing from all the new sign-ups from Jan 1st to the drawing. If you are interested in a beautiful small watercolor, please sign up for our email newsletter off the website (shannakunz.com)! I send out the newsletter every other month, not too frequently as to bombard people with email junk, just enough to announce show schedules, juried exhibits and new work.

I will keep you updated with news and events from the show a little more regularly! The last few months have been pretty busy and not much time for blogging, but I will try and do better!

2011-01-14T20:32:00.003-07:00

Hello from the first night of Celebration of Fine Art! I'll post a few pics so you can see what we have been up to this last week - plenty of construction work and hanging paintings! We made the journey down from Utah to the warm weather of Arizona and are loving the temps! Now it's time to go back to work!

Hello

2011-01-06T11:58:00.002-07:00

Here is the final presentation on the watercolors for the show!

Handmade, leafed finished corners - perfect match for the paintings.

There will be 12 small watercolor pieces and a large one to go with them.

Opening day - Saturday January 16, 2011 - See you there!

Happy New Year to all my friends!

2010-12-31T15:21:00.002-07:00

It's New Years Eve and I am so excited about the upcoming year! Celebration of Fine Art is just around the corner!!! I will be taking 12-14 new watercolors that I am so proud of. It was so good to get back to my first love of painting. They take me back to that first crush, knowing what I wanted to do with the rest of my life! The frames are handmade, finished leafed corners - just beautiful. There will be about 18 oils displayed on opening night, all my blood sweat and tears from this past year - I can't wait! There is nothing like putting all your work together to see where you have come from, where you are at and where you want to go. A body of work is so telling of all your secrets - your passion, your pain and your aspirations! We all need a good look at ourselves every year and evaluate these things. Life is such an adventure and one that need not be on auto-pilot. Grab hold with both hands, hold on and try new journeys! Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T14:58:00.004-07:00

A quick note to wish all my dear friends Merry Christmas and an even better New Year! May you all find success, small and large, in your life this year, find love in beautiful hidden places and have peace and adventure in even amounts! A life well-rounded is a life well-lived and great friends make it even better! Enjoy :)

Shanna

A very sincere Thank You!

2010-12-19T13:38:00.002-07:00

Thank you to all who weathered the storm and visited my show in Park City last night! I am truly grateful for those friends that take the time out of their busy schedule to support me. I have been so blessed in my life to have so many dear friends, such a supportive family and an artist network of peers - you make my life beautiful! I was thinking of all the past shows over the years, my entourage of "girls" that would be there or be square, all my family that has supported this crazy life of mine with so much love and optimism. This is a crazy business, one that the people who love me have watched like a roller coaster ride and still loved me in the end. I truly have sincere gratitude for all that have hung in there with me :)

Time for shopping!

2010-12-17T09:43:00.003-07:00

My paintings for the Mtn. Trails Gallery are finally delivered and only now (as I say EVERY YEAR) can I get my Christmas shopping done! Oh how I wish I could be the person that has all the gifts bought in October! The person that has the paintings done and delivered a week ahead of schedule! Instead, every single year, I am in the stores on the week before Christmas playing catch-up. What would it be like to be an organized person? I might have everything ready for the Celebration of Fine Art show in Arizona. Instead I will be rushing like a madwoman on the fifth of January, making myself crazy with a list of things I forgot about. I will be painting right up until we leave. Is this all part of the right brain thing or just a Shanna thing? Well, at least one would think I would be used to it after all these years! Here's to a great shopping weekend :) !!

The Sun Came Out, Oil on Canvas, 30x40

2010-12-14T19:31:00.005-07:00

Just ready for delivery to Mtn. Trails Gallery in Park City!

Mountain Trails Gallery in Park City - One person show!

2010-12-13T12:34:00.003-07:00

Hello friends!

I'm working on the final piece for my One Person show in Park City at the Mountain Trails Gallery. I'm so excited about the show! The show was advertised in the Western Art Collector magazine in December's issue and the gallery has done a beautiful job of putting together a brochure of the new work. Please come up and see me if you are in town. The reception is Saturday, December 18th, from 6-9 pm.

I have many paintings home with me at the present, all getting ready to go out to new places, new shows! If you have a special someone in your life you would like to purchase a special something for - please call me for a list of paintings available for Christmas! Mention the blog and get a special purchase price.

I hope your holidays are beautiful!

Shanna

Fresh off the easel!

2010-12-10T14:55:00.004-07:00

Here is the newest piece of hopefully quite a few to come! I guess I truly am ready for winter because the snow just keeps coming up for me. Let it snow!

2010-12-08T08:40:00.006-07:00

I have my Christmas decorating finished! I did things a little easier this year and didn't use QUITE as many of my decorations and ornaments. I have 12 boxes of things that I have collected over the years and it was so hard deciding which things would go up. I think I am probably one of the most sentimental girls alive (not necessarily a great thing)! Some would call me a packrat. I have ornaments from my mom and dad's first christmas tree and even a couple from my grandma's tree. I have some that friends from high school gave me, and of course many that were given to my kids as they grew up. I only used the most special ones this year. I have about 32 nutcrackers that did not go up this year. The mantle and the dining room table and the tree, that's about it! We leave for Scottsdale the first of January and taking everything down is quite the chore!

My show for Mtn Trails in Park City is almost ready to deliver. A few more new pieces will be posted soon! I'm still working on the paintings for the Celebration and the Kneeland Gallery. Never a dull moment around this place!

Western Art Collector December 2010

2010-12-07T10:27:00.004-07:00

2010-12-07T01:06:00.002-07:00

2010-11-22T16:49:00.000-07:00

Beginning to look alot like Christmas!

2010-11-22T09:15:00.002-07:00

Boy is it coming down here - beautiful fluffy huge snowflakes! I love this kind of snow- a fresh blanket in the morning, no tracks just quite yet. I'm down in my studio with my stereo singing songs to me, my little space heater working overtime to warm up this room and lucy in her little dog bed next to my easel. I've been looking through the images I have taken this year and am visualizing what each piece will look like in a particular format. Maybe I'll try for three large pieces this week and I can't help it - WINTER pieces! That is never my galleries' favorite words, but it gets me so excited to paint these palettes, this texture, this SNOW! One more month to enjoy it and then down to Arizona for the best winter months of the year. I miss skiing, I miss driving in the snow (I know, must have lost my mind), watching the snow from my big picture window at home. Wow - someone gave me an extra dose of nostalgia in my coffee this morning! Here is a painting that was done from my favorite parts of two tiny little miniatures done with a tertiary palette, different value patterns, same subject matter. This large one, mainly because of the size difference, is much more subtle, very quiet and I am still living with it, deciding how much further to push it. It is of that beautiful lake North of Durango, CO that I have painted and worked through what seems to be a million times. Not sure I have said everything that needs to be said about it, even to this day. My color of choice these days has been a violet. Violets and blues! Hmmm. What will today bring?

Two new watercolors!

2010-11-15T22:32:00.003-07:00

I am having such a great time with watercolor again! Here are a couple finished from yesterday and today! Quite the value if you are interested in Christmas gifts!

Me and Lucy

2010-11-15T10:33:00.004-07:00

Lucy is my little studio dog! She is eight months old now, very much still a puppy. She would rather be outside chasing things than in by her mom.

Shan's Chili Recipe

2010-11-13T17:11:00.003-07:00

It's been so cold around here that everyone should have a little chili! I did my research (as usual) and came up with a few recipes. Well, add a little of one and a little of another and then some of my own and this is what I came up with. If anyone tries it, let me know what you think!

HEARTY CHILI

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

1-2 lbs. rib roast, cubed

6 slices bacon, cooked crisp, save grease

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 can diced green chilis

2 stalks celery

1 lg can crushed or diced tomatoes

1 8oz can tomato sauce

3-4 beef boullion cubes

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tbsp parsley

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp salt, pepper

1 c shredded jack or cheddar

sour cream

chopped cilantro

Brown meat, add all ingredients down to cheese. Let simmer all day.

When it's time to serve, dish into bowls and top with a bit of cheese, a

dollup of sour cream and top with a bit of cilantro.

Winter Schedule

2010-11-13T11:18:00.003-07:00

It's going to be a busy winter/spring! I'm lining up all my shows and travels and it's going to be a whirlwind. First in line is the one-woman show at Mtn. Trails Gallery in Park City, Utah, then on to Scottsdale a few weeks later for the Celebration of Fine Art. February brings the Kneeland Gallery three-person show with Lori McNee and Cary Henrie. I love exhibiting with my dear friend Lori! March brings the Diane Stewart Invitational in Palm Springs and I am so pleased to be invited back to paint with the amazing artists that will be there. A week later I will be back in SLC to do the Hospice Charity Benefit show Art and Soup. Shows after March are still in the making.... Better get back to the easel!

New Work

2010-11-11T13:32:00.001-07:00

A new 18x36 oil named "Evening Glow"

Looking for thoughts on an art conversation....

2010-11-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

Do you think an artist is continually getting better and growing or do you think at some point they hit their prime and maintain status quo (as in an athlete or someone with physical strength and adeptness)? Do you think the freshness of ideas and eagerness to experiment in the early stages is second to the maturity of technical skill and experience? Or maybe early in one's learning curve, an artist hits on something above their present level and then they play catch-up for awhile? Hmmmm.......Check out your older work and tell me what you think!

Madison Meadow

2010-11-08T18:09:00.004-07:00

This painting is of the Madison River area in West Yellowstone. It had been awhile since visiting Yellowstone and though it's changed from fires, it remains one of the most beautiful places in the west!

New Watercolors

2010-11-08T18:02:00.004-07:00

It's a Watercolor Day

2010-11-07T16:24:00.003-07:00

I love Sundays! Painting and cooking - cooking and painting. I'm working on watercolors today - all small ones, 8x10 and 6x12's. I will frame them with a 4-5" museum mat and a nice frame. They are such a bang for the buck. They really are a good value for the size and quality. I love taking a break from my oils once in awhile to do this. I work on them right in the middle of the family room, TV blaring, family and animals all around me :) Funny how I learned to tune everything out from doing this when my kids were small. I used to sit on the floor cross-legged and paint for 14-16 hours in a day. I could see what the kids were up to and still be part of everything and paint. Now it has to be on the coffee table or I couldn't get up. The back is just not what it used to be! I would like to have a half-dozen small watercolors for each of my shows coming. Probably a little lofty and unrealistic, but why not shoot for the stars? They give me a chance to try a few different palettes and compositions before translating them to a larger oil.

Now to the cooking.....Having my mom and dad over this evening for Corned Beef and Cabbage. It's my first time at cooking it, but I tried it last year for St. Patty's Day and loved it. It's cold outside, well into the fall season, so I am in the mood for a roast of some sort. I'd give a recipe here, but it's pretty easy to throw this dinner together. That way I get to paint at the same time. As soon as this last watercolor is finished, I will take pics and post. Have a great day!

New Piece off the easel

2010-11-04T13:44:00.004-06:00

My newest piece reflects a little back to my past work. A little rain in the air, drenched color, soft atmosphere. This piece is called "Mountain Rain Adagio". It is a 24x36, oil on canvas with the floated hand-leafed frame made by Tony at Rocky Mountain Frames.

Productive Day

2010-11-02T22:44:00.005-06:00

Well, off the soapbox for another year :) It was a great day for painting. I have a group miniature show coming up in Ketchum ID at the Kneeland Gallery, so it was a catch up day for miniatures! I also worked on a piece that I am "crushing" on! Do you ever do that? Do you get a crush on a particular piece, so much so that you can hardly stop working on it? I'm going to continue tomorrow, but it was a teaching day so I had to put it away for the evening. I can't wait (but will have to) to post the finished piece! Until then, here are some mini's......

I VOTED!

2010-11-02T13:41:00.002-06:00

There was a time in my life where the passion of politics consumed me, especially around this time of the year! I was worked up on issues to the point of obsession for sure! Ask my poor neighbors, my kids, my friends - dear Lord - poor people! I have been this way my entire life, even as a teen. I felt it was my obligation to study and soapbox every issue - worry and stew, worry and stew and scream about it. Kind of runs in the fam....! At 48 years old now, I've lived through enough elections and enough party changes to know that we will survive most anything and anyone and that big changes rarely happen unless tragic events force change. I have adopted the philosophy now that real change happens at home, with the people you love in showing tolerance and hope for the future. I know I risk sounding Pollyanna, but I wish to bring about change by showing love, acceptance and high expectations in a positive way instead of screaming and b---ing about how bad things are and what jerks are out there. They might be, but I don't need to put my energy in that direction. I will always VOTE and do my civic duty to let my voice be heard. I will always try to be informed on issues in case I can do anything to help, but I will quietly envision a more beautiful world and show my children the example of love as much as possible instead of spewing venom upon them!

Aren't we lucky to live in this country and to be able to speak our minds and live our lives by our own choices? What a privilege it truly is!

Low Key Work

2010-10-25T13:55:00.004-06:00

These are the two low key pieces in progress from last week. STILL working on them, but they are at the point I really need to live with them for awhile before deciding what to do next. Talk about drama!