Cheerful and Colorful Paintings

Cheerful and Colorful Paintings in Oil, Acrylic, Mixed Media and Collage
nancystandlee@sbcglobal.net

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Mr. Rooster Tail ~ BlogRush Update ~ Word Verify ~ Blogger ~ Nancy Standlee Art Blog

$40.00
6”x 6” acrylic mini painting on gallery wrapped canvas
Mr. Rooster Tail is available on our Canvas by Canvas easel. Later he will be moved to the mini painting page. He was painted on the same Port Bolivar trip as Pigasus.
Did I mention we've sold all of our lures? But we can paint more for Christmas gifts. Orders are available through the Canvas by Canvas site or to inquire about placing an order email
canvasbycanvas@gmail.com.

For some reason the Google spam robots thought this blog was spam and began making me put in word verification at each post and it prevented me from saving a draft. If this happens to you and you've noticed you have to start putting in LETTERS before you can post, but not when you make a comment, then click on the little question mark that appears by the letters and a human will look at your blog, apologize and you'll be back in business. This is the letter I received from the Blogger team and the problem is usually corrected within 24 hours. Thanks, Blogger Team.
Hello,

Your blog has been reviewed, verified, and
cleared for regular use so that it will no
longer appear as potential spam. If you
sign out of Blogger and sign back in
again, you should be able to post as
normal. Thanks for your patience, and
we apologize for any inconvenience
this has caused.

Sincerely,
The Blogger Team

I continue to invite friends to BlogRush even though I've never seen one of my posts appear in the widget; however, I've seen other recognizable blogs several times. This truly is a mystery to me. If you're thinking about joining, read here, http://blogrush.com/faq, for some frequently asked questions, before joining. To join and give more traffic to the mentioned blogs, click on the BlogRush.com tab at the bottom of the widget on the Nancy Standlee Art Blog, CanvasbyCanvas Art Blog, or Artist Food Network. Wait, hold the presses! I just viewed on my site on the BlogRush widget, a blog entry "Card Sharks" from my good friend and fellow CBC painter, Mitchell-Taylor and her blog, Do You Blog Before Breakfast. Congrats, BT, you've conquered the BlogRush widget.

Other blogs where I post:

· http://artistfoodnetwork.blogspot.com

· http://canvasbycanvas.blogspot.com

· http://myspace.com/nancystandlee

· TO VIEW MORE PAINTINGS OR PURCHASE: Go to Paypal on http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com

· Eat Well ~ Paint Your Food ~ Laugh Often





Saturday, September 22, 2007

Mini Portrait ~ Port Bolivar Red Dress ~ BlogRush ~ Art Blog

$30.00
5" x 7" Acrylic on Canvas Board, mini portrait
This is the second mini portrait to post painted while some of the CBC group painted at Port Bolivar. See this post to see where we stayed.
I may not may not look at reference material when painting these mini portraits as they usually don't look like anyone I know when completed. But they are fun to do after finishing a project for our collaborative group, Canvas by Canvas. While at our rental beach vacation home, we painted pigs, lures, chickens/roosters, and cats in preparation for fall shows and some of these have already sold. Click HERE to see what is on the easel. I believe all of the lures have sold BUT we will always take orders and we'd be glad to discuss a personal mini you'd like to commission.
BlogRush

BlogRush is still the talk of the blogosphere. The talk is when you add the BlogRush widget to your blog, your post titles will immediately start showing up across a bunch of related blogs that have signed up for BlogRush themselves. I signed up for the Art/Design category. If your blog gets 100 page views a day, your links will show up 100 times on other blogs. If it gets 1,000 page views a day, your links will show up 1,000 times. I don't understand exactly how this works or will work out, but I will try it for a week or so and see if my stats show more traffic to my blog. That's the goal of all bloggers to increase traffic to their blog. A list of related Art sites will be showcased in the widget with the idea of clicks to other sites.
And what’s even better is that if you refer another blogger to BlogRush, your links will be shown even more based on the traffic they receive. That is done by sending invitations to your blogger friends that might be interested in installing it on their blog.
It is estimated that more than 20% of blog readers are also bloggers! Go to the help tab Step-By-Step Video Tutorials For Installing The BlogRush Code for different blog types, Word Press, Blogger, Type pad, Movable type as they show you exactly how to add your BlogRush code to your blog if you'd like to participate in this experiment. It is all free. I have recently added the BlogRush widget to my sidebar. It's a new way to promote your own blog across other relevant blogs (i.e. in the same subject area) and its free. In the widget you'll see links to other Art and Design blogs participating in BlogRush. You can find out more by watching the BlogRush video on the homepage. If you join, one question is throwing some of my friends... You will not be able to complete the registration process until you know the address of your feed. In Blogger, at the very bottom of the page is this statement: Subscribe to: Posts (Atom), click on that and the URL address will appear in the address bar, copy and paste into the blank.
Thanks for visiting my blog and come back anytime to visit other blogs where I post.

http://artistfoodnetwork.blogspot.com

http://canvasbycanvas.blogspot.com

http://myspace.com/nancystandlee

TO PURCHASE PAINTINGS: Go to Paypal on http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com

Eat Well ~ Paint Your Food ~ Laugh Often


Thursday, September 20, 2007

Donna Zagotta Workshop Slideshow

I hope you enjoy some of the photos from the Donna Zagotta Workshop held at the Artists' Showplace. Click HERE to read another post about the workshop. Notice to all the painters.. I get dibs on painting Gail's wild shoes. Now I wish I'd taken a photo of everyone in the workshop.

Self Portrait ~ Donna Zagotta Workshop ~ Port Bolivar Vacation ~ Art Blog


Not for Sale
6" x 9" Watercolor and Gouache on Hot Press Watercolor Paper
The photo was taken at the CBC's beach rental on Port Bolivar and the head wrap was to cover Gulf Hair and I was painting Pigasus, a CBC mini painting, while waiting for the group to go restaurant looking. We returned late September 11 and I packed for the Donna ZagottaArtists Showplace Gallery and hosted by the SWS organization. I had found Donna's work online several years ago and knew if she were ever in the area, I wanted to be in her workshop. I was more interested in her figures and her use of gouache. This is the painting I did in the workshop using watercolor and white gouache.
This particular workshop was "Developing Ideas for Creative Paintings" and was held September 12-14.
In this workshop, the emphasis is on finding methods and ideas for turning ordinary subjects into creative and imaginative paintings. Expanding possibilities for spontaneity through design and personal expression will be our focus. Workshop topics include: composition strategies, improvisational painting, developing a personal visual language, and exploring watercolor’s full potential as a transparent and opaque medium. This workshop will invigorate you with equal parts inspiration, information, and direction. All levels are welcome.
This is the statement on SWS's site about Donna:
Donna Zagotta is a nationally recognized artist and teacher. She is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, Watercolor West and Midwest Watercolor Society. Her work has appeared on the cover of Watercolor Expressions and The Artist’s Magazine, and she was selected for Watercolor Magic’s “Ones to Watch” in 2001. Donna Zagotta’s paintings have evolved from an early emphasis on traditional watercolor techniques and traditionally influenced realism to an unconventional use of the watercolor medium and the exploration of the area that lies between realism and abstraction. She finds inspiration in the works of Edouard Vuillard, Henri Matisse and Richard Diebencorn, masters who were more focused on expressing color and spatial ideas than in rendering the particulars of subject matter.
Thanks, Donna, for a great workshop. We hope you come back to Texas soon and bring us more Michigan truth.

http://artistfoodnetwork.blogspot.com

http://canvasbycanvas.blogspot.com

http://myspace.com/nancystandlee

TO VIEW MORE PAINTINGS OR PURCHASE: Go to Paypal on

http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com

Eat Well ~ Paint Your Food ~ Laugh Often


Wednesday, September 19, 2007

SOLD ~ Port Bolivar Redhead ~ BlogRush ~ Galveston Vacation ~ Nancy Standlee Art Blog

SOLD to an art collector in Fort Worth, TX.
6" x 6" Acrylic on Canvas Panel
This was painted during Canvas by Canvas painting holiday at Port Bolivar, near Galveston. Betty, a CBC member, has posted some slides on the Canvas by Canvas Blog.
Good news on sales (my Pigasus sold) yesterday by another member, Connie.
BlogRush
I've discovered BlogRush this morning. I love my blog because I didn't have the time to set up a website and our collaborative group already had one. I didn't have to learn HTML and Blogger is very easy to setup and post. The hard part is getting people to visit your blog and promoting your site. This new tool, BlogRush, should definitely add to your marketing arsenal. It has the ability to grow your traffic exponentially, and the potential to bring a flood of traffic to your blog. The very best part is it's free. I've place the BlogRush icon on my Art Blog, the Artist Food Network, and Canvas by Canvas Blog so if you're interested in finding out more about and possibly joining click on the symbol and you will find instructions and a video.

· http://artistfoodnetwork.blogspot.com

· http://canvasbycanvas.blogspot.com

· http://myspace.com/nancystandlee

· TO VIEW MORE PAINTINGS OR PURCHASE: Go to Paypal on http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com

· Eat Well ~ Paint Your Food ~ Laugh Often


Monday, September 17, 2007

Gracie the Cat ~ Canvas by Canvas Mini ~ Acrylic Cat Painting

$40.00
6" x 6" Acrylic on canvas
I painted today with some other Canvas by Canvas collaborative painters at the Upstairs Gallery. This is my contribution to the cat mini series and can be purchased through the Canvas by Canvas web site. I think this will prove to be a popular series and we found ourselves talking to these canvas cats today as we painted them. We are preparing the minis for a special show at the Front Street Festival in Arlington.
More information about the Front Street Festival can be found HERE.
We will also show the minis in the Holiday Magic Show.
Other blogs where I post.

· http://artistfoodnetwork.blogspot.com

· http://canvasbycanvas.blogspot.com

· http://myspace.com/nancystandlee

· TO VIEW MORE PAINTINGS OR PURCHASE: Go to Paypal on http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com

· Eat Well ~ Paint Your Food ~ Laugh Often

Sunday, September 16, 2007

SOLD ~ Pigasus ~ Port Bolivar Vacation ~ Nancy Standlee Art Blog

SOLD
$40.00

6" x 6"
This little piggy can be purchased through the Canvas by Canvas web site.
He was painted at the southern part of Texas on the gulf, Port Bolivar, one of the first ports established in Texas. Some of the Canvas by Canvas art group, packed up their bathing suits and painting supplies and headed to this rented vacation home on the gulf side overlooking the beach at Grand Pelican - Sandy Shores. Even before our week's stay was over we were planning a second trip. I had never visited this area and since we went after Labor Day, on September 6 - 11, 2007, we had the beach to ourselves much of the time. We did take lots of photos that we will paint later. Morning coffee on the deck overlooking the ocean with thoughts of a day of painting is indeed a vacation. Throw in a new restaurant search for the evening and maybe a trip to the dollar store for beach chairs makes it complete.

Other blogs where I post:

http://artistfoodnetwork.blogspot.com

http://canvasbycanvas.blogspot.com

http://myspace.com/nancystandlee

TO PURCHASE PAINTINGS: Go to Paypal on http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com

Eat Well ~ Paint Your Food ~ Laugh Often



Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Green Highlander (Hairwing) Fishing Fly ~ by Nancy Standlee


$40.00
6" x 6"
This acrylic canvas can be purchased at
Canvas by Canvas.
The Green Highlander is one of the classic fly patterns that is still going strong in all parts of the "salar-world" (Atlantic salmon). Canvas by Canvas may need to have a fishing road trip now that SOME of us are learning there is a difference in flies and lures. Next week some of the group are taking a road trip to Galveston so we may come back with photos to paint of fishermen to go along with the minis. Definitely stay tuned. More infomation on fly fishing can be found at Wikipedia. Be sure and save this date, Nov 30 - Dec 2, 2007 for the Junior Leagues' 25th annual Holiday Magic show at the Arlington, TX. convention center. Nancy Standlee posts on these blogs:

Heddon Musky Night ~ Radiant Charmer Lure ~ by Nancy Standlee

$40.00
6" x 6"
For purchases go to Canvas by Canvas.
This is an antique fishing lure and I've discovered these can sell for thousands of dollars. When we began this project, I was fishing fly and lure information deficient. I had no idea what paraphernalia a fishing enthusiast might use since my last fishing experience involved a cork and a cane pole or maybe a small red and white plastic bobble cork. Now I think I can tell the difference between a fly and a lure but that is about all with the exception these are fun to paint. I hope they will be fun to purchase. This was first posted on Canvas by Canvas Blog.
More information on fishing lures can be found at
Wikepedia.
Be sure and save this date, Nov 30 - Dec 2, 2007 for the Junior Leagues' 25th annual Holiday Magic show at the Arlington, TX. convention center.

Other blogs where I post:



Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Angel at Rest ~ Skinny Girl Award ~ CBC Mini Paintings

$40.00
6" x 6" acrylic on canvas
Purchase through Canvas by Canvas.com
Angels are referred to as Watchers, Holy Ones, Host of Heaven, Spirits, Messengers, Guardians and our Champions. They are commonly depicted as having halos and wings and in Christian iconography they are shown as a winged human form and are powerful and are used to execute God's will. This angel is an imaginary angel at rest and as a former librarian, I gave her a book to read but even though she is supposed to be on a "rest break" she still looks down guarding her charges. I used some Pearlescent paint on the wings. Wikipedia has a long article on angels.
Canvas by Canvas has been painting some mini paintings for their upcoming shows and we have done, fish lures and flys, high heels, cupcakes, and now angels. I am one of the 11 members of CBC.
Since March, some of us at CBC have been in a weight war. See my post of July 30, 2007.
Yesterday was weigh in day at the Upstairs Gallery annex. This a photo of the winner, Nancy..yep, that's me being presented with the Skinny Girl Award by the keeper of the money, Cindy Yandell. It was her idea for us to undertake this project and I'm glad I joined in with the group as I've lost 19 pounds and plan to lose some more. I really didn't get serious until about a month ago and this post tells a little about one of my tactics.

Nancy is holding the $$$, Cindy Y is presenting the Skinny Girl Award.

I hope to use some of the cash award to take more art workshops and photo op trips.
Other blogs where I post:
http://artistfoodnetwork.blogspot.com
http://canvasbycanvas.blogspot.com
http://myspace.com/nancystandlee
TO PURCHASE PAINTINGS: Go to Paypal on http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com
Eat Well ~ Paint Your Food ~ Laugh Often

Saturday, September 1, 2007

The Bakers ~ Figurative Painting ~ Art Blog ~ Arne Westerman Tribute

$80.00
11" x 15"
Watercolor on 140 lb. hot press paper
The Bakers was painted in an
Arne Westerman workshop and it might have been from a photo he had provided for us to use. It is a loose, experimental piece on hot press paper and I didn't try for perfection and I simplified the scene. Arne likes Lanaquarelle hot press. His book, Paint Watercolors Filled with Life and Energy, was one I checked out at the library and I thought it so informative, I now own an autographed paperback. It was published in 1994 and Amazon has 31 used copies and you can click on my Amazon link to check for updates. A Westerman workshop is filled with surprises and humor and he will be in our area November 12-16, 2007 in Irving through the SWS. He is a member of the American Watercolor Society and the National Watercolor Society. I am signed up for my second workshop with him. Arne uses color with boldness, hot press paper, gives permission to paint from photos, and advises it's o.k. to get inspiration from other artists.
He says talent is overrated. Ambition, determination and just plain hard work can more than compensate for a lower rating in the talent department. Register your feelings and express your perspective. Don't be a Rockwell. He already did it.
I like to read the Suggested Reading List at the back of books and in Arne's I found a book mentioned by an old friend, Jack Clifton, Eye of the Artist, 1984. (Amazon has 5 of these used starting at $5.95). I took a few acrylic classes from Jack while I lived in Hampton, Va. and I was continually frustrated because I couldn't draw and he caught me one night with a push pen and string stuck in my painting board trying to draw a circle for a plate for a still life set up. (I've since learned better). Life got in the way, I switched to batik for a period, and didn't take any more art classes until I retired. Arne says of Jack's book "He has everything you want to know in a nutshell." And I'm in good company, Arne didn't start watercolor painting until he was in his 50's. Arne may have copies of his book available on his site.
This photo shows Arne and me with the end of the class presentation.


As a retired librarian/artist, I suggest you get a library card and find books on painting and then start your own library of favorite sources. You'll return to them again and again. I use my books like workbooks, even autographed ones. I highlight, draw and write notes in them. I didn't buy them for an investment.
I've packed my Arne book on the top of the stack that is being prepared for a
Port Bolivar beach road trip by some of the Canvas by Canvas group leaving next week. Port Bolivar is one of the first ports established in Texas. We are planning to eat seafood, paint some watercolors, beach sit, and take lots and lots of photos of every thing - shrimp boats, our food, people.

http://artistfoodnetwork.blogspot.com

http://canvasbycanvas.blogspot.com

http://myspace.com/nancystandlee

TO VIEW MORE PAINTINGS OR PURCHASE: Go to Paypal on http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com

·Eat Well ~ Paint Your Food ~ Laugh Often