Boot Commission ~ Canvas by Canvas ~ The Upstairs Gallery by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee

Texas Boots
Acrylic 10" square CBC Commission

This is my square for a Canvas by Canvas commission for a California client in the style of our painting, "Boot Scootin". We had so much fun doing the set up photography for this series of paintings. A friend has an extensive boot collection and we spent the evening arranging and photographing boots in all colors and styles. The section of the square that is green, top right is awaiting our "rose painter" to make her magic with a yellow rose of Texas.


I could not resist taking a photograph of my new acrylic paint palette and I don't know if it will work but time will tell. I found this "No Spill Organizer" Jewelry Designer, with grooves in lid to keep compartments from spilling, 13.7 x 8.6 in with 32 compartments at Michaels. I felt like the grooves in the lid would help keep the acrylics from drying out. I used a white sticky felt to paste inside the top and moisten with water. I placed all in a Hefty Jumbo zip lock bag with a wet sponge. Maybe I won't bring my whole studio to painting days and weekends when we get together to paint on our CBC projects. I bring a jar of white and black gesso for those separate colors. This is an adaptation of one of Elin Pendleton ideas using pill containers. It would be best to store in the refrigerator but since I've just made a Sam's visit that idea will have to wait. I did use the pill containers like Elin at one time but didn't give them the proper care and they dried out, some grew mold, some got too contaminated.


If you forget to gesso your panel before painting time, you can always find a nearby truck out in the sun to quickly dry your square. The Upstairs Gallery is in the background.

The Upstairs Gallery Studio where we meet, greet and paint. This is where my "Love Your Life" art journaling workshop will be held in November. When I was in Bed, Bath & Beyond shopping for more organizers I found some small little journals that said "Love your Life" on them, hmmm.

Please visit my web site and comment on my blog:

BLOG.............Nancy Standlee Art Blog

WEB SITE ........Nancy Standlee

WEB SITE ........Canvas By Canvas

ARLINGTON TEXAS ~ ARTIST NANCY STANDLEE ~ DAILY PAINTER ~ TORN PAPER PAINTINGS ~
CONTEMPORARY ~ WATERCOLOR ~ ACRYLIC ~ COLLAGE ~ PAINTED PAPERS ~ PAPER PAINTINGS ~ GOUACHE
ABSTRACT ~ EXPRESSIONIST ~ ART FOR SALE ~ FIGURATIVE ~ MIXED MEDIA ~ ALTERED BOOKS

Contact NancyStandlee@sbcglobal.net

Art Journaling Workshop “Love Your Life” with Nancy Standlee

Three Day November 6-8, 2010 Saturday, Sunday, Monday 9:30 – 4:30

The Upstairs Gallery

1038 W. Abram

Arlington, TX 76013

Contact: J. T. Martin 817 277-6961 to register or

info@upstairsartgallery.com

Pepitas ~ Pumpkin Seeds ~ Healthy Bread ~ New Art Journal Class on Schedule ~ Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee

Here is yesterdays journal entry in a small Strathmore Visual Journal. They should be in the stores in July. This is such a great size for travel 5.5" x 8", mixed media, 51 lb. paper but it took the watercolor washes nicely and the paper did not buckle. I typed up the following details and glued the paper onto the facing page.
I am once again going to concentrate on eating healthier because of an out-of-range blood work results due in part for too many late night trips to Braums for a double dip strawberry in a waffle cone. The “Super Good for You Whole Wheat Bread” recipe from “With Love, From Cynthia” cookbook from the Peach Tree Tea Room, Fredericksburg, TX. sounded healthy enough and I’ve always like to make bread. As per instructions, I began the sponge the night before and then later in the morning ran to Kroger for the ingredients I didn’t have, specifically pumpkin seeds. I just grabbed up a bag wanting to get back home to my bread making and threw the walnuts, sunflower seeds and those pumpkin seeds into the Cuisinart for a quick spin. Much to my surprise the blade barely dented the pumpkin seed hulls but in my haste I just threw them in along with the raisins and flax seeds and wondered if that recipe might mean, hulled pumpkin seeds as it just stated, ½ c. pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped. There’s nothing like doing your research after the fact. While the bread baked, I Googled how to eat pumpkin seeds and Yahoo had lots of answers and opinions on the proper etiquette of eating a pumpkin seed and it turns out it is a personal preference to shell or not but when used as an ingredient it’s usually shelled. I had purchased big old Kroger generic brand of whole pumpkin seeds, roasted and salted because they were a little cheaper and I’d noticed a bag sitting nearby of David Sunflower seeds that I found amusing with the little motto - Eat. Spit. Be Happy.
Back to the finished loaf that included the outer shell or hull or fibrous coat - take your pick. The hull is edible and full of fiber but when you eat a piece of my bread be prepared to eat healthy but Eat. Spit. Be Happy. I’ve got a Whole Foods trip in my future for some hulled pumpkin seeds.
To see the altered recipe go to The Artist Food Network.

Art Journal Class is Scheduled:
And if you're interested in taking a 3 day class in art journaling call The Upstairs Gallery or email J. T. to sign up for the November 6, 7, and 8th, 2010. Telephone 817 277-6961, email info@upstairsartgallery.com. This will be a "Love Your Life" class similar to the ones I taught in July at the Wenmohs Ranch near Marble Falls. Watch my blog for more details and read the labels on your seeds.

Please visit my web site and comment on my blog:

BLOG.............Nancy Standlee Art Blog

WEB SITE ........Nancy Standlee

WEB SITE ........Canvas By Canvas

ARLINGTON TEXAS ~ ARTIST NANCY STANDLEE ~ DAILY PAINTER ~
CONTEMPORARY ~ WATERCOLOR ~ ACRYLIC ~ COLLAGE ~ GOUACHE
ABSTRACT ~ EXPRESSIONIST ~ ART FOR SALE ~ FIGURATIVE ~ MIXED MEDIA ~ ALTERED BOOKS

Contact NancyStandlee@sbcglobal.net

The Upstairs Gallery Show ~ May 9-23, 2009

The three pieces below photographed together as they might be hung for a grouping. Click on the image for a larger view.

#1


#2

#3
These are acrylic works I completed in the Robert Burridge workshop in April. The 3 6"x 6" (1 1/2" depth) collage mixed media pieces can be purchased separately or as a group. I used acrylic paint, acrylic medium, various papers, and stamping and I was working on all 3 at the same time striving for some continuity. Could I reproduce these again? After looking at them again this morning I kept asking "Now how did I do that?" and "What did I do here?" I see small papers from the Anne Bagby workshop and some stamping with the stamp she awarded for best use of line and some gold paint touches and lots of texture. I think there are a few pieces from the Carrie Burns Brown Workshop in Austin several years ago. That's what I find interesting about discussions about copying others work.. I find it difficult to copy my own.

Indigo Floral #1

Indigo Floral #2

Indigo Floral Duet #1 and #2 12" x 12" (3/4" depth wrapped canvas) Acrylic with some stamping These two are pure Burridge (I painted them but I sure tried to use his methods) from the workshop with lots of negative painting and drawing back into the design with a pencil, a Derwent Sketching Wash 8B, one of his favorites to use. I used some stamping and then brushed back over it to blend some edges and then highlight one flower to stand out and say "look at me." These can be purchased separately or as a pair. J. T. Martin of the Upstairs Gallery has invited all adult students to participate in its annual studio show and sale, May 9-23 and the opening reception will be May 9 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The purpose is to thank the students for their support and to share their artworks with the community. This is a great time to view others work and socialize and see what new foods J.T. creates for the refreshment table. Join us if you're in the area.

Maureen Brouillette Acrylic Landscape Class ~ Art Journal Page

Landscape Blue
8" x 10" Acrylic landscape small on canvas, 3/4" staple edge
This is one of the paintings I finished in Maureen's Fast and Loose class on Tuesday. The next class will focus on a still life and Maureen said "No flowers. Find something in your kitchen to use in a set up."

Maureen with a canvas board and a canvas drawn off but with circulating the room, I don't think she had time to get back to her second project. Maureen comes over from Dallas to teach these classes at the Upstairs Gallery and the next one will be posted on her web site or on the Gallery's site.

Maureen's beautiful finished acrylic 8"x10" painting.

Maryann, a Canvas by Canvas member, and her acrylic landscape. Nice painting with you, mas and Betty was there but got away before I could snap her photo. Betty is our CBC web mistress and has added two new paintings to our CBC site "Cowtown" and "From A to Z with CBC" and we're sold one of the boot paintings, Circle of Friends.

Emiko and her lovely painting and thanks, Emiko for sending me the photograph of the armadillo. I was complaining I had written a story (true) and I needed to paint an armadillo to go along with it and no photo. I've never painted this curious animal before and I've never seen a photograph of one being held like a baby either. He may end up a very impressionistic painting! To the rest of the class I'll try to get your photo next month.

Art Journal Page 69

Me with a really red face at the Tony Saladino Critique, searching and losing stuff and what about as you age you start developing a 3rd eye called "the search eye" to find lost items, a new restaurant at the Highlands, Boudreaux's, and I'll be back, sooo good, tried out my new Raffine sketch book 5.5 x 8.5 with a practice rooster and with it's 100 lb. paper, I like the way it takes a wash, Maureen's class and I tried out Derwents' Inktense ink pencils, and some acrylic mini landscapes I'll post later and they are very bright and colorful and this small watercolor entry looks more like mud. Watch for them. I think I'll call them miniscapes.

Canvas by Canvas TUG Show ~ Salsa Abstract

"Salsa" Acrylic Abstract on Gallery Wrapped Canvas by Nancy
24" x 24"
The Upstairs Gallery Show
Canvas by Canvas is having a show opening with a wine and cheese reception on Saturday July 19th and you are invited. Several works by some of the individual members will also be on display.

Canvas by Canvas works:

n

Nancy's Personal Work for the Upstairs Gallery Show:

CBC ~ CCP ~ Nick DVD Inspired Art Work

Nancy painted the "H" square in the new painting, Magnify, by Canvas by Canvas
Acrylic on Canvas
Our signature style is nine 10" canvases painted by each of the 9 members and you will see this one soon as a sneak peak on the CBC web site and it is kept very up to date by Betty Taylor (real name Elizabeth Taylor!!) one of the nine. She's our efficient web guru. Each member of the group provides and shares their talents and special gifts and this makes for a stronger organization and more painting experiences. I know if I weren't a part of this group I would not have painted this square ever on my own. For the 10" size painting a member presents an idea and if the majority rule in favor, it gets painted. CBC member, Karen Foster, took this photograph at a local antique shop and what were we thinking? We voted yes. However, anyone can begin a project on their own in a non-standard format without the majority votes. For example, if you've just taken the perfect longhorn photo and you just have to paint it, decide on the size canvas you want and you'll have 8 others to meet with you at the Upstairs Gallery and draw for squares. Not all members can paint together on a given Monday but TUG is a great place to meet when we can and the studio has large tables and an overhead mirror.
This painting will be entered into an art show based on Luke 15 and the parable of the Lost Coin. In my 10" square I got a small piece of this coin to paint and this is the second Monday of painting on this square and I'm finished and I am sooooo glad.
What a drastic change from last week when painting at the Nicholas Simmons workshop painting fast, loose and large and today to get out my smallest brushes and have to be so careful. I protested some today to my Canvas painting friends about the little details but they were not sympathetic but they wanted to hear all about the workshop and some want to take from Nick the next time he comes to Dallas. Nick is a great instructor and once we began painting he was up walking the room, going from table to table observing and answering questions. He was always willing to be interrupted with a "painting emergency". I don't think he had lunch any of the 5 days because someone was always painting through lunch...not me but some did. I always do lunch and that's another perk with the Canvas by Canvas group. We're always "doing lunch" somewhere and talking art. The Artists' Showplace is a great place for a workshop and it had room for him to walk around to each participant and Nick gave a great critique on Friday.

I think I'll just throw down the gauntlet here and mention Creative Catalyst and Nick's DVD. CCP is having an art show with the theme: The Art of Creative Catalyst Inspired Artists and entries close August 7, 2008. No jurors and it's just for fun. You're invited to share your art work and post it in the gallery and I think it would be super cool if Nick's DVD inspired more entries than all the others. How about it? Let's post a Nick DVD inspired painting on the CCP site. I posted in my blog a site that helps with photo resizing so no excuses.