"Land of unforgiving winter..."

Web Design - Amazing

2011-12-22T12:21:00.000-08:00

As I was climbing around on the inter-net today, I stumbled upon this website:

http://stuffandnonsense.co.uk/blog/

How amazing is this page? It morphs itself into the most aesthetic position as you contort your browser window. No Flash is used, so when mobile devices access the page, there is no difference than accessing it from your home computer. This is the most ingenious, clean, and attractive use of CSS that I've seen so far. Kudos to Stuff and Nonsense!

Take a look...

Contemporary Art

2011-11-02T07:03:00.001-07:00

I confess, it's not very often that I take a peak at what is going on in the art world today. But I do get the newsletter from Celeste Prize. I seem to get an email update from them at least once a week. In my opinion, too frequent, so I tend to just hit "Delete." But today, I saw that their headline included the work of the 50 finalists for the prize.

Their work can be viewed here.

I can't say I'm at all impressed. With any of it. This is really the best they could find? I find it all to be so kitsch, and they all look like something I've already seen. Or they are simply poorly rendered! When will there be new quality artwork out there? Have humans simply run out of innovation?

I'll stick with 19th century work :)

Framed wedding portrait

2011-08-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

Janice and Tim had the painting that I gave them as a wedding gift framed recently. I asked Janice to send me a photo of it because I'm always curious to see how my paintings look when framed. I am so happy with the frame choice - they did a great job picking it out. The reddish tint to the frame really brings out Janice's beautiful reddish hair.

Work In Progress

2011-08-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

I've lately been in somewhat of a slump. Be it stress from work, stress from the wedding, stress from being the caretaker of two deranged cats....I haven't had much energy to paint. BUT both Tuesday and Thursday nights of this week, I motivated myself enough to get out the ol' oil paints. So, here is the most recent process on this sunset painting that I'm doing for my friend Pam.

And here is a picture of the gross dried-out medium that I am using even though I have fresh medium!

(it stayed like that long enough for me to get out my camera, take off the lens cap, and turn it on)

Hoping the painting will be done at some point next week. If I work on it 3 more nights next week, I should be ready to give it to her on Sunday...

Return from the Adirondaks

2011-06-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we arrived home from the Adirondacks at about 6:30PM. It also happened to be Paul's birthday! So, having already celebrated his birthday with a 6 hour drive, we were too exhausted to do much else besides order a pizza and make a small "cake" out of pie crust and pudding.

I promise it will be better next year, Paul!

On the vacation I painted every minute that Paul was fishing, but I was unable to complete even one painting because I was going so slowly! Luckly, I got about 3/4 of it done, and I will be able to complete it from home. I am much happier with it than the one that I painted the last time we were up there. My detail and ability to concentrate is improving, so I'm happy. Maybe that is a sign I should do more painting from life.

Photo of the completed painting to come.

New projects

2011-06-13T05:43:00.001-07:00

Soon, me and my husband (need to get used to saying that!) will be taking our honeymoon at a cabin in the Adirondacks. We actually have rented this cabin before, and were so happy with the location, cabin, and the helpfulness of the woman who rents it out, that we wanted to come back here for our honeymoon.

So I hope to do a lot of painting when we go up there. I bought a bulk package of 7 relatively small canvases so, I'm comfortable I'll be able to finish one in a couple sittings.

When we return, I've promised one of my church friends that I'd complete another version of Winter Sunset for her house, since the original sold in my exhibition in Northern Minnesota last year. Here is a photo of it for those of you who don't remember:

After I finish THAT one, I would like to paint one for the brother of my bridesmaid and friend of about 17 years. He has a very nice New York apartment and has a space picked out for where my painting would go...maybe if enough people like it, I will get more commissions!

I would really like to start painting new scenes, so it actually would be nice to have a break between commissions so I can move on creatively. Who knows, though, maybe I'll paint a masterpiece while we are in the Adirondacks!

My Wedding

2011-06-02T12:26:00.001-07:00

Many of the people reading this blog already know, but I hope some don't! Me and my Fiance, Paul, are getting married on Saturday! So, that is why the blog has been relatively silent for quite some time.

We are finishing up on final preparations including the printing and folding of our program:

The wrapping of our dogwood saplings that we are giving away as wedding favors:

And the solitication of Triumph Brewery in Princeton, NJ for my bachelorette party!!!

Last night, I went with my mom to get a manicure and pedicure for the wedding. The sweetest girl did my nails! Her name was Melissa, and she had emmigrated here from Mexico when she was about 16. So, if you are in bridgewater mall and you get the urge to get your nails done, go see Melissa at

Next time I post, I will be a married woman...Have to go work on memorizing my vows now!

Going to be on a PODCAST!

2011-05-24T08:42:00.001-07:00

Last night at about 5:30, as soon as I walked into the door from work, I got a call on my cell phone from a man named Mark Lipinski who had found my business card in a gallery in New Hope, PA.

He wasn't interested in purchasing a painting, but he told me he has a radio show called Creative Mojo and that he was interested in having me on! I was so excited, especially since Paul and I had been talking about how it's a shame I don't have more time to invest into my career as an oil painter.

After I got off the phone with him, I googled his name and sure enough, his website advertising his radio show was the first result. I thought, hmm, that's a good sign!

Here is his site:

www.marklipinski.com

And you can listen to the radio show here

So I called him back after talking it over with Paul and said I was definitely interested, and I am available to do it on Wednesday. So, everyone, subscribe to his podcast through iTunes, or stream from his site tomorrow at 3:00pm!

I was very surprised when I looked up his show on iTunes and discovered how popular his show actually is - the podcasts i'm subscribed to only get like one bar for popularity.

Wish me luck :)

MICA -Senior Animation Festival

2011-05-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

So sadly, I am unable to take the time off to take a trip down to see my sister's thesis. I know - I'm a terrible sister! But I was poking around on Facebook and found a link to this video!

2011 MICA Senior Animation Festival Trailer from MICA Animation on Vimeo.

So, I haven't heard back from Rachel as of now as to which segment is hers, but I have my thoughts. I do know she uses 3D software, so I don't think hers is any of the 2D looking videos. So, maybe shes the one with the tree and the cat on the branch?

Oh, I take that back. I think it's the one with the whales...It reminds me of This Video!

Which do you think is hers??

Tim and Janice's wedding portrait

2011-05-01T05:29:00.000-07:00

I finally was able to give Janice and Tim their wedding gift! They got married in the early fall and it took me awhile to finish the painting, and then it took even longer for me to get it to them. I'm so happy they like it and I'm flattered that they plan to hang it above their fireplace!

Here is the final photo I took of their painting before I gave it to them. There is a little bit of a glare on Tim's jacket. It was very difficult getting a shot without that...

Quilt Image for Paul's Uncle

2011-04-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

Kate, Paul's stepmother, was working on a quilt as a gift to give to one of Paul's uncles who has always been really into cooking and chocolate-making. She asked for my help to create an image to use as the center of the quilt, so I painted this for her.

Titled: "Sweet Dreams"
Medium: Acrylic paint

John Martin

2011-04-11T15:16:00.000-07:00

John Martin was a Romantic English painter (Romantic with a capital R). He is most famous for his painting "The Great Day of His Wrath," though I must admit my favorite is and has always been "The Deluge." I became somewhat obsessed with this painting after a trip to the MET in New York after taking Art History AP in high school. It's actually pretty impossible to find a good internet photo of the painting, since it's very dark and not easily reproduced, but luckly, I have a print of it! So, here is the overall picture of the painting (sorry that you can see my reflection in the glass):

So, if you can't make out what it is, basically it's an ocean with a huge tsunami to the right, with a cowering group of half-naked humans on a rock thats about to get pounded.

John Martin, as far as I know, ONLY painted biblical scenes. This painting is depicting the Flood (yes, with Noah's Ark - a lot more intense than those kiddie illustrations, eh?). The actual painting is huge - 66 x 102 inches. In person, it is very overwhelming. When I saw it, I sat in front of it for the majority of the time we were at the museum.

The double red sun looks like it's bleeding. This is actually not in Genesis (where they write about the flood) - but a line similar to this does appear in the book of Revelations. Rev 6:12 "The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood." Now, I'll admit, I'm only familiar with this line because I read the book before I did my review of "the Seventh Seal." I think that, since the painting is depicting God's wrath, it makes sense to use similar imagery that occurs during the final Judgment. In my opinion.

I also wanted to show a close-up of the lightning, which occurs in the top right of the painting. Martin uses this lightning to symbolize God's power, and it appears in quite a few of his paintings and engravings. Lightning is also something that occurs a lot in the Bible - it appears 46 times in the NIV, always in a reference to God.

And lastly, a close-up of the suffering people:

You can't really see them that well....But they are all naked, and in despair.

So, thats my favorite painting from High School! It still may be my favorite...I'm not sure. I think what drew me to it was the fact that John Martin was the most Black Metal visual artist I knew of. Interesting he was a Christian, as well.

As a sidenote, it inspired me to paint this painting titled "Servant at the Gates of Hell" when I was a senior in high school.

Typography

2011-04-06T13:05:00.001-07:00

I was reading an article on different fonts, including Trebuchet MS, when I stumbled across something really interesting.

Before I go any further, take a look at the trebuchet ampersand:

&

And for those of you who don't know what an ampersand NORMALLY looks like, here you go:

&

Anyone think it looks a little strange? That's because it actually forms the letters "Et." In French, this means "and." So, I never noticed how strange the Trebuchet ampersand looks because, well, I hate the font. But learning this sparked my curiosity to research it further to find out how and why it's evolved the way it has.

For those of you who already speak French and realized this years ago...congratulations - you beat me to it :)

Completed Wedding Portrait

2011-03-29T18:37:00.000-07:00

Tim and Janice's wedding portrait has been finished for a couple weeks, now. I've been holding out on posting about it, however, since I want them to first see it in person. I just wanted to let everyone know that I did in fact finish it, and there will be another follow-up post with a photo of it!

THE SEVENTH SEAL: MOVIE CRITIQUE

2011-03-29T07:14:00.000-07:00

I set out to write blog posts only on my art and the art of others, so the fact that my sixth post is on a movie from 1957 is, admittedly, a little strange. But film as a medium is a respectable art form, and this movie was so moving to me that I can’t help but write a critique in hopes of sharing it with more people.

Explanation of the Title

“The Seventh Seal” is a line from the book of Revelations, which was written by John, the same author who wrote the book of John. The entire book is explaining a vision that was revealed to him by God about the final judgment.

The quote repeated both in the beginning and the end of the movie is from Rev 8:1.

"When he broke open the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour" (Rev 8:1)

There are seven seals that are described in the book, and when each seal is broken, something happened. The seventh seal was the last to be broken. The seventh angel was the last to sound his trumpet, which brought on the final judgment.

Bergman follows this idea of God’s silence – the lack of physical evidence of a two-way relationship between man and God. The quote from Revelation seems to echo all the way through the movie, not because it is the beginning of the final Judgment, but because he interprets it to mean that God has forsaken Man.

Another theme Bergman follows is the idea of those who are saved. We cannot be saved by choice, as he illustrates in the knight in the film. We are chosen by God, and given the power of the Holy Spirit to believe in Him.

Setting

Determining the location and time period of an art piece is often the easiest step into beginning an analysis. What I concluded about this film, however, is that it ultimately could have taken place anywhere, in any time period that had large amounts of suffering, sin, and war. The writer chose to make it take place immediately following the crusades in an unidentified location. The only hint we have at location is that it is a country that is not landlocked, and the ocean is to the east, since they awaken on a rocky beach with the sun rising in the ocean.

Many aspects of this movie are intentionally unclear and unexplained. The lack of a firm location makes the viewer begin to question how close to reality the movie should be interpreted.

Meaning

The credits finish rolling, and the screen is black. An orchestra builds up, and a piercing choir sounds the moment a sun appears, partly shrouded in clouds. A black raven soars in the sky, as a narrator reads from the book of Revelation.

The sun is God, the raven is Death.

A knight, who is asleep on a rocky beach, has just returned from the crusades. He opens his eyes and says his ritual morning prayers. Death is standing over him. But the knight is not ready to die – the years he spent abroad fighting in the crusades have not brought him closer to faith – if anything it has drawn him further away. So, he challenges Death to a game of chess – if he wins, he lives; if he looses, he dies.

The movie isn’t about a knight who is trying to cheat death. And it’s not just the loss of faith that many Christians face throughout their lives, or the lack of faith in unbelievers. The movie is also illustrating how the writer interprets the book of Revelation, and the events that will lead up to our final judgment. But the movie isn’t appealing or unforgettable because of the Judgment that awaits the characters. It’s appealing because it explores the difficult relationship mankind has with God. The anguish we sometimes feel during prayer, when it seems like nobody is listening. It applies to unbelievers and believers – what person hasn’t lain awake at night wondering if this life is really all that exists.

KNIGHT: I want knowledge, not faith, not suppositions, but knowledge. I want God to stretch out His hand towards me, reveal Himself and speak to me.
DEATH: But He remains silent.
KNIGHT: I call out to Him in the dark but no one seems to be there.
DEATH: Perhaps no one is there.
KNIGHT: Then life is an outrageous horror. No one can live in the face of death, knowing that all is nothingness.
DEATH: Most people never reflect about either death or the futility of life.
KNIGHT: But one day they will have to stand at that last moment of life and look towards the darkness.
DEATH: When that day comes ...
KNIGHT: In our fear, we make an image, and that image we call God.
DEATH: You are worrying ...

This conversation between the knight and Death in the movie explains the knight’s desire to have faith. He wants the knowledge of God, because he can’t believe blindly. His human mind alone can’t save him – he needs the power of the Holy Spirit to lead him into faith. But he wants to believe so badly because he knows his time draws near.

The knight sees more and more horrors throughout their travels. The black plague has killed entire villages. Townspeople have resorted to witch-hunts, since they cannot find the cause of the terrible disease. He is so desperate, he searches for even an answer from a girl who is possessed that God exists and is listening. But she is not possessed – and the knight watches as an innocent girl is burned alive.

Life seems helpless, until one day he meets a young couple and their baby. The party sits down together and they share a meal of milk and strawberries, and the knight expresses how happy he is to have experienced life. He feels at peace with the brevity of life.

In the end, they are all taken by Death. They are all terrified: some express it in anger, some use excuses, and the knight begins to pray. He prays to God, and confesses that he is, “small and frightened and ignorant.” And he asks for mercy.

I don’t know whether the knight had faith in the end or not. But he was searching the entire movie. There were times when he cursed God, but most of the time he longed for a relationship with God.

When Jesus was up on the cross, and God poured his entire wrath on Him for all of our sins, Jesus felt forsaken by God – he felt as though he was alone and had lost all communication with his Father. If this could have happened to Jesus while he was being punished for man's sins, it makes sense that we (mankind) would lack a quality relationship with God. The knight longed for the kind of relationship with God that only Jesus could have had. But, in death, if the knight were saved, he would experience this in Heaven.

What it means to me

You may disagree with my interpretation of the movie. I guess I’d like to be positive about this.

I can see myself in the knight character when I was a child. I prayed to God, I did all the things a Catholic does, but I felt such an empty relationship with God. Throughout my entire childhood I hated life, because I knew it would be taken away from me one day. (This is probably why I always dressed in black and listened to music about death. If it was destined to happen, why not celebrate it?) I cursed a God who would give me life, put doubts in my mind about an afterlife, and would take the beautiful gift away from me one day.

Was I saved as a child? I’m not sure. But I think if I were on my deathbed, I would have prayed to God just like the knight did in the end of the film.

Later in college, I looked to philosophy to explain away the desire for God and an afterlife. Nothing really satisfied the emptiness in my heart.

It wasn’t until this year, the year that Paul and I became Christians that I no longer lie awake at night thinking about death. Death no longer scares me because I feel secure in my faith. I know I am saved now, and I know I owe this to my Savior.

Summer Sunset - SOLD

2011-03-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

I sold this relatively new painting a week ago. It was never even displayed in a gallery, so I'm very happy that it sold. It seems as though these sunset paintings sell the best...Should my next piece be another sunset? Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I still have one more commissioned piece to finish before I do anything for myself!

Selected works from 2004-2006

2011-03-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to show a few of my old works - back from when I first started oil painting.

AP Art History

2011-03-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

My mom, the receptionist at my old High School, recently was talking to my ex-AP Art History teacher about my 'career' in oil painting. He said he was interested in having me come in and do a presentation on the oil painting process for his students.

Even though I have a terrible fear of public speaking, even speaking in front of small groups, I feel like something like this would be good for me (not only to get over the fear, but to finally experience what my English teaching fiance goes through every day). I would just have to plan it out REALLY well. And practice it over and over.

So I wrote him back about it saying I was interested and await his reply...Hopefully if it happens, it would be some time this week, since I am still on disability recovering from my accident. But I'm not sure when the teachers there have to submit their lesson plans and I may have missed the cut-off.

Lascaux Cave Paintings

2011-03-11T06:29:00.001-08:00

Recently, my fiance and I were discussing early man and how little is known about them. How most people assume they were so primitive, barbaric, and probably had no concept of morality. I remembered studying the Lascaux Cave in AP Art History class and decided to look them up again.

Look at this artist's ability to render line, the color, and the grace of the dun horse. It's not like they had erasers either! You can even see that the artist drew grasses to ground the horse. Look at how carefully the artist worked on the horses face, capturing it's little nostril, mouth, and eye.

These cave paintings are said to be dated at about 17,000 years old. One could argue that this painting is very stylized. Look at how plump this horse is - I doubt the artist really saw a horse that looked like that. But up until very recently, Northern Europeans painted only in a very stylized manner.

Take a look at this detail of Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights dated at 1500 or so. His humans have large heads, short arms, and for some reason during this time period, bears were red. My point is not that Bosch was a bad artist - my point is that stylization is a part of creating art. Sure, the Greeks had mastered human form and anatomy by the time this painting was created, but that's not what makes it art.

Think about what this means. 17,000 years ago, there were artists who existed that could probably critique our own artwork, while receiving critiques from us. Now THAT is awesome.

New website design and other things...

2011-03-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

I have finally finished my updated website design after much procrastination. I'm so happy that it's complete since it was really one of my big goals to accomplish while I'm on temporary disability. Well, it's not COMPLETELY finished. I need to add some more images to my graphic design section since it is pretty weak at the moment. Most of my portfolio is saved on my computer at work, so that will have to wait until I'm ready to return to work.

My other goal is finishing a very late wedding gift for my fiance's cousin and his wife. So far, I think it may be the best portrait I've ever done, so I really hope they like it!

I'm really counting down the days before I can go back to work and return to my normal life, but I do think I am at least trying to be productive during this time off.