Opening Reception at Northville Art House Gallery

I had a very exciting night at the Northville Art House Gallery
and am on cloud nine to be awarded 1st Place for my painting,
"Darkness Falls." It's the nicest of compliments to be
acknowledged for your creative efforts. A big thank you to
NAH Gallery and the Ann Arbor Women Artists (AAWA) for their
exceptional Opening Reception. The wine flowed like a fresh
spring waterfall and the gallery space highlighted all the
artwork ideally.

Check out NAH's Facebook page for more photos.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Northville-Art-House/176508418689

Dawn Sgriccia with "Darkness Falls"  24" x 24" O/Hardwood

Organization Euphoria

The euphoria received from an organized workspace is amazing! This may be the most organized I've ever been in this painting space... ever. So comfortable am I in this space, I believe I will make real headway in my artwork in the coming weeks. While putting things away, imagery for the next painting was rolling around in my head. Lots of ideas to sort through. This week should be fun.  Below is a found "work in progress" painting deep from the bowels of reorganization.   

"Peach Woods"  11" x 14"  Oil on Canvas

"Petunia Lost & Found"

Tonight I going to my critique group. It's a fabulous mix of exceptional artists in a variety of mediums. I've decided to take this painting that I haven't shared yet. I tried to incorporate a lost & found approach to this portrait. The body seems to float in and out of the black background. I know where I'd like my paint brush to advance across this canvas, but I appreciate the input from this highly intellectual group of artists.

"Petunia Lost & Found"  24" x 24"  Oil/Hardboard

Northville Art House Gallery

Wahoo! I got two paintings accepted in the Northville 

Art House Gallery's juried competition! The above photo is NAH Gallery's publicity postcard and press release ad. The portrait with the cowboy hat ("Darkness Falls", 24" x 24", O/Hardwood) is one of my entries. I'm thrilled my artwork was selected to be in this outstanding show. The NAH wrote, "This striking show is exceptional in originality!" If you'd like to see the exhibition, the opening reception is 6-9 PM on Friday, April 6th and runs through April 21, 2012. Northville Art House Gallery is located at 215 W. Cady St., Northville, MI 48167. See you there!

Catching Up from a Long Silence

Luckily, my studio is coming back into shape. I've decided to inventory all my painting accessories before returning them to the cabinets. I want to see and account for what I have and possibly what I need. As I move stuff back into this room, I'm trying to remember that this space needs to function properly. I'm eliminating anything that is unnecessary. One thing I'd like to do is set up a good Still Life Box with great lighting. Well, back to work!

Studio Remodel Complete

After a long absence from painting and blog posting, I'm back! My new studio has been remodeled and I'm anxious to start painting! It's back to the easel. Wahoo! Just in time for Spring. The birds are singing and the sun is shining. Life is Good!  Check back again for some new paintings very soon.

Studio Upheaval

Currently my painting studio is in demolition. Remolding and organizing are great, but I want to paint! I'm so impatient with this process. I've stored all of my paint, brushes and canvases and it's making me crazy! It's been this way for weeks and I'm biting at the bit to paint again. I know it will be more useful and organized, but I want it done now... today if possible. Well, that's not likely, so I wait. It'll be another few weeks and I'll be up and running again. Till then, check back when you can!

Jodie Ponto's Photo of Petunia & the Vipers - Vancouver Show

There's nothing like having artwork hanging from the ceiling!! 
I love the posters! This photo from Petunia & the Vipers LP/CD Release Concert was posted in Jodie Ponto Photography's blog. Check out her blog and photos from this show! Petunia & the Vipers new album is packed with colorful character, great lyrics and strong timbres. Hear the album online here now. Congratulations to the band and I wish them much success spreading their music far & wide!

Petunia & the Vipers Posters in Vancouver

Here's the proposed venue view of the LP Release Concert for Petunia & the Vipers in Vancouver. I can't tell you how great it is to have artwork hanging from the ceiling during this show! The posters are 4' x 4' and hang by chains. Fantastic! The other posters are by two highly talented artists that I'm privileged to be in company with, Jen Thomas and Christian Nicolay. To see more of their work, check out their websites and blogs. I know Petunia & the Vipers will be surprised with this visual complement to their show!

"Mercy Over Me"

"Mercy Over Me"  Oil on Hardboard  24" x 24"

Above is another portrait of Petunia, the lead singer of Petunia & the Vipers that I submitted in an Album/CD cover competition. In this painting, Petunia looks poised for receiving mercy or he could just be signing an autograph! Petunia's song Mercy has the lyrics, "mercy over me" which became my inspiration and title for this imagery. The moon behind his head suggests a halo that offers a bit of grace bestowed on Petunia as he bows his head. Within the halo/moon, I added a double-rope design resembling the sound hole design on Petunia's guitar. 

"Darkness Falls"

"Darkness Falls"  Oil on Hardboard   24" x 24"

I was lucky enough to be included in a competition for an Album/CD cover for the band, Petunia & the Vipers. Petunia, the head and heart of the band, has a country and rockabilly presence. I didn't win the cover, but my work has been selected for posters and buttons. Yahoo!!  My decision to create a portrait of Petunia sprang into life when I saw a few photos of him wearing his wide brimmed hats. They were great and I was hooked. After hearing lyrics from the CD, MERCY, I wanted to create a mood of dusk or early evening. As it turned out, that's how the title, "Darkness Falls" came to stick.  

Click CDBaby.com to check out the cover that won and to purchase the music!

"Shoreline"

"Shoreline"  Oil on Hardboard  18" x 40"

A couple of years ago, my son gave me a memorable Christmas gift. A day with only him doing something he had planned and it was going to be a surprise to me until the last minute. I had no clue and I love to figure out mysteries. On Dec. 26th, we went to lunch and then he told me we were going Whale Watching! I was so excited. Then I thought, oh no, I'm going to enjoy that delicious lunch again over the side of the boat. To my surprise there were no white caps, no huge waves. The ocean was very calm, like glass. Perfect! This painting is my memory of gazing inland from a mile or so off shore. A storm was rolling by, but it never rained. Dense clouds cast shadows on the land. Whale Watching is magical! 

"Sister in a Rounded Veil"

"Sister in a Rounded Veil"  Oil on Illustration Board  18" x 24"

Curved shapes soften this image. The companion to this work is "Sister in a Triangular Veil."  To see the sister painting, check out the posting from 8-4-11.

"Sister in a Triangular Veil"

"Sister in a Triangular Veil"  - Oil on Illustration Board  18" x 24"

I learned early on that my penchant for fracturing images was undeniable. I foremost gravitate toward triangles, but circles, boxes and swirls frequently draw my attention their way too. So much so, that I painted a sister to this painting in curves, circles and ellipses. Check out my next post.

"Blood on the Road" 3-D Metal Sculpture

"Blood on the Road"   3-D Painted Steel Sculpture  52" x 36" x 3"

Steel was cut with a Plasma Cutter, welded & thickly painted with high gloss finish. It reminds me of a car accident, tire marks, skids and blood.

"Picket Fence" 3-D Wood Sculpture

"Picket Fence"  Oil on 3-D Wood Sculpture   72" x 66" x 6"  

The inspiration for this artwork, once again, is the sky. Although this structure looks like an old picket fence, it's painted to simulate a swirling, cloud scattered sky. The negative space is as important as the pickets. Are you looking through the fence at the sky or is the sky the fence?  

"Sky Lines" Soft Sculpture

"Sky Lines"   Hand Dyed Cotton Fabric  36" x 48"  

I believe our skies are the most intriguing part of the outdoors. I can't step outside without looking at the sky. In this soft sculpture, each vertical tube is molded to create a 3-dimensional surface. Included are bits of daytime skies, stormy skies and nighttime skies. It's moody, moving and one of my favorite fabric works. 

Calla Lily

I've been painting like crazy in this hot summer weather! Get ready to see several new paintings within the next week or so. Stay tuned!  Till then, I'd like to share some small flower paintings.  "Flower A Day"  4" x 6" Oil on Canvas

"Just Ducky"

"Just Ducky"  Oil on Hardboard   7" x 8"

Getting back into the swing of daily painting after a lengthy departure has been rough, but I'm working on it. This is just a little warm-up painting from an early morning exercise. I saw an old photo of a duckling standing next to it's Mama. I focused on the duckling. I also wanted to play with the ochres & grays in the background. Tomorrow should be a better day.

"Something to Crow About"

 "Something to Crow About"  

8" x 10"  Palette knife application - Oil on Museum Quality Canvas Board

I love Spring when the birds return in droves. The black birds are especially interesting to watch. They congregate in the trees across the street and are large and noisy. I was told that mystics believe crows are sent by spirits since past to extend love and good wishes to those loved ones connected to them on earth. Huh, something to think about... or maybe Something to Crow About! 

"Goat"

Goat   8" x 8"   Oil on Hardboard

This small painting is a piece using a limited color palette. It was great fun creating it.  Today I'm busy with a larger painting.  Not sure when it'll be done. Stay tuned!