Low Country Fall Color then and now: 11 '19

Willbrook Plantation Cypress 11 / 2019

I was looking at this photo, I took yesterday of the fall foliage colored cypress trees at Willbrook Plantation (see first attached photo. It reminds me of one of the first oil paintings I painted shortly after we moved here in 2006 (See 2nd attached photo). It was of cypress trees growing at the edge of one of Pawleys Plantation's ponds. I guess my aesthetic interests haven't changed all that much in 13 years.

Pawleys Plantation Cypress 2006

CC's Pastel are on exhibit at SAG 5 '16

CC decided to exhibit some of her Pastel beach scenes at the Seacoast Artists Gallery this month.

Sedona Series now on Exhibit 10 ' 15

Eight of CC's Sedona Series' Oil Paintings are now on exhibit at:

the Seacoast Artists Gallery  

3032 Nevers Ave. Myrtle Beach, SC

Spring Open House at SAG 5 '15

 It was standing room only at the Seacoast Artists Gallery's Spring Open House 

The community showed up in droves to support the event

In return the exhibiting artists brought out their finest, abstract or representational paintings, and photograghs.

Artwork by Sharon Sorrell

Passover Mini Series,Continued 4'14

As a follow on to yesterday's post, I did in fact finish the two last minis for the Passover Series of the ingredients for a Seder Plate

Charoset ( 5" x 7" Oil

Above is my portrayal of some of the ingredients that go into Charoset ( honey, apple, dates and nuts)

And below is the shank bone(s)

Seder Shank Bones ( 7" x 5" oil)

I am very goal oriented, and sometimes I find it hard to let go.    My head kept telling me that Passover was over, and I should put this project aside until next year, but my heart would not let me do it.  This is one time I am very glad  I followed my heart.

Miniature paintings for the Passover Holiday 4 '14

Several years ago, I decided to painted a   7"x5" miniature oil painting  of a  Halloween pumpkin  as a warm up exercise.   I thought it would make a nice table top decoration for the holiday, and without the pressure to create something "salable",  I wouldn't get frustrated if it wasn't 'a masterpiece'.   The exercise proved to be such an effective way to get the creative juices flowing that I soon had a sizable  collection of miniature paintings based around a holiday theme. They aren't for sale.  We just use them to make each holiday a bit more personal with some one of a kind art.

7" x 5" oil  "Matzo"

This year I decided to do an entire Passover series for Bruce based around the ingredients on a Seder Plate

7" x 5" oil  "Horseradish"

It proved to be a lot of fun

7" x 5" oil  "Parsley and Salted Water"

Some came out better than other, and a some may get  painted  in a different composition again next year

7" x 5" oil  "Egg and Salt"

A couple of the key ingredients , like the shank bone and the charoset, are proving to be so difficult their canvases that  may not get completed by the end of this Passover (The Passover holiday ends  tonight)

7" x 5" oil  "Wine and Elijah Cup"

The beauty of this project is that it doesn't matter.  Since there is now gallery or art show deadline looming,  The deadline is strictly in my head.  I can always work on finishing the set next year.

Forsynthia 4 '14

The forsythia bush at the edge of the Pawleys Plantation putting green is in full bloom. It is so beautiful when it is back lit. I couldn't resist trying to capture it on canvas.

Pumpkin to Paint 10'13

Bruce bought this gnarly little pumpkin at a farm-stand yesterday. The checkout person asked if we were going to eat it. Bruce answered, " Not before my wife has a chance to paint it"  Now I know it is officially Fall

Low Country Birds on Display 9 '13

CC put 10 more of her  paintings on display in the SAG Gallery at The Market Common.. all are oil paintings of low country bird scenes.

Newest Painting: Cheraw State Park 6 '13

One of the reasons we took a trip to Cheraw State Park is that CC is deeply engrossed with painting South Carolina's State Parks and  she hoped to get some good reference photos and maybe even a painting or two if the weather cooperated.  The weather didn't and the trip  turned out to be a travel "disaster".  We got hit by rain, tornado warnings, and both the RV and the tow vehicle broke down on the way home.  Never the less  she was determined that some good would come from this  adventure,

When we got home she started working  on a painting  from a quick sketch and a photo  she'd made of two people in a canoe in Lake Juniper at   Cheraw State Park last weekend.  The  blurry photo  is the way the camera saw the scene.  The second image is the painting she did  once she got  home.  As you can see, the scene was a lot more vivid in her minds eye

This makes the tenth painting that Cece has completed  for the State Park Series since April.

Grand Opening of Seacoast Artists Guild Gallery at the Market Common 5'13

This evening the Seacoast Artists Guild officially opened its new gallery at The Market Common. President Woody Bower kicked the event of with a ribbon cutting and a word of praise to all those who worked so hard to make this event possible.

 

Joining Woody in the Welcoming remarks was The Market Common Representative, Brooke.

 Both had especially high praise for our Publicity Chair, June Groft, who spear-headed the project from Day one.

The event was well attend by the artists, their families and friends, as well as the general public.

The live demonstrations put on by artists

Muralist, April Bensch (with Maria Delaney)

Sculpture Marlene Askin (with Margaret)

Painter, Sharon Sorrell

and Wood Carver, Richard Cash and Jeweler Doug Elder all drew special attention from the TV and local news media.

Of course, refreshments prepared by our hardworking behind the scene staff were a favorite with everyone

Congratulations, Seacoast Artists Guild members.  You did a great job.

Check out what the local press had to say about the event

http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=893565#.UYUgRUrhfpy

Campbells Covered Bridge 4'13

Campbell's Covered Bridge is the fifth painting I completed for my State Park Series in April. Many of you may remember it from my post of Oct. 26, 2012 when we stopped to picnic at this is a well-preserved piece of Upcountry history. It is the only covered bridge remaining in South Carolina. Campbell's Covered Bridge is named for Lafayette Campbell, owner of a nearby grist mill who allowed his property to be used for the bridge's construction. Built in 1909, it bridges a lovely, meandering stream. The Campbell's Covered Bridge site is now owned by Greenville County.

Whooo hooo! It feels like a real studio! 4 '13

Whoo hoo.  It's all put together, ( with no thanks to the manufacturer's  whacko directions).  Thank you, Bruce.  I could never have figured out the inaccurate directions that it came with  it, but you did (and you don't even speak Chinese).

Working Large: Friday 3 '13

When we walked into the studio on Friday morning, Bill had the large canvas he had stretched the day before, toned, and set up on his easel with the reference photo below it.

He immediately began  applying blue lines for the design and blocking in large blocks of color

All the while he answered questions about materials, techniques from the artists in the workshop.  I learned a lot from the demo... like how to thin the oil paint  with Liquin and stand oil, and how long to let a layer on a large painting dry before moving onto the next layer..  That my sound simple, but it can mean all the difference between having a bright vibrant painting or having mud.

Bill coaching Patty with her painting

 After the demo,  we were instructed to work on our own painting  for the remainder of the day In the meanwhile Bill went from person to person coaching them on how to solve the issues their painting presented.

30" x 40" painting when I stopped working on it on Friday pm.

In my case, Bill encouraged me to  let the paint set up a bit on  my first painting by starting a second painting. I agreed to let the first could dry overnight..  By the time the day ended I had a good beginning on a 18" x 24" painting from a different reference photo,

and had worked up a hearty appetite for the wonderful group dinner we had at the Purple Onion in Saluda  that evening.

Working Large Workshop: Thursday 3 '13

 Bill jumped right into instruction on the first morning of the workshop with a demonstration of how he  proofs his concept on a small  canvas before  working on a large one.  Above you can see how he taped  a reference photo to the side of his easel, then loosely sketched out the design in a thin blue wash onto a toned canvas.   He then filled in the design with large blocks of additional color which were build up from dark to light.  This gave him the first rough layer of the final painting.  

Stopping there, Bill asked each of us to put a thin wash of color upon the canvas supports we had brought with us, and select a reference photo  ( from his collection or one our own) to use as the basis for our first painting.

 I had already selected my reference photos and toned my canvas with red iron oxide prior to arriving at the workshop, so I set up my  workstation and began painting.  By lunch time I too had my design roughed in and was ready to start applying  the first large blocks of color.

But first things first.... a group lunch at the Saluda Grill.

After lunch, Bill gave us a demonstration of how to wrap a canvas onto a stretcher frame.

That was a learning experience for me.  Not at all difficult ( if you are 6'+ like Bill).  It gave me more confidence for  how I can work if I can't find the size canvas I need locally.

Happy Valentines Day, Everyone. 2 '13

Happy V Day, Everyone, from out house to yours.

This little Teddy Bear my sweet husband gave me a few years ago is beginning to look a bit worn, but the love he brings is still as fresh as the painting I did at the time.

My Wall at CAG Nov.'12

I have three of my pastels of the local dunes up in the Charleston Artist Guild

CAG Miniature Holiday Art Sale '12

This year CAG put up two Christmas trees in the gallery.  One tree was for CAG members who had been jurried into exhibiting status,  and the other was for exhibiting members who are in the CAG gallery

Exhibitors are  allowed to hang small affordable miniature artwork on their respective tree.  You may remember that last year I put two serious holiday still lifes on the tree, and a playful Surfing Santa. The still lifes sold almost instantly, but the Santa did not find a home. Honestly I was kinda glad that he didn't, as I really would have liked to have him in my own home.

This year caught me short on paintings and Bruce talked me into putting Santa back on the CAG Tree.
Wouldn't you know it.  He sold within two days.  Now I may have to  repaint one for myself.

Happy Valentines Day Everybody

6'x6" oil painting by CC

 Happy Valentines Day, Everybody !

My sweet BJ baked me a cake for V day.