New collection: Tables & Flowers!

I am so excited to share my newest collection with you all! 

It's called "Tables & Flowers," and every painting in the series, ranging from florals to interiors to tablescapes, features one or both of those items. 

 This series was really an exploration of color and medium. I used Flashe vinyl paint in every painting (along with acrylics and wax crayon), and I had so much fun working with the paints. 

 

The vinyl paint operates very similarly to acrylic paint, but it dries with a soft, velvety texture (whereas acrylics are slightly glossy and shiny upon drying). The colors are AMAZING and they mix with acrylics really well. 

 Seated 8 - 16x20"

Seated 5 - 8x10"

 

This series has 17 paintings, ranging in size from 8x8" to 24x30". 

Part of this collection includes some tablescape paintings. I had SO much fun with these, from designing the tabletop to choosing the featured meal. 

Cake and Tarts - 11x14"

 in process

 Coffee and Eggs - 10x10"

I also did a couple of larger pieces

 Dream Room 7 - 24x30"

 From a Table in Giverny - 24x24"

 You can find the full collection here in my Etsy shop. 

Artfully Walls

Hey y'all!

I am excited to share that I now have art prints available via Artfully Walls. 

Artfully Walls is a highly curated online shopping destination, bringing quality art to art lovers looking for affordable solutions. All prints are available framed or unframed. 

My artist page is shoppable here. 

Prints are giclee quality and are available in multiple sizes on fine art paper.

They are a fairly new site, but I am honored to be among their chosen artists. 

AND - one of the coolest things - they have a free app where you can view art on your walls before you buy it. 

Um, yes please!

Recently

I had a pretty busy early Spring with several shows and some travel. Things are finally winding down a bit and I can focus on studio work! 

 Some shots recently from around the studio (and by recently, I mean over the past few months!):

 Starting new interiors

Colorful studio corner

sketchbooks

small interiors (now in the shop!)

finishing up on the easel

evening light

crowded studio

 

Share art

In times of uncertainty, we must remember that there is always art. 

Art has always been a place of expression, a safe place to share your thoughts, feelings, hopes, and fears; to find like minds. The human experience is a precious and unique one: it cannot be replicated through machines; animals do not experience it. It is sad and beautiful and often frightening and it was created by God; we need art to better understand it and to survive it. Whether it be through music, dance, theatre, film, creative writing, or the fine arts - create it; experience it; share it. Books, poems, operas, installations, internet cartoons, puppetry, break-dancing, a capella singing groups: it's a gift, an outlet. 

Even historically through times of oppression, the artists found ways to still create, to come together and give hope to others: the Renaissance, Dadaism, Modernism, Swing Kids, the AIDS Memorial Quilt (and so many more not mentioned). 

So go to bookstores, to the library, to the movies, to the theatre, to museums and galleries and concerts. Go to church. Sing in your car and in your shower. Read. Write. Paint. Crochet.

There are so many different ways to express yourself and there are so many ways to share it with others. 


Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 16:33 



Peace and love and good.  

Art on the Avenue

I will be a vendor at Art on the Avenue in the Del Ray district of Alexandria this year. The Festival will be on Saturday, October 1 along Mt. Vernon Ave. in Del Ray and features over 300 artists, plus music, food, and more. 

My booth is E21 (near the intersection of Howell and Mt. Vernon)

I will have paintings, prints, cards, and the premiere of my new holiday designs! 

You can find more info (along with a map) here. 

Hope to see you there!

Recently

I arranged all my acrylics... 

 And made an acrylic color chart! So helpful for quick reference. 

 New print "From a Table in Verona" added to my Minted shop!

 I always get paint all over me. 

Bought some new Acryla gouaches to try and I am IN LOVE. 

Excited to get even more colors!

So many cups & mugs for art supply storage. I took this one from a studio in SC many moons ago. (shh don't tell)

Love my kitties, but they make better doors than windows... 

Newest painting in my shop! "A Life in Curves and Angles"

I don't often paint landscapes, so this is a rare occasion. 

Be sure to follow me on Instagram for lots more shots from the studio! 

 

Recently

Recently in the studio

adding to my gouache chart

custom house painting - framed & styled by the client. that frame looks amazing with it!

new state cards

worktable

working on a new Paris print

pretty paint

prepping for shows!

100 Day Project Update: days 1 - 10

Hey all!  Here are the first 10 days of my 100 Day Project: 

100 Days of Gouache Book

 days 1-9

day 10


I've been having a lot of fun with this challenge. I love that it forces me to paint every day, which is something that I don't always get to do. 
Running a small business is 60% (or more) business... the rest is creative. So carving out a smalll amount of time to paint, even on the "business" days is really nice. 

 day 5 detail 


 Plus I am LOVING working with gouache. I find myself still leaning towards making it more watercolor-like, but I am trying very hard to make myself use less water 
for more consistent opacity.

 (and, yes, day 3 was in homage to Prince)
 

(read more about the project here)

 

Del Ray Spring Art Market

This Saturday, May 7 is the Del Ray Artisans Spring Art Market in Alexandria.

 I will be at Nicholas A. Colasanto Park on Mount Vernon Ave. from 10am - 4pm selling original art, prints, and greeting cards -  just in time for Mother's Day (on Sunday)! 

 Around 2 dozen artists will have their wares (plus, Del Ray is cute and has good coffee). Hope to see you there!

The 100 Day Project

Started by Elle Luna, I have decided to participate in The 100 Day Project. 

The object is for 100 continuous days, starting today, April 19, to create something specific everyday -- there should be a goal/ a theme -- and catalog it on your Instagram with a personal hashtag #100Daysof_______ 

You can write, photograph, draw, paint, compose music, dance, digitally design, cook, whatever! 

You can read more about it here. 

(NOTE: she mentions the date April 6 a lot, but I think that's reposted from last year. It definitely starts today, April 19, so if you want to join, you're not behind!)

MY PROJECT:

I have decided to paint with gouache in a sketchbook for 100 days. 

Why gouache, and what does a sketchbook have to do with it?

Well, I am TERRIBLE at using a sketchbook. Sometimes I use one while on vacation, but mostly I just random scraps of paper that I end up losing or throwing away. (oops)

Keeping a sketchbook to catalog your ideas, thoughts, inspiration, and process is like Artist101. And I am truly failing at it. 

I also want to learn gouache better. I LOVE gouache - it's kind of like a weird hybrid of watercolor and acrylic - but I haven't used it all that much. So my goal is to really play with it, experiment, and just feel much more comfortable with it. 

So there it is. 

My 100 Day Project: 100 Days of Gouache in a Sketchbook. 

 

Here is day 1/100:

 

Follow along with my progress on my Instagram @allevatojm #100DaysofGouacheBook and find many, many more projects via #The100DayProject or join in and do your own! 

Are you interested in participating? 

Comment with your #100Daysof______ so I can find you! 

Happy creating!

 

 

Snapchat!

I'm on Snapchat, y'all!

I didn't even mean to be, but I kind of love it! 

I tend to get a little philosophical about the artistic process, supplies, art fatigue, etc. I also show a LOT of sneak peeks of what I'm working on, so if that's your thing, then you can add me -- @allevatojm or screenshot my Snapcode above.

New paintings in the shop!

I just released a new collection of 7 paintings to my shop! 

All are acrylic on wooden cradleboard. 

Three were painted very recently, a few were painted in 2015 (and one is from 2014! I'm such a procrastinator!), but with moving and the holidays, I never got around to listing them... They've never been for sale! 

But NOW they're all available! 

 From a Table in Charlotte - 11x14"

This painting has an almost translucent background, making the designs of the paper beneath very pronounced.  

Detail

From a Table in Charleston  - 16"x20" - UPDATE-- SOLD

This one is the largest in my collection. In fact, it's the largest painting I've ever listed in my shop (I've painted many much larger that I've sold through galleries/ in person). You may remember this piece from here. 

 

Detail

A Bouquet for Shawna - 10x10"

I had a lot of fun with color with these. Some are brighter, some are softer.

A Bouquet for Jane - 9x12" - UPDATE-- SOLD

A Bouquet for Susanna - 8x10"

Motorless City - 11x14"

this bike painting has book pages on it, not just my signature pattern paper. 

So much visual texture!  

detail

A Bouquet for Kate - 11x14"

I actually painted this sweet painting way back in 2014, but sometimes artists  (coughmecough) get sentimental and hold onto pieces for a while. In fact, this piece was created before I started using the pattern paper! It's a very sweet painting. (I also have the print available via Minted)

So I'm very sorry for being unreasonably slow to list these pieces -- some of my favorites ever -- but to every thing there is a season, right?

Find them all here.