More Sketchbook Pages

Continuing my sketchpad digging to find pieces I’ve done on top of backgrounds which I pre-painted. I’m leading my art students through watercolors and we’re sticking to backgrounds only so it’s a little less intimidating. 

I incorporated my molotow chrome marker for this floral so you have to compare photos to see how it reflects.  

Print Making!

I’m curious which you like best.  Here we have four pieces created with the same two printing blocks which I carved.  There are so many possibilities!  Message me if you’re interested in any of them; they’re all works on paper between $5.00 and $20.00. #artist #quarantinelife 

I love this first one; I like printing in sections so you can see what the different layers look like.  

One thing I think is important is to have slow color gradations.  When they’re layered on like this it’s fascinating!

Ahhh.... what can I say but that I’m in love.

I like the light application of blue in places on this one; it reminds me of indigo denim. ❤️ 

More to come!

Fluid Painting for Sale

For sale, toes not included.  This painting, ‘Chain of Events’ features a copper chain which runs through it.  These neutrals mixed in with the copper remind me of an aerial map of water and land.  You can find it and two of its mates for sale at:

ColorCatStudios101 at Etsy

Phoenix Rising Painting

I decided to orient this painting vertically because I like the way that red wing stands out; hence I named it ‘Phoenix Rising.’  However, if you give it a turn to the horizontal it looks mysteriously like a chicken!!  

Any way you decide to orient it, I’ve now got it available on mugs, pillows, stickers, phone cases and more.  You can find it here: 

Society6, Color Cat Studios

This will definitely put a bright spot in your home, whether you need a phoenix rising or... a chicken! 

Inspiring Art Quote

I believe that artists of every type are commissioned to speak for all of humankind. I myself feel a deep responsibility to use the gift, and sometimes receive comments that surprise me about how what I created has so deeply affected another person.  All I know is that if I’m true to myself and true to my God, then what I feel and create will touch others. I’ve also learned through the years that if I stay true to myself and true to my God and DON’T receive affirmation for my work, that’s okay too.  I know in my heart that I followed the call and did the work, and that’s what’s important.  (my quote is on a portion of one of my paintings).

This painting is so warm it’s just what we need on a cold January day. Love!

Society6 Artist!!

Eureka! We have found it! A site that we are very happy downloading my art onto to be reproduced in many ways! Cutting boards, tables, stickers, travel mugs, posters, greeting cards, phone cases... yay!  Go to Society6 and search for Color Cat Studios.  There’s a 20% sale on TODAY.  Www.society6.com. 

www.society6.com

This is just the tip of the iceberg.  I’m really excited because for so long people have tried to purchase my chrysanthemum woodblock, which I would never sell.  And honestly, they have so many cool goods, I absolutely love seeing my work on them!!!

Painting for Sale

These paintings have proven to be really popular.  This one’s still for sale.  I named it Stone Flow.  The second photo is a closeup of a portion of it; it looks like lacework to me. ❤️  You can find it on my website at 

www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com

Oooh.... pretty!

You can find lots more photos on my website, and I also give free studio tours!  Just ask!

New Painting, Please Help Naming!

I need some help naming this; it reminds me of a river opening up and mixing with the salt of the ocean.  Two of my choices are ‘Delta’ or ‘Rivers to the Sea.’  Any help here?  Oh, and yes, I do have paint on our house.  So glad you asked.

This is one of my newest pieces which I am listing tonight. I really love the colors.  I took photos from different places so you could feel the warmth as the yellows and golds really leave a nice vein throughout and don’t show up in some lighting.  As you scroll I’m sure you’ll notice the difference.  

Oh man, I love these colors! They look very boho to me.  Maybe I should name it ‘Boho.’ ??

I hope you like it!  It will be listed at www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com in about two hours.  18”x24” on gallery-wrapped canvas.

SOLD - Chicago Blackhawks Paint Pour

SOLD! My people wanted me to do a paint pour with the Chicago Blackhawks’ colors.  Their son’s room is done in entirely these colors and they knew this would be a winning choice.  Loving the little cells in this one -to me, some of them look like pomegranate seeds.  Lots to look at in this piece and I am loving those Chicago Blackhawk colors.  You can find more at 

www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com

Here’s a closeup of some of those cool cells:

Below is the entire painting:

Another closeup.  I really like the little yellow/orange/black ones flowing like a stream between the others.

And,

Aaaahhh! Love it!  I’m up for doing some more team colors!

KITTY Cat for Sale

Oh man, I love this one!  I named this one ‘The Watcher.’  I kept my brushstrokes loose to give you the feel of a really soft, pettable cat, and also lightened up on the acrylics with many layers of glaze to keep him looking FLUFFY.  12”x24” it’s for sale on my website, www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com.   You can find lots of other photos of this as well.  

www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com

Steel Blue Series

This piece.  I love it.  Entitled ‘Stone Flow II,’ it’s one in a series of four paintings.  If you look at my photo of all four pieces you can see this one and the biggest one, ‘Stone Flow,’ actually do flow together.  They can be purchased together or separately on my website, www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com.  Mainly steel blue, neutrals and golds, it’s a piece that will look fabulous in so many interiors.  Would you give it as a gift or hang it in your own home? Stone Flow, at 24”x30” is $500.00.  Stone Flow II, at 20”x30” is $450.00

All four paintings are painted on heavy, gallery-wrapped canvas and ready to hang. 

Paint Pouring Art

I love this! Because it’s covered with smooth, shiny resin the photos aren’t the best and are very reflective, but you get the idea.   That shine deepens the colors and just makes it gorgeous, I’m just sorry I didn’t take pics before I gave it a resin coat.  The reds and blues work so nicely together and the pop of black and white just makes it fun to look at.  Throughout the painting you will see a gunmetal shiny grey sparkle that just pulls the whole thing together.

I created this on an 8” x 8” square cradled birch and the colors flow over all sides to make the entire thing look like art. Rich, high-quality acrylics make this an archival, non-fading heirloom. At $65.00, that’s quite a bargain and a fantabulous one of a kind gift!  Find it at www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com. 

www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com

Note: this is an extremely thick layer of acrylics.  What do you do if it gets dusty?  Take a damp cloth to it.  That’s all!  The surface is impermeable. 

The Day in the Life of an Artist

The day in the life of an artist? It’s complicated and varies a lot, but there is an underlying current that unites my days.  I work a LOT.  If you’re contemplating a career, do not think ‘I would like to be an artist, it’d be fun to just paint all day.’  If ‘artist’ is your choice it’s because you MUST be an artist and have no other choice!  Being an artist is hard work!  Mine is 70 hours/week.

So, what did I do today, a typical day in my life?

• My first job was to take a payment on a sold painting with my Square.
• Reached out to a designer that I want to work with in the future.
• Breakfast - social media.  I’m more of a content creator because it’s my business.  I try to post on my blog, Facebook, Instagram, Linked In and sometimes Pinterest.  It’s how I generate business.  Artists need to be good writers.
• Worked on a commission
• Made a couple painting videos
• A few more touches on that commission so it will dry for the next layer...
• Went to the gym and worked out and swam for a couple hours
• Took a nap!
• Social media posting.  I’d like to paint all day but the paintings would sit in our house and have conventions if I did only that.  An artist these days should paint only 10% of the time and work on the business the other 90% of the time.
• Continuing work on that commission. 
• A nice cozy fire with my hubby and daughter.  Recruited them to help me finish some coasters; preparing for an upcoming Christmas show.
• I teach five art classes and completely write my own curriculum so I worked on class preparation tonight.  It takes me an average of six hours a week to prepare and maintain my classes, which does not include teaching them, ordering supplies, transit, cleanup, emails answering questions, preparing my own work to use as examples, researching art history, sending assignments, ‘student management,’ chasing payments.
• Conversation with clients, having them check on almost-finished piece.
• Watched one TV show with fam and enjoyed our fire.
• Stumbling around doing house things and last check of social media.
• BED!

This is a typical day, but they vary widely.  The underlying tie is discipline.  Don’t even contemplate an artistic career unless you are one disciplined human!  So... if you’re interested in the arts, it would be a lot easier instead of producing art yourself to just buy mine!! :)

Also, there’s a myth about artists looking fab and wearing high heels when the paint.  Forget that.  Just forget it.  HERE is the dirty truth!

Golden QOR Watercolors

Oh my lucky, lucky students! I have used every watercolor under the sun and when Golden Paints came out with these QOR colors a few years ago I switched without a backward glance.  Perfect for professional artists, perfect for everyone else too. I absolutely adore teaching watercolor to others.

These QOR sets come ‘High Chroma,’ ‘Earth Colours’ and another one which is called something like ‘Traditional Colours.’  I have a nice set of 12 with a bigger tin.  The wells are in the lid - you can see the lids have different sized circles in them.  Perfect.  They just make so much sense.

DID YOU KNOW.... you should never use watercolors straight from the tube?  Squeeze them onto your palette and let them dry.  When you’re ready to paint, re-hydrate them with a squirt bottle.  If you use it straight out of the tube it will waste paint.  A tube of watercolor paint, used correctly, can last for YEARS.

Art Coasters for Christmas

I decided that I’d make florescent coasters that glow under black light to sell at the Mistletoe Market at the Conroe Convention Center December 7 (mark your calendars, people!). It turned out that this paint is EXTREMELY difficult to handle but I’m slowly getting the hang of it.  I decided to go with the paint’s strengths and have been working on marbling like they did in Florence on their papers.  I started slow but am really loving the way they’re turning out now.  Here’s one. 🙂

If you are absolutely in love with anything I post let me know!  They’re $15.00 each and I could never duplicate one - each is its own original work of art. 🙂 

New Series of Paintings

Vote #1, #2, #3 or #4; I’m very curious which painting you like best!  I’ve worked another series here and am in the varnishing process. Pretty sure I blew off some brain cells today doing THAT!  They’re getting many coats of UV protectant varnish.  These are pretty big pieces; you can judge by my toes and the leaves how big they are. Which is your fave? 

This first one is the biggest, I haven’t measured yet but probably 34x40”. .... maybe? :)

#2 - This one is probably 24”x36”.... maybe...

#3, this one is a nice, cute size, at about 16x20”.  Artists do measure.  But we estimate a lot too.  In all honesty I’ve got a show coming up soI’m working hard.  Measurement isn’t as important right now as getting them varnished.  I put many coats on for serious protection, UV protection and a nice gloss.  THAT is what is important right now... getting the layers of varnish down, letting them dry, and adding more layers.  Time.

And coming in last but not least, #4.  This one is... hmmm... about 20”x18”.  Maybe.  Oh!  This is the only one I’ve posted on my website so far - so if you’re dying to purchase it before someone else gets their greedy little hands on it, you can find the size AND make it your own in a minute!

I WOULD appreciate your vote. :). These help me determine what my adoring public (haha) wants.

Mural Art Portrait

LOVE THESE! When we travel I’m sure to find my way to art.  Here we’re standing in front of a mural by Kelsey Montague in Nashville.

I think if I decide to start a band I’ll use this pic as the cover.

Our time in Nashville was delicious.  Nashville, I never knew!  You are so lovely in so many ways!

Matisse Paint Pour

For all its bold color I named this one ‘Matisse’ and took some shots of it so you could look at all its little nuances.  Really love the way the blues and reds mixed in this one with little bold shouts of black and white.  That gunmetal sparkle throughout is like the icing on the cake.  Armchair shopping at its best - www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com. 

www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com

This photo shows how big it is: 8” square with 3/4” depth.  It’s on cradled birch - gorgeous, smooth and sturdy.  My little giraffe friend likes it too.

I was a little frustrated because I forgot to take pics of this before I laid down the resin.  Even in the video you can see a lot of reflections and probably see me with my camera if you look closely.  But you know, it’s all right - you can really see what you’ll get, and THAT’S a good thing!  Absolutely love this one with two of my favorite compliments working together

This shot shows how it wraps around the sides.  I love that it continues the art all the way around. :) ❤️ 

Mermaid Painting For Sale

Mermaid!  That’s what I named this one!  This little painting makes me want to go swimming.  See ya later.  I’ve got a date with the pool.  In the meantime, you can find this on my website, www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com. 

www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com

A pretty little piece at a pretty little price, just right for that special gift.

Art for Sale!

Have you SEEN my coasters? If not you might want to take a little look; they’re pretty awesome.  Just what a person needs whilst drinking a cuppa something.  Or not drinking a cuppa something. Also have some other pretty cool designs that I KNOW you’d like!

My raccoon painting is sold.  It was the most adorable 20” square painting EVER with micaceous earth ground into the blacks and an incredible, iridescent silver.  LOVE! But, I have magnets and coasters available!

The hands are mine.  I was working with charcoal one day and had our daughter shoot for me.  I knew we had something special with the reflections on my little charcoal pot.

The following shows their reflective nature, and their handy dandy cork back.  The chrysanthemum carving is a woodblock I carved. ❤️ 

And of course, everything’s better with Bob Ross.

You can find my coasters and more than you can imagine at ,colorcatstudios101.etsy.com

AND..... Happy new year!!