Snapshots from Vermont

Here are some pictures of Johnson. This is the river that runs through town and next to the dining hall. I love to find a table at meals that looks over the water.

The next shots are of the house I am living in and the view from my window.

The here is the Mint Julep progress shot. The condensation on the cup is killing me.... slow going.
We finally have cooler weather. Everyone here complained about the humidity (which was nothing) while I lamented the lack of air conditioning.

it is still a baby

I just started this painting yesterday. so far so good.... I need a campy "mint" title. I'll keep thinking.

Vermont Studio Center

For the next four weeks, I am doing a residency at the Vermont Studio Center. This is my studio.... it is large and has great light. I am just realizing how crappy studios have been for the last couple of years. I have not had a space this good since grad school. Woo Hoo!

I will show some pictures of the work I am doing, along with scenic pictures of Vermont. Stay tuned!

Done! (maybe)

So I added a newspaper under the shrimp. Painting text in persepective was difficult. I am think I am done, however I may see things that need to be fixed when I get back.

I am leaving tomorrow morning for 4 weeks at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, Vermont. I am going to blog from the road and the frozen north!

almost there

So here is a progress shot....

I think I found a good title- Jumbo Shrimp. I think the title makes more sense in person. The painting is 6 feet by 4 feet. The shrimp are a foot tall. I also like oxymorons.

the newest work

Here is what I have been working on since Lemon LeMonde. It is amazing how fast this is going! I haven't come up with a title yet... shrimp boil? prawn fawn?

May- a month for quilting

From top to bottom- 1. First quilt 2. Zig Zag quilt 3. Millefiori quilt 4. Stripe pieced top







Every May, I get the urge to make as much as possible. I think it has something to do with the Academic calendar. I finish school and get crafty. I made my first quilt in 2005. I followed the directions I found online. I also decided to hand-quilt it as well. However, hand-quilting is slow and not as visual impactful for the effort. In 2006, I made 2 quilts- one for my godson and the zig zag quilt. In 2007, I got very ambitious and decided to make a queen size quilt. Looking over my collection of vintage fabric, I focused on the florals. The title of my quilt is Millefiori ( a milllion flowers in my pathetic Italian). I loved the overall unity of the fabric choices. So this year, I keep the theme tight- Stripes. This was a quick quilt- big blocks, simple designs. I just need to find a quilt shop to get it machine quilted. No more needle and thread for me!

Ta Da!

Lemon LeMonde is finished! On to the next painting.....

Lemon LeMonde Part 2

I am still plugging away at this painting. It think it might get done this month which is so exciting!

Some of you might notice the floating painting brushes... I tend to flip my paintings around. Some of the really detailed stuff is easier to see upside down- if it easier to see it is easier to paint. I also like to sit on the floor and work. I move the painting to a comfortable position and away I go. The digital camera is great. I can take a picture and see what it looks like right- side up. I can also see what parts are not working. For instance the platter is not round and the top of the plate needs work.

Stay tuned....

Best Prom Ever! is travelling to Mobile for the month of May. It was accepted into the University of Mobile's Juried Exhibition. We'll miss it but it won't be coming back soon. Off to Tallahassee for the Combined Talents show. Good luck!

Hot 2 Dot

This painting is 7' x 5'. It was part of my MFA thesis show in CA. It was one of the first pieces that I did that was "vintage." I was accused of my paintings looking old in a critique. It wasn't on purpose and it didn't make me mad.... so I embraced it. I visited the Brand bookstore in Burbank, which is one of the largest used bookstores ever. They have a huge food section. This image is from an English cookbook from the 1970s. The book has birthday cakes with kids' names on them except instead of Susie and John (like in the US)- the english cakes say Nigel and Emma. It is somewhat similar to Lemon LeMonde.... I just realized that.

Establishing the Loutopia empire

I am slowly uploading my images to flickr. Here is my artwork photostream.

Lou's flickr

what I preach...

So here is a progression of my fork in Lemon LeMonde. It is hard because it is curved in space and a foot tall. So I have painted it and repainted it. The last one is close but not exactly perfect. I need to work more on the plate below the fork. Many times what is around the object is as important as the object itself- context. I have these evil thoughts about making it up or erasing it. However, the good teacher in me (or so I hope so) starts to nagging at me to labor on. Look at the negative space.... draw around it.... use the grid.... measure... spot...etc. Sometimes practicing what I preach is hard.


The pictures go from bad to ok.







I'll post more soon! School is almost out for summer. Time to paint....

Something is growing in my garden...

Lemon LeMonde Part 1

It is a baby. I just started this last week. The pattern was an idea that I have been working on for awhile. The first version emerged during a loooong LIBA meeting.