Affordable Art Finds, Week Two

I'm in week two of my Affordable Art Finds series, and I'm already finding it to be quite challenging.  My task- to find original art that is under $75.  Maybe I'm finding it difficult because I'm basically compiling my own Christmas list.  There are, after all, a gazillion works online, but only a select few that I would actually display in my home.  So, without further ado, here are three more original art works that I think are truly beautiful and would gladly receive as a Christmas gift if anyone remotely related to me is reading this.

1.  Handbuilt and painted Tea Bowl by Aida Dirse.  Unique exterior texture.  4 in. across, 3 in. high, $72. Available at Rare Device.

2. Heather Smith Jones, a daffodil for you, graphite, watercolor, acrylic on paper, 4 in. x 5 in., $40.

3.  Matt Shapoff, Victoriana Floral Cyanotype Print, 8 in. x 6 in., $26. 

New gadgets in sidebar

Just wanted to let readers know that there are a few new things in the sidebar- 

1. FOLLOWERS. Would love to know who's reading the blog- I guess that'd be you! 

2.  SEARCH.  Convenient tool to search content in past posts.

3.  BOOKS I LIKE.   One book down and many more to go.  Books I've reviewed can be found under the label "art books." To purchase, click on the book icon in the sidebar.

I also want to remind readers that subscribing to a blog via email is a great way to read the latest posts.  If you sign up in the sidebar, you'll receive my daily posts in the morning through email.  How handy is that!

Thanks to all for reading and for the great comments!

(Psst- another art giveaway is coming soon!)

Sketchbooks made with pollution-free, renewable energy

Wind is a clean, renewable, and abundant form of energy.  So when I saw Strathmore's Windpower Series at a local art store,  I didn't have to think twice about which artist pad I was getting. 

In recent years, a lot of art companies have come out with eco-friendly materials, but it's refreshing to see a company promote their manufacturing practices as well as their products.

Strathmore's Windpower Series are artist pads made with 100% renewable electricity. There are four paper options available- sketch, drawing, bristol, and watercolor; and each coming in varying sizes.  I ended up getting the 9" x 12," 15 sheet, heavyweight bristol pad for under $7.  Not bad for harnessed wind.

Creating art with doilies

With old-time crafts like embroidery and crocheting becoming all the rage right now, I'm not surprised to see doilies making an entrance into the art world.  Grandma would be proud.

Lisa Solomon, Dream of Home, 10" round, gocco, charcoal, embroidery on paper doily, 2009. 

I really dig the contrasting elements of masculine machinery vs. feminine fragility in Kiely's On the Road doily series. Here's one of her pieces from the collection.

Colleen Kiely, On the Road (Rear View #166), 12" round, graphite on paper doiley, 2007.

   Shuxin Liang, Doily Bird, 6.5" round, pencil, watercolor, collage, and sewing on paper doily, 2009.

UK-based Mhari McMullan has made quite a bit of doily art the past couple of years.  Below are a few examples.

Check out more of her doily projects here.

Like a relationship, creating art takes commitment

Creating a new art piece is like starting a new relationship.  At first, it's really exciting, and the outlook is positive.  Then, the conflict begins- the artist starts questioning elements of the work and wants to chuck the whole thing.  But once an artist powers through this difficult stage of the creative process and commits to the end, it leads to rewarding results.

Such was the case with my latest work, "girl in puddle on stormy day."  A couple of times while working on it, I was tempted to just paint over the entire thing.  But, I decided to stick with my instincts and keep going.  The turning point for me was the addition of the patterned cloud formation in the background; it resolved the issues I had with the composition.

No matter how large or small the art project, it's amazing how each creative experience is a unique journey of inspiration, self-direction, and accomplishment.  I'm glad I was able to work through some obstacles with my new little piece- now if only I can finish the large canvas painting I started three years ago!

Contemporary artists and techniques abound in "The Printmaking Bible"

One of my favorite places to escape to is Powell's in downtown Portland. A few days ago, I picked up a new book that I'm really excited about.  It's called The Printmaking Bible, and it's a comprehensive guide to printmaking techniques- intaglio, relief, lithography, screenprinting, and monotype (which was my art emphasis in college).  Instead of reading like a text book, The Printmaking Bible highlights each printmaking technique through the stories, works, and illustrative processes of contemporary artists.

I've enjoyed reading the different artist profiles in each section, but the features I appreciate most in this book are the step by step techniques detailed in photographs and text.  There are visual outlines of unique printmaking methods every few pages of the 400+ page book- techniques such as Chine colle´ to sugar lift etching to blind embossing.  Fascinating stuff for any printmaking fan!

For those who enjoy art books as much as I do,  I decided to start a new section in the sidebar called "Books I Like."  Only images of books that I have shared on this blog will be uploaded, and I'll try to post new book reviews at least every two weeks.

Inspiring landscape paintings by Tracy Helgeson

I dream of owning a little rustic cabin in the woods one day.  And right above the stone fireplace in the cabin will hang one of Tracy Helgeson's paintings.  I can picture it now- me, all cozied up in a blanket, crocheting, and periodically looking up at one of Helgeson's beautiful works.  Sigh.

I happened upon Helgeson's works on the internet earlier this year, and I became an instant fan.  I love the simple landscapes, the dreamy colors, and the textured layers.  One of my favorite paintings of hers is the Long Sky.  It captures so perfectly that brief moment when the sun is just below the horizon line and nature's glories are revealed to an audience of one.

Long Sky, oil on birch panel, 20 in. x 40 in., 2008.  Carrie Haddad Gallery.

Inspired by the scenic surroundings near her home in upstate New York, most of the subjects in Helgeson's paintings are of barns, roads, and treelines.  Her larger works are currently featured in several galleries throughout the East Coast, and her smaller pieces can be found on her website.  I adore this 6 in. x 6 in. piece, White Barns, that was just posted a few weeks ago.  Lovely!

White Barns, oil on cradled panel, 2009. 

Into the Catskills, 18 in. x 9 in., The Harrison Gallery.

Last Bit of the Day, 14 in. x 11 in, 2009. Carrie Haddad Gallery.

Winner of "Birch Forest in Summer" Giveaway!

Thanks to all who commented the last few weeks!  Alas, there can only be one winner, and to play fair, I used Random.org to draw a name.  So, the winner of the "Birch Forest" painting is Carla from NYC- congratulations!