Almost forgot!!

I finished this piece from my photo to paint class. What do you think?

Some new art Ive been working on..

Im finally getting around to posting pics of the recent art Ive made...here ya go :)
This is a mixed media piece on canvas. I made a video tutorial for this so Ill post it when Im through editing.

                                                                                                    Mixed media for a deco                                                                                                                                               

New is good :)

So I've been taking an art class every Thursday for the past month at the Aiken Center for the Arts and I gotta say, I'm improving a lot! The class is Acrylics - Photos to Paintings its taught by Sharon Taylor Padgett. Here's a link to her website http://oiloriginals.com/
She's super nice and teaches us so much in the little time we have. Her paintings are amazing! She did this beach scene painting from a vacation photo and its so good. The ladies in the class are really nice and everyone's experience level is different so it's cool to have such a mix of talent in the class. The first week I chose a picture out of a magazine, it was a photo of someones oil painting. I thought it would be easy but I was wrong lol, but thanks to Sharon's guidance, I was able to really  see how things are broken down.
Here is a pic I was going off of 

and this is my finished piece. What do ya think?





Next week is the last class for this session but I'm definitely going to sign up for more. I think the more I learn, the better I will become. I want painting to be my source of income, I cant imagine going back to a desk job that I hate and wasting away any talent I have. I have a long road ahead but I'm determined to make it happen!!

Update: 2/11/12 I started a new painting in class, im doing a portrait!! eeek!! I'm a little overwhelmed but again, my teacher helped me so much. So im working on it all weekend, ill post pics later.
Oh and my grandfathers bday just passed on the 5th, I never know what to get him and I finally got him something he doesn't have, an art set :) He sounds super excited to start painting, he said its something he has always wanted to do and im glad I got him on his way.
Enjoy your weekend!!

Heart in a cage

When I'm alone in my art room I get into this groove... the music blaring, sage burning, candles lit. I get lost in my thoughts, emotions and my surrounding.
It's no secret that the past year has been pretty hard for me emotionally and mentally. I thought I would never resurface from the darkness and pain that held me under. Never thought I would see the light of life and be able to breathe again. Hiding how I felt only made me an angry and unpleasant person to be around. I hated it, it wasn't me, I needed to change. I had to snap out of it, stay strong for myself and to carry on and look forward to what the future had in store for me. I know I'm not ready to let anyone into my heart or my life... honestly, I enjoy being alone, there is no chance of getting hurt. I want to keep my heart under lock and key, I want my heart just for me. Tonight I started working on a piece of art that is very personal. I'm grateful to have the ability to use painting as an outlet for my emotions, it's like my life's journal, each piece is apart of me

If I keep my heart in a cage... there's no chance of future pain...there will be sun...no more rain.-Red

Do 4 day weekends count for artists? :P

So everyone is talking about their plans for this 4 day weekend and I can't help but wonder..do these types of holidays count for a self-professed artist? Do i lounge around and hit up BBQ's or go to the lake? lol 

Well this 4 day, Labor Day weekend I will be laboring away in my art room, attempting to finish this 4'x4' piece of art. I've changed this "Red Headed Sinner" about 10 times, I just couldn't get the face right, then when I got the face, I hated the hair, then the background was too dull....ugh. This has been quite a process, and ya know what, I love every moment of it! There is no one expecting anything out of me, but me. 
So back to the painting...her face is going to have Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) makeup on and I plan on adding a lot of lil extras all over. This has been an idea in the making for a really long time so I'm glad my mind is ready to finish. Ill post more this weekend to show you the process. When I'm done ill let you in on the whole story behind it ;)
Have a great weekend everyone!
-Red

 

Gifted Art, Gifted Soul?

• Does it feel good to give someone a piece of your art and soul? 

• Will this person remember you for the rest of their lives? 

• Did your art make an impact in their current lives? 

I had all these questions in my head tonight when I thought about a painting I did and gave away recently. I will create another similar to it and I'm happy I took pictures of the piece a day before, like I knew I would never see it again....
I feel like I create art because it feels wrong not to. I feel like my day isn't complete until I spread some paint and love somewhere in my art room. It's become apart of me and my daily routine and when I think back to working a 9-5 job that I loathed, I don't see how I was able to breathe. Art is my life, my breath, my tears, my pain, my love...all wrapped up into one. I want to spread my art to you all...