"ROCK CLIFFS" ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIA LANDSCAPE © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Rock Cliffs"

12"x36" mixed media on gallery wrap canvas

see in person at SUMMER ART MARKET

June 13-14

200 Grant Street, Denver

Booth #54

Another larger piece that reflects my growth in the direction of color and a bit more abstract.  I'm really enjoying working in this new way.  The background is acrylic in base with a bit of the honeycomb pattern subtly added.  The rest is oil.  Note how you can see a bit of paper and pattern reflected in the rocks...a hail to my earlier work.  Most of this painting was created with palette knife.  FUN DOINS!

detail 1

detail 2

I hope you can join me at SUMMER ART MARKET in a few weeks.  There will be a smathering of my earlier work as well as this new. I am also bringing the pet portraits that I still have...who knows maybe you will find one that looks like your pet kid! 

I will add Rock Cliffs to my website as soon as I finish the photography session.  I have painted around the 1.5" deep edges on this one as well.

HAPPY CREATING!

"Tree Line"

6" x 24" Mixed media on 1.5" cradled panel

see it in person at SUMMER ART MARKET

June 13-14, 2015

200 Grant Street, Denver

This was yet ANOTHER piece I dreamed recently.  I have such a great love of trees, this is my respect.  It still has texture and color and pattern.  Notice the stamp and bits of paper along with the round shapes of texture.  The background is acrylic, and then there is modeling paste, paper and finally oil.  This is part of my "play" as I emerge into another stage of work.  VERY exciting for me.  I LOVE the simplicity in this piece...not my typical, and not the largest body of my work, but that is one thing I love about it! HA...every once in awhile I need to rest my eyes!  I call this whimsical and fun...It's unique depth with the wood sides make it a great piece to sit on a shelf...you can even put things on top of it!  A great little piece for decor! 

Here are a couple detail photos so you can see a bit more clearly what is going on in the seemingly simple little painting! 

detail 1

note the fun texture that is the tree in the center...LOVE that texture!  

detail 2

even in this larger expanse with little subject matter I have added texture and subtle pattern.  FUN!

As with Aspen Dreams from my last post I have yet to decide what I want to do to the sides of this painting.  I don't know if I will stain them or paint them...Great fun to contemplate!

HAPPY CREATING!

"ASPEN DREAMS" ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIA ASPEN © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Aspen Dreams"

6"x17" mixed media on 1.5" cradled panel

see it in person at SUMMER ART MARKET

June 13-14, 2015

200 Grant Street, Denver, CO

I really dreamed this painting, thus the name.  I have been curious about my aspen I do lately, wanting to play with them in oil.  I started this painting in acrylic with a basic background color and then, as I do, added paper before laying them in in oil.  You can see the texture I've applied in oil off to the left as well.  I'm in love with texture and pattern, and how it contrasts with a bit or realism.  There is a good amount of "turquoisy" color along with several blues and creams.  

detail of trees playing with paper in the background

We have had; like much of the country; lots of rainy and dark days, so photographing paintings lately has been a challenge!  I think I need to invest in lighting for indoor pics...SO, I'm trying to find a way to describe color of the background; sort of bluish/green...more on the bluish side...

detail of texture in the background...FUN!

I haven't decided on a finish for the side yet...don't know if I want to paint it or stain it...FUN to think about it!

I'll put it in my website when I do the sides...until then, here she is!

HAPPY CREATING!

"PINE CANYON" ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIA LANDSCAPE © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Pine Canyon"

36" x 12" mixed media on gallery wrap 1.5" deep canvas

$650 + $25 shipping 

Available in my WEBSITE

Pine Canyon is a break out painting for me.  It is STILL playing with paper and texture and pattern, with a bit more abstract and more color!  At first it may be so strange to see something so different from some of my previous work like my Mountain Meadow through Aspen Eyes, but it still holds some of the same elements...just a bit less realistic, and more toward the abstract.  Much of this painting is done with pallet knife, the rocks just demanded it of me!  I still have paper and pattern and texture, I've just ramped up the color and contemporary feel I think.  My 101 Pet Portraits project helped me to feel better about playing with color.

Remember, an artist MUST grow to stay alive and keep the inspiration flowing.  I STILL love working with my aspen like in Mountain Meadow through Aspen Eyes, but I also have a great need to change a bit and grow, and this painting is the beginning of that process.  Either method is valuable, and each will appeal to a different collector, but both hold value in the process of creating art from the soul!

This gives you an idea of the size in relation to furniture and such.  The chest is a nightstand size.

This painting was created on a gallery wrap 1.5" deep canvas.  I enjoy making the cradles, but also love painting on canvas at times.  You can see I've painted the sides, so it can be hung as is, or for the collector that loves frames, that can also happen.  They make frames that work for these deeper canvases...a floater frame would work well for this painting as well.

I still LOVE pattern as much as texture...so I've added it in the sky.  This gives it a contemporary feel. And, I love working like this! 

to me, once I layed in the rocks up higher, it didn't need that full disclosure all the way down.  The abstract feel of this is very exciting!  You can see I've got a bit of paper under the paint...a tiny bit of writing shows through, and you can see I've repeated the hexagon pattern down below in a much more subtle way.

I will have this painting in person at SUMMER ART MARKET this June 13-14 if it does not sell before, so I hope you can find me at booth #54!

HAPPY CREATING!

"MOUNTAIN MEADOW THROUGH ASPEN EYES" © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Mountain Meadow through Aspen Eyes"

24"x24" x 1.5" sides mixed media on cradled panel

$700

Available through my WEBSITE

..."through Aspen Eyes" is an important piece for me as it is one of a last of it's kind as I move a little in direction.  It is HEALTHY and GOOD for an artist to grow and change.  I still LOVE these pieces...and I may do a few more here and there, but they will be considered part of my journey through creative experiences to a newer path.  NOT BETTER per say...just a part of my growth as an artist.  I love the amount of information in this painting.  A lot of paper and acrylic is in this painting, with some oil as well...so, a true mixed media piece!  The deer; at least I think it is a deer (lol) is one that stopped at my house to visit one day.  I gave him some brighter colors to reflect the beginning of my movement and growth.  When using brighter colors to depict something it will almost ALWAYS

work if you keep the values (light and dark) the same as in life.  The purples are my way to throw a little punch into this transitional piece!  The cradle sides of this panel painting are stained a nice color to fit in to almost any decor.  I still LOVE mixing abstract elements in my work with a bit of realism...this piece has abstract elements in the meadow part.  I love it for this piece.  As I play in my work in my process of growth, I see a bit more pattern and abstract elements mixed in.  Stay tuned for the next piece as explanation.  I absolutely LOVE working my aspen trees with the detail...so, I see them popping up as I continue on my journey!

 

detail of deer...if you see some cloudy areas it comes from adding other elements to a painting that I first called finished.  I suspect it is the medium and will be eliminated when I seal the entire painting as it dries.

 This piece will be at SUMMER ART MARKET this June 13-14 at 200 Grant Street in Denver.  I am booth number 54!  Hope to see you there!

 

HAPPY CREATING!

"LARRY" ORIGINAL PET PORTRAIT © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Larry"

6"x6" oil on slightly textured panel

SOLD to his pet mom Carol Nelson

Thanks Carol!

"Larry" is another pet portrait that I've done after the fauvist fashion.  He isn't part of my 101 Pet Portraits, but only because he was #102!  I LOVED painting pet portraits SO much that I've decided to offer my services on a permanent basis.  If you are interested in having this done for one of your babies, just click on the menu bar link at the top of my bog titled ORDER YOUR OWN PET PORTRAIT.  Or, click that link and it will take you to the same page! HA!  It explains what I need to get you started.  FUN!

Larry was a sweetheart to paint.  I forgot to ask Carol what he was, but I CAN say just look at those eyes!  I used lots of dark blue and purple in Larry...with a fun color I found called "Green Bean Grey".  A little stamping around the edges and he just popped out!

It was a grey day for photographing AGAIN (seems that is the theme of this spring), so this easel shot is a bit dark, but you get the idea.

HAPPY CREATING!

"DOMINO" 101/101 OF 101 PET PORTRAITS IN 101 DAYS © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Domino"

6"x6" oil on slightly textured panel

SOLD to pet mom Diana...thank you!!

Here we are at the end of my 101 Pet Portraits in 101 Days project.  I want to thank EVERYONE who participated in this project with me.  It was an honor to hear all the stories and get to know each and every beloved pet through painting them!  I learned a lot through this process.  The biggest and best thing for me is that I reaffirmed just how much I love color in my work...I do believe it will be a character in my work that I will hang on to!  I also just got a little better in some areas...not so concerned about tightness, but realized that working with simpler strokes in areas is possible and looks better to me.  I will continue to work with a mix of abstract and realism for the time being as I still find value in using both, so that has been strengthened.  THE INSPIRATION abounds after doing all these pet kids!  It leaks to my other subject matter, so on I go!  Next for me is SUMMER ART MARKET which is June 13-14 at 200 Grant in Denver.  Be watching for more information on that!

NOW!...On to Domino; my 101 of 101. Domino is a Dalmatian kid to my dear friend and co-grandma Diana Grimes.  Domino was the family kid actually, and quite a pet I hear; very much loved.  I find it fun that the 101 was a Dalmatian!  My friend Diana had the idea and I loved it from first mention!  Domino was a great fauvist experience even being "white"!  There is green and red and blue and purple and yellow all in this one "white" pet kid's portrait!  I used my honeycomb in this last portrait of this project to add a little interest to the background.

Check out Domino in all her display ideas. 

 The easel I found at Hobby Lobby.  Domino looks good in the easel as a simple idea!

 Black Floater Frame

can be purchased through pictureframes.com

CF1

 Gold Leaf Floater Frame

CFS3

 Maple Floater Frame

CFS10

HAPPY CREATING!

"BERNARD II" 100/101 OF 101 PET PORTRAITS IN 101 DAYS © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Bernard II"

6"x6" oil on slightly textured panel

$75

Available through my WEBSITE

"Bernard II" is actually the same Bernard that I painted as #1 in 101 of my 101 Pet Portraits project.  He is my niece Kensey's pet kid.  My brother sent me the first photo of the first Bernard...admittedly it wasn't the best photo, but it's still Bernard.  In this first version, My strokes were pretty loose; which is what I wanted...and I tried to see the detail.  There was no light I could see, but it still was a likeness.  In the second version, there was a bit more light...the detail was a bit more ready to see, so...we can all decide what was to be gained! lol  Again, there are much more purples in both versions that show...I just don't get why they don't translate over!  Either way, I still see Bernard in those beautiful brown eyes!

Bernard II has display ideas to show that the first Bernard didn't.  Those things were added as time went on...the easel I found at Hobby Lobby.  The floater frames were purchased through pictureframes.com.

Maple Floater Frame

CFS10

 Black Floater Frame

CF1

Gold Leaf Floater Frame

CFS3

HAPPY CREATING!

"KIKI" 99/101 OF 101 PET PORTRAITS IN 101 DAYS © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"KiKi"

6"x6" oil on slightly textured panel

SOLD to her pet mom; Bonnie.  Thank you Bonnie!!

KiKi is a sweetie pie who actually has more purply blues than just the blue she looks like she has.  AGAIN, I cannot seem to get my purple hues to show up...but, her darks look great in blue or purple!  A fauvist interpretation with these fun colors instead of black.  Kiki has wonderful turquoise/cerulean blues for the highlights I saw in her coat! I enjoyed the strong contrast between her dark coat and those beautiful green eyes!  I also have become enamored with stamping into some of these backgrounds...FUN! Kiki's Pet mom is Bonnie Wells.  Kiki comes ready to frame or sit on an easel as shown.

 This easel I found at Hobby Lobby.

 All these floater frames were purchased through pictureframes.com.  I think they can do better on shipping costs, but these frames were reasonable at $26.40.  Every time I purchased a frame I would comment that they need to improve on their shipping costs...who knows maybe one day they will! lol

MAPLE Floater Frame

CFS10

 BLACK Floater Frame

CF1

 GOLD LEAF Floater Frame

CFS3

HAPPY CREATING!

"OLIVER" 98/101 OF 101 PET PORTRAITS IN 101 DAYS © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Oliver"

6"x6" oil on slightly textured panel

SOLD

"Oliver" is a sweet little Carin Terrier like in the Wizard of Oz.  I had SO much fun painting Oliver.  He is sitting in the arms of someone who loves him!  At first I thought I'd just paint Oliver's sweet face, but quickly I realized; not knowing how his body would look naturally in that pose, I decided to put that loving arm in there, and I am REALLY glad!  It tells a story of love and sweetness!  Oliver's fauvist colors were FUN!  Buttery yellows and turquoise and green make the background colors.  I added a little bit of pattern in the background that adds a bit extra.  Oliver's fur has lots of blue and purple mixed in with some yellows that make some of the darks.  I added a bit of fauvist color to the arm that is holding Oliver; adding some fun!

 

Before I show Oliver in his display photos I wanted to talk a little about my process.  It's been basically the same throughout this project.  I mark carefully where the eyes go...and some important markers.  I then paint the eyes first, often followed by the nose; then the background and I finish with the rest.  Once I get the eyes placed, the nose is easy in relation to them...and the rest goes quickly.  I used the same brushes throughout the whole process. This project has helped me to improve my painting skills, as well as has given me "permission" to use brighter colors and fun interpretations.  I feel so blessed that so many sent in their photos of their pet babies, which made this whole experience that much more fun!  Thank you to everyone!!

And NOW, here is Oliver in all his precious glory!

 I found this particular easel at Hobby Lobby.

 I have to say, for frame colors I have, this one was my favorite for Oliver.  So simple...

These frames are floater frames. These frames get their name from the illusion they offer—once the art is assembled inside the frame, it appears to float within it. I found these frames at pictureframes.com.  I'm not thrilled with their shipping prices (I think they are way too high, and they often ship one small frame in a giant box! ha), but you can watch for sales and deals that pop up on the top left of their website screen.

MAPLE FLOATER FRAME

CFS10

 GOLD LEAF FLOATER FRAME

CFS3

BLACK FLOATER FRAME

CF1

HAPPY CREATING!