"ACORN LIFE" ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIA SLICE OF LIFE PAINTING © SAUNDRA LANE FINE ART

"Acorn Life"

20"x20" mixed media on .75" stretched canvas

$300 

Available through my website

I really enjoy my "slice of life" paintings as I call them.  It is literally a slice of something displayed on a specifically textured canvas...always with a little sumpin sumpin on the bottom.  This one sports an American proverb which says "from little acorns mighty oaks do grow". 

This has so much to say about life in general as well...it only takes a little change to make a big difference.  THAT is my biggest and best message within the nature that I find so beautiful that I chose to display to get my message out! As I do with so many of my wrapped canvas paintings, I've painted around the sides so this painting is ready to hang as is! This gives the painting a contemporary look.  But, for those of you with a bit more of a traditional feel you could also frame it.

I've begun with acrylic in the background and then added my own handmade oak leaf stamps with some acid free paper before painting in the acorns in oil. 

FIND INSPIRATION WHERE EVER YOU CAN!

"FIVE ACORNS" ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIA PAINTING OF ACORNS ON PAPER © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Five Acorns"

13"x10" mixed media on w/c paper

20" x 16" finished size

$275 ON HOLD PENDING SHOW NOTIFICATION

 

This is my entry for the Colorado Watercolor Society state show that will be March 2, 2013 through the end of the month.  It will be held at our own Foothills Art Center in Golden, Colorado. This one is definately large enough...but I will not be notified of acceptance (hopefully) until the end of December. 

 

I don't often paint on paper anymore, so to make me feel a little better I coated the 140 lb paper with custom patch (a less expensive but superior product that mimics Golden flexible molding paste) for some light texture.  The background is painted with acrylic, a little more watery than I usually do...it is much like watercolor only it dries a bit darker and you can't rework it! I included some paper, as I love to do, that I made myself (a requirement of the prospectus for CWS on the state show).  The acorns and leaves are painted in acrylic just like I would have painted them in oil...only blending is a little more challenging. 

 

I matted and framed this under plexiglas (another requirement of the Foothills Art Center) and it is already entered.  I'm not sure why we have to enter this show so early, but I squeaked it in right before the deadline.  Wish me luck!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am happily boarding a plane for a visit with my wonderful daughter, her hubby and my sweet grandson Paxton.  I am SO excited!  He has begun walking all over the place since I last saw him, so I just HAD to go! My goal for the trip is to try to entice him to say NANA...for obvious reasons! HA!  I'm not above holding a banana next to my face if that will help!  Wish me luck on that one too!!

 

I feel quite sure I will be posting a photo or two of this part of my most loved family...so thank you in advance for your indulgence!!

 

HAPPY CREATING!!

"ACORN TRIO" ORIGINAL 4" X 4" OIL ON PANEL © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Acorn Trio"

4" x 4" oil on panel

SOLD 10/2/2012...thanks Deb!

Available in my ETSY shop!

 

No, I haven't given up my mixed media work...I'm just working hard to stock my ETSY shop before the holiday shopping time gets away from me!  "Acorn Trio" is painted on a slightly textured panel and as always is painted black on the sides and is offered for no extra charge IF WANTED to be mounted on black acid free/lightfast backer board for framing in a 5" x5" frame so all the edges show...:)

 

 

I am still working on several other paintings at the same time that are a little larger...just working feverishly! 

 

HAPPY CREATING!!





"RED BUDS" ORIGINAL PAPER CAST MIXED MEDIA PAINTING OF ACORNS © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Red Buds"

5"x5" image size

10"x10" finished size

paper cast mixed media

SOLD (thanks Wendy!)

Found a bit of time to complete this fun contemporary take on acorns and their little bud balls.  The acorns are paper cast painted with oil and the beads are some ephemera I found at my local craft store.  The substrate on this is 300lb watercolor paper and stamped with my original oak leaf stamps for a rather abstract background that just gives you enough of a feeling to know it is among the tree leaves!  Put it all together and you have a contemporary take on acorns.  FUN DOINS! PS...I think I'm going to make this my Christmas Card...kill two birds with one stone kind of thing...:)

My little baby in Omaha's latest is he can sit in his boppo (I think it is called that) at the tender age of 3.75 mos!  He is very independent, and mom had to hold her hand very near by to take this pic as he still bobs about in the head...but he LOVES his boppo...and I'm just this minute thinking I may try to paint this...too adorable...stay tuned on which one is second in my Christmas paintings of Paxton series!

HAPPY CREATING!

THE THING ABOUT COMMISSION..."THREE ACORNS" MIXED MEDIA ON STRETCHED CANVAS © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Three Acorns"

12x10" mixed media on gallery wrap canvas

COMMISSION...we will see...

A few days ago a collector called me with a request to do another acorn piece like "Acorn Duo" but not...ha.  I get tickled at those requests.  I respect people who want something I've done...and I understand that they found something they liked.  This collector needed a different size, and after a couple of conversations I learned she wanted something a little different.  We had some conversations and after I understood what I THINK she was after I created this piece.  

She liked the color of the acorns...she liked part of the background color and the depth the dark purply/brown of the bottom...but, after she realized the shape of the canvas was in different proportions she decided that I was right that it needed a little bit more.  So, I did it.

This process is fun sometimes, but I remember my days when I did many more commission pieces and the frustrations I felt as well as the collectors.  It is HARD to take information from one person's mind and get it to match with the other persons mind...I haven't heard back from her yet to know if this is what she wanted...so we shall see.

I often wonder if I should even be doing commission work...and I change my mind constantly.  I love, love working like I do...but I feel frustrated when I can figure out what the collector is thinking of.  Not their fault, and not mine...so, it is a gamble...This one was pretty ok cuz I was in the mood to do another acorn piece...but for the future of me doing commission work...I'm not sure...

HAPPY CREATING!!

"ACORNS" ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIA PAINTING OF ACORNS © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

Last night at Market Dayz wasn't profitable in a monetary sense, but a lot of FUN! Up here on the mountain it is like pulling teeth to get people interested in just about anything...it takes awhile to spread the word...but to go an support a group of businesses that are TRYING to bring out the people was a pleasure!  I've long been a proponent of supporting the arts in my own community, so I went.  I sat next to a group of circle drummers and guitarists that were playing their hearts out...I even jumped in their jam session with my voice (since that was the only instrument I had" and even sang a couple songs with them.  THAT was a blast!  

During all of this frivolity I was also able to complete my first in a group of 3 5"x5" mini that will be entered in a mini show that will be held at the famous Foothills Art Center in Golden in September.  ACORNS is number one.  I don't know what it is about these little nuts that brings me such joy to paint...but they do, so I did!  As you saw yesterday the background was begun with acrylic.  I then moved to adding paper and finished with a little molding paste (as Golden products calls their MODELING paste) a minor bit of stamping and then painted the nuts and two leaves with oil. This was completed on a gallery wrap canvas that I pained around...

Next in line will either be a sunflower or a pine cone...I'll just have to see what I'm in the mood for! :)

HAPPY CREATING!