First Day of Spring & Indulging in Art

Rose-O-Shannon Progression
Acrylic & Water Soluble Wax Pastel
©BEDeuel Bronson Hill Arts 2015

With our part of the world being kept in an almost perpetual deep freeze this season, it's easy to let time get away from us. Dark days & cold, miserable temperatures can make one feel depressed, despite our not necessarily suffering from depression. 

It feels as if we've spent months just waiting. Waiting to be inspired, waiting to feel free. Free of layers of clothes & the subsequent piles of laundry. Free of the tedium of clearing & manuevering endless acres of snow. Free of the doldrums and hopeless feeling that spring may never arrive. 

And, while, in theory, this should be the perfect time to hibernate in the studio, it is difficult to do so. The thought of going beyond the radius of the fireplace was more taxing than joyful. 

But, today is astronomically the first day of spring. Over the last week, the snow pack has melted to show saturated greens & browns. Bunnies & deer have emerged, hungry. The birds have started to sing again. Flocks of geese have begun to return to the neighborhood, honking their way across the skyways. Yes, it is still snowing. Lightly & briefly, if the meteorologists are remotely correct. Soon it will stop.

Hibiscus, Rose-O-Shannon & Stella Doro Daylily Progression
©BEDeuel Bronson Hill Arts 2015

The attempted arrival of spring has helped me to get some hustle going. I've been in the studio. I've taken account of the seemingly gazillion pieces & projects that have lain as dormant as the trees these last 4-5 months. It's overwhelming, in a good way. 

Base Acrylic Painting for Stella Doro Daylily
©BEDeuel Bronson Hill Arts 2015

This particular project I'm sharing today is for a specific show. The details of the show preclude my sharing the purpose of the exhibit, but I still would like to share the experience with you.

There are 4 pieces started, each with acrylic paint to create a random pattern of greens & sunshine. From there, I sketched the flowers that I'm looking to paint as the subjects. I was excited to be working with acrylics again!

Tiger Lily Progression: Acrylics
©BEDeuel Bronson Hill Arts 2015

BUT, as soon as I tried to paint the flowers with the acrylics, I remembered why I don't like using acrylics. I'm an alla prima painter which works wonderfully with oils & even watercolors. Not so much with acrylics! I know that you can mix some oil retardant with the acrylics, but, I need the pieces to be ready in a few weeks & that would defeat the purpose of using the actrylics!

Rose-O-Shannon Progression: Acrylic & Water Soluble Wax Pastels
©BEDeuel Bronson Hill Arts 2015

So what to use? A-ha! Water soluble wax pastels! Great for blending & quick to dry, these beauties are just perfect for this project. I'll keep posting the progress as I go along.

What projects have you rediscovered lately?

And, mostly, Happy Spring, everyone!

TMC Hamlin Beach Park

Hamlin Beach Copse
Watercolor Paint 4x6 Cold Press 140# Paper
©2012 BEDeuel

Last autumn (October 2010), Mike took his camera out to try to capture some of the remaining foliage on the shores of nearby Lake Ontario. The last several years, he'd become accustomed to using a digital camera, but wanted to try this venture with his new-ish 35mm.

What he found difficult, after all these years with instant results, was figuring out if he'd gotten the shot he'd wanted. Despite having taken film photographs for decades prior, it was alien returning to the form.

He was disappointed with the results. The day was beautiful but the foliage color was on the dim side, which, in truth was the only problem I could find with his photos. The composition was still excellent, the subject beautiful.

My motivation for using this photo for a 20-minute painting was to demonstrate to him how well his composition translates to others.

Personally, I'm pleased with the piece. Just as I was with his original photograph.

Thanks, Twenty Minute Challenge for letting me share!

IF Grounded

Grounded on a Rubber Sole
4x6 Watersoluble Pencil on 120# Paper
©2012 BE Deuel Bronson Hill Arts

“Grounded“. It’s one of those words that can mean so many different things.

In the mundane aspect, it can refer to the design of an electrical plug or the purpose of a lightning rod. In a child’s/teenager’s life, it can mean the end of the world; at least in the short run, which can seem like forever for them. In relation to the metaphysical, it can mean being well-adjusted and able to deal with reality.

Do I consider myself a grounded person? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

I’ve worked relatively steadily since I was 16, keep a decent home, support and love my family and friends. I can be so insanely realistic at times that I can irritate others with my apparent “negativity”. There is quite a bit of evidence that I am well-grounded.

But, even at that, I still dream dreams that aren’t practical. I would love to have an animal foster home and a fulltime art business. I have always wanted to write a book. It would be incredible to spend 6 months in an RV with my husband exploring the U.S. with cameras and canvas in hand!

On a smaller scale, I would be thrilled to have enough time to sleep and read in the hammock every spring, summer and fall day. Oh, actually, that would include the dream of being able to afford to hire someone to clean my house and weed my gardens! I would enjoy sampling a meal in every restaurant and diner in this area that we live in and anywhere else we‘d fancy.

I suppose what makes me a “grounded” person is that I know that the odds are that these dreams are, most likely, not going to happen in this incarnation. But what makes me happy, is still be able to enjoy those dreams and the reaching for those goals.

Yes, grounded is good, but happy is better.

IF Scattered

Scattered & Frazzled
6x6 Colored Pencil on Smooth Bristol Paper
©2011 BEDeuel

Too much paper and detail to track effectively. Demands on your time coming from all directions. And, boy, is the house ever a mess!

Seems to describe life as of late which makes it a very appropriate topic to illustrate. Thank you, Illustration Friday.  Enough said, I think!

Take some time to yourself this weekend and enjoy it!

Helping Hands and Hearts

Last week, I blogged about the first art show I’ve entered as a working adult. The show opened on Friday. I wish I could say, “Wow! It was everything I’d hoped it’d be!”. It wasn’t at all.

Enjoying a moment...

The display of the artwork was done very nicely, I will say. I suppose I was expecting some greeters who would introduce some of the artists and viewers to the art and to each other. But, being a volunteer organization the manpower may not have been available (though I was available that day…). The real heartbreaker was personal, though. My name and pieces were completely left out of the program. And, from what we could determine, it was only me. Plus my middle initial changed to "A" from "E". As I was upset, I missed out on what I’d be anticipating to be the best part of the whole experience: connecting with other art lovers. It had been a wonderful week in that regard up till then.

Not surprisingly, I heard such encouragement from our fellow bloggers and blogging artisans. That was the start. Friends and family, always there, always positive. 

Picnic In the Park 2011
Photo by Howard Owens

 I’d received an invitation to show at Batavia’s Picnic in the Park on July 4^th. I had passed simply because I am still building a portfolio and inventory off of those items. I wouldn’t have enough to show yet. But I went to see what it was about to see if it’s something I want to do next year. (And, yes, I do. Hopefully I’ll get another invitation!)

While I was there I ran into another artist I’d met in a completely different setting about a year ago, Sharon Jenke Long, who does amazing portrait work. Chatting with her for a bit, she encouraged me to “just keep drawing” and it’ll happen.

At another booth, I met an artist who’s work I’d never seen, nor had I seen anything like it, Bridgette Paddock of http://www.briduvielsworld.com/ gave me information on merchandising and printing I doubt I ever would’ve found on my own. It was a wonderful experience and a wonderful day.

An Artist at Work: Sharon at Picnic In the Park
Photo by Howard Owens

After Friday's art show reception, we wandered out to the Geneseo Rotary Summer Festival and came across more artisans. The connections were easy, the help flowing. It brought my mood around, made the day bright again.

Oddly, for a field with so many potential competitors, most artists are remarkably helpful and appreciative of each others endeavors.

And this is what needs to be held close. Not the administrative glitches, not the oversights. The people sharing themselves with others. Maybe the disappointment gave me a very important reminder of that priority.



Geneseo Rotary Summer Festival 2011 Craft Booths
Photo by Dick Gallivan

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Speaking of sharing:


This past autumn at my friend Stephanie’s annual wine party, I found that her brother-in-law, Rick, has a very talented artist for a sister. Her name is Debbie Bender, and she is an incredibly talented portrait artist. She also does landscapes and other things that strike your fancy.


Debbie’s attention to both detail and spirit brings it all to life. Check out her website at 
http://www.dldrawings.com/ and enjoy! Drop her a line, too, if you like her work as much as I do!
 　

A Face You Can't Resist
©Debbie Bender

 　

An Accomplishment

This Friday, July 8th, the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts is opening it's Member Exhibit. And, it's my first "show" since college, 30-odd years ago.

Obviously being a member's exhibit, it's not juried. But, it's a first step. For me, it was the accomplishment of starting the works, learning about framing (& both pieces do look so much better framed), and just following through.

I've always been held back by an unfortunate case of anxiety. The fear of failure has stopped me in my tracks more times than I could ever recall.

I used to constantly get choked up about whether anyone would like what I did or if it was good enough. Would people just laugh at me behind my back? Or, worse, to my face? Stage fright and anxiety attacks were not a rare occurance.


Ice Fog
5x7 Water Soluble Paint on Canvas
©BEDeuel 2011

 A good part of my life has been spent almost paralyzed by this condition. And, that includes pursuing the idea of showing my work. A lot of times, it even prevented me from finishing an artpiece. What if I didn't know how to finish it? Wouldn't it just be easier to stop and say that I ran out of time to finish it?

Now, I won't lie: I'm still concerned about what people think. I have to be concerned if I'm to function in the real world. I have to perform in my job and work with clients as well as other workers. But, I've been doing the job so long that it's second nature that comes so easily, I don't have the need to overthink it and panic. Some details and procedures may still trip me up, but those setbacks pass quickly.

The opportunity to show a couple of pieces along with a variety of other artists is wonderful. I get to see the differences in both the works and the reactions that people may have to the works. I am prepared that my pieces may not generate any interest. But, it's the first step to seeing where I may need to aim the next time with my work.

I'll try to do a few more non-juried presentations, but, the goal is to try to be accepted into a juried exhibition. The goal is to overcome the fear of rejection and failure.

I have to say "thank you" to all of you who have been so encouraging and supportive over these last several months. I'm not sure I would've screwed up the needed courage to do this otherwise.


Silhouette in Field
6x8 Acrylic Paint on Canvas Panel
©BEDeuel 2010

I'm so excited to be starting on the path of this newest journey!

Enjoy your holiday weekend and any journeys you decide to take now or in the future!