New listing on Etsy!

December Floral bouquet 20 x 16 acrylic painting that I completed a few years ago. Sometimes when I make a piece I need to just look at it for awhile before I feel that I can call it complete. The floral series is a prime example of this, they were done back in 2005 at the suggestion and direction of a Chinese friend. So different but so cool :)

Fishing at dusk

I don't really know if I can call this one an abstract either. It came from fishing (though I should probably call it "standing on the side of a stream with a stick in my hand") at dusk. It was pretty windy, the sky was the most outrageous color and the water just picked the colors up in the most unlikely ways. I thought it was cool so I painted it :)


So.......... abstract or realistic - your choice

Thanks for visiting and looking!

Size is 15" x 22" mixed water media
on archival heavy watercolor paper

Price is $267

You can purchase this through Etsy.com by clicking on the image.

A couple more props

Last time I talked about how I make theatrical props from found objects for a production of Mel Brook's "Producers" This post is the same premise, different play. These are for a production of "Sweeney Todd" Fewer props this time which worked out time-wise as it was only one week between plays.

Meat Pies are just papier Mache

Meat Grinder for Mrs. Lovette's shop:

Materials:

Large piece of cardboard (bowl)

ramen noodles box

Seattle's best medium coffee cup

paint stirring stick

Going green with theatrical props

As an Artist, I'm often asked to pitch in for a variety of projects, my favorite is when I'm asked to make props for theater. I love a creative challenge so my approach is a little different. Rather than going out and purchasing materials from craft shops or buying pre-made pieces, I go green and make them from found objects. Materials used in the following images include papier mache, chopsticks, mardi-gras beads and empty bottles of tea.

Some of my most recent props and their materials lists:

20 Papier Mache ball and chains - Punch balls (child’s toy) Papier Mache, collars and wrist/ankle bands are recycled posters covered with duct tape, chains are mardi-gras beads which are held on to the balls using plastic gift cards and hot glue.

9 Adding machines with desks - desks are Little Caeser’s pizza boxes turned inside out, machine is shaped from cardboard, keys are thumbtacks with bingo chips super-glued on the tops.

2nd photo is the sound mechanism. - which consists of 5 chopsticks, a cut up iced tea bottle, some mardi-gras beads a gift card, some hot glue and black duct tape.






Hats - papier mache, wrapping paper, broken safety glass salt (you should have seen the looks I got at the junk yard when I asked to go in and collect it!) mardi-gras beads, shredded paper, 2 feather dusters, a boa and a knee high.


2 tanks - cardboard, duct tape, glue. This photo was taken during rehearsal. At the last minute I added a dowel with a small sign saying “bang” :)

Bubbles

Bubbles
24" x 36" 2011
Acrylic on board

It looks like the two 'homage' pieces have now morphed for me into a new series! Bubbles is the first, but many variations are occuring to me now, and each seems just a little bit cooler than the one before, so this could end up as a very large edition (just a warning:)

The two prior paintings were 'Homage' and '60/60 11' in case you're curious

New Painting "Floats"

This is from the "Hope" series. Here the spirit dances and plays:)

24" x 36" Acrylic on board

Also in the series - "Fly"

And the beginning of the series "Hope"

Homage to Yayoi Kusama

Homage 2
Acrylic and Gouache on paper
9" x 12"
$85.

With this painting I’m continuing the series that I started at the Everson 60/60.….so I suppose I should explain a little where the ideas came from :)

It all started with my friend Richard Castellane. In the early 60’s he bought a few pieces in the net series from a struggling young artist in his gallery named Yayoi Kusama. One of the pieces hung over his sofa and as I would speak to Richard, my eyes would always stray to it. I realized how fond I had become of it when he sold it and I wasn’t able to visit it any more.

Kusama was interested in the spots; they create an interesting and vibrant image. Personally I liked the spaces around the spots,; they seem to suggest the movement of some of my favorite Op Artists, specifically Victor Vasarely, and Bridget Riley. Vasereli’s art gives the illusion of being 3-d on the canvas and Riley’s line paintings appear to move. In painting my homage, I tried to incorporate a little of all of the above :)

Everson 60/60

Will the young man in the fedora please contact me at kathysgallery@yahoo.com? I have something that belongs to you :)

Ok, now to the blog post.

My work usually sells by word of mouth, at MadArt Gallery or at art shows. I don’t do art fairs so I really look forward to events like the 60/60 when I’m able to meet artists and art lovers (fellow art nerds) I loved seeing the other artists at work and having such knowledgeable input!

I participate in the 60/60 and a few other events like it because they are fund raisers for the arts. This event directly benefits the Everson Museum of Art which is a wonderful resource right in the center of New York State. As an artist, I donated an hour of painting and then the resulting piece to the Museum. They provided refreshments and a whole crew of volunteers to ensure that everything went smoothly and that everyone had a wonderful time. The resulting pieces were raffled off with the proceeds going to Museum expenses. It’s quite an honor to be invited to join such talented artists in supporting this cause. My piece was won by fellow artist, Janet George Johnson. Congratulations Janet! Your kind words (and excellent taste) are greatly appreciated!

Plein Air Painting in Hamilton Park

Another Plein Air painting! This time it's a bit smaller, only 9" x 12" and done in monochromatic goache. The scene is in the park in Hamilton, New York at dusk.

Plein Air painting part 2

The previous post on my plein air painting poses a really interesting problem with computer technology. Seen from the point of view of the large screen on my home computer and in real life from the point of view of approximately 5 - 10 feet away, it's a rather abstract scene, but on my web book and from a much further distance it looks almost photographic. Not a terrible thing I suppose but I like it far better with the more impressionistic feel of the closer viewpoint.

This is a point that has been brought up in art classes, I have often reminded students that no one will probably ever look as up-close at their work as they are. They need to step away at a comfortable viewing distance occasionally to see what their audience will see. It's tempting to ignore that the same rule is true when it comes to computer technology, that what you see from the original at a comfortable viewing distance will translate much the same online. When the original image is small, there won't be much distortion, but as you start getting into images that are much larger than the screen, the distortion caused by shrinking can change the entire feel of the piece.

Plein Air painting

Plein Air painting done at Chittenango Falls. Just for fun!

'Plein Air painting' simply means taking your easil outside and painting what you see. The easil and I were perched a little precariously here, but it was a beautiful day and I really liked the view. This painting is 24" x 29 1/2" on artist's board.

Tempest Print

Posting "Tempest" today because it just seems appropriate today! Tempest is another painting lost in the fire, but high quality prints are available by clicking the image.

Daisies for Mom

Flowers for Mother's day that won't wilt!

Once again the original is gone but you can still get prints, just click on the image

Mother's day is coming!

Imagine giving Mom a bouquet that won't fade and won't break the budget! The original painting as been spoken for, but reasoabe prints are availabe through redbubble.com, just cick on the image!

Inspirational quote of the day

"The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.". Emile Zola

Saatchi Online

Saatchi Online is a free service for artists. Like Devientart and Redbubble, they will print your images for you and send them out. Unlike those services though, they seem really interested in protecting the artist's copyright, and they will allow the artists to sell the original artworks!

So...... I'm starting to upload there, nothing's for sale yet but will be soon! Please take a moment and check it out. I'd love some feedback www.saatchionline.com/KathyShetler

60/60 at the Everson Museum of Art

The Everson Museum is a great little Museum in Syracuse New York, surprising in the scope and quality of it's holdings, from Ancient pottery to John Lennon's tree. So it is quite an honor to have been asked again to paint in the 60/60 fund raising event there.
This year's event will take place on June 17th between the hours of 6 and 9 pm. Hope to see you there!