With all of the instability and uncertainty of the Covid era, I’ve found that making time for art-making has been more important than ever. Especially now that we must spend so much time at home, it has proven to be a wonderful escape from the troubles of the world. Additionally, by introducing some much-needed beauty into the world, artists all over the world are helping to make the age of social distancing bearable. tea
Savannah is a beautiful city, and unfortunately, I don’t spend enough time outdoors, taking advantage of the cityscape and natural beauty of the surrounding environment. To remedy this, a friend and I have begun painting en plein air! It’s also a good opportunity for me to practice architectural rendering.
I recently took the plunge and bought an encaustic palette and the various other accoutrements needed for encaustic painting! It’s been quite the experience. I knew that encaustic wax would dry quickly, but I had no idea just how fast the wax hardens on the brush! For my next encaustic pieces, I plan to invest in some electric brush tips, to keep the wax pliable while I transfer it from the palette to the panel. The pieces below are mine, with the exception of the left-most, which was made by the one and only Veronica Primerano.
I was recently honored as a featured artist in Arts on the Coast’s exhibition, “Connected to the Sea.” The proceeds from this special exhibit went to local nonprofits that focus on keeping our Georgia waterways and coast as clean and healthy as possible. My submission was an acrylic painting of the sunset over the Cuban coast. I worked from a photograph that I took on a recent cruise. The color of the water and sky in that moment was truly magical, and I hoped to do it justice in my painting of the scene. This painting was even featured in the Bryan County News, the local paper for Richmond Hill!
Seascape, 9×12, Acrylic on canvas. $125.
I was so honored to be a part of the Arts on the Coast 2018 Spring Show! It is always a treat to see the works of the other AoC members, and my newest painting, “Persimmons,” made its debut.
Persimmons, 8×10, Acrylic on Watercolor Paper. Not for sale.
I recently donated a piece for “Lines & Strikes,” a gallery show benefitting the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. The focus of this show was the plight of the North Atlantic Right Whale, a beautiful creature that is sadly endangered. Though they live most of their lives in the far north, pregnant Right Whales travel to the Georgia coast to deliver their babies. Perhaps they enjoy our beautiful weather?
“Right Whale,” 18×36, acrylic on canvas. Not for sale.
New sketchbooks are always intimidating to me. I used to struggle to begin working in new ones, because I felt that if I made a poor drawing on the first page, it would set a poor tone for the rest of the book. But now I have a system in place. I put stickers on it, to make it feel less new. Then, I make the first page silly and fun, to reduce the tension.
I was so honored to have my work featured in Arts on the Coast’s annual gallery show, “The Live Oak, the Marsh, & the Sea.” So many talented artists participated, and it was wonderful to see the work of other artists in the area. The work is on exhibit through September 9th, at the PhotoPoint Gallery in Richmond Hill.
My newest piece, currently on display in the gallery, is a gouache painting of Fort Frederica, a Revolutionary War site on St. Simon’s Island. It’s available for purchase, for $95.
Fort Frederica, 5×7. Gouache on watercolor block. $95
Littman Art 