I am delighted to announce that my painting was selected for the de Young Museum’s #ThedeYoungOpen, a celebration of local artists for their 125th anniversary. Artists in the nine Bay Area counties were invited to participate in this salon-style exhibition, which will happen…soon. So much is unknown right now, but hopefully it WILL open and we will get to tour the artworks in person! For those of you in the SF Bay Area, I will post it here when I find out, or keep up on their opening date here https://deyoung.famsf.org/safety-guidelines.
Sorry if some of you see more then once, as I have other places to post…
I originally did this selfie for a chance to win a workshop with Art Escape Italy.
I am honored to be included in the O’Hanlon Center’s online group show of self-portraits — “Me to Myself”. The O’Hanlon Center for the Arts is continuing, despite the current circumstances, to exhibit artists and connect people in many ways. The center is in Mill Valley, California, and the show starts today June 8, 2020.
Art Escape Italy recently presented a self-portrait-during-the-lockdown challenge. If you won, you would get a free workshop in Italy in 2021. What’s not to like about that?! I had been to one of their plein air workshops in 2016, so I knew they chose quality instructors and great venues. This was a “stretch goal” for me, to accept the Art Escape Italy challenge, but I figured it was worth it, since the worst that could happen was nothing and the best that could happen was to win a workshop!
It was fun to try, and my first selfie in oils. Although it makes a lot of sense to paint yourself, it doesn’t always feel comfortable as it feels narcissistic or something, so I haven’t done it much. If you don’t want to bother people to sit for even a photograph, much less an actual painting, you yourself are always there…
They had about 150 entries. I did not win, but was close! The winner was a stand-out and I admire that portrait. Here’s Art Escape Italy’s blog post.
I could have posted about this sooner, but I’ve been super-busy with family in town, and, getting ready for these events!
Scene on the Straight —after a year hiatus, has returned. It is in an all-day (10 am to 5 pm) event which raises funds to hire underserved youth to restore regional wildlife habitat areas. A good cause. I am participating with the Joules, a local group of plein-air painters. Scene on the Straight website. I will have oil paintings and 6 miniatures (watercolors). Located at Martinez Regional Shoreline, Martinez. ONE DAY ONLY!
Silver City Mine
a mini-watercolor
Valona Paintout 2014 —an invitational paint-out event. What is a paint-out, you ask? A paint-out is a challenge to produce a painting (or 3!) in a specified period of time, in this case, a week. The canvasses or paper are stamped by the gallery at check-in, and you are set on the loose in a certain area to capture something about that locale. There is an upcoming history article about Strendzel Hall coming up, so I tried my hand at making an old, fairly plain-looking building which has been through numerous remodels, look interesting. The C&H Sugar factory is located in Crockett, which sort of encompasses the old town of Valona, and it has many industrial but some beautiful structures. I heard from a local that these giant tanks topped by a continuous tin warehouse was a steam generator for the sugar plant. I thought they were kind of awesome. (Ok, I know my taste is sometimes odd!). This was a funny view, too, because of the proximity of this quaint little Victorian house which has a tiny, octagonal room hanging out over the street. (other people are odd too! Would you build right next to a steam generator of this size??)
Reception Saturday evening 6 to 8 pm, at the Epperson Gallery 1400 Pomona Street, Valona, CA 94525
This was pretty fun, they actually thought to include an artist-focus on a quiet race day last Saturday. They were good to us, gave us coffee in the morning, lunch at noon, some cool schwag, and a show at the end of the day. ArtSpan was a partial sponsor, and documented the day http://www.flickr.com/photos/artspan/sets/72157635362810297/
Here’s my second 2-hour oil sketch from the day — the water needs work, but I like the colors. It’s an impossible view of the Bay Area, with Mt Tam in the background just for fun!
This was a beautiful black boat, moored next to what was reputed to be Larry Ellison’s floating hotel, not shown…
here’s a preview detail of an unfinished painting of a house on Lincoln Street just a few blocks away from the Frank Bette center in Alameda. I think I’ll call it “Island Living” – it’s really all about the speed limits, 25-35 mph all over the island!
Come to the show and sale at the South Shore shopping center if you’re nearby, it’s on THIS COMING SATURDAY, all day, pretty much.
My Sunflowers painting was nominated for an art blog still life recognition! If you have a minute, vote for your favorite starting tomorrow http://bit.ly/W0ovaJ
My good friend Jana Bouc nominated this painting on the Making a Mark blog. She has told me that she fell in love with the painting — it’s not just because she knows me! I consider her a dedicated and careful painter and really appreciate her vote of confidence. She has a painting up for vote as well at http://makingamark.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/portrait-nominations-for-best-artwork-MAMAwards2012.html
Micaela Marsden 