Friday, February 28, 2014

starts tomorrow!!


This is the new postcard for my RETRO CHALLENGE 2014 that starts tomorrow!
I think it's beautiful.
It has a vintage New Mexico sunset as the background and some of my favorite
acrylic/ink paintings, along with a pic of yours truly.

Okay, so here's the deal.
Tomorrow, I start painting.
As soon as the paintings are done, I will post them here and on the new blogsite, which is:

www.deeretrochallenge.blogspot.com

I will be painting 150 small, 25 large, and 50 hand-painted ornaments.

The show will actually open at Weems Gallery on Friday, September 26, 2014.

Between now and then - if you see a painting you want to buy:

1. Write down the title and the number.
2. Have your payment information ready.
3. Call Weems at 505-293-6133 or Dee at 505-792-1030. 
4. Or email Weems at weems@weemsgallery.com or Dee at dshadowtail@aol.com
5. Tell them you are calling about Dee's Retro Challenge 2014.
6. Give them your information.

THEN:

7.On opening night, if no one else wants to purchase the paintings you choose,
 you get to buy them for $150 each.
8.If two or more people want the same painting, we draw a name out of a hat!
The person whose name is drawn gets the painting for $150.
Most people have second and third choices, just in case.

Once all the multiple paintings are sold, 
you may walk up and remove your painting from the wall and make your purchase.
For people not present, we will notify you and ship your painting.

That's it - it's pretty simple, really.
We're having a big party on opening night with an artist's reception from 5-6pm.
You can enjoy great music, food, refreshments, visit with me, 
and preview the paintings all in one location! 
That will be 175 paintings, all in one huge gallery room.
The show and sale will begin promptly at 6:30pm.

Larger paintings and ornaments will be priced accordingly and posted on both sites. 

I will be painting landscapes, florals, churches, figures, 
canyon women, sunflowers,and much more. 
This will be your last chance to buy old-school lined work.

So I hope you will all watch and support me as I begin this new challenge.

I'm ready!! 

If you have any questions, just drop me and email or give me a call.


 
  




Wednesday, February 19, 2014

getting ready for the Retro Challenge

 There has been much cleaning and unpacking going on!

I am finally getting motivated - mostly because I know I have a huge project
coming up and time is wasting away...

The Retro Challenge 2014 is coming!!

What you see above is the reorganization of my studio - 
the packing up of unused canvases and gessboards and the unpacking 
of 150 new gallery wrap 8x8s and 8x10s.

The moving around of oil paints and a new oil painting area.
The purchase of acrylics for painting
and acrylics for ornaments.
Lots of sealer and ink too.

 Isn't this beautiful? Just kidding.
This is my old rickety chair, a bunch of trash and the displacement of many things!

 Can you tell I have no idea what I'm doing yet?

 These are my ornaments-to-be.
They have been sanded and primed and are awaiting painting.
I plan on having at least 50 of these for my Weems show in September.

 These are the wooden chopsticks that I use for holding ornaments while
they are being painted. I slip them through the golden top
 and then I can twirl them any which way to paint.
I also use them for hanging ornaments to dry.

My nice clean canvases all stacked and ready to go.
And, oh so intimidating!

My postcard is being produced now and will be
ready for mailing in about a week.
The Retro Challenge begins on March 1, and you can follow along here.

Friday, February 07, 2014

"RICH"
10x8"
oil on hardboard
SOLD


I'm getting ready to embark on a big seven month project called the Retro Challenge,
which starts March 1 and opens on September 26!

My studio is basically clean. As clean as can be for me, anyway.
My paints are organized into two areas - the acrylic area and the oil area.
I will post pictures of those new set-up later.

I also have a specific place at my table for working on ornaments.
Really, the only supplies I am waiting on right now are 150 gallery wrap canvases, 
which should be here any day.

Once the Retro Challenge starts, I will be working mostly in acrylic.
Since I'm painting 150 small paintings and 25 large paintings, most of my
time will be taken up with acrylic 
and I'm sure it is going to drive my absolutely crazy some days.
I still want to offer my juicy little oil paintings to my daily paint sites and to
my customers and clients who love them.

This particular painting is showcasing my HUGE desire for spring and summer to be here.
I find the older I get, the less I like cold, ice, and snow.
I would much rather be surrounded by warm days, beautiful flowers, and buzzing bees.

So, this paintings keeps me in mind of the beauty that is headed my way in a month or two.
It was so much fun to paint - lots of thick texture and bright colors,
Maybe my next challenge will be a  whole year of painting with a knife!