Mariposa: The transformation of an artist.

Illustrations! yay!

2008-11-11T21:22:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a few paintings recently, as well as designing a logo for a friends new business. Exciting stuff!

Please forgive the poor quality of these photos. I took them with my computer's camera! =p

This watercolor painting is called "Miss Manners"

The next one is one I am currently working on, and she doesn't have a name yet. Im thinking of something petulant... lol! Its actually painted with acrylic ink using watercolor techniques. Very interesting medium.. Im finding it fun to work with and very challenging to mix properly! She is actually standing on a toad, but I haven't filled in the details on him yet.

Hope this finds you well!!
Love M.

Artists copyrights in danger! Please HELP!

2008-09-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

As an artist I am coming to you with an urgent problem. Could you please send an email on behalf of all artists?.

The Senate just passed the "Orphan Works Bill," quickly, behind closed doors and without a vote, through a controversial practice known as "hotlining." The bill rewrites the copyright law in ways that are devastating to cartoonists, artists, writers, photographers and songwriters.

The Orphan Works bill is being pushed by Google, which plans to catalog millions of images and doesn't want to deal with the rights of copyright holders. The bill will make it easy for anyone to reprint copyrighted work, without the permission of the copyright holder, and artists will find that it is difficult or impossible to control where their work is reprinted. The bill also imposes new costs and procedures on artists, all to benefit Google.

I'd like to ask all my friends to please please help, to do all artists a favor by emailing their congressman and asking him or her to oppose the Orphan Works Bill now, by visiting this web site, which helps you to send an automatic email to your congressman. It is quick and easy to send this email, and it would be much appreciated.

http://capwiz. com/illustratorspartnership/issues/alert/?alertid=11980321

Please Forward along?!

Thanks so much!
Michelle

A new lens and CS3.3

2008-07-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

I have been out playing with my new macro lens and giving myself carpal tunnel playing in the new Adobe CS3 program... O_o

I will upload some of the new photos soon.

My garden is taking off. Soon I will have home grown organic veggies to much on! I will post some pics of that as well..

Oh' Im registered for fall classes!

Digital media essentials (learn all about my Adobe CS3 program)

Website design (Dreamweaver online class)

Foundation Drawing (Pre-req for my degree.)

I am really looking forward to being back in school. However, I will be missing the first few weeks of class!!!! We are off to Costa Rica for 10 days! Yay ME!

I am hoping to bring home some fantastic photos from the trip!

The boys are doing great. I think summer boredom is finally kicking in for them. hehe.

Oh' I am also moving my studio on August 1st! Same building, just to a room with a window... I am very very happy about this. Working without a window has been a challenge..

Here is a pic to keep things interesting.... <3

Local talent!!

2008-07-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

I have recently acquired some new art from local artists! This one I got at the arts festival and its a print of a interactive sculpture. By Dave Borba aka DB Collectibles.
This piece is of a storm by Peter Silcox! Its fab!

Embrace

2008-07-06T20:56:00.001-07:00

Been busy in the studio!! Here is what Im working on.... It's a commissioned piece and Im calling it "Embrace". Im not done with it, but so far so good, me thinks. =)

I will post the finished piece called "Luminosity" after Selena
's birthday. She cant see it!

Ani D and Solstice time

2008-06-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

I havent been as productive the last few days.. Been busy doing Mom stuff. Also on both my new paintings I am starting to work on the fine detail stuff and thats always my least favorite part. hahaha! I think once I am done with this tree series I will be experimenting with some more abstract ideas...

Also this evening is the Ani D concert. Im super excited. My buddy Amy wants to be there by 2pm to wait in line for the best possible seats.. Oy... I dont know if I can handle that... Maybe 3 or 4pm for me? Its freakin HOT out there!

I have been reading a lot lately. Currently working on "Thirteen Ghosts, "Women who Run with the Wolves" and an online freebie "The Garden of Iden". So far, all are very good!
The fact that I am currently reading 3 books ought to tell you about my attention span... =/

Anyway, thats the news! I am hoping to get some decent shots of some of my art and create some prints to sell soon... One thing at a time I suppose...

Tomorrow is my sister's birthday. I intend to head up the canyon to do a spirit release ceremony... She was a solstice baby. =) I miss her like mad...

Life, love and art...

2008-06-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

Ive been super inspired this week. I guess it's partly because two of my friends have birthdays and I love to channel the energies of people when I create.

When Im depressed I dont create much.. Some artists find depression to be quite inspiring, but I shut down.. Its like my light goes out.. Or maybe its so faint I cant see my way back.. That state of being has been my reality this past year.. My sister was diagnosed with a rare and vicious cancer in May 2007 and died in Dec 2007.

The light within has slowly begun to return and now I feel the warmth of it as I begin to create again... Its so exciting to feel inspiration.. To feel compelled to make something unique and beautiful.. I cant wait to see their eyes when I hand them their painting...

I sent out a note to some friends today asking for some help.. I need some advice and maybe even guidance in building my portfolio. I have no idea how to take good shots of my art, for print or portfolio.. I need help writing an artist statement.. Everytime I sit down to do it, I draw a blank.. I hope by this time next year to have had a showing with a gallery.. =p

I did contact the Women's Art Gallery as well.. They were super helpful and maybe will host a class on what to do when your a emerging artist.. That would be so rad..

I love that the sun is shining!

greeting cards and ACEOs

2008-06-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

Ive also been working on some ACEOs and or cards.. Here are some samples.. Also taken with the MAC camera, so not such great photos.. I will retake them when Im ready to sell and properly display..

Trees... How I love em...

2008-06-10T15:01:00.000-07:00

Havent posted in a while, but I have been busy working on art! I need to take the time to capture some decent photos of it, but my mac camera will have to do for now. Here are some tidbits

This one is of a piece for charity. This picture shows it unfinished, so I will show the finished piece next post, I promise. It was auctioned off for my kids school. Its called "Community tree"

Im currently working on this painting, called "Soulmates"

Spring?

2008-02-11T12:18:00.001-08:00

Been busy at the studio this past week! Woo! Inspiration comes with spring me thinks... Took some pics yesterday, since it was sooooo nice outside. Here is one I took with telephoto lens...

I really need to get a computer for the studio (laptop would be ideal).. Most of my paint references are from photos and it would make life so much simpler for me... Not to mention, I need music in the studio as well... Tunes are a MUST! Oh and I need more lights.. The overhead florescent suck! Suck real BAD!

Yep yep!

So I will post some more pics of studio work when I can. =) Happy day to you!

Brand New Studio Space!

2008-02-02T14:32:00.000-08:00

I finally have the my little office "studio" all set up the way I like it. Notice how clean and empty it is! Next time I post photos it will be messy and cluttered with fabulous art! YAY!

Notice the unfinished "Lightworkers" painting in the background, as well as my watercolor station. A brand new work table I built and shelves for storage! I couple other of my paintings are in there too...

Watercolor paintings

2008-01-30T17:18:00.000-08:00

I did these paintings not so long ago. Although the photographs of them arent so great you get an idea of what Ive been working on. =)

Watercolor study ~Blushing Rose

Watercolor study ~Ascension

Watercolor ~Cracked

2008-01-30T11:50:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Had some major things happen over the last few months. Not only have I not been creating much art, but the art that I do create I dont have decent pictures of. What happened? Well, my little sister (25yrs) died on the 27th of December of Synovial Sarcoma. And frankly I've just been really depressed!!

However, I am doing much much better now and Im ready for 2008 and all the new art thats screaming in my head to get out!

Some new developments-

I got my art studio! Woot! A really great little place in the 9th and 9th district of SLC. Its small, but its mine! Im still working on getting it set up the way I like it, but I did make a cheesy little sign for the door. hehe. I will take pics soon and post them I promise!

Here are some beautiful shots of our snowy winter here in SLC

Red Butte Garden in Autumn 2007

2007-10-25T17:37:00.000-07:00

Went to Red Butte today and it was lovely. Took some decent shots, here they are. =)
A spent magnolia blossom.

Fall colors against a blue sky. This is the correct direction of the branches too!

A cute little jumpy spider on a red pepper...

A lovely little rock path through water...

More flowers

2007-10-20T15:38:00.001-07:00

Roses

2007-10-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

I love to photograph flowers.. I love to paint them even more! These pictures are some examples of some of the flowers I have taken pictures of. Someday, I will transform them into paintings... I am thinking abstract, maybe watercolor? I will post when I get that done! =)

Merry meet!

2007-10-20T12:30:00.001-07:00

I decided it was time for me to create a blog to document my progress as an artist. I work in a variety of mediums depending on my mood, so ya never know what Im gonna do! =) I have sold a few paintings, given many many away, and a few commissions too. But really I am all about improving my skill and eventually working full time as a paid artist.

Here is a piece I did for a commission last year called Quantum Goddess...

Close up: