A Haunted Night!

"A Haunted Night!"

I am dreaming of Halloween and just listed an original Halloween watercolor postcard on eBay. You see, I'm preparing for three folk art shows this fall, two of which are Halloween shows!

First, I'll kick off the show season with Tinsel and Treasures Folk Art Show, Sept. 15 in Danville, CA. I can't wait to see all my friends and collectors at the show! I'll be in California for a week visiting friends and shopping, of course! Then off to see my parents in Reno. The trip will culminate with the wonderful Halloween art show Halloween and Vine, Sept. 29, in Petaluma, CA. It's always an awesome event with some of the best Halloween artists around! I love that I am returning again this year to this show!

And finally, I'll be participating in a Halloween folk art show closer to my home in Florida. Spirits in Sanford, Oct. 13, is in Sanford, FL, a quaint, historic town a little more than an hour from me. I will be celebrating Halloween so many times before the 31st!

With dreams of Halloween, I hope you enjoy the later half of your summer!

Dreaming of Cool October Nights

I am already dreaming of October and the fall weather, even though summer hasn't officially hit! My latest painting up for bid on eBay, "Haunted Halloween," is on Arches watercolor postcard paper. You can fnd it by clicking here. And, I'm painting more pieces, and creating other art for my upcoming folk art shows, Tinsel and Treasures, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012, in downtown Danville, CA and one I will be participating in for the first time Spirits in Sanford, Saturday, October 13, 2012, in Sanford, FL. I can't wait to see everyone and meet new faces! Mark your calendars!

Oh....and if you're creative yourself and would love to learn a new technique this summer, check out ArtfulGathering.com! I'll be teaching an online art workshop about paper mache using strips of newspaper and a homemade paste recipe to create a hot air balloon ornament. There's lots of other artists too, so have a looksie! Here's a movie trailer for my class. Hope to see you soon!

Howling with Delight

I hope you enjoyed that large glowing orb on Saturday night! We were out and howled with delight as it rose to its closest point to earth this year. I was so inspired by the perigee moon, I created my first Halloween ACEO of 2012. "Harvest Moon" is up for bid on eBay, just click here to head to my auction. Happy Haunting!

Halloween Art Cards Make Originals Affordable

I have not painted many Halloween artist trading cards in a while and thought it was time. Artist trading cards (ATC), or as eBay calls them art cards, editions and originals (ACEO), are tiny works of art created on a standard size of 2-1/2" by 3-1/2" sheet. They were originally intended for artists to trade works of art with each other, and they were never to be sold. But they caught on with the masses, because they make original works of art affordable for everyone. I have painted many of these in past years and began moving toward larger paintings. But in this economy, I figured it was time to offer an original work for the same cost as one of my prints.

I've listed this original Halloween watercolor on eBay and you will find my auction here. Look for other Halloween ACEOs on eBay by some of my fellow Eclectic Halloween Artists Guild members by using the search term, "EHAG." Now, I'm off to continue preparing for upcoming art shows Tinsel and Treasures, September 10, in Alamo, CA, and then Halloween and Vine, September 24, in Petaluma, CA. Happy Halloween...soon! 

My Halloween Art Up for Grabs on the EHAG Emporium

Halloween is almost here and that means GIVEAWAY time, not to mention the newest update of the EHAG Emporium. On the 31st of every month, the artists of the Eclectic Halloween Artist Group offer for purchase spectacular Halloween art valued at $75 or more. And there's always a giveaway before the big day. 

This month two pieces of my art are up for grabs! A limited edition "Haunted Mansion" watercolor print (8" x 10" and no. 8/50) will be given away, along with an original, vintage inspired Halloween mask ornament. And there's several other pieces of art to be gifted to a lucky few.

To enter, head on over to the EHAG Emporium blog, leave a comment telling about your favorite decoration or piece of Halloween art! A winner will be drawn on Saturday, October 30th.

And, if you're interested in seeing more of my original Halloween watercolor prints available for purchase, check out my "Buy It Now" listings on eBay and my prints in my Etsy shop. Lots of Halloween images to choose from.

Happy Halloween!

My Watercolors Featured in Celebrate365 magazine!

 

I am so proud to be in the Halloween issue of Celebrate 365, a journal for the ornament enthusiast. There are many other Halloween artists featured too, as you can see from this two-page spread of the quarterly publication. The magazine also offer artist interviews and many photos of ornaments and October 31 inspired art.  Another large watercolor of mine also was featured, in addition to my Victorian Paper Doll Witch wall decor. Publisher Connie Porcher does a great job finding the best in the industry and I'm humbled to be a part of it.

Beware of Odd Encounters in the Woods

As you may know from my last post, I met a tree gnome and actually snapped his picture. What I didn't tell you was the old witch we met during our meanderings in the forest. She was a bit creepy and invited us in for tea. Thankfully, my husband and I had to get back to our visitors, so we couldn't accept her invitation. I don't know if her disappointed expression was because she was lonely or because she had something unfavorable in mind! You'll find her art-card-sized watercolor portrait on eBay, here. You never know who you'll meet in the forest these days! Happy wanderings!
 

Curiousity Did Not Kill the Cat

We've been having many rainy, cold days during the past couple of months, so I've been staying indoors and experimenting with some new mediums. Block printing has always intrigued me, so I decided to give it a try. I did a bit of research and found some wonderful tutorials on YouTube. The most helpful was one by Milliande. She provides information about the materials to use, ways in which she uses the prints and carvings, and more. Here's part one of her seven-part series.



So off I ventured to Micheal's with my 50% off coupon in hand. I purchased a little kit that included a easy carve block, some ink and a carving tool with two blades.

Since I have painted many watercolors, I figured I could use one of those designs. However, for my first one, I thought I'd better keep it simple. I sketched something out and transfered the drawing onto the block. Remember, it's in reverse! Here's what I ended up with.

 
And then the printed version.

Of course, I had to add some watercolors! But I plan on carving more of these and have all sorts of ideas of how to use them. It was so much fun just experimenting with these! If you have the time and need a break, give something new a try.

A Haunting We Will Go

My first and only haunted house of the season. The windows have broken "glass" and the illusion of tiny panes.  I've placed little gausian curtains,  all tattered and torn in a few of the windows. The inside is a deep orange, and the very neat thing about this piece is that it lights up! When plugged in, the inside of the house glows orange. There is a large window on the side extension of the house too. The darkened dresden trim really gives it a gothic feel.

If you want more details, head over to my Etsy shop, where I've listed it.

Happy Haunting!

A Crazy Colorful Halloween

Trying something a bit different can be fun and freeing. Thought I'd give a lighter, more whimsical touch to a haunted house. I had fun letting the colors bleed into each other. This one is now available on eBay. Have you tried something different lately?

The Haunt

Beware of the house at the end of the street! It's called, The Haunt, because of the many other-worldy creatures who call it home. Original watercolor ACEO, now available on eBay.