The Early Bird Catches the October Blood Moon

"Halloween"

What a way to celebrate October than with a blood moon! But I'll get to that in a minute. First, I want to share my watercolor illustration/painting above, now available in my Etsy Shop. I have a few original paintings still up for grabs, a second on Ebay. So I hope you take a peek! They certainly get me in a Halloween sort of spirit, just like the blood moon we recently watched in the night sky.

We woke up early Wednesday morning to see a phenomenon that has occurred only eight times in the last several hundred years...a blood moon. It's actually an eclipse of the moon, when the moon and sun are at exact polar opposites and the Earth is caught in the middle, casting a shadow across the moon. It won't happen again until 2032! 
It was in full eclipse at 6:25 am eastern and it was hard to find. But once we and our neighbors caught site of it, above the trees and very low in the horizon, what a sight it was!! The red tinged shadow was so eerie, and it was perfect for an October night! Enjoy these fall days!!  

Halloween Ride

"Night Ride"

What a thrill it would be to ride across the full moon above the city on Halloween! At least this witch has some Halloween spirit with her jack-o-lantern and her black cat to share it with! This is my latest original Halloween art card up for grabs on eBay! Click here to check it out! Dreaming of fall days from Florida!

Doing the Halloween Jig!

It's time to celebrate Halloween with a jig!! This is my latest ACEO original painting now available on eBay! Check my offerings every Sunday evening, when a new one will be listed. Enjoy the celebration!

Let the Halloween Mischief Begin!

"Halloween Mischief"

Although it is still wintry and cold outside, I have planned a year of exciting events and art opportunities celebrating Halloween! Foremost is more painting!! This original mixed media linoleum block print is now available on eBay, and it involves quite a process.
     If you are wondering how a "print" can also be an "original," I'll explain.
     I draw the image and then transfer it to a piece of linoleum. Then, I hand cut the image using tools that scoop out the semi-rigid linoleum. I actually carve out the positive, or the white areas. Using a brayer, I spread ink all over the linoleum and then press it onto watercolor paper. It takes a few days for the ink to dry, and then I'm ready to paint and pencil.
     Each print has to be inked, so no two are exactly alike. Most importantly, I hand paint and embellish each, so the originality of each is enhanced even more!

     I love the glowing affects the linoleum block print process provides. Watch for more of these unique pieces as the days progress to Halloween and for exciting announcements of new art events!

Spirits in Sanford to be this Weekend's Spooky Delight

Friday night, Oct. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 5, witches and skeletons, cats and bats, will be out and ready to go to a new home during the 5th annual Spirits in Sanford Halloween art extravaganza, in North Florida. If you haven't been, the Friday night costume party is frightful fun complete with champagne and appetizers as shoppers select their favorite items from the talented artists displaying their works. Don't forget to RSVP! Head to the website for more details.

Saturday is sure to be a spooky delight, if you can't make the evening affair. Cost is $20 for the Friday party (which also gets you in on Saturday too) and $5 on Saturday. Look forward to seeing all my friends and collectors. Happy Halloween!

Witches and Bats Float from the Great Pumpkin Cauldron!

Witches and bats, ghosts and cats are bubbling up in the great pumpkin cauldron! I am working on more linoleum block prints, with each one being carefully hand painted with watercolors and then tinted with other media. I love the striking colors of fall, and they are even more pronounced in my latest lino cuts. I will have several originals at upcoming Halloween folk art shows. Stop by and say hello!

Sept. 28 • Petaluma, CA

http://www.HalloweenandVine.com

Oct. 5 • Sanford, FL

http://www.SpiritsinSanford.com

Who-who will be there?

More watercolor goodies in store for upcoming fall shows! A work on progress. Who-who will I be seeing there? I hope it's you!...Iva

A New Year with New Paintings

"Celebrate Pumpkin Carving on Halloween!"

It's a new year and the first of my 2013 paintings will be available on the EHAG Emporium, Thursday, January 31, at 9 pm Pacific. As a member of the Eclectic Halloween Artist Guild, my talented fellow artists and I hold a blog art sale the last day of every month. I am going to try my hardest to participate in every one this year! (Hmmm.... a 2013 resolution, perhaps?) 

You don't have to wait until the last day to see the new piece. YOU get a sneak peek at this 12x16 acrylic on artist canvas piece right here on my blog!

I love the idea of an old fashioned Halloween where kids rule the night and are free to enjoy the innocent and naive spirit of October 31. What could be more fun than an old barn filled with pumpkins  lit by cafe lights, bobbing for apples and your friends and siblings all dressed in costumes and gathered round. Well, I can think of one...getting candy! So after the carving, everyone sets off to trick or treat!

Happy Halloween! See you at the EHAG Emporium!

Spirits Are High

The last month has flown by with so much happening! Let's see:

• a two-and-a-half week trip to Northern California for Tinsel and Treasures and Halloween and Vine - both fabulous shows!!
• a week in between to visit my parents in Reno, Nevada. The evening sky is pictured above - and I didn't even change any of the photo settings it was that beautiful of a sunset over the Sierra Mountains!
• fly back to Florida and a week later Trevor and some college friends come home for the weekend and we all head to Gainesville for the big SEC football show down between LSU and the Gators (not the outcome we would have liked)
• a week later head to Spirits in Sanford, a Halloween folk art show about 30 minutes from Orlando in the historic town of Sanford. 

Whew!!

Now it's time to relax and enjoy fall and my favorite holiday - Halloween!!

Here are a few more pictures of my recent adventures.

The setting moon over the Sierras.

Playing catch in the Truckee River with Gutzi, my parents lab.

Say "Cheese!" mom and dad!

A pen and ink with watercolor of mine I sold at Halloween and Vine.

One of many amazing pieces from folk artist Jack Roads at Halloween and Vine. My good friend Colleen Moody was lucky enough to snap this piece up. Jealous! Although I did get a wonderful piece of his work too, pictured below!

 

Seeing my work published in Orlando Home & Leisure magazine! Yay!

Fellow folk artist Jorge de Rojas and I pose during the Friday night Preview Costume Party at Spirits in Sanford.

And this is just a small part of all the happenings in my world. I'll be finishing my decorating of our Florida house for Halloween and I will post some pictures of that next. Until then...

Heading for Spirits in Sanford Halloween Art Show Oct. 12 & 13

Get ready for some Halloween art and fun this weekend at Spirits in Sanford, Friday and Saturday,  Oct. 12 & 13, in Sanford, Florida, just outside of Orlando! I'm packing up my props and my vintage-style paper mache art, watercolor paintings and pen and ink drawings for this one-of-a-kind east coast event. Look forward to seeing you!

Scaring the Boys and Girls on Halloween

Original ACEO watercolor, now available on eBay here.

"We're the farmer's scarecrows

We scare away the birds

We keep the farmer's corn safe
Without any words.

But when Halloween comes

We jump out of the ground

And we scare the boys and girls

When they come walking 'round."

- anonymous

Watch for Hooting Halloween Puffballs

Our new neighborhood has lots of tall oaks and is surrounded by a wooded preserve. So it's no surprise wild life is abundant here. Still, I was awe-struck to see not just one, but two, fluffly baby owls living in our trees.

I had heard the typical WHOO-WHOO, WHOO-WHOO while I was outside a few times, but I couldn't find them. Finally, some neighbors told me where to look and sure enough, two baby great-horned owls were just above in the trees! I was able to get a few pictures with my zoom lens. This is just what I need to get me in the Halloween spirit as the hot days of summer begin to descend upon our beachside town. Now I'm off to work on some Halloween watercolors and paper mache. Happy spring-time Halloween!

Halloween Art Giveaway!!

Up for grabs are some amazing pieces of Halloween art from the talented artisans of the Eclectic Halloween Artists Guild (EHAG). Just post a verse and your contact info on their blog by April 29, 9 pm EST, and you get a chance to win one of three original pieces of Halloween art! Hurry! You don't have much more time before the witching hour strikes!

EHAGemporium.blogspot.com