Colors (an infomercial)

This will be a long entry – if you are just wanting a quick look, you might want to return later for a more thorough reading!

Colors is the studio and gallery of Three Rivers artist Wendy McKellar. It is at 41763 Sierra Drive, just upstream from the place that sells Shell gas. In addition to being Wendy’s studio, it is an art shop, a collection of local art and crafts as chosen and displayed by Wendy. Stepping into the building is like a grown-up (but smaller) version of Small World in Disneyland (minus the annoying song). It is all color and light, and even makes a non-shopper such as myself want to look and look and look!

This is how the place looked with my work set up in front. Notice the lack of high visibility of pencil drawings – the store/studio/gallery is called “Colors”!

Here is a bit of Christmas merchandise – all of it handmade/handcrafted/created locally by people I know. (Couldn’t decide among all those appropriate words and since this is an infomercial, decided to use them all!)

The flower is for sale. The chairs are not. The colors together just grabbed my attention to the point of distraction. The only cure for that sort of Color Junkie problem is a photograph!

Who could resist a retail establishment that looks this charming? The ultimate compliment around here is “OOH, this looks just like The Coast”. I believe Colors qualifies for that sort of effusiveness (it means “expressions of gratitude, pleasure and approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner”.)

All of these paintings are available at Colors. They are 6×6″, oil on wrapped canvas, $40 each (same price as if you purchased them from me directly.)

But wait! There’s more.

Just kidding. Had to throw that in so you felt as if it truly was an infomercial.

Here is the address and phone number. It opens at 10:30 a.m. (but I can’t remember which days or the closing time.)

41763 Sierra Drive, Three Rivers, California 559-561-4993

p.s. Happy Birthday, Wendy!

Sundries

Not “sundried” but “sundries” – it is a word that means “various items not important enough to be mentioned individually”.

Sometimes the sun is so good coming through the windows of the workshop that I can prop small paintings on the door for photography purposes. Kind of handy to not mess with the tripod!

This was the Stocking Stuffer boutique. It was more of a girl-hang-out day than a work day.

Sequoia Paintings

Because my website is still non-functional and there are folks who might want to see which paintings are available, this posting will consist entirely of paintings of The Big Trees, Sequoia Gigantea, Redwoods.

Just the facts: A few little tidbits about all the names:  “The Big Trees” was how we referred to them when I was growing up in the flatlands of Tulare County. When I attended Redwood High School, our newspaper was called “The Sequoia Gigantea”. The coastal redwoods of California are also Sequoias, but their last name is Sempervirens and they are the tallest trees; the Gigantea are the largest by volume.

Viewing info: These are just thumbnail-sized photos so that your ‘puter doesn’t get overwhelmed – click on each picture to make it grow.

Shopping info: You can see the Paypal Buy Now buttons beneath each painting. if you live close by, I will refund the shipping. If you live far, shipping on the Generals Highway is free as an added incentive.

Sunny Sequoias XVI – 8×10″ – oil on wrapped canvas – $90


Sunny Sequoias XV– 10×8″ – oil on wrapped canvas – $90


Sunny Sequoias XVII – 16×12″ – oil on wrapped canvas – $225


Sunny Sequoias IIXX – 10×10″ – oil on wrapped canvas – $120


Tunnel Log III – 10×10″ – oil on wrapped canvas – $120


Generals Highway – 16×20″ – oil on canvas in rustic wooden frame – $350


The Elephant

Those of you who have shared your eddress with me received an email with the subject line reading “Have you seen the elephant?” If you live in Three Rivers, you know of him. If not, here are a few paintings in which he is sort of visible on the side of Alta Peak in snow. Have fun!

The Road to Alta Peak – 8×10″ – oil on wrapped canvas – $90

Lake View VII – 16×20″ – oil on canvas in rustic wooden frame – $350

(sold)

(sold)

Tulare County Fire Station #14 at Sierra Drive and South Fork Drive

Perfect Gift Boutique

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Three Rivers Arts Center

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Here is a look at the building and some of the vendors and merchandise:

my space

some of Ginny Wilson’s photography (it will make you want to travel!)

Homepage

Sam McKinney’s Gourd Art (you should see her miniature ornaments!)

We  pierced women can always use another pair of earrings from Tina!

Tina St John Designs – Home

The painting of the wreath sold but there are plenty of other items from which to choose!

I can help with that!

2 comments I hear from people over and over are “I’m out of wall space” and “I’m trying to be careful with money”. Here are my responses to the first: “You can rotate your art” or “Look! Small paintings on little easels look nice on a bookshelf, lamp table or fireplace mantel!” To the second, “Look at these little bitty paintings, hand-painted ornaments and packages of cards – all $20 or less!”

Here are a few more 4×6 oranges in progress – they sit on easels and are $30 each

And these little bitty paintings are $15 each:

So are these ornaments:

First Day at School

Not really. It sort of feels like it, but instead it is my first day working at Main Gallery. I don’t even know if it is called “Main Gallery” or “The Main Gallery”. There is no phone to answer, so I guess it doesn’t really matter. I’ve worked in more retail positions than I can list but never had my first day at a job without supervision! Guess I’ll put on my big girl pants and go after it. . . sometimes I love being a grown-up and other times I’d like to just let someone else step into that position. Today, the verdict is not in as to which attitude fits. Maybe if someone else would do the grocery shopping then I’d like the other parts of being a grownup. The best part of being a grown-up is doing whatever I want, which is sort of what happens while working in (the) Main Gallery. You know how at “real” jobs you have to act busy even when you aren’t? This “job” allows me to knit in between customers or work on my ‘puter or just sit. Maybe I do really like being a grownup today!

Style

Been thinking about this subject lately.  A month or so ago, I showed a few of my paintings to a gallery owner.  For the first time in my painting career, I was told that my paintings don’t have enough detail, that they look as if done plein air. That is French lingo for on site, which translates into “I’m painting as fast as possible because the light won’t hold still and I can’t possibly be careful at this crazy pace”. Exclamation of Surprise! I LOVE detail! I am a pencil artist, first, last, always! Can’t help it – pencil and the detail possible with that humble instrument have held my attention since 6th grade. So, I don’t have enough detail, eh?  Here is my conclusion: my style is still sort of mushy. I don’t mean my paintings are mushy, but that I haven’t settled on the best way to paint. By “best”, I don’t mean best selling, most award-winning, or if I were in school, the highest grade grabbing style. The evaluation and valuation of art is very subjective, and “best” is defined by the viewer, whether a judge, a gallery owner, the artist, or most importantly to me, a customer. As I achieve greater proficiency with paint, brushes, and canvas, I’m hoping that my true style emerges. It will be defined by several things – the subject matter, the level of detail, the way I use light and color, the texture of the paint. My goal is this: to consistently create the most consistently beautiful paintings . Yes, consistent – constant, regular, uniform, steady, undeviating, dependable, reliable. Why? So that people can always recognize my work as mine!

A look at the process of painting

First, the shapes get blocked in, scribbled, just a first coat of the thin color.

Next, another of paint gets added to the background with more attention paid to the correct colors and textures. This only has the far hills covered – my attention span seems a bit limited here!

Now I am seriously out of order. For some reason, I felt “led” to do the foreground details. It’s my painting and I’ll do it the way I want! Besides, I  intend to detail this particular painting right to the very edge of photographic realism. Do I have the skill?  That remains to be seen, because lately I haven’t pushed a painting to that degree. This brings me to my next subject – style!