Painting Farewell Gap Again

Are you asking yourself why I keep showing you the same scene, Farewell Gap, over and over again? I’m asking myself that question. The answer is that I keep painting the same scene over and over. The paintings are never identical, because that would be impossible.

oil painting of Farewell Gap by Jana Botkin

Farewell Gap XII, 8×10″, oil on wrapped canvas, $90, available at the Silver City Store AKA Silver City Resort

This isn’t the replacement version for the one that burned, but it is.

Oh please, what is with the doublespeak?

Whenever a painting sells at the Silver City Store, I rush to paint another one to sell. The selling season is very short at that location, and I can’t be lollygagging around. I painted this because Farewell Gap X sold.

Nice creative name, California Artist.

Oh hush. It is my way of painting series. If you stop being so snotty to me, maybe I will show you the progression of paintings of this subject.

Why do you think we’d want to see that?

‘Cuz it is interesting to see growth. Then you can gloat at how horrible I used to paint and ask me for a refund or a redo of the paintings you bought from my “primitive” stage.

But what is with the doublespeak?

Farewell Gap X sold, then it burned up in a cabin fire. I am painting Farewell Gap XI to replace Farewell Gap X for the survivors of the fire, and Farewell Gap XII replaced the sold piece in the store.

Alllll-righty then.

Paint it Again

I met some wonderful people in Mineral King WHILE they were buying 2 paintings from me at the Silver City Resort. That is always a thrill! They were so enthusiastic and appreciative of my work, of the area, of everything. Two days later, the cabin they were renting burned down in the middle of the night.

They escaped with their lives, for which we are very grateful. They did not escape with their possessions, including the paintings. I am still stupefied and horrified as I write this, but nothing compared to how they must be feeling.

It is good that I paint from photos (a studio painter composes much work first using the camera), good that I met the customers and know how to reach them, good that I can paint the same scene over and over again. These will be repainted soon for these good people who had a very bad experience.

oil painting of Farewell Gap by Jana Botkin
Farewell Gap, 8×10″, oil on wrapped canvas
oil painting of Mineral King Bridge by Jana Botkin
Mineral King Bridge, 6×6″ on wrapped canvas

Online Companies I Use and Like

Notice I didn’t say I love these companies. (We’re supposed to love people and use things.) In spite of holding back emotionally, these are businesses I would be in a world of hurt without, and I cheerfully pass on the links to you, my readers and friends!

Farewell Gap, oil on wrapped canvas, 8×10″, $90
It is difficult to order from online companies when contemplating this scene in the Land of No Electricity or Internet, more commonly known as Mineral King.

Dick Blick is where I get my art supplies. (I beg you, why would any parent name their child Richard when the last name is Blick??) This company is fantastic in their inventory offerings, deals and customer service. Fantastic, I say!

Vistaprint is my new best friend. They are sooo very generous, so very tempting with all their offers of freebies. I’ve been having a blast designing products to sell and to give as promotional items.

I was despondent when Kodak announced their departure. I have tried to be brave. They have promised to send all my 90-something albums to Shutterfly. The albums have not arrived, but the tempting offers from Shutterfly have. Being a weak and gullible Regional Artist From Quaintsville, I succumbed.

(Trumpet fanfare. . .) There is a new book coming to my studio, primarily to be used for showing my work to potential customers. I have creatively and uniquely titled the book “The Drawings of Jana Botkin”. It should appear here:

Click here to view this photo book on another website. Shutterfly, to be precise. (It will cause you to leave my blog, but you can come back.) Click here to create your own Shutterfly photo book.

 Alrighty then. It didn’t work out exactly as I had hoped. . . As I was saying, I am beginning to really like Shutterfly.  I hope they like me back.

Who are your favorite online companies? Let’s share the like (trying to stay consistent here)!

 

One More Place You Can See and Buy My Art

That is a shamelessly self-promotional title! However, it is also promoting the Silver City Resort, so perhaps “self-promotional” is a bit of an exaggeration.

(happy birthday, Deanne!)

Silver City Store

A few weeks ago I posted a list of places that carry my work. Immediately afterward, I took paintings to the Silver City Resort for the summer. (6 years ago right after printing 1000 business cards, I launched my website, so this is normal behavior for me.)

The Silver City Store is located 4 miles below Mineral King. It has a little restaurant and rental cabins. It also has been a good place to meet a future spouse for a great number of its employees. (worked for me)

Currently, they are carrying a number of little regional oil paintings that aren’t very expensive and will fit into travelers’ suitcases. Here are 4 new ones, all oil on wrapped canvas, 4×4″, available at the Silver City Resort. They are animals commonly seen in Mineral King. I’ve photographed these animals zillions of times and only came up with a small handful of paintable photos. Here are some of the best:

oil painting of buck

Mule Deer Buck

oil painting of black bear

Black Bear – sold

(They are all called this, whether they are brown, blonde, black or cinnamon colored.)

oil painting of marmot

Yellow Bellied Marmot – sold

(These are the dudes that chew on radiator hoses, belts, brake lines, etc.)

oil painting of squirrel

Golden Mantle Squirrel – sold

These little guys have a stripe (barely visible on his back) but are distinguishable from a chipmunk because the stripe isn’t on their heads.

If you would like to buy one of these the buck, he is $30, and maybe I can retrieve him before he sells. Alternatively, I can paint you another one, even of a different size.  

Now THAT was shameless self-promotion!

Which is your favorite?

Summer of Animals?

This summer is shaping up to be full of wild animals for this California artist.

First, we were hiking in Mineral King and saw this:

While on that hike I thought of doing these oil paintings:

They are each 4×4″, and from left to right are a mule deer buck, golden mantle squirrel, yellow-bellied marmot, and a black bear. (They are called that even when they are brown or cinnamon or blond.)

After that, I painted this bear for the Sierra Lodge in Three Rivers:

After which, they asked me to refresh this bear:

So that he would look like this:

With all that wildlife around, particularly the ferocious bear, you might be a bit concerned about unfriendly encounters or a bit of danger. There was one small incident that ended up looking like this:

I love teal. It looks particularly striking with brown.

P.S. The bear on the flag of this California artist’s state is a grizzly, not a black bear. I’m happy to report we don’t have them in California any more. This is not an environmentally correct view, but I am more concerned with personal safety than being correct. This might make me a pig. See? animal summer!

Is There An Echo In Here??

What is the visual equivalent of an echo? A shadow? A reflection, perhaps. . .

Is there a reflection in this studio? A reflection of Mineral King, to be exact? Because I see an awful lot of Mineral King Oil Paintings drying on your wall!

Seems that way. Mineral King is de ja vu all over again.

Same scene, different viewpoints.

Same bridge twice, different paint jobs, different directions.

Same cabin, different times of day, different times of year.

Same place, favorite view, over and over and over. Mineral King oil paintings, on miles and miles of canvas. Mineral King, Farewell Gap, over and over and over. Instead of the California artist, I am the Mineral King artist. Perhaps I should change my tagline in this blog.

Nope. Oranges and poppies don’t grow in Mineral King.

Are you tired of this view yet? (that question is for you, the reader, not me, the California Artist!) Tell me about it here.

Behind the Scenes of the Sequoia Mural

The customer asked for a mural, explained the nature of her business, and I said, “A mural of a trail would be just right!” (Sequoia Outdoor Sports will be renting camping and backpacking gear to visitors to Sequoia National Park.)

I brought several photos and paintings of trail scenes with me to meet the owner (John) and the manager (Carolyn) and see the wall.

John loved this painting.

Mosquito Lake Trail, 16×20″, oil on wrapped canvas, $350

John asked if I could substitute Sequoia trees for the red firs. I said yes, but. Yes, but there are no Sequoia trees at that elevation or in Mineral King. John said it wouldn’t matter to his customers, who will primarily be Europeans who come to see the Big Trees.

John is the customer. He is right! 

Today a man stopped by to ask if I was tagging his building. He was joking. He is the leaseholder of the building. Then he said, “Is that the trail to White Chief and Mosquito Lakes?” Ummm, yes, sort of. In spite of the fact that I changed the background to be more congruent with a place that would have Sequoia trees, he knew the trail!

Three Rivers locals will recognize the incongruity but they will be polite. If John is happy and his customers are happy, then I am happy.

In Situ

Say what? Is that some sort of typo?

Now now, let’s not get all worked up here. It is Latin and it means “in position”.  We’ve been over this before. IF you were paying attention you might remember! This California artist knows a few Latin phrases, and she isn’t afraid to use them. However, she isn’t a snob about it and always explains them for your learning pleasure.

Remember the oil painting of the Mineral King Bridge? It was happily received by its commissioner, beautifully and appropriately framed, and is currently residing on a granite kitchen counter. This way, its owner can live with it a bit, before deciding its proper place on the appropriate wall.

She photographed it for us.

Mineral King Bridge Painting, Done!

(Happy Birthday, Deb! Or was it yesterday??)

When I was a child, my sisters and I had to say “May I be excused?” before leaving the dinner table. This was to signal many things:  we were finished eating; to give our parents an opportunity to review our plates; to teach us how to be civilized;  to consider other people;  to become accustomed to decent manners.

So, now I say to my customer, “Please may I be excused?” This is because I believe the oil painting is finished, because I am civilized, and because I am never finished until the customer is happy!