Thursday, June 20, 2013

Discourages artist from ArtPrize

I'm discouraged today. I didn't find a venue for my painting at ArtPrize. So now I will miss all the fun. As an artist we get tons of rejection it goes with the job, but what upsets me her is that many of the Venuses didn't show the artist the courtesy of a rejection, contact information was incorrect on more then one venue. When I contact one venue after send several emails this week with no response, you start to panic when it is the last week and no connections have been made only , only to find out that the person responsible for artist selection had changed. Many site didn't let anyone know when they were full. It's not the end of the world but I thought Michigan artist were suppose to be chosen first? My poor old cow will have to walk the beach a little longer.

So I will go to my happy place and play with my bug green paper clips.




" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Art Prize 2013

Art Prize 2013 is almost closed and I still d not have a venue for my painting. I see that their system changed the inch on my painting to feet which did not help my situation. They seem to be having more system issues this year I'm not sure why.

When Art Prize first started Michigan artist and Grand Rapids artist where suppose to have first chance at available venues but I see now that the city has taken over the process it has changed. There are many Grand Rapids artist who are still looking for a venue with only a few days until the site closes.

I have not given up hope and continue to work on my large Beach Beauty. Today I worked on the sky.

Here was the start of my color palette.

I mixed more paint as I went on a deeper cloud shadow color.

This is where I quite on the sky for the day. I will let it dry for a few days and come back to it later.Tomorrow I will work on the water putting in some nice waves. A breeze on the beach is always good.





" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com

Friday, June 14, 2013

Chaos in the Art Studio


Social media can seem overwhelming if you try to tackle too much at once. Better to focus on bite-sized information you can sink your teeth into.

As for focus have you ever heard of the Chaos Theory?

The "Chaos Theory" 
Chaos is the science of surprises, of the nonlinear and the unpredictable.The theory states that "initial conditions" can yield widely diverging, desirable and often unpredictable outcomes. 

A good way to understand chaos theory is what psychologists call "the butterfly effect." 

From an unlikely chrysalis a magnificent butterfly emerges. The all-too-common human instinct to tame chaos may also be key to creative flight. 

The messy artist puts her need for order into her art. Beauty, uniqueness, and personal joy are the result. That is my story and I am sticking to it, maybe I will clean the studio next week.


Three Pots of Pansies
Three Pots of Pansies, painting by Delilah Smith
About This Painting:
Three Pots of Pansies
11x14x1/2
painted on stretched canvas
Media: oil painitng
Size: 14 in X 11 in (35.6 cm X 27.9 cm)
Price: $380 USD
How to Purchase:

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $380 USD plus $15 USD s/h

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Are You Bored with your art?

Henri Matisse (1869-1954) figured the main problem for painters was boredom. Apart from appearing never to stop painting, he contrived to fill his life with a menagerie of birds and animals and the constant coming and going of models, students and admiring friends.

I wonder if cat count? I am never bored maybe it's the cat, or the music, or just the wondering of my mind.



" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com

Sunday, June 09, 2013

How to travel with Art Supplies

I love to travel and I like painting on location.
A few years ago, I was able to bring all of my painting supplies onto the airplane. I could bring 2 bags for free. Who would have thought that you would have to pay to bring cloths when you travel.
 Those days are gone. But with some common sense and a little pre-planning, traveling with paint supplies isn’t a big hassle at all. Here are some things to keep in mind.

You must put your paints in checked luggage (unless you have dry watercolor cakes). I am currently using more and more watercolors and watercolor pencils when I travel. I use them for studies take lots of photo and do the oil when I get home.

I have started doing watercolor journal when I travel and I love. You can use both sides of the heavy journal pages to paint and write on.

You must put all palette knives and other tools that may look suspicious in your checked luggage along with any paint in tubes oil or watercolor.

If you are an oil painting RarMar now makes a feather lite panel that is great for travel.

Mediums are a maybe. Check the manufacturer’s website for the Materials Safety Data Sheet or MSDS to determine the flashpoint (the temperature at which the paint will reach combustion). Most all art supply manufacturers have this info on their website. If the flashpoint is higher than 140°F, you can bring it on an airplane. This is a good time to think aboout water- soluble oils for plein air and travel.

Do not bring any solvent of any kind. Either plan to purchase it once you arrive at your destination or ship it ahead of time. This is the most difficult item if traveling to a third world country. I had to buy cheap quality (and very strong smelling) solvent in Guatemala. However, I recently learned that Gamsol has a flashpoint of 146°F, so you can bring it if you make sure to bring the MSDS to prove that it is allowable. I have yet to try this.

Bring all paints and mediums in their original containers. and then put the boxes in zip lock bags.

Bring a printed copy of the MSDS for your supplies in case you need to prove the flashpoint. Keep it with your supplies.

I also include a brief typed paper explaining the following points (it is best to use simple bullet points like this example or else they might not read it):
  • These are Artists’ Colors (never use the word “paint”)
  • They are made with vegetable oil (unless they are acrylic or watercolor in which case indicate that they are water based artists’ colors)
  • They are not hazardous for travel
  • They contain no solvent
  • Indicate the flashpoint
  • Refer them to the MSDS for more complete, detailed information
Be prepared to have your bags opened and inspected. Your art supplies will almost always get a closer inspection.

Doing these simple things will make it much more likely that your travels will be hassle free (at least when it comes to the art supplies).

So go ahead, make those travel plans. Take your paints and enjoy capturing your trip in paint.









" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com

Friday, June 07, 2013

Things to think about

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." (Lao Tzu, 6th centutry BCE)

So just maybe if I keep it up I really will get there huummm.


" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com

Updates on ArtPrize Painting 2013


Sunflowers in a Vase
Sunflowers in a Vase, painting by Delilah Smith
About This Painting: As I work on my daily paintings I am also getting ready for the Ann Arboe Michigan Art Fair and Art Prize. I will be showing updates to my painting for Art Prize daily on my blog Art by Delilah.
Here is the latest  update on my painting Beach Beauty
.

Sunflowers in a Vase
14x11x1.5 oil painting on stretched gallery wrapped canvas.
Media: oil painting
Size: 11 in X 14 in (27.9 cm X 35.6 cm)
Price: $380 USD
How to Purchase:

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $380 USD plus $10 USD s/h

"post your opinion in the comments" Or, send me an email
Thank You:
Art by Delilah, with a Passion for PaintingAll Images © 2006-2013
" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com
Here is a quick look at some of the daily paintings I did in May, 2013. I post a new painting each to my blog Painting of the day.



"post your opinion in the comments" Or, send me an email
Thank You:
Art by Delilah, with a Passion for PaintingAll Images © 2006-2013
" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com

Sunday, June 02, 2013

Still Life painting Demo






Yellow Vase and Flowers
5x7 oil painting on a Masonite panel
Click here to bid on this painting



 



Thank You:
"post your opinion in the comments" Or,
send me an email Art by Delilah, with a Passion for PaintingAll Images © 2006-2013
" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com