Out of My Comfort Zone!

Before getting into the content of this blog post, I wanted to say that I have decided to keep this blog going, for now.  I will be posting on my blog through my website, but I hate to lose track of everyone who follows me here. So, enjoy my latest journey in the creative life!

November 8-9 I drove to Fredericksburg, Virginia for a workshop taught by fellow Virginia Equine Artist, Robyn Ryan.  This workshop was not a part of the VEAA, but rather a workshop help at Backdoor Gallery in Fredericksburg, focusing on acrylic painting with mixed media and layering.  WAY out of my comfort zone and anything I had done before, artisitcally speaking.  Robyn is a fantastic teacher, with lots of energy, and well organized so you always knew what was happening.  We played with color, shape, line, and all sorts of mixed media in with the acrylic paints.  

The idea is that you work on a different aspect of  your painting, separating them with gel medium.  Once you seal it with gel, it is there, but before that, you can sand, scrape, use rubbing alcohol, and anything else you can think of to work on your painting.  The layers give your work a depth, and way of seeing the layers that go before, plus, is a blast to do!  I don't know that I totally understood it all while we were there, but it gave me some ideas to play with.

I had wanted to do something totally different to get "out of the rut" I was in, as well as spice up my oil paintings.  I came home and started playing with my pastels and the gel.  More on that later.  

Change of Blog Address

Hello!  I am trying to combine, and simplify my website, blog, newsletter, and everything, by putting them into one place.  I have joined the Fine Art Studio Online, FASO.  If you go to my website, you can now sign up for my blog there, as well as sign up for my newsletter, which will be going out once a month.  You will still be able to receive my blogs through your email, as well as my newsletter, through your email.  I'm sorry if this causes anyone any problems.  If you would like to ask me about any of these changes, please let me know.  Thank you so much for your help!

That's My Dog! Art Show, You're Invited!

I have a show coming up for the month of October, to be held in the Spitzer Art Center, in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  There will be an opening, on Friday, October 3, from 5:00 - 8:00 pm, which also coincides with Harrisonburg's First Friday events.

Last year I put out a request for people to send me photos of their dogs, to be used as a group of paintings, of, you guessed it, dogs!  I have so far used almost all the photos I was sent, plus our own dogs, and friends' dogs.  Some of the dogs I haven't gotten to yet, will still be done, and will probably go over to the Arts Center in Orange, or another gallery, in November.

I hope I will see some of you at the opening.  You can also stop by the Spitzer Art Center on Saturdays during October to see the show.  Enjoy!

Changes, and Entries

"The Groom" - oil on canvas, 11"x14", sold

I have been making some changes, when it comes to my website, and how I look at marketing.  I have changed my website to Fine Art Studio Online (FASO), www.elainehurst.com.  I changed partly, or really mostly, because of the exposure that using this site can give you.  

One perk to the FASOsite is that it makes it easy to enter several online contests, and provides various forums for getting your work out to the public.  So, I took the bull by the horns and also entered two online painting competitions, The Bold Brush Painting Competition, which I would love if you went to, and voted for my painting.  I also entered the Raymar Art 8th Annual Fine Art Contest.  I don't think you can vote for this one.  They have their own judges.  But I would be honored if you would keep up with it, to see how things go.

Through the new site they have a blog, which I will see whether I want to move this blog to it, or just link to this one.  But, I will let you know when, and if that happens.  

Cheers!

New Gallery!

"Walkies" - 16"x20" oil

I will be sending several paintings to a new gallery,  The StableWoman Habit for me, in 

Geneva, Illinois.  The gallery also has a great Face Book page.  They are located, one hour from Chicago, in a historic shopping district with a wonderful arts and equine community in the area.  I will be sending them a variety of sizes of paintings.  If you happen to be in Geneva, Illinois, stop in to see all the great things happening at The StableWoman Habit.  I look forward to working with this new group.