Born to be...

I'm blaming it on all the thought-provoking things I listened to while painting--this particular blog post isn't all fluff. Just warnin' ya :)

But first, I thought I'd give you a complete look at the finished painting for my sister. The Alumni show at Redeemer is all wrapped up--to my chagrin, there was no guest book so I have no idea who, if anyone, went to check it out!

Completed painting of Italy, Cinque-Terre (Manarola)
Oil on Canvas, 24x30"
Copyright 2012 Lisa Smouter

This will most likely be my last painting I blog about for the year 2012, but I do have some crafty stuff and a couple whimsical paintings on the go right now :) This Italy painting was a joy to work on, and I could do it (mostly) in complete confidence--but whimsical, imaginitive things...well...I think it's probably good for the soul to let loose and say "I have NO idea what I'm doing!!" If I eventually sum up the courage, I'll show you some of those pieces. For now, I feel very strongly that my 2 year old daughter is doing a better job of it than I.

Chalk it up to an Education

It seems that all the flyers stuffed in my newspaper are announcing the return of school....

Why are they in such a hurry? Summer is in high gear, and as far as this blog goes I'm still stuck in June! Here are some photos of my latest assignment, a chalk pastel drawing commissioned by a School Board as a gift for a departing principal.

Still Life drawing
Chalk Pastel on Stonehenge, approx. 14x16"
Copyright 2012 Lisa Smouter

Remember those assignments where the parameters are so wide open, it consequently leaves your eyes wide open at night trying to figure out what to do?

This was one of those.

It Only Takes a Spark...

A portion of a painting in progress. Italy, Cinque-Terre, Manarola. Oil on Canvas with acrylic underpainting, 24 x 30"

You know how they say "it only takes a spark"

My old stomping grounds, Redeemer University College, recently held a match to the back-ends (ha!) of my paintbrushes and let them burn to nearly nothing. Just to see how fast I could complete a painting.

Their method was pretty effective, I must say.

times, they are a changin'

I realize this is not a forum for bragging about my kids, but...

Many former students have been asking about Art Camp for this year, and I'm hoping that if I post a photo of my little girls, you will better understand why I'm choosing not to do Art Camp this summer.

This summer I'll be happily embracing my role as a full-time mom and giving the studio a break. I will miss Art Camp as much as the rest of you, and it already feels strange not having a head full of planning and preparation for the summer. Please, take advantage of your time this summer and make lots of art! Keep in touch--I'd love to know what you're working on.