0 "Hitch", My Alfred Hitchcock/Birds Tribute for Feb's Nibbefest Art Contest

My February Nibblefest entry, 5x7, entitled "Hitch"..

FOR AUCTION LINK

The say there are no guarantees in life besides Death and Taxes.  This may be true, and yet I want to add one more thing to that short list:  The Nibblefest Art Contest.  For over a decade now, Nibblefest has transpired, on schedule, month in and month out, beginning as always on the 20th.  This month is no exception, with   February's NFAC theme is 'Black and White'  -- I'm participating, and this is my entry....

It didn't take long, when reflecting upon this month's 'Black and White' theme, for The Hitch to come to mind. Such a groundbreaking film-maker, having truly mastered the technique for filming in black-and-white, I've long been a fan.  Growing up, we had an old copy of his album, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents:  Ghost Stories for Young People", around the house.  Who knows where it came from -- I suspect my mom picked it up at some garage sale or other.  But I loved listening to it as a kid -- and must have done so a thousand times.  I can still remember the theme music -- da da da da dum di dah, da da da de dum di dah (I since learned it was called 'Funeral March for a Marionette', by Charles Gounod).  The stories were very tame indeed (in fact, I just listened to them online as inspiration while painting this piece -- lol, what a hoot....!), but my imagination was vivid enough back then to enhance the tales in my mind to set off a few chills. Plus I can recall studying the album cover art for long stretches of time.  It looked like this...:

Cover of the album I must have listened the groves off of in my youth

And so, when I decided to do for my entry a little wee homage to this Master Director, it was the above image in my head (though I switched it up a bit, as you can see):

"Hitch", painted in acrylics on a 5x7 then, found wooden plaque

Of course, I had to do my own ever-so-slightly irreverently cheeky twist on things (no offense, Hitch...!)....

The following is my auction description..:

~"Hitch"~

My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC),  the theme for February being 'Black and White', features a portrait painted in tribute to the legendary British film director, Alfred Hitchcock.  Painted in acrylics upon a 5"x7" very lightweight, thin wooden plaque, this original, entitled "Hitch", is signed and ready to hang....

When reflecting upon this month's 'Black and White' theme, some of the first things to come to my mind were vintage movie classics by the esteemed British director, Alfred Hitchcock.  Though he did go on to make some of his finest films in brilliant Technicolor, he had fully mastered the art of black-and-white film making, with remarkably endearing cinematic treasures that continue to fascinate us to this day.  For my homage, I painted the master in classic black-and-white (along with a cheeky, wee nod to one of his most beloved movie classics of all time).....

  

............................

Personally, I love so many of his films: "Rear Window", "Rebecca", "Psycho", and of course, "The Birds".  But I think the one at the very tippy (heh, no pun intended) top of my list, is "Vertigo".  So ironic and haunting, both visually and emotionally, and so expertly filmed, that I have to go back to watch it again from time to time.   

So which is your favorite...?

To see all the fine Nibblefest Art Contest 'Black and White' entries this month, here.....

Detail: "Hitch", My Alfred Hitchcock/Birds Tribute for Feb's Nibbefest Art Contest

0 "Life is Strange", My Marc Bolan/T.Rex Tribute for Jan's Nibbefest Art Contest

"Life is Strange":  Acrylics on a 7x9 chunk of found hardwood

  FOR AUCTION LINK

 So, this month's Nibbefest Art Contest theme
was an interesting one...:  

"A Subject Beginning with the 3rd Letter 
of Your Given First Name"   

What a mouthful, eh?  Well, obviously for me, that's "T".  Easy enough ... or at least you might think so.  Only it wasn't!  For whatever reason I had the devil of a time coming up with my concept this month.  What could be so hard about coming up with something for "T"?   I really can't imagine why it was such a hang-up.  Guess the theme a little TOO broad...?   I pondered "T", ruminated "T", and meditated "T".  Ideas would come and go -- but nothing compelling enough to really sink my teeth into.   Time was ticking away, and I remained uninspired.  It was starting to get frustrating!  It even crossed my mind to maybe just sit this month out -- crazy, right...?  But, happily a friend came to the rescue, letting me hash out the jumbled thoughts in my head, while offering input and suggestions.   It helped, because finally at the last, I conjured up a vision of this:  a whimsical tribute to Marc Bolan, the legendary founder of the 70's era Glam British rock band, 'T.Rex'....:

70's Rock God, Marc Bolan, as a T.Rex/Human 'hybrid'

As I've written before in here previously, my earliest musical experiences were heavily impacted by what I heard my older siblings playing around the house.  The youngest of four children, by many years, I was barely in kindergarten when my teen brothers and sister would take turns commandeering the one stereo kept in the living room of our home.   The things they played made quite the impression on me at times.  They also loved blasting our car radio as well (whenever my parents would allow it, that is).  I'm certain the old, 70's era British band, 'T.Rex', and their biggest hit, "Bang a Gong", must have played often because I can remember those lyrics from WAY back.   Still, despite that song being such a classic, my own personal favorite tunes of theirs have always been "Children of the Revolution", and of course the lovely, psychedelic ballad, "Cosmic Dancer".  In fact I can recall gently teasing my professional danseur son when he was a kid and taking his early ballet classes by singing it to (at...?) him:  

"I danced myself right out the womb. 

Is it strange to dance so soon? 

I danced myself right out the womb."

 ~From 'Cosmic Dancer', by Marc Bolan

As I recall he wasn't super crazy about that, heh.....

"Life is Strange": side view showing the painted thick hardwood edges

The following is my auction/entry description...:

My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC),  the theme for January being 'A Subject Beginning With the 3rd Letter of Your Given Name' (which for me, means "T"), features a whimsical portrait painted in loving tribute to the 70's era British rock band, T.Rex, and its legendary founder, Marc Bolan.  Entitled "Life is Strange" (from a popular T.Rex song), and painted in acrylics upon a found, 7"x9" piece of heavy hardwood, this original is signed and ready to hang....

For my tribute to Marc Bolan, the charismatically flamboyant founder of the Glam rock band we all know and love, T.Rex, which can still be heard as a mainstay of classic rock radio stations today, I wished to portray him in a fun and unique way as befitting a pioneering rock-and-roll icon.  Tragically, Marc Bolan's life was cut short by a tragic car accident in England in 1977, just weeks shy of his 30th birthday.... 

RIP Marc Bolan (1947 - 1977).  
Life is strange indeed.

..............

To see all the fine Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month (and all starting at just .99 cents!),

here.




.

Detail: "Life is Strange", My Marc Bolan/T.Rex Tribute for Jan's Nibbefest Art Contest

0 "Logical Nonsense", My Nibblefest Contest Entry for Dec's "BOOKS" theme....

 "Logical Nonsense in Wonderland"

"Logical Nonsense in Wonderland": painted on an 8x10 found wooden plaque

 ( for Auction Link)

 Nibblefest Art Contest time rolls around once again.  December's theme is 'Books'.  Well, despite it being an especially busy month on my end (for me and EVERYONE else) I wasn't about to sit this one out.   With a theme like "BOOKS", how could I *not* partake...?  And so I managed to squeeze together an entry....

I admit at first I was ever-so-slightly stumped by the Theme, but only because "Books" felt so entirely b-r-o-a-d.  Upon refection, the plethora of potential ideas seemed limitless indeed.  Fortunately a friend came to the rescue, suggesting"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" -- all that was needed to get the neurons firing in the right direction.  Because what could be more fun to paint than a tribute to Lewis Carroll and his beloved classic....?  

"Logical Nonsense", something at which author, Lewis Carroll, was especially deft!

What I have here did end up quite different in composition from my friend's original suggestion -- but I just went with what I first envisioned when thinking about "Alice" (knowing all too well by now I usually get best results when simply going with what's in my own head).   And so we have here several characters from the story, all while fancifully incorporating the fabulous Mr. Carroll himself....

 Regular followers of my blog/art may recall a few years back, when I painted my own interpretation of The Cheshire Cat , for a past Nibblefest...:

My first in a series of "Alice in Wonderland" tribute pieces

As you can see, he makes an appearance again in this particular iteration, just for fun (or 'grins', as they say), and because I liked him and wanted to paint him again anyway....:

A view from the side, showing the painted edges

So all in all:  fun theme/fun topic -- painted upon a recycled, 8x10 found wooden plaque rescued some time ago from a landfill fate (and held onto all this time).  Here's hoping you enjoy my whimsical entry this month as much as I did painting it....!

More painted edges....

(To see all this month's lovely Nibblefest Art Contest "Books" entries this month, here...)

Detail: "Logical Nonsense", My Nibblefest Contest Entry for Dec's "BOOKS" theme....

0 "Nevermore", My Nibblefest Contest Entry for Nov's '2+ Creatures in 1" Theme

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, 

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, 

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

"T'is some visitor", I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door'-

Only this, and nothing more...."

~Opening lines from the Edgar Allan Poe classic, "The Raven"

 My Nibblefest Art Contest entry and Poe tribute, painted on a 6.5 x 8.6 recycled vintage wood plaque.

FOR AUCTION LINK



What is it about Edgar Allan Poe that fascinates us so....?  


"The Raven", that famous poem written by this most venerable and mysterious of American authors, was originally published all the way back in 1845.  Yet here we are, nearly 170 years later, and still something about his works of darkly flowing, gothic-y writing continues to draw us in, with the passage of time having done little to dampen our enthusiasm for his literary genius (my personal fave of his still being "The Cask of Amontillado").....


It is Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) week,  and this is my entry.  The theme for November is "Two or More Animals Mixed Together".   I tossed around a several ideas for this theme, all of which were passable, though nothing especially....compelling  (Medusa???  Did that.  Minotaur???  Sighhhh).  Anyone reading this blog knows how much more fun it is for me when I seize upon a concept that I can REALLY sink my teeth in to (and because I'm so artistically fickle, there is never any telling what exactly that's going to be).  It wasn't until I was riding my bike home last week in the snow (yes, the snow!  Early for us) that an idea of a Poe/Raven hybrid came to mind, as a tribute to his epic poem, "The Raven".  I was so excited about the concept that I came up with two quickie sketches straight away:

Poe/Raven Hybrid: Vertical (or "Portrait') Orientation

Poe/Raven Hybrid: Horizontal (Or 'Landscape') Orientation

 I tossed around both orientations, going back and forth between the two, and even asking the opinion of some buddies (ya'll know who you are ;-) ).  In the end, as you can see I went 'landscape', because of the 2nd hand plaque I'd picked out for this project.  As we know, I hoard the old, unwanted frames and wall hanging plaques and such that I find used hither and yon, giving them new life in my art projects, and re-purposing as I see fit.  This particular wood plaque is vintage, and had been covered with a poster of a painting of waterfowl on a lake (which I scraped off and sanded and gesso-ed over).  I love its gently curving sides -- plus, it's very lightweight....:   

Side View of "Nevermore", showing off its curvaceous, painted sides

It is also good that I came upon this concept because I've had some recent requests for another Poe tribute piece (ya'll know who you are ;-) ), having done one before (and hey, the picture of it above in my masthead!).  But that was a few years back now, and so the timing felt right for another....



The following is my auction description:



My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC),  the theme for November being "Two or More Creatures Mixed Together", features a tribute portrait of the esteemed American author and poet, Edgar Allan Poe.  Painted in acrylics on a recycled, 6.5" x 8.5" vintage wooden plaque, this original is signed and ready to hang.  (**To note:  Due to the timing of things, all Nibblefest auctions this month will end on Thanksgiving Day (U.S.A.), so you might want to keep that in mind when bidding....!)   

----

Allow me to introduce "Ravenpoe" (kind of like "Ivanhoe", but not...).  A corvid/Edgar Allan Poe hybrid, he perches high upon a tree branch, soaking up the moonlight while contemplating the maudlin and the macabre.  Painted as loving ode to E. A. Poe's much beloved, classic poem, "The Raven", I'm hoping you enjoy this piece as much as I did painting it....!

..........................

"Nevermore"

To see all of this month's lovely Nibblefest Art Contest entries, here.....


*********

****UPDATE, UPDATE:*****

Pleased and happy to say my 'Ravenpoe' won Third Place in last month's contest!   A big thank you to all my lovely bidders...!

Detail: "Nevermore", My Nibblefest Contest Entry for Nov's '2+ Creatures in 1" Theme

0 "The Monster's Bath", My Nibblefest Contest Entry for Oct's 'MONSTERS Theme

~"The Monster's Bath"~

An 8x10 painted tribute to Mary Shelley, and her enduring literary masterpiece, "Frankenstein"

It's the week of the Nibblefest Art Contest.
As always, the contest began on October 20th, with the theme this month being 'MONSTERS'.


( for Auction Link)

"The Monster's Bath"....

I had oodles of fun working with this month's theme.  Reflecting upon the subject of "MONSTERS", naturally, that classic creature from the Boris Karloff 1931 "Frankenstein" movie was one of the first things to come into my mind.  As such an iconic image, plastered hither and yon (especially this time of year) and fully entrenched in popular culture, I'm sure this would probably be true for most anyone.  But of course, the actual story of 'Frankenstein' is way, waaaay older than that old vintage film -- written as it was in the early 19th century, by a brilliant and complex woman who lead a truly fascinating but highly complicated life.  I recall reading the book, "Frankenstein", back in high school, and knew I wanted to incorporate its author, Mary Shelley, into my entry's composition, along with the classic "Frankenstein's Monster" creature, as we all know it.  Yet I was stymied on exactly how to combine the two...., until yet another 'Mary' came to mind. A certain Mary Cassatt, that is.....

Mary Cassatt's beautiful painting, "The Child's Bath'

So yeah, we're getting pretty tongue-in-cheekishness here...but I promise you it was a real hoot painting my entry this month.....




The following is my auction description:



"The Monster's Bath"*
(*with apologies to Mary Cassatt...!)


My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC),  the theme for October being 'Monsters', features a portrait painted in loving tribute to author, Mary Shelley, her classic 1818 tome, "Frankenstein", the iconic movie character from the vintage 1931 filk of the same name, plus a certain famous work of art ('The Child's Bath") by yet another Mary, the impressionist, Mary Cassat.  Painted in acrylics on a recycled 8x10 wood plaque, this original painting is signed and ready to hang....:


----

What "monster" could be more inconic than the grotesquely, hulking figure played by Boris Karloff in the classic 1931 horror film...?  Universally recognizable, its moniker has become synonymous with the title, "Frankenstein" -- though in the film, and the book upon which it was loosely based, it's actually the name of the Creature's creator, Dr. Frankenstein.  But who was the REAL creator behind it all? -- the whole creepy concept, published first in 1818, and considered one of the earliest works of Science Fiction.... 

Author Mary Shelley lead a highly fascinating and unconventional life.  Brilliant and educated and marching to the beat of her own drummer, her life was not without its share of pain, illness, trauma and loss.  Losing her mother shortly after her birth, then facing the early deaths of three of her four children -- the first, an infant who survived only weeks in the year or so before her book's publication, it's thought there might have been a certain amount of mother/baby loss and longing in her idea of returning life to the dead.  I chose to portray Mary Shelley as the mother that she was, to children, both real and 'literary'.....

Painted upon a thin, second-hand wood plaque that originally had some ugly poster on it, which I rescued from certain landfill doom after a charity sale and gave "new life" to -- hmmm, rather appropriate use given the nature of the subject matter here, no...?

To see all of this month's Nibblefest Art entries (including mine!) HERE....


**UPDATE...!!!!**

"The Monster's Bath" wins First Place October's Nibblefest Art Contest...!  Thanks to all my bidders, commenters and Likers -- your support is much appreciated....!

"The Monster's Bath" wins First Place!

Detail: "The Monster's Bath", My Nibblefest Contest Entry for Oct's 'MONSTERS Theme

0 "Land of Lincoln", My Nibblefest Contest Entry for Sept's 'Furry Friends' Theme

"Land of Linclon", Original Acrylic Painting on 5.5" x 12"Wood Panel

September's Nibblefest Art Contest week has started (on the 20th).  The theme for this month is "Furry Friends" and this is my interpretation/entry.....

FOR "LAND OF LINCOLN" AUCTION LINK 

(As always with NFAC, bidding begins at just .99 cents!)

  I kicked around only a few ideas for "Furry Friends" before finally settling upon this one.  It's actually an image I've had in my head ever since a Nibblefest contest a few months back, when the theme was "Animals in Hats".  I had fully intended to participate that month -- ruminating on all kinds of well-known, historic hats that I could potentially work with.  Lincoln's iconic 'stove-pipe' top hat came to mind, and so I planned to create a portrait of Abe sporting an exaggeratedly tall top hat, with an owl peeking out from a hole in it.  The owl (appropriately symbolizing 'wisdom") would literally be "IN a hat", rather than the more obvious route of having an animal WEARING a hat.   In the end however, it was such a crazy busy summer that I never did manage to even start on an entry that month, despite my clear concept and the fact I'd fished around in my stash of second-hand canvases and painting supports to find the perfect, tall-and-skinny piece of found wood....    

Fast forward to this month when I was thinking about "Furry Friends".  Animals came to mind of course, but while I do adore critters of all ilk -- I just couldn't get myself in the mood to paint one.  Mostly I couldn't stop thinking of my earlier Lincoln portrait idea -- the image repeatedly popping into my mind.  And so, figuring he's portrayed often enough in the historical record with a beard that he reasonably counts as 'furry', it's the route I took....

"Land of Lincoln" Side View, showing painting extended on all sides, as shown here.....

I did change a few things from my original concept.  For one, I swapped out the owl I'd initially had in mind, with a cardinal.  The Cardinal is the official state bird of Illinois, Abraham Lincoln's home state (and mine).  The following is my auction description:

 

I live in Illinois, not so terribly far from the state capital of Springfield, where Abraham Lincoln, our much-beloved 16th president, lived, worked, grew a beard (hence was 'FURRY'), and got his start in politics.  I recall taking school trips to his home and his grave in my youth -- and went on to take my own children to these revered sites, plus others that have opened since (such as a really terrific museum/presidential library).  All of this Lincoln lore attracts multitudes of tourists to our area, and as a result Mr. Lincoln is mighty Big Business in these parts (like, nearly as big as Corn and Soybeans). Sadly, despite this legacy, my state (whose official state bird is the Cardinal) is not currently on especially sound footing, not financially, politically or otherwise.  As we continue ride on Mr. Lincoln's coattails, I can't help but wonder sometimes what he might think of our "Land of Lincoln" , as the marketing slogan goes, if he could somehow be with us today....."

Detail: "Land of Lincoln", My Nibblefest Contest Entry for Sept's 'Furry Friends' Theme

0 "Henry David Thoreau", My Nibblefest Contest Entry for August's 'Forest Creatures' Theme

"Henry David Thoreau": acrylics on 6 x 8 canvas panel (permanently mounted to an 8 x 10 rustic wooden board)

FOR AUCTION LINK (Starting at just .99 cents!)

So what do you think of when you think of 'Forest Creatures'....?  Such is the theme for August's Nibblefest Art Contest .   The above is my interpretation.  I suppose I could have taken a more 'literal' approach, but, as anyone who reads this blog (if there actually is anyone still reading this blog, lol) knows, I generally prefer to take a more literary approach when it comes to the Nibblefest themes.  Therefore one of the first things to pop into mind for me when reflecting upon 'Forest Creatures', was the old tome, "Walden: Life in the Woods", by the classic 19th century author, Henry David Thoreau.  Mr. Thoreau went off and lived for two years on the remote property of his buddy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, in a self-built cabin tucked in the woods, along the shores of a pond, as an experiment in simple living (then he wrote about it).  Worked for me, so I went with it...

Once I knew I wanted to paint a tribute portrait of Thoreau, I dug around in my stash of second-hand frames and painting supports and came across what I decided was the perfect thing to use.  As I've mentioned in this blog previously (numerous times), years ago I made the decision to forestall buying any new art supplies (excepting paint and brushes) in favor of supports I can either make myself, or find second hand.  Since then I've amassed quite the collection of second-hand frames and wood plaques and the like.  One of these was a small canvas panel that had been permanently mounted with metal brackets onto a very (very!) heavy, very (very!) rustic chunk of darkly stained, textured wood.  It was leftover, unwanted, after a local charity garage sale, and so I schlepped it home with me to save it from the landfill, but without any idea of what I might actually get around to using it for, being as that it was rather...unique?  Well, with its 'old-timey' look, it turned out to be the perfect thing for my particular subject matter.  Not to mention fairly appropriate I think too, what with the whole 'forest'-y themed thing we've going here (because what represents Forest more than a big, heavy chunk of actual wood plank....?).

Side view.  Thick chunk of wood!

The following is my auction description...:

"Henry David Thoreau"

My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC),  the theme for August being 'Forest Creatures', features a tribute portrait of the venerable author, Henry David Thoreau.  Painted in acrylics on a unique, second-hand 8" x 6" canvas panel permanently mounted onto a heavy and rustic 10" x 8" wooden board (see side view photograph), this original painting is signed and ready to hang.

When reflecting upon this month's theme, 'Forest Creatures', one of the first things to come to mind was the classic 1854 tome "Walden: Life in the Woods", by Henry David Thoreau, wherein he writes about to his personal experience with the simple life while residing in a self-built cabin within a natural setting on Walden Pond, surrounded by forest...: 

 
"....I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. ... I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion...."
  ~Henry David Thoreau

To see all the lovely 'Forest Creature' themed artwork this month, HERE.....

Detail: "Henry David Thoreau", My Nibblefest Contest Entry for August's 'Forest Creatures' Theme

0 "Desolation Row" (Bob Dylan), My Nibblefest Contest Entry for June's "All in a Row" Theme

"Desolation Row", painted in acrylics on a 6 x 8 found, wooden plaque.

for Auction Link

Ay Carumba.  It's been quite long time since I last posted here in my poor neglected wee blog.  Not because I haven't had much to talk about, nay -- more like because I guess it's part of my nature to be on the flighty and sporadic side of things.  I do take lengthy breaks from the bloggery from time to time (some breaks longer than others).  Yet I do always seem to find my way back.... eventually. 

This was a year of adjustments -- new job, new art students, a really and truly miserable winter the likes of which I've not seen since my youth (hello, Polar Vortex!), my daughter graduating high school, college visits, my son shuffling around the country in pursuit of his dance aspirations (with us visiting often in order to see him in action), and just busy family life in general.  For months it felt like I was spinning my wheels just trying to keep up with it all.  Happily, despite the ramping up now of Summer, the pace of life is settling down and it feels like I'm finally hitting my stride again, so it's back to what I love.  And that's Art, people...! 

The above is my entry into this month's Nibblefest Art Contest.  The theme for June 2014 is "All in a Row".  I thought long and hard about the theme.   It wasn't so terribly inspiring to me at first.  But then a classic old song by Bob Dylan, called 'Desolation Row', finally came to mind.  And thank goodness for that because I decided to do a tribute to Mr. Dylan and his epic, 11-minute song/poem.  I really do like this song -- especially the harmonica solo at the end.  Makes me want to take it up!  Sadly, I wasn't gifted with much in the way of musical talent, so that isn't likely to happen anytime soon (probably best if I just stick with the painting and sculpting)....

The following is my auction description:

.......

"Desolation Row"

My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC),  the theme for June being 'All in a Row', features a portrait of the venerable singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, in his younger days.  Painted in acrylics on an 8" x 6" found wooden plaque, it's my tribute his classic song, "Desolation Row".  This original painting is signed and ready to hang.

When reflecting upon this month's theme, 'All in a Row', the epic song of free-flowing poetry, "Desolation Row", by the songwriter and poet Bob Dylan, came to mind. 
The following excerpt of the song was my inspiration...: 

"....Yes, I received your letter yesterday
About the time the door knob broke.
When you asked me how I was doing,
Was that some kind of joke...?
All these people that you mention,
Yes, I know them, they're quite lame.
I had to rearrange their faces,
And give them all another name.
Right now I can't read too good --
Don't send me no more letters, no.
Not unless you mail them
From Desolation Row....."

~Bob Dylan

...............

View showing painted sides....

Detail: "Desolation Row" (Bob Dylan), My Nibblefest Contest Entry for June's "All in a Row" Theme

0 "The Bronte Sisters", My Nibblefest Art Contest Entry for May's 'PORTRAIT' Theme

My Nibblefest Art Contest entry for May,

"The Bronte Sisters":

for Auction Link

"The Bronte Sisters", painted in acrylics on a 3.5 x 4 found, wooden plaque.

Once again, Nibblefest Art Contest Week rolls around, with May's theme being 'PORTRAIT'.... 

Well, anyone who follows this blog surely knows portraiture has to be among my very favorite things to paint.  Regular readers might also recognize this particular piece from a few months ago, back when I was attempting to follow the last '29 Faces Challenge' (as written about in this previous blog post).  Indeed, though I did fail pretty miserably in my challenge bid that time around, managing maybe only half of the 29 Faces during the course of the month (oops), all was not quite lost because I did come up with this particular little painting at the time, with which I was well pleased....

'The Bronte Sisters' tribute portrait, view to the right side

As I'd explained in my earlier post (linked above), I stumbled across this funny, little wood plaque at a charity garage sale years ago.   Unfortunately it never occurred to me to get a 'before' picture -- but please take my word for it that it had originally been painted in such a way to suggest a rudimentary 'slice of bread', complete with those curvy, carved sides.  Well, while I do like to re-purpose the old found frames and plaques that I find around and about town, the size and shape of this particular one had had me sufficiently stumped for ideas -- and so, I put it aside.  For years. 

Quarter for Size Reference

Until it finally occurred to me during the 29 Faces Challenge when I dug it out that the curvy sides looked exactly like ''heads' and 'necks' to me.  And that despite the plaque's petite size, I realized there was room for three separate faces.  It was then that it sprang to mind to paint a tribute portrait of the lovely and talented 'Bronte Sisters' (while painting on all sides, 'in the round' as it were, for a 3D effect).....

'The Bronte Sisters', view to the Left Side

The following is my auction description:  

"The Bronte Sisters"

My piece for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for May being 'Portrait') is an original arylic painting on a small and curvy, found wooden plaque (3.5" x 4").  Complete with painted sides for a 3_D effect (see pictures for details), my entry features a triple portrait of the famous literary sister team of the 19th Century, 

 The Bronte's:  

Anne Bronte:  (17 January, 1820 – 28 May, 1849), author of
'Agnes Grey' and 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall'

Emily Bronte:  (30 July, 1818 – 19 December, 1848), author of
'Wuthering Heights'

Charlotte Bronte:  (21 April, 1816 – 31 March, 1855), author of
'Jane Eyre'

  The Bronte's were a talented lot, but it wasn't exactly an easy life.  Losing their mother at a very young age to disease, losing two elder sisters to more disease, dealing with a troubled alcoholic brother and enduring sexism galore (a cultural norm at the time) in regards to their writing and publishing, they then each went on to get ill in their 20's and 30's and enter into early graves themselves.  But happily not before leaving behind a body of work that remains much beloved and classic reading to this very day.....

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"The Bronte Sisters", a view from the top.....

'The Bronte Sisters', view from the bottom.....



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To see ALL the great 'Portrait'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
just here....

 

Detail: "The Bronte Sisters", My Nibblefest Art Contest Entry for May's 'PORTRAIT' Theme

0 "Owlie" Ties for 2nd Place in NIbblefest

It's been quite a long while since I've placed in the Nibblefest Art Contest, so it was a very nice surprise indeed to discover my "Owlie" entry tied for Second this month.  What a hoot (pun intended) --- here's a big shout out of thanks to all my lovely bidders and supporters -- I truly appreciate it!

"Owlie" ties for Second Place

Detail: "Owlie" Ties for 2nd Place in NIbblefest

0 My April Nibblefest Art Contest entry (theme: TREES): Meet "Owlie"

It's Nibblefest Art Contest week!   We're smack in the middle of it.

As usual Nibblefest began on the 20th.  With April's theme being 'Trees', I composed a blog post for the Nibblefest blog in order to introduce this month's theme, featuring some lovely Tree-inspired art by lots of Nibblefest Artists (including an older piece of my own).  I then entered myself on the 20th with the following:

"Owlie"  8.5 x 5 acrylic on found, old wood

  FOR AUCTION LINK

Long time readers may recall I've painted a version of 'Owlie' before, back in 2012, when I participated in the very first internet-wide  '29 Faces' Art Blog Challenge.  I was working on a project at the time by which I was painting 'guest' entries into the personal art journals of my private art students.  Just as a lark, in one of the journals I whipped up a funny-looking-yet-charismatic, anthropomorphic owl/human hybrid:

'Owlie' as I painted in my student's art journal

I recall being tickled with how he (she???) turned out, and have wanted to experiment with "Owlie" further ever since.  With a theme like this month's 'Trees', I figured I finally had my chance. 

(And be forewarned -- I'm rather partial to this wee creature, so it's probably not the last you've seen of little "Owlie")....:

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The following is my auction description:

"Owlie" My entry for the month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for April being 'TREES') is an original acrylic painting on an 8.5" x 5" found, thin segment of found wood.

Painted in acrylics and featuring a wee and mysteriously winsome nocturnal creature, tree-dwelling and perched upon a branch on a chilly, moonlit evening, "Owlie" is signed, sealed and ready to hang....

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To see ALL the great 'Mushroom'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
just here....

Detail: My April Nibblefest Art Contest entry (theme: TREES): Meet "Owlie"