Series 2

chickens, rooster, free range, painting, art, farm scene, folk life
| bethrommel

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have been taking a class from Carla Sonheim. This is with a cadre of international students and an enthusiastic, multi talented instructor. I am as happy as can be…and learning so much.

This year’s curriculum is about creating in a series.

Any serious artist can tell you that coming up with a meaningful subject and thoughtful series is difficult.

What am I trying to communicate?

This is a step forward from learning technique and developing a style.

It reminds me of learning French. You know the vocabulary and the verb tenses but can you have a conversation?

My second series is based on the outdoors, the freedom, the colors, and freshness of the idealized farm life. I used latex paint and acrylics with charcoal and ink for materials.

chicken, farm life, painting, art, folk life
Why Did the Chicken? Acrylic and Mixed Media. 16″ x 20″. $295.
chicken, still life, tropical flowers, free range chicken, art
On Vacation. Acrylic and Mixed Media. 16″ x 20″. $295.
chicken, starry night, farmyard, free range chicken, art, painting
Starry Night. Acrylic and mixed media, 16″ x 20″, $295.

…and the chickens that look as though they are plucked and ready for the frying pan….

chickens, free range chickens, horse, starry night, pasture, art, painting, folk art
What’s for Dinner? Acrylic and Mixed Media, 20″ x 16″, $295.

The colors of the outdoors and the imagined cutting garden of magazine photographs are so inviting.

still life and purring machine wm

Master of all He Surveys. Acrylic and mixed media, 16″ x 20″, $295.

 

Bird, flowers, still life, painting, art, bird watcher
Hide and Seek. Acrylic and mixed media, 16″ x 20″ stretched canvas, $295.
cat, flowers. still life, folk art, painting, art
Biding His Time. Acrylic and Mixed Media. 20″ x 30″. $750.
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Spring Forth. Acrylic and mixed media, 18″ x 24″, $495.

Options for the third series are on my mind. Am I ready to have a conversation?

 

Phew. A Website Update.

| bethrommel

I had all intentions of painting this morning, however something caught my eye. Change of plans. The morning has been devoted to updating my website.

To see my website (https://bethrommel.com/) you may click on this link or even glance at the menu on the left side of this page and see where everything is. There are:

New paintings in the Fine Art Gallery.

cat, flowers. still life, folk art, painting, art
Biding His Time

Some of my favorite ink blot creations in Ink Works.

IMG_1615
Surprise

and

Cities showcases cities!

d-c
Washington, D.C.

I have added some portraits to all categories.

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Cats in D.C.

Commissions are already underway for gift giving.  If you are thinking of artwork for a holiday surprise, please contact me at beth@bethrommel.com for more information.

New Orleans Collection

| bethrommel

As most of you know I was in a serious car accident over Memorial Day weekend with my husband. This was two and a half months after my sweet mother passed away. Thank you for your patience and kindness. We are fine and moving forward with optimism and much gratitude.

I have been participating in a yearlong on-line class taught by Carla Sonheim from Seattle, WA. The focus is working in a series.

My first series was work I created using my Great Aunt Ruth’s photo album. The photos dated from the 1920s to the 1940s. Many were taken in New Orleans. My hometown.

I set parameters for my images. They would be 18″ x 24″, acrylic over watercolor color field painting, and on paper.

Before I began I tested my new technique on 9″ x 12″ paper.

Mixed Media
Dining Room Chair. Mixed Media. 9″ x 12″. $75.00
Mixed Media
Lady Seated. Mixed Media. 9″ x 12″. $75.00

I enjoyed this layering of acrylic over watercolor, so moved forward in a larger format.

Mixed Media: acrylic paint, watercolor, charcoal on paper
Aunt Ruth’s Wedding. 18″ x 24″. Mixed Media.
Mixed Media. Acrylic, watercolor, charcoal.
Lady on the Bayou. Mixed Media. 18″x 24″. Sold.
Mixed Media. Acrylic, watercolor, charcoal
My Family. Mixed Media. 18″ x 24″. NFS

I have just completed my second series which I will show you next time. Be careful out there!

 

Ink Blots

| bethrommel

A little ink and a little cardboard after reading about a friend finding a Black Widow Spider.

Spiders!
Spiders!

Reading about the NASA mission, I saw Lady Sputnik take orbit.

Lady Sputnik
Lady Sputnik

Landscapes of Summer

| bethrommel

As summer sets in, the Georgia heat waves the air with exhaustion.

I retreat to my studio where colors and canvas wait.

While on a driving trip over Memorial Day weekend my husband and I stopped for the night in Fairhope, Alabama. I took some photos from Point Clear of Mobile Bay. They were my inspiration.

Mobile Bay, 6"x 6", $50.
Mobile Bay, 6″x 6″, $50.
Mobile Bay in the Sun, 6" x 6", $50.
Mobile Bay in the Sun, 6″ x 6″, $50.
Mobile Bay at Dusk, 6" x 6", $50.
Mobile Bay at Dusk, 6″ x 6″, $50.

Earlier in the summer I had the good fortune to be invited to Cashiers, NC. We hiked to see a waterfall. On the way we watched the white water on the rocks of the river.

Cashiers, NC, 6" x 6", $50.
Cashiers, NC, 6″ x 6″, $50.

I hope you are seeing great beauty this summer. Whether you travel or staycation enjoy.

More Ink Blots

| bethrommel

These have become a meditative bit.

Let ink blob around on a piece of paper.

Set aside to dry.

Return and imagine what could be done with more ink.

Ink Blot Lady $35.00
Ink Blot Lady $35.00

Oops, sometimes you find people in compromising positions. So sorry sir.

Disarmed Ink Man $35.00
Disarmed Ink Man $35.00

Or find people coming and going.

Ink Hipster on the Go $35.00
Ink Hipster on the Go $35.00
Blot on the Go $35.00
Blot on the Go $35.00

A historic figure and his horse have come to rest on the drafting table.

Jogging George Washington blot $35.00
Jogging George Washington blot $35.00
and his Horse $35.00
and his Horse $35.00

There are close-ups.

A Black Eye $35.00
A Black Eye $35.00

And there are views from above.

Pierrot Above $35.00
Pierrot Above $35.00

One never quite knows what will appear when playing with ink blots and blobs.

Surprise $35.00
Surprise $35.00

Ink Blots

| bethrommel

There are few things easier to create on purpose or by accident than an ink blot.

There is so much and so little to read into one. We can check with Rorschach for that.

I am taking a year long class with Carla Sonheim. One of our assignments was to enjoy making and adding to ink blots.

IMG_1331
Lady Blot $35. 8.5″ x 11″, ink and colored pencil on paper
IMG_1327
Revolutionary Blot $35. 8.5″ x 11″ ink on paper

As the clouds build outside, I have hunkered down in the studio to enjoy some music and continue this ink work.

IMG_1330
Surprise Blot $35. 8.5″ x 11″ ink on paper
IMG_1326
Dancin’ Blot $35. 8.5″ x 11″ ink on paper

Behind the scenes I have been working on a new series. Having become the keeper of the family photos, I have boxes of inspiration from photos dating from 1920-1945. There will be more on that in future posts.

Read what you like into these blots, Hermann Rorschach would, hopefully, have a heyday with them. Funny thing, I actually knew one of his descendants.

Memorial Flowers

| bethrommel
morgan flowers
Morgan’s flowers

My dear friends have sent me lovely bouquets of flowers since my mother’s passing in mid-March. Their love arrived in long boxes filled with buds of promise. I trimmed their stems as my mother taught me. Put them in a vase of water with the magic powder to prolong their blooming lives. It was a tender time. The hopeful colors sat tight and patient. Time passed and they opened with optimism to share their beauty and to be the best they could be. So like all of us.

How could I thank my friends for the loving feelings they sent and to tell them how much they meant to me? I created a small painting for each of them.

Mahin orchid copy
Mahin’s orchid
roses
Pixie bouquet
Kimberly flowers
Kimberly’s roses

The outpouring of support and love has touched me. The cards which sit by my placemat and napkin at the kitchen counter are a stack of love and hugs from miles away.

Thank you  my dearest friends and family. xo