You Occupy the Space You Have

After Christmas, it is always depressing after all the
decorations are taken down.  The gallery was empty today, and
I was ready to put something back up.

So I decided to put up some of my artwork and photos from my travels...
a "Destination: show.  These are from Greece.

These are my photos of Paris...from the flower markets on the Seine; the
sailing boats in front of the Louvre; an embellishment on a building on the
Champs Elysee, the Arc de Triumphe, and finally Monet's famous bridge
over his garden ponds.

And this is the "great wall of China"!  ...some photos and a couple of
colored pencil drawings.

Costa Rica was one of my favorite trips ever.  these are from
there.  There's a colored pencil drawing of a bird of paradise bloom,
photos of ferns in the rain forest and some coconuts along the
beach.

I will probably add a few  more along the way.  I have to frame
a few more.  I have a lot more; I may add some
walls out in the middle of the gallery space.

The new year is fast approaching, and with it comes new
ideas and new projects.  I have some plans...will try to post
more often, and share what I am working on.
Thanks for your support.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

A Little More Bird

Just making a little progress on this drawing.  This time of year is
always so busy with various activities.  And now I have used up all of
my green pencils that I have been using for the background.  So, I have ordered
some from Cheap Joe's, and I will work on the bird for now.  I hope
I can capture the luminosity of his transparent wings.  The late
afternoon light was filtering right through his feathers...just
beautiful.  I may try this photo in watercolor as well, to see which
medium can best capture that quality....or maybe it's the artist who
determines that...ha!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Shadows on White

Making a little progress on this drawing...just not getting a chance to
draw very much. Lots of decorating, shopping, and doing all the things that a
wife, mother, and store owner do this time of year!
I really like the blue shadows on this bird, and his whole body
and wing on the right side is in the shadow as well.  So it will really
begin to take shape as I move to the right.  Stay tuned!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

"Safe Landing"

Just getting started on this egret drawing.  I stalked these birds all last spring,
photographing them at their rookery.  I just love their elegant white feathers
against the dark backgrounds of the swamp.  Still have a long way to go on this
one...will try to post some progress.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Took a nice Sunday afternoon walk today...enjoying some of
the fall colors around our house.  In this season of thanksgiving,
I am thankful for many things....God and my salvation, family, health,
friends, and home.  I hope you will find time this week to enjoy
where you live...and thank God for His many blessings.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

A Birthday Book

I can show you all of this now...I have been working off and on
on this little book for my grandchild, Clara.  It was a gift for her
first birthday, and it chronicles her whole first year, in sketches, watercolors,
and photos.  I just finished it all up with her party in it, and now
it will go to her house!  She is not really ready to enjoy it just yet, but
someday, hopefully she will like reading and seeing pictures of what she
did her first year.  It was a secret, so I didn't want to post anything my
daughter might see.  She was tickled to see the book, and will
treasure it.  So fun.......

sheltongail@hotmail.com

The Art of the Birthday

Had a great weekend celebrating my little grand daughter's
first birthday.  My daughter did all the decorating, and di a great
job.  Family and friends came by and everyone enjoyed
cupcakes, including Clara!  fun times..

sheltongail@hotmail.com

LAEA Louisiana Art Educators Association-Part Two

More collages from the workshop today.  We were at Menard High School
this afternoon, and got to work in Mrs. Barbara Clover's wonderful art room.

This is the mixed media piece that I donated for the Silent Auction,
and this is the winning bidder! Congrats!

Here I am speaking to the group at the luncheon today.  I talked
about "creativity" and demonstrating it to our students.  

Had a great time at the LAEA Convention.  This is a wonderful organization;
there were art educators from all fields, and from all over the state.  It is
a joy to teach other art teachers...they catch on quickly, and are very motivated.
I enjoyed sharing with them, and I hope they all learned something they can
take back to their schools and colleges.

The Alexandria Museum of Art hosted several of the events, and they did a
lovely job as well.  It is a fine facility, and you should plan to visit
in the near future.  My exhibit of colored pencil drawings will be up
another week, and the work of New Orleans artist Michaelopoulos will be up
till November 22.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Louisiana Artists...Meeting at LAEA Convention

We are having a blast at the LAEA annual convention in Alexandria, LA
this weekend.  Last night was our first workshop with 23 fine
women art teachers signed up!  I am doing mixed media
canvases with them, and as you can see, they ran with it!  They
were so creative with the supplies, and they even inspired me.  They
were able to do so much with just a few supplies, and generate fine
works of art.

Today we have another workshop, and I have to speak at the luncheon.
I am getting ready now for another great day, surrounded by other creative minds
and personalities...too much fun!

sheltongail@hotmail.com

Lots to Do!

I have to teach some workshops this weekend.  It will be a
mixed media collage class.  I am doing a couple of examples.
I am trying this gel medium to add some texture.

This is some of the elements I am going to work with.
Will try to post when I am finished.

And this is what I have spending most of my time doing...getting
all the Christmas out at the shop.  I love this look....the Christmas
garden.  Lots of birds, white flowers, and angels...pretty.

And here are some of my painted canvases, and some produced ones. 

And here's some cute Christmas dishes, table runners, some more signs,
and cute burlap trees.

I will have a busy week!  This weekend, I am the guest artist for the LAEA
convention....teaching workshops and giving an address.  Should be lots
of fun.  When I get home on Sunday, we have just a few days left to get
everything done for Thursday night...the downtown Christmas Open House.
The hours are from 5-9, and lots of shops will be participating.  And I hear
the weather it is going to be cold!  And that makes people ready to
shop!!  Hope to see you there.

sheltongail@hotmail.com

House Plans

Amy has been a good customer!  And she moves alot!  I have done
about 5 houses for her in the past, and now I just finished this one.
It is a beautiful home.  She sent me lots of pics to work from.  It is located
in Arkansas.  I included the pen and ink drawing that gets
done before the watercolor goes on.  I really like just the drawing
myself.  Anyway, this will ship out as soon as I receive payment, and
Amy will have another house to hang on her wall!

For info on House Portraits:
sheltongail@hotmail.com

A Sign of the Times

Been doing a little painting on these cute canvases...

getting ready for Christmas Open House.  They will be

at the gallery soon!  

sheltongail@hotmail.com